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8 Teenagers, 2 adults, and 9 days together.  San Diego, California.  Pursuing Jesus, tearing down walls that compete with genuine community, and opening up to hear from God as individuals.  Pulling up our shirt sleeves and getting a bit dirty caring for God’s creation.  Putting on our swim suits and enjoying God’s creation.  Recognizing during high energy worship, and quiet solitude that we ARE God’s creation.  Connecting with others who are seeking Jesus from all over the country.  And yes, even teenagers figuring out the kinda guy or girl they may be interested in someday. 🙂

It was quite a trip, no lie.  Each teen could give you a completely different story of which part they enjoyed, or how God met/spoke/transformed their lives.  Our prayer is that this continues in the lives of those who came, and that same Spirit that is already active in our group would be even more effective as more are in tune with His Voice.

Oh, and did I mention I love teenagers?  Here’s a brief list of recent reasons:

 -They look for life.  Like a toddler learning to walk for the first time, they seek new experiences, and smile really big when they find one.

 – Their ability to make fun of each other for something, and then go off and do the exact same thing. 🙂

 – The desire to take serious things lightly, and light things seriously.

 – D.R.A.M.A., and the fact that I can look in as into a fishbowl nowadays. 🙂

 – When really tapped into….their desire/openness to the Spirit’s leading can be completely remarkable

 – . The fact that one can, surrounded by incredibly fresh salsa’s just 5 minutes from Tijuana, purchase a jar of Tostidos brand from the grocery section.

 – The surprise to learn that all 4 teenage boys are actually big fans of iCarly.  Seriously?

– That even after a long discussion about wanting to be more open with our faith, and pro-active in our prayers…when closing small group time….it was pulling teeth to get a volunteer to close us in prayer. 🙂

 – That I can see God leading each of them now and in the future…to an identity of someone who offers an infinite amount towards His Kingdom, and is being a part of it even today!!!

 – The fact that I miss spending all day with each of them already.  So glad they allow me to be a part of their lives, and thankful that God is using what we offer Him in larger ways than we can imagine! 🙂

It’s official.  An accomplishment so ridiculously pride-inducing, but at the same time only a sign post, with an arrow directing us toward even more responsibilities and work ahead.

We now have 3 little girls that can walk.  One that can run well without falling.  Two that can dance around.  Three that can dance in place.  And three, that can put one foot in front of the other, and move forward one step at a time.

And all 3, that can melt your heart – no matter what time of day or night.

There was another milestone we passed a while back that is worth mentioning – we now have 3 girls who are past the “bottle feeding” stage.  Another great illustration, which along with walking, has great sermon-illustration type possibilities.  I won’t fill an entire blog with those, because most are very obvious.  Just take a moment, and pretend you’ve just read one.  There ya’ go.

Ages 3, 2, and 1….and each one growing like crazy.  

I remember attending NYC 1999 with the Nazarene Church.  As I write this, the day before taking a trip with my teens to IYC (Free Methodist version) in San Diego (yup, totally wrote posts ahead of time, knowing I wouldn’t have internet in California.  I’m a nerd.) , I think back on our time in Toronto as a teenager..

 – Inviting tons of people to a giant bubble bath that took place in our hotel room.  Only to have myself and one other guy (bathing suits of course) take advantage of such fun.  Of course, many came…but without proper attire…their loss.     🙂     I’m pretty sure pictures still exist of this somewhere….

 – Wearing a full on polyester plaid suit and bowtie going with my group to see “Phantom of the Opera” in Toronto.  The original Cat-Woman (from the TV show) was in the audience.  On the way there, I gave a rose I’d been given by a vendor to a girl who struck my fancy at random during a brief encounter.  My wife just so happened to have the same story, from the opposite side of things…(she received a rose from a hyperactive nice guy in an odd suit while walking with her group in Toronto that day) …crazy, eh? 

 – Playing “Simon Says” with a deaf girl, only to find out after she’d lost the game, and I’d sat with her for about 30 minutes talking…that she hadn’t been able to hear me the entire time.  God spoke to me in big ways about “listening to others” that week after that.

 – Opting to listen to someone else later that week, I found myself getting medical attention for them…which whisked me away to a backstage area, where I got to meet Audio Adrenaline in person before they took the stage!  Woot.

 – Solidifying the calling I felt to be moving into a life of youth ministry, and looking forward to beginning my college journey toward that goal.

 – Being featured in a local Toronto paper as one of many teenagers who were there for a large Christian Youth Conference.  They highlighted that I “Only listened to Christian Music, except the Sesame Street Dance Mix”, but when the article was published – they put a picture of my friend, Tom.  Yup, I totally had the cd my kids love back when I was in high school.  I win.

 – My first and only major train ride, from Detroit to Toronto, and trying to meet every single person I could from ours and other groups along the way.  I’d taken my youth pastors’ wife’s advice, and begun showering and using deodorant….it was amazing how much more people would want to talk with you after that!  Thanks JoLynn!!! 🙂

 – Over-all had an amazing time, and moments of transformation I can still point to in my life today.  I pray that similar experiences are filling the week of our teens even as you read this…and that God is moving in a way only He can.  May it continue well after we return to God’s work here in Decatur and our communities beyond.