Report #6

Week of July 13th to 19th

7/13- E. Chicago Fundraiser: 7 hours
7/15-Worship Band Bible Study: 2 hours
7/15-Counseling: 1 hour
7/15-Lunch Program/Office Work: 5 hours
7/16-Mentoring/Hang Out Time: 5 hours
7/16- Mission's Team Meeting/Bible Study: 2 hours
7/19-Sunday Morning/Worship/Youth Group: 8 hours


Ministry

Missions Trip
God is so good. He is the Great Provider. We have raised ALL of the money for the missions trip! Praise God! Not one of the youth have to put down their own money towards the trip! We raised $3300! ($300 per student). I am just so thankful. Also, the meeting this week went so well. I got them all journals to start writing in. We went through the book of Ephesians focusing on chapters 2 and 5. I talked about how God has taken us from death to life. We were once dead spiritually, but when Christ came into our lives we were made alive. If we saw someone arise from the dead, would we not share that with others? Of course! One of the main reasons for going on a missions trip is to share how God wants to bring us all to life. I also taught from chapter 5 on how we are to rid ourselves of all sin...we must be a fragrant offering. We are to be a light in the darkness, a sweet smell amongst that stink! Living in sin is like keeping on our stinky grave clothes. This week I want them to prayer journal about this. They are to answer the question, "What sin is keeping me in darkness?" Also, "What sin does God want to rid me of?" Then they were to read all of Ephesians and write down what God was speaking to them through it.

Counseling/Mentoring/Hanging Out
This week I had a good time in my counseling relationships. She is making great progress. On Thursday, I took on of the girls from my youth group shopping with me in Ft. Wayne (I was looking for a dress for my One year wedding anniversary!). The Sunday before, she had a break down with me during youth group over the death of her grandmother this past spring. She was extremely close with her grandmother. Before she came to youth group, she stopped at her grave for the first time. The idea of her grandmother being under dirt mortified her and broke her down. When I asked her what was wrong she began sobbing uncontrollably and kept saying over and over again. "Her body is in the dirt, in dirt!"
What could I do? I let her cry. I hugged her. I would try and say something but realized that I was to say nothing...she needed someone to listen to her. Dealing with loss is never easy and there is no set way on how to cope. As a minister, I realized that I must be so in tune with God in how to be the comforter in that situation. I am not to take away their grief, but guide them in the grieving process. In this situation...she needed someone to care and listen. So on our shopping trip....we had a great time of bonding and she was able to talk about what was going on in her life...like she did with her grandmother.

Personal
We had such a busy week. Heath preached this Sunday and we led worship (our pianists are both in the hospital). We ran all of the worship service in the morning and then had youth group at night. It took a lot out of us.
What was difficult for me was that it was our one year anniversary on Sunday. We celebrated Friday and Saturday...but I am sentimental...I would have liked to celebrate on the actual day. I realized that being a minister...I do not always get the luxury of having the days off that I would like to. I have to let go of sentiments in a way. God is working on me with that.
But, I am just so thankful for the work God is doing in the ministry of our church. He is giving me such a passion for Van Buren...especially their youth. I want to start a youth center in the middle of town...not sure of how that is going to work out but I know He will make a way.