18 Days....How Big is God's Love....

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Do you know how much you are loved? Your parents love you. Your family loves you. Your friends love you. I love you!

But God loves you more than ALL of your loved ones combined.

God’s love is beyond all comprehension and as much as we try and dig deeply into the depth and breadth of His love in our sessions, or worship, or Sunday School or Bible Study, we will never fully know the love God has for each of us until we one day step into His embrace.

In 1 Corinthians, there is a piece of the letter where Paul tries to describe the love of God. Some of you may have heard this read at a wedding or you may have seen it on a plaque. It is a pretty famous piece of scripture - - but the part that I think is the most descriptive about the love God has for us is at the very end of the passage where Paul writes, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

We can only see a small bit of the love God has for each of us - - we can only partially understand the sacrifice He made by sending His Son to die for our sins.

And yet the little bit we know of God's love can be overwhelming.

We are 18 days away from our first GUMY session of the fall and I find myself often in prayer for each of you; those of you I know by name because you have been GUMY’s for years and those of you who are new this year to GUMY.  I am praying for the friends you will bring with you and the leaders and listeners who will share our time together.

And I am praying for the GUMY’s none of us know yet.

My prayer is pretty simple…I am praying for God to layer His protection around each of you so that you might be free to know the love He has for each of you...to come to know the heart of God.

Because, Ladies & Gentlemen, His love is deeper and wider and taller and greater than any ocean, mountain, skyscraper, statue, planet or star we can even imagine.

God is bigger.

And our God who is bigger loves YOU with the kind of love that is indescribable and unimaginable.

So as you go through today and the challenges you will face, know this - - you are LOVED. And at the end of the day, regardless of the stuff you have learned (and you should have learned a few things today) or the trials you have faced, the most important thing to know is you are LOVED by God.

Pretty Cool, huh?

Scripture (there are two today…cause I can!)

Ephesians 3:14-20

1 Corinthians 13

Fun Fact:

When in space astronauts look taller than they actually are

Okay, so maybe that was more of a random fact than fun….

Question of the Day

If you had to tell someone you loved them for the first time, how would you do it?



19 Days....being Veruca Sault

"I want the world. I want the whole world. I want to lock it all up in my pocket. It's my bar of chocolate. Give it to me now." Veruca Salt

I'm guessing most of you have heard of Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She is the spoiled little girl who demands her father give her everything she ever wanted. And her father does. She is mean spirited and quite unkind, but Veruca demands and Veruca gets. She is so successful at getting everything she wants... you might begin to wonder why one would ever be nice or politely ask for something...maybe....

We can all be a little bit like Veruca Salt from time to time. Stomping a foot to the ground, and placing hands on hips while screaming for a new something or other. It's not a very pretty picture, but it is one each of us has displayed with our parents, our friends, our family, our teachers, our church families (I think you get the picture).

Not one of us is perfect. We all struggle in life. We all have times when we think the struggle would be lessened if we only had the latest and greatest version of something. And the desire becomes a singular focus for each of us. A focus so great we can't see anyone or anything else. And out comes our Veruca Salt - complete with foot stomping, hands on the hips punching and holding her breath until she is blue.

Maybe the foot stomping Veruca Salt we hear in you isn't because she wants a new bike or a new iTouch....Maybe the foot stomping, hands on the hips motion is because she wants your friends to turn their backs on a new girl or on a guy who isn't just like you.

Maybe your Veruca Salt comes out because she wants to do things her way, with her methods, and in her time; no one else's ideas will do and your Veruca might just hold her breath until everyone in the world knows it!

It can be easy to let our Veruca Salt's come through in our everyday life - - but you have a choice. You can let Veruca's voice be the one the world hears...or you can let Jesus' voice be the one the world hears.

Sometimes it might seem like her voice is louder - - but know this...God comes to each of us in the still soft whispers of life. You just have to get Veruca to be quiet long enough to hear what He has to say!

Fun Fact

Americans eat 25 pounds of candy, per person, per year.

But the people of Denmark eat 36 pounds of candy per person, per year!

Scripture....(click the link below)

1 Kings 19:10-13

Question of the Day...

What is your favorite book or movie character?

20 days....Kindness

Are you a kind person?

Not a ‘one of a kind’ person – each of you is an original – but are you kind?

