Pictures...

...will be coming soon...when I can find my USB cord...


UPDATE: God helped me find it. :)  I didn't know that was what He was doing when I found that my computer mouse wasn't working.  (Annoying!)  But that problem got me to look at the back of my office computer.  In the process, I found that the mouse cord was firmly plugged in...but I also found that the cord I needed for my camera had been hiding there for a few months.  (Nice!)  The mouse worked again when I restarted. 

I like how God cares about the little things.

Teaching about God's Love...and Learning it Myself

Do you find that as you minister to others, God often uses it to grow you more than them?  Such may be the case with our girls retreat this past weekend.  Take a look into my soul…if you dare.

In my brief time of working in the inner city, one thing I have noticed is that consistency is hard to come by.  While the students in my small-town youth group didn’t change that much from year to year, here the faces change a lot from year to year.  This year our group, overall, is much younger than last year’s group, and our retreat ended up consisting of five 6^th graders.  It was good that it ended up this way, but I definitely had to change my mindset.  Last year, the girls in my cabin were all age 14 and up.  They talked about heavy issues, like boyfriends, depression, and cutting.  This year, our girls were all age 11.  They talked about Justin Bieber and pillow pets.

These precious girls, though some come from homes of divorce or absent fathers, still are pretty well-adjusted.  They have been attending church or Living Hope for years, and they seem to be on the right track in life, though they may not fully understand what it is to make their faith their own.  As we taught about the love of God, some truths sank in.  They may not have understood all the implications of this massive reality, but seeds were planted and watered.  Who knows what kind of harvest will come down the road?

It was interesting to watch my own heart through the weekend.  The adjustment from last year to this year was harder than I expected.  Somehow, I was upset that none of the “troubled” girls had come.  As I searched my heart, I found that this frustration was not rooted in holy compassion, but in a wickedly misdirected search for self-worth.  I feel validated in what I do when I’m reaching the hard-to-reach and helping the most troubled of souls.  I need to be needed.

Where was this coming from?  I’ve learned about self-worth before.  I’ve taught on self-worth.  I thought I was done with learning this lesson.  My value is not in what I do, where God has called me, or the results I see.  My value is in being loved, chosen, and adopted by the Glorious Maker of all things.  It has nothing to do with my accomplishments.  But if I fail to remember God’s love for me, I always go back to another method of seeking validation.

“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of pharaoh king of Egypt.”  Deut. 7:7-8

Why did He set His love on them?  Because He loves them.

Why does He love me?  Because I work with inner-city kids?  NO! 

Because He loves me.

And that will never change.

Volunteer Opportunities at Living Hope

Work Days

We are in a “new to us” building, and there are many work projects to make this space work for us.  This fall, there will be work days every Saturday from 8 a.m. to early afternoon.  If you are able to come and help at another time, please contact Steve Moen at 612-789-2244.

 

Transformers (age 2—5th grade)

Children have a blast while and learning foundational truths about God.  Songs, crafts, games, and a meal together all reinforce the lessons, build relationships, and make this a highlight of the kids’ week!  Volunteers arrive at 5:15 each Wednesday for corporate prayer, and from 6-8 teaching teams work with small groups of children.  Volunteers stick around for a brief training time and go home around 8:15.  Wednesdays, October thru April.  Trainings are Sept. 21 and 28, 6-9 p.m.

 

 

Youth Group (Grades 6-12)

This is a place for middle school and high school students to belong, to ask questions, to grow, and to develop lasting friendships.  We want to walk alongside students through their challenges, and equip them to be leaders, impacting their community and beyond.  We will have separate Bible studies for guys and girls. Mentoring, retreats, parent events, service projects, and other special events can also be expected!  Wednesdays, October– April.  Trainings are Sept. 21 and 28, 6-9 p.m.

One by One Tutoring (Grades K-5)

Academic tutoring is a need faced by many families in the city.  Living Hope seeks to meet this need, using is as an opportunity to share the love and hope of Jesus.  Volunteers   are matched one-on-one with a student for the school year.  Each Tuesday or Thursday, they spend an hour tutoring their student in math, reading, and writing.  Then the students have a half-hour Bible club!  Tutors typically arrive at 6:15 and leave shortly after 8.  Tuesdays or Thursdays, October-April.  Trainings are Sept. 21 and 28, 6-9 p.m.

