Why I'm Glad That Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

If money grew on trees – or LOGs – we wouldn’t have to try to sell programs at Notre Dame - - or hustle BBQ ribs tickets.  We wouldn’t have to ask for donations or team fees.  And we wouldn’t have to worry if MYM will be able to make its annual budget each year.

If money only grew on trees…

What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?  Mark 8:36 (MSG)

So what’s the soul of our program?  What’s at the heart of MYM and LOG? 

Sharing.

Sharing the love of God.  Sharing what we’ve found.

Sharing our talent by writing talks, practicing skits, and creating beautiful project work to make the love of God visible and tangible.

Sharing our time by making team meetings a priority in our busy schedules, coming out to serve a meal or clean up from “chicken dinner” as a gift for people we have never met and even standing in the rain with game day programs in hand.

Sharing our treasure – our hard earned cash – to help cover the cost of the LOG team process and LOG weekends - - and to help make sure that MYM can continue offer the youth of Michiana our weekends that can last a lifetime.

As much as I dislike having to focus on money and fundraising as much as I do, I guess I’m glad that money doesn’t grow on trees. 

Because – I like our soul!

Ps – thanks to Lindsey & Neil – and Anna, Bennett, Clay, Elaine, Margo, Marte, Meghan, Rachel, Terrell and Fred Kantner for serving at last Saturday’s rainy game.  There are three more ND games:  this Saturday, 10/20 – plus 11/3 and 11/17.  Please offer to share your time if you are able.

Hopefully Devoted to You

Most every L.O.G. Team meeting has time set aside for a “devo” – a time for devotions. 

We begin by singing – fun songs that bring us together and then worship songs that lead us closer to God.  Then someone shares some Scripture or a few thoughts about the L.O.G. theme or about life. 

Sometimes we all go off by ourselves for some “vertical” time.  Sometimes we break out into small groups to share with each other and listen to each other as we dig a little deeper into the ideas shared in the devo.

Although I know the value of alone time, I like it best when we break into small groups.  Doing so helps us to grow closer to each other as we share and pray together.  It also helps us to process what we heard in the devo by discussing it with others.  Often someone catches something that someone else missed or God speaks to one person though the thoughts expressed by another.

Please leave a comment and tell us something that you remember from one of the devos you’ve heard or one of the small groups in which you’ve participated.  It doesn’t have to be big or long – just share something that stuck with you or meant something to you. 

Bueller?  Bueller?

ps - if you don't see a comments box in which to type, click on the word "comments" near the bottom of this page to rad what others have written and add your own contribution.  You need to "identify" yourself using the drop down menu below the comment box.

We Love Our CoLeaders!

Please note - you are invited and encouraged to leave a comment of affirmation and blessing for the Co's who have been a part of your L.O.G. experience ...

L.O.G. CoLeaders do many things. 

Some of them are pretty easy to imagine:  planning team meetings; deciding who should give talks, etc.  Some of them are less so:  figuring out what to do when they arrive at the church to find that the room they were supposed to use is already set up for another activity and calling people to find out why they missed a team meeting.

In the photo above (thanks, Cody!), Alex Jones (Coleader with Bethany Van Alstine for L.O.G. #64) could be …

1 – beseeching God that the people who were supposed to bring the snacks to the team meeting didn’t forget.

2 – posing while team members sketched his image onto the banner.

3 – begging Seth Proctor for just a few more minutes of project work time.

4 – playing a game of catch the M&M’s with your mouth.  (a game we NEVER play at Agape, by the way!)

5 – crumpling over in laughter because the team member behind him was lying on top of a cat.

L.O.G. is a peer-led program.  Youth team members prepare for and then present a weekend spiritual growth retreat for their friends.  Of course there are adult advisors to inspire, guide and support – but the whole program is built around youth leadership.

Our CoLeaders are called to lead the leaders – to plan and direct the team process that includes 8-10 weekly meetings for 25-40 youth and adult team members.  Most of the time, this is fun – sometimes it is quite frustrating.  Usually it is time consuming and often it’s tiring.  Hopefully, it is growth-producing.  And always, it’s a privilege.

Most years we have about 30-40 active 12^th graders in L.O.G. – and we can only call 12-14 of them to serve as Co’s.  We look for youth who …

• live out their personal faith in God and are devoted to Jesus as Lord and Savior

• demonstrate leadership and organizational skills

• have earned the respect of their peers and the L.O.G. adult advisors

• are dedicated to the L.O.G. program and to the mission and ministry of MYM

We all love our CoLeaders.  We love them because their service has made it possible for us to share in the love of God in this unique way we call L.O.G. and because they are our friends.

I encourage you to leave a comment below that is an affirmation and blessing for the CoLeaders who have been a part of your L.O.G. experience.  We’ve had 122 CoLeaders since 1997 – plus the six who are serving right now.

I hope there is no limit on the number of comments that can be left on this blog!

Fun in Abundance

 

I don’t know what they were doing – I was in another room at the time.  But there was a lot of laughter!  And how does that old saying go, “a picture’s worth a thousand words”?

 

Actually, I do know what they were doing.  They were having fun!  In a city where teenagers often complain that they are bored.

There were lots of smiles tonight – along with a few funny faces. We also sang some songs, celebrated a birthday with cupcakes and candles and hugged a lot. 

It was fun indeed.

And then we worked.   

And listened to someone teach from the Bible.

But you know what – that was fun too! 

We were growing and serving and sharing the love of God.

“I have come that you may have life, and have it in abundance.”  John 10:10

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Christians never have any fun.

(Thanks to Jordan and Lindsey for the photos from the L.O.G. #62 team meeting.)

What's in a name?

L.O.G. teams always close with a prayer circle.  Sometimes we pray in smaller groups or with just one other. And I bet many if not most of these prayers end with the words, “In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen”.

At my church yesterday, the pastor reminded us what it means to pray in Jesus’ name.  They are not some magic words that we throw in for good measure.  They are not a hash tag! 

To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray as Jesus would pray – for the things Jesus would pray about.  These prayers should reflect Jesus’ values and purpose. 

Dr. Mark D. Roberts writes, “So, when I say that I always pray “in Jesus’ name,” I am saying, first of all, that I approach the Father only through Jesus, only through what he has done for me on the cross. I hope that my prayers are also consistent with his will, though I recognize that my own agenda can intrude into my prayers fairly easily. Yet my desire is to bring my prayers more and more in line with what Jesus desires.” http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/ 

Please be praying for our LOG teams – our CoLeaders, Spirit Leaders and team members – that we would bring glory to God as we serve him in this season of preparing for our LOG weekends. 

Please be praying that God will be working in the lives of the participants – those already signed up and those still to come. 

And please be praying for me and for M.Y.M – that our ministry will be pleasing to God and that God will bless us so we can continue to reach the youth of Michiana with the love of God through weekends that can last a lifetime.

We are certain that God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him.  (1 John 5:14 CEV) 

Thanks to Alex for for both photos from the L.O.G. #63 team meeting!