Last night at the Refuge was an awesome night. We played some cool games and had a ton of fun, it was good to see all the students.  Everyone got to have some time with God.  In Psalms 46:10 it says Be still and know that I am God!  We gave the students time to pray, pray for others, read the bible and write their goals for 6 months. Students had time to be still and listen to God. Parents ask your student about last night and what they learned.  Remember kill ball is Not going to happen on Oct 31st instead we are going to have a Bonfire on that night. Details about the Bonfire coming soon.

Jesus Calms the storm

Last night at the Refuge we talked about going through storms in life. We read Mark 4:35 where Jesus calms the storm. Jesus was in the stern right by the rutter and was in control.  You are in the storm for his purposes. In storms we want God to do a removing job, he wants to do a improving job.
Hebrews 13:5 says Never will I leave you Never will I forsake you.
Parents take time and ask you students about last night.

Rembember Next class Sundays at 9:30

Ladies and Gentleman: REFUGE is Tonight

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going great for you today.

Tonight is going to be so stinking awesome, we have some great games planned, actually lots of new games, also we have some great worship and we have some really fun elements of worship we are going to be doing tonight doing our worship time.

I believe God has some pretty insanely great things in store for tonight, so don't miss out tonight on REFUGE!

Here are the details: 

Where: CVMC
When: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
What: A bunch of epic awesomeness slammed into 2 hours.
Why: Because God has called us to create a space for students to experience Christ through relationships, and teaching.
What to bring: Yourself, a friend, and tell that friend they need to bring 14 friends, and tell those 14 friends they need to bring a taco for Adam. :) *yeah free tacos.

Hope to see you there tonight!

P.A.

Devotion Tuesday

Do Something!

A recent survey found that 77% of Americans believe in Heaven, and 76% say their chances of going to heaven are good or excellent.
Apparently, our job of evangelism is almost done- since nearly 8 out of 10 are headed for the streets of gold...right?
Then again, this survey never got past the surface questions. I wonder what the percentage would have been if the inquiries would have dug just a little deeper. It would have been so easy to slip in a quick follow up question:

"Since you believe that you are going to heaven, let me ask you this: why do you think you deserve to go there?"

Of course, once you drop that line, all manner of weirdness breaks out. Believe me; I think I've just about heard it all. Everything from alien connections to karma to even atheism. That's right- I've spoken with atheists who believe they are going to heaven.
Huh?
Generally what it boiled down to, though, was that most people believe they are pretty good. Good enough, in fact, to not have to end up in hell...therefore heaven must be their destiny.
Isn't that just like us Americans? As long as were not as bad as some people, we're sure to be headed for Paradise. So we take a mixture of belief systems, movie messages, conversations, and relatively harmless verses from a multitude of religious texts and-poof- everyone has there own made to order religion that's sure to end up all good.
The truth is that it is not going to end up all good. This survey reminds me of the rich and beautiful people on the Titanic who were drinking champagne and playing games with chunks of the iceberg while the ship was rapidly taking them to their deaths. I'm sure that more than 77% of them believed that everything was going to be alright- but the reality turned out to be very different than they expected.

Jesus addressed this exact issue:

"Knowing the correct password--saying "Master, Master,' for instance--isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience--doing what my Father wills. I can see it now--at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, "Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? "You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.' (Matthew 7:21-23- The Message)

Apparently there were lots of folks in His day who thought they were going to heaven as well. Jesus is plainly warning them that it is not a matter of religious works- but one of righteous faith.

The survey and this passage send a clear message to me:

We're asking the wrong questions. Many evangelistic techniques try to persuade a person to want to go to heaven. I've got news for you- most people already do! The issue for them is not whether heaven exists, or even if they believe they are going. The key is *why* they think they are going. It boils down to believing vs. behaving. If works could get us into heaven, then why did Jesus waste His time by coming to earth and dying a horrible death? As well- I think deep down most people- no matter what they say outwardly- know that they don't deserve heaven. Yet instead of facing that awful truth and turning to Christ- they decide instead to keep drinking the champagne of false religions and playing the games of denial and positive thinking.
Meanwhile the ship continues to go down.
How should we respond to this survey? The same way that of the greatest preachers who ever lived encouraged his congregation:

"Brethren, do something; do something, do something! While societies and unions make constitutions, let us win souls. I pray you, be men of action all of you. Get to work and quit yourselves like men. Old Suvarov's idea of war is mine: `Forward and strike! No theory! Attack! Form a column! Charge bayonets! Plunge into the center of the enemy! Our one aim is to win souls; and this we are not to talk about, but do in the power of God!" - Charles Spurgeon

P.A.

REFUGE this Wednesday night

Hey there everyone I hope your week has started out great. This Post will be a little shorter because my Monday is pretty swamped but I wanted to drop you a line and let you all know this coming Wednesday night is going to be awesome, we have brand new games we are playing, some great worship we are going to be doing and finishing up give it up series this Wednesday night.

So here is what you need to know.

Where: 6:30 - 8:30pm - At CVMC.
To Bring: Bring your friends with you, we will have lots of awesome things for you guys to do.
What: We will be learning about what it means to give back to God what is already His!

We can't wait to see you guys this Wednesday night!

P.A.

Great night at REFUGE

Man last night was so awesome! We had so many awesome students come last night and hang out with us. Here is a wrap up of what we did last night.

Started out with a dance party with the dance "interlude" it was pretty great, then we started into some games. We got to play a staple at REFUGE called the duct tape relay, then we got to play chicken on the roof with about 90 students! It was seriously crazy, I thought someone might get hurt but they were ok :), then we played spin that wheel where we got to draw on people's faces, saw a student where a batman costume, and see a student get pie in their face.

Worship was great we only did 2 songs because of time, but we got to sing together which is always fun, then we split into senior and junior high to for our discussion time. We talked last night about giving it all up for Christ, and how God requires the first's in our lives.

We then split into our small groups and I heard from our small group leaders that it went really well!

We had a blast last night, we hope to continue to grow and minister to students!

P.A.

REFUGE tonight!

Hey there everyone! I can't wait to see everyone tonight. It's going to be an amazing night tonight. We hope you can join us!

Here are the tails!

Where: Crystal Valley Missionary Church
What: REFUGE youth ministry
When: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Why: Because we love Jesus so much we believe that junior high and senior high students in the middlebury area should have a place to be themselves, and be able to ask questions about God. This is a REFUGE. 
What to bring: Yourself and a couple of your friends!

Tonight we are starting a series called "Give it up" We are for the first time tonight going to split our Junior high and Senior high students for our talk time! I can't wait to see what God is going to do.

IF you want to come early doors open at 6pm, we have octaball that is going to be stinking awesome! So come and hang out and listen to some really fun and awesome music.

Hope to see you later!

P.A.

Devotional Tuesday

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (I Corinthians 10:12)

His resume as a follower of Jesus was really quite impressive. He voluntarily gave up his chosen profession, and stood by Jesus' side for three years. When the so called 'disciples' who followed Christ for the free food and magic show ditched Him when he started making demands, this person stayed the course.
As a matter of fact, of all the men whom Jesus chose to be one of the 12, this man was the most likely candidate to succeed- and (oh!) the things he saw during those 36 months. The sick healed, the blind given sight, the storm calmed, the masses fed, and the dead raised again. He walked with Jesus, broke bread with Him, laughed with him, and wept with Him.
Which is why it may come as quite a surprise that the last words Jesus ever spoke to Him were:

"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:48)

On Palm Sunday, Judas was cheering for Jesus with the enormous crowd. After all, he was excited about the popularity of this miracle-working teacher. Only two days later, Judas agreed to betray Christ with a kiss.
How could his attitude have turned so quickly from dedication to deceitfulness? The same reason that ours does: disappointment. Judas (like the crowds) was quite sure that Jesus would conquer those nasty Romans and put Israel back into the number one ranking again. Surely after the big parade He got on Sunday, He would respond on Monday with an unprecedented heavenly strike of Biblical proportions, right?
But Judas and the crowds didn't get their way, and within one week their cheers for Hosanna changed to chants of hatred.

History hasn't treated Judas very well since that day. He's always the ugly one in paintings and movies about Jesus' time. I've not come across any parents who desire to name their children after him, and in fact I've never even met any people who would name their pet after him (come here Judas! Come boy, sit, sit...) Yet before we point the finger at him, let's consider our attitude towards Christ when things don't turn out our way: questioning, complaining, mistrusting, even willfully rejecting.

(Come on Lane, are you saying that if we betray Christ, we hurt Jesus like Judas did? What an overstatement!)

For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened--those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come-- and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

This week, consider deeply where you stand with the Savior. Don't praise Him with your lips on Sunday, and then betray Him with your actions Monday –Saturday. Most importantly, don't ever think that you couldn't fall into the same trap as Judas, for it is then that you are only one step away.

