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The Random Post on Life and Ministry

I try to keep this blog strictly youth ministry focused, but I think it is fair to reveal what is happening to the dude, aka me, who runs reyouthpastor.com.

– wife and i switched roles.  my wife is working in middle school ministry and I am volunteering in middle school ministry. a year ago, i was working in youth ministry and she was volunteering.

–  i am co-leading a middle school boys small group and i love it.  i think middle schoolers teach me more about God– their  raw questions and fearless pursuit of Jesus is unlike any other age group.

– i read the book:  The Heart and the Fist:  The education of a humanitarian, the making of a Navy Seal and i loved it. i learned that strength comes from working through pain.  to be a Navy Seal is as much a question of moral character as it is a question of physical courage.  the best thing about this book was how Eric was able to discern when to apply unconditional love and grace and when to exert force.

–  we bought a home and have really sunk our heels into a community.

–  as of late, i have really been struggling with the philosophical question of:  when is one truly content-satisfied?  how does one arrive at happiness?  my rough answer to this question is:  God, wife/family, friendship, contemplation and great food.  I think this is how Aristotle would answer this question.  I heavily consulted the his book:  Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.

–  i finished the Insanity Workout as promise here.  it was by far the toughest workout i have ever done.

–  last week, i visited my old youth group in laguna beach and it has doubled in size since i left.  more about this in a later blog post.

–  i am love working with Orange/XP3.  some really sharp, creative people that are constantly asking the questions of:  How can we do family ministry better?  How can we reach the next generation?  I am learning a ton from a wide range of youth pastors.

–  excited for my friend Jared Herd’s new book More Lost Than Found.  this project started in his apartment in pasadena, ca as he explored the question of:  what message does the next generation need to hear most?

– became an auburn fan