Video from Sunday, December 20th

Surprise!

Change Your Clothes -- Sunday, December 20th

Today we continued our series on the Book of Genesis. Jacob had left Canaan to escape his brother and find a wife, on his way out God talked with him and promised him safety and that he would return to the land of Canaan. And sure enough Jacob returned and God protected him, even helping him to make up with his brother. In chapter 35 of Genesis Jacob is told by God to go build an altar and start to worship him. Jacob tells his household to do 4 things, which we will apply to our lives. #1 he tells them to get rid of their idols, #2 to go and purify themselves, #3 to change their clothes, #4 to build an altar.

If we are going to choose to follow God we must do these things as well. #1 Get rid of idols from your life, which means to figure out what it i you are serving or wht you are doing wrong and then stop doing it and stop serving it. We need to be honest with what is going on. #2 Purify yourself, which means to ask God for forgiveness for your sins. #3 Change your clothes, which means change how you think, act, who you hand out with, and where you hang out at. We need to repent, which means turning completely from the thigns that we are doing wrong and start walking a different way. #4 Build an altar, which means we need to make it so you won't forget your decision. Tell others, write it down, do whatever it takes os that you will remember, since then it will be harder to turn back.

You need to decide who you will follow and if God you need to get rid of idols, purify yourself, change your clothes, and build an altar.

I give this morning: B
Favorite moment: Joshua's definition of Samuel (lack of God)

Videos from Wednesday, December 16th

Swing Music

Hip Hop Music

A Lovely Song

8th Annual White Animal Gift Exchange -- Wednesday, December 16th

Tonight we had our 8th Annual White Elephant Gift Exchange
Check out our photos at http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

Videos for Sunday, Decmeber 13th

Should He forgive?

Forgiveness!

Forgiveness -- Sunday, December 13th

Today we continued our study of the book of Genesis by looking at Jacob and Esau once again. In this portion (Genesis 32 and 33) we find Jacob about to meet up with Esau for the first time since he left many years before. Esau, if you remember had threatened to kill his brother, that is why Jacob had left. Now, Jacob returns with his family and herds to Canaan, where his brother lives. He splits his heards into 3 sections, send out 3 big gifts to Esau trying to convince him to not kill him by buying him off. He then goes on and bows before his brother. Esau comes running at him...and hugs him. He has forgiven his brother. Then the next day, Jacob sneaks off so that if Esau changes his mind he won't have to face him.

What is forgiveness? It means to give up a resentment, to cancel a debt, to pardon or absolve a wrongdoing. This isn't pretending like it didn't happen or accepting blame that isn't yours. To often we have the idea that we have to buy our forgiveness or that someone else ahs to earn our forgiveness before we can forgive them. God wants us to forge each other, because he has forgive us so much, and to forgive just as freely as he did us (Ephesians 4:32). God wants this from us and it can be difficult, but it is good thing to do. Maybe today you need to ask someone for their forgiveness...go and do it. Maybe today you need to forgive someone, do it, even if they have never asked for forgiveness!

I give this morning: B+
Favorite Moment: Calling Haley, "Debbie Downer"

Videos from Wednesday, December 9th

Beaker Sings

Charlie Brown Christmas -- Wednesday, December 9th

Tonight we talked about the real meaning of Christmas. the world teaches us that Christmas is about money, about giving or getting gifts, or about family. And it is true that it is fun to have money and fun to spend it on others as well as recieve things we don't have. It is also fun (usually) to spend time with our families but that isn't what christmas is about. Luke 2:1-20 tells us that Christmas is about Jesus coming to this earth as our savior. It is good news for us becuase it shows God's love for us. It is when God came to us to save us since we couldn't get to Him on our own. If I could define christmas with one word it would be: HOPE!

We lieve in a very hopeless world. There are wars, homelessness, rape, drugs, fights, fear, abuse, etc... Your world might feel hopeless too. Maybe your family is falling apart, or you freinds have been fighting, maybe you are failing school, depressed, lonely, and lost. No matter how bad your life is, no matther how dark your world gets there is hope. God can burst through that darkness in your life and bring light. If you let him in your life, let him take control of the situations, no matther how bad things are, with God there is always hope! Just as he came to this world over 2000 years ago, bringing hope to a very dark world, he can come into yoru heart and bring hope ino your very dark life.

I Give Tonight: A+

Favorite Moment: (Tie) Shin kicking, Cross lighting, or Sticking tongue to metal story

Video from Sunday, December 6th

Video played in honor of Lacey and Emma

Wrestling with God -- Sunday, December 6th

Today we continued the story of Genesis by reading about Jacob in Genesis 32:24-30. In these verses Jacob is about to meet up with Esau (his brother) for the first time since he left trying to avoid being killed by him. The night before he ends up wrestling with a man (either a pre-incarnate Jesus or an angel) but won't give up all night long, even after being severly injured, because he wants the "man's" blessing. Many times we have wrestled with God, praying for an answer to the questions that we seek or trying to grow closer to Him, but what our response is, is very important. We could never wrestle with God and just do our own thing but then we will end up in trouble and lost. We could quit before we get resolution because we become impatient, lazy, or hurt. Or we can be like Jacob and refuse to stop wrestling with God until we get our answer or until we have a closer relationship with God. In Daniel 10:1-14 we find a story where Daniel ends up having to pray 21 days for an answer. This should teach us that sometimes it takes time for God to answer. We need to get away from distractions (tv, internet, cell phones, video games, friends) and actually listen. And finally we need to not give up, ever.

I give this morning: B
Favorite Moment: Josh almost losing to Becky while arm wrestling

Video from Wednesday, December 2nd

O Holy Night (beautifully sang)

Frosty the Snowman -- Wednesday, December 2nd

Tonight we talked about why Christmas exists. It is a celebration of Jesus coming to this earth. He came in order to (as 1st timothy 1:15 says) "save sinners." God desired a relationship with mankind again, but sin had seperated us from Him. His solution was to take our penalty upon Himself, but dying for us. Jesus came, being God, in order to restore that relationship with humanity. He died in order to save us all. And then came back to life showing that he defeated death and that he was really God. You can have a relationship with God if you follow these three simple steps: 1. Beleive that Jesus is God. 2. Ask for forgiveness. 3. Pursue a relationship with Him, by spending time with Him.

I give tonight: C-
Favorite moment: Alex Sullivan's question about Santa Claus and Jesus

What Do You Want? -- Sunday, November 29th

This morning we continued the story of Genesis. We read from Genesis 29:16-30:24. In these verses we find the strange and messed up family of Jacob. He has ran away from home so that his brother won't kill him for stealing his blessing. He goes to his relative's, Laban, house and falls in love with his youngest daughter Rachel. She is very beautiful so he works for her to be his wife for 7 years. But on the wedding night Laban tricks him by having him marry his older, ugly daughter Leah. He then works for another 7 years for Rachel to become his wife. The two sisters fight. Leah wants her husband to love her, but instead just keeps having kids. Rachel wants to have kids but can't for many years. When she does she ends up having two, the second ends up with her dying during childbirth. Leah focused on earthly love and wouldn't settle for a better love, God's. Rachel focused on what she didn't have and thus was discontent. Eventually the thing she watned most that she thought would give her life meaning ended up killing her.

What is it that you want most? You have more going for you than you think. God created you in a unique way and even though you don't see it others do, so if you are discouraged ask others what they think you have going for you. What you want is an important question for you to know the answer to. It will be the thing that drives you, and if it isn't good then you will be headed in a bad direction and need to change it. If your focus is right you can use what you have, you will end up getting what you want. Meaning if your focus is on a relationship with God, and you put what you have into it, you will get it. So put God as yoru focus and you won't be disappointed.

