Failure to Advance

Disappointed that the US will not advance. They were in a tough group, but still just didn't seem to play as well as they should have. Didn't seem ready.

But, it's the World Cup! There are still some great teams advancing and some exciting games to be watched. Hopefully, I'll be able to watch a few over the next few weeks.

Accountability

In some recent discussions I've had and this article that I read, I've been thinking about the idea of accountability. I like the article's suggestion that it's more than just spilling your guts out to someone - revealing your faults and secret sins. It's humble submission.

Unless you're willing to submit to someone's advice/instruction, it doesn't do you any good to ask for it.

Summer Fun

We're having VBS this week and taking students to CIY in Colorado next week, so.... I've been doing a lot of preparing for those things. VBS is going well and I'm really looking forward to CIY next week.

BUT... It's so close and there's way too much to do between now and then to be ready for the trip and for stuff when we get back (like two weeks of camp within a couple weeks of our return). Oh well... such is the fun of summer youth ministry!

Reichstag

The way it was meant to be seen...


Never Give Up - How 'bout that for a first appearance?

Note to Power Companies Everywhere - We want our World Cup TV!

Unity

In an excerpt from Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that "Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participtate."

In Christ, we have been joined together - apart from any effort or desires on our part. He unites us with each other as we become united to Him. I wonder if I've spent too much attention trying to create a sense of unity among students that is at best artificial. It would be better if we concentrate on being united to Christ, and as His character grows within us, we'll grow to understand and participate in the reality... in Him we're family. Whether we act like it or not.

But I think there's also a balance somewhere between trying to acheive unity by our own effort and just sitting back and doing nothing to foster the brotherhood that exists in the church.

Talent...

I've been reading a little book called Stand Against the Wind by Erwin McManus which seems to be mostly art-enhanced extracted thoughts from his book Uprising (great for gift-type book). This quote stood out to me the other day and has kind of been floating around my head...

Talent without character is a dangerous thing. Talent fueled by character is a gift from God.

In helping students discover and become what God is calling them to, I'm often pointing to talents they already have that could be developed for use in the kingdom. This was a good reminder to pay attention to character development as well. Without character, it's so easy to get sucked into a 'look-what-I-can-do' mentality. The world doen't need more talented people - it needs men and women who have taken on the character of Christ. I wonder how many have been taken down by the very talents that could have been of great use to the Kingdom? I pray I'll have the character to recognize the gift and use it wisely.

Almost here...