Kind is a description – an adjective – it is a part of your character; to be kind means to be of a “good or benevolent nature” or “to be considerate or helpful”.

So, are you kind?

Kindness is one of the true characteristics which align us with God. Throughout the Bible there are references to God’s kindness. For the Hebrew people showing the kindness of God implied that an individual was gentle and loving – with no strings attached; giving love without expecting anything in return (sound familiar?).

So, are you kind?

When you help someone – maybe a friend at school with homework or your mom make dinner or your younger sister play a game – do you do it without thinking about yourself first? Do you give freely without trying to get “repaid” or worrying about what is “fair”?

So, are you kind?

Kindness is our ability to be God’s hands and feet here on earth. Through our kindness to others – our willingness to give without expecting anything in return – we are sharing the love of God with those around us. And in the process helping to move those people closer to a relationship with God.

So, are you kind?

Today, you have the opportunity to, “show… unfailing kindness like the LORD’s kindness as long as I live"(1 Samuel 20:14 {NIV}).

You have the ability to share God.

So, are you kind?



Scripture (Click on the link below)…Isaiah 63:7-9 (NIV)


Fun Fact #13
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes(Hey, are you still awake?)
Question of the Day…Who showed kindness to you today (or yesterday)?


(Answer below in the COMMENTS section….)

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21 Days…. Getting the Party Invitation…

Did you ever get an invitation to a party that you really wanted to attend? Maybe it was a friend’s birthday party or a graduation party or maybe a wedding. When you got the invitation you were probably excited. Maybe you started figuring out what you were going to wear or who else would be at the party.


But, then you looked at the date and you realized you were busy. You were already scheduled to do something else – you had a game or an appointment – regardless of what you were scheduled to do you just couldn’t figure out how you would be able to go.


And you told the person throwing the party you wouldn’t make it.


Days after the party you hear how great it was. Great DJ, good food, lots of games and most of all fun with friends. But you missed it - - because you had something you thought was more important. And now the thing – the appointment or the game – that seemed more important than the party leaves you with a ton of regret and wishing you had gone to the party instead.


Just like that party invitation, God gives us an invitation to join Him at His party, but too often we feel like we have more important things to do – games, appointments, school, socializing, TV, whatever – more important, more urgent then celebrating with God.


He has prepared this tremendous party for us – one we can join in every day and one which will be better than anything we can imagine when we get to heaven – we have to choose the party invitation above all other options or distractions.


Your relationship with God is a celebration – it is about coming home. Accept the invitation and you will always have a place to celebrate. You will have a home with Jesus.


Scripture (Click on the link below)…


Matthew 22:1-14 (NIV)


Fun Fact #12


It is physically impossible for you to lick your elbows…


(You are trying right now, aren’t you…)


Question of the Day…


What is the best party you ever attended?


(Answer below in the COMMENTS section….)


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22 days....Wedding Days

Today is the last Saturday of August - the unofficial last Saturday of Summer - and there are likely thousands, if not tens of thousands, of weddings happening all across the country. .

Weddings are a beautiful ceremony within the Body of Christ (and the receptions are usually pretty fun too!). The symbolism of one becoming less so the two can be greater is a wonderful symbol of what happens to us in our relationship with Christ.

We give up our "stuff" (our sin, our desires, our wants) so that Christ can live in each of us, making us better versions of ourselves.

Paul, the apostle who Christ sent to minister to the gentiles (that's all of us), wrote, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, that we are to love as Christ loved the church. I love how The Message puts this passage, 'a love marked by giving, not getting'.

That is how Jesus loves us.

That is how a husband is called to love his wife and how a wife is called to love a husband.

That is how we are called to love each other.

Love marked by GIVING not GETTING.

As you kick off your weekend, and whether you are going to a wedding or not, look for ways to share the Jesus kind of love that marks our lives - the kind of love that is all about giving - not about what you will get.

Scripture...(click on the link below)

Ephesians 5:24-28 (The Message)

Fun Fact#11

On average there are 6,200 weddings everyday in the US...with an average attendance of 178 people.

In a day that means, 1.1 MILLION people are going to a wedding today!

That's a lot of Chicken Dancing....

Question of the Day...

What is your favorite thing about a wedding?

....Post your answer below....

Can't Post? Ask your parents to help you sign in and answer together!

