We were outnumbered in our house yesterday by Mexicans because we invited some friends over to share the festivities with us.
The youth pastor of our church and his family were there. A music professor from the seminary and their family was there. Jon and Nicolle, the interns from Huntington who are here until December, were there.
It was a great Thanksgiving. It’s always fun to share family traditions with spiritual family. Since we’re far away from “home”, we enjoy trying to create the same atmosphere here as if we were in Florida. I think we achieved that yesterday.
Of course, the honored guest was the turkey (imported from the country of Chile). Janell did a wonderful job cooking everything, and we all had that too full and tired to move feeling at the end of the day while watching the football games.
The kids had a great time, too, although the house took a beating because of it. There were toys everywhere. Luckily, we stayed on top of cleaning up, so the evening wasn’t too terribly full of washing dishes.
I am thankful that we can have this tradition even living here in Mexico. I love sharing something that is 100% American with people from another culture. It’s pretty fun for everyone…except the turkey.
I got this Facebook message the other day. It reminded me of why I do youth ministry, and it helped me understand more about success in any kind of ministry.
It’s from a former student, talking about what God is doing in his life.
Hey Dennis,
It has been a very long time I know. I wanted to let you know that after a little cooling period God has become top priority in my life, more than even before during the NDBC Youth Group years. I just wanted to let you know this.
I am experiencing things that have never happened before. The Holy Spirit has definitely come upon me. Words cannot describe the joy that I have knowing that I am near God right now. He is definitely speaking to me.
Adam and I are having a Bible Study session / prayer session now, praying for God to give us direction in everything we do. We both are feeling called to be more active in this church and in future churches (whether thru considering the thought of being youth pastors, pastors, or group leaders).
Something very new and exciting is now Bible verses are becoming clear to me, explaining how to live everyday life and accounting for every possible situation that will come up in my life and what I need to do in that situation to glorify God.
I just want to say thank you to you for all those times that you continued to preach the message to a bunch of kids who really needed it and sometimes took it for granted. You’re one of the ones who got helped me realized that life with out God is no life. You put the building blocks into me that are now growing and reaching higher levels.
I do not tell you all this to boast a bunch of praise on you. I tell you this because you should know, by being a man of God you changed someone’s life and did what the Bible and God said to do which is to teach the works of Jesus Christ and live a life like him.
I hope this message finds you well. Just know the message God gave you to give to me all those years ago will not end with me, because I am going to do what you did and speak the truth so that someone else may have the same joy that I have.
I know you are only here a short while and many things have changed in your life. They have with me as well. I know Adam and I both would like to get together with you and tell you what’s been going on. Anyways, I felt God telling me to tell you these things.
Talk to you later.