P.A. 

Wednesday night

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going awesome! This coming Wednesday night we are going to be meeting back at CVMC (Crystal Valley Missionary Church) and we are going to be doing some amazing things!

We will be kicking the night off with some amazing fun games, and then heading into some worship time. I can't tell you how excited I am to worship with you guys again. That is seriously some of the best moments of my week when I get to spend worship our Amazing God with you guys!

Then we are going to kick off a series called "Give it up". We are going to be talking about giving back to God's what is rightfully His. We need to understand that He has blessed us, and we want to honor Him with our gifts.

So come see what God has for us this coming Wednesday, We are praying for big things to happen this Wednesday night! We hope you can join us!

6:30pm - 8:30pm at Crystal Valley! We can't wait to see you there.

P.A.

Fall kickoff = EPIC PARTY

Last night was so awesome! We had a lot of new students who came out and got to hang out with us, and eat some delicious food!

I want to thank again Terry Smith for letting us use their house, it was fantastic! I also want to thank all the small group leaders, and volunteers that came out to help us it was so stinking awesome!

For those who are checking this out for the first time, we hope you will join us next Wednesday for REFUGE at CVMC! We have a ton of fun with octaball, games, and great time with small group leaders.

We have some great events planned for this coming year, if you didn't get a calendar last night we will have some available next Wednesday and we will have them posted online soon!

Hope you have a great rest of your day!

P.A. 

Fall Kick off tonight!

Hey there everyone, Welcome back to school! With the school year kicking off, we are also kicking off our REFUGE year with an awesome party tonight. Here are the details:

When: TONIGHT!
Where: Terry Smiths house (58270 hemminger dr. Goshen, 46528)
What to bring: Yourself, clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty, your appetite, and a couple friends!
What to expect: A ton of fun, lots of laughs, and whole lot of awesomeness! Oh did we mention FREE FOOD!
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm, be dropped off at Terry's house.

We will be playing so many awesome and fun games tonight, so make sure you invite some of your closest friends to join you. We are having a Build your own Nacho Bar tonight, A Massive game of Twister, a sweet game of Ultimate Frisbee, and we are going to build Chicken Launchers!

Tonight you will also get hooked up with your small group leader, and you can start meeting some of the new leaders, and great volunteers that will be in your group this coming year!

We are super pumped for this kick off party, and we hope to see a lot of people out there tonight to have fun with us!

If you have any questions please feel free to email us at cvmcadam@gmail.com. or call the office at 574-370-2094.

Hope to see you tonight!

P.A.

Tomorrow night is the Night!

We are T-minus 30ish hours away from kicking off our year! We are so super stoked and we are starting to set up all the awesomeness today! So here are the details:

When: August 15th (TOMORROW NIGHT!)
Where: Terry Smiths house (58270 hemminger dr. Goshen, 46528)
What to bring: Yourself, clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty, your appetite, and a couple friends!
What to expect: A ton of fun, lots of laughs, and whole lot of awesomeness! Oh did we mention FREE FOOD!
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm, be dropped off at Terry's house.

We hope you can join us for our launch of our year at REFUGE! We are going to be having so much stinking fun I promise this is what everyone will be talking about for the next week!

Just another reminder we aren't meeting at the Church we are meeting at Terry Smith's house and that is where you will be picked up!

Oh yes did we mention FREE FOOD! 

Have a great last day of summer.

P.A.

Fall Kick off in 3 days

The Big Fall Kick off is right around the corner, and we are doing some pretty stinking awesome things for our kick off. Here are the details!

When: August 15th
Where: Terry Smiths house (58270 hemminger dr. Goshen, 46528)
What to bring: Yourself, clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty, your appetite, and a couple friends!
What to expect: A ton of fun, lots of laughs, and whole lot of awesomeness! 
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm, be dropped off at Terry's house.

We are planning on doing some super fun things this year, we will be talking some about this coming year and all the fun things we are planning on doing, you will also be getting able to connect with your small group leader.

Prayer for our leaders

Hey there everyone! I hope your week is going really well. Here are a couple things you can be praying for for REFUGE:

1. Our new leaders - We have some fantastic new leaders that are coming in to the ministry, and over the past 2 weeks we have had some amazing prayer, and teaching time with them. We have got to play some really fun games, and we have got to do a lot of eating and talking. I honestly believe that this is one of the strongest teams we have had in a long time. Be praying for strength, encouragement, and favor with the new students that will be coming up and into the REFUGE.

2. For our student leaders - We have some amazing student leaders that are stepping up and leading some great events for us here at REFUGE. Pray for these students to be strong, courageous, and bold with their faith. The enemy would love for them to say they are going to step up, but then be beat down by peer pressure, and fall to the way side. We need these students to be grounded in their faith, and ready for what the enemy might throw at them. We are super excited for these students to be stepping up and we believe they are going to be setting the ground work for God to move in a powerful way.

3. For the students - We have some of the best students in middlebury! We believe wholeheartedly that God is ready to move in a powerful way. We ask that you would be pray for students to encounter God in mighty way, for students to connect with their small group leaders, and for the students to put a high priority on their spiritual growth this year.

We hope that you would pray for our student ministry THE REFUGE!!!!

Have a fantastic day!

P.A.

Party on

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13)

There's a huge party coming up. No, it's not like any that you have ever been to. I'm not kidding!

What are the differences you ask?

Well, first of all the location is out of this world...literally. It's going to be held in an unknown (at the present time) location. Possibly in another dimension, or into the far reaches of the galaxy. Either way, this place will be like nothing you've ever seen or experienced.

Secondly, the guest list is mind-boggling. You could end up mingling with people from every nation, tongue and tribe from every conceivable corner on the planet. Not to mention as well that you will be shaking hands with people who have been dead for hundreds, even thousands of years!

Then there's the guest of honor. Think for a moment how you would feel about going to a bash put on by the President of the United States or royalty from a powerful country...think you might get a little amped-up about that? Well compared to this Host, the greatest people on the planet look like beggars.
The coolest part is that these festivities go on for...well, forever. It is a perpetual party except without the puking patrons and moronic masses. Just the opposite, in fact. These folks will know how to really have a good time without the consequences.

So what do you think? Wanna go? Perhaps you are already on the guest list, and you don't even know it. Let me show you the handwritten invitation:
That triggered a response from one of the guests:

"How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, "Come on in; the food's on the table.' "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, "I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.' "Another said, "I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' "And yet another said, "I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' "The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, "Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' "The servant reported back, "Master, I did what you commanded--and there's still room.' "The master said, "Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'" (Luke 14:15-24)

I'm not sure how you imagine heaven, but clearly one of the depictions given in Scripture is of a huge, blow out, one of a kind party.
Were you thinking that heaven was going to be boring? If so, it might be time to bone up on your Bible a bit.
Did you catch the other point made by Jesus' story? "The master said, Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!"

If you are a believer, your reservation at the party is confirmed. If you know people who haven't RSVP'd yet, you need to remind them of their invitation. It's simple really, and I'm not sure why everyone seems to make it so complicated!

If you knew of an incredible party coming up that you were invited to, how fast would you be on the phone with your friends?
That's what I thought - probably immediately or sooner.
Oh, but when we share the gospel we have to 'wait for the right opportunity', or 'build more bridges', or 'look for an opening'...why??? Look, you don't know when their invitation is going to expire - so what are you waiting for?

Friends don't let friends miss the party.
Also, I'm thinking that you should get ready for the celebration yourself. I'm not talking about having clean underwear on or something like that, what I'm getting at is living a life pleasing to God and growing in your relationship with the King.

Don't worry, your seat is secure- but as for me, I want to walk into the room and have Jesus say: "hey, there's Lane! C'mon up front my friend, I want to introduce you to everyone and tell them what a good job you did for me on earth!"

What's He going to say to you?

P.A.

Fall Kick off Aug 15th!

Hey there everyone, I know we have been pretty relaxed on keeping up with this blog but we will kick this up a notch when our school year starts.

But we want you to know about the 1st event of the year........


The Big Fall Kick off is right around the corner, and we are doing some pretty stinking awesome things for our kick off. Here are the details!

When: August 15th
Where: Terry Smiths house (58270 hemminger dr. Goshen, 46528)
What to bring: Yourself, clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty, your appetite, and a couple friends!
What to expect: A ton of fun, lots of laughs, and whole lot of awesomeness! 
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm, be dropped off at Terry's house.

We are planning on doing some super fun things this year, we will be talking some about this coming year and all the fun things we are planning on doing, you will also be getting able to connect with your small group leader.

God has some great things in store for this year, we hope and pray you can come out and join us!

