Facts Are Facts

So no class this week, as we had our progress of redemption project presentations and dare to share. After a few very long nites and early mornings me and my buddy Chris who I was working with finally finished our project. I am very happy on how it turned out. we had our normal class blocks dedicated  to presented the projects this week. The point of this project was for you to pick at least 10 scenes of the bible that are necessary in explaining the redemption of Christ. I will have a link up to the video on YouTube at sometime this week. We are having a bit of trouble exporting it. As a quick rundown through our video we basically walked through from creation to Jesus telling the stories we felt were most important in explaining why Jesus needed to come, how and who he would come through, and what he did while he was here. To be able to explain the story of redemption.

For workday this week I was again working with firewood haha. Throwing rounds, splitting and stacking. It would seem that I can not escape doing something involving wood on a Tuesday. I enjoy it though, so do a lot of the other guys who are used to a manual labor job. The joke is that workday helps keep us sane during the week. 

Me And Cody On The Door

 On Thursday Zane came over to give us a rundown of D2S and answer any questions we may have had.

Friday morning we headed down to Denver for Dare2Share. We spent Friday and Saturday volunteering at the event. We started working the event a bit before 5 on Friday and were there till late that evening. When doors opened, we were in charge of checking for wristbands on the way in and along with that we hi fived somewhere around 3 thousand people. Mainly Friday night we worked the doors, some of us worked the merch booth and others were on security.

Zane Laying It Down

  Saturday we had to be at the venue by 7:30 so we were up before 6 to leave and tidy up the church we were staying at that night. Felt like I was at a youth group lock in again. A few very crappy hours of sleep on a hard floor. (I'm getting to old for this stuff)

Once back at the D2S venue I was on door duty again. I must say it was cool to be one of the people who look out through the glass before the sea of people enter. As kids and youth leaders descended upon us once again we greeted them with smiles, hi fives, and some very energetic voices to pump them up for the morning, as doors opened at 8. (When I say "them" I mean the youth leaders that had inevitably been up many hours after their students tried to pull all nighters).  I can say with confidence that I know this happened because I did the same thing hahaha.

The Birds Eye Security View 

As the day went on I was moved to a security position complete with walkie talkie. Believe me I felt official. Making sure people did not enter a restricted area (you could say it was kinda a big deal). During part of the event we were used as stage security so the rowdy teenagers didn't get to close or even on stage.  

About To Make A Human Wall

 So pretty much the whole event was volunteer staffed by Timberline and Ravencrest students. In all there was about 55+ of us working the event. So not only did we get to see most of the conference for free but we also were treated to the volunteer break room. Complete with Jesus coffee.
We were also used to take up the offering for the event. D2S only charges 45$ a person for a ticket to the event but it costs around 90$ a person to put the event on. They do this as to keep it affordable for students. So they rely on sponsors and donations to keep the event going.   
  Our final task for the day was to help breakdown some booths and user people out of the building after the event was over.

I have to say on of my favorite parts of the weekends was being able to see rehearsal for the band that was there, Starfeild. Something I had always wanted to be able to be in the room for at an event like this.   

Warmups

But the best part of the weekend by far was being able to help put on an event where teens can come and learn how to better share their faith in Jesus with their friends and family. It truly takes a lot a behind the scenes work to make something like this happen and to be apart of it was truly special. Not to mention we got to work an event that Zane was a part of. He gave a few mentions about being at a Bible school up in winter park for some years before working with D2S. When he did so pretty much every Timberliner in the room let out a shout!

Me And Zane

      So to close I will tell you a short story. Sunday night me and some friends went to McDonald's for some internet as it was down at the lodge. After we were there for a little bit one of my friends ended up striking up a spiritual conversation with a guy there. After a week of presenting our projects about redemption and then working an event about sharing your faith I know that this was no accidental encounter. So as it turned out how I was sitting I kinda had my back to the guy so I prayed for my friends that the Lord would speak through them and he would be open to hear the whole time of the conversation. As it went on we came to find out he believed in many a different spiritual things. He was however very excepting of what we said to him. It ended with my friend Joanna who was directing most of the conversation praying over him before he left. Even though he did not make a profession of Christ right then and there we were able to throw some seeds on some soil. I hope that many of those students from D2S have many of these type of encounters for days to come.


