Christmas Program 2009

Plugged In- Starts This Week!

Don't miss this exciting new series we are calling "PLUGGED IN"!! We'll kick things off this Wednesday Night @ 7pm. Be there and bring some friends!

See You At The Pole 2009

SYATP was a huge success this morning! We had well over 60 Jr High and High School Students show up to pray! Ofcourse, we had to start the morning with donuts & juice! Here are some pics from the event!

Join us tonight at the Centerville High School for the See You {After} The Pole Rally 6:15-8:30pm

21 Day Challenge- Day Twenty

I can't believe it is day 20 of our 21 Day Challenge! I read this quote recently and I really wanted to share it with you. Just a simple thought, but it sure packs a big punch when you think about it!
"Its better to be a sermon than it is to preach one."
We've heard it many times before, that "you are the only Bible some people will ever read." It is so true! People are watching you! They are watching to see how you react in certain situations. They are watching to see what you say and how you live. You ARE a witness.... whether good or bad, people are watching you!
It's easy to run around and "preach".... but what REALLY matters is how you live. Just TELLING someone about Jesus may not be enough. You need to SHOW them!

***Read Hebrews 12:1***
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"

I encourage you today to think about the way you are living your life. What example are you setting for the Body of Christ? When people look at you and the way you live your life, do they see Jesus?
In your quiet time today, ask God to show you how you can be a better example to the life of Christ everyday. And remember, don't just TALK THE TALK- you gotta WALK THE WALK!

21 Day Challenge- Day Nineteen

"Call me!" Have you ever heard those words??!! From a friend, a parent, etc...we've all heard it - alot! There's nothing special about that phrase, right? Well, it's according to who says it! Did you know that God Himself, the creator of the entire Universe has invited you to call Him?
***Read Jeremiah 33:3***
It says 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'
Have you ever made a call to someone and all you got was their voicemail? It's not like that with God. When you "call" to Him, He listens immediately, every time. No voicemail. No messages. He's waiting to hear from you right now! Spend some time just talking to Him today. But, don't forget... you can't be the only one talking- you've got to also give Him the opportunity to speak to you as well!

21 Day Challenge- Day Eighteen

I have a video I want to show you for today's devotional! Just don't forget to pause our playlist so you can hear the video!


One question. Have you surrendered control to Jesus?

21 Day Challenge- Day Seventeen

"Down. Set. Hike!" Dad dropped back to pass in what had become a serious game of backyard football one Christmas break. I needed to make a big play. My younger brother, John, and I were playing for bragging rights and he was winning!
So as I took off running, I looked back at my Dad. The ball was already in the air. Dad had launched it! I turned it up a gear and ran as fast as I could, keepng my eyes on the ball the whole way. Sure enough the timing was perfect, but John was right there with me. As he jumped to try to knock the ball away, it sailed over his outstretched hands. I caught the ball, running at a full sprint!
I was so excited because I was about to score the game winning touchdown. But just as I looked up from making the catch, WHAM! I ran right into a tree! The collision knocked me flat on my back, and the ball fell out of my hands. I was stunned. I looked back at my brother to try to figure out what had just happened, only to see him rolling on the ground in hysterical laughter.
I had made the right moves. I had done all the right things, but I left myself vulnerable to an unforseen obstacle, and there I sat embarrassed and in pain.
You know, that's not unlike what can happen to us as Christians if we are not careful. We know
our goal is a life of service to Christ. We keep our eyes on the prize. We go about our business doing good things, but if we don't guard our hearts, we are vulnerable to being wounded by the obstacles the enemy puts in our path.
***Read Proverbs 4:23***
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (New Living Translation)
Guarding your heart is not a matter of avoiding the pains in life. It's a matter of keeping your heart tender before God no matter what the circumstances. An unprotected heart becomes callused with each collision and pain. A callused heart become hard. A hard heart is too broken for relationship with God or with people. That's why the Bible says to "guard your heart, because it affects everything you do."

21 Day Challenge- Day Sixteen

It wasn't your choice to begin life when you did. You didn't choose your family, your race or your gender. So, is there really purpose for your life?
YES! God's purpose has been built into your very being.
*** Read Psalm 139:16***
It says that "the days of your life were all prepared before you ever lived one." (Message Bible)
That means you were NO ACCIDENT. Your life is not a mistake. It's not a coincidence that you are who you are. God has an ordained purpose for your life from the beginning. He designed a plan that is YOURS alone. There is a specific purpose for your life.
It's up to you to find and fulfill that purpose. The more you know God, the more you will discover your purpose. As you seek His face, God will begin to reveal His plan- sometimes in every day situations and sometimes in the spectacular. Any moment can be a defining moment. Learn to make the most of every day and let your pupose unfold before you.

