We’re heading to Chicago in the morning! All 3 (4) of us Schmoyers are taking 6 amazing youth workers with us for a fun filled deep learning, re-energizing weekend with hundreds of other youth workers from around the states. The conference doesn’t officially start until Friday night, but we’re getting there tomorrow so we can join in on the pre-conference seminars all day Friday. I’m glad we’re heading down early too with Hannah coming along. That way we can get into our hotel room and settle down and get all of her stuff organized for taking care of her throughout the weekend. I love going to youth ministry conferences and bringing leaders who haven’t been to one before and see how excited and pumped up they get with everything they learn and head back to our local ministry to implement new ideas.

Pray for us. Pray that our hearts will be open to what God wants to teach us. Pray that God will use this time to draw us and the leaders closer to each other. Pray that we will bring back what we learn and not leave it in Chicago. Pray for Tim and I as we figure out how to juggle Hannah between each other for the weekend. Tim will be leading a few seminars, so I assume I will have Hannah for the most part, and I think Tim has volunteered to skip out on the general sessions to stay with Hannah since she doesn’t handle loud noises very well. Pray for Tim and I to have open communication with what we each need with Hannah. And pray for Hannah to do well traveling and in a hotel for a weekend.

Yesterday I struggled when I got in to our worship service at church. We just came up stairs form Sunday School where Tim told the junior highers about his trip to Haiti, and we watched a video and saw how sincerely the Haitians worship God. They dance in the streets and are so passionate.

When we walked in to the service the praise band was full of energy singing and the congregation was sitting. I turned to Tim and asked why everyone would be sitting. Why wouldn’t anyone stand and worship God? I didn’t want to sit. I really wanted to stand, but for fear of looking weird I sat. I’m not sure if the congregation was told to sit back and enjoy the music, ’cause to my knowledge it was a new song, or what the reason was for everyone sitting. We’ve come so accustomed to sitting and standing when we’re told. Thankfully one of the singers told everyone to stand and join in, I just wish I did from the beginning. Why was I timid of worshipping how I felt I needed to? Would it have been a hindrance to people if I stood?

This bothered me like crazy and I felt like I let God down for not following my heart and worshipping God like I needed to. Instead of focusing on God I focused on what others would think of me. We’re not a conservative church as far as worship style goes. People clap, people raise hands. After all the singing was over I continued to think of what I didn’t do. No one tells us when to raise our hands or not. Why is standing any different? Because I haven’t seen anyone in our congregation stand to praise God in song when no one else does. I’ve gone to churches like that, and I enjoyed them. I like feeling like I have the freedom to sit or stand when I want. Is this just a personal struggle, or does it have to be accepted by a church before it’s okay? Do churches become okay with that when people just start worshipping how they want? Or does someone have to announce “You are welcome to worship how you want.”?

It’s been almost 2 weeks since Tim and I made the decision that he can’t pass up this opportunity that God has ordained for him to go to Haiti. All the details are public now as to who all is on the team going with him. Luckily one of Tim’s jobs while there is to communicate by blogging, tweeting and youtube. So every day I should be able to know what he is up to by following him and the other people on his team.

When thinking about how God has lined everything up there is no mistake that God had everything planned way far in advance. Tim and I bought tickets back in October for us and Hannah to go to Texas February 9-17th. And the dates for Tim going to Haiti are February 11-17th. If I didn’t have my ticket for Texas ahead of time, then Hannah and I would stay in Minnesota by ourselves while Tim goes to Haiti. I think by the time Tim would get home after us spending a week alone I would be a total wreck glued to the computer constantly worrying about what is going on. But with the opportunity of spending the week with my parents and siblings to help out with Hannah, and me keeping busy so I don’t constantly worry about Tim, I will be much better off. Now I’m just a little nervous about what it’ll be like traveling with Hannah alone, but I know it wont be bad.

Tim has been blogging about Haiti for a little bit. His newest post was today. Go check it out.