Hope to see you soon.

P.A.
 

Got Challenges?

I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

(II Timothy 4:7)

There is a famous shoe company who's motto is: Just Do It!

Well maybe that works in the sports arena, but it gets a little tougher when it comes to life. It seems like sometimes the older we get, the more cynical we become towards life. That's exactly what Satan would want! The devil throws disappointment our way for that very reason. He doesn't need to turn us into satanists, just get us whiney, weepy, and wimpy. So here is a reminder of a different kind of life motto:
 "Just Do It Anyway"

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for the underdog anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you've got and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
(Mother Theresa)

P.A. 

August is the best!

I love the month of August, because fall sports are getting kicked off, people aren't traveling as much, and things are starting to see some semblance back to a normal schedule.  I also really enjoy the first couple weeks of August because we start training and equipping our new and veteran volunteers!

This coming Wednesday night we start the process of gathering our REFUGE volunteer family back together. I love this time because for some of these volunteers we haven't seen all summer, because they take off on vacations, work a little bit more, and visit family. But for the next two weeks on Wednesday nights for 2 hours, we gather together, break bread, and we pray and learn about how to minister to students.

I am especially excited for this group coming in because this will be the largest group of new volunteers we have ever had. God has provided some amazing volunteers this year, I believe this year could be a fantastic year of ministry at REFUGE!

Be praying for us this week as we start training, and we start praying for God to some massive things this year, please pray for clarity for our leaders who will be leading small groups this year. There are so many ups and downs with small groups and that is the reason we need to keep lifting up these amazing people up in prayer. They are going to be on the front lines of ministry all year long!

Please lift up our REFUGE team this week in prayer!

We are super excited for the year to come. We will have lots of details to put out to you soon, like our new app, new calendar, new check in system, lots of new things!

Have a great day!

P.A.

Back in the drivers seat

Hey there everyone, sorry this blog has been quite for a little bit, but Carter and I were both on a break after missions trips but we are back.

Here are a couple things that are going down soon that you can be praying for.

1. We start our leader meetings next week for our new and veteran small group leaders, we spend 2 weeks going over new and exciting things that are coming up for this ministry this year and we get to have some fun hanging out with each other. This group of volunteers become a family over the year and we love that about our volunteers, Youth Ministry is unlike any other ministry inside the church, and we want to make sure we start out on the right foot!

So be praying for these new leaders coming in, and be praying that our staff bonds, and becomes united.

2. August 15th is our official kick off for the fall! I can't believe that it's almost here. But be praying because we are going to having a ton of fun that night over at Terry Smiths house. We will get you the details later on in August. I can't wait to kick off the new youth ministry season! God is going to some amazing things this year.

So be praying for our kickoff and that tons of students come and hang out! We lost a lot of seniors this past year, but I am super pumped for our new students coming up into the ministry.

3. Our new student impact team, We have got a great number of students on our student impact team, they are so stinking cool, they are going to be going doing some really fun and hard training these next couple weeks to get them ready for the school year. God is going to do some amazing things through them!!

So be praying for those students to step up in a mighty way!

I hope you all have a great rest of the day, I love coming back from Denver and seeing part of my grass is actually green! Yippee!

P.A.

high school urban plunge day 3

Today started early for group 1, 5:30 to be exact. We went to Target Dayton Ministries where we got to serve homeless people coffee and breakfast and the pastor there gave a message about salvation. Once we were finished serving breakfast, we got to eat and do devotions before moving on to our next site.

The next place where we went was the YWCA and worked in Hope's Closet separating and sifting through clothes. The students had fun while serving the YWCA for a few hours. After we left the YWCA we went to the Clubhouse and spent time hanging out with elementary students and talking about super heros!

 After spending a few hours there, we went to a water fountain to cool off before Bible study. Group 2 spend the morning at URS working with kids and adults with physical and some mental disabilities. After working with and hanging out with the URS people, they went to the Garden Station where they worked for a few hours in the blazing heat, digging and mulching and doing some maintenance in the garden.

After the Garden Station they went to boonshaft museum where they all got to act like kids again. And when they were finished at the museum, they came back and joined us for bible study with the Fort McKinley church. Overall it was an amazing day with amazing people!!

Questions to ask your students:
1. What was your favorite part about Target Dayton/ URS?
2. What was the most memorable story from the day?
3. Who was the most interesting person you met?
4. How was Bible study with Bryce?
5. What is one way you saw Christ today throughout your day?

High school Urban plunge day 2

Today started a little earlier than yesterday. Today was known as poverty day. The students were split into groups of about 5 and we went to Kroger and had $10 to spend on all the meals for their families and PB&J was a family favorite. After breakfast students then broke into two groups... group 1 was Sam's group and group 2 was Kaila's group. Group 1 went to New Hope Villa first, a transitional home for seniors with a mental illness and were homeless at one time. We got to sit and talk with the residents and then play kinect bowling, shuffleboard, and skip-bo/uno. The students loved it and the residents loved it more! After that group one got to go paint a house with Rebuild Together Dayton. This is where our students did an amazing job painting in 95° weather. When we were finished there, we headed back to the firehouse before we went out to the park to eat dinner and cool off at a small water park. Meanwhile... when group 1 was at NHV and painting, group 2 was painting, first, and then at NHV for some Chair Volleyball. After the fun-filled night we came back for debrief and then Kaila gave her testimony. Overall the students did an amazing job of working hard and loving the people at New Hope Villa! I'm proud of them... pray for the energy of the students and for some awesome divine appointments. Questions for your students... 1. What was your favorite part about poverty day? 2. What wasyour one story from New Hope Villa? 3. How was painting a house of people you didn't know? 4. What did you learn about poverty today? 5. What did you like/learn from Kaila's story?

High school urban plunge day 1

We went to Fort McKinley church and heard a message about prayer. We then went to marions pizza for lunch where our students hammered through like 10 pizzas... after that we went to garden station for some geocashing ...when we were finished geocashing we went to the air force museum for a couple hours. For dinner we enjoyed nice and sweet, a local little food shop. After dinner we went back the the firehouse and had some worship and talked through our journals and heard Sam's testimony... Here are some questions to ask your students when they get home. 1. What was your favorite moment in church? 2. What was the one thing Jeremiah said that stuck out to you in his sermon? 3. How did you feel at dinner when that lady came up and started bugging the group? 4. What did you take away from Sams story? 5. What is one thing that you learned about God on this crazy Sunday?

Urban plunge day 4

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going well. Everyone is asleep already and they are wiped out. Here is the run down of todays events. One team went to urs to help out with art day and they loved it. They also were doing some landscaping in at college station which is a community garden. Our students worked so hard it was great. Another team helped with target Dayton and serving those who were homeless and needed a meal, then they spent time working at the YWCA folding clothes, and then they spent time running a clubhouse at ft. McKinley church. Our students did amazing. God has done some amazing things on this trip. Your students have worked so hard and it has amazed the people running this event. They continually dode on your students about being the hardest working team they have had all summer. I sat them down tonight and told them how proud I was of them i was and how they have been a blessing to so many people. It is so rewarding seeing junior high students love people who are the outcasts, down and outs, and the misfits. God has a plan for them and your students stepped into that plan. Here are some questions to ask your students. 1. How was the interlude dance? 2. How did you enjoy your time debriefing by the river? 3. What was your favorite thing about helping with clubhouse? 4. What was the best part about helping with the handicapped people at urs? 5. What is something God taught you on this trip? We will be arriving tomorrow night to cvmc around 8pm. We are sad to go but we are excited for air conditioning! See you tomorrow! p.A.

Urban plunge day 3

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going well for you. Our students are so tired from today. They worked so hard. We had 1 team wake up at 5 am and take off towards project Dayton where they served homeless people, while another team took off towards a place where they helped mentally disabled students, and adults. That team served root beer floats and and had a dance party with the adult class. This afternoon both teams served by cleaning up parks, team 1 went to a YWCA and cleaned and indoor park, while team 2 went out to a community garden and helped them lay mulch and weed out some of the gardens. Tonight we had a cookout with some of the neighborhood kids. It was really fun playing games, and eating a ton of food. Then we had a guy named Bryce who plays right guard for wright state come and give a message. He spoke on anger and told stories of how when he was angry how he acted, and then he told stories about how Christ changed his life. God is doing some amazing work in these students our debrief time took almost 2 hours because of all the stories being told of these students serving. Here are some questions 1. How did you enjoy working with the mentally challenged people at urs. 2. How did you like Bryces talk about anger? 3. In yor devotion time in the morning what did you read? What did you get it of your time praying? 4. What's the best dance move you did in the dance party? 5. what did God teach you about speaking to those who are in need? Can't believe tomorrow is our last day. God is doing some amazing stuff! Keep up the prayers we are feeling them!!! P.A.

