From 11.19.08 – Night of 1000 Thanks

Tonight at Army 6:12 (our youth group) we held an event called “Night of 1000 Thanks”. I challenged students to give thanks (1000-thanks) by writing things, people, etc., that they are thankful for on 1000 post-its and place on or around a cross on our stage in the youth room.

This is the third time that I’ve done this event and it was just as powerful tonight as the other two times. The image of 1000 post-its stuck to the cross with words and phrases of students’-thanks is one that is burned into my brain probably forever. I love it.

We followed the giving thanks time by participating in Communion together and then closed in a circle of prayer. It was a great night – a night that I will be talking about for a few weeks I’m sure.

Nights like this really make me proud and excited to be in youth ministry!

We also showed this video tonight to intro “what Thanksgiving is all about”!

Full photoset of the night is here. Hopefully a highlight video will be coming soon!

From 11.15.08 – Stevan & Duffy Robbins

Tonight Jess and I were able to attend the Westmoreland County Youth Network’s 2nd Annual Youth Ministry Appreciation Dinner in Greensburg. We even had the privilege of sitting at the table with Duffy Robbins – national speaker, youth ministry professor, and all-around youth ministry guru.

He shared some great encouragement with our group tonight that I am going to share here. He called these four-points “4 Simple Encouragement Principles” and yet they were extremely powerful to hear tonight:

#1. THE MORNING SICKNESS PRINCIPLE
– The process doesn’t always look like progress

#2. THE DIVINE SURPRISE PRINCIPLE
– God often acts when we don’t expect Him to

#3. THE MIRACLE MATH PRINCIPLE
– God takes negatives and turns them into positives

#4. THE REAL LOVE PRINCIPLE
– A commitment to God can look different between a teen and an adult and yet be as genuine.
– Thinking about the “I Love You” said to a spouse upon engagement vs. saying “I Love You” after 35-years of marriage. Same genuine commitment of love seen differently through the time frame of relationship.