21 Day Challenge- Day Fifteen

Today, our devotion is going to be a little different! I found this video devotional by Jeremy Camp that I wanted to share with you. I LOVE LOVE LOVE his new song "Speaking Louder Than Before"!! I hope you will be encouraged and motivated by it today!
(Don't forget to pause our blog playlist on the side so you can hear the video!)

What kind of representation of Christ are you being? How loud is your life speaking?
Speak Up. Speak Now. Speak Loud.

21 Day Challenge- Day Fourteen

Let's look at Colossians 4:2&3 closely today and let it be a guide for today's prayer time:
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains."

"Devote yourselves to prayer..."
***Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2***
We need to devote yourselves to pray for the leaders in your school, community, and country that they will be filled with the knowledge of God and do His will.

"...being watchful and thankful."
Read Thessalonians 3:3 and 1 Chronicles 16:8***
Pray that God will protect you from the enemy that will try to discourage you. Thank the Lord for who He is and what He can do through you!

"And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains"
***Read 1 Peter 3:13-16 and Mark 16:15***
Pray that God will use our upcoming See You At The Pole to initiate and build students whose purpose will be to share the Gospel with unsaved friends on campus. Ask God to bring spiritual awakening to His church.

21 Day Challenge- Day Thirteen

He was a teenager. The youngest of 8 brothers. Up until this time in his life, he had never done anything that most people would have considered significant. His family owned animals outside the city, so most of his day consisted of taking care of animals. Basically, his job was the one nobody else wanted to do.
His older brothers, on the other hand, seemed to have it all together. They were much more developed physically. He was at times overlooked,overshadowed by his older brothers.
The three oldest brothers were not only more physically developed, but thier jobs seemed to be so much more significant than his. While he was back home doing family chores, his three oldest brothers had joined the military and were off to war!
Surely seeing the sucess of his older brothers caused him to desire to do something more significant with his life. But he was just 15 years old. He was going to have to settle for doing the small tasks he had been given.
Even if he had dreams of significance, somehow he found a way to enjoy things that seemed insignificant. He began to take pride in caring for his father's livestock, protecting them from predators. In fact, he was known to have killed two of the most feared predators in that area.
There were times when his older brothers belittled what he did, but that never seemed to bother him. No one seemed to care about how hard he was working, but that didn't stop him from doing his very best.
Because he was faithful with little things, God blessed him with great things. You may have heard of this young man. He soon became one of the most famous people of all of history. His name was David.
As you know, David was given an opportunity to do a big job: to kill Goliath, the giant.
David greatly surpassed his brothers in significance in just one day!

***Read Ecclesiastes 9:10***
It says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."


All of us have a starting point in life. No one starts out at the top. There is a process involved in reaching our goals. Part of the process is learning to do our very best wherever we are and whatever we are doing. Giving it our very best effort like David did. God will honor you for giving it your all.
In your prayer, praise and listening time today, ask God to show you ways you can improve your effort in every area of your life. Whether it be at school, your job, or in cleaning the floor....give it your very best!

21 Day Challenge- Day Twelve

Paul Dawson of Oregon tells the story of a family trip: "While visiting Grand Coulee Dam, we were surprised to see that the visitor's center was dark, even though it was a sunny day. We thought the center might have tinted windows, but as we got closer we saw that there were no lights on. We went in and saw that none of the displays were working. Suddenly it became clear: there was no power to the center. Due to a technical problem, the visitor's center that sat only a few hundred feet from a hydroelectric dam and had no electricity. how could something be so close to one of the largest power sources in the United States, yet have no power?"

***Read Colossians 1:11-14***
11 "We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins."

The Christian life is often compared to light in Paul's letters. He uses light to symbolize God's holiness, truth, love and glory. For us, the source of this light is Jesus. When we stay close to Him, we can keep His light shining bright. However, when we take our focus off Him, spending less time with Him and disobeying His voice, we become like the visitors' center in this story- so close to the awesome Source of power, but our own supply is cut off.
Each day offers a brand new start to be "plugged in." If you miss a day, or even a few, of your quiet time, just repent then get back on track. God doesn't want you to beat yourself up about it and give up. He just wants to spend time with you. As a Christian, you are His light, but you must keep on "being strengthened with all power according to His glorious light."

