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If you build it…

This past week was perhaps one of the most encouraging weeks I have had in a long time.

We were able to map out some clear cut depictions of who will be doing what and who will be responsible for what aspects of our JourneyKidz Community as we move forward in the next few months.

Essentially, for me, I have felt that since coming on board full time last July, that we have been playing “catch-up” in some ways.  There wasn’t good system of equipping our small group leaders, or recruiting them, which led to a lot of confusion and frustration.  I feel like we have some good things in place, and now comes the next BIG phase: BUILDING

We have so many people in our JourneyKidz Leadership Community – nearly 150 leaders.  That is almost a 1-2 ratio for attending kids.  That is incredibly awesome!  Can you imagine the impact if every child has at least 2 adults pouring into their lives in addition to his/her parents?

We are going to spend the next few months strengthening up our communities: our Journey Kidz Communities.  We are going to become very specific, and more intentional than we ever have before to ensure that our kids are knowing and trusting God daily and that we as leaders are growing in our relationships with each other and God as we do it.

I am very excited about the next few months, and ask you to join with us in praying about your role and the BiG Story!

Using what you got

A quick way we have applied what we are teaching to what we are teaching…

24 Hours ago…

Just 24 hours ago I was at Journey NW.  It feels that more time has passed than that.  I don’t know if you are like me, but it is easy for me to forget things.  I misplace my keys, phone, license, ipod, etc. all the time.  I start one thing, then move on to the next before I’ve finished the first because when I start Project A, it’s the most important.  But, while I am doing that, my brain reminds me of Project B and I realize that Project B really should take priority over Project A.  Then, Project B triggers the same effect for Project C.

At some point, I realize – “I never finished Project A” and I go back to do that.  I’m not sure if that’s ADD or not.  I took an informal test on that…but eh.

So, anyway, because of the way my brain works (see how I just got sidetracked in writing this? I mean, in my mind the dots connected…but looking back now, I’m not sure…) I lose my stuff a lot and time goes by fast – exponentially – oh I remember now – because time goes by fast for me, and because I move from one thing to the next so quickly, it’s easy for me to forget where I put things and very difficult for me to remember very recent events.

Some people can handle it.  Some people can’t.

Because I am prone to move from one thing to the next, I often do not stop to think about what just happened.  I don’t take the time to celebrate the little things that were accomplished.  I’m trying to get better at it.  A few weeks ago, Deanna had to stop me and say, “Stop.  Don’t move on to the next thing yet.  Stop everything for one minute.  Think about what we just accomplished.  Tha’ts a BIG deal!”  So, now her voice runs through my head a lot, like today.  (Thanks Deanna).

Honestly, there are many things to celebrate, but I’ll pick one for now.  This past weekend, preschoolers learned that Jesus loves them.  That is a BIG deal!  That is a SUCCESS story!  If a three year old can grasp the concept that Jesus is a king, and he wants to be friends with me forever, that is HUGE!  Granted, some wanted to be friends with their Webkins forever (and time will tell) but they understood very well that JESUS LOVES ME and wants to be MY FRIEND forever!

What kind of impact will that have on them later in life?  I guess I mean, how many kids go through life never hearing that?  How many kids in the world yesterday did not hear that Jesus loved them?  In Raleigh, I know 200 kids that heard that and more.

I know of a bunch of 2nd-3rd graders who will be thinking to work like ants, not slugs.

That is worth a celebration!  I know kids who have recognized problems with their behavior and want to correct it.  I know kids with big hearts who are reaching out to other kids who are going through hard times.

God is a BiG GOD and He is moving through Journey, through an amazing community of Kidz Leaders, and through families to reach kids and the people around them.  The role we play is far – reaching.  So, thanks for celebrating that with me while you read this.

It reshapes the value of stuffing bags full of heart shapes and styrofoam balls!

And for a peek at what that looks like…and my brain..

Under Construction…

One of the things we strive to do at Journey Kidz is transform our rooms into environments.  Rooms are too common and too familiar.  We’ve been in rooms all week.  Who wants to go to a place on the weekend and sit in another room for an hour?  I don’t.  Kids don’t.  Adults don’t.

Even in the WAREHOUSE, adults worship in an environment.  It’s not really a room.

Our STUDIO environment is always changing.  Some months, it’s really good.  Some months it’s really lame.  This month, it is neither.  It’s just plain awesome.

When you walk into an environment, you are walking into an experience.  Experiencing something is more memorable than being told about something.  I’ve been to the Grand Canyon.  I can tell you all about it, but if you haven’t been there yourself, you don’t have the same memory.  I can tell you about Pittsburgh, but if you haven’t been there, you really don’t care.  (If you have been there, and several of you have – then you understand how completely incredible it is despite popular opinion. 

For our kids, we want each room to be radically transformed.  This is a project we are always tweaking and working on.  (Shameless plug: If you have a creative mind, think about jumping into our Kidz Community!)

I could write a lot more (and will one day) but for now, enjoy the pics…or better yet – swing in and see it for yourself! It’s much cooler in person, I promise!

Jen thinks it may be too much orange...

Jen thinks it may be too much orange…

A ladder to reach high…

Some old blue prints…we have no intention of building a bridal shop…

A fun entrance for our 2nd-3rd Grade small groups…

Flash Forward

2008 is leaving.  It has packed it’s bags and is sitting at the bus stop waiting for the CAT to take it to wherever it’s going.  2009 is already in route (probably already here, just hiding in a corner somewhere).

The past year has been a great one.  For me personally, just seven months ago I was wrapping up a year of teaching high school english.  I was packing up my classroom into boxes, filing things away, and saying goodbye to students who were saying, “See you next year.”  Except they didn’t.  (In passing only.)