So I will leave you with these words and DARE "YOU" 2 SHARE!


 Well I don't wanna' take up anybody's time
I'm just givin' my opinion with a rhythm and a clever rhyme
I don't want these words to sound
Like I think I've got it all figured out
But there are a few things I can say I know without a doubt

I know there's a God who knows my name
And a Son who died to take the blame
I believe that Jesus is coming back
'cause promises are promises and facts are facts

These days some say there's no one way to believe
Just keep it loose, you're free to choose
There's no absolute it's all relative you see
Calling all defenders of the truth
Live a life that spells out God's worldview
Let these words be heard in everything you say and do

I know there's a God who knows my name
And a Son who died to take the blame
I believe that Jesus is coming back
'cause promises are promises and facts are facts

As sure as there's a law of gravity
That says what goes up must come down
This is the ultimate reality
That God is, and God loves, and God can be found

Well I know there's a God who knows my name
Promises are promises and facts are facts
And a Son who died to take the blame
Promises are promises and facts are facts
And I believe that Jesus is coming back
'Cause promises are promises and facts are facts

Promises are promises and facts are facts 


Till Next time
Love Jared

Whatever

Hey hey hey! Brian Onken walked us through Mark this week. His class was basically just reading through Mark. However the way he guided us through was much like a tour guide in an art museum. Before really looking at Mark this past week, I would kinda read it as one of the Gospels that didn't have as much stuff in it as the others. My view on it now is much different. When we read Mark's Gospel we see that he is more concerned with showing the love, compassion, patience, and the time that Jesus was willing to take with the people he was around. My favorite section of classes this week was when we went over the chapters where Jesus feeds the 5000. Then after the disciples don't get the lessons that he teaches there and shortly after he repeats them and finally the light bulb comes on for them. The mission statement for the book we were given was "His words matter". That really sums up what Mark is about Jesus words matter. So when he is speaking pay close attention or you will miss the small things like the disciples did. But thankfully when we don't get it he will be patient and repeat the lesson till we do.

For workday I was yet again delivering a trailer full of firewood. It is something the lodge has been blessed with so much wood it is great to be able to bless the community with it so people can stay warm.

Our wonderful cook Jenelle

I was on p.m. crew this weekend for the group we had in. That meant I was in the kitchen for a lot of the weekend. I did however do a bit of sanding on some lumber for a bunk bed that is being made for one of the rooms. But most of the time like I said was I was in the kitchen working the dish pit, setting out food and also prep!












Still mach to do on the projects I have to turn in this coming weekend but it is coming together nicely.

Something that will be PRETTY STINKIN AWESOME!!!! is that we will be working the Dare 2 Share event this coming weekend in Denver. It should be a real good time. maybe we even get some backstage access because we know Zane? Hey you never know.

As we were in class this week something I thought of was, I wondered how many times while the disciples were walking with Jesus, did he just sit back and kinda face palm and think to himself how can you not get it? This thought came to mind because of how the disciples often are so close to the answer but then totally miss it and try to be used in a way they think best. Even though it is not how the Lord wanted them to be used. But he always was patient and loving in how he taught. I am glad he is still that way with me. But maybe, just maybe we should pay a bit more close attention because, his words matter. That way we don't miss it.

