Archive for February, 2010
February 15th, 2010 | 
Author: This has been a full week for me. I had the privilege of spending a few days in Panama with my wife and some good friends – Stan from Detroit and William Shellm from Huston. It was really a great time of ministry as well as some deep personal reflection time. I will share my thoughts in a later blog this week as I work to process the collection of thoughts that I have running around in my mind. On Friday AM, our group boarded a plane to Houston from Managua.
It was there that I said a good-bye to my wife as she went back to Boston and I was off to Indianapolis to facilitate an Enroute learning experience at a long time Sonlife friend named Jack Brown. It was great to connect with Jack on Friday night at Yellow Friday’s. Here’s the thing about Jack – He has been doing ministry (really well) for over 20 years but he still wants to learn.
There is so many people that I come in contact (including myself) where you feel like you have arrived and have nothing to learn, that isn’t Jack. Thanks for modeling that to me Jack – On Saturday at the Enroute, it was great to connect with Jack’s group as well as a group from New York. These guys came to Enroute driving almost 2 hours to learn and then turn around at 4pm and drive 2 hours back to hold a volunteer appreciation dessert night. Now, that is dedication (or maybe just bad planning — I couldn’t resist Stan and Matt) Here’s what God impressed on my heart from Saturday’s Enroute – we as youth leaders can NOT give away what we don’t have. So often, we try really hard to do that but we just call our students to something that isn’t in our life already.
It was a great reminder that I need to be striving to be more like Stant before I ask students to join in the journey.
So, here’s the question – What are you trying to give away that you haven’t been working on in your own life? Commit to working on it this week – I am praying for you!
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One of my good ministry friends is Sidney Sulley. Sidney is one of the most consistent people that I have had in my life and someone who I respect deeply for his ministry wisdom and friendship. Last year, Sidney and his family – Kristie (wife), Darcy, Sonya, and Shelly adopted a child (Abby) from China.
God is not done with them and adoption yet. They are in the process (about a year away) from adopting two more children from Ethiopia. Kristie (their oldest daughter – aged 14) sent me this email. If you are looking for a way to partner with someone this Christmas, consider Kristie’s request.
This is Kristie Sulley, and I am writing to you about a school project I am currently working on. My topic is orphans and adoption and for my action step I am selling items on cafepress.com. The money that I make will go towards our family adoption of two children from Ethiopia as well as an orphanage in Ethiopia. I encourage you to look over the items in my store and help support this worthy cause. I created the logo myself on my computer at school.
The website is Kristie’s store.
In our Enroute training seminar, we talk alot about students wanting to give their life away to something to make a difference. Here is one example of Kristie doing what she can to make a difference in the world that she views with her own eyes.