I give this morning: C+
Favorite Moment: Doug's New Glasses

Yoked Up -- Sunday, November 23rd

Today we talked about being yoked unevenly. We read from Genesis 26:34-35 and 27:46-28:9 in which Esau marries some Hittite women who are not liked by the parents. We next jumped to Ezra 9:1-2 in which the Israelites who had just got back from captivity started to marry Canaanites, which had led them to Idolatry. Next we looked at the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, in 1st Kings 11:1-9. In this section we learn that he married many foreign women who led him into idol worship rather than worshiping God. Finally we read from 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18 in which Paul tells us that we need to avoid being yoked together with unbeleivers, since we don't have anything in common. The phrase has to do with two oxen tethered together with a wooden yoke, the two becoming one. It is a reference to marriage but can be applied to dating, friendships, and business partnerships. So by these verses we see God saying, if you are a Christian don't date/marry a non-christian. Why? You are going two different directions and have two different puproses. You have two sets of morals (waht is right and wrong). Because of this you are most likely goign to lose something in yoru relationship with God. It also is because there is that constant pain waiting for them to come to God. Finally, God tells us no. So you now know what God tells us to not do, the question is: What will you do with that knowledge?

I give this morning: B+
Favorite Moment: Watching teams drag partners around the room

Sexual Purity Night #2 -- Wednesday, November 18th

Tonight was sexual purity night #2. The guys and girls split up and due to confidentiallity we won't discuss what was shared this night.

Video from Sunday School -- November 15th

God Doesn't Waste a Scar

God Doesn't Waste a Scar -- Sunday, November 15th

This morning we continued our story from Genesis in chapter 27. In this story we find Rebekah scheming with her son Jacob to get Isaac's blessing. They lie in order to get it, but by doing so they accomplish God's will. God's will is two fold. 1. That we obey Him by not sinning. 2. That we each have reason for being here and specific things he has for us to do. When we sin we are going against God's will. When we go our own path we are going against God's will. Other people do bad stuff as well and that is going against God's will. Yet, despite all the bad things we do God uses those things to accomplish His will. That doesn't mean he apporves of what is done, or that he likes it. It also doesn't mean that it is the best way, and certainly not the way He intended it, but he still uses it.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." God doesn't waste a scar. this verse doesn't mean that everything in life will be great. But it shoudl comfort you that God can take really bad things that others or you have done and change them into something good. It also should remind you that no matter what is happening, God can transform it into something better, as we follow Him. Jesus is the biggest and best example of this. He was killed, yet God used that death to bring about forgiveness for us all.

I give this morning: B+
Favorite Moment: Leah and Laura telling us what Jacob and Esau would be thinking

Hangout Night -- Friday, November 13th

Tonight we focused on superstitions.

Check out our photos at http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

Video from Wednesday, November 11th

T.M.I.

AFV Cats

Praying for Guidance -- Sunday, November 8th

Today we continued our story in Genesis 24:11-22. In this massage Abraham makes a dying request for his son Isaac. He asks his servant to find a wife for Isaac. She has to be from his family, in order to avoid false worship and avoid loss of identity. The servant must find her and keep Isaac from leaving Canaan if he can't. The servant leaves for Ur, 100's of miles away and arrives tired and thristy with his camels. He prays and asks God to help him identify the girl, which God does help him. It is interesting though because he prayed, and God answered his prayer even as he prayed, which means God started to answer this even before he prayed.

So what does this teach us? We are all looking for guidance about what to do with our lives and where to go. When we do, we should pray and ask God for guidance. We should read the Bible and see what God has to say about it. We should get wisdom from wise people. We should trust that God is already working on it. Don't pray unless you are willing to follow through with what God tells you to do. Don't just assume you know what to do, life sometimes seems obvious, but we need to learn to involve God in all stages, even when we think it is obvious. Then wait for the answer.

I give this morning: A+
Favorite Moment: God's plan being like dominos falling

Video from Wednesday, November 4th

Confession of a Woman at a Well

Cold Case: Overcoming Your Past -- Wednesday, November 4th

Tonight we focused on the idea of overcoming our pasts. We read from John 8:2-11, in which a woman is caught committing adultery, dragged in front of Jesus, with the intent of having her executed. The woman was captured and sentanced to die for something she had done, something wrong. Who knows how long she had been going in this circle, her sexual sin trapping her. I once saw a dog tied up to a tree by a chain and it had been running around it until it had become completely wrapped, getting worse and worse until it was completely trapped against the tree. This woman's sins of the past were liked this chain, causing her to circle around and do the same thing over and over again until she too was trapped by her past, with no hope. She was going to die. But then Jesus set her free from that chain, so she no longer had to live with it and could move around freely. He told her to go and sin no more, free from the past, changing how she would act now.

Some of you are TRAPPED, bound up by your sins in the past. Things like drugs, alcohol, sex, porn, lying, stealing, cheating, witchcraft, etc... you are tied and keep circling back to the same thing over and over again, like a person stuck in a whirlpool. You don't have a way to escape, you are full of guilt and feel completely trapped. But there is HOPE, because God looks and sees you as you are, and still loves you, still wants to help you. He is willing to give you FREEDOM but removing those chains of the past, to free you from your past, so that you can start to live in freedom. Do you want freedom from your past? Turn to Jesus!

Favorite Moment: Woman at the Well Poetry
I Give Tonight: A-

Death Starts the Promise -- Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Today we continued our story of Abraham and Sarah in the book of Genesis. We started by reading from 6 passages in which God promises Abraham that he would own the land around him. We reach Genesis 23 (24 years have passed since the last story, nearly 100 since they left Ur) and in two chapters Abraham will die. We read from Genesis 23:1-20. In these verses we find Sarah, at the age of 127, die. Up to this point Abraham had no land, he had servants, possessions, and a son, but no land. But Abraham is able to purchase a small field with a cave to bury sarah in. It wasn't the whole land but it was a start. It wasn't until over 800 years later when David and Solomon were kings that the land was totally taken over. But the death started the fulfullment of the promise. It took many years of complications before it was done but through patience, perseverance, action, and God's miracles the promise was fulfilled.

For you, Jesus' death bought a foothold in overcoming sin. Victory was guaranteed by his death, just like buying the cave guaranteed vicotry. But you will still go through hard times, times of slavery to sin, times of half-victories over it, but you will eventually have complete victory. But it all started with Jesus' death, but won't end until either he returns or you die. We now live in the middle, the place os truggle. And we have to use patience. Patience is knowing you won't be perfect, so not feeling guilty and frustrated. We have to use perseverance which still trying to rid your life of sin even when you fail. We have to use action, which is actually putting Godly things in our lives and removing the sin. And finally we need God's miracles of forgivness and strength. He also provides others to give us strength as we struggle.

I give this morning: A-
Favorite Moment: Being encouraged

Heroes #3 -- Change Your World -- October 28th, 2009

Tonight we finished our series entitled Heroes. We started off by talking about a man named Mordecai Hamm (pictured above). He was born in 1877 and at the age of 8 felt like God had called him to preach but instead ended up in the photo enlargement business until 1900 when he felt God calling him to use his superpower of preaching and became an evangelist in 1901. In 1934 he went to Charlottesville, North Carolina and preached at a revival for 12 weeks. He continued preaching until 1961, the year that he died. He used his superpower. Not really known by him at the time but in the 1934 revival a 16 year old boy that cared nothing about God showed up and got saved. The boy grew up to be voted the #7 most admired person of the 21st Centure, advised 12 presidents, preached to somwhere aruond 2.2 billion people (more than anyone else that has ever lived), and has seen 2.5 million people accept Jesus under his preaching. His name....Billy Graham. One man used his superpower in the middle of nowhere and because he was willing to use the gifting and talent and passion God gave him he was able to change the world.

Every superhero finds out: What their power is; where thier power came from, and what their weaknesses are. The next thing they do is use their superpowers to do something. You have a superpower, the passions and talents God has placed in your life. What will you do with them? You have a chance to make a difference with those powers and God has a plan for them. Are you willing to do something with them?

Matthew 25:14-30 tells us a parable of talents (money) being used or hidden by servants. And we can treat our talents (passion and talents) the same way. We can use it for evil, we can hide it, or we can use it however God wants us to.

No matter what your superpower you have it can be used ot change the world, if you give it to God and use it!