Urban plunge day 2

Good evening everyone! I hope you are doing well, here is the run down of our day today and also some questions to ask your students when they get home. Both teams spent time in new hope villa, and painting a house for rebuild Dayton. New hope villa is a residential unit for people who have been homeless at one point in their lives, and who deal with mental disorders. Team 1 spent their time playing games, the Xbox kinect, and skipbo. They had great conversations and came away with lots of eat stories, team 2 played chair volleyball. It was amazing, they have an actual chair volleyball team that competes in tournaments, and they have 1st place trophies. Our team won 3 out of the 4 games, but it was pretty close. Today was our poverty day, we broke the students up into 3 families of 6 and they got 10$ to eat all day. Our students did great! Almost every family had food left over, they did a great job. The debriefing time was fantastic with the students tonight. It would be a great thing for you to talk with your student about when they get home. Here are some questions for you to ask your students. 1. How was poverty day? 2. What was your favorite part of painting? 3. Tell me about the people at new hope villa? 4. What was your favorite game we played in the park? 5. Wha did you learn about God in Sams testimony? Hope you guys have a great day! See you Thursday, please keep praying for our team. P.A.

Urban plunge day 1

Well we finally got down here! It was a great trip down today and it was a lot easier than yesterday. The students are all mostly sleeping I just stepped into the guys room and made sure they were actually going to bed, but it was a lot of laughing and bodily noises. Most of the ladies I am told are already asleep. They were really tried. Today we got to spend a lot of hanging out with our team, doing fun games, and eating. We ate a lot today. Tomorrow we will be spending most of our day working in various capacities, and it's poverty day tomorrow. We will be breaking the students up into families of 4 and giving them 8 dollars to feed themselves all day. We want them to understand how difficult it is to be poor and be hungry. Be praying that God does some amazing things through this day. Here are some questions you can ask your students when they come back. 1. How did to enjoy the trip down? 2. Tell me about geocaching? 3. How was playing in the fountain? 4. What was your favorite thing to do at the firehouse? 5. What type of fruit do you think Jesus is looking for in yor life? Hope you have a great day. P.A.

Urban Plunge leaves tomorrow!

Hey there everyone! Last minute details are under way over here at CVMC getting things packed up and into the trailer! Here are some of the things you need to remember:

1. We leave at 5pm tomorrow night from cvmc! We will be stopping on the way down for dinner so make sure to bring some extra money.

2. Make sure you bring a water bottle, not a flimsy plastic one, but a good sturdy one!

3. Bring good clothes to work in, and good shoes to work in as well.

4. Make sure to bring your bibles, and a journal as well.

5. Pack for the weather! It's going to be hot!

If there are any more questions that you have please email me and I will return those as quick as possible.

Thanks guys! Can't wait to leave tomorrow!

P.A. 

Urban Plunge Prayer list

I can't believe we are only a couple days away from taking off on a luxurious missions trip :) Just kidding about the luxurious part we are sleeping on floors, and doing a ton of hard work, but it's going to be stinking awesome.

Here are a couple ways for you all to stay connected during our time away.

1. Facebook - Friend either I (Adam sharp)  or Carter Ammerman. We will be posting pictures and updates through our facebook pages, also we have Cvmc youth facebook page, if you like it, you can see some of the updates there as well.

2. Twitter - If you text 40404 then in the message potion of the text type "follow cvmc_therefuge" you will receive our twitter feed on your phone like a text message, you don't have to sign up for twitter, its pretty much us sending you text messages about our time in Dayton, and this will work for all of our trips. Big Chill, 3dyc, HS urban plunge, EVERYTHING!

3. Blogspot - Obviously if you are reading this you have the blogspot web address, on here we will be debriefing everyday with parents so they can follow along with our trip, we will be posting questions you can ask your students when they come back home so you don't get the typical "How was your trip" "FINE!" answer. We want to equip and help the parents be able to connect with their student as much as possible!

Our Goal is to make it easy for parents and others to follow us on our trip.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to email me at cvmcadam@gmail.com 

Have a great day, and try to stay cool!

P.A. 

Urban plunge prayer list

Hey there everyone, we are just a couple days away from our Junior high students taking off to Urban plunge! We leave July 7th, at 5pm from CMVC! It is going to be such an amazing trip, we can't stinking wait to go. I can't believe its already here. For those who will be back here and wanting to pray for us here are a couple more things you can pray for.

1. For the leaders to get sleep!
2. For the leaders at Urban plunge to connect with our students.
3. For our 2 teams to do amazing work down in Dayton Ohio!
4. For the Poverty day to be really effective with our students.
5. For the parents and students to have great debriefing time when they return.

We hope that you all have a great day!

P.A.

Urban Plunge

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going well for you guys! Here are a couple things to be praying for our students with urban plunge.

1. For God to move in major way in these students and leaders lives.
2. For safety, we will be traveling a lot, and all around Dayton so please pray for safety.
3. For sleep, its always hard to get into a good rhythm of sleep in a new place and when its really hot out.
4. For the students to connect to others while on this trip.
5. For students to have a passion for serving others.

We leave on our first trip in 5 days! This first trip is Junior High students, and our Second trip is all high school students. We are super excited on what God is going to do on these trips.

Obviously during these trips I will be blogging questions you can ask your students when they get home, and for others we will be blogging about what we are doing and we will be posting pictures all the time on facebook, and here on the blogspot.

I will be posting all the this week on different ways to be praying for the teams that are heading out.

Hope you guys have a great day!

P.A.

Friday Devotional

Let's Get This Party Started!

Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, "Come along with me." Matthew stood up and followed him. Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?" Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: "I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders." (Matthew 9:9-13- The Message)

Probably just another average run of the mill day for Matthew. Not that his job was all that bad. Actually he sort of had a love/hate thing going with the whole tax collector gig. On the one hand, this job pretty much put him on Easy Street since he could skim profit from anyone he liked. Yet that in turn created the problem: skimming from your own kind is not a great way to win friends and influence people. So for the moment, his love for money was a little stronger than his need for relationships.

But that moment was about to change...

He had heard of Jesus, and he actually had it down to talk to him about His so-called 'non-profit' ministry. So when he saw the Lord coming towards him, he had a barrage of inquiries ready to go. The funny thing though, is that Jesus spoke first, and it wasn't at all like Matthew had expected. He anticipated the standard religious speech about how he was a cheat and a liar- blah blah blah. Instead, Christ made a simple request in one short sentence: "Come along with me".
Matthew knew immediately that this was not an invitation to backstage passes with Jesus and the band. No, He meant commitment- the kind that would last the rest of his natural life- then on into eternity. Maybe that's why it was so easy for him, then, to simply get up and leave behind his career, means of income, and sense of security. At that moment in time Matthew realized that no paycheck was worth trading for an opportunity to serve the Living God of the universe.

Later on that night, his notion was confirmed. Matthew's only friends at the time were people just like him: liars, cheaters, prostitutes, drunks, and all the other folks who wouldn't be caught dead in a church. So naturally he invited them all over to his house to meet the Man who had changed his life in one encounter.
But surprise surprise! The 'religious' folks of the day had kept track of Jesus' latest recruit- and now they had caught Him red-handed with all the black-listed folks. So they started a little whisper campaign designed to ruin Christ's reputation. You might have expected Jesus to get a little defensive, but instead He turns the insults back on them to make a point. Basically He lets them know that if they think grace is only for the goodie two shoes of the world, they have never even read the Bible they love claiming to be experts on.
That was probably all Matthew needed to hear. All his life he had been shunned by those claiming to represent God, yet here is God Himself asking him to follow along. From then on his relationship with Christ beat the tar out of his love for a paycheck- or anything else for that matter.

To me, people are usually in the same place as one or more of the players in the story above. Some are like Matthew and his friends- in self-serving materialistic positions that aren't providing the hope and meaning they thought it would, and they need a Savior. Some folks think that you are the last persons on earth that God would care about, much less call into His service.

I've got great news for you...nothing could be further from the truth. God specializes in helping folks who feel the farthest away from Him. Perhaps you are reading this and you know exactly what I'm talking about. Jesus has invited you to the party my friend, all you need to do is show up.

Others of you are like the religious people in the story. When the rich and famous show up at your church or youth group, you fall all over yourself to be seen with them- and you pray fervently for their salvation because of "what they could do for the Kingdom". Yet if a prostitute, homosexual, drug addict, or any other type of "worldly" person darkened the door, you wouldn't know what to do- except maybe to recruit the biggest deacon to throw them out.

Don't think you're like that? Let me ask you a few questions then -

• Have you ever started a rumor about someone?
• Have you ever felt 'better' about yourself when you crossed paths with a 'sinner'?
• What would you think if you saw your pastor at a raging booze party?
• Do you feel that there are some people who don't 'deserve' to hear the gospel?

