retreat

I'm going to lose internet before tomorrow morning.  So, I'm actually posting now instead, which is why you're getting 2.
I had an awesome time on vacation.  I came back excited to jump back into my ministry.  And then a tragedy happened.  It affected all of my youth in various ways. But,  there is so much hurt that I can't fix. These are the times that youth ministry can be tough, when the questions get tough and no words that help.
So, I am grateful for this weekend when I can be surrounded by other youthworkers in a place where I feel peace. I can use this time to refuel and and find comfort so that I will be ready when I go home.  I am grateful for the ways God has blessed me with people who understand what my life is all about.  And,  I am grateful for a husband who understands that sometimes I am not around,  but he doesn't resent me for it.
There was a time I thought I wasn't going to come on this retreat.  Being gone for a week and then leaving again seemed like a lot. And, it's my dad's birthday so I wanted to make sure to celebrate.  But, since my parents are coming Sunday to celebrate,  I decided to do the retreat.  I am so glad I did since it's exactly what I needed.
So, where was God today?  He knew what I needed even before me, as always.
Blessings,
Jennifer

hard times

Last night,  I posted that our youth group time would be changed due to the memorial service for the high school football player that passed away.  We were scheduled to play a game that my youth love. We play it once a year and they have really been looking forward to it. But,  shortly after I posted the time change, I started getting comments from several youth.  They felt that it isn't the right time to play games.  They just want to spend time together and talk or just be. I am so proud of them for recognizing that.
After contemplating what to do Sunday night,  I got the idea to have prayer stations,  art supplies for expressing their emotions,  and areas where they can talk. I am hoping that they can use that time to learn how to work through their pain with God as their guide.  I would never wish this pain on them. But,  since they are in the midst of it, we might as well learn now how to look to God in the hard times.
So, where was God today? He gave me the ideas for Sunday night.
Blessings,
Jennifer

music

What a difference a day makes.  Yesterday,  as I arrived home mid  morning,  I thought about how wonderful my time away had been.  But, I also thought about how happy I was to be home. I had missed my son, my dogs,  and my youth.  It made me realize even more how much I love my life! Getting away once in awhile is good to refresh and renew, but what a great thing to be so happy to be home.
Flash forward a few hours.
I found out a junior at the local high school passed away during football practice.  This is not the first death these students have had to face. But,  this is the one that students witnessed.  Everywhere I look on facebook there are messages about it-grief, sadness,  shock, and broken hearts. It's a time when nobody knows the right thing to say because there is no right thing to say,, no magic words to take the pain away.  But,  this afternoon,  the church home of the teen opened their doors to anyone wanting to come pray. There were several adults on hand to comfort anyone who needed a listening ear. But, only one teen came and another young adult was there. I could tell as the teen walked up to me that his heart was broken as id never seen before.  It was my nephew.  After a few moments we walked in together.  I stopped to talk to someone and he went on. I wasn't sure where he went since there were a couple areas they had open for the teens, but I should have known.A while llater,  someone told me he was in a room playing the piano. The young woman was singing a song. I am also reminded of several people who were very sick and were comforted by hymns and music.
When we don't know what to say and no words can give us comfort,  God gave us music.
So, where was God today? He is comforting those who need it through any way He can, and from what I saw, music was one of the best ways He was working.
Blessings,
Jennifer

car ride

Today we are on are way home. Yesterday,  we spent the whole day at the beach soaking in the ocean and the sun. I soaked in a little too much sun, which made me appreciate the varied weather.  If it had been that sunny every day, I would have been baked by now.
This morning,  I woke up early,  saw the sunrise,  and went down to the beach for my last walk along the shore. As we started along the shore, we looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow! It was only there briefly and I felt lucky to have caught it. It was a perfect ending to my trip.
Now, as I sit in a car for the next 12 hours,  I know that it will be filled with love and laughter,  music and rest. As we transition back  to the real world,  I am also reflecting on ways to hold on to some of the peace and tranquility of this time. I'm looking for ways to hold on to some of the things I enjoyed about this trip. I can't get up in the morning and watch dolphins from my balcony.  But,  I can get up early and watch the sunrise while reading my scripture for the day and reflecting on where I saw God in the last 24 hours. I may not be able to walk along the beach every day, but I can still take long walks with my husband. I  can spend time with family and friends,  laughing and talking.  And, I  can look for new experiences and things to see around me, enjoying the world wherever I am.
I had a great time on this trip.  It was a beautiful place to be. But,  really it would have been nothing without the people I was with or  the experiences we  had together.  So, it helps me to see that no matter where I am, I can strive to have that.  So, although part of me is sad to leave,  I know that sleeping in my own bed will be great. And, seeing people I have missed will be wonderful.  So, now my goal is to take some of my vacation home with me.
So, where was God yesterday?  He gave us a beautiful day. And,  this morning he showed us His rainbow,  a gift He gave us so long ago, along with His promise.
Blessings,
Jennifer