I give tonight: C

Favorite Moment: Worship

God Will Provide -- Sunday, October 25th

We continued our study of the book of Genesis this morning. We read from Genesis 22:1-18. In the story we find Abraham and Sarah 13 years after their first and only son, Isaac, was born. They had waited nearly 60 years for this promise from God to be fulfilled. Then one day God tells Abraham to take this son, who it was promised he would produce a great nation from him, and go and sacrifice him on a mountain. Abraham and his son go to the hill and he ties Isaac up and is about to sacrifice him. God stops him and provides a ram to take Isaac's place and makes a promise to follow through on his promise.

We looked at this from 4 different perspectives: Abraham's, Isaac's, God's, and our own.

Abraham's Perspective -- Abraham knew God promised to use Isaac as a starting point for his "great nation". He knew that God's promises came true. He loved Isaac and didn't want to have anything bad happen to him. He found himself in a excruciatingly tought rock and a hard place. Would he obey God or put his son's life above that. He decided that he trusted God more than he loved his son, in fact the bible tells us that he thought God would raise him from the dead.

Isaac's Perspective -- Isaac was confused, he knew his dad loved him but had no idea what was going on. He probably noticed his dad was acting oddly and was most likely terrified, thinking his dad had gone insane. Then God provided the ram and he was relieved and grateful for God saving him.

God's Perspective -- God knew everything that was going to happen. He knew Abraham had put Isaac in a high place, almost equal with God and his promise. It used this to show Abraham that God is the most important, not his son. He also used this as a picture of what he would do later with His Son Jesus. He would take our place, sacrificing himself so that we could have real life.

Your Perspective -- People put a lot of things in place of God: money, pleasure, sports, academics, friends, family, work, future plans/goals, dreams, significant others, kids, substances, power, passions, talents, music, entertainment, etc... This is by no means a comprehensive list. Some of these things are good things, some are bad, but even if it is a great thing if it goes above God it is wrong!

We played a game in which we tied a kid up with a rope (Ben Potterton) that represented one of these things and then he had to get up and grab a bible off the ground. We increased the ropes to three and each time he got loose, but each time it took longer. When we put one thing in the place of God it takes us longer to do what we are supposed to do, and the more things we put in front of God the harder it is to do the things we are supposed to do.

What have you put in the pace of God? Are you willing to let it go? Does it scare you to? In the story Abraham was willing to give up the one thing he loved the most for God, and after God provided the Ram he named the hill the Place that God Will Provide. When you give up things that are standing in the way of you and God...God will provide. Sometimes he will hand back that thing to you now that you recognize it isn't the most important thing, sometimes he will take it away and give you something better. Regardless He will provide!

I give this morning: B+
Favorite Moment: Ben's awesome breakouts

Heroes #2 -- Wednesday, October 21st

Tonight we continued our series about being Heroes. Last week we discussed how every hero has a superpower and there is a need to discover what it is and how we got it. We decided our superpowers are our talents/passions and we get them from God, so they should be directed by Him. The next step in all superhero stories is they find out what their weakness is.

We all have weaknesses, things that consistently get in between you and God. Your enemy knows what your weaknesses are and will use it. And it can be more than one thing. We read from Mark 9:43-47 in which Jesus tells us to gid rid of anything that causes us to sin, no matter how important it is to us (he doesn't mean literally to gouge out your eyes). So we came up witha 5 step plan to help you overcome your weaknesses.

#1 -- Admit it (actually admit to yourself and God that you have a weakness and what it is)

#2 -- Give it (to God to handle and forgive)

#3 -- Leave it (get rid of whatever is causing you to get entangled in it. Which means if it is porn, get rid of the internet, if it is partying with a friend, stop hanging out with that friend)

#4 -- Show it (tell others what your weakness is so that they can encourage and pray for you)

#5 -- Repeat #1-#4 as necessary

Make sure you go and check out our picture website for pictures of youth that dressed up as superheroes tonight! Find it at: http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

I give tonight: A

Favorite Moment: Joshua Justman Stripping

Heroes #1: Know Your Powers -- Wednesday, October 14th

We started our three week series called Heroes tonight. The focus of this evening was finding out about our superpowers. We began with the story of a girl named Agnes who was born to small upper-middle class family. At the age of 8 her father died, leaving their family in extreme poverty. Yet during this time they continued to go to church. At the age of 12 she decided that she was called to be a missionary and at the age of 18 she left. She worked in the country of India for 20 years as a missionary. Then one day while riding a train she had a vision of Jesus telling her to go after her passion, which was the same as his, the poor, hurting, and unloved. She dedicated the next 49 years of her life going after that passion, reaching out to lepers, the homeless, widows, and the extremely poor. God used her passion, her past, and even her stature (she was 4'10") to change many lives and help many people. Her name was changed and she became known as Mother Teresa.

Every comic book hero in their first book has to find out two things: What is their secret power and how did they get their secret power. We have been giving superpowers by God, each and every one of us. What is your superpower? It is made of three parts: 1. Who you are (character, past, personality). 2. Your talents and God-given gifts. These can be something that you are born with, something God enhances, or something God adds later on. 3. Your passion, that is the things that you care about the most. Once you know your superpower you have to figure out how you got it. The answer for real humans is simple: 1. You were born with it, 2. You grew up into it, and 3. God gave it to you. Since God is the one that gave you the power, it means that the best use of your power is wherever God directs it and however he directs you to use it.

I give tonight: A-
Favorite Moment: The story of Agnes

What Bothers You? -- Sunday, October 11th

This morning we continued our story in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 18:16-19:26 we find the story of Abraham's nephew Lot. God threatens to destory the city that Lot is living in (Sodom) but Abraham makes a deal that if God finds 10 righteous people living there, then God will not destory it. Angels arrive in Sodom and find the town ready to gang rape them. There are less than 10 righteous people so the angels send Lot and his family out of town before they destroy it and its neihboring towns. Lot is dragged from the town by the angels and his wife looks back (turning into a salt pillar because of it). In 2nd Peter 2:6-8 we find out that Lot was a righteous man but taht he was distressed and tormented by what was going on in his town. Yet he was never so bothered that he left, even though he could have left at any time. And because he didn't want to leave he was almost destoryed along with it.

So what does this mean for us? Our lives as Christians are filledd with sin and we are many times bothered by it and we could leave it behind at any time. But many times we don't because are never bothered enough to leave it behind. We don't leave it behind becasue we don't see a good reason to change or because it is easier not to or because we don't think it is a big deal. But just like Lot, if we don't leave those sins behind we will be destroyed by them.

I give this morning: B+
Favorite Moment: Hercules vs. the Monstor

Youth Conference 2009 -- October 9th-10th, 2009

We had a fantastic time at youth conference. Go to the youth photo page to see what went down! It is at: http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

7th Annual Yearly Anennium -- Wednesday, October 7th

We are so excited for all that attended this year, hopefully you had a fantastic time! You can see pictures of the evening at: http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

Here is to another great year at The TAB!!!

Set Apart -- Sunday, October 4th

This morning we covered a very ackward but very meaningful section of scripture, Genesis 17:1-27. In these verses we find that Abram and Sarai have their names changed by God to Abraham and Sarah. We also find that God sets a sign between him and Abraham's family to show that he has set them apart as different. This sign was the covenent of circumcision. This circumcison wasn't a way for Abraham and his descendants to have salvation but instead it was a sign of the covenant between God and them, to set them apart to God so that they were different from the world.

When we read from Romans 2:25-29 we find that God isn't looking for us to be physically circumcised but instead have our hearts (soul) circumcised to him. This means that we have our hearts set apart to God. We will struction our lives around God rather than pleasure, wealth, people, a dream, sports, popularity, etc... When we are truly set apart to God it will make you stand out and it will cause others to try and mock and tear you down.

How does it make us stand out? Let me give you some examples...

Christians will pratice abstinance till marriage instead of indulging in pre-marital sex.
Christians will live a pure life instead of using pornography
Christians will give rather than steal
Christians will tell the truth rather than lie
Christians will take care of their bodies rather than using drugs, alcohol, etc...
Christians will repsect thos in leadership rather than mocking them
Christians will love others rather than hating and mocking them
Christians will dress modestly rather than dressing inappropriatly
Christians will use good speech rather than crass or crude speech
Christians will watch/listen to/read things that are pure rather than whatever is fun

And this is not a full list. When we do these things we will look different. We are called to be different (not strange, just different). Are you willing to stand up and stand out for God? Are you willing to be set apart to God in your heart?