Jesus made His point clear: self-righteous, legalistic, judgmental people are Bible idiots. I know, I used to be one- but by the grace of God He rescued me from my own ignorance- and my walk with Him has never been the same.

Perhaps today you could take a hard look at where you would have fit in this story, and if any changes need to be made. Better make it quick, though, because the party isn't going to last forever!

P.A.

Thursday Devotional

I Think So

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4:8, NIV).

A Native American boy was talking with his grandfather.

"What do you think about the world situation?" he asked.

The grandfather replied,

"I feel like two wolves are fighting in my heart. One is full of anger and hatred. The other is full of love, forgiveness and peace."
"Which one will win?" asked the boy.
To which the grandfather replied, "The one I feed."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said,

"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds," and James Allen rightly stated that, "You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

Another has said,

"What the mind dwells on the body acts on."

If you don't believe this, think how temptation works--first a thought that seems to come from nowhere . . .we feed it and the thought begins to expand . . . then one's feelings get involved . . . and the more we think about it .. . the more we hunger for it . . . then we begin to rationalize and justify what we want to do . . . and the battle is lost. It's all in the mind.

As they say about computers: GIGO = garbage in garbage out. So it is with the mind. If we keep looking at and thinking about garbage, we will act out accordingly. But, if as the Bible says, we concentrate on thoughts that are noble,right, pure, lovely, and admirable, we too, will act accordingly. It's all in the mind, for what the mind dwells on the body acts on.

P.A. 

Wednesday Devotional

Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?" (Genesis 3:1)

I read a story this week about a young son of a missionary in Zaire. The boy was playing in the yard when suddenly he heard his father yell to him from the porch, "Philip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!" Without hesitation the boy did as his father commanded. His father then commanded, "Now crawl to me as fast as you can!" Again, the boy immediately obeyed.
"Now stand up and run to me!" Philip responded without questioning and ran into his fathers arms.
When Philip turned around and looked back at the tree where he was standing, he saw a huge, poisonous snake hanging from one of the branches.
Perhaps you are a lot like Philip and you don't even know it. Life seems to be going well as you playfully enjoy the circumstances God has placed you in.
But wait; there is always the possibility of a snake sneaking up behind you- ready to strike. In fact, I believe that there are many of you out there that have been led to read this devotion because you do, in fact, have a venomous viper equipped to eat your spiritual lunch.
That's a scary thought- I know. But the good news is that you have a Father who watches over you 24/7, and He is ready to warn you at the first sign of danger.

(O.K. Lane, you sorta lost me in this analogy...could you please be a little more concrete?)

Sure!
The snakes that sneak up on you come in all shapes and sizes, but they are all very dangerous. The little ones could be the internet sites you 'accidentally' visit, the programs you watch, the music you listen to- anything that seems harmless enough, but in reality it is poisoning your walk with Christ.
The bigger snakes are situations like hanging out with the wrong crowd, going to 'those' kinds of parties, letting bitterness take root, dabbling with the occult or dropping out of church. These are the reptiles that can ruin your relationship with God permanently.
Remember- Satan has been hissing the same strategy since the days of Adam and Eve. It basically boils down to one phrase: 'did God really say?'
You can fill in the blank. Did God really say that I shouldn't ___________?

"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour." (I Peter 5:8)

I think you probably get the picture. So what does it sound like when God sends a warning? Well, it could be the very thing that you are reading right now! He also speaks through godly friends, sermons/lessons, personal prayer and Bible study, and occasionally even strange co-incidences that really aren't.
Listen! Is anyone shouting instructions your way? Think about it-Philip could have been like most kids and said 'hang on a second' or 'in a minute' to his father...but those would have been the last words he ever spoke. Perhaps this is the week you need to read the handwriting on the wall instead of listening to the snake in the grass!

P.A. 

Tuesday devotinonal.

Jesus In The House Once there was an elderly carpenter was ready to retire. One day he told his boss of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. Of course he would miss the steady paycheck, but it was time to slow down and take life a little easier. They had very little to retire on, but they would somehow manage. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was just not behind the effort. He resorted to sloppy workmanship and used low-grade materials. When the carpenter finished his work, the boss came to inspect the house. After the inspection, he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said: "this house is my gift to you." The carpenter was shocked! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Wouldn't you? Or perhaps not. In case no one has ever told you, you are busy building a house right now. You were busy the day before, the week before, and the year before that. Not a real house of course, rather you are constructing the 'home' of your life. Here's the way that Jesus explains it: "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit--but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." (Matthew 7:24-27) Back in 'the day' (Jesus' day that is), people had but a few choices when it came to the location of their 'dream' hut. One could be smart and go with a base of rock, or one could be foolish and go with Mr. Sandman Carpentry. The funny thing was that whichever place the house was built didn't really matter that much...that is until a storm came. At that point the true strength of the structure showed up. The one built on the foundation of rock could stand up to whatever nature brought on. The home in the sandbox would go down like a house of cards. The point Jesus is trying to make is that you basically only have two choices as well: build your life on the Rock of Christ, or put it together on the shifting sand of anything else besides Him. I know some of you out there might be thinking: "Well, I've got it covered, I know the Bible inside and out." Sorry, but if that's your theory- you've got sand in your eyes. What Jesus is saying is that you must go way beyond just knowing His words...you must also put them into practice. You know- like treating others the way you'd like to be treated, loving your enemies, turning the other cheek, making disciples of all nations- just to name a few. When you practice His teachings, you build a solid house with quality materials that will hold up to the storms of life. If you only know His words and don't practice them, you are building a house on sand with just a view of the Rock. This week, I would challenge you to check your work. Can you count on one hand how many times you have applied Jesus' teachings in recent history? If so, I would trash my blueprints for life and start over by reading the Gospels. This will take some time- but you will sure be glad you did the next time life throws you a storm!

Devotional for monday

Beware The Bear "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." (Romans 16:20) The arctic polar bear is the largest land carnivore in the world. It can weigh between 700 and 1200 pounds. It needs at least 5 pounds of fat per day just to survive. Where can such an animal find huge amounts of food in a frozen wasteland? Actually, it's easier than you think, because many of the polar bear's neighbors (the seals) have a load of lard to offer. In fact, the polar bear feeds almost entirely on seals. The problem is capturing them, because they tend to be pretty slippery, and they have a habit of jumping in the water rather quickly when they see a polar bear charging. To secure the extra value seal meal, the bear sometimes resorts to a cunning bit of trickery. If the hole in the ice through which the seal gets his food is not too far from the edge of open water, the polar bear will take a deep breath, slip underwater, and swim to the seal's fishing hole. He will then actually imitate a fish by scratching lightly on the underside of the ice. When the seal hears this sound, he dives in for a quick bite, only to find himself being the main course. The apostle Peter calls Satan a "roaring lion", but I think an alternative title could be a "hungry polar bear". Every hour of every day he and his army of demons are seeking "Christian seals" to attack and devour using the same strategy. First, he figures out where we like to 'hang out' and spend our free time. For some, it's the mall, the movie theater, or in front of the television and/or computer. For others, it is with a group of close friends or perhaps with a boyfriend/girlfriend. Whatever the case, he's got us scoped out well. Most of the time these "fishing holes" are harmless, but sometimes he hides under the surface and baits us with some seemingly harmless pleasure. What we don't realize is that he is disguising the devastating consequences of sin with something that looks or sounds appealing. Then, when we've surrendered to the temptation, he catches us in his trap and consumes our dedication to Christ. Here are a few examples of "ice scratching" that might come your way: prayer request discussions that turn into gossip sessions hurt feelings that become roots of bitterness national pride that degenerates into deep seated prejudice internet research that surfs over to pornographic exploration friendly jests that grow into spiteful shots The apostle Paul wrote that "we are not unaware of his (Satan's) schemes" (2 Corinthians 2:11). We know that he is after us, we know that he hides beneath the surface of life and waits for us to dive into sinful waters- so why do we keep doing it? Christians have no excuse for being taken in by the deception of the enemy. The Bible instructs us to "resist the devil, and he will flee..." (James 4:7). In other words, the next time Satan is scratching at the surface of your fishing hole, just remember that you can pray much longer than he can hold his breath.