These words fit so well for me I think

I made a list, wrote down from A to Z
All the ways I thought that you could best use me
Told all my strengths and my abilities
I formed a plan it seemed to make good sense
I laid it out for You so sure You'd be convinced
I made my case, presented my defense
But then I read the letter that you sent me
It said that all you really want me from me is just

Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

So strike a match, set fire to the list
Of all my good intentions, all my preconceived ideas
I want to do your will no matter what it is
Give me faith to follow where You lead me
Oh, Lord, give me the courage and the strength


Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

I am not my own
I am Yours and Yours alone
You have bought me with your blood
Lord, to You and You alone do I belong
And so whatever



Till Next Time
Love Jared

All About Love

A bit of a strange week this week. We had a patchwork of classes because a lecturer had to cancel. We watched a few sermons by Major Thomas the founder of Torchbearers, we also had a few other guest speakers. Doug Toller the senior pastor of Winter park Christian was kind enough to come out and teach for a block of classes. He was my favorite of the guest speakers this week.
He taught on compromise and how it is the blending of two different viewpoints. It's very true that we often compromise what we say we believe. I could not help but think of how many Christians were going to just this when they go to see 50 shades of grey this weekend. This is just one way we compromise, we say that we would never do something like what is portrayed in the film yet we will go and support it? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Even if we don't go to see, or support something like this I would argue that it is just as much a compromise to not speak out against it and let a brother or sister compromise. I don't mean for this to become a rant about this film (because we all know we have had enough of it) but these were just thoughts that came to mind. So I would challenge you to think about the next time you have a chance to speak truth to a brother or sister about something they are going do or watch, and you don't, because you do not want to offend them or because you have to be politically correct, so you don't say anything, have you compromised in what you say you believe?

Tuesday for our workday, me and some of the other students set to work on the tubing hill. With how warm it has been the safety berm had melted quite a bit and become more of a launch ramp. So for a few hours we were out shoveling and reshaping the berm to a nice smooth, non jump like curve as to safely guide the tubers on a merry ride down the hill. 

Friday night I was up at the Younglife gym watching and playing games with kids from 4th to 8th grade. Me and some other students were helping out with the Pregnancy Resource Center fundraiser banquet. It turns out a few years as an Awana game commander comes in handy. I joke after running around a gym for 3+hrs that I am getting old as I realize I can't go nonstop for that amount of time anymore.  

 

I was on program for this weekend. We had a group of Burmese kids from Aurora Co in. I led some games, music, and just hanging out with the kids. They had a wonderful time in the snow as they do not get to play in a lot of snow. So more or less we kinda played the weekend by ear so that they could experience something they don't often get to.Football with the boys in the snow quickly turned into lets just tackle each other into the snow and forget about the game.

Currently we are working on a project called (progress of redemption) it will be a 10 to 15 minute presentation of 10 or more scenes from the Bible as to explain what the story of the Bible is all about to someone who may not know. I am working with my buddy Chris. We are doing a slideshow, voiced over to tell the story. So along with writing this, I have been also very busy in writing the narration Script for our project 1226 words and counting. If you know me well, you would know that just a few months ago I would have lost my mind trying to write that much. Well I can honestly say I have kinda enjoyed it. I credit it to keeping this blog actually, and a good school teacher back home (TV SHOUT OUT "HI MOM") because I really do think this has  prepared me for it and the Lord used it to do that.
Not only do I have that, I also have to prepare a teaching from a book of my choice. I chose James, not really sure why but I have quoted a number of verses out of this book the past couple of weeks. I think I may talk out of chapter 1 or chapter 3 but I am not sure yet. So as I prepare and read and pray through my reading if you would pray for me as well I would greatly appreciate it.


I often times sit down and write these posts and often think I will go a cretin direction with them and I usually end up finishing in a way that I didn't see when I started. I was just thinking as many people will go out this Valentines day weekend and try to find love or they go and watch a so called "love" story there is a greater love story at hand. That is the LOVE story that Christ wrote for us in red ink when he freely gave up his life so that we may be reconciled by it.
John 15:9-11 ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

 Lets also take a look at what real LOVE looks like.

1st Corinthians 13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^{[b] 6} it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This will be the song seems to fit the theme of this post rather well.