I give this morning: A+
Favorite Moment: The challenge to purify our lives

Patience -- September 27th, 2009

Today we continued our study of the book of Genesis by discussing Genesis 16:1-16; 18:1-15; and 21:1-21. In the story today we found out about Sarai and Abram, who had moved from Ur to Canaan. They had been promised by God that they would have descendents and they would personally produce a child. They waited fro 40+ years and finally in Chapter 16 Sarai comes up with the idea to give Abram a different wife to have the kid through. Hagar, the new wife, ends up conceiving, but this makes Sarai jealous. At this point Abram is 86.

In chapter 18 we are another 13 years later and Abram is again approached and told he and Sarai will give brith. Sarai laughs because she is now 89 and her husband was 99.

In chapter 21 we finally see after 50, almost 60, years that they finally produce a child, named Isaac (which means laughter). They waited a long long time, we call this patience.

What is patience? It is bearing trails and pains calmly and without complaint. It is being steadfast despite opposition, difficult, or adversity. Why should we have patience? It helps with anger, God has it with us, it helps demonstrate God's character to others, and it will help your life go better because you will get along with people better.

Why can we have patience? Some of it is us choosing to have it. Some of it is God giving it to us and producing it in us as one of the fruit of the spirit. We can trust God and the more we do the more patience we will have.

I give this morning: F-
Favorite Moment: Leaving

Video for Wednesday, September 23rd

Rockumentary #4

Double Jeopardy -- Wednesday, September 23rd

One Word Answers
Do you think John P is funny looking? No
Do You Think Cody Looks Like One of the Beatles? No
Can I have more TAB Bucks? Yes
Can we have more cookies? No
Do you like cookies? Yes
Do you like cookies? Yes
Do you want more cookies? Yes
Do you like chocolate? Yes
Do you like donuts? Yes
What color do you wear most? White
How many hats do you have? Lots
What’s your favorite color? Green
Do you like jeopardy? Yes
Sing or dance? Sing
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi
Dr. Pepper or Mt. Dew? Dew
How many years do you need to yell to produce enough sound energy to produce 1 cup of hot coffee? 8.5
Are you afraid of swine flu? Oink
What would happen if I drank a whole energy drink? Pee

About Me
Why are you bald? I’m not, I still have hair on my head

When did you go bald? I’m not, so I never did, but I started losing the majority of my hair my Junior year of college when I was 19

Did you know you look like a unicorn? I was not aware

Would you rather be bald or hide a zit? Since I am most of the way there…bald

What’s your favorite type of car? ’57 Chevy Bel Air

What’s your favorite football team? Arizona Cardinals

What’s your favorite cookie? Oatmeal Raisin

What’s your favorite tv show? All time – Babylon 5; Current – Lost

What’s your favorite band? Relient K

What’s your favorite class? Philosophy

What is your favorite weirdo at the tab? The Cat Piñata

Why do you hate twinkies? (twinkies are 68% air) Creamy filling. I was created with an amazing sense of taste, so I am able to judge if something is actually good or not…it is not

Why do you wear violent shirts? I can’t help it, the beat me up if I don’t wear them

Are you a boy or a girl? Neither…I’m a man!

How long have Alex and Lacey been married? Married, October 15, 2005, so on October 15, 2009, 4 years

How many times have you been to a hospital? Over 300 times

Do you like The Who? Who? Just joking..Why?

Do you work good with cars? I can drive them fine, but I can’t fix them

Would you rather fall into a river or down steps? Being that I have done both, fall into a river

Would you rather lick poop or fall off a cliff? Lick poop, it has to be better than dying right?

Not About Me
What is Trogdor? A man, no a dragon-man, no just a dragon, but he is still TROGDOR!!!

How many gallons of milk can Trogdor drink? 0, he is lactose intolerent

How tall is Trogdor? Taller than a tree, shorter than the earth

Make up a PK power for Emma, unless you know hers, in which case you should tell us what the true one is. PK stands for psychokinetic or Pastor’s Kid. I don’t know, so I will go with: Getting boys to come to church, only to have her dad kill them for trying to date his daughter

When’s a good time for Josh and I (Joel) to come over and game? (if you’re busy for a long time, that’s okay too) The next free day is 31st of October, scary I know

Why am I soooo awesome? If you use more than 2 extra o’s at the end of so you aren’t, oops you were sooo close!

How old am I? Started as a pictogram of a arm and a hand, in Egypt around 3500bc, so I is around 5509 years old

Why don’t we have a dress code? We actually do, but we don’t mention it much. We want people to feel comfortable to be themselves. We also don’t feel that you need to dress up to go to church, our heart’s intent is more important than the clothes that we wear. On the other hand we don’t want people to A) stumble in their purity because someone is wearing too little, B) wear things like drug related, alcoholic beverages, or swearing, C) not wear shoes or shirts, D) be disgusted because someone is wearing too little. So please make sure you are dressed in that way.

Why are boys so smokin’ sexy? (not the ugly ones) Because they aren’t following the dress code

Why God? Why?
Why did God let school become? People have free will, which means they get to choose what they want to do, God doesn’t make them as robots. A long time ago people decided it would be good to train people to do their chosen careers, thus they started apprenticing under someone who knew what they were doing. Over time they would have more than one person training under them. Then people thought it would be good to train some to read and write, thus schools came to be.

Why did God make idiots, like Obama? Again, people have free wills and act as they choose to. God didn’t make people idiots, they chose to act like idiots. Sometimes people act like idiots, like calling their appointed leaders idiots, when God says we should honor our leaders and pray for them, not insult them.

Why does God let hobos live? I think that he lets them live because He still has a plan for them. We could look down on them and just say, well God should kill them and get them out of the way, but instead God tells us that we should love those who are poor and take care of them. Maybe there are hobos alive just so you can learn to be a servant and learn to love them.

Does God know ahead of time of all the bad things that happens to you?....Why is it that if God knows everything, and could stop it if He wanted to, He allows such bad things such as rape and child abuse which do such harm to us? Yes, he does know everything that is going to happen, so he knows the bad things that will happen to you. There is evil in the world, and some of it is truly horrible stuff, God most times doesn’t stop it from happening, but that doesn’t mean that he approves of it. Instead by not interfering with it he both demonstrates his love for us (by allowing us free will) as well as demonstrates why sin is so bad (by us seeing the consequences). So the better way of thinking of this isn’t: why does God allow it if he can stop it?, but instead; what should we as humans be doing with our free will and how can we stop these evil things from happening?

Why are people annoying? People aren’t annoying, people are people. You might find something that a person is doing is annoying, but the secret (the probably see something you do as annoying too) The choice is yours, what will you do with the annoyance, let it go or hold on to it?

Why is High School so dramatic? I have a saying that I like to say, “Drama follows Drama” and I know what I am about to say is going to really make some people mad, but the truth can make us angry and uncomfortable sometimes. If you have drama in your life there are only 2 possibilities. 1. You have been forced into the drama by no fault of your own. 2. You are in drama because you are causing drama. The best way to check on this, how much drama is there in your life? If almost every relationship you are in is dramatic, it is most likely that you are part of the problem. I’ve noticed that usually the same people seem to always be wrapped up in drama, which makes me think, they must have some responsibility in it, there is no way that by chance drama just comes and finds you, you must be part of the problem. The root of why you are dramatic: Hormones, inability to know how to properly express yourself, wanting the attention, wanting the excitement, jealousy, you’ve been hurt and so you want to hurt others, and confusion.

Why can’t we stop death?
We can’t stop death for a couple of reasons. 1. We don’t have the power to start life, so how could we have the power to stop life from ceasing? We aren’t all powerful like God. 2. Death is a consequence of sin, so there is no way to escape it if we have sinned. 3. Bodies wear down over time, and there is only so much that doctors can do to slow death from arriving, but they can never outright stop it. But the good news is that death is just the beginning of eternity


Why do we have to pray before we eat? We don’t have to pray before we eat, but many people choose to. Why? Simply to acknowledge that God is the one that provided the food or the money for the food and so we are thankful for him providing our basic needs. Plus it is nice to actually take time out of your day to speak with God, and many times we get so caught up in other things that we forget but a meal is usually a time when we slow down so it can help us to remember to take a moment to talk to God.

