Team FUN and March Madness

Sitting in a suite at the University of Phoenix Stadium, with the Huskies socking it to Purdue, in the presence of a smorgasbord of great food and a fridge filled with sodas, a teen commented:

"This is the best day of my life!"

Aim Right's Team FUN group had the privilege of attending two NCAA tournament games yesterday evening. A highlight was a visit from Kurt and Brenda Warner.
Some even took a reminder of Kurt home with them after the game:

On the left is our wonderful host, Mike, who shared his suite with our group for the evening:

A Few Maintenance Issues

This is a glimpse of what a ceiling collapse looks like in the basement of a 1920's building:

The basement was not in use during the collapse; we praise God for no injuries!

And--an irresponsible driver must have had Robert Frost on the brain as they took the road less traveled yesterday evening and blessed us with these results: Evidentally, it was a drive through and get outta Dodge kind of event. When I called the police department, no report had been filed. However, they expressed willingness to do a report for us for possible insurance reimbursement for the necessary repairs.

Hmmm...what else may happen around here?!

Spring Break & the Superstitions

Since area schools had Spring Break last week, Brittany and I planned an outing to the Superstitition Mountains with our girls' Bible study group. We brought lunches and enjoyed a picnic. Then, we set off on a 2.4 mile loop through the desert. It was a bit warm, and 2/3 of the way down the trail, some were getting tired. We took a vote, and the "I-want-to-turn-back" crowd was out-numbered by the "Let's-keep-going" crowd, so with some encouragement, the tired ones mustered enough stamina to endure until the end. Way to go, Ladies! The desert landscape was sprinkled with a few blooms:

"Okay, I'm reloaded!"

A group of us attended the Urban Youth Worker's Institute Reload (http://uywi.org/) conference in Phoenix on Saturday. Since 2005, Aim Right has had around 20 of our volunteers or staff participate in UYWI trainings in Phoenix or Los Angeles, and they have been extremely beneficial.

The keynote speaker at Saturday's conference was Pastor Harvey Carey from Detroit, MI.

A few things about Harvey:

1) You will not fall asleep while he is speaking. You will not even have the slightest temptation to fall asleep.

2) He is a mover and a shaker...literally. He oozes passion while he speaks, and from his stories, he lives it, too. He and 500 youth once shut down a strip club in their community through an effort of courageous prayer. Crack houses have received similar treatment; not many folks are interested in buying drugs when a group of believers is having a campfire and singing church songs in the middle of the night....in front of a crack house.

Here are some great quotes and thoughts from his messages:
- Are we using 8-track methods for an mp3 generation?

- Who has the largest youth ministry in Phoenix? the devil

- Youth ministry has been turned into ministry to youth, vs. ministry by youth.

- The work of the ministry should be done by the saints, not the leadership. The leadership does the equipping. (Eph. 4:12)

- Challenge young people to do things that require God.

- If a community is dark and the church says they're the light, they are lying.

- What have I planned for this year that requires God?

- When you know God, can't (pronouce this cain't for full effect) nobody tell you what God can't do!

Each of us also had the opportunity to attend two workshops. The 5 teens in our group participated in a special track for youth. Here are a few take-aways from the workshops I attended:

- The most effective outreach happens when you get out of the church.

- If you have the gift of evangelism, don't just evangelize...equip evangelizers. If you have the gift of teaching, don't just teach...teach teachers to teach. That way you reproduce in others.

- There is a price tag for leadership. It is being without reproach.

The Aim Right group...reloaded!

Tonight at Kids Klub, a young boy expressed concern that God does not like him because he's gotten hurt every day for the past three days. I tried to reassure him that God really does love him, but that God also allows people to do bad things, and those bad things often hurt us.
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While driving the van through the Projects this evening to pick up children for Kids Klub, I spotted a familiar-looking young man, one who attended Aim Right programs some years ago. He was dressed up and had a Bible in his hand, apparently on his way to church somewhere. As he stopped to chat, I soon discovered that his put-together outward appearance camouflaged a burdened heart. His marriage is on the rocks, and he requested prayer and a phone call from a former intern.
________________

The theme of Kids Klub this evening was God's strength. After a fun opener of cheering for arm wrestlers Strickland (intern) and Peanut Butter (teen helper), the kids answered this question:
"Who is strong?"
Their responses?
Strickland
Peanut Butter
Jesus/the Lord
Boys (quite comically, this one came from a girl)
Despite Strickland's dominance at arm wrestling, the kids fully agreed that JESUS is the strongest!

I was challenged yesterday by the thought that believers should be exposing the Gospel lovingly and naturally every day, rather than imposing it.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:1-2

From time to time, I will ask some children or youth to answer a list of specific questions for me. This is how a 16-year-old young man responded to a list of questions I gave him today:

Q: What do you enjoy coming to most at Aim Right and why?
A: I like Out Loud because each time we start singing, it makes me feel closer to God; not only that, but some of those songs make me realize how great God is and what a good life He has given me. [Out Loud is a time of teen praise and worship every other Monday evening]

Q: What is the hardest thing in your life right now?
A: The hardest thing in my life now is cussing a lot.

Q: How has your decision to follow Jesus changed your life?
A: I don't steal things anymore. I don't mock people. I don't get mad. My dad has stopped drinking. People think I'm a funny, great guy to hang out with, and I think it's because of Jesus. He made my life a lot better.

Q: Tell me one thing you've learned recently from the Bible.
A: I learned about what soil we are when Jesus talks in the parable.

As I wade through "auction aftermath," I have noticed that bidders and supporters of Aim Right's 14th annual benefit auction came from Iowa, British Columbia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois. It was especially interesting for me to sit down at one of the lunch tables and chat with my 3rd grade teacher, visiting from Oklahoma, who apparently still remembers me 20+ years later.

Auction proceeds totaled around $20,000; along with the much-needed funds, we thank God for the gorgeous day, wonderful volunteers, and gracious donors who made auction day a success!

Quilt being auctioned:

Silent auction items:

Chuck & Caleb Reed, long-time auction volunteers:
Kevin Hudson -- responsible for the finger lickin' good chicken: