Mending The Nets

Youth Camp

2008-06-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

I have to admit: I LOVE GOING TO YOUTH CAMP. I am gearing up for youth camp next week and I am totally stoked. Youth Camp is that time of the year where several cool things happen at once. For one, you get to hang out with teenagers, though a little brain-dead at times, that can be incredibly cool and who have enormous amounts of passion and energy. For two, you get to see other "state-wide" friends who come to help out with Youth Camp and talk about what you each are doing as it pertains to youth ministry. Thirdly, I love the fact I don't have to spend a dime of money at camp if I don't want to. As a Youth Camp Leader you get "free" food, you get "free" gym time, and you also get "free" fun actitivities (that, if you were using your own youth budget, could bankrupt the church in a day). About the only thing you don't get "free" is sleep. And lastly, for those of you who are thinking I am little less spiritual right now: I LOVE THE FACT TEENAGERS ENCOUNTER GOD. There is too much I could write on this topic, but let's put it this way, Youth Camp seems to provide the distance and refocusing time teens need to really get serious about God again or for the first time. My prayer is that every teenager who experiences the power of God next week would not let their experience fade away, but they would grow stronger in the Lord each day for the rest of their lives.

LASER TAG

2008-04-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Don't forget LASER TAG tomorrow night! Here are some details...

DATE: Friday, April 25th

TIME: 5:30 PM (Meeting at the church)

COST: $17.50 (Includes 3 games of LASER TAG, PIZZA, and SODA)

***Please bring cash for this event because I will not be collecting money. You will be paying for yourself when you get there.

Douglas Explains Forgiveness...

2008-04-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I know what some of you are going to think..."Puppets, are you kidding me?!". But, here is the deal, I love to watch puppets still and I am 27 years old and I think this video has a great message behind it. So, humor me, and check it out.

When My Head Hurts...

2008-04-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but life gets so hectic for me at times that my head literally starts to hurt. There are so many things that want to vie for my attention and which could crush me physcially, if it were not for the grace of God. And I'll be honest, there are several questions I start to ask myself when life gets hectic: God, why this problem now? God, why today? God, are you really with me? These questions even make it hard to breathe at times. But...it is also in those moments that I know I need God most. And ironcially enough, these kinds of moments also serve as "refocusers". Now, I'm sure that's not a real word, but humor me. Moments of heartache, of stress, or of confusion help me to refocus my attention and energies towards pursuing a greater relationship with God. I have been around long enough to know, certain things can't be solved with harder work or greater energy, God has to step in! And I know that I need HIM. I need HIM more than I realize, so these "refocusers", those moments of larger than life problems (or questions), can really be blessings in disguise.

Knowing this, my prayer to God often is: LORD HELP ME TO REFOCUS WITHOUT REFOCUSERS. LET ME PURSUE YOU LIKE I SHOULD WITHOUT HAVING TO BE FORCED TO MY KNEES THROUGH HEARTACHE, PAIN, OR QUESTIONS! I LOVE YOU GOD, AND LET THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION BE THE ONLY REFOCUSING POINT I NEED! AMEN.

Evangelism Linebacker

2008-04-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

I got this off GodTube and it is great. I showed this at M.T.N. one other time, but it makes me chuckle everytime I see it.

Thank You Lee Strobel...

2008-04-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone. Lee Strobel has made this great video interview with Dr. Mark Strauss accessible to anyone who wants it. Here it is...

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Don't Cry For Me Honduras...

2008-03-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

We went to Honduras last year to help build classrooms, but it wasn't all work and no play. We had some time to relax and enjoy the country.

Courage

2008-03-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

*** I wrote this article last year, but I wanted to post it on the blog.

A Texas billionaire hosted a sumptuous feast on his 1,500 acre property outside of Dallas. He took his guests for a complete tour of his land, horse stables, and mansion. As he came to the end of the tour, the guests were ushered to the back of the mansion to plush lawns sporting beautifully landscaped scenes and a giant swimming pool, the likes of which none of them had seen before. However, after closer review, the guests noticed that the glistening pool was filled with huge alligators. “Why do you have a pool full of alligators?” one of the shocked guests asked.
“It takes courage to make your mark in this world,” answered the billionaire. “So I keep this pool of alligators on my property as a sign of what courage really is. In fact I tell all of my guests, anyone who has enough guts to jump in the pool and swim safely from one side to the other shall be entitled to half of my fortune and to my only daughter as his wife.”
The guests began to laugh until suddenly they heard a splash. All eyes became fixed on a young man swimming in the pool. Incredibly, he made it across to the other side and got out.
“I’m impressed,” said the billionaire. “Son, you are entitled to half my fortune and my only daughter as your wife.”
Wet from head to toe and bleeding from minor scratches, the young man replied, “Sir, you can keep your fortune and your daughter. What I want to know is: Who pushed me in?!” *
Some of the greatest men and women of the Bible never asked to jump into the waters of courage. It simply was thrust upon them (they were pushed in, so to speak). And amazingly, with God’s guidance, these men and women were able to do extraordinary things, things some people even thought impossible. Maybe God will one day call you to do something courageous, something that takes great faith. If that day comes, have faith and do what he calls you to do, and trust that he will empower you to do what needs to be done.

