7&8 Summer trip 2008 - Day 1

Well after a very long delay of no blogging I'm on the 7&8 grade summer trip 2008. It is already totally awesome (if you would like to watch a long slide show of our first day please click here). Each year we do a service project but this year’s project was so much more personal. We went up to Parkersburg, IA where we helped a number of families from a local church body who lost their homes and had a huge mess to be dealing with. We moved rock, glass, trash, and much more for 5 families from this church (it is a church of around 200 of which over 50 lost most or all of their homes). Some statements I heard from the kids:

- What!! we have to stop working now - I don't want to (my favorite by far)
- Hey there is a dead fish in this dry pond
- This is so much fun
- I can't believe what happed here
- Thank you so much - you came from Cedar Rapids and you came to help us - wow!

We got a chance to pray with one man in his basement (and that is all he had left of his home) and with tears in his eyes he said thank you so much.

After Parkersburg we got a chance to enjoy a fun park, hot dogs, and now we are at a hotel for a good night sleep before going to willow creek tomorrow for church.

From my devo this morning I read this - 2Co 9:8 “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done (MSG).” The Lord worked through these kids in ways I will never know this side of heaven.

flood of 2008 - giving out water

Haven't posted in a while been busy giving water away. FEMA set up two water distribution location here in Cedar Rapids and NCBC was asked by Serve the City to run one of them. Here are a few thoughts I had:
1) It has been very exciting to watch so many people from NCBC and other people from Cedar Rapids come out and volunteer.
2) It is more dangerest than I thought to do this
3) A lot of people came to get water for other people who couldn't come to get water themselves
4) Unfortunately, there are people who are taking this water & selling to make a profit
5) The stories people are sharing about what happen to them is overwhelming - Lord pls work

If you click on the picture you can see a slideshow made by Kim Pagel (One of the Pastors at NCBC)

flood of 2008 - Cedar Rapids update

New information about what happened here at Cedar Rapids is out. KCRG reported about it here.

Here is a little bit of it (very saddening):

"Cedar Rapids Fire Chief Dave Koch says 1300 city blocks have been affected by flood waters. He estimates total property value in the city affected by flooding at nearly 737 million dollars. Of that, 375 million dollars is residential property."

Lord, we can trust you - help us trust you.

"Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24 NIV)"

FLOOD OF 2008 - in East Iowa

My good frend and jr hi youth pastor at Parkview Church in Iowa City Nile Heefner has had his whole church submerged in the flood. You can go here to their web site to see pics of what is happening to it. I know many people are effected by this flood but this one is my first really big hit. Please pray for us and pray for my friend Nile and Parkview Church.

what we did to day for the flood of 2008 in Cedar Rapids, IA

Well today was a day where we really got a chance to help. Mark Forstrom, Lauren Darr (our intern), Austin Spooner, and I went to the local 211 United Way information center to man phones for about 8 hours. It was very encouraging how many people wanted to help and donate to the flood victims. One of the hard calls I got was a lady who is on vacation and found out about the flood. She asked about her home and I sadly told her that her home was in the evacuation area. She cried on the phone and that was all I heard from her. I sure hope that when she gets home she will find a home to come to. The Lord is teaching me some things:

1) I must rely on Him - because there is no other place to turn to as it should be
2) There are ways to help and you have to keep looking for them
3) Praying for wisdom and endurance is a very smart thing to do

PS - the picture is of Lauren answering the phone for United Way

FLOOD OF 2008 - in Cedar Rapids, IA

To say that we have more water than I have ever seen (besides an ocean) would be an understatement. There is so much water here and there are so many people who have been affected by this flood that I even hesitate to blog about it. There are much better bloggers and reporters out their than me but I did want to at least put down some of my thoughts:

1) I thought that this was going to be series but nothing like what it is ever came to my mind. 2) The real work hasn't even begun.

3) I believe with all my heart that God has something plan that will blow everyone away because of this.

4) Please pray and help when and where you can - there is a lot that will have to happen

5) CR will never be the same and down town will physically change like never before.

I put a couple pictures on flicker if you want to see what I’ve seen (just click on the pic). These are pictures before the waters really got bad. The office picture is from our youth office here at NCBC that got water from all the rain we are having not the flood. It's our intern Lauren Darr from Huntington University and a friend of her's helping out. There is a lot more that can been seen by looking at the KCRG web site (one of our local TV stations).

prayers this last month - May 08

This past month's prayers came from my devotionals in I Corinthians. I'm not finished with the book but this has been a great read for me. It has reinforced some of my thoughts, stepped on my toes more than I would like, and given me a lot of "mind fodder" for personal growth and growth for the middle school ministry.

Lord, open my eyes to the things I'm doing (and not doing) that cultivate a community for you.

Lord, may I not rely on anything from man but only in you.

Lord, may your wisdom & truth play out and be magnified.

Lord, open my eyes to how I am treating your temple and may I stop or keep going based on that.

Lord, thank you for my mom and what she does & did for me but even more so thank you for your presence in her life and mine.

Lord, may I grow up well, by serving You, loving you, and receiving Your love.

Lord, help me deal with conflict and be ready to look it in the face and deal with it.

Lord, my I follow Your instructions and not give into my own personal whims.

Lord, my I be sensitive to your leading no matter if it is for physical health or spiritual health.