Why is it wrong to date a non-Christian? There is nothing wrong with dating a non-Christian if you are a non-Christian. Let us define Christian first: A Christian is a person that has accepted Jesus as their God and asked Him for forgiveness, believing in Him. A Christian is someone that is saved from hell, by Jesus, so they can go to heaven. That is why a Saved person is a Christian and a Christian is a saved person, they are one in the same. Going to church, saying you are a Christian, etc…doesn’t mean you are a Christian/saved, only accepting Jesus does that. There are several reasons why dating a non-Christian is bad for a Christian. The bible tells us that we aren’t to be unequally yoked in 2nd Corinthians 6:14. In the old testament it repeatedly talks about not marrying those who are from other belief systems. Because we are headed in different directions, have different goals, and are serving a different God. Because it can cause us to drift from our Christianity. Because you have different standards for dating. Because God said so.

Just the Facts
How do you play ‘E’ Flat on a Trumpet? 2 and 3 at the same time

What does the matrix function on a graphing calculator do? Helps enter and compute matrices

Why do Chihuahuas have such humungoid ears? The better to hear you with

What is the scientific name for a narwhal? Monodon Monoceros

How man years has teen group been going on? Many years prior to me, but October 1st we celebrate the 7th year as the TAB

What are we playing for Hangout Night? Video games, board games, card games, group games

How many missile, super missile, and power bomb tanks are there in Super Metroid? 230, 50, 50

Why do some monkeys have red butts? Because they sit and play video games for too long

What was the name of the 18th President of the United States? Ulysses S. Grant

How many light years away is the sun? 91.34 million-94.44 million miles or less than .0004 light years

Can you lower the price of pop to $.10 a can, you might get a lot more people to buy? I could but the youth group would go bankrupt we would have to sell all our chairs and rent our room to the jail, so I won’t

Why is the kool-aid man always burst through walls? Why doesn’t he just use the door?
He is too fat to use the door, the rhyme fatty fatty two by four, couldn’t fit through the kitchen door was made for him, so because of his anger and frustration of not fitting through he shoves his way in

Are You Serious?
Does God always look down at us no matter what? No, he looks at us and loves us, despite the bad things that we have done.

How do you know that God is near? How can you feel God’s presence? God is every where, no matter where you can go, he is there (near or far). It is really important for you to understand this when it comes to the next part of this question. So when we talk about feeling like God is hear or near it has nothing to do with God not being near before, since he is always near, instead we feel like he is near because we are actually paying attention. Our spirit is communion (hanging out) with God and we are actually focused on God.

How old is God? God is eternal, which means he has always been, so it would be impossible to say how old he is. But here is a fun one to try and fall asleep while thinking about, how long did it take before God created earth.

Does God really have a long white beard? No, the depiction of God with a white beard is wrong, since God is a spirit, not a human. But the reason we have that is because it represents age and wisdom many times

When is the end of the world? No one knows, only God. The bible in facts warns us to not set a time or date for when the end will come, though it does give us things to look for in order to know it is near (check out Matthew 24). So when is it? When God chooses. But there will be an end, some day, and how we act should be changed by that thought.

Was Noah’s ark scientifically possible? Yes, building a boat that size has been done since and the way it was constructed would defiantly keep it afloat and not leaking. It never gives a look for it other than dimensions (450ft long, 75ft wide, 45ft high). It was about three times longer than our church, everything else was about the same. So yes, it was quite possible scientifically speaking.

Are dinosaurs in the bible? I think so, some would say no, but I would say yes. Genesis 1 tells us of the creation of the world, 5th day flying animals and swimming animals, 6th day animals living on the ground. So that is when their creation would have taken place. In Job, Psalms, and Isaiah a creature called the Leviathan is mentioned and its description is often equated with a crocodile, but there are many features that fit closer to a sea based dinosaur like a plesiosaur. In Job 40 a creature called the Behemoth which is often called a hippo, but the description better matches an Apatosaurus.

What do you do when someone promises you something then betrays and lies to you? I usually feel really hurt; withdraw from the world for a bit, especially from that person. But then I turn over that hurt to God, asking for him to heal my heart, and then I have to forgive that person for the betrayal. Then I move on, careful to not take what that person says as the honest truth, but still loving them.

What sin is the worst? Or are all sins equal? Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.” Which means that all sins are equal, since all sins have the same penalties. But I do think that some sins are worse than others because of how hurtful they are; so lying to someone is wrong, but wouldn’t be as bad as say, killing 100,000,000 people by torture.

What are the main reasons why you should go to church and learn about Jesus? In obedience to God, who doesn’t want us to stop gathering together. So that you can accept Jesus as your God and become saved. So you know what God says in his word. So you can encourage other Christians in their faith. So you can learn how to bring others to Jesus

Is loving God and listening to music like Lincoln Park? I am guessing you are asking, is it okay to listen to music like Lincoln park if you are a Christian. God calls us to be pure and that includes the media we enjoy, whether that is music, tv, movies, books, magazines, comics, video games, etc… So as long as the thing we are putting in our lives is pure then I think it is perfectly acceptable to indulge in it (as long as it isn’t an addiction/obsession). I don’t know all of Lincoln Park’s songs so I can’t tell you if they are pure or not, so that is up to you to figure out. The style of music doesn’t matter (other than country being evil) but the content of the songs is what matters.

Do women really sometimes die when they have babies? Yes, in two-thousand, 530,000 women died while giving birth, worldwide of 130,000,000 total births. The two main causes, 1. Excessive bleeding, 2. Infections. Most happen within 24 hours of delivery

Is it wrong for hermaphrodites to get married? A hermaphrodite is a person born with both male and female genitalia. .2% of people are born this way (about 250,000 people a year). In all but a handful cases it is very minor thing that is either fixed by surgery or hormone therapy, since it is very obvious which gender the child is. So with that in mind, no there is nothing wrong with a hermaphrodite getting married.

I give tonight: A-
Favorite Moment: Twitter Will Kill You!

Righteousness -- Sunday, September 20th

Today we continued our story of Genesis in chapter 15. In it, Abram is told he will inded have kid of his own flesh, even though he was nearly 100 at the time and his wife 90. Yet, he still believed God and it is said that God counted him righteous because of it.

What is righteousness? It is an absolute quality of moral conformity of one's character to the character of God. It means you exactly perfect in the way you are because you are exactly like God. Another way of saying it: Dong the right thing at all times. This inner righteousness is shown to be held by the actions exhibited outwardly.

We looked at several scriptures. 1st John 3:7 tells us that the person who does right is righteous. Matthew 6:33 tells us that we are supposed to seek after God's righteousness. Isaiah 64:6 compares our personal righteousness to filthy rags. Romans 3:10 tells us that no a single person on this planet is righteous (since we have all sinned). Matthew 5:20 tells us that unless we are more righteious than Pharisees (strict followers of the law) then we can not get into heaven. Psalm 119:137 tells us that God is righteous. Romans 1:17 tells us that righteousness comes from God through faith (just like Abram). Finally Philippians 3:9 says that righteousness comes from belief in Christ Jesus, not our own works.

What does this all mean? It means that we personally will never be good enought to get into heaven or even have a relationship with God, but that when we place our faith in Jesus we are counted as righteous, so we both get a relationship with God and everlasting life in heaven. Now that is so me good news!

I give this morning: C

Favorite Moment: Super Jews

Videos from Wednesday, September 16th

Can You Pull Apart Two Interlaced Phone Books?

See You At The Pole (Wednesday, September 23rd)

7:30am -- Breakfast at the Brethren Church

7:55am -- Prayer at GHS Flagpole

Mythbusters #4 -- I Can Make It On My Own?: September 16th, 2009

Tonight we concluded our mythbusting series with the myth that we can make it on our own. It is true that we can try and make it on our own, but eventually we are going to encounter prlbems that are bigger than ourselves. And when we try to conquer those problems our own our we only end up failing. You need someone else to make it through. The good news is that you don't have to try to make it on your own, there are others ready to lend a helping hand.

