Making the Most of your Christmas Break

Christmas break has already started!  Its going to go by fast, so don't waste it!  Here are some things you should to do to make it a great break:

1) Sleep!

Don't sleep the whole break away, but take advantage of the extra time to get some rest. It's great to stay up late with friends and hang out, sleep in, repeat... (these times were some of my favorite memories from my teenage years).  But use a couple nights to go to bed early and sleep in late. It'll do wonders for you!  You're only halfway through the school year, so freshen up and get ready for the rest!

2) Hang out with friends!

I know that seems obvious, but make sure you don't spend your whole break by yourself playing video games, watching tv, or on Facebook.  God made us as relational beings. So be relational. It's so good for your soul!


3) Clear up the clutter.

This could include your room, house, car, social media, or apps.  It's not the most fun thing to do, but it gives you a sense of refreshment when you are done.  Again, get yourself ready for the rest of the school year! Doing this every once in a while really helps.


4) Do something nice for your family.

You have some extra time. So do something for your parents or siblings that you wouldn't normally do! (some of you are rolling your eyes at me right now).  You might feel like you have to put up with them, but guess what?  They probably feel like they have to put up with you sometimes, too!  Bake them cookies, prepare dinner, clean the house, or write them an encouraging note. Think outside of the box. You'll make them feel loved, and we always feel good about doing something nice for others.


5)  Invite someone to church for Christmas Eve.

Not everyone knows the real Hope of why we celebrate Christmas.  We all know people who are going through hard times. What better way to help them through it than to point them to the Hope of the world?  (FYI... our church has services at 4:00pm and 6:00pm this year.)


What would you add to this list? What are you doing to make your break awesome?

4 tips for your first day back to school!

School starts tomorrow for a lot of students up here.  I thought I'd offer some tips to make your first day great and set the tone for the year.  If you already started school, I'm sorry I'm too late! I just thought of doing this now... but you should still go ahead and still try them though!




1) Bring an apple for your teachers.

I'm joking right??  Well, kind of... Such an old school idea, but I bet your teachers would get a kick out of it!  As an adult working with teens, I love when my students bring me something when they show up. It shows that they thought of me outside of church.  It also would show your teacher that you are looking forward to having a great year (even if you really aren't).  Or if you dont like the apple idea, leave for school early and grab a Starbucks for your 1st period teacher. Get on their good side. :)

2) Make a new friend.

It's a new year.  People change over the summer.  Go make friends with someone who you weren't friends with last year.  Maybe you've never met them before, or maybe you just didn't like them.  Give them a chance.  Everyone has a story and you have no idea what's going on in a person's life if you never talk to them.  Be a friend.  Gain a friend.  Its a win-win!

3) Go out of your way to talk to a freshman or a new student.

Remember how uncomfortable/awkward/scary it was as a freshman? Or if you've ever been a new student somewhere, you know how hard that can be... sometimes even lonely. Everyone has their "groups" and "tables," so how does a new student break in?  They're not familiar with where everything is or how everything works.  Or maybe they do. But you should go out of your way and ask them how they are doing and if you could help with anything.

4) Start and end the day right. 

Set your alarm 10-15 minutes earlier than you normally would and wake up to start your day with prayer. God cares about you and your first day of school as well. Why not talk to him before you do anything else? Tell Him how you feel and ask Him to give you wisdom, courage, and to surround you with the right people.

At the end of your day, take another 10-15 minutes and write down how your day went.  Write about how you felt, what happened, who you met, etc.  You'll love looking back at that a year from now, and 5 years from now, and 10 years, and so on.  Oh, and while you're writing, thank God for the good things that happened and dedicate your year to Him.


Those are just some quick ideas that are easy to do.  What would you add to that list?

Sheep Doggy Dogg

Argh! I can't believe I keep forgetting this!  My human instinct (and most likely - American instinct) keeps taking over.  I think I can do it on my own. I think I'm good enough to pull it off, or to fix it.  I think I have enough skill or power.  

Its amazing how much discouragement you can deal with when you are a pastor.  And I think discouragement is normal... a lot of the big name Bible heroes got discouraged at times.  But I think discouragement comes from the idea of, "I can do this. I will make this better. I will make it awesome."  When in reality, we are at the grace of God in everything we do.  God makes things awesome. I do not. And discouragement comes because it has become about me again, and what I think I can do.

I try to do God's job.  I think I am the shepherd.  In reality, God is the shepherd. I'm just the sheep dog.** (SHEEP DOGGY DOGG! which just sparked a great idea in my mind... a music video... to "Drop it likes it hot."  maybe something like this:  "When the kids try to get at you... drop it like its hotttt, drop it like its hotttt... When the parents get mad at you... drop it like its hottt, drop it like its hottt... When the Board get an attitude... drop it like its hottt, drop it like its hottt..."   Okay - maybe that idea sucks, but its funny in my head! I guess you just have to be there... in my head).

Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength."  Duh. It makes so much sense.

So, from now on, when I get discouraged, here is what I am going to do:

• I am going to place my HOPE in God.
• I am going to expect Him to do something.
• I am going to listen for what I need to do to help.
• I am going to do it with confidence. 
• I am going to give the credit to God. (because, He deserves it all). 

 
Luke 18:27 "No chance at all, Jesus said, if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."


How do you deal with discouragement?


**Thanks to Courtney Wilson for that analogy

Strength! Courage!

I'm going to open up a bit... and maybe you could already tell that this was going on with me. 

