An EPIC Mission Trip!

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is going to be long. Because God did so many amazing things this past week in Vero Beach, FL. So only my most dedicated followers will read this blog.

So I just got back from the BUMS (Bethel United Methodist Students) Mission Trip to Vero Beach, FL. I am exhausted, tired, but also extremely blessed. So here is what went down. Last Saturday, we spent right around 12 hours in the car on the way down and arrived at EPIC Missions and were greeted by a delicious dinner, and then we were treated to Rita's Italian Ice. EPIC Missions is an organization that brings in mission teams from all across the nation to do God's work in the area. We were by far the largest group they have ever seen, but they did such an awesome job hosting us and making us feel right at home the entire week.

On Sunday we worshiped at Northside Christian Fellowship. This was the church that I would be in charge of overseeing the VBS. Worship was quite an experience, and I really enjoyed it. After the worship service, the church treated our entire team to a delicious lunch, which was so kind. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon decorating the church getting ready for VBS that upcoming week. After we finished decorating, we were supposed to go door to door in the local neighborhoods to hopefully round up some kids for VBS. Unfortunately, there was a bad thunderstorm and we were prevented from doing that. So we just went back to EPIC missions and enjoyed ourselves for the evening.

              Here is a picture of  our group having worship as we did every night!

Monday morning rolled around, and it was time for VBS. Unfortunately, we had a problem. We had no kids. Not a single child showed up for VBS. I was literally crushed, heartbroken, and didn't really know what to do. But we weren't gonna let that stop us. So we went door to door and gathered up some kids for VBS for the rest of the week. On Monday afternoon, we went to the Gifford Youth Center, which is where our other VBS was going on, and just hang out with the kids. It was such a blast.

                                          Here is a picture of one of the VBS sites

And another one.....

On Tuesday, we arrived back at Northside, ready for kids to show up. 9 am rolled around, and again no kids. So myself, my youth minister Chad, and one of my youth Sam, got together and prayed. No sooner then as we finished praying, I looked up, and there stood a woman with 2 young girls. I really dont think I have ever been more excited in my entire life. I literally jumped for joy. It was so amazing, and it was such a God moment. So we ran our VBS for those two girls, and it was awesome. On Tuesday afternoon, we got to go to an amazing place called the Harvest which is a grocery store with much cheaper prices to help those in need. It was so cool to be able to help them out and serve there for an entire day.

Tuesday night we went down to enjoy God's beautiful creation at the beach. It was beautiful.

Wednesday rolled around, and we became even more blessed at VBS at Northside. We had 6 children on this day. It was so amazing, and VBS continued to go very well. It was so great to see all the youth who had worked so hard to prepare for this trip actually get a chance to show off what they had been working so hard for. God continued to bless our VBS. On Wednesday afternoon, we had our first block party at EPIC Missions, the place that hosted us. It went well, and we had somewhere around 60 people come out. It was a lot of fun, and I know some lives were touched. At our block parties, the praise band played, we had free food for everyone, as well as snow cones, popcorn, and games. As well as this year, the Youth Choir presented their musical Flashback, which was a very unique but powerful way to witness to people. Wednesday night, we had our senior night, in which we honor all of our seniors by giving anyone who wants a chance to say something to them in front of the whole group. Its a great way to honor the seniors of the youth group.

Here is a picture of our youth choir doing their musical at one of the Block Parties. 

On Thursday, our last and final day of VBS, we had 9 kids. Such an awesome thing. God went from there being 0 kids at our VBS to 9 kids. Sure, its not a lot. But it was so amazing. And I loved it. It was such a great day at VBS, and it was hard to say goodbye to the kids we had spent time with this week. Thursday afternoon we had our second block party at Northside Christian Fellowship. We once again had a pretty good crowd at the block party It was a lot of fun.

Thursday night, we got to share in one of my most favorite things to do ever. Its called the Heart Ceremony. This is a time in which you get a paper heart and you go around to one another and tear off a piece of your heart and give it to people and you share with them why they will always have a place in your heart. It is such a cool event, and has become such a staple on the mission trip. It is just a great opportunity to share and grow in your relationships with others. But this heart ceremony was a special one for me. I had a great conversation with my youth minister during this time. He has been strongly encouraging me for quite some time to become a youth minister. But now, I think I finally had the breakthrough I have been looking for.

I had a great time this past week, and this entire summer. I have loved working with youth so much. So now, comes a hard decision in  my life. I love special ed, but I also love youth ministry. But I am definitely thinking I want to work with youth now after this week and summer. So I plan to still teach for a little while, for 3 years or so after I graduate. But I could definitely see myself going into youth ministry at some point during my life. I absolutely love it.

On Friday, we had our fun day, in which is a good time to relax and enjoy ourselves after a long hard week of work. We jumped over to Tampa, FL to enjoy the day at Busch Gardens. It was such a good day. Then on Saturday, we hit the road back home. It was such an amazing week, and I was so glad I got to be a part of it.

Determining God's will for your life can be hard to do. And its something that I have struggled with my entire life. But this week really helped me figure things out. Here are a couple of scriptures that have been on my heart this week:

Proverbs 3:5-6"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

This verse is great because it shows that as long as you trust in God, and depend on him, he will guide you. And the second verse:

Matthew 4:19-20 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." So at once, they left their nets and followed him.