 We've got CD sets and videos, radio and TV shows
Conferences, retreats and seminars
We've got books and magazines to read on everything from A to Z
And a web to surf from anywhere we are
But I hope with all this information buzzing through our brains
That we will not let our hearts forget the most important thing

Is love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love, love, love
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
It's all about love

Now they're fighting in the middle east
And they're fighting down on Seventh Street
And there are fights in my own house on given days
It's like something's lurking deep inside
That can't seem to be satisfied
But life was not meant to be lived this way
'Cause it's true for every man and woman
Every boy and girl
That our only hope for living here together in this world

Is love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love, love, love
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love

This is the reason we were made
To know the love of our Creator
And to give the love He's given us away
Yeah, the Maker, and the Father, and the God of everything
He says to love, love, love
He says love, love, love
Love, love, love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

Gods says love, love, love, love, love, yea yea
It's all about love, love, love, love, love (love love love)
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

That's right, yeah (laugh)
Woo!
It's all about, yea yea
It's all about
All about love, love, love, love, love
It's all about love, love, love
Yea it's all about love love love
It's all about love love love (yea love)

After all don't you know?
That it really all comes down to love
After all don't you know that
Gonna tell you what it's all about, yeah
Yeah, it's all about love
Yeah, it's all about love, yeah
It's all about love,
Love, love, love


Till Next Time
Love Jared

Land Of Opportunity

Free Cokes Are Always Cool

This week was a little more mellow. We had a shorter class list than usual because our sister school Ravencrest was here for a few days.
We went through Ecclesiastes with Dan, for our short group of classes. The overall point of Ecclesiastes is that "man was made to be centered around God." Fear God and keep his commands this is the duty of  man/woman. It is widely believed that Salomon is the author of Ecclesiastes. It would seem that he wrote this book at the end of his life, after he has strayed from God. It would appear by the way he writes this book that he is looking back on all of the the folly he has committed in his lifetime, and wants to warn his audience to not make the same mistakes. In the closing of the book basically says make wise decisions because it will be judged whether secret or not it will be found out. So I remember a line from Indiana Jones, "Choose wisely" that is exactly what Salomon is saying in this book about life.  

Tuesday I had the wonderful joy of turning over rooms for our guests for the weekend. 

I had the opportunity to lead at Fraser valley Baptist this evening. It was strange to lead a different congregation than my home church. I did enjoy it though. It felt good to lead again from the stage. It is crazy to think one day we will all be singing together in one group.    
 
 

  Ravencrest came in on Wednesday. They come over every year for their break. It's a sweet time to get to know some other Torchbearers students. We went out as a big group to ski and snowboard on Thursday. That night we had the yearly hockey grudge match. I was the Timberline coach, complete with hockey hair style. We won 12-1, that makes it 3 years in a row for Timberline. It was just a small Bible school pickup game but I felt like we had won the Stanley Cup!

We had a group of middleschoolers in this weekend, 43 of them! I was on mountain ministry this weekend though, so I didn't get that much interaction with them. However I did get to snowboard around, love on lifties, give them cookies, and invite them to Soup & Tune. We had such a good a good turnout on Saturday night. It is cool to see the relationships that are being made with constantly coming in contact with the same lifties. I can see seeds being planted and an impact made on the lives we encounter. This passage always comes to mind when we are in a group interacting with people at a outreach "34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." So many of the people who have come out to this little resort town or the mountains for that matter do so to try and fill a void and think life can't get any better than this. Yet after awhile they start to search for more, whether it be hitting the hill as many times as they can in a year, smoking more and more pot, drinking, or whatever it may be. I hope they see the difference in us and that we have found what we need and they realize they need it too. I see it is the little things that make a difference. Remember that while you are out during the week.