 

 

 

Family Bible Study

We desire to see a “family of families” built up at Living Hope.  Each Sunday evening, 5-8 p,m., families and individuals meet together for a meal and time in the Word.  We are going through the Truth Project DVD series.  Join a community that strives to worship God wholeheartedly and obey the “one another” commands of Scripture.   Sunday evenings, starting Sept. 11

Summer Staff (It’s not too early to think about it!)

Looking for a way to grow and see God at work this summer?  We are looking for summer staff who are willing to trust God and be used by Him.   We will build strong relationships with children and families of Northeast Minneapolis, learn about urban ministry, and facilitate mission trips for youth groups from greater Minnesota, Wisconsin, and beyond.  Help teens see how God can use them, and infuse in them a heart for urban ministry!   Summer staff see God at work as they raise their own support, and training in support raising is provided.   June and July, 2012.  A special training on Support Raising is coming up later this fall.  Date TBD.

 

Other Ways to Serve

PR, fundraising, event-planning, and website design are just a few of the many ways to get involved.  What gifts has God given you that you could use at Living Hope?

 

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 For more information, please contact:

 Transformers Leader:  Frank Schmidt at  frschmidt@students.nwc.edu 

One by One Tutoring Leader: Becca Ludzack at rcludzack@students.nwc.edu

For other opportunities contact 

 Steve Moen, Executive Director, smoen@livinghopempls.org

Or Alyssa Stynsberg, Director of Youth Ministries, astynsberg@gmail.com

Looking back on the summer one more time...

September hit, and suddenly it seemed like the sun was lower in the sky, the air was more crisp and cool, and though I don't hear crunches beneath my feet or see the bright hues of leaves, ripe with age and ready to die, it is certain that Fall is in the air. 

It is good at this point to look back on the summer.  Yes, it is good to remember what God has done and what He has taught us.  (And it is good, after one procrastinates for a few months, to post some pictures on one's blog.)

Here are a few pics from the summer.

Wisconsin Bible Camp

VBS #1 at Jackson Park

Sports Camp #1 at Jackson Park

Creative Arts Camp

BUMP (VBS #2)

Craft time...I got to share the gospel with the girl on the left.  She had never heard any of it before.

Sports Camp #2

3-2-1 Ninja!

 Youth leaders work with their students, helping them plan a Bible lesson for their water break at Sports Camp.

 A crazy team-building game!  Some of our youth group students participated with the visiting teams.



Encouragement notes!

"What can we spare?" vs. "What will it take?"

Some friends of mine have been impacted by the book Radical by David Platte, so I got it from the library to read during these 2 weeks of vacation.  One reviewer said this book kept him constantly saying either "Amen!" or "Ouch!"--in a good way.  David Platt challenges us to consider how much we (American Christians) have bought into the ideas behind the "American Dream," and challenges us to live radically, as the Bible truly calls us to.

If I owned this book, no doubt I would be underlining and writing notes all over the place.  Maybe I'll buy it later.  But for now, let me share a quote:

"How many people have not believed because they have not heard?  What will it take for those people to hear?  Have they not heard because there is no one to tell them?  What can we do, in obedience to God, to change a world in which there are millions and millions of people who cannot call on the name of the Lord? Most of us would say we know the answer to that question.  Many of us would say we are even doing things to change the situation.  But the truth is, there will continue to be millions and millions of people who do not hear as long as we continue to use spare time and spare money to reach them.  Those are two radically different questions.  "What can we spare?" and "What will it take?" (qtd in Radical, by David Platt, p. 129)

An Amazing End to the Summer

Not gonna lie.  This was the most exhausting summer of my life.  But God was SO gracious.  Most weeks as I work with a visiting team of youth, try to continue pouring into the youth group I lead, and coordinate communication with families and transportation to our kids programs, I find the work to be rewarding but exhausting.  But this summer I had something to look forward to through all the insanity: my brother was coming. :) 

And not only my brother Tyler, but the youth group he leads!  And a good family friend I had not seen for years!  And a phenomenal youth team from Brainerd, returning for their 4th time!  And, as the icing on the cake, God surprised us all by leading my sister, JaNae, to NOT go on a road trip to Colorado, but to stay for the week and join us for our sports camp.

JaNae (left) and other beloved young ladies.

One of the groups at our sports camp. I wonder what's so interesting about Tyler's forehead...

Wow.  God gives good gifts to his children.  Instead of being exhausted in this 6th week of being insanely busy, I had energy and joy, because I was literally surrounded by people I know and love.