21 Day Challenge- Day Eleven

American Indians would sometimes lay silent with their ears to the ground listening for the hooves of the horses of their enemies galloping toward them, well before they could be seen. The Indian could not hear their approach when he was up and active. This meant his life could be in danger, because he did not know in advance his enemies were coming unless he was on the ground listening.

If we can't learn to sit quietly at the feet of our Lord, we might miss out guidance that is necessary for our spiritual safety and growth.

Eli told Samuel to go lie down and listen to the Lord. You can read about it in
1 Samuel 3:8-10 Here's what happened:
So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

It's not very easy to find quiet moments in our busy day; but to listen to what God is saying to us, we must follow the example of this verse.
Spend a few moments today just sitting quietly and listening to God. Ask Him to speak to you. Let Him know that you are here and you are ready to listen to what He has to say to you.

21 Day Challenge- Day Ten

Wow! We are finally getting some much needed rain! I was standing outside lastnight and BOOM! out of nowhere- it starting raining like crazy! I had to run for cover! It made me think of this Scripture:

***Read Psalm 61:1-4***
"Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings."

When things are going crazy in our life and it seems like the "rain" is pouring down on us, it's so great to know that God is there. He shelters us from the storms in our life. When it feels like everything is pouring down on us, He is right there to lift us up and give us the strength we need to get through it. It gives me such peace to know that I can take refuge in Him.

So as God is blessing us with natural rain this weekend, be reminded that when the "storms" of our life surround us, and we feel bombarded or overwhelmed, we can run for cover too! God is right there waiting to provide the shelter and the strength we need to ride out the storm!

Have a blessed day!

21 Day Challenge- Day Nine

Wow! I can't believe it's Friday and we have past the one week mark in our 21 day challenge!! I hope these devotions have been a blessing to you! Here's something to think about today:

In my car, I have OnStar. Twenety-four hours a day, seven days a week, when I press a little blue button on the rear-view mirror of my car, the system calls the OnStar operator and I have immediate assistance. It's very comforting knowing if I get lost, the operator is right there to give me directions. If I lock my keys in the car, the operator can unlock my doors from the master system. Whether I have an emergency, or just need information, OnStar is there to assist me. Yes, the OnStar system is an amazing feature, but we have an even more amazing support system available to us!

**Read John 14:15-17**

Here it is in the New Living Translation:

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you."

The Holy Spirit is not just an option in your Christian life- He comes as standard equipment with Christ. He is available to you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. When you have an emergency or need direction in life, the Holy Spirit is there.

The Holy Spirit is also called our Counselor, Spirit of Truth, and Comforter, among other names. Whatever the problem or the need, God's Spirit is there to help you and guide you. Learn to call out to Him whenever and for whatever your need is.

The next time you get in a car and see the little blue OnStar button, remember that you have access to God's help at ALL times. The next time you need help, call on His name. The Holy Spirit is there to help. In your prayer, praise and listening time today, thank God for His Holy Spirit that leads us and guides us and never leaves us.

Have a blessed day!

21 Day Challenge- Day Eight

Some people at the beach stay on the sand, laying out, sitting around.

Others play in the shallow water, letting the waves hit them.

Some snorkel, going a little deeper, just under the surface.

Some scuba dive, going out to the water and diving in.

The deeper someone goes, the more of the ocean they experience.

The deeper you go with God, the more of Him you will experience.

**Read Psalm 42:7 & 8**
My New Living Translation says "I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life."

David actually wrote this passage out of distress and anxiety. He is experiencing the deep things of God through pain, knowing that God is with him day and night.

God longs to show you deep, hidden truths about Himself. This will happen in only one way: spending time in His presence. Spending time everyday in prayer, praise and listening to Him. Have you played in the sand long enough? Dive in and go deep!

21 Day Challenge- Day Seven

I recently read this story and it really made me think about the people I come in contact with everyday, so I wanted to share it with you!

Two committed Christian graduate students were roommates living in a high-rise dorm. The two young men were praying together one night about how God might use them in ministry someday-somewhere- perhaps even missions. Their prayer time was interuppted by the sound of sirens and a commotion in the hallway. They were shocked to discover that the young man in the very next room had jumped out the window, committing suicide. He left a note stating: "I'm new here from out of state. I'm so alone. I don't know anyone, and no one has even taken the time to meet me. No one cares- what's the use of living?"