Lord, I know what I've done in the past and ask you to please forgive me for what I have done - make me white as snow so that I might glorify you.

Lord, help me to focus on what is important - YOU - and not on all the stuff that the world thinks is important.
Lord, open my eyes to see you work in my life and that I might be your servant in all that I say and do.

I wonder... Lord, I want to be humble and simple before You but I also want to be strong and courageous for you as well - how do I balance those?

Lord, I need you, I'm compelled to share your truth but I seem to focus too much on self - fix me LORD, PLS Lord, help me to focus on "God-confidence" and not "self-confidence" - always.

Lord, open my eyes to the idol's I have placed in front of you and take them from me.

Lord, may I live well for you by serving you and others with all that I have.

Lord, you made all things and we are to honor you because of it - may you find me always honoring you.

Lord, open my eyes each time we do communion to realize and be humbled again to what you did for me on the cross.

Lord, may you find me using what you gave me to honor you and not follow the crowd.

Lord, help me explain to middle school kids how important each of them are in your body.

I want to know more about you and what you want me to do for you. Open my eyes to see you better.

Lord, open my mind and mouth to speak Your truth not only for me but for all you place in my life to hear me.

Lord, help me to keep it simple with a point.

Lord, open my eyes to see you in all that I say and DO.

Lord, may I take my turn to do and not do what you want.

Lord, thank you so much for what you did on the cross, in the grave, and on this earth I owe you my all.

Lord, open my mind to understand what you want me to understand so that I might be all that I need to be for you on this earth - and nothing more.

Mag Report - simply jr hi newsletter from Group - Jun08

Another great Simply Jr Hi Newsletter and some more great advise for jr hi/middle school guys/gals like myself.

What I liked: Kurt's article "Developmental Doables" is a very quick summary of a great book called, "Primal Teen." This is a must read for anyone who works with adolescents (Click here for a review I did of the book). Kurt's suggestion "that kids may need us to 'act as their brains' at times" is right on the money for middle school kids.

???: Andy Jack's "Partnering w/Parents" article has three great suggestions. I would add one more - Keep Partnering with your children's ministry and what they are doing with your incoming middle school/jr hi kids. If we know what the kids and their parents have been exposed to in the children’s ministry then the more equipped we will be to impact the kids and their parents when they join us.

Key statement: from Kurt's "Better Question" - "Once we identify why we exist, our goal is to stay true to our reason for existing."

Something creative: Kurt and Scott's "chew on this" opening had a really LOL moment for me. Here is what made me laugh: Scott replied, "Man, I couldn't agree more about the Strong Adult Leader And Developer (I know how much you like acronyms at Saddleback, and that spells SALAD. So profound)" and so funny.

Thanks to Group and Simply Jr Hi for putting out this monthly newsletter. I really enjoy getting it and reading it.

eXchange - a study in the book of Romans

NCBC has started a Romans study for "Big Church" that I' m really excited about. We have a blog for it (click here to see it), a facebook group (click here to see it), and a journal guide for it (don't click here to see it - you have to get it at church).

What's got me excited about it is that we will be exposing the middle schoolers to Romans 6-8 this fall which I believe is a critical part of a young adolescents spiritual walk.

Book report - Ophie out of Oz!

I've been asking my daughter to give me another book report on the books she has read and we finally did one together. We went on a pre-trip trip for our big summer trips and we got to read this book, "Ophie out of Oz!" Here is my 11 (soon to be 12) year old review of the book:

This book was about a girl name Ophie (short for Ophelia Peeler). She had everything in California - great friends, sunshine, and attention. But because of her dad's job they had to move to Oregon. There she was sad because she would always think about California and Lezzy (her best friend).

On the first day of school she meet Brittany and her sister. Brittany followed Ophie around and they would talk to each other. When they were in the theator they heard two girls singing. She told Brittany that they weren't very good and Robin (another girl in the story) over heard and told the two girls that were singing what Ophie said. It turns out that the two girls are the most popular in the school and they did commercials on T.V. A few days later Brittany tells Ophie that she likes a guy from Sunday School (Troy). Then when they go home Ophie writes a love letter to give Brittany ideas. Then she calls and Tana (Brittany sister) answers. Ophie tells Tana what she wrote and then Tana thinks that Ophie is trying to help Brittany so she accidently sends the message to Troy. Then Troy wouldn't write back to Brittany. So Ophie had to call Troy's mom to tell her it was her fault and after awhile she says, okay.

After a few weeks pass Ophie gets a package from her dad and it has a poster and a calendar about the Bailey Broz and they give Ophie comments on it. So, Ophie decides to bring it for show and tell. When she showed it everyone goes crazy and she turns out to be the new hit of the day. Soon she starts hanging around the T.V. girls and doesn't hang out with Brittany anymore. She didn't like being around them after a while. Shortly after that the class goes on a field trip and they go in to a live theater that talks about the 1860s. Brittany starts asking these weird questions and Ophie joins in. Then Ophie says something that the guy pretends to faint and then Ophie says that Brittany knows and does C.P.R. on the guy. After that the guy let's them sit on the corner of the stage and Ophie apologizes to Brittany for her behavior.

I liked this book because it shows how Ophie got persuaded into something so easily. Also how she fought through that.