Anybody else out there ever get in trouble over a story that you shared about a spouse (male or female) that you didn’t get permission to share (but you shared it anyway)?  This video’s fair warning for you (and me)…

ht jg

I love the culture of testimony that’s been cultivated since the Fire Conference this year.  It has so encouraged me.  At last week’s all-elders meeting at Destiny, several parents of teens were sharing about how God was working in their student’s lives.  By the time, the circle got around to me, I was so moved that I could barely say a word without tearing up – but I shared anyway, and teared up before I got two words out (big surprise for those who know me).  I shared about how several of our upperclassmen surrounded our newbies and encouraged them during our Newbies’ Night worship time.

Another bonus… just today, I re-connected with a student who graduated from Destiny’s student ministries just a few years ago.  Some of you will probably remember him; His name is Israel.  He’s a skater that used to particularly like coming on Sunday nights to our discipleship group.  If you don’t remember Israel, I’ve actually asked him to share some of what he shared with me (over a meal at Philly Ted’s) at the Talent Show this Sunday night.  There’s been some really inspiring transformation happening in his life the past few years.  Come Sunday night to hear what he has to share.  I just can’t get enough of stories like this… lives — especially those of students — that are literally blindsided by the grace and mercy of a loving, compassionate, and passionate God.  Lives that are so completely changed because they have confronted the very Giver of life.

That’s probably why this video from Hillside Christian Church moves me so much…

ht Brian E

Okay, maybe some of you youth workers have got budgets that cover things like mission trips, camps, and outreach projects, but the list of youth workers whose budget covers it ALL is likely very short. That’s where the necessary evil — as I like to call it — of fundraising comes in. We’ve got a few great events that we’ve come up with over the years that are pretty pain-free, fun, and don’t feel like we’re pulling people’s teeth asking for money (such as this weekend’s 8th annual Elevation Talent Show — wink, wink!). But I’m always looking for new and creative ways for students to raise monies for their individual fundraising efforts, too — such as an upcoming mission trip we’re planning with our camp speaker this year.

Fund the Nations looks like a winner to me. Now, I’ve never personally tried it, but we do have a long tradition of selling T-shirts to help students with their summer camp balances (through LivingEpistles.com). That’s worked well for us. People like getting new T-shirts and supporting our students at the same time. That’s the same idea behind this site, but Fund the Nations is exclusively missions-focussed. Their T-shirts all have the same grayed-out, kind of grungy-look featuring the flag and/or state/country of where your team will be ministering. So, not only do people get a cool T-shirt and get to support you in your students’ personal fundraising efforts, but they’ll also be wearing a T-shirt reminding them and others to pray for your students while they are away. Great idea!

By the way, I discovered this gem through another new site passed on by YM friend, Mark Matlock of PlanetWisdom fame. The site is YMNow. This has been a good week of Internet discovery for me!