Perhaps their ministry was RIGHT NOW- RIGHT NEXT DOOR!

**Read Colossians 4:5**

In my New Living Translation, it says "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the mostof every opportunity."

We are surrounded everyday by opportunities to be used by God. Don't be like these two students who ignored the need of someone right next to them, because they were so focused on "someday- somewhere". God wants to use you RIGHT HERE- RIGHT NOW.

Our quiet time and Bible study is very important and gives us a time to spend with God so He can speak to us and guide us. That time will prepare and strengthen us for helping those He will bring into our lives. Make the most of every opportunity God gives you today. Your opportunity may be closer than you think!

21 Day Challenge- Day Six

I can't believe it it is already Day 6 of our 21 Day Challenge! We've almost hit the 1 week point!
Here is our thought for today:

Martin Luther, the theologian whose efforts in the 1500's opened up the use of the Bible to all people, once said, "I am so busy now that if I did not spend two or three hours each day in prayer, I could not get through the day." The more pressure he was under, the more he needed to have alone with God. This is true for any Christian.

Many people, written about in the Bible, set aside a time to meet with God. Jesus Himself was the best example:

**Read Mark 1:35 in your Bible**

It is said that the pace for your whole day is set during the first 15 minutes. Even if you prefer to read your Bible at night, it is still important to spend at least a few minutes with God each morning. He wants to guide you throughout the day, so let Him help you start it and plan it. Each morning, the time should be taken to give your day to God, to open yourself up to be used by Him any way He desires.

If you are too busy to spend time with God, then maybe you are busier than He intends for you to be. God gives us 24 hours in a day..... can't we give Him just a few minutes of our time?

Think about the way you spend your time throughout a normal day. Isn't there some extra time that you normally just throw away with useless things that you could devote to your Savior? I bet we all come find some time!

As you spend time in prayer, praise and listening today, ask God to show you a better way to manage your time so that you can spend more time with Him.

Have A Blessed Day!

21 Day Challenge- Day Five

One evening an old Cherokee chief told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside of everyone. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, pride and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith." The grandson thought about this for a moment, then asked his gradfather, "So which wolf wins?" The old cheif simply answered, "The one you feed."
** Read 1 Peter 2:1-3 in your Bible**
In my New Living Translation, it says- 1"So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness."

Peter is saying here that one of the marks of a true believer is the strong desire for spiritual food and the things of Christ. Once someone has tasted the good things of the Lord, they will only want more and seek to grow and mature in Him.

As children of God, we should only crave and be influenced by what is good, not what is evil. People should know we are Christians because we live a life that exudes the goodness of our God- joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
So, which "wolf" are you feeding? What are you craving and surrounding yourself with on a daily basis? The one you choose to "feed" determines who you will become.
Keep steady in having this daily quiet time of prayer, praising and listening to God. This is a great way to feed your spirit man and grow in Christ.

21 Day Challenge- Day Four

The meaning of the word 'integrity'is-firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values
Check out this story for today: It was the Summer of my 8th grade year. Now that I was 14, my parents wanted me to bring in some cash of my own. I was still too young to get a "real" job, so I chose the honorable profession of lawn maintenance! After going door to door, I landed a gig for a nice old man named Mr Thomas. I was so excited! It was my first job! This guy was going to pay me ten bucks!
It took me almost 2 hours to do it right. Afterwards, I looked across that yard with great pride. It was a job well done.
I knocked on the door to tell Mr. Thomas that I was finished. "How much do I owe you?" he said. "Ten dollars, sir," I replied. Mr. Thomas pulled out his wallet. I had never seen so much cash in my life! He thumbled through $20's and $50's and loads of $100 bills.
But Mr. Thomas couldn't see very well in his old age. When he stopped thumbing he tugged on a $100 bill and asked, "Is this a ten?" I could not believe my ears!
All I had to do was say "yes" and I would have ten times as much money! No one would ever know. Besides, he had so much money, he'd never miss it!
That split second seemed to last forever, but before I could think twice about it, I said, "No, sir." He found a real $10 bill and that was that.

They say integrity is about what you do when no one is looking. In the story above, Mr. Thomas was looking, but he just couldn't see. No one knew the good decision the boy made that day.... no one, except God. And God never forgets the things we do in private to honor Him.