*Story found in Gary LaFerla's book Finding Your Way

Virtual Bubble Wrap

2008-03-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hey ladies and gents, anyone like bubble wrap? If so, check out this virtual bubble wrap...:
http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf

Lifehouse "Everything" Drama

2008-03-20T08:27:00.001-07:00

Some of you love this drama skit and I just thought I would post it:

Giving

2008-03-20T07:30:00.001-07:00

Giving to others can be truly rewarding. And sacrificial giving is most astounding of all. This weekend people of the world celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ with a little holiday called Easter. Easter is probably my most favorite holiday of all. I know some would argue for others, but to be honest with you, I feel an overwhelming sense of God's love at Easter. The fact that Christ would suffer and die for me just boggles my mind. The Lord of the universe was not above being a servant and giving his very being for my benefit. Jesus Christ was the greatest giver.

I want to share a practical story about giving in this blog that I think exemplifies the character of Christ. It is found in Gary LaFerla's book, Finding Your Way. This story reminds me how wonderful the act of giving can be and how "giving truly is the highest form of living." LaFerla's records the story of a lady who attends the Calvary Chapel Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL:

My heart's desire was for a shiny, perfect, purple bicycle, but God had it in his heart to use that longing to give me much, much more....
I had walked past that storefront window countless times. There it was - a shiny, purple, perfect new bicycle.
There are just some things that all children want, and I was no exception. "Oh the things that I could do with that beautiful new bike!" I thought.
My father was a pastor, and our family did not have a lot of money, so I decided to save my allowance and odd-job money to buy myself the bicycle. Every week I walked past the store to see "my" beautiful purple bike.
I worked hard to save my money and kept praying that God would bring me what I wanted.
One day during Sunday School, my teacher talked about a missionary family in need. She told us about the horrible sickness this family was enduring. Reading from a leader written by the family, she told the class about the little boy who had contracted hepatitis, most likely from a typhoid shot he had received in Chile. All week I thought about the little boy far away in Chile.
The next Sunday my teacher asked us what we should do to help this little boy. All the children decided that he could use a brand new bike - that would cheer him up for sure!
I remember my heart almost stopping: I said, "Oh no, God, not my bike!" But then I knew I had to give my bike money to my teacher so it could help that little boy in Chile get a bike.
One week later, I gave my money to the teacher.
Many years later in college, I began praying that God would send me a godly husband.
My father was still a pastor and was also teaching at a local Baptist college. When I went home for Christmas vacation one year, I met Philip at my father's church. Philip was attending the Baptist college where my father taught. In fact, he was in his class.
Not long after my Christmas break, I decided to transfer to this same college. I got to know Philip better since my college roommate was engaged to his best friend and my parent's and Philip's parents were also friends.
Our first date was on Valentine's Day. It soon became obvious that we were made for each other. We decided to get married. I didn't know then just how God-ordained our relationship was.
One evening, after both of our families had eaten dinner together, Philip's mom started reminiscing about their missionary days and what life was like on the field with small children. She shared about a time in Chile when the whole family had been terribly sick and how Philip had come down with hepatitis, presumably from a typhoid shot. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! My husband was the little boy that I had given up my bike money for! I had to leave the room because I was so emotional - I just could not stop crying.
God had been so good to me. My heart's desire was for a shiny, perfect, purple bicycle, but God had it in his heart to use that longing to give me much, much more - a godly husband that HE had ordained from the very beginning.
Philip and I now have three grown children and have been married for twenty-nine years...

What a testimony to the power of giving and the effect it can have on lives!

Listening

2008-03-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

As teenagers, many of you are told to "listen up" or "pay attention", I'm sure, on a regular basis. These are phrases you probably hear at home or when you are at school. And more than likely, they are commands given by those who are in charge of your well-being, like teachers or parents. There is something extremely valuable to really listening to what someone has to say, and when I say "listening", I don't simply mean with your ears, I mean paying attention to someone with your whole being.

Many of you have friends who are saying things to you that far outweigh words. You have friends who have needs and are crying out for help, but if you are not careful you may miss these crys. You are at an age when you may have teenage friends dealing with depression, thoughts of suicide, drug addictions, or you name it. And you may very well be the person they are trying to get to listen to them.

John Maxwell tells a story in his book The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader about one of our former Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. Once at a gala ball, Roosevelt grew tired of meeting people who returned his remarks with stiff, mindless pleasantries. So, he began to greet people with a smile, saying, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." Most people so nervous about meeting him, didn't even hear what he said. But one diplomat did. Upon hearing the President's remark, he leaned over and whispered to him, "I'm sure she had it coming to her!".

It is easy to laugh at this story, but there is an element to it that I want to reinforce: "Listen carefully to what people are saying (and listen with your whole being)." Someone may be quietly crying out for help and you may be the one they are crying out to. Not only can you be a great friend by really listening to them, but you know who to take them to when they do need help: Jesus Christ! Christ still mends broken hearts and changes lives. So, take time today and.......listen........

New Blog Started

2008-03-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

This is the official blog of M.T.N. or Mending the Nets Youth Ministries. I would love to hear questions you may have about our youth program or about God in general. I will try to use this space to field such questions.

Pastor Dan