This past year, I feel like I have taken a step back as a leader.  My confidence has shrunk, and because of that, my motivation has been inconsistent.  I have been feeling compressed lately.  To quote a Relient K song, "and lately the weather has been so bi-polar and consequently so have I." Maybe the Portland skies are finally getting to me... and/or maybe its other circumstances.

Its funny to think back to how fearless I was as a high school student.  I would do whatever and not care a bit about what people thought of me. I wouldn't be afraid of the outcome.  I would speak my mind. I would take risks with jokes and see what kind of reaction I could get out of people.  And because of that, I had the opportunity to be a leader for some pretty sweet teams and groups. 

I'm not totally sure what changed.  A big part of it has to do with getting hurt by people, I think. 

But today is a new day.

I'm holding to Joshua 1:9 today.  "Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." (The Message version).

I have had this verse memorized since I was in elementary school. But I don't know that I've ever stopped to think that this is straight-up a COMMAND from God. He doesn't just want me to be this way. He commands me to be this way.  And if God is my Lord, then I have to be confident out of obedience... regardless of how I feel.  If God is my Lord, then I get over my fear, my insecurity, myself.  What do I have to lose anyways? Myself.  Myself to lose... God's plan to gain.

So how am I going have more strength and courage today?

• I will speak up when I need to, and even when I don't. (with love).
• I will be bold with the vision God has given me.
• I will make the decisions that I have been dragging my feet on. 
• I will prepare better. (yep - I think I put off things out of fear).
• I will pray more boldly and ask God to be big. And I will expect it to happen. 

How are you going to live with more strength and courage today?

Luke 18:27 "'No chance at all,' Jesus said, 'if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.'"

Song of the day: "God is Able." - Hillsong

Winter Retreat Session 4 - "God is not Finished"

Back in the day (Bible times), when a person was eating at the table, they had 2 choices of what to do with their napkin when they would leave the table. 

Choice 1: They could crumble up their napkin/towel and put it on their plate, signifying that they are done with their meal.

Choice 2: They could fold their napkin and put it back in its place where they were sitting, signifying that they are not done yet with their meal.  Or in other words… they still have work to do.

Which leads us to John 20:7.  Once John and Peter went to the empty tomb, they saw the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in… The scripture says, “The cloth was still lying in its place.”   The next verse it says that John “saw and believed.”  Why did John now believe?

Well, probably because Jesus is no longer dead.

But also, probably because he saw the cloth folded in its place… and realized, “Woah, Jesus is not done with his work yet… He’s not finished, just like He said.”

God is not finished yet.

God is not leaving you where you are. 

You have the choice to say, “God I am yours 100%” or “God I am not yours 100%”

There is no half way.

Winter Retreat Session 3 - "Faith in Adversity"

A simple post this morning...

In adversity, our faith is always tested.  You can go in 2 different directions during those times…

Our mindset goal:

“I don’t get this and I never will, but you are my God.”

Our verse to hold onto:

Romans 8:31, “If our God is for us, then who will ever stop us?”

Winter Retreat Session 2 - "God is Still God"

Session 2 – “God is Still God”

Ryan opened up the session with sharing a little bit about his own story.  There is no way I can retell Ryan’s powerful story in a blog post… so I will just say that life is hard and unfair. Things happen to all of us that hurt… and hurt badly.  None of us are immune to it.  It makes us question God. “What are you thinking?? What kind of plan is this?”

Ps 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” That is really hard to do when we are in the middle of adversity. When we are hurting and angry, I’m supposed to be still? Yeah… okay… how?

That’s kind of what was going on in Habakkuk. A lot is going on and Habakkuk is complaining about it.

And the Lord answers… (Hab. 1:5) “Look around at the nations, look and be amazed. For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.”

The pain we feel is very real. The pain isn’t necessarily eased by these words. But God says that He has a plan and its going to be fulfilled.  Our God is capable to do incredible things.  And an incredible thing is exactly what He has in mind for each one of us.  And in that we can have Hope.

And the Lord answers… (Hab. 2:3) “If it seems slow in coming, wait. Its on its way. It will come right on time.”

Gods timing is way different than ours. And we don’t always hardly ever understand it. But in that we can have Hope.

Instead of blaming God for all these things in life, we need to start saying, “God I know your plan is right.”

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Winter Retreat Session 1 - "Take Notice"

Session 1 – “Take Notice”

After an opening night of great worship, Ryan set the tone for the week with his “Take Notice” talk.  Its crazy to think about what is really going on in this world.  There are about 27,000,000 slaves in the world today… 27,000,000!  That includes sex trafficking, forced labor, etc. The states of Oregon and Washington have a combined totatl of 10.6 million people.   27,000,000… Let that number sync in for a minute. 

On top of that… there are thousands of homeless people in our cities, countless people being physically and verbally abused, kids getting bullied, and people not being noticed. Reality hurts.  We live in a hurting and pain filled world. Things aren’t fair. And, it often seems hopeless.  We catch ourselves questioning God… “Why wont you fix this? Do something!”

QUICK! Can you think of what the main picture on the back of a $1 bill? Don’t look! Try to think…    ….    ….

We see $1 bills so often, we kind of become numb to them and forget what is actually on them.   And it’s the exact same thing with us and the reality of this world.

A lot of times we ask, “God, where are you in all of this?”  Maybe we should start asking, “Why haven’t I noticed?” Or… maybe God is just asking us, “Where are YOU??”

Do you believe God really cares about these things?  What is one step you feel like God is calling you to take? If could be something “Small like just being available to your friend’s hurt, or it could be something “big” like finding an injustice organization and getting behind it. 

MICAH 6:8  "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"