This youth group and the church is a place where you can find support for those trying times. We talked about how when you interleave two books together and then try to pull them apart it will take a tank before you will see them budge. in the same way when you have three strands of rope and interweave them, they are stronger than they would be on their own (Ecclesiasties 4:12). Just like the books or the ropes, our power is derived from relying on each other, rather than trying to make it on your own.

Ultimately, our hoep is that you will end up not just relying on people in the church or youth group but turn and fully rely on God, because God will never fail you. He knows all things, sees all things, and has all the power, so he is the best one to help you through hard times.

The myth that we can make it on our own is busted, the truth is we need help. Sometimes we don't ask because we are embarrased, or don't know who we can trust, or because we think we can make it on our own. Don't be ashamed to ask for help, remember you can trust the church and God, and stop thinking you can make it on your own!

I give tonight: D
Favorite moment: Strong people trying to pull apart two small books

Tithing -- Sunday, September 13th, 2009

Today we continued our study of Genesis. Our passage was Geneis 14:18-20, which is a short bit that comes admist a story of rescue. Abram, with help from some local kings, rescues his kidnapped nephew Lot. On the way home from this a king and priest named Melechedek appears and blesses Abram. He in turn gives Mel 10% of the things he gained on his raid. This is ht efirst example, in the bible, of what we now call tithe.

The word tithe comes from a word meaning 1 tenth. It is a voluntary contribution to the church in order to bring about a good result. The bible gives us examples, some times talking about giving food, sometimes money, sometimes animals. Regardless 2nd Corithians 9:7 tells us that we should be cheerful givers, only giving what we have decided to not beause we are guilted into it. We are also told in Luke 11:42 that we are supposed to continue the practice of tithing. But we need not think of this as only an adult issue. We also need to be tithing and making up in our mind now what we will be doing when we actually start earning money. Will we tithe or not. If we do not then the church will start to crumble because of lack of support. Now is the time to decide what you are going to do!

I give this morning: C-

Favorite Moment: Blaming Haley for Lacey and Emma's cold

Mythbusters #3: Accepting Jesus Is It? -- September 9th, 2009

Today we talked about the myth that accepting Jesus is it. When we accept Jesus we are guaranteed heaven, because he has forgiven our sins, so that part is right. But does that mean after we accept him we just kind of hangout, party, do whatever we want until we die and go to heaven?

It is true that accepting Jesus gives us salvation, it is in no way based on our works. But part of accepting Jesus is making him our Lord/Master/God, which means that we are surrendering to do his will not our own. Salvation is only a starting point of a long journey.

We read from Hebrews 5:12-14, which tells us that when we are first saved that we are babies, and that we should grow over time, but many have not and have remained acting like babies. You are a baby when you get saved, which means you need a lot of noursishment and caref rom God and others Christians, but after a time you are supposed to learn to craw/walk/run/feed yourself,a nd then eventaully care for others as you were cared for. How ridicoulous if in real life we never stopped acting like babies? We just cried and laid their and waited for our parents to move us around/burp us/feed us/change us? It would be silly. Yet many of us continue to act like baby christians after years of being saved, this shouldn't be. So if accepting Jesus is just the starting point what else is there?

Alteration -- which means transformation and purification from the bad things we do
Baptisms -- which means both in water and in the Holy Spirit
Commuion -- which is taking commuion in order to remember what Jesus has done for us
Doing Good Deeds -- whcihs is serving others, loving, and choosing to do the right things
Evangelsim -- which is sharing with others about what Jesus has done for them
Fellowship with Believers -- which is hangout with other christians to encourage in faith
Going after Destiny -- which is finding and doing what God has for our lives

This myth is busted! the truth is: Salvation is the 1st Step

I give tonight: A+
Favorite Moment: (tie) Choose your own adventure or The application envelope time or All babies look like slugs

Like Father, Like Son -- Sunday, September 9th

Today we covered Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-18; and 26:1-35. In these chapters we find three stories that are very similar. In 12:10-20, Abraham and his wife Sarah travel to Egypt, he begs his wife to claim to be his sister so that they won't kill him in order to get at her. Because of this lie the pharoah takes Sarah into his house in order to marry her. A plague strikes until the pharoah relaizes what has happened and returns Sarah. The same exact thing happens in chapter 20, though with a different king in a different location. In chapter 26 we see Abraham's son do the same thing.

Some things we shouldn't get from these chapters:

1. Marry someone ugly it will keep you from trouble

2. Lie all you want, God will protect you

3. Don't show affection to your spouse in public

4. We are destined to do the sins of our parents

Instead we should learn the following:

1. Lying is wrong

2. Sin hurts everyone, even those not directly involved int he sin

3. Our actions are watched and followed by those around us

We lead others, even when we don't think that we do, so be careful how you lead and what you lead them to do.

I give this morning: B

Favorite Moment: Follow the leader pileup with Josh and Samuel

Video from Wednesday, September 2nd

See You At The Pole

Wednesday, September 23rd

7:30am -- Breakfast at the Grace Brethren Church

7:55am -- Prayer around the High School flagpole

Mythbusters #2: All Good People Go To Heaven -- September 2nd, 2009

Today we looked at the saying: All Good People Go To Heaven. The Bible teaches there are two places that we can end up when we die (heaven or hell). Many people hold this to be a truth, that if we are good enough we will end up in heaven. So is it true or is it a myth?

Let us supposed for a moment that this statement is true and look at the ramifications of it. How good is good enough? Or how bad is too bad? Do different deeds guarentee an instant ticket to heaven no matter what bad you have done in the past? Do different deeds guarentee an instant ticket to hell no mattter what good you have done in the past? Are different deeds worth more? How man good deeds does it take to make up for a bad deed? Who would determine which were worth how much and keep track of the good and bads you have done? These are some pretty hard questions. I guess that the easiest way to think of it is that there are some deeds that are worth more than others and that they just cancel each one out as you go. So lying to your parents would be worth -10 and helping a cat out of a tree would be worth 5, so you would need to save three cats in order to make it in to heaven. I would also nominate God to keep track of the deeds, since he has all knowledge and ability to track everything about everyone. The problem with this thought track is...we don't know if we will make it to heaven or not until we die and it is too late to chane our path. So you are left with just hoping that you make it.

On the other hand, the bible tells us that we are all sinners and that the punishment for sin is eternal death. So, that means that when we do a bad deed, no matter the type of deed, it would be worth 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 points and every time we do a good deed it would be worth 1. There is no way that we can do enough good deeds to even make up for one bad deed, let alone all the bad things we do. Since we have sin and can't cover it up, the bible tells us that we are destined to go hell, not heaven, after death.

So biblically and logically speaking the statement All Good People Go To Heaven is busted.

No for the good news. God doesn't just leave us with no hope, instead he sent his son, Jesus to this earth to take our punishment upon himself. He lived a perfect life so he could do that. And then he died for our sins and then rose from the dead showing us that he truly was God. All we have to do is believe in Jesus, accept him as our Lord/Savior/God/Master and ask him for forgiveness and he will forgive our sins and make it so that we can go to heaven. And that is some good news. We aren't waiting on the side hoping we make it some day to heaven because of our good deeds, instead we have knowledge that we are guarenteed heaven through Jesus!

I give tonight: A+
Favorite Moment: "All dogs go to heaven, and we all know where cats go" -- Pastor Alex

Finishing -- Sunday, August 30th

Today we talked about the story of Terah and Abram. Terah was Abram's father. Terah lived in a place called Ur and started to move to Canaan (which we now call Israel). But about 1/2 way there he stopped and finished his life living in a town named Haran. His son was 75 and God came to him and told him to move to Canaan, like his father had originally intended. God promised to bless both him, his family, and the whole world through him. He then completed the journely that had started many years before, moving into Canaan. This story can be found in Genesis 11:27-12:9.