Consume devotional

Consume

"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple." (Psalm 27:4 esv)

Each and every single one of us has a choice laid out before us. Whom or what we will choose to follow. It could be anything; a car, job, material possessions, a boyfriend or a girlfriend, maybe even a title or an honor. We could have the best job, the coolest car, and the hottest boyfriend/girlfriend, but there will still be a void. Many times we consume our lives and our thoughts with getting ahead, making more money, buying bigger and better possessions, but strangely enough, the void grows larger. The emptiness we fill inside can only find satisfaction when we seek the One who can offer a truly fulfilled life. ("But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..." Philippians 7-9 NIV) Jesus Christ must be our top priority, our number one. He must be the One and only in our lives, our all in all. Jesus is constantly drawing us closer to Himself. He desperately desires an intimate, love relationship with us. However, it takes effort on our part to maintain that relationship. We must put forth all our time, energy and love into seeking Him, therefore nothing or no one else can rival Him. Isaiah 46:9 says,

"...I am GOD, the only God you've had or ever will have--incomparable, irreplaceable. (MSG)

Here I will venture to ask you a deeply personal question: What is your passion and desire? What consumes your thoughts and actions? Is it Christ or something else? Consider this poem I found in Beth Moore's book, Further Still. It can be a sincere prayer each and every one of us can pray to make Him our everything, our uncontested love and joy in life.

Consume Me, O Lord
Consume me, O Lord, flood my soul with Your Son. Leave nothing uncovered, leave nothing undone.
Set me on fire, consume all my dross. Make beauty form my ashes and gain from my loss.
Consume me, O Lord, be the life in my bones. Put your head in my marrow till Jesus alone.
Can set me aflame with Your holy fire, unquenchable passion, exquisite desire.
Thrill all my senses with sacred romance; consume me, O Lord, come bid me to dance.
Down streets paved in gold a pure virgin bride, nothing to run from, nothing to hide
Consume me, O Lord.

Now that most of you are on summer break, this is the perfect opportunity to be swept away in His love and become enraptured in a sacred romance, with the love of your life. I pray that you can find time to spend with Him, reading His Word, and talking with Him. I also pray you can find time to walk around in His creation and admire all the wonderful things He has done for you.
I know it is difficult to find time for Him, with all the great things summer has to offer. The sun, the beach, the mountains, hikes, the pool, vacations, and so on, but I want to challenge you. I would ask that right here and right now you would make a commitment to know Him better. I challenge you to set a reasonable goal in which you will spend time with Him each day, and set a pattern of discipline that you can follow throughout the summer, into next year and the years to come. You will create a habit that will benefit you and your relationship with God forever!
What is more, you will find yourself worrying less about the things this world has to offer, and seeking out the things of God more and more. Jobs, cars, and possessions will loose their luster in comparison to Jesus Christ, who encompasses all that is good. Our perspectives on life will change as we strive to help those who have less than ourselves and reach out to a hurting world with the hope of the gospel message. However, we will never make an impact on this earth until we make Christ our unsurpassing joy, laughter, hope, desire, breath, and life. When He consumes our deepest depths, then and only then, will people see God more valuably than all the power and success the world has to offer. They too will want to choose Him above all else, because they see you living it out daily!

Let this be the cry of our hearts; In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul." (Isaiah 26:8 ESV)

P.A.

Movie night info

Hey there everyone! I hope things are going well for you today.

Here are the details for tonights High school event.

We had to cancel the bon fire because of the Elkhart County burn ban, which means you can't have bon fires, or fires in general outside right now because it is so dry there is a good chance you will burn something down because the fire will spread so fast. So if we tried to have a bon fire the fire department would come and put it out and we would get in trouble.

So instead of fighting the fire dept, we are just going to switch it up a little bit tonight. We are going to watch a movie tonight at Crystal Valley! We will kick the movie off at 8pm and we will be done at 10pm, since we had to change this very last minute we don't have popcorn here. So we will provide drinks tonight and you guys bring the snacks. Also tonight since its just high school we are encouraging students to bring their own couches, chairs, bean bags, whatever you want to chill out in, BRING IT!

Tonight will still be super fun, if we have time afterward we will set up some octaball and we can rock it.

We hope to see ya tonight, Have a super awesome day.

P.A.

Bon fire Cancelled

Hey there everyone we are going to have to cancel the bonfire for tomorrow night because of the elkhart county has a burn ban enforced. So we can't have bon fire and not get a ticket!

So here is what we are doing instead.

Movie NIGHT!!!!

We are going to meet at the church and we are going to be watching a movie from 8pm - 10pm. Bring your own snacks, we will be providing drinks this time. If you want to bring couches, chairs, bean bags, blankets, whatever you want to watch this movie you can. We are going to watching it in the sanctuary, so we will have the big surround sound, projectors, and overall awesome time watching a great movie!

We will be discussing movie options today over lunch, So I will post what we are going to watching on here tomorrow morning so you can make plans.

But once again, we can't have the bon fire because of a burn ban for Elkhart County.

Sorry everyone.

P.A. 

Bon fire

Hey there everyone this will be a pretty short post because today is a super busy day.

Here are the tails!

When: This Wednesday (June 20th)
Where: Sharps house (14075 Claire Lane, Middlebury)
What to bring: Guys - Marshmallows Girls - Chocolate. Also bring chairs to sit in around the fire, and any other games you might want to play. Also if you family has sticks for smores, bring those as well.
What to expect: A chill night of hanging out with friends around a bon fire, we are just going to be listening to music, throwing a frisbee, and and enjoying summer! 
Time: 8pm - 10pm

We hope you can join us, we are going to have a great night of hanging out and just talking around a fire! Hope to see you there.

If you have any questions please email me at cvmcadam@gmail.com 

P.A.

My devotional for this morning.

This was my devotional for this morning, I thought I would share it with you guys!

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone
My hope comes from him
He alone is my rock and my salvation
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken

Three things strike me from this passage:

1. Surrender only to God. It's clear why only is used twice in two verses: the human heart is a divided, desperate thing. We must to rely on something. Physically, our hearts stand alone and pumps for a lifetime, supporting everything else. Spiritually, every heart has a crutch, a help, a support that hold us up in this difficult and terrible world. We need help, and we'll look anywhere for it. We look to our friends, to power and control, to indulgent comforts, cocooning escapes, and spectacular diversions.  None of these can keep us standing strong without being shaken.

2. Everything is at Stake! We are talking about the condition of our very souls, not something trivial or momentary. The core of our being will last through this lifetime and into the next. The deepest part of who we are, the most important part about us, is not something to be handled lightly. We should not trust our peace to the promises of the world. When we do, we will be shaken, insecure, and wanting.

3. Rest and Hope in God. It is God who is our rock, salvation, and fortress. This is his promise. It is our responsibility to rest in him, to hope in him. Work is necessary--school work or raising a family work or occupation work--and this leads us to assume that rest is arbitrary. That it doesn't matter what we are doing as long as it's not work. The Enemy loves this myth, because when we rest in the wrong things we have no rest. We are always hoping, some part of us  is looking forward to the future for with positive expectation. We often look forward to things that do little to fuel our present. (this is what hope ought to do, a future look that fuels our present). We look forward to a time when we're not working or getting a boy friend or eating a meal or going on a vacation or seeing a moving or achieving something big. OF COURSE these aren't bad, but when they become our biggest joys, these worldly hopes disappoint.  We are let down hard, the crash echoes in our hollow hearts. Instead, we hope in the promises of God, for they move us forward into the future destiny he as designed for us.

Battling for Freedom

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18

Praise God in Temptation?

Several years ago I met with a young man who had overcome a lot of sin and had been walking in victory with Jesus. In this particular meeting, though, he seemed beat up and filled with guilt. I asked him what was going on, and he said he felt defeated. Upon further discussion, he described an intense temptation that he had experienced the last several weeks. I asked him if he had acted on the temptation, and he answered, “No.”
I began to smile at him, and he looked at me, quite confused. I said, “Well, praise God!” That almost made him angry. Here he was confessing his temptation, and I was telling him I was glad he was facing such a hard time. I had either lost my mind, or he and I were not connecting at all.

Temptation Is Not a Sin

And then it came out of my mouth: “Temptation is not sin. Temptation is an invitation to worship. You will either worship the enemy and do what he is tempting you to do, or you will worship Jesus and resist the temptation and obey. Either way you are worshiping.” I went on to explain that his temptation was not sin and that this was an opportunity for greater intimacy with Jesus. He began to smile and it looked like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Since that time I have strived to disciple a lot of men towards greater intimacy with Jesus by helping them have a new perspective on temptation. Here are some things I’ve found to be helpful.

1. Temptation Is Not Sin

Jesus was tempted in all ways, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). If our perfect Lord was tempted, then we should find ourselves identifying with him and knowing then that our temptation is not separating us from Jesus, but uniting us with him.

2. Resist the Devil

In James 4:7, James instructs his readers to “resist the devil.” While this is not something we are to take on by ourselves, we are now free to say no to temptation if we are in Christ. The good news for us is that our passions and desires have been nailed to the cross with Christ Jesus (Galatians 5:24).