23 Days...Everyone Wants Him...

Can you imagine being Justin Bieber? His life must be crazy. He is touring or writing music. He is recording music or meeting with fans. He is constantly on the go being torn in a thousand different directions with very little "down time".

Being "wanted" by millions of fans must be daunting, but did you ever stop to think how Jesus felt?

In Mark 1:35, Mark tells us that one morning, after Jesus had healed many, including Peter (Simon's) mother-in-law, he went off alone to pray. Jesus took time to refocus and listen to what God wanted.
After a little while, Peter and some of the others went to look for him, to bring him back to Capernaum. Peter told him that everyone was looking for him.

Everyone was looking for Jesus because they had become big fans of his. They wanted to see more healings, more miracles. They were hooked.

And if Jesus was simply just a human carpenter, he probably would have stayed in Capernaum and tried to please all of the fans. But, because Jesus was focused in prayer on what God the Father wanted, he tells his disciples, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” (Mark 1: 38).

Everyone wanted Jesus. It would have been easy for him to allow others to dictate what he should or shouldn't do. But instead, Jesus was always in touch with the Father and able to fulfill His will rather than the desires of dozens.

It would be really easy in your life to allow some praise from classmates or friends to pull you into what they want you to do, rather than what God wants you to do. It's fun to feel like Justin Bieber - the most popular kid - even if it is only for a minute or two. But, you must try to resist the "call" of your fans, and listen for the call of the Lord. He will guide you and keep you where He wants you to be.
It's not easy to resist sometimes, but you have God on your side to help keep you focused and on the right path.

Fun Fact:

The bible is actually made up of 773,692 words and would take someone 70 hours to read!

...So if you start when you get home from school on Friday night and read (without sleeping) you might finish before you need to leave for school on Monday!

Scripture...(click on the link below!)
Mark 1:33-39

Question of the Day...

What is your favorite thing to do when it is super quiet in your house?

(Want to comment? Ask your parents for help!}

24 Days....Breath

24 Days….Breath

Have you ever tried to hold your breath? How long could you go?

Peter Colat of Switzerland held his breath, under water, for 19 minutes and 21 seconds last year! That is crazy insane.

Breathing is a fundamental part of staying alive. When we breathe in we take in the oxygen in the air for all of our organs to function properly. When we exhale, we get rid of all of the junk – in the form of carbon dioxide – from our bodies. Even a baby’s first cry is critical; that sound tells his or her mom and dad (and the doctors and nurses) that he or she is alive. The baby is alive because the baby is breathing.

The first recorded human breath was breathed by God into Adam.
God got down on His hands and knees, leaned over Adam, and breathed the breath of life into him. The first time Adam’s lungs expanded wasn’t with a cry of new life like a baby, but with the life of God breathed into him by his Creator. Pretty awesome!
With each breath we take in, we have the gift of taking in a tiny miracle of how God works. We are reminded of His creation and our dependence on that creation for life. Every breath is critical. Every breath is necessary to live. Every breath is a gift from God – even if you go 19 minutes and 21 seconds in between them.
How many times did you take a breath while you read these words? Did you ever think that each blessing is a little miracle? What are you going to do with your next breath?
Fun Fact #8:


On Average, a person takes 20,000 breaths a day.

That’s A LOT of miracles!


Question of the Day:


What is your favorite sport to play?


(….post your answer below…)


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Scripture Quote of the Day:
Genesis 2:5-7 (The Message)

25 Days 'til GUMY....Taking the Old and Making it New

Did you ever go into the refrigerator looking for that last piece of chocolate cake from your birthday three weeks earlier? Or some turkey from Thanksgiving…the day before Christmas? If you have, you probably found that special treat you wanted stale, covered in something hairy and completely inedible.
Gross, I know, but true.

Something similar happens to us when we try and hide ourselves from God; when we neglect our talents or our gifts by not giving them back to God for His use. Our blessings become stale, sometimes unrecognizable and nearly unusable, when we do not share them with the world by asking God how we can use them to glorify Him.
God has given us each a multitude of blessings from the ability to sing or to dance to the gift of art or sports to the ability to laugh or to love. All of these gifts (and so many more) are blessings from God and it is up to each of us to turn them over to God so that He can make them into sweet treats for this world.