Many times we have been told by God to do something or not do something. Sometimes he even convicts us with His Holy Spirit. And many times we get very excited about doing that thing for God, but then we get 1/2 way done but get distracted. Maybe it is because we become tired, have too many things to change, it is too hard, or a something "better" comes up. All these things cause us to not finish waht we started. But God wants us to be a people that follow him, but not just half way, but completely follows him. Maybe there are things you have been called to do, today is the day to finish those things. Maybe you have made a promise to someone else, today is the day to complete what you promised.

I give this morning: A-
Favorite moment: Haley asking, "There are round circles?"

Videos from Wednesday, August 26th

Emma Says Hello

Is Non-Dairy Creamer Flammable?

Mythbusters #1 -- Wednesday, August 26th

Tonight we started our 5 week series called Mythbusters. Our first myth to bust was: I Don't Matter.

Psalm 139:13-16 tells us this:
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

From these verse we learned five things.
1. God created you. God is perfect, which means he makes no errors, mistakes, or accidents. This means he created you arne that you are not a mistake, error, or accident. He wanted you here.
2. God made you wonderful. That doesn't mean without flaw. But it does mean that you were create in just the way he watned you to be. There are 10 to the 2000 different combinatinos between two people when they create a baby. You are 1 in literally billions upon billions. He uses flaws in us and loves us jsut he same. When God look sat you, it isn't with anger and disappointment on how you look or how you are, but instead he looks at you and loves you, he thinks you are wonderful.
3. God knew you before you were born. God had you in mind at creation, knowing you would one day come along. God had you in mind on the cross, knowing you would need salvation. God knew you while you were in the womb and loved you. You might have been a surprise or accident to your parents, but not to God.
4. God had a plan for your life even before conception. You might feel useless and like your life is pointless, but even before birth God had a plan for your life. Things for you to accomplish as you follow him. And it is a good plan and all you have to do is follow him!

The world could go on wihtout you, but it would be incomplete. God doesn't make mistakes and he wanted you here and has a plan for your life. It is a good plan.

I give tonight: B
Favorite moment: The awesome questions "Why are there poor people" "Doesn't God knowing everything cancel out free will", etc...

Summer Kick-On BBQ -- Monday, August 24th

Today was our summer kick-on bbq. We had a great time. Check out the pictures at: http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/

For the night we played a scavenger hunt with written clues and acted out stories from the book of Acts. I hope you had a good time.

Fighting God -- Sunday, August 23rd

This morning we continued our reading of the book of Genesis. We read from chapter 11, verses 1 through 9. In these verses we learn of the people after the flood trying to gather together and build a city and a tower in order to make a name for themselves. God ended up coming down and causing their languages to become confused, thus causing them to leave the project undone and making them go off and populate the world.

We talked about whether this story was actually plausable or not. We decided that it is plausable for a few reasons.
1. Linguistacally we know that there are thousands of langauges in the world but that these langauges have similarities that can be traced to common languages that can be traced back further and further, leading us to believe that all human languaged devolped from one common lanuage.
2. There are common designs around the world of these towers/pyramid/zigguarats. One way to explain this is that those people that scattered took this design to the areas they went to.
3. Etemenanki (the temple of the foundation of heaven and earth) is a zigguarate found in Bablyon. It was rebuilt in the 6th century B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar 2. This is what he wrote, "A former king built the temple...but he did not complete its head. Since a romote time, people had abandoned it, without order expressing their words. Since that time earthquakes and lightning had dispersed its sun-dried clay; the bricks of the casing had split, and the earth of the interior had been scattered in heaps." There is the possiblity that this is the same tower built that was talked about in the story in Genesis.
4. All across the world there are similar stories of a tower being built in order to get to heaven and the builders either dying or being scattered with different languages. Some might say that this shows the bible is myth borrowing from a similar source. Instead I believe it shows that the bible is truth and the others have a memory of what happened in the past but have twisted it into the realms of the fantastic over the years.

The main point of this story this morning was that they built this tower out of pride and because they were disobeying God. One of God's first commands was to fill the whole earth, to spread out,a nd conquer it, yet they were fighting against this command by trying to draw people to one place and then also trying to make a name for themeslves greater than God. We often pick a fight with God, we know what he commands us to do or not do but we deliberately choose to do the wrong thing, even though we know the right thing to do.

We concluded by reading Hebrews 10:26-27 -- "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

I give this morning: A-
Favorite Moment: The reaction to the dead bird

Baptisms -- Wednesday, August 19th

Today was our 3rd Annual Baptisms and Potluck at Maryhill State park. We baptized 9 youth and 4 adults. If you want to check out some pictures head on over to our picture site at: http://thetabyouth.spaces.live.com/ .

Infection -- Sunday, August 16th

Today we continued the story of Noah. We found out last time that Earth was filled with evil and that God decided to destroy the people of the earth because their every thought was filled with doing evil. But, God picked one man, Noah, and his family to be saved from this flood. Why? Because Noah had found favor in God's eyes for being righteious, blameless, and he walked with God. He had a relationship with God and he lived right, unlike the rest of the people in the world.

The flood occured, God rescues Noah and his family in a boat and they land after the flood subsides. We pick back up the story in 9:20-27 of Genesis. In it we find Noah has planted a vineyard, got drunk and passed out in his tent naked. His son Ham finds him their naked and goes and tells his two brothers so that they can mock him too. But instead they go in and cover up their dad. Even though God had wiped the evil people from the earth, evil still remained in Noah and his sons.

We all have two types of sin in us. We have personal sin, that is when we choose to do the wrong things. We also have a thing called original sin, which we inherited from Adam (like a bad gene). it means we have a tendency to sin from the very beginning.

Sin is like a snowball it tends to buil on itself over time and get worse (we will talk more about this next week)

Sin is like a disease. We have sin in our system from birth and it was passed on through Adam because of his sin. Every person that was ever born (save Jesus) was born with this defect. We were infected by that sin and now pay the price for it. But the flipside is this: even though sin entered the world through one person and thus infected everyone, an antidote was provided through Jesus' death and if we accept him we can be healed, one person spread it on to the rest in both situations.

I give this morning: A+
Favorite Moment: My hatred of ladybugs

Gossip Girl -- Wednesday, August 12

Tonight we talked about gossip. What is gossip it is the telling of personal or sensational facts or rumors about someone else. Is it bad? Yes, according to God it is bad. Infact in Romans 1:28-30 he lists it as a sin among: slander, God hating, insolence, arrogance, boasting, inventing evil, disobeying parents, being senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless, greedy, lying, envying, and even murdering. So according to God it is a vary serious thing and should be taken seriously as a sin. We can both be guilty of gossip if we are the person saying it and if we are the person hearing it but not stopping it. It is not just a girl's issue either. Boys struggle with gossip just as much.

James 3:3-12 describes the tongue to us, meaning speech. In it he stells us that our tongues will control our direction and destiny. We can be drama or not drama by how well we control our tongues. Proverbs 26:20 says, "Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down." I demonstrated this by burning a bowl full of paper. When we had gossip to our tongues it ignites the paper spreading until we douse it with water. If we don't stop it soon enough it will spread out of control and harm many. This is the second thing James tells us: our tongues can hurt or help. A good way of making sure our words help is by THINKing before we speak. THINK are the words you are saying: True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind? Finally James tells us that we shouldn't both claim to be Christians and gossip. He asks if fresh water and salt water can come from the same spring, can a fig come from a olive tree or a grape from a fig tree. Of course not and when we are gossiping we are from one part of us worshipping God but from the other cursing men.

Many of us have been hurt by gossip and many of us have hurt others with gossip. If you are hurting others with gossip you need to ask for forgiveness and change your ways.

I give tonight: A+
Favorite Moment: Almost burning the church down

Video from Wednesday, August 12

Gossip is not good!

Covenants -- Sunday, August 9th

Today we picked up the story of Genesis where we left off: Genesis 6:1-9:17. These chapters are about a man named Noah, who was righteous in God's eyes. The rest of the world was filled with evil, to the point that God decided to destroy it all, except for Noah and his family and a few animals and start over. After the flood destroys the world God makes a covenant, a deal, a promise, to Noah. He tells him that from then on he would never destroy the whole earth by flood again and set a rainbow as a way to help show he remembers his promise.

