great things are happening right now; led a series of "dream meetings" with my core youth workers to review the last ministry year and strategize for the next; played Jesus for vacation bible school; finished watching episodes IV, V & VI of "star wars" - aniken is restored, the empire is defeated and the galaxy is safe again.
i'm also very excited about a few new CDs. i'm currently stoked about the new projects from house of heros and kids in the way. as i write i'm listening to "better days" by robbie seay band. i highly recommend it... laid-back, well-written, electric guitar-driven worship. pretty unique.
for those of you in youth ministry, i recommend checking out the CD teaching series "the decades speak" by jeanne mayo. she is an assemblies of God youth pastor who has been at it for 30+ years. this series features 30 life lessons from her three decades of ministry to teens. the principles on these CDs are priceless... not programming ideas or strategies, but true wisdom that gets right to the heart of youth ministry. VERY good stuff! you can order it at www.youthsource.com.
visited with my cousins woody and rachel weeks last sunday. they're in the process of moving to ft. lauderdale, florida as woody begins medical school. vanessa and i hope to take the girls down to visit them for a little family vacation after i get back from student life camp in south padre island, tx. looking forward to camp... charlie hall is the worship leader and erwin mcmanus is the camp pastor, hence the trek to texas!
i want to encourage you guys to spend some serious time enjoying God. over the last year i've allowed myself to get so busy with leading a new youth ministry that i've neglected that to which i know God has called me - a simple life of seeking Him. so much of what mr. oxley said during my years at e.c. comes back to me... it really is all about knowing Jesus. let's push back against the urgent and make time to really be with God... not to prepare a lesson, but to love him. oswald chambers said, "it is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. that is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. we would much rather work for God than believe in him." it is so simple, but it's the key to all of what we're called to be... our lives spent in pursuit of the Pursuer. do i really believe that he is able to take care of my "to-do" list if i'll make seeking him my first priority? what we're doing in ministry is not nearly as important as whether or not we are recklessly abandoned to knowing the person of Jesus Christ. everything else will take care of itself. sorry to sermonize, but this is where my heart is right now.
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9 comments:
HEY EFW!!!
How awesome to hear from you. I heard that you have an adorable little girl.
I saw Gina a couple weeks ago during the time she was here for Faith's wedding. She was giving me lots of updates on how everyone was doing. Stephen left yesterday to go play paintball for 24hrs! lol! He and another guy from our church started a paintball club. Sooooooooo needless to say he will be coming home today with bruises and muddy clothing. I will tell him you said hello.
Now I need to go and read all these EC Blogs so I can Catch up with you all!!
Keep in touch!
Wendi
I saw that you asked on Jonathan's blog how things are going for the Napier family. He's been super busy these last couple of weeks, so he hasn't updated his blog lately. If you'd like to read the whole story about the rental car drama, you can read it on my blog. Other than that, I've just posted about how we're having a boy...but you knew that. I'm still recovering from the trip to GA, but now getting back to the daily grind. Pray for your buddy...he's got lots of stress running programs for two ministries right now.
Jeanne Mayo is the speaker for this week of camp that Stephen is takng the kids to. She really is a powerhouse.
I am so excited to hear all about how this camp goes. I really wish I could have been there to hear her speak!!
Wendi
YEA! You posted! I was so stoked that you even named it after me! I totally understand where you're coming from...sometimes I almost feel as if the church world wants it's ministers to be consumed with the work of the church or they don't think you're doing anything...that would explain why there are lots of great programs led by broken people...I'm trying my darnest not to become one of them...thanks for the reminder about knowing God I needed that...
Hey Eric! Long timen no see!!! Deborah Fountain told me you were married...and kids!!! that's awesome!! I got married in February and it's amazing. I'm so glad God sent us both on our proper destinations!! Hopefully one day I will get one of these blogs, but for now I work to much and have no time for it! my email address is still mcbatha@hotmail.com, would love to hear from you!!
i like the robbie seay band too! they came to DC last year. i think you're doing great man, really great! i know God smiles on you! :-) guess what? i got married on 6/11...yeah! -warren
why don't anna and warren just get a blog? Oh Eric we have a friend in common Nathan Fussel... i gave him your blog address so that you guys can catch up...thanks for emailing me back...oh wait you didn't jerk! :)
OHHHH ERIC WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!! Ok man it's been a while since your last POST!!
Wendi
Eric, we miss hearing from you. How's little Zoe doing? We've got 8 more weeks until baby boy Napier comes. (Notice there still is no name! We're running out of time and we still don't have a name picked!) Anyway, send Jonap or me an email to let us know what's up with the Foster-Whiddons if you don't have time to post on the blog. Hope you're summer has been going well for you at Heritage. Can't wait to hear from ya!
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