3. Draw Near to God

James continues in verse 8 saying that in addition to resisting the devil, we are called to “draw near to God,” which is followed by the promise, “. . . and he will draw near to you.” So, here we have an opportunity to be victorious over temptation and sin, and to cultivate deeper intimacy with God!

4. Know the Word

In Matthew 4 we see Jesus being tempted by Satan. With every temptation we see Jesus resist the devil and draw near to God, through his Word. He responds each time to the temptation by quoting passages from Deuteronomy. One of the greatest ways to cultivate more intimate worship is to know the Word of God. By knowing his Word, we are then able to identify temptation, resist the devil, and draw near to God by following his truth.

5. Look for the Exit Sign

God will always provide you a way out. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul encourages his reader by reminding them that they are not alone in their temptation, but God always provides a way of escape. Therefore, look for the exit sign that God has promised to provide and run through it.

6. Rinse and Repeat

There are times that we know what we are tempted to do is sin, yet we do it anyway. While we were sinners who have been saved by grace, and now are identified as saints, we still sin. John tells his readers in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We mustn’t continue in sin if we fall, but we must agree with God, return to him, and trust in the accomplished work of Jesus.

The Battle Is for Freedom, Not Salvation

Knowing and enjoying God is one of the greatest aims of worship. We do not have to separate ourselves from him in our temptation, or even our sin. Instead, we can draw near to our understanding Lord who is able to sympathize with and redeem us. Ultimately, his grace is sufficient and covers our past, present, and future sins. So, this battle is for our freedom and joy in Christ, and not a battle over our salvation. That alone has been secured in Jesus. Next time you face temptation, think of it as an invitation to worship.

P.A. 

Cici's recap/ Devotional

We had so much fun last night! We had over 25 students show up and eat a TON of pizza. Even Jacob Poole ate over 10 pieces of pizza, Well done Sir!

Our Next Adventure is next Wednesday we are going to be having a Senior High Bon fire at our house (Pastor Adam and Esther's house 14075 Claire Lane) the times are from 8pm - 10pm.

Girls need to bring chocolate, and Boys bring marshmallows!
We will be playing lots of fun games, hanging around a fire, and listening to some great music!

I hope you guys are having a great summer, but here is a little reminder for all the students and parents out there. Just because you are on a break from school, and things are slowed down a little bit don't forget about your relationship with Jesus. Check out this devotional to start your day, or end your day pretty with Jesus.

"Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character." (I Corinthians 15:33)

They influence your speech, dress, and mannerisms. They are your constant mirrors. They are in your address book and in your phone 's speed dial. They have a firm grip on your heartstrings, and oftentimes they are the difference between success and failure in the Christian life. Good ones can nudge you to victory. Bad ones can drag you to defeat. What are they? You guessed it...friends!

The bottom line is that the type of friends who form your inner circle will most likely determine how faithfully you serve Christ, and whether or not you make a spiritual difference on your campus. When Paul wrote today's verse: "Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character " - he was addressing a friendship situation.

The Christians at Corinth had friends who basically denied the resurrection. In other words, their main goal in life was to try and find happiness through partying, because there would be no judgment day. So these believers had friends who were pulling them in the wrong direction. My guess is that those Christians thought that they were strong enough in their faith to resist the bad influences of their friends.
Paul says- I don't think so...

So what about it? Are you being misled? Do you have as your best friends those who have Jesus as their best friend? If not, it's just a matter of time before your character is corrupted with the virus of spiritual compromise.

I can't help but think of Ronnie. We went to school together all through Jr. High and High School. In fact, Ronnie helped lead me to faith in Christ as my Savior. We held each other accountable and witnessed to our unsaved friends. But as high school continued, Ronnie began to make other alliances. More and more of his friends were less and less concerned about Christ. Pretty soon his closest friends were absolutely unconcerned about the Lord, and positively concerned about their own happiness before anything. Bit by bit Ronnie got his eyes off the bull's eye of serving Christ.

There came a time when I had to choose between my friendship with Ronnie, and my allegiance to Christ- and guess what? Rock breaks scissors: Jesus wins. Sound judgmental? Perhaps, but the judgment was more on myself than on Ronnie, because I knew that eventually I would shipwreck my faith if I stayed on course with that friendship. Sound difficult? Absolutely, breaking off a close friendship is like having surgery. Yet if you don't go through with that spiritual operation, you could lose your spiritual life.

By the grace of God, when I graduated my eyes were set on entering the ministry, and today I serve the King of Kings. By the time Ronnie graduated he was just like his closest friends...spiritually weak and disinterested. To this day, 18 years later, Ronnie is totally unconcerned about following Jesus, and completely miserable.

In the words of one pastor: "If you drop a white glove in the mud...the mud doesn't become 'glovey'...the glove becomes muddy." This is especially true in relationships. Christian teens that continue with godless friendships will themselves become godless.

Maybe you need to make some decisions right now about your inner circle of friends. Don't put it off! The whole direction of your spiritual life hangs in the balance...

P.A.

Junior High Pool Party Recap

Hey there everyone, Last night was super fun! We posted some pictures online of people eating! A big Thank you to Michelle and Gene Cruise for letting us come over and hang out with them. They were amazing hosts and made some delicious food.

Our Next big event is coming up this Sunday with our High school Pancake and Sausage breakfast fundraiser. We have a ton of students who are going on our Urban Plunge trips, and we have lots of students who need to raise money for their trips, so please join us at 8:30am - 9:30am, and if you can't come then show up between services at 10:45 - 11:15. We are super pumped to cook for everyone.

Next week on Tuesday night (June12th) we are meeting at CiCi's pizza at 7pm to have our annual summer eat off at Cici's. Join us and pig out on some great pizza. Bring money with you because we are planning on having a ton of students show up. We will be done around 8pm, so parents can come and pick up students and high school students can take off around 8pm.

If you have any questions please email me at cvmcadam@gmail.com

Here is a hilarious video for you to wake up to this morning.

Junior High Pool Party Tonight

Hey there everyone, tonight is the first night of our summer schedule and we are rocking a junior high pool party tonight over at the Cruises, we are meeting at the church at 6:30pm and we will be driving over together. Here are are a couple things you will need to bring for tonight.

1. A towel, they don't have extra towels for us, so please bring your own.
2. Friends! We want you to bring your friends tonight.
3. Your appetite, we are going to be getting pizza's for dinner tonight, so come hungry.
4. Swimsuit, ladies please make sure you were an appropriate swim suit, if you put it on, and think I wonder if this to little for church. IT IS! Be modest, because modest is the hottest. Guys no speedo's, because honestly that's just gross. Sorry to all of our swimmers.

We will be back at the church tonight at 8:30pm, so parents if you can pick up your kids back here at the church then that would be great. We hope to see you all here tonight.

If you have any questions at all please contact us at cvmcadam@gmail.com

P.A.

Why I love Middle School Students

I still think middle schoolers are the coolest people on earth. Here are 12 reasons why.

1) Middle school ministry is about shaping. What an opportunity! Everything I learn about young teens continues to affirm and re-affirm that the middle school years are not merely a holding period until the good stuff of high school ministry arrives, but amazing times that have their own intrinsic worth.

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     Take for instance the amazing discoveries in recent years about neuron development in the brain. In the two years leading up to puberty, millions of additional neurons—the electrical wiring of the brain—are created by the brain. That's millions more neurons than will be present in adulthood.At puberty, a toggle switch is tripped; the process reverses itself, and fewer neurons are created. However, it's the process of winnowing that's particularly fascinating: Those neurons that are used get to stay and play; those that aren't used literally go bye-bye. The lead teenage brain researcher at the National Institutes of Health calls it a hard-wiring process, saying that brains are optimized for how they will process information—for the rest of life—during the young teen years.We get to play a stewarding role in that shaping!

2) Middle schoolers are easy to connect with.
     Years ago, a youth ministry mentor shared this simple observation:
Middle schoolers, in deciding whether they'll allow you into their lives, are only asking, "Do you like me?" On the other hand, high schoolers complicate things by adding, "Do I like you?" College students ramp up the complexity by layering on the additional question, "Do I like what you stand for?"I'm not suggesting middle school ministry is easy, but there's this glorious open door to relationship building and connecting with most middle schoolers that requires less of a waiting period, less ramp-up time. 

3) They're willing to try anything. The young teen years (in a post-puberty parallel to the first few years of life) are all about discovery or sampling. Young teens, in the earliest stages of self-conscious identity formation, want to try everything. They don't start testing conclusions until the middle teen years.This is a wild ride of unpredictability, of course, which can feel very scattered and capricious; but there's a willingness—a desire—to try things that makes middle schoolers prime for creative and participatory youth ministry.