**Read Psalm 26:1-3**
It says: 1"Declare me innocent, O Lord,for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.Test my motives and my heart. 3For I am always aware of your unfailing love,and I have lived according to your truth."(New Living Translation)

Having integrity may not seem to pay off right away. It may even hurt at first. But as you trust God, He will vindicate you or "declare you innocent." He never forgets when His children honor Him with integrity.
Take time to think through some of the situations in which you'll have to make tough choices when no one is looking (i.e. cheating on homework, looking at inappropriate Internet sites, etc.) Decide right now how you'll maintain your intergrity in those situations.
Spend a few minutes in prayer, praise and listening to God. Ask God to strengthen your inner man today so that you can walk in integrity and honor Him in everything you do and say.

See you tomorrow!!

21 Day Challenge- Day Three

If you haven't read the 21 Day Challenge Introduction, you can read it HERE before you begin!

Day Three

The word 'revival' means: restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength; an awakening, in a church or community, of interest in and care for matters relating to personal religion.
As Christians, we all want revival in our churches, schools, homes, etc. We desire for God to move in a mighty way in our world, but where does it begin? How can we start a revival?
A famous British evangelist gave this advice on how to start a revival: "Go home and get a piece of chalk. Go inside your closet and draw a circle on the floor. Kneel down in the middle of the circle and ask God to start a revival inside the chalk mark."
One day a man named Isaiah was in prayer. Read his account of what happened next in your Bible:
**Read Isaiah 6:1-8**

In this passage, Isaiah found himself in the presence of God and was quickly overwhelmed by God's holiness. Immediately, he was reminded of his own sin. When Isaiah responded with repentance and obedience, God did great things through him. He responded by confessing his sin, and then telling God, "here I am, send me."
God wants to meet with you and to do great things through you. How will you respond? Maybe you need to draw that chalk circle, kneel and pray!
In your prayer, praise and listening time today, ask God to cleanse your heart and surrender your whole life to Him like Isaiah did. If you truly want revival in your world, it first must start in YOUR heart before it can reach to others.

21 day Challenge- Day Two

If you haven't read the 21 Day Challenge Introduction, you can read it HERE before you begin!
Day Two

A newly-promoted colonel had moved into a makeshift office during the Gulf War. He was just getting unpacked when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a private with a toolbox coming his way. Wanting to appear important, he grabbed the phone: "Yes General Schwarzkopf. Ofcourse, I think that's an excellant plan." He continued: "You've got my full support on it. Thanks for checking with me. let's touch base again soon, Norm. Goodbye."

"And what can I do for you?" he asked the private. "Uh, I'm just here to hook up your phone."

The colonel was pretending to have a relationship he didn't have- trying to impress the private with his access to the top man!

**Read Hebrews 4:14-16**

14 "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (New Living Translation)

Many people try to pretend to have a relationship with God to impress others, but it's only through a TRUE relationship with Jesus Christ that we gain access to God. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you may "come boldly to the throne of our gracious God."
During your prayer, praise & listening time today, imagine yourself walking up to God's throne. He is available to you. He longs to communicate with you, and have a REAL relationship with you. Come to Him just as you are. He's right there waiting with open arms. He sees beyond your mistakes and failures and simply sees His child.

Come back tomorrow for Day Three!! ;-)

21 Day Challenge- Day One

If you haven't read the 21 Day Challenge Introduction, you can read it HERE before you begin!

Day One

A group of African Christians were known for their faithfulness in spending time alone with God. Each one had a particular place in the brush where he would spend time praying, praising and listening to God. The paths to these private prayer spots became so worn that if anyone began missing his time, it became obvious. Others would remind him, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."

**Look up 1Thessalonians 5:17 in your Bible**

It says, "pray without ceasing." The New Living Translation says, "Never stop praying."

The spirit of this tiny verse is found consistantly throughout Paul's letters. Regardless of the version of Scripture, the word, "pray" is common to all. Although the 2nd part of the verse changes in each translation- whether it says "continually", "without ceasing", "always keep on", "constantly", or "all the time" in your Bible- the meaning is clear: We need to pray a lot!!

Hopefully you are beginning to "cut a path" to time alone with God each day. You will likely prefer a certain time and place for your quiet time. Even if you miss a day or two occasionally, go right back to your usual schedule. Don't stop or give up, it will soon be evident to you, and eventually to those around you that God is making amazing changes in your life! If you quit, it will ALSO soon be evident to you and those around you! Keep it up! Don't let the grass grow on your path!

Make a committment everyday to have quiet time with just you and God. Studies show if you repeat something for 21 days straight: it will become a habit. Make quiet time with God a habit in your life!

