Some Cool Events Coming Up!

Soon there will be a website that you can follow all of this stuff, but right now this is where I'm going to highlight some upcoming events that we at NMC Student Ministries are gearing up for.

First Serve Saturday at Feed the Children- I am totally stoked for this event! We are going to take any 5th-12th graders that want to, up to Feed the Children to pack boxes that will help some kids to live a somewhat normal life. This is a great time of fellowship and service. It's gonna be great! Sign ups are in the Grand Hall on Sundays!
The Hayride- This is going to be my first NMC Hayride, but I am totally stoked about this one! This is a time for NMCers to bring their lost or spiritually struggling friends to a church event to have fun, hear about Jesus, and HAVE FUN! Totally pumped about this one and hope you can join us!
The 5K.I.N.- This is going to be awesome! It's coming up in November on the 14th and it's gonna be great! As a matter of fact, I think I might even RUN in it (I know, you'll believe it when you see it. ME TOO!) More details will come a little bit later, but registration will be $25.00 and there is both a 5K and a 1 Mile walk. All proceeds will be going towards a Kids in Need partner. GET PUMPED! and START TRAINING!!

Finally, there was a HUGE announcement that Derry made on his blog. And now there are ways that you can help. This is such a cool thing even for someone like me, because I work with this guy and it is so cool to see him living out what he talks about. Support Derry and Janelle. It is definitely going to be worth it. I am so blessed to work with someone like Derry and I can't wait to see what this journey holds for him and Janelle.

Thursday Thoughts

So, I'm trying to get back into this blogging thing and since I have decided not to take my computer to my house any longer, this has become something of an interesting venture. But I want to make this about my life as well as my profession because I feel that I cannot be separate from each other on this topic. I must always be my professional self and my personal self. Perhaps this is because I desire to be just one person and not two completely different people in the different settings. Or maybe it is just because in my mind, I can't separate the two.

Regardless of these facts, I have decided today that with the recent engagement of a great friend and a fellow champion of students in life, I wanted to comment on two couples that I am really excited for and that have played a very important role in helping me understand a healthy relationship in our day and age. Both of these couples have different looking relationships, however, each is Christ-centered and dedicated to pleasing the Lord more than pleasing each other. And that is really cool.

This is Kory and Alison. Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Kory Lantz. I am so excited for these two. They have been a true testament to what a selfless relationship that is dedicated to serving the Lord in everything that they do. I have watched these two over the past two and a half years be pushed to a extremely deep level of commitment to each other and to ministry in the midst of that relationship. They serve Christ together and have their relationship rooted in that service.

They will be setting out in the Sonnyvilla ministry in the Keller Park neighborhood of South Bend with Pastor Ryan Yazel and Keller Park Missionary Church. If you get a moment, say a desperate prayer for these two to remain in the center of God's will for their lives; even when it gets dangerous!

This is Michael and Lindsay and their new puppy, Chai. What a cool name. They are the most recent addition to the engaged and soon-to-be-married crowd. While Lindsay is finishing up her Senior year at Bethel, Michael has accepted the position of Director of Young Life at South Adams High School. This is a big step of faith as he is required to raise half of his salary in support. This guy has such a heart for kids it is crazy. These two have been critical in teaching me patience and persistence in a ministry setting. They are just straight up awesome and so real.

Pray that God would show them His face in the midst of ministry and long-distance relationships. God is going to use these two to change a large number of kids' lives. I am really excited for them! You can even support Michael financially if you would like! Comment on this post and I'll get you the information!

There are a bunch of people that have individually, as well as through their relationship with me and their significant other, reflected Christ in my life. However, these two are near to my heart and I just wanted to honor them in some way and tell the world how awesome they are.

I beg you to pray for them and hope that you would join me in being prayer warriors for their ministries and their lives as they set out on this journey of marriage.