Another day is off and running
And I hear somebody pounding on my door
It's opportunity knocking
Says what I need is just a little bit more
Every time I turn around I'm finding
Another chance to climb a little higher up
But it's never what I thought once I get there
And I'm left wondering "How much is enough?"

I can live like a prisoner to all that could be
I'm living in the land of opportunity
But a heart pure and simple
Is a heart that stays free
Living in the land of opportunity
I'm living in the land of opportunity

This is a world full of options
It's like a never ending buffet line
While all that I'm really needing
Is living water and the bread of life
So as I'm walking through this life making choices
There is one thing I must never forget
This land of opportunity has one God
If I seek Him first He'll take care of the rest

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
So many choices, so much it could be
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Living in the land of opportunity

Till Next Time
Love Jared

Do Everything

Another awesome week down! Sorry this week will be a little light on pictures. Our guest speaker this week was Dave Firth. He is originally from England but lives in New Zealand, about an hour from the Shire. His class for the week was on the Bibles authority and how to use it to disprove mainly evolution. If you have ever seen Louie Giglio do "how great is our God", Dave's class was basically a week long of that times 10. We were in the first 11 chapters of Genesis all week. We covered everything from creation, to Noah and all of his decedents. I found it to be vary valuable the information that was taught. Mainly because as young Christians and even some older have often times a very difficult time in defending the origins of our faith.
Here are a few points from the classes this week that I really liked

-The word Universe speaks to creation perfectly, because universe is a compound word. Uni=single and Verse=spoken sentence. So Universe essentially can be summed up with "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth".

-If we follow the family tree from Noah back to Adam and also forward we can see by lifespan roughly how old the earth is. Give or take a few hundred years because we do not know an exact age of some of the decedents. However we do know what would have been the general age they would have lived to be. So with some educated guess work we get to around 6000 or so. Much easier to prove than 75billion.

-The ark is an awesome representation of salvation. Noah had to enter into something to be protected from the wrath of God. In the same way we need to enter into Christ to be protected from judgement of the sin we have committed.    

On Tuesday for workday I was delivering firewood. So I spent the afternoon loading, unloading, then stacking piles of wood. Keeping people warm in the community. As I have said before I enjoy the work days here and being able not only to help the lodge out but also the people around the lodge as well.

We had a guest group in this weekend. It was a high school group of about 20. I was on the lodge crew for the a.m. shifts. However I helped out both days with the p.m. crew. Basically our job was to keep the lodge clean, stocked, prep food, and do dishes after meals. So on Friday night I helped on kitchen crew. Saturday I was up before 7 and in the kitchen at 7:15. We prepared breakfast and served the guests. Then we had clean up. Following breakfast we cleaned, stocked, and readied the lodge for lunch as the group was out at the mountain. We had an hour or so break then we were back in the kitchen to prepare lunch. We finished cleanup and a.m. crew was off. I however volunteered to help the p.m. crew again. So after a short break for me, I was down helping split and stack wood. After about 2 hours or so we were done. I then again was in the kitchen helping with dinner prep and cleanup. I was very tired after the day was done but I was more than happy to work the extra time. I enjoyed working behind the scenes this weekend.

As I sit and type out this week's entry I am working out in my mind a short devotion for Colossians that is due the end of the week. Having to do a small project like this would have seemed impossible to me at the beginning of the year. Now as I have learned much this year it does not phase me at all.

As I worked behind the scenes this weekend, it really came to mind of how much goes on that we do not see in our day to day lives. So these simple words came to mind.

While I may not know you
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?
Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you
To do

Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every thing you do

1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

No matter how small a job you think it is it matters, so do your best all the time.


Till Next Time
Love Jared

Heaven In The Real World

So another week down and more still to come!

For the week we had our director, Dan Thomas teaching us out of Colossians. The theme of our class was "Christ in you the hope of glory". I enjoy it very much when Dan teaches and the style he uses to present what he has to teach.


A few things that caught my attention in class were.
Colossi was pretty much a melting pot of cultures.
They were known for their cold, cold mountain water streams.
Epaphras brought the Gospel to Colossi.