I am so excited about the girl’s Bible study that starts tomorrow. I have an amazing lady helping me, and we’re meeting at our home for the next 11 weeks (except for when I’ll be out of town, then it’ll be at Jan’s, only 2 doors down.) We are using “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall. I love that book and am excited to give our senior high girls a girls only time to dig in deep to the word of God and make practical applications in our lives. Please pray for Jan and I as we lead the girls who show up. And pray for the girls who come, that they may come with open hearts to learn what God has for them. I have been longing to teach a group of girls after taking months off from helping with Hannah here. Now to go make sure I have everything ready!

Last night I had the opportunity to fill in at our Jr. High small groups. I decided not to start over with a new group this year, first off all because of having Hannah, and second of all, I just couldn’t commit to a new group of girls after connecting so closely with my first small group of girls here in Minnesota. The past 2 years I loved being a Journey leader co-teaching with an amazing lady and having the best girls ever in my group. We had a great 2 years together, and this year I started helping out on Sunday nights so I could see them throughout the year and get to know the other youth group kids. I have gotten to know a few other girls in our youth group over the last year and they are so sweet. A handful of them came out for our Women’s ministry ornament exchange party too, which was a blast!

So…yesterday Tim called me from the church asking if I’d be willing to fill in for a Journey group and help teach one of the 8th grade girl’s groups. At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it because I didn’t even know who all was in the group, and I hadn’t had the chance to get to know them over the years. But once I got my old Journey journal out and read through the lesson and over my answers I filled in a couple years ago I really started getting excited. Tim brought home the teacher’s manual for the lesson, and I gathered my supplies for the night.

I knew 2 of the girls in the small group pretty good, and 2 others I had seen around the church, and 1 I met for the first time. They were all such sweet girls and I had so much fun being with them for the night. I really miss getting to teach and learn along side a group of girls. I really need to get on the ball and set up the weekly girls only study that some of the girls have asked me to do. It’ll be on Thursday nights at my house, but I need a co-teacher and I need to go through the book and see how many weeks the study will be. Now I have a lot of motivation to do this! If you’re interested in helping lead a girl’s study with me let me know! We’ll be using “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall, a study on the book of Ruth.

Two Sundays ago Pastor Rol did a sermon called, “Welcome to the Wedding.” And just yesterday we finished up using Perry Noble’s series “Don’t get Married Until…” with our youth. These past few weeks I have really been thinking about the imagery God uses to teach us about our relationship with him. And now that we have Hannah I am seeing more and more that the life experiences God has set up are a way for us to understand him better.

For Pastor Rol’s sermon he asked a friend of mine to wear her wedding dress at the end of the service and we all stood for her entrance into the sanctuary. I was first of all super excited to get to see her in her gown because on her wedding day Tim and I were in the hospital meeting Hannah for the first time. And then as she stood up front and the words of the sermon started to stick I couldn’t hold back my tears as we worshiped God.

I could never truly grasp the concept that the church is the bride of Christ, until getting married. Being married has opened my eyes to so many aspects of God that I haven’t been able to comprehend before. God has used and is using Tim in many ways to teach me and draw me closer. And now that we have Hannah, the fact that Christ died on the cross for our sins has become even more personal. I look at my little baby and just think about Mary taking care of baby Jesus. I can’t even begin to understand the feelings Mary had, watching her son die for our sins. This Christmas has so much more meaning to me than any before because God has blessed us with Hannah.

Monday, November 30th

8:00PM EST/7:00PM CST

Gather up a group, or make it a night with just mother and daughter. Get comfy, make some hot chocolate, snuggle up, and make some memories as Jennifer Kennedy Dean hosts a live web event with Jackie and DeDe Kendall.

Drawing from the Lady in Waiting series of books, for young ladies and for little girls, Jackie and DeDe will speak to the hearts of mothers and daughters about becoming the ladies God intends them to be, with hearts devoted to the One whose heart is set on them.

Geared for girls age 8-18.

Register to listen.

Personally I am very thankful for Jackie Kendall’s book Lady in Waiting. Someone gave it to me in highschool, I ended up reading it in college, and I needed it. I think it is a must read for every girl and woman. I would love to do a study with our highschool girls using Lady in Waiting. I bought the extended edition this past summer to use, and started reading it over again. Even as a married woman who isn’t “waiting” anymore, the lessons taught in the book are needed through marriage. If you can, I highly recommend joining in on the web cast. I am really looking forward to it!