Even if your gift or talent has gotten stale and moldy because you haven’t used it in a while – Give it to God and He will make it into a treasure.
Do you have a gift or a talent that you haven’t used in a while? Go into the very back of your refrigerator and see if there is something which might seem unusable – Ask God to use His touch to make something that is stale, fresh and new and ready to be used to serve His kingdom.
Fun Fact #8:

There is only one food which doesn't spoil: honey.

The key to life – be like honey!


Question of the Day:
What is your favorite rainy day activity?


(….post your answer below…)


Can’t Post? Ask your Mom or Dad to help you sign in so you can join the conversation.






Scripture Quote of the Day:


Psalm 32:3-7

26 Days...ESPN or EHPN

I love sports. It's not much of a surprise. I grew up going to baseball games in the spring and summer and every Friday night from elementary through high school I either cheered on the Cruisers on the football field or on the basketball court.

In college, one of my roommates and I would often disagree when I wanted to watch Sports Center and she wanted to watch Price Is Right. (The NHL highlights came on at the same time as the first Showcase Showdown...) I couldn't get enough of sports or sports highlights then .... or now.
Because of my love of sports, I often find myself turning on ESPN first thing in the morning - or listening to ESPN radio on my way to work. The nice thing about ESPN is that the whole network is focused on reporting on the good parts of sports; the highlights of the game. Occasionally, they have to report on the bad things that happen to players or when athletes do not display the best character, but for the most part the network focuses on the good. After all, the channel's name says it all: Excellence in Sports Performance Network. The whole network is focused on athletes and sports teams at their best.
Wouldn't it be amazing if we had a news network like ESPN - a news channel focused on the highlights of ordinary people being God's lights in the world? How different would our country, our state, our community or our schools be if we focused on the good, even great things ordinary people accomplished every day, rather than focusing on all of the bad?
Let's try and live like God has His own network -  the Excellence in Human Performance Network. Wouldn't it be awesome if we made His highlight reel everyday? Maybe you will be in the Top 10 highlights of the day:)


Fun Fact #7
One year contains 31,557,600 seconds
How many did you use reading this submission today????

Scripture Quote of the Day
Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3 

27 Days….and counting

Another new week…Are you as excited as I am? I have come to love Mondays. Even though sometimes I am not super excited to come to work (or even get out of bed) I am always curious to see what God will do this week. On Sunday, I always have the simple joy of being with my church family and my immediate family; those times are wonderful – lots of conversation and fun.

But when we get to Monday, we have the opportunity to truly put into action what we learned on Sunday…

So what did you learn yesterday from Pastor Jay (or from your Pastor/Priest)? How can you apply it today – at school or with your family in your final days of summer vacation?

Remember that God is with you – even when you don’t see Him, even when you don’t hear Him, and even when you don’t feel Him. God is always with you – so how will you be with God today – on this MONDAY?

Fun Fact #6:

7 out of 10 people believe in life after death

That means 70% of the people you talk to everyday are already part way to meeting Jesus – and accepting Him as their Savior.

Maybe God is calling you to be the person to introduce them.

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite day of the week and why?

(….post your answer below….)

Scripture Quote of the Day:

Proverbs 16:7 (Common English Translation)

28 Days(.and counting) - Sundays

Sundays….

For a good portion of our country, Sundays mean sleeping in, reading the newspaper, watching football and relaxing.

For those of us who call ourselves Christians, Sundays mean corporate – or church worship time.

We have the great privilege and honor to worship freely with people of all ages, nationalities and cultures. This is a gift in our country. We have the freedom to choose to be in worship – to choose to follow Jesus – to choose to praise God.

But with that freedom comes responsibility. We have the responsibility to take what we learn about God through our worship and our study of Him to those who do not know Him or to those who have chosen to ignore Him.

We take our “learnings” out into the world and share them with others in the way we live our lives. Something as simple as smiling at a person in the hall at school or sitting with someone who is all alone at lunch is a way to share what you have learned about the love of Jesus. God has given you a mission field to share His message and His love. You have the great joy to live out that love – right where He planted you.

Fun Fact #5:

In New Mexico, over eleven thousand people have visited a tortilla chip that appeared to have the face of Jesus Christ burned into it.

I guess people really will go anywhere for a trip…

Question of the Day:

How have you shown love to someone outside your family this past week?