In the letter Paul writes to Colossi we so that they are commended for their faith. However Paul goes on to explain they do not have to do anything more than believe to be saved. As Colossi was a melting pot of cultures other religious practice's were finding their way into the church. We can see in these verses some of the things that were being mixed into the church. In 2:8 we see the idea that you need to keep learning and growing in knowledge to get closer to God. In 2:16 we see how the old testament law was still trying to be imposed on new believers, which some were gentiles. So they really didn't care about the law. Last but not least we see in 2:18 how it was being said you needed to have visions and dreams and contact with angels to be closer to God.
As Paul would tell them plainly, "no you don't you have Christ in you and that's all you need".
Christ in you= All that Christ is, is available to you.
You in Christ= All that Christ did is credited to you.


 On Tuesday for workday the group I was in was tasked with, shoveling and breaking ice of a roof. Fun stuff haha. It wasn't to bad I enjoy getting
out and working around the lodge and helping out.








Friday and Saturday we did our LOVE A LIFTIE outreach both days
followed by Soup and Tune on Saturday night. What we do for Love a Liftie is, we go out and hand out goodie bags with snacks and stuff to the lifties and just letting them know we appreciate them. We also invite them to Soup and
 

Tune, which happens each week and that's where anyone can come and wax their board for free, get some dinner, and just hangout and have a good time. You may think "hmm well that really doesn't seem like they are talking a lot about Jesus or church and stuff like that"? Well you would be wright. We take a bit of a different approach on this opportunity that we have. They will know us by our love. That's how we treat this outreach and use it for our way into peoples lives to build a relationship and go from there.

Well Sunday I got to go to XGAMES ASPEN!!!!!!!!!!! It WAS SOOOO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!! I had a great time with friends hangin out down there. Its always a plus too when the event is free. It was definitely something I would not get to see back home.However the great day would end soon after we left. Shortly after we got on the road we received a call that a the father of a friend of ours had passed away. It is always hard to deal with loss. But I take joy in knowing that the Lord sees the bigger picture, and he is close to the brokenhearted.

 This is one of my favorite Chapman songs ever.

I saw it again today in the face of a little child
Looking through the eyes of fear and uncertainty
It echoed in a cry for freedom across the street and across the miles
Cries from the heart to find the missing part

Where is the hope, where is the peace?
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy, and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world

To stand in the pouring rain and believe the sun will shine again
To know that the grave is not the end
To feel the embrace of grace and cross the line where real life begins
And know in your heart you've found the missing part

There is a hope, there is a peace
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy, and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world
Heaven in the real world

It happened one night with a tiny baby's birth
God heard creation crying and He sent heaven to earth

He is the hope, He is the peace
That will make this life complete
For every man, woman, boy and girl
Looking for heaven in the real world


Till Next Time
Love Jared

The Adventure Continues - I Do Believe

 Sorry for the delay, we had internet problems over the first weekend back and I wanted to get at least a full weeks activities in to report :)


I am now halfway done with my year at Timberline. All I can say is that I am so happy that I was willing to trust the Lord and step out on faith. It has been such an awesome experience and I would not trade it for the world. I am so happy to be back with friends that now feel like family and so very thankful for my time at home with family and friends over Christmas break. I am glad to say my arm is almost back to 100% still a bit stiff with some rotation but it improves day after day. For those who do not know, my arm was in a sling for a little over a week and even when I was able to bring it out my mobility and range of motion for my arm was very little. You may be asking "well how did you injure yourself"? Well I found out I'm able to go down MOUNTAINS in Colorado on my Longboard at about 20-25mph but not able to go about 10mph or so on what maybe could be considered a hill in Florida. So I fell and banged it up pretty good, thankfully no break, just a bit of road rash and a whole lot of swelling. Other than that I had a very good time back. I was so thankful to have thee opportunity to lead music for my home church my final Sunday home. It was a blessing to lead and sing with everyone.
I cannot express how grateful I am for the generous giving of my church family in supporting me for my last few months out here. It truly shows how God will take care of us when we have no idea to get by or when we cannot do it on our own.