Spend a few moments in prayer, praising and listening to God right now!

Check back tomorrow for Day Two!! =-)

21 Day Challenge Introduction

First of all, let me say, I am SOOOOOO proud of you for joining our 21 Day Challenge leading up to See You At The Pole 2009!!!
Let's start by explaining what our 21 Day Challenge is all about: At U-TURN, we believe in the importance of daily quiet time before God. Quiet time is simply time alone with God, studying His Word, prayer and worship. It's they way we get to know Him and the foundation for constant spiritual growth. At U-TURN, we like to call this time everyday FACEx5- Get on your face before God for atleast 5 minutes a day and God will do awesome things in your life!
Quiet time does not have to be long or complicated, just REAL.
So how do you take the 21 day challenge?
Well.... everyday a short devotion will be posted here on our blog. Simply check in everyday to read it. Make sure you read with an open and teachable heart so that God can speak to you and change your life. Remember, quiet time will be of no value unless you plan to apply what God teaches you. Get a notebook, write down the insights God gives you through the devotional and also the specific way you can apply that insight to your life. You can't apply what you can't remember! Just use this time to allow God to work in your heart and life! It's that simple!
Drop back in tomorrow for DAY 1!!! I'm believing God to make an impact in each of our lives in the next 21 days...... a forever change! I hope you are ready for a wild ride!!!
If you have any questions or need prayer or anything, please don't hesitate to email me HERE

Young Believer's Broacast- Will M

Check out this video from YBB TV!! (Don't forget to pause our playlist so you can hear the video!!)

After service on Sunday, we were so excited to have a special church-wide luncheon and Baptismal Service! 5 kids/youth were baptized by Pastor Lloyd! Pictured here are:
Justin Foley, Pastor Lloyd, Madison Simpson, Chelsea Brewer (back), Landry Shelton & Shalyn Cotton

Congratulations to all of you in your decision to serve Jesus!
I would also like to say congrats to the 8 teenagers that accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour last Wednesday night! It was the best decision you will ever make!

Coming Up.....
Mark your calendar!!! Our annual Kids/Youth Back 2 Skool Party & Promotion Service will be held on Wednesday August 26 @ 7pm Don't miss it!!!

Family Fun Night Pics

We Kicked-Off the Summer with a rockin' Family Fun Night! Here are a few pics:

Don't Miss It!!!!

The last few weeks @ U-TURN, we've been watching the movie "Facing The Giants". This is such a cool movie! It shows us that nothing is impossible with God! We will be wrapping the movie up 2nite in youth, but I hope you take the things you've learned from this movie and apply it to your life...
NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER BACK DOWN. NEVER LOSE FAITH.
Here's a clip from the movie! Check it out!(don't foget to pause the playlist on the side of our blog so you can hear it!)

Valentine's Party Pics!!!

We had a blast at our Valentine's Party last week! Here are some pics!

Excellant Character

We live in an "if it feels good, do it" society. Life isn't about what you SHOULD do, but what you WANT to do. So many teens take this attitude in many areas of their life. Instead of giving it their all, they do things "half-way". This is not God's will for your life! We serve a God of excellance. He wants you to do your very best, no matter what! Eph 6:7 says "whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for God and not man."
God wants you to live a life of excellant character. To live your life in a way that you don't just "settle", but that you excel in everything you do!
We've been learning on Wednesday nights about the ingredients for a person of excellant character. Here are a few that we talked about:
#1) A person of excellant character WILL PRESS-IN NO MATTER WHAT {Phil 3:12-14}
Don't just sit by and let life happen- MAKE things happen! Live your life on purpose! Don't let your past failures and mistakes hold you back- press-in toward the goal. Press-in to what God has for you!
#2) A person of excellant character IS DISCIPLINED {Prov 13:4}
We need to be disciplined to work hard for the things we want in life. Be disciplined to make the RIGHT choices....not just the EASY ones! A discipline lifestyle will lead you to success!
#3) A person of excellant character HAS CONTROL OVER THEIR FLESH {Gal 5:16-18}
If we walk in the Spirit (close to God) then we'll have better control over our flesh. we've got to learn to run from evil and pursue things that we know will please God.
#4) A person of excellant character HAS INTEGRITY {Prov 10:9}
Teenagers need to have integrity! They need to learn to stand up for what's right at ALL cost. Learn to stand firm and do the right thing because it's what God expects you to do, not because it's cool or because people are watching you. True integrity is shown by how you act and the things you do when no one is watching.