Let me share a little tidbit that was especially cool to me: There were a few girls in Tyler's youth group who I have known since 2004.  That was the summer that I first got out of my comfort zone to be a camp counselor.  There were a couple of 3rd graders in my cabin that I thought were especially cute, and I'm sure I prayed for them a lot back then.  I loved counseling, and I returned the next summer, and there were those cute little girls again.  In fact, I had them in my cabin for four years.  Since then, four more years have passed, and now they are high schoolers.  It was such a joy to see them at the age I was when I first met them and to know that I had an impact on them back then that is helping them to step out now and minister to others.


On Friday, we had a brief visit with the Roseau youth group as they were returning from their own mission trip in St. Paul.  I noticed that among them was a girl I had in Vacation Bible School when I was in 8th grade (my first time volunteering with VBS) and she was in 2nd.  Again, how fun to see what God has brought about since then!

 Props to all you camp counselors and children's ministry workers.  God is using you in ways you may never know.  But I hope He gives you a glimpse of the fruit of the labors, as He did for me.

God at Work through Youth Missions

 

In high school, I had the privilege of going on four short-term mission trips with my youth group.  These were unforgettable experiences that played a pretty big role in giving me a passion for ministry, a heart for the poor, and strong bonds with the rest of my youth group which continue to this day.  Back then, I didn’t know that one day I would be facilitating the same sort of growth for hundreds of teens. 

One of the teams that served with us.  Yeah, I missed the memo that they were taking a photo.  Oops.

This summer over 170 teens and leaders served us and the people of Northeast Minneapolis, and we did our best to serve them and help them grow through the experience.  God certainly was at work in many lives this summer, and I want to give you a small taste of that.  Here are some things teens and leaders said at a debriefing time after their mission trip.  Rejoice with me, for God has done great things!

·      One student began to see that God is always at work, even in the little things

·      Several students expressed that they never really understood the power of prayer until this week.  They saw specific prayers answered.  Some that were mentioned:

o       For the true love of God to pour through us to the kids

o       For energy at times of extreme exhaustion

o       God’s total control over the weather

·      Several students had not intended to go on the trip, but somehow God had led them there.  By the end of the week, they could see that God had a grand purpose for bringing them on this trip to Northeast Minneapolis.

·      Some students remarked how this trip meshed their youth group together in a way they had never experienced before.  Others expressed amazement at how two youth groups from different places quickly became like a family!

·      Two students confessed that before the trip they really disliked each other.  This was something that both of them were nervous about and were praying about as they went into the trip.  On the second night, God just did something!  He broke both of their hearts, and there was reconciliation…and new friends.

·      Some students were pushed out of their comfort zones…and at the end of the week they were very glad for that experience!  Students shared the gospel with strangers on the streets; they went prayer-walking through the neighborhoods, praying out loud and asking strangers if they wanted prayer; some made phone calls to strangers; others did service projects that stretched them out of their comfort zone.  Some were way out of their element just working with kids, but found it to be extremely rewarding.  All of them found that they needed to depend on God more in these situations, and they realized that He was always there with them to help them.

·      One student loved how excited the kids in his group got about heaven.  They asked tons of questions about it.  He said the strangest one was, “Can I do a backflip on a wolf in heaven?”  (It's a fair question.  I want to know.)

·      Some students were impacted by the difficult situations the kids find themselves in.  One expressed gratefulness that God has a plan for each of them, even if their futures look grim.  Another learned the importance of making the most of every opportunity, knowing that you may only have one chance to tell a kid about Jesus.

·      One student insightfully noticed, after a few years of coming to Living Hope, that she is more apt to go out of her comfort zone and take opportunities here than she is in her home town.  She knows that has to change.

·      One young man was incredibly moved by the trip.  He said that he’s been wanting to see God in a real way, and that his perception of God this week has been life-changing.   He now sees God as one who is actively at work.

·      Another realized that fear of failure was a major issue before the trip.  Ministry success was all-important to him.  God opened his eyes to see how he was using ministry to point to himself rather than to God.

·      These students and leaders faced many difficult situations when they were with us.  (Satan tends to hate what they’re doing and work pretty hard against them.)  One girls said, “God taught me to look past the bad stuff and rejoice in God.”  Another student felt burdened by things going on at home, but God answered his prayer to lift the burden.

·      One student was convicted of his impatience and cynical attitude and finally asked God for help.

·      One leader was struck in a new way by God’s heart for the poor and for children.