See You at the Pole Rally.

On September 24 @ 6:00 PM we are having a youth rally to prepare us for "See You at the Pole."(SYATP) SYATP is a student led, nationwide time of prayer held around the flagpoles of our local schools.

It is such an important event that we want to have a rally to encourage you all to get to your flagpoles on Wednesday the 27th and pray for your schools. At the rally we'll have a time of worship with some pretty rockin' music, a time for students to tell of their relationship with Jesus and why they think that prayer is important, and I (PJ) am even going to get the opportunity to share with you about the importance of prayer for your school.

I have some seats open in my van but it would be really great if parents would come out to the rally with your teens to show them you think it is important too. The rally will be held at the ampitheater where the outdoor concerts are typically held. I am not sure of its' name but if I find out I will edit. Hope to see you all there and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at the church @ 489-3105.

A Good Book

Have you ever felt like your relationship with God was stagnant. Not going anywhere. Or maybe you haven't even given it a thought but if you did you would have to admit that there wasn't really anything new to report on the God front. Actually, that is one of the ways I know there is something wrong between me and God. How could there be nothing new when my God is infinitely deep. Must be my problem right? Right. So what can I do to remedy the situation? There are many great things one can do to rejuvenate your relationship with God but one of my favorite ways is to read a really good book that totally stretches my understanding of God to new dimensions. Some great books I've read lately are The Jesus I Never Knew by Phillip Yancey, Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell, and Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. What are you reading? I'd like to know. I'm always looking for a good new book to keep my life growing. Take care.

Starting Up Again!

Hey all. Just a reminder that "The Wreck" will be starting again September 12. There is going to be a time change this year. We will be meeting from 6-8PM not 6-9PM so come down and bring your friends. Please remember that you must in 7-12 grade to attend. Thanks.

Also,

Our 5-8th grade program, Jump Start, will be starting on Wednesday, September 6 and will run from 6:15 to 7:30PM. You are also welcome to attend our cafe' at 5:30PM to get a good meal before Jump Start begins.

We look forward to seeing you all for a great new year.

Heaven Was Quiet

So, it's 7:24 AM as I rise from my nights slumber. I quietly sneek down the stairs so as not to wake my two lovely children and I make my way to a comfy seat with good natural light to read my bible and spend some quality time with God.
First things first. I seek to quiet my thoughts and my heart so I can hear from God. I'm not too interested in saying a bunch of stuff to God. I mean I take time to praise and thank Him for all his good gifts to me. And of course I have some things I need to ask of Him, but I mostly just want to hear from Him. I want to know where I stand with Him today. I want to know what my purpose for this day will be. Most of all I just want to get a sense that He is right where He has promised me He would be. I want to know the weight of His presence. I want to sense His interest in me and my day. I want to know that he has not set me aside for today, that I will be used for His good purposes.
But do you know something? Heaven was mostly quiet this morning. It seems God did not have a lot to say to me. He chose to not overwhelm me with an emotional experience. He did not grace me with any new brilliant ideas. When I read His word He did not reveal to me any mind-blowing truth. So, was it a waste of time? Was God not interested in me? Did He not see me there ready to hear from Him? Should I now give up meeting with a God that didn't talk back? I don't think so. You see I know He was there. I know my prayers were heard, and I know that God Cares for me deeply. "But how do I know?", you might ask. Well because He told me so and in faith I believe Him. Simply that. I'm not about to lose heart or doubt my God even one bit, just because I didn't feel something I thought maybe I should feel. That my friends is pure silliness. Who am I to question God just because He chose to sit quietly with me instead of striking up a conversation. It actually makes me feel pretty good to know that the God of this Universe and beyond chose to just sit quietly with me this morning. So will I do it again. You know I will. Who knows what God might have in store for tomorrow.

Just a Rainy Day

Well, It's an all to common rainy day here in northwest PA. The kind of day where just staying dry is a major accomplishment. but i find myself wondering if there is more in store for my day than just staying dry. i wonder what Jesus would do with this kind of day? i've just been contemplating the love of Jesus and the adventurous, bold ways he chose to express that love, and it makes me want to use up what's left of today creatively loving the people that God may put in my path. even if i have to get a little wet doing it. and as excuciatingly slow and frustrating as it may be i am forcing myself to learn how to type at the same time. please pray that the learning process will be a quick one.

This is my very first contribution to the world wide web. I have not been interested in chatting with the world in such an ambiguous way but i'm going to give it a try to see what all the hype is about. oh and i can't look at my own blog until i have at least one post so now i do and i'm out for now.