4) Then there's the wonder of abstract thinking. Middle schoolers are far from experienced with abstract thought, but the capacity is there (I like to think of it as God's puberty gift). They're dipping their toes in this intellectual water, checking it out to see if it's safe.This test-driving phase of abstract thinking (remember most of the stuff we talk about at church is abstract!) can be maddening at times, because they're stepping in and out of abstract and concrete thinking all the time.

.5) Which leads us to the process of doubting and faith-development.
As they develop capacities for abstract thinking, middle schoolers are on the leading edge of stumbling onto doubts about their faith. This is a critical aspect of faith development and should never be shamed or shut down.Wrestling with complexities is the necessary detour from child-like, inherited faith to a more robust, owned faith. I call it a detour because taking the main route usually leads to childish, unexamined faith, which isn't sustainable in the later teen and 20-something years.

6) They're unpredictable. Maybe you find this frustrating, but I love it. Middle schoolers regularly and consistently surprise me. They surprise me with their random questions. They surprise me with their hidden talents. They surprise me with their insight. They surprise me with their interpretations (often different than I expect). The unpredictability of middle schoolers keeps middle school ministry fresh and untamed. 

7) Parents are still involved in their lives. Sure, there are plenty of high schoolers with involved parents, but there's a drop-off in parent involvement throughout the teen years as many parents retreat out of fear, exasperation or a misguided understanding of what it means to give teenagers their independence.At times, you might view parental involvement as intrusive or annoying; but it's a fantastic strength of good middle school ministry. We know parents have a significantly larger role in shaping the lives and faith of their teenagers than we do, so this higher level of parental involvement creates an easier path for coming alongside parents, partnering for greater impact. 

8) They have more time than high schoolers. Middle schoolers are busier than ever, but they still have more time and availability than older teenagers. Mix this in with No. 3 above (their willingness to try anything), and you've got a potent pot of "Let's do stuff!" 

9) Most are not yet jaded. Some eighth graders may start to get a little jaded, but holy cow! That's nothing compared to high schoolers who can wear cynicism and an expression of "Been there, done that" as comfortably as Lady Gaga wears a meat suit.In contrast, most middle schoolers possess wonderfully low levels of cynicism that when combined with their youthful naiveté looks a lot like hope. 

10) They're passionate. I love the all-in attitude of most middle schoolers, but it's not only their willingness to try things. They're also passionate about the things they try, the opinions they voice, the beliefs they hold. The funny thing is they're frequently passionate about things they won't be passionate about in two years—or two months.

11) They're forgiving. When you screw up, have an off night in your teaching, plan a lame event, or say something dumb, middle schoolers are quick to forgive (particularly if you ask them). The travel time back to normal (whatever that is!) is extremely short. 

12) They're fun! Middle schoolers keep me feeling young. They're playful and hilarious, goofy and unselfconscious. Middle schoolers remind me regularly of how a joy-filled life should look.

With that being said we are praying for some new junior high leaders, we don't make big asks for youth leaders because we feel that God needs to bring them in. What I am asking you to do is not come up to me and say I want to be in Junior High ministry, I am asking you to pray and lets see if God puts us together! Pray that God starts stirring your heart for junior high students, because as awesome as it is, it can still be very difficult!

To God be the Glory
P.A. 

The beginning of the summer

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going well. I want to tell of 2 really sweet events going down this week with our REFUGE students!

1. Wednesday night June 6th is our Junior high pool party! We are meeting here at the church at 6:30pmwe will be back around 8:30pm and . I will tweet out when we have left the Cruise's house and it will appear in the right hand corner of this blog, you can come and check here to know exactly when we left. We should be back to the church pretty close to 8:30pm. Here is a check list of what to bring this Wednesday night.
     - A towel - they don't have extra towels for us!
     - A proper bathing suit - If you have to ask if its to small, its to small, ladies please use discretion.
     - Friends - We want to have a ton of junior high students hat this party! So bring as many friends as you
                       want!
     - If you are in 6th grade you are invited to this shin-dig, you are now part of this Youth Group.
     - Come hungry because we are going to have Pizza for everyone! BOOM! 

If you have any questions please contact me at cvmcadam@gmail.com,

2. We have our High school Urban Plunge Pancake and Sausage fundraiser this coming Sunday morning from 8:30am - 9:30am, and from 10:45am - 11:15am! We hope you can come and support our students, we have some amazing students getting ready to go on this trip and they are doing everything they can to get the cost down. This pancake and sausage breakfast is donation only and we will have the students there to talk about the trip and they will be doing all the cooking and cleaning for this event. We hope to see you there this Sunday morning.

Again if you have any questions please contact me at cvmcadam@gmail.com.

Have a super first week of summer!

P.A.

June 6th & June 10th

Hey there everyone, I hope things are going well for you all. Sorry for the blog silence the past couple days. We had some family time and were out of town getting things done and so I haven't had a lot of time to get things done. But I want to tell you about 2 really cool events coming up this next week.

1. Junior High Pool party. We are inviting all of our new junior high students to a pool party at the Cruises House on Wednesday June 6th. We are going to have a pizza party, and we are going to be swimming and playing games. We are going to be meeting here at Crystal Valley at 6:30pm and we will return to Crystal Valley at 8:30pm. If for some reason you need picked up early or need to get dropped off later, email me at cvmcadam@gmail.com and I will email you back the address and directions to get to the cruises. We are super pumped for all the fun stuff we are going to be doing Wednesday night.

2. June 10th we are having another pancake and Sausage Breakfast for our Urban Plunge Missions trip, Our Senior High students will be helping out at this one and we will be doing it again before 1st service and between services again. We will kick off at 8:30am. We will be having the students help out by cooking pancakes, serving sausages, and hanging out with those who come. Our students need to raise about 175$ to go on this so any help you can give them that would be fantastic! We hope that you will join us and help students serve those who are less fortunate.

We will be updating this blog with lots of things in the future. My goal is to make this a place where parents can go and get articles, video's, and helpful tips on how to parent their students in a more effective way.

I hope you have a great weekend!

P.A.

Great small group leaders

I think our Small group leaders are honestly the best. I would put our team up against any other team in the nation. I saw a list of what makes a great small group leader and I took some of them and I came up with my own. As we end this years REFUGE, and we gear up for next year's schedule here is the top 10 list of what makes a great small group leader.

1. Great small group leaders listen as much as they talk.
2. Great small group leaders help reach new teens.
3. Great small group leaders don't give up.
4. Great small group leaders ask for help when they are not sure what to do.
5. Great small group leaders show up consistently.
6. Great small group leaders connect relationally.
7. Great small group leaders point teens to Jesus and God's Word...not just their opinion.
8. Great small group leaders set healthy boundaries.
9. Great small group leaders help teens take their next step in following Jesus.
10. Great small group leaders laugh often and trust God when nothing seems to be working.

Love my team, and I so thankful for great small group leaders.

Excited for where God is going to take us!

P.A. 

Dealing with Stress

Taken From Terry Linhert, a Bethel Professor who is brilliant! I love these steps to deal with Stress. Super great Article. 

here is my 10-step list to deal with stress:

1. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night, drinking lots of water each day, and exercising outside (if the weather holds).
2. Cut back on sugar (and this means cutting carbs too) and caffeine.  You’ll be surprised how much these contribute to feeling down.
3. Eat an orange a day.  And carrots.  The physiological side of eating well is not to be underestimated.
4. Don’t watch movies or play video games for 72 hours.  These are just escapes that build up the stress more when you’re done with them.
5. Read a chapter a day of a nonfiction book on spiritual disciplines or leadership or read a biography of a great person.
6. As for the stress, make a list of everything that’s stressing you out.  Take 15 minutes and do that.  Often making a list is helpful enough and shows that you can actually manage better than you feel you can.
7. Look over the list and see what can be done quickly (in an hour’s time) and schedule to get them done soon. Within a day.  Cranking off to-do items as ‘done’ eases stress immediately.
8. Look over your “bigger” items to see when those stresses are gonna be over.  Write that date down next to each one.  This gives you perspective too.  You know that this is just a short season of stress.
9. Then, for the larger issues yet, pray about each one and remind yourself that God is in control.  I don’t mean to overspiritualize, but often our stress is a contr0l thing and we’re trying to get it all done in our abilities.
10. If one of the stressors still nags and creates anxiety or despair just by looking at it on your list… it’d be helpful to find a pastoral person or a godly adult with good listening/counseling wisdom and talk it through with him/her.
11. (Hidden track point) It also be good to reflect on your stress to see if it’s just an adrenaline thing too. Some folks are addicted to adrenaline and haven’t ever learned to get things without it. So they wait until the deadline, stress a lot, and the adrenaline kicks in so they can accomplish something. It’d be good for you to learn how to get things done without having to stress every time.

P.A.