Update from Alaska

Hey guys, I know I haven't posted in forever! Sorry about that...that's ministry in Alaska for you! I've been busy since I got home over a month ago. I've done numerous outdoor trips with my students, including our annual 26-mile backpacking trip. I got a chance to get some fish last weekend, too. I went with an awesome family from my church down to the Kenai River to dip net. We caught a good tide and hauled in 43 fresh Red salmon...oh yeah! I'm preparing to take a little leadership retreat this weekend with some of my students down to Homer. It's a beautiful town that sits right on the water...I can't wait! Here's some pictures to feed your Alaskan hunger!

On the Road Again

Pictures are (from the top)...

• along the Oregon coast
• a grizzly bear along the Alcan hwy
• me next to the Salt Flats in Utah
• a baby fawn on the side of the road
• me next to the Golden Gate Bridge
• me hugging a Red Wood :)
  
  

Well, we did it! I'm home in Alaska. It took Mom and I about 12 days to drive back, as we had to stop and visit a few friends and family along the way. We drove a total of 5,700 miles through 10 states and 2 Canadian territories. We saw so much! We spent 3 days in San Francisco with one of Mom's friends, Kathy. I loved the city and the wine country...beautiful! We drove up the coast and saw the Red Wood Forest, definately the highlight of my trip. I can't say enough about those incredible trees...I was in awe. We then headed to my Aunt Ceal's place near Wenatchee, WA. We stayed with her and her boys for two nights, then headed to Canada. We made it from her place in 3 1/2 days! Mom and I were bookin' it up the Alcan Highway and we saw a ton of wildlife. All in all, the trip was great but I'm glad to be out of the car. Yesterday I hiked Bear Mountain with my Pastor and some of my youth...it's good to be home.

Surge Idol

This was my last week on staff at Fellowship Church. On my last day, Wednesday, I got a send-off like only junior high ministry can do; here's the story...

A couple of months ago we shot a video as a spoof on American Idol called Surge Idol. Six of us sang on video, three sang good and three sang horribly. Those of us that sang horribly got to move on to Hollywood and the others got voted off. I figured it was just a goofy video to use to add creativity to our program, like usual...boy was I wrong! The staff decided to turn it into a contest like the real American Idol and have the students vote for who was the worst singer out of the three of us that went on to Hollywood...yes, that's right, I was one of the horrible singers. The "winner" of the worst singer had to perform live at Surge on May 23, which just happened to be my last day. I had a feeling they might rig the voting somehow. Andy, the Junior High Pastor, actually pleaded with the students to vote for me so that I would have to embarrass myself on my last night. So, that's exactly what happened. I won and on Wednesday night I completely slaughtered the song Over the Rainbow and then was interrupted by the runner-up, Jason playing his Country Jo character. He interrupted me and then Andy made us have a sing-off. Although embarrassing, it was so much fun and a great way to end my time in the Junior High!

Look Alike

At Surge last night we did a fun activity that I wanted to share. Seth (the new 7th grade pastor) and I wrote a small group activity where the students got a sheet in their small group with all of these pictures of the Junior High staff on it. It was called Look Alike and they had to figure out what celebrities each of us looked like. The results were hilarious, as are these pictures of the staff! Holly, our volunteer coordinator, was told she looked like Jessica Simpson and Pam from the Office. Seth (7th Grade Pastor) offered up this creepy picture. He doesn't normally have this moustache...he was told he looked like a guy off of "To Catch a Predator" and Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. I got everything from Angelina Jolie to Kelly Clarkson (whatever). Andy (our Junior High Pastor) got He-Man, Hercules, Meg Ryan, etc...he always gets mistaken for a woman with his long hair! Jason (6th Grade Pastor) got Gilligan and Curious George (the monkey). Michael (our 8th Grade Pastor) got a male model, Orlando Bloom and Michael from the Office. Anyway, I thought it was really funny and wanted all of you to be in on it. Ah, the joys of youth ministry!

Happy Birthday to me...

