As you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, remember the sacrifices of people like him and those who marched with him went through so that we could move forward as a nation.  Here is the entire speech that he gave on the March on Washington. 

Let us not forget the Freedom we enjoy in this nation.  Bue let us also not forget thte Freedoms we enjoy as Christians. 

Freedom to be free from sin. 
Freedom to love our enemies.
Freedom to serve others.
Freedoom to turn the other cheek.
Freedom to give freely.
Freedom to be honest.

These are the freedoms, that when we exercise and practice them in our lives, we are able to be free from sin and to live the BEST possible life. 

Do yourself a favor.  Watch the ENTIRE Speech of MLK.  Then read Galatians 5 and think about it for a minute. 

Today in the Junior High Bible Class they made fresh bread to better learn what Jesus is talking about when he says he is the bread of life.  How great it is to have a teacher like Ken who is as creative and energetic as he is to want to teach you with so much passion?

CLICK HERE to see photos from this Sunday's Bible Class on Jesus being the Bread of Life

I leave this afternoon for a three day planning retreat for Faith Development Camp & Wildside Camp.  I am meeting with the rest of the leadership team for both camps.  Please keep us in your prayers as we do the final big push that gets all the important things in line for these camps.  It is usually a time when we get a clear vision for what camp is going to look like and what we still need to do.  Pray that we get God's vision for what he wants done with camp this summer.  Thanks for your prayers!!!!

“EVERY YOUNG WOMAN’S BATTLE” COMING: A special 8-week small group for high school girls grades 9-12 will be held on Sunday evenings coming THIS SUNDAY NIGHT January (Jan. 14-Mar. 4) from 5:15-6:30PM in the Church Library.  The basis for the study is the book, "Every Young Woman's Battle:  Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World."  This is a great time to deal with the different pressures that you are faced with in today's culture.  It is also a safe place to talk about difficult issues and build some great friendships.  Set aside these eight Sunday Nights and be a part of this great group.  Contact Annette Walls or Walter if you have questions.

Who doesn't like pictures of themselves?  Well have we got more pics, photos, images of events from the past few weeks.  Yes siree.  We have your photos.
CLICK HERE for photos from The Edge on January 7th!!!

CLICK HERE for photos from Christmas Cheer service project  and from the Christmas Eve service!!!!

Over the holiday break I accidentally cut the tip of my finger.  It wasn't a deep cut, nor was it anything to worry about.  It was just an ordinary run of the mill cut.  What was unique about it was that it was at the very tip of my finger.  It made it difficult to put a band-aid on it.  But what was even more frustrating was how much of a bother it was for me.  It got in the way of my typing, my mousing, brushing my teeth, almost EVERYTHING I did was affected by the loss of feeling in my fingertip.  It made me realize how important even the smallest things can be. 

Everything has its place.  Everything has a purpose.  Everything can work together and probably should work together when they do what they are created for.  It made me think about how important EVERYONE is in the church.  EVERYONE has a part to play.  EVERYONE is important.  EVERYONE makes a difference. EVERYONE can be and are missed when they are not around.

That means YOU!

If you have dropped out of sight in student ministry recently . . . YOU ARE MISSED.

If you have been thinking no one notices your absence . . . WE DO!

If you think it doesn't matter if you aren't there . . . YOU DO MATTER!

Make this one of your best years ever.  Get involved.  If you feel like a fingertip that doesn't matter, you do matter.

The Bible talks about this when it says:

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable."

I Corinthians 12:20-22

You are indispensable.  You matter. You make a difference.

This is Josephina. As my daughter correctly pronounces it: (Ho-se-fee-na).  Over the holiday break we went on an excursion to The American Girl Place.  This is one of the three stores in the country where you can walk in a buy an American Girl Doll.  I have to say it was an "experience" to say the least.  My daughters have been saving for almost a year and doing extra chores, passing up impulse buys in order to save up for their very own American Girl Doll.  It was really a great thing to witness in them.  It has been great to see the disciplines of saving and giving developing in them. 

In the same time they saved and saved, they also gave a tremendous amount of their allowance away to the Made in the Streets kids as well.  I personally took over $40 with me to Kenya that they had saved which doesn't count what they have been putting in to the basket each Sunday.  Before you get ahead of yourself, we don’t give them that big of an allowance ($2.50/week IF they do all their chores which is very rarely).  So that ought to put into perspective how long they have been saving.  I have learned a lot from them.  I learned about the generosity when they have put more than just 10% in to their giving bank each week.  I have learned the discipline of sacrifice when they have asked for a kids meal at a restaurant and we have told them they would have to pay the difference from their savings if they wanted the toy and they have done without.  The value of a dollar is really hitting home for them.  They also put in “overtime” as they volunteered to do extra chores in order to make enough money before the trip down. 

I realized that we don’t get anything handed to us.  We have to work hard for the things we have.  We need to take care of what we have been blessed with.  This includes sharing what we have with those around us.  Sharing is a tremendous, wonderful, beautiful, thing. 

While at the AGP, I watched a lady spend over $800.  Eight Hundred Dollars!  On doll stuff!!!  I was blown away.  I began to wonder if they had put some sort of scent in the air conditioning that stopped one’s rational thinking and made one think “I HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING HERE!”  Fortunately for us, we didn’t get sucked in.  The girls stuck to what they had planned on getting and that is all they wanted.  May I have the same discipline this year to not get sucked in to the marketing and advertising that I am bombarded with daily.  May I be content with all I NEED and not be discontent that I don’t have all I WANT.

May we all be like Paul when he writes:

“ . . . for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:11-13

Check out the New Music on The Zone iPod!

Here is SOME of what is new:

“The Saints Are Coming” by U2
“Hard Days Night” by The Beatles
“Ordinary Miracle” by Sara McLachlan
“All Will Be Well” by The Gabe Dixon Band
“All I Have to do is Dream” by The Dandy Warhols
“Earth Angel” by Death Cab for Cutie
“Fascination” by The Human League
“Dirty Water” by The Standells

There are a few more NEW tracks in there as well.  MMMMMM Candy for your ears!!!!

May your ears enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!