protecting

I woke up to see the sunrise this morning. The sky is filled with clouds, but there is just enough blue sky to see the sun peeking through. As I sat watching,  I couldn't help but think of the comforting phrase, "every cloud has a silver lining."
I feel that's true in any situation. And, if we trust God's plan,  we will know that no matter what,  God is going to protect us and show us the silver lining in His time.
Yesterday, God protected us and blessed us several times. It was supposed to rain and storm all day. Instead,  we had great weather and were able to enjoy the beach all day without out the sun beating down on us but warm enough to enjoy the beach. We spent a lot of time walking up and down the beach exploring. We saw jellyfish washed up on shore, which fascinated me, shells and sanddollars, which I gathered many of, and of course,  dolphins!
My sister-in-law has been on crutches the whole time due to an injury. Yesterday,  she wasffinally able to put weight on her foot and walk along the beach with us. I was grateful that she was able to truly enjoy the beach since she loves the beach more than anyone I know.  She could have been resentful or angry that she was injured. But, instead,  she did what she could and enjoyed being here. God protected her and blessed her with a chance to walk free from crutches.
As we  walked along the beach,  we noticed an area with birds everywhere around the water,  diving in the water to find fish. My husband went decided to go in the water and see what they were catching.  All of the sudden,  he was out of the water.  He had been about 5 feet off the shore and he looked down and saw a shark swim by him, only a foot away!  I am grateful that God protected him from getting hurt!
Last night,  I was not feeling well after dinner,  more tired than anything else, but just kind of off. Around 10 I went to bed and felt the auras that meant a migraine was on its way. Then it madesense. Before i get a migraine, my brain usually doesn't work right. It was my first time trying my new medicine so I had no idea if it would work or what the side effects would be. This morning,  I feel a little of the migraine,  but am definitely ready to enjoy the day. I was up to see the sunrise and am excited about enjoying every moment of our last day here. So, I am off for a walk along the beach with my husband.
So where was God yesterday?  He was protecting us.
Blessings,
Jennifer

new

I was up at 6:30 this morning to see the sunrise. Instead I saw a sky of clouds.  It was still beautiful!  Starting the day by watching the beauty of the world around us is a great way to start the day.
Yesterday,  I experienced several awesome new things I didn't even expect. Walking along the shore, we ran across a jellyfish in the sand. Never having seen a jellyfish,  I actually thought it was beach glass and before my husband could stop me, I had touched it. Luckily,  it was dead and couldn't sting me. We saw some sort of creature that let out purple ink. It was alive so we put it back in the ocean.
While walking on the pier, we watched as several men caught sharks.  Of course they let them go, but not before I caught several glimpses of a shark just below the surface of the water.  When we got back to our place,  we sat out on our balcony and watched dolphins for 2 hours as they hunted for food right in front of our condo, just passed where we had been swimming earlier in the day! As I sit on the balcony writing this, it looks like it's breakfast time since we just caught a few glimpses of dolphins again.
One of the most amazing things I saw yesterday wasn't a sea creature at all!  It was my husband romping in the ocean. With his health issues,  it's rare to see him romping,  in fact I never remember him that way. Something about the ocean must give him an added boost.
I can't decide which thing was more exciting to see! So, I will just say it was all amazing!
So, where was God today? I have to say that today was a gift from God in so many ways. I am feeling very blessed for this time.
Blessings,
Jennifer

ocean

I woke up up this morning,  my husband opened the shutters in our bedroom,  and I saw the waves coming in from this beautiful expanse of water!  I didn't quite make it in time for the sunrise this morning,  but it was breathtaking anyway.  The song my youth are singing right now came to mind, "you make beautiful things,  you make beautiful things out of us." He created everything and I am amazed at His artistry.  The God who created oceans and land, mountains and streams created us!
I feel blessed in so many ways right now! The chance to take this trip, the chance to spend time with people I love,  the confidence to know things at home are good, and the confidence to know we can afford it all make this experience even greater.
I would write more, but I have an ocean to enjoy.
So, where was God today?  He gave me the gift of this beautiful experience.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Noah

Tonight was our second night of our Wednesday night activities.  Last week I had 4 youth.  Tonight I had those 4 plus 6 more! I love seeing the group more than double in 1 week!  The younger group grew tonight too.
Even more than seeing my numbers grow is seeing my group grow in their understanding.  My goal this year is to focus on people from the Bible and how their stories are not always much different than ours. So, tonight we went beyond what we learned about Noah but went into what it must have been like for him. He dealt with ridicule,  saddness, and was forced to rely on his faith.  At the end of the night,  I could tell they were getting it. But, I suddenly got the idea for them to all list words about what Noah lived through and how he must have felt.  Words like heartbroken,  laughed at, depressed,  losing people he loved, etc. Were all mentioned.  Then I had them raise 1 hand if they had dealt with those things and 2 hands if they had dealt with those things because of their faith. Then I saw that they really got it. They talked about how they have to  do what God asks them no matter what other people say. They know that it's important to follow Him just as Noah did back then. I think not only do they now look at Noah as more than just guy who built the ark, but as a man who sacrificed a lot to follow God. And, it's not just some old story,  it's someone they can relate to.
I can't wait until next week when I get to talk about the rainbow and God's promise!
So, where was God today?  I feel blessed when I watch teens"get it" and I know in those moments that it's because God gave me the thoughts and words.
Blessings,
Jennifer