Matthew 6

Do Not Worry

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So returning to Timberline this week on Wednesday. I was able to be accompanied by my buddy Chris and he will be staying for a week hangin out and seeing what all goes on out here. I had the pleasure of teaching him how to board and watching him eat it quite a few times. He did manage to get it his second day out. He was able to make a few good runs. He also got the experience the late night shenanigans that go on. 

This past full week we had Wayne Weissman going over bible study methods with us. I enjoyed it thoroughly. On Thursday we had to prepare a 3min teaching from a few passages we went over the previous days. I did my minisermon on Luke 2:8-20. I wanted to point out things that we may read but not always really pay much attention to as it is the Christmas story and we focus on Jesus coming.
So my 5 points were-

1-When angels show up and or the glory of God shines, most of the time if not always the people who are in the presence of them or it are pretty freaked out and terrified.

2-This is one of the first times a savior is foretold to people since the Old Testament according to Luke.

3-A great multitude of angels appeared so this must be a big deal.

4-The shepherds not only believed but then went with haste to see what they had been told about.

5-Bethlahem means "house of bread" and Christ is the bread of life.

Thursday night we had a Sader meal and celebrated the Passover feast. We are doing it now since it is closer to the date rather then when we actually went over the feasts of Israel. Wayne headed it up, it was a very fun night.

We will have our first group in this week for the guest season. We spent most of Tuesday afternoon preparing the campus for the group. I was out with my team clearing, prepping, and preparing the ice rink. It is a Middle school group of at least 40, it is going to be nuts! I am very eager for the weekend to start with the group, as this is one of the big reasons that I wanted to come out here. The hands on aspect with youth is something I have been looking forward to.

The group arrived Friday night, I was on program team. Program team gets to basically be the face of Timberline while guest are here. We did everything from leading worship to handing out skates and sticks for the rink and running games. It was an awesome weekend! We found out this morning that a kid one of the program staff had been talking with, gave his life to the Lord. That makes the whole weekend worth it! 

As I sit and close this post out, I think of how I will transition what I have learned this year to helping possibly lead outreaches when home at Riverside. Something I think that happens to a lot of us with outreach is we either get scared of it or we say the old "well someone else will do it I don't have to". But guess what? THAT IS THE WRONG ATTITUDE TO HAVE!!
As I sit and think about how 40 Middleschoolers descended upon me and the other students this weekend, some of the students were a bit apprehensive and anxious for it, thinking they were not ready for the task at hand. But it just goes to show, when we think  we aren't ready God usually is.  

 Sitting in a traffic jam 11:52 p.m.
Just a few miles south of Cincinnati Ohio
I take my pen and start to write
The thoughts that fill my head tonight
Nothing terribly profound
Just these simple words
That keep my heart anchored down
That keep my restless heart anchored down

I do, I do, I do, I do believe
I know, I know, I know, I know it's true, yeah
I do, I do, I do, I do believe
Lord, I believe in You
I believe in You

Now these can be confusing times
The skeptics posing as the wise
It's hard to see the light
Through all the shadows of the doubt
But You keep saying all the while
It takes the vision of a child
Looking through the eyes of faith to see reality
So once again I will say
I believe You're the life
You're the truth, You're the way

I do, I do, I do, I do believe
I know, I know, I know, I know it's true, yeah
I do, I do, I do, I do believe
Lord, I believe in You
I believe in You

If this faith in You is blind
It's not to anything that's true
'Cause Your love opens up my eyes
To see that everything I need
Is found when I believe in You, yeah

I like these lyrics for this week because at least we had an impact on one kid and he now sings this chorus in his heart.

Till Next Time
Love Jared