God has made many promises/covenants. Some to a person, some toa family, and some to all the world. God's promises are everlasting, guaranteed, and he never forgets them. He does them knowing the cost. This is quite different from man's promises/covenants which are often temporary, broken, forgotten or done on a whim. When God makes promises we can trust in them. His biggest promise/covenant with us was the new one through Jesus that through his death we could have forgiveness and life.

I give this mornings: B
Favorite Moment: Jared not hearing the joke about Alex's underwear

Videos from Wednesday, August 5th

Lacey's Pre-Delivery Delivery

Wipeout -- Wednesday, August 5th

I got back from my 3 week vacation tonight. I brought our newest addition: Emma Gorrod to the youth group for the first time. I am so thankful to Sharon, Karen, and Gordie for speaking on Wednesday night while I was gone and Jana for speaking in Sunday School.Tonight we did a one shot called: Wipeout -- Water Baptism. We talked about what water baptism is (being dunked underwater). What baptism represents (dying to serving yourself and instead serving God and publically declaring that you want to follow God). Whether we are supposed to get baptized (yep). And then we concluded by giving each of you an opportunity to decide if you are ready to be baptized or not in our upcoming baptismal service.

I give tonight: C-
Favorite Moment: Megan running and trying to spot Emma

Videos From Wednesday, July 15th

How To Fit In At Any Church

Start Small

What Satisfies You? -- Wednesday, July 15th

Tonight we had our first of three special speakers for the Junior High Service. Sharon Gerchak talked about the question: What satisfies you? She started by talking about how everyone has a God shaped hole in their life. We all have something in us that longs for a relationship with our Creator. Unfortunatly, many of us fill that hole with something other than God. (boyfriends, girlfriends, sex, money, possessions, video games, music, sports, popularity...etc...) But none of those things can satisfy us. As Sharon said, it is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, it just won't fit in. In fact, only God can fill the hole that is in ourlives, that discontent that is part of each one of us. Be challenged, fill that hole with God rather than something that won't satisfy you!

I give tonight: A
Favorite Moment: The one legged pantyhose

A Walk With God -- Sunday, July 12th

This morning we talked about a man named Enoch. He is mentioned twice in the Bible; Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5-6. In both the passages we learn that he had a very strong relationship with God, it is described as walking with God. We also learn that he never died, instead God just took him straight to heaven, like Elijah. We spent our morning talking about what that word walk means and what it looks like.

Any walk has a beginning and an end. There are usually things that try to draw us off the path, there are times when a walk can be easy and times when it is difficult, and there are times we see ahead and sometimes that we have no clue what is around a bend. What really makes for a good walk though? I think a good walk should be fun and interesting, that there should be someone to talk with, that there is a good pace (not to fast, not to slow), and that the destination is worth the time and energy put in.

We use the term for walk, in regard to our relationship with God. So when we are talking about walking with God what we are saying is that we have a relationship with him, we are going his direction and we trust him as he leads us along. No matter if you are saved or not, you are walking. A saved person's deistation will be different (heaven as compared to hell). Our pace should be determined by God not ourself or those around us. We are wlaking with God, not alone or with some other person or thing. And we are walking for a different reason too.

In the passage we read it is interesting to note that the word lived is substitued with Walked in this passage. some people merely live ans ome people walk with God. It is also interesting to remember that God wants to walk with YOU! So the question is, do you desire to walk with God or are you walking away?

Our Genesis Gobs for the week were to read Genesis 6:1-9:17 and to draw our walk with God up to this point in our life.

I give this morning: B
Favorite moment: Everything being too much work for Haley

Videos from Wednesday, July 8th

Juice Box Christianity, be challenged!

A Life Worship

Survivor: Overcoming Depression -- Wednesday, July 8th

Tonight we continued our series about survivor. We talked about overcoming depression. I started by sharing about how dpressed I was when I first moved to Goldendale. I was almost to the point of suicide before I had an encounter with God during a summer camp. We also read the story of Elijah being depressed out of 1st Kings 19:1-18. In the story he has just come off of a spiritual high on Mt. Carmel, but hten is threatened to be killed by the queen. He runs off to the wilderness to escape but also because he is depressed. As he sits under a tree he asks God to just kill him. He was afraid of being caught by the queen, he felt alone because he thought he was the only one that was still worshiping God in Israel, so he got as far alone as he could and asked God to kill him off. He wasn't able to come out of that depresssion until he encountered God on the Mt. Horeb and also while there God showed him that he wasn't alone, there were 7,000 that God had kept from worshiping the false gods and kept worshipping him.

Teenages have the highest suicide rate in the country, it is a difficult time to live. Emotions are running on highs and lows like no other time. But people get depressed, no matter if they are Christian or not. You don't need to always explain why you are depressed, but it can help. You might feel alone and hopeless when you are depressed. But it is very important tor emember two things. 1. No matter what you are never alone: God is there no matter where you are, and there are those of us that are also here for you. 2. With God there is always hope (see examples of Jesus rising from the dead or even the story we just read about Elijah, or Jonah in the ocean). If you are depressed, don't be scared to tell God and get his help, or you can always turn to a youth group leader too.

I give tonight: B
Favorite Moment: Seeing three stand, though it was hard, and get prayed for

Brother's Keeper -- Sunday, July 5th

Today we continued the story of Genesis by talking about what happened after the Fall of Man. Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, ends up killing his brother Abel when God accepts Abel's sacrfice but not his. When God confronts him, he callously and indifferently utters the famous words, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

We spent the rest of the morning on the question of whether or not we are our brother's keeper and waht that meant. We are all brothers and sisters, your enemies and your friends, your relatives and those who look differently than you. Gender, age, income, location, ethnicity, religion, none of these matter when it comes to determining your brother, every person on this earth is your brother.

How do you keep your brother? We can keep them physically well by stopping others or themselves from physically harming them (abuse, neglect, prejudice). We can keep them spiritually well by stopping them from being decieved and confronting when they are sinning. We can keep them emotionally well by helping those who are depressed, sad, or in pain. Our actions, not just our words are supposed to show love to our brothers.

Many times we forget that we are supposed to be our brother's keeper because of anger, jealousy, superiority, or hurt. But we challenged you to be your brother's keeper this week, even though they don't deserve it. The Genesis Gob this week was to be your brother's keeper to 3 people.

I give this morning: A-
Favorite moment: Tie between debating if war is ever ethicial and being able to say, "I'm glad Jesus doesn't treat me that way" twice during the service.

Video from Wednesday, July 1st

Smooth Grandmama by Apologetix

Survivor: Overcoming Anger -- Wednesday, July 1st

Tonight we began our new series: Survivor. Tonight we talked about overcoming anger. We read quite a few scriptures tonight addressing anger. We started with James 4:1-2. It tells us what starts many fights and then I talked about 6 things that cause fights:

1. Frustration
2. Alienation
3. Hurt or threat of hurt
4. Injustice
5. Fear
6. Learned

We next read Ephesians 4:26-27. It tells us that is necessary to take care of our anger before the sun goes down so that the devil doesn't get a foothold into our life. It also tells us that we shouldn't sin when we are angry. Anger is not a sin, it is an emotion. But we should learn to control this emotion and not let it rule over ourselves and how we respond with the anger when it appears.

James 1:19-20 tells us that a good and righteous lifestyle isn't an angry lifestyle.

Romans 12:18-21 tells us to do our best to settle conflict, and to leave revenge up to God. Instead we should be treating our enemies with love. Sometimes people will get mad at you and try and start a fight that you didn't intend, in thoset times you need to show them love and allow God to take care of punishment of those that are wrong.

1st peter 3:9 tells us to not return evil for evil, but instead blessing for those who hurt us. It is the opposite of how we want to react.

We finished off with Proverbs 22:24-25. It talks about not hanging out with hot tempered people, because they will influence you.

As way for conclusion we listed 5 things we needed to do in order to overcome anger:

1. Avoid angery people
2. Deal with the root, what is causing you to get angry
3. React in a good way (no intial outburst, confront kindly, relax)
4. Don't dwell on it
5. Turn to God (ultimately this is the only thing that can really help us overcome anger)

I give tonight: C+
Favorite moment: The story of me getting yelled at by cheerleaders for cheering