GSM Kickoff a success

-photo by Amanda Parker

Tonight we began a new chapter in GCC's student ministries.  I won't go into detail but, it was a raging success.  Everyone and everything is finally clicking...this should be a year to be remember.  

GSM Kick's off TODAY!!!

I am so pumped about GSM finally kicking off for the school year this afternoon. I feel like we've been prepping for it for so long and it's going to be great to actually hit the ground running. We had an amazing summer and I've missed seeing everybody, and I believe tonight is going to be up another level from last year. So strap in, and if you're in middle school, get there at 3:30. High School?...6:30. Let's get started.

Leroi Moore passes away

"It's always easier to leave than to be left."
-Dave Matthews
"We are deeply saddened that LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died unexpectedly Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2008, at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program."
-Quote from the official Dave Matthew's Band Website.

Family/Fun/Friday

It's been a crazy summer working for GCC. And it has been an amazing summer as well. However I chose to cheat on friday and head over to Chicago to see if my brother could use any help getting settled in his new apartment in Chicago. He starts his first year of law school at DePaul in about two weeks, and I haven't had many chances to hang out with him the last 4 years because he went to school about 6 hours from here. Now that he's close (or at least a lot closer than before), I wanted to take advantage of his free time before he started school. So I headed over there this morning, and my parents we nice enough to buy us Cubs tickets so not only did I get to check out his new place and spend the afternoon with him, I got to see my first game at the friendly confines of wrigley field.

Looking back on Mexico...

As I spent some time thinking about all that happened in Mexico, I had some thoughts for our students that I'd like to share. We experienced a lot of poverty, a lot of broken families, and a lot of people looking for hope in our time in Monterrey. The missionaries, pastors and laborers down there are working very hard to right the wrongs that are happening in that community. But I hope you left that trip incredibly encouraged. I am looking back on that trip with an incredible smile on my face and I hope you are too. God called us down there to Mexico for a time, and all the work we did in the last several months prepared us for that time. Going to Lifeline, bible study, team meetings, second saturdays, weekend services, new communities, work trips and the like prepared you for your time down there. And after all the prep work was done, we headed down to see what God had in store. As a member of the student ministry team, I feel like one of the coaches of a great team. DC is our general manager, and Steph, Katie, John and I are all bench coaches. But you know what, coaches can't play the game. Coaches can help to prepare as much as possible but come game time, it's all on the players...you guys. God put a game on your schedule, and I hope you know that I feel like I just watched you pitch a no hitter; a perfect game. The opposition was pretty steep considering a lot of the needs we were faced with meeting, but you all came through in amazing fashion. No one complained, everyone jumped in, everyone encouraged each other, and the needs were met for the time we were there. You served so well, and I feel a great amount of pride having played a small part in that team.
Acts 1:1 may be my favorite verse in the bible because of the way one sentence is constructed. It says "In my first book, I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach" (NLT) Notice that he said the word 'do' before the word 'teach'. We all know far too many people who can talk and talk about the right thing, but it's quite another thing to actually do it, and Jesus always DID, He put the walk before the talk. Most of the time, the best way and only way to minister to people is through your actions. You actions breed trust and credibility so that when it comes time to teach, people will listen. The great part about the language barrier is that the only way you had left to show the love of Christ was through your actions. And looking back on all the pictures, all the smiles on children's faces, all the fun and all the joy; your actions spoke louder than any words ever could. I am so proud of all of you and I am taking great joy in the victories from last week. But don't rest on your laurels. The next season is starting. Keep pressing in, keep practicing, stay in the word and stay on your knees so that you're always ready to go when God give's you the next call.(*enjoy some friday photo's)

Mexico Day 6 (Thursday)

Thursday was an amazing day. We went back out to the Cadereyta today to grab some kids who just graduated kindergarten, six, and ninth grade. We loaded them and their moms on two buses and headed to a HUGE public pool to hang out, grill out, and give the students brand new back packs filled with all new school supplies for the upcoming year. Back2Back is really trying to encourage education and staying in school and this is one of the ways they do it. So we played hard all morning, most of the playing occured in the kiddy pool which was around 95 degree's and the water was rather not clear (you can do the math on that one). But the big pool was great, and our kids served like champs, loving on those kids all day. We then served all of them steak taco's and the local pastors and missionaries commented that it's probably been forever since any of the people in that community had steak. Seemed just like a typical afternoon in the park for us which put it in great perspective for our kids. So after that we put the kids and their mom's back on a bus and sent them on their way with lots of tears and waving goodbye, and we headed back to campus via a gas station for our kid's to fill up on sugary goodness. They've all had a great week, and it came out in our debrief time tonight. Tomorrow were cleaning up on campus in the morning then we head out for a El Pollo Loco Lunch followed by an afternoon cave expedition. We'll be staying in hotel tomorrow night so this is our last night on campus. We'll see if I can get pictures up tomorrow night. See you all on saturday.