Our Senior high students started a new study yesterday that we’re using from Perry Noble’s sermon series Don’t Get Married Until…
I called Tim wondering where he was so long after Impact was supposed to be over, and it turned out that even though the video was finished when they were supposed to end, the students wanted to stay late and discuss what they just watched.
Tim asked some of the students if they would want their parents to see this section of the video, and they said yes.
Parents, get involved in your child’s life, especially dating life. Even if they don’t want you involved right now, they will be thankful for it later.

Our pastor started a great sermon series called False Sexpectations. This past Sunday was the first of the series, and he taught about homosexuality, starting with the changes that happened in the Lutheran church this summer, which really moved him to preach this series. I think that was very important to touch on since we have more Lutheran churches in our area than any other denomination.

Scriptures used: Romans 1:25-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Notes:

We must give God’s message to homosexuals. (We are called to give God’s message to everyone.)

Homosexual practice (not preference or feeling) is sin and is not to be participated in by anyone.

Love like Christ and remind them that change is possible. (God loves homosexuals and will equip them to change.) Change: to resist, the desire may still be there, but you can be freed from the life style.

Churches have a history of communicating that homosexuality is a worst sin than any other. But, people have an easier time controlling sexual feelings than controlling their tongues from gossip.

2 things than can change in everyone: 1-What we believe, and 2-How we behave. #1 effects #2

You can listen to or watch the sermon here.

I was most excited to hear this sermon because I am proud of our pastor for being bold and preaching on something that most churches will tip-toe around. Although the sermon was on homosexuality, I was very convicted by my own actions and lack of grace in my heart. I look up to Tim for how forgiving he is and how much grace he has for others. That is an area that I have a lot of work to do in. When Pastor John said that “people have an easier time controlling sexual feelings than controlling their tongues from gossip” it really opened my eyes. Gossip is such an easy sin to get tangled in, especially when frustrated with something, or wanting to make myself feel like I’m better than someone. Over the years I have gotten better at not falling into gossip as much, but it is tough. I know if I keep on playing something over and over in my head out of frustration, I don’t need to let it out and tell others. I need to turn to God, and get rid of it.

Another part of the sermon that stuck out to me was when Pastor John talked about changing in a way that you resist the life style, that the desire may still be there, but you can be freed from the life style. That reminded me of my first 2 years in college. I got into the party scene my 2nd semester of my freshman year, was able to resist the drinking the first semester of my sophomore year, but then was right back into it 2nd semester. In order to free myself from that life style I had to transfer schools because I was not strong enough to resist in that atmosphere. God has completely blessed me for that decision with my wonderful husband, baby and family and friends surrounding me, also mending relationship from my first 2 years of college. I haven’t had any alcohol in over 6 years, although the desire has still been there, but I know it would take me down another messy path if I even so much had one drink. But I am very excited to say that last month was the first time I was turned off by just looking at a wine cooler at the grocery store. Before I would see it and would fantasize of the taste of it and would be frustrated with myself. But now God has taken even that desire away.

To end the service we sang Grace Flows Down:

Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
Amazing Love
Now flowing down
From hands and feet
That were nailed to the tree
As Grace flows down and covers me
It covers me
It covers me
It covers me
And covers me

I have sung that song many times, but this time it really touched me. God has given me immeasurable amounts of grace, and I should do the same to others, but haven’t. So that has been my prayer this week, that God will give me a heart full of grace for others, like he has done for me.

One of my favorite parts of youth ministry is going to student’s events. Whether it’s sports, band, choir, anything. I like to go and meet the students where they are, and it’s also a great opportunity to get to know the parents of our youth. When we first moved to Minnesota I think a few people were surprised to see us at events since we don’t have a kid of our own to go watch, which was a great time to let people know that we enjoy going and seeing what our youth are involved in, and to encourage them. Already with the school year kicking off, Tim, Hannah and I have been able to make a soccer game and 2 tennis matches, one of which we had 5 youth girls playing at the same time on 4 different courts. Even though I’m not leading a small group this Fall, I can take advantage of meeting the youth in their own element. And Hannah is always a popular girl wherever we go. I love watching the youth girls interact with her!