This weekend I turned 29...can you believe it? If you ask my students down here they think I look like I'm in my early 20's, but act like I'm in my early teens (nice, huh?). My birthday was great! The festivities started on Thursday and lasted the whole weekend (Sunday was my real birthday). Thursday I received a beautiful bouquet of daisies (my favorite) from my mom and dad. They had them sent to my office at the church. Then the Junior High Staff did a mini-party for me with cake, a gift and a card...super sweet! The next day I received 3 cards and 2 packages in the mail from friends and family. Friday afternoon we took off and Dori, Morgan and I drove down to her aunt and uncle's 215-acre ranch, just east of Austin. It was so nice being in the country; a great escape from city life. We rode 4-wheelers, pet their animals (dogs, cats, horses, chickens, goats and cows), explored their land, ate the best BBQ I've had in my life at a small country spot in downtown Lexington, went to a cattle auction (super cool), hung out with the family, went to their little Baptist church on Sunday-complete with potluck for Mother's Day, and on and on. We got back into Dallas Sunday evening and had my birthday dinner at Olive Garden. I wrapped up the night opening gifts from friends and talking to my entire family over the phone in Alaska. It was sad to be away from them on Mother's Day and my birthday, but the ranch was a huge blessing. 29th year...here I come!

Reality

As I sit here listening to my itunes, I am slowly recognizing the reality of my time here. I sit in staff meetings and help plan events now that I am not going to be a part of...and that's bizarre. I try to take time and reflect over the past nine months of my life as a whole, but I can't seem to wrap my mind around it. I am at a loss. I know, without a shadow of a doubt that God called me to Texas to teach me. Over the past nine months there have been many "ah ha" moments where I recognized the lesson God was teaching. But if you've talked to me about it, you would know that I came down here anticipating a huge "ah ha" moment where the heavens parted and God spoke audibly to me about my purpose for being in Texas. Strangely I always figure God is going to speak to me like that (and truly desire for God to speak to me like that) but He never does. You would think I would learn, but I seem to be a little hard-headed in this area. I'm absolutely not saying that God doesn't speak to me...He just chooses to do it in different ways than what I expect. I think He does this with me because I am such a control freak and He wants to remind me of who is REALLY in control. Either way, He has spoken to me through the girls I work with...I have seen lives changed. I have seen new excitement in life and in His Word. He has spoken to me about myself. Through my vulnerability during times of fasting and loneliness, I have had no where to go but to Him. This has been the hardest lesson for me and probably the best. He has spoken to me through the books of Daniel and John. As I've studied them over the past year I strive to have the integrity of Daniel, the love of John and the heart of Jesus. I have been convicted countless times of my ministry failings, but inspired to do new and visionary things when I return. More than anything I have realized the importance of family, good friends and my calling. I came to Texas concerned about how I would connect with students of the South. What did I have in common with kids from Texas? But, God has shown me that love for students is universal....and that's just what they need, someone to love them. Students are broken, hurting, stressed and pressured. That is the same in Dallas, Texas as it is in Chugiak, Alaska. I love students, whether they're from rich suburbs, Alaska Native villages, po-dunk farming communities, or my back yard. And I want to see lives changed. I want to see students look beyond their world and serve, love and make a difference. I want to give students hope. This is a greater calling than I could have ever imagined, but it is mine. Yesterday I sat in our study with Whitnye, a junior whom I have been mentoring on Friday afternoons. I had the opportunity to witness Whitnye having an "ah ha" moment with God in His Word. It is in those moments where I realize why I am here.

Hanging out with Crowder

Yep, that's right...I went down to Waco again this Sunday to see Crowder at his home church of UBC. Of course, it was amazing. We got up the courage this time to actually go talk to him a bit. He is such a down-to-earth guy, it felt like talking to a friend. During the service, the band played Wholly Yours, O Praise Him and Deliver Me for the worship set. Then one of UBC's campus pastors got up and talked about how the church needs to stop being fake and pretending like we know what we are doing and have everything together. He challenged us to be real and be used by God. He related it all to a story about white water guiding in Colorado...of course I loved the story! Besides hanging out at UBC, we ate lunch at one of our favorite places, Chicken Express, and later on stopped to take some pictures in the blue bonnets...the Texas state flower. It is Texan tradition for parents to prop up their little kids in fields of blue bonnets along side the road for pictures. In trying to keep with tradition, we had to do the same. It was a day full of laughter, fun and good music. Thanks to Moe, Marissa and Matt for coming along on the trip...they made the day more than memorable :)