heaven

I've had the privilege of spending time with several people as they walk through the last leg of their journey here. I understand to some it may seem scary or even morbid.  But, there is something so amazing,  so beautiful about sharing with people as they look forward to their final destination.  As people are transitioning,  there are times I know they aren't with me, they are with their loved ones who have passed.
If ever there was a single event in life that would affirm to me there is a God,  it would be sharing experiences with those that are about to see Him face to face. There is something special that happens that I can't understand,  but that makes me know that God is there.   When caring for my grandma,  I watched as she talked to my grandpa and let him know she wasn't quite ready.  He assured her he was waiting for her. A friend shared about her friend who flatlined and then revived,  mad as anything because she was taken away from her husband she hadn't seen in 30 years!
So, this morning,  I am thinking of the  beauty of heaven and the comfort and peace that it promises.  I am grateful for the time I shared with several people here as they got ready for their final destination.  And, I am grateful for the peace they now have. Being missed by many is inevitable,  but when we know where they have gone it gives a bit of comfort.
So, where was God today?  He was welcoming another child of His home.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Wednesday

Tonight we started our Wednesday night activities.  I knew we would be starting out small.  It takes a few weeks for them to get back in the routine.  But, they trickled in and I even had one I had hardly seen all summer.
I was also looking forward to tonight because I have a new volunteer!  The cool thing is that he is just as excited!  It wasn't an "ok I'll do it because you keep asking" kind of thing.  I asked him once to consider it and he said he and his wife were wanting to volunteer in the church more and would love to!
We are spending this year focused on people from the Bible.  After our vacation Bible school theme of heroes from the Bible I thought it would be a way to continue what was started.  Then, after the mission trip when we decided to do scriptures that summed up our week,  I feel like this year  more than ever we can really get into the Bible!  What I am happy about is that we are finding ways that the Bible isn't just an old book with stories from long ago. We are looking for ways it deals with our lives today.  Last night we started by talking about Noah.  Next week we will look at how things in his life are similar to ours. He faced ridicule when trying to do what God wanted,  he wasn't always perfect but God still expected great things from him, and he had to make hard choices in his life-all things my youth can relate to.
So, where was God today?  He was in the planning of tonight so that I could help  my youth get closer to Him and gain understanding about His word.
Blessings,
Jennifer

retreat

This weekend I took my youth on a retreat. It was a chance to take a break from the start of the school year and the busy schedule and to remember the moments they found God this summer. Several of them told me how much they needed that reminder and how much they needed that break to get back to focusing on God.
This weekend,  relationships with God and others were made and renewed.  They worshipped,  prayed,  and talked about God in their lives.  I would love for them to find their way to making that their daily life-to not need this time to remind them. But,  I think we all need these moments.
So, where was God this weekend?  He was in everything,  as we were able to take time out to focus solely on Him.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Wednesday

Today I was showing someone some things in our youth house that might be useful in the church kitchen since we won't be using them. As we started to walk in the back door, she stopped abruptly. Then she started talking about the beautiful stained glass on the corners of the window of the door. Honestly,  I have to say I had never noticed it before.  I have walked through that door hundreds of times and if someone had asked me where there was stained glass in that house I couldn't tell them.
It really got me thinking.  There are things we walk by every day, people we see every day, and experiences we have every day. But, somehow we miss things that others see. I guess that's why we are all here-we are all unique and have our own gifts.  And, it's important that we recognize that and pay attention to what people around us have to say. They can give us insight into things we don't have the ability to be aware of ourselves.
So where was God today?  He helped me by reminding me  to look around me and listen.
Blessings,
Jennifer

walks

She drives me crazy!  I'm used to my older, calmer, cuddly dog. But, the 6 month old bundle of joy is more like a ball of energy!  The two finally get along and, except for a little excessive rough housing and some toy envy here or there, they are friends.
Without them, the house would be much too quiet.  So, even though she drives me crazy, it's what helps to bring more life to our house.
So, a few weeks ago, in an effort to bond with and use up excessive puppy energy, I decided a morning walk would become part of my daily routine. I quickly realized that both dogs needed a morning walk. On the mornings like this morning that I roll out of bed not ready to start my day, I think about those two anxiously awaiting their walk. While I walk our baby,  the older one spends the entire time by the door knowing when I get back it's her turn.
So, if I don't feel like walking,  that thought quickly changes when I see how excited they are to see me in the morning. How can I let them down? And, so I am now forced to start my day with 20 to 30 minutes of quiet time to think, pray, and know that 2 puppies are happy just because I spent a little time with them. I can't think of a better way to start my day.
So, where was God today?  He helped me realize the blessing of my morning walks.
Blessings,
Jennifer