This was our verse for the entire week. God is calling us to minister to others. But not only that, but to drop everything we have, and do his work. That doesn't mean that we need to quit everything we are doing, but instead, do everything for the glory of God. This was an eye opening verse for me. I'm now, from this moment on, letting God control where my life is headed. It's in his control. If God wants me to be a special ed teacher, then so be it. Or if God is calling me to be a Youth Minister, then so be it. Hear I am Lord, Send me.

One Week

You know, One Week of time is actually a good bit of time. Sure, it doesn't seem like it in the long scheme of things, but it really is. A lot can change in one week. But the reason one week of time is important to me right now, is because that is exactly how long until I leave with my youth group on our mission trip. 

It's kind of an unusual feeling. It has always seemed that the mission trip has always been so far away since the beginning of the summer. It was always that thought in my mind that would come eventually, but not too soon. And what's crazier even about that, is I only have 10 official days of work left after we return from the mission trip. But now is not the time to worry or focus on that, it is time to get all those last minute preparations ready for the mission trip. I am very excited about this opportunity. I know it is going to be so great next Saturday morning, at 5 am, when we load up the buses for a 12 hour drive down to Vero Beach, FL. I am excited about it for many reasons. One, I can't wait to see the youth I have been working with do their work that they have been preparing for for the past 2 months. I am also excited because I always loved the mission trip when I was a part of this youth group, and I can't wait to have those experiences again. But I am also a little nervous. 

Its always a fear of mine that I am going to be rejected. Sharing your faith in the Gospel can be a hard thing, especially if the people you are sharing it with do not accept it. I am also scared a little bit because I am going to be in charge. We do Vacation Bible School at two different locations. Obviously, Chad, cannot be at both locations at once. So, on the first day, he is going to the second location with the other Intern, Emily. This is because there are going to be a lot more little kids at the second location, so he is needed there to help manage the almost guaranteed chaos. So knowing that I am going to be the person that everyone comes to if there is a problem at the first location is a little scary.

So I write this blog to ask for prayer from my faithful blog readers. Pray for a few things: 1) Pray for the people down in Vero Beach, FL, that they will receive our love and accept us with open arms. 2) Pray for the students in the youth group that they will be able to go with confidence into Vero Beach, FL and share their faith, their love for Jesus Christ, and their experiences so that they may help others come to know and love Jesus as much as they do. 3) Finally, pray for myself, Chad, Emily, and all of the other adults that are going on this mission trip that we me have the strength and patience to do as God instructs us to do by setting a good example for the students, as well as just allowing us to sit back and watch the amazing things God will do through these students.

Matthew 28:18-20: "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

This is the only verse that ever comes to mind when I think of doing mission work, mainly because I first heard it when I was on a mission trip myself to St. Lucia. God instructs us to go and make fellow disciples, so that we can share in the love and fellowship of Jesus Christ. And that no matter what we go through, God is going to be with us through it all, no matter what. One Week. That's all I have left till I leave for what is going to be one of the greatest weeks of my entire life. I can't wait.

This is a picture from the last mission trip I went on with the BUMS, in 2009 to New Orleans. 

The Most Relaxing Week of my Entire Life!

So, in case you didn't know this, I have the best boss in the entire world. His name is Chad Deetz, and he was my youth minister growing up. But now he is my boss, and he is amazing. Now many of you are probably asking "Why is Chad Deetz so amazing?" Well here is why. He was so nice to give me this entire week off so that I could relax and get rejuvenated for the rest of the summer. Chad Deetz, you are the man!

So to enjoy my week of the 4th, I came down to Pawleys Island, SC to hang out with one of my best friends Matthew Deegan. And I also got to see my friends Shelbee and Rachel from Erskine this past week as well. This week has been so awesome. I have actually done a whole lot of nothing, which is what has made it so great. This week has just been very relaxing and restful. Lots of swimming in the pool, grilling out, and just chilling and enjoying myself. It has been so nice. And it really has gotten me excited and rested up to have a ton of enthusiasm for the rest of the summer. I am very thankful for this past week to rest. But what is even better, is my week is not over yet. Tomorrow, I head up to Lexington, SC to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and most importantly, my niece. It has been over 2 months since I have seen them, and I cannot wait any longer. It is going to be good to get to spend some quality time with some of my family. So I am very excited about the rest of this week as well. And then, on Sunday (which is my birthday, woo-hoo) its back to work again. But I am glad about that too, because i have missed it a lot.

Matthew 11:28- Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Did you know that the word rest (or some form of it) can be found in the bible over 500 times? I think that is pretty awesome! It's obvious that God meant for us to be restful at times. After all, he did put an entire day into our week (the Sabbath) for us to rest. In the society we live in today, it is all about go, go, go, and we always have to be productive. But that's not how God meant it to me. God also meant for us to rest and relax. I also have a song lyric for you:

"Sunday was a day of rest, now its one more day for progress. And we can't slow down, cause more is best, its all an endless process."

--Mayberry by Rascal Flatts

We think we dont have time to rest on the Sabbath. But it is necessary. I also found this lyric appropriate since the man of Mayberry, Andy Griffith, passed away this past week. That is a  sad day in American Television. I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July!

This was the pool where I spent most of my week! It was glorious!