It was seven months ago that I jumped from teaching into this new great experiment.  Crazy?

Ever seen Back to the Future Part II?  Marty (Michael J. Fox) gets the chance to see his future, what he will be when finally gets old.  It’s not a great picture.  It’s actually the opposite of everything he hoped for and his dreams of being a rockstar are instead met with his failure as a businessman.

“What are you saying?”

I’m saying that life doesn’t quite turn out like you think it will when you are young.  If you had asked me seven years ago when I left for college if I had any intention of moving back to Raleigh, I would have said no.  If you had asked me five years ago what I wanted to do for a living, I would have given a long-winded philosophical answer which is a college student’s way of saying, “I have no idea, but I hope it pays for these loans.”  If you had come across me in June of 2005, and and asked where I would be in a few months, I would have said, Kentucky or Pennsylvania.  A year later I would have said, Pennsylvania, or Raleigh.  Another year later I would have said maybe Texas too.

I’m still in Raleigh.  And I’m glad I am.  I’m glad to be here at this time for these moments, to be on the edge of my seat where God is doing something miraculous all around me and in me, as He constatnly teaches me about redemption, about fixing broken people, about strengthening what He’s already put in us.

I’m excited for the year ahead.  We have so much to do, and we are going to have so much fun doing it.  We are going to develop new ways to help families reach out and grow up in Christ.  We are providing new ways for people to get involved.  TheBLOCK and MiNi CiTy are going to get some booster shots in the forms of large group teams, and some awesome environment face-lifts.  (Booster shots and face-lifts in the same phrase…see?  The generational gap is closing….

Our teams in the Kidz GIG STUDIO are doing a great job and are poised to go the next level.  Our kids are getting it, and are seeking God in their every day lives.  It’s incredible.

We have some good stuff coming, and we are thankful for what has been done, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Great Scott!

The Stocking is Stuffed

I’ll be honest. I haven’t posted anything fun about toys because quite frankly, I finished my shopping and I’m done.

I’m done with the crazy mall traffic, the crazy customers who run you over, and literally push you out of the way so can get their 20% off of a toe-nail clipper fun-pack.

This past week we discussed in KidzGIG how we can be generous without necessarily giving money or giving items to people. They were quite clever, coming up with ways we can use our words, or our time to show people how valuable they are to us. One girl said that at the park she could spend time with her sister and play with her rather than doing her own thing.

In the book “A Prayer for Owen Meany”, John Irving, through the narrator, writes that sometimes “the so-called spirit of giving can be just as greedy as receiving.”

I think that can be very true. Is our motivation for giving out of greed for what we expect in return? Or is it because we truly want to show value to the people around us?

Christ showed us how valuable we are to Him by His sacrifice. The Father showed us how valuable we are to Him by the gift of His Son.

What are some ways we can show how valuable people are to us without a tangible, monetary gift?

I received a Christmas card from each of two brothers this past weekend. I loved that! What a simple way to show appreciation to not only me, but they also gave one to their small group leaders as well. Generosity comes in many forms.

I hope you have a calm few days before Christmas. Rest in the Greatest Gift amongst the hustle.

Stocking Stuffer #11, 12, and 13 – MUSIC!!!

This is actually a REAL one. I mean, all these things have been real, but this one is REALLY REAL. As in, you can purchase it!

We were able to get a great deal on the music we often sing in our KidzGIG STUDIO, and we are passing it on to you. For just $6 each, these CD’s are available to pick up this weekend at Journey. I ordered 30 to start, and can get some more if they have them, but the bulk order allows us to get a discount and to offer that same discount to you. (In other words, we aren’t looking for a profit here, rather I want you and your family to have these CD’s because the songs are for EVERYONE!)

If you have never stepped foot into our KidzGIG STUDIO, you’ve probably heard it! This is what it sounds like!

(And you are more than welcome to stop in!)

Shoot me an email at aaron@takeajourney.org  if you’d like more info on these, or head over to www.unclecharlie.com. He has a great ministry, and I am thankful his team is selling these at a discount this season.

Bonkers - includes PROMISES, A PLAN, MY SAVIOR LIVES etc.

Bonkers – includes PROMISES, A PLAN, MY SAVIOR LIVES etc.

Life is Good – includes – LIFE IS GOOD, YOU NEVER LET GO, BETTER THAN LIFE, ALL ABOUT YOU, etc.

SUPERHERO – includes SUPERHERO, GET DOWN, FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, etc.

Stocking Stuffer #10 – Magna, not Magma…

Need anything else be said?  It’s a doodle.  With magnets.

Who knew you could DOODLE with MAGNETS!?!?!

Just take some from the refrigerator and DOODLE!

Stocking Stuffer #7, 8, and 9 – O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree…

I have lumped these three together because there is no other way to do it.

Most people decorate their homes with some sort of Christmas tree. Some have two. Some have more. Some have a tiny one, much like Charlie Brown’s.

Decorating the tree is a tradition with just as many details and specifications as putting together a car engine. The wreath goes in a certain spot, with a certain bow. The garland goes over and under the stair railing, but wraps around the banister, and lays like a boa on the mantle.

Ornaments present a new dimension. Pretty ornaments are placed on the front side of the tree. Less flattering ornaments are discarded to the back of the tree, nearest to the wall, where they spend the holidays lamenting the many other trees they could have inhabited, had they not been forced out by the most recent Coca-cola ornament…(those are mine, I like Coca-cola Classic…a lot…that’s why I include Classic when I say it…)

So, today’s stocking stuffers are the sad little ornaments at the back of the tree, perfect for re-gifting.

Here’s a few from my parent’s house…