DAY 1

This is some of us being goofy on our ride to DFW from Tyler. We are just so excited!!!

Last night, our Argentinian Group had a meeting time and debriefing time before the trip. We discussed what FEW details we had for the trip. We did not know what to expect in Argentina. We were just going trusting God and His work and expecting great things to happen. Today, we leave from Tyler to go to DFW where we are flying out of on our adventure to Buenos Aires. After getting a few last minute items from Wal-Mart, I headed out to Pine Cove to leave for DFW. Everyone from our team was meeting at DFW airport at 5pm to get our tickets and check-in. After everyone checked-in and got into the international terminal, we quickly searched for a play to eat. Everyone was hungry and this may be our last American meal for awhile. We ate and then boarded our flight to Buenos Aires. It was going to be an 11 hour flight. This was the biggest plane I had ever been on. It had 9 seats across each row with 2 aisles. I got comfortable and grabbed a book, my ipod, and some Spanish vocabulary notes to study. I was able to move seats to a seat that had a little more leg room. The flight was good. I could not ever really get comfortable and did not sleep very well either. I was very nervous and excited. I was going to a country I had never been to before to help teach people who did not even speak the same language as me how to do Christian camping like Pine Cove. This was scary, but the Lord is good and He is in control of all situations. I can’t wait to land!!!!

Argentina Commission Camping Trip

Hey everyone.

Thank you so much for supporting me and my trip to Argentina. I was extremely blessed by each one of you and I cannot say "thanks" enough to make up for my experience in Argentina and all the incredible things that happened to me and others. I hope that you enjoy these blog posts and I will post them as quickly as possible. Enjoy reading them and please feel free to comment or send me questions. I would love to tell you anything you want about my experiences and what I learned.

The Team

ACU Summit 2008 and Camp Ministry Conversation

This week I have been attending the Summit Lectureship Series at ACU. They have been amazing. They bring in some very influencial and knowledgable speakers. I have had he opportunity of listen to Brian Mclaren talk 4 times within the past 2 days. I have got to hear from 3 or 4 leaders in youth culture and youth ministry studies. Many ACU professors and students who have done research and are exploring our religion are able to inform others. I really liked the seminar over youth culture in today's world by David Fraze. It has also been interesting to hear numerous talks on technology today, and as it continues to develop Christianity and Church need to grow with it and use it as another tool to spread God's kingdom on Earth.
I had the opportunity today to listen to Sam Solomon speak in there Chapel. He is a former Islamic Muslim, who converted to Christianity and was persecuted and condemned by his family and the whole Islamic community. He had a Great testimony and has probably been one of the most powerful and engaging speakers I have heard in my life. The story he has to tell of his life is incredible and will challenge you as a Christian to take risks and sacrifice for your faith because I can guarantee you that we have it alot easier than Sam Solomon ever did. He is a great man of God and if you want to meet a man who knows scriptures and can tell you anything in the Bible, he is the man to talk to. This week has been just full of great conversations and a huge pivitol growing point in my own beliefs and faith.
While attending a coffee shop conversation on Tuesday night this week, I sat at a table with a man and his wife. I introduced myself and we started a conversation. He asked what I was studying and I told him Ministry. He asked what I wanted to do with that. I then told him about my passion to do Camp Ministry. This look of amazement and huge smile came to his face. He said "I think God wanted us to meet tonight." We went on to tell me that he was starting a new camp in Colorado, but needed help in learning about how to train the staff and a good set up for camp. I told him that was exactly the thing that I enjoyed talking to others about. The program started and then ended. At the end, we started talking about camp ministry and we talked for about 2 hours. It was a great conversation and I could tell by his face that he left our conversation encouraged and with a better understanding and vision of what camp ministry can look like. I told him I would be praying for him and his church as they started this new camp. We also exchanged #'s and info. I told him that if he had anymore questions or if I could help him in anyway then to give me a call or email me. It was just a great meeting that God had set up for us to meet and that God was the focus and in control of the whole thing. Man, What a great and mighty God we serve and how He knows just the right people that we are to meet and that we can uplift each other.

God and Piano Tuners

So, I was sitting in Logdson chapel last week and I was just praying, reading the bible, and also looking over a book for my youth ministry class. The piano tuner was at the front tuning the piano for a memorial service that was to be held the next day. He finished his job and it was actually somewhat relaxing listening to him just tune the piano. As he was walking out, he noticed me and asked if he had disturbed me with his tuning. I told him no and that I actually somewhat enjoyed it. He then went on to ask me what I was studying( at the time it was my youth ministry book). I told him and he said so, "you want to be a youth minister?" It then said No and Yes. I don't want to be a youth minister, I really feel called to do camp ministry, which in a sense is still youth ministry. We started discussion and then he asked me if I had considered becoming a pastor. I told him that if God called me to be a preacher, then I would follow his plan, but right now He has not called me to that. This is where it got interesting. He said, "Well I asked you if you would ever pastor, not be a preacher." Then he went on to explain how there is a big difference between pastors and preachers. And within his 40 years of experience in tuning pianos, he had seen both, but rarely seen a pastor and a preacher in the same person. He said there are alot of good preachers, but not so good pastors and also vice versa. He then told me of numerous bible studies in which Jesus was approachable to the people and he made himself available. He said he had been tuning pianos in one church for 15 years and had never met the pastor of the church in those 15 years because he is a good preacher, but he is not a good pastor and does not make himself available to the people of his church. We had a nice discussion about the church and preachers and pastors. I enjoyed our conversation together and he taught me alot through it. I look forward to the next time I get to talk with the Piano Tuner. Isn't it amazing when God places people in your life that can make a huge difference when you least expect it.

Favorite Quotes and Reminders!!!

You're Awesome!!!



No Big Deal!!! Easy!!! Done!!!

(have that mentality when you serve. It make that service so much more rewarding and joyful and you serve for God, not for the praise of man)



It is not about me, IT IS ABOUT GOD!!!



Religion doesn't give you a relationship (with Christ), but a relationship (with Him) will give you a religion.



Life is tough, but it is Good because I have these people around me to encourage me, to strengthen me and walk through life beside me. Living in community and seeking Christ with others is one of the best things about Christianity.

My Mission Statement for my Life!!!

LOVE in everything you do!!!

Be INTENTIONAL with ALL conversations!!!

SERVE as Christ would serve!!!

WORSHIP and PRAISE God for who He is!!!

Introduction

Hey everyone who is reading this. I am going to use this blog to display my thoughts and ideas, what the Lord is teaching me, or really just anything that I think is great and I would like to share with others. It is going to be interesting and I hope it allows you to see a little about how God is working in my life and influencing me. I am really excited about this and I hope that you can learn from what I write and that it will be encouraging in your own life.