(….post your answer below….)

Scripture Quote of the Day:

John 13:33-35

John 13:33-35 (August 21st)

29 Days….the best of times...the worst of times

When I was a kid, Saturdays were the best of times and the worst of times.

They were the best because…

Saturdays were the only days we had cartoons to watch, but we had the best cartoons – like the Smurfs and the Snorkels and even old standards like Tom & Jerry.

On Saturdays we would occasionally get doughnuts or have a special breakfast.

And on Saturdays we were able to slow down and do fun things like play in the backyard or go to my grand-parents’ house or go to a town event.

BUT …

Saturdays were the worst of times because before we could watch cartoons or go do the fun stuff outside, we had to clean the house.

I hated the chore (and still do), but whenever I was finished dusting the living room or cleaning my room I would feel a sense of accomplishment I wanted to share with my parents or my sister. Even today, I have a sense of peace when I have accomplished a goal or a task – even one as small as cleaning my room. And that is what I look forward to on Saturdays – the sense of peace in accomplishing a task. It is what we should feel each day we live. We were put on this earth to work – to do the tasks and achieve the goals God has put before us….so as you begin this Saturday I pray that you will find the sense of peace in accomplishing the tasks God set before you this week. Relish that gift – because beginning next week – God has new plans to set in motion for you!

Fun Fact #4:

50 Bibles are sold every minute…

The Word is the most desirable book in the WORLD!

Question of the Day:

What is the best thing about Saturdays to you?

(….post your answer below….)

Scripture Quote of the Day:

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

1 Corinthians 3: 5-9

30 Days - Umm...Did someone say FRIDAY!!!!!!

30 Days – Friday!!

It is Friday! Are you ready for the weekend?

I bet if this was your first week back to school, today felt like it would never come – BUT – if you are starting school next week today came way too quickly.

Here’s the thing – time never changes…a minute is 60 seconds and an hour is always 60 minutes and a day is always 24 hours…And Saturday is the same amount of time as Monday – even though Saturday seems to go SO MUCH QUICKER!

What changes is our emotional attachment to time…

When we are excited about something the waiting for it to happen seems to take forever! But when we dread something, time seems to speed up.

Our goal should be to treat every day like a Friday – something to anticipate and live to the fullest!

Every day is a gift from God.

FUN FACT #3:

Every four years is called a leap year – but do you know what the other years are called?

Common years – so this is Common Year 2011!

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What is your favorite thing about Fridays?

 (Don't forget to post your response to the question of the day - - and check back later to see what others have said!)

SCRIPTURE QUOTE FOR THE DAY: (click on the link below)

Ecclesiastes 3:13-15 (from the Message)

31 Days....

31 days…and counting…

Hmm…a couple of you have started school already and the days are getting shorter. God is doing new things each moment and I am so excited to hear what all He has been doing in your life.

I was thinking this morning that we are nearly 2/3 through with the 1^st year of the 2^nd decade of the 21^st century…Crazy how time flies – but still one thing is universally true. God is ALWAYS in control – and He will make good of all things for those who love Him. As you prepare to go back to school (or even as you are settling in to your new classes) don’t sweat the small stuff – God is in everything and He will make good even out of the most difficult situations.

FUN FACT #2:

The word “Christian” only appears 3 times in the Bible.

Guess a label doesn’t make a person – it is the belief that makes the person.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

Who is your favorite Superhero?

(Don't forget to share your answers in a post!)

SCRIPTURE QUOTE FOR THE DAY: (click on the link below)

1 Peter 4:15-17 (scripture of the day)

COUNTDOWN TO GUMY - FUN FACT OF THE DAY (32 DAYS...and counting)

We are only 32 days to the kick-off of the new GUMY season and I can't WAIT!


There are so many new and exciting things God has in-store for all us this year...it is going to be AWESOME!


So I thought, to get us all in the spirit I would give you one fun fact a day...a question to discuss...and a scripture verse to meditate on as you get ready for Fall and GUMY.


Here goes -


FUN FACT #1:
The Bible is the most shoplifted book in the WORLD....


That says something about how badly we all need the word of God.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:
What was your favorite day this summer?

SCRIPTURE QUOTE FOR THE DAY: (click on the link below)
1 Thessalonians 2:13 - Scripture of the Day