COMING SOON!!!!

Hey guys and gals!

Today I am squaring away with Bro. Stan our awesome trip to Arlington to watch some baseball and going to Six Flags. We have worked it out to make this trip Super cheap....Only $40! Whoa. You have to buy your food. But other than that...you can't beat it! Awesome. Stay tuned for more news coming your way.

man...I am behind...Summer's coming!

Sorry folks for delaying updating this. I am genuinely going to try to update this more than 1 time a month or 1 time every 5 months. Anyway...I am super stoked about the things that are happening at our church and in our student ministry. Summer is very close and we will do so much this summer. 6th graders are going to transition in through "Rise Up."

I am excited about this. I think once the 6th graders understand what we're doing to make them feel super awesome all summer, they will love it!

I am also stoked about Hangin' in the Upper Room every Tuesday afternoon this summer from 2-5. If you want to hang and you need a ride, call me...I'll come and get you...but your folks have to pick you up. Come play basketball, Wii, watch a movie, chillax in the Upper Room.

We also have some other cool things happening in the summer. They're coming very soon.

NYWC Day 1 and 2

This is single handedly one of the best experience in my young youth ministry career. I am having an incredible time and am being pushed in many different ways. God is at work, and I am excited to be here in Pittsburgh.

Some highlights:

1) Francis Chan...rocked...incredible message.
2) Audio Adrenaline...Rocked as well...old school.
3) Worship with Starfield has been excellent
4) Session with Brock Morgan...Health is coming my way.
5) Meeting some folks. Jarrod from Albuquerque is cool, and he bought ear plugs...I snore.
6) Seeing seminary friends.
7) Hearing God's voice.
8) Loving Candi more while I am away from her...I miss her...but my heart longs to be closer to her.

I'll post more later. Bye Bye Bye.

Oops...sorry for the week off.

So I took a week off...sorry. I am trying hard to do this blogging thing. It's tough. I will however say that I am looking forward to this week. I have alot to do, but am excited at the possibilities and opportunities that lie before me.

This week...
1) I will register our students for YEC.
2) I will book a hotel for YEC.
3) We are having a dunk booth for the fall festival...soak up some kiddos!
4) Confirm some things with the guy teaching my youth while I am out of town.
5) Do a video announcement for Wednesday night.
6) Attend the National Youth Workers Convention in Pittsburgh...it's gonna be AWESOME! I am stoked about that. My mom attended when she was a volunteer and she came back with tons of stuff. I'm sure it won't be like that...but I am sure I will get some freebies.
7) I think that's it.

I hope you are well.

THIS SUNDAY!

We are going to see Two Empty Chairs! It starts at 6:00 at New Chapel Hill. We'll meet at the church and leave at 5:30. Come out and have fun!!!! We'll be home at 8.

Brandon

Brokenness For My Students

I have discovered that the students of Highland Baptist are dealing with heavy stuff. As I am getting to know them more and more everyday, the Lord 1) opens my heart to love them more, and 2) helps me to understand my own story even more. These students are pushing me to the brink and into brokenness.

I mean...by no means was this suppose to be gut-wrenching...but rather an avenue for you all to understand that my students genuinely mean alot to me. Yesterday we had a moment where I thought we had lost a kid (she was with her dad the entire time and very okay) but my heart was troubled trying to get in touch with folks who would know her whereabouts. By no means had I feared the worst, yet, but had it played out much longer it would have been a tough scenario for me and our entire faith community. I genuinely wanted to know where she was at, not because I feared for my job, because I feared for her well-being. I genuinely love these kids.

I sit at lunch and dinner with these students and we talk about what God is doing in their lives. It is incredibly humbling to see that students are actually "getting it." I have not been here long, and I feel more and more everyday that the Lord was very clear when he made His path straight to West Monroe. I am humbled more and more. I listen to students discuss their families, and I tell them about mine...and it is very close to the same scenario. God is truly using my short life to let others see that He can be faithful.

I see students pursuing holiness...this is the big one for me. I have students that are in relationships and they choose not to pursue physical intimacy of any kind because they don't want to stumble and cause the significant other to stumble. I am challenged by these kids to do the same. Students are changing their language use for the sake of letting Christ shine in their life. Students are beginning to serve others...and eachother...for the Kingdom's sake.

I am broken for my students. May God continue that.

First Post! Welcome to My World.

So basically...I am working hard. That is what I do. I come in to the wonderful office of Highland Baptist Church and plug away at what the Lord is doing through our church and find a way to plug our students into that work. We just had a Revival. It was actually really great. It was a revival that was more for our church. We looked at some deep theological understandings of the Trinity, Man, and the Church. God really worked in some of our folks, and I pray that God continues that work.

There are some other things that have happened today:

1) Discovered we will have to change the time of the TOOL SHOWER. I am getting married...I am getting tools at a couple shower...YES! We had to move it from 5 to 3 on Nov. 8. If you are a couple and would like to come...come.

2) Booked a Hotel for the Pittsburgh National Youth Workers Convention. It cost $110/night. WHOA! I am sure it will be amazing when it is all said and done. I tried to find a roommate and couldn't, and had to book this week to get the rates.

3) Planned a Adult Youth Council meeting...we got to raise some Benjamins for Camp this summer, and these folks know how to do it!

4) Woke up at 5 because of the aforementioned dog in my about me. She was barking...urg.

5) Checked out what was going on at the National Youth Workers Convention in Sacramento...nothing yet to note. I am excited about going.

6) Tried to do some honeymoon planning...man things are expensive.

Hope you are all doing well. I love you..and so does the Lord. Serve Him with Gladness today!