This was one of my favorite nights! We had a lot of new “Goth” teens come to youth for the first time & 4 teens accepted Christ! I love our youth group! I love our leaders. I love our teens. I love that no one is judged by the clothes they wear and that everyone is welcome. Teens, if you’re looking for a place where you “fit in” check us out every Wednesday 6-9pm at 705 E Jefferson St.

On a lighter note…check out my new trip pants. True story…I actually tripped (fell down) in my trip pants! lol

I love single moms. I was raised by a single mom and I was a single mom myself for 5 years. I understand the loneliness, the feeling of inadequacy and the guilt. I believe being a single mom is the toughest job on the planet.

So today I want to encourage single moms.

God specifically addresses you in His Word. In Isaiah 54:5-6, he says “For your maker is your husband…the Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit.” To your children He call himself  “a father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5) God promises to be all that you and your kids will ever need. It is comforting to know that it isn’t all up to us. So remember you are NEVER alone and your children will always have a Father who loves them even more than we do.

HUGS to all of  you single moms!!!

Check out my favorite song on Skillet’s new cd…

“Awake And Alive”

[V1]
I’m at war with the world and they
Try to pull me into the dark
I struggle to find my faith
As I’m slippin’ from your arms

It’s getting harder to stay awake
And my strength is fading fast
You breathe into me at last

[Chorus]
I’m awake I’m alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now it’s my time
I’ll do what I want ’cause this is my life
here, right now
I’ll stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside
I’m awake and I’m alive

[V2]
I’m at war with the world cause I
Ain’t never gonna sell my soul
I’ve already made up my mind
No matter what I can’t be bought or sold

When my faith is getting weak
And I feel like giving in
You breathe into me again

[Bridge]
Waking up waking up
In the dark
I can feel you in my sleep
In your arms I feel you breathe into me
Forever hold this heart that I will give to you
Forever I will live for you

The problem is not that we are in the world. The problem is that the world is too often in us. We have become way too familiar and way too comfortable with what popular culture is trying to sell us. It’s time to WAKE UP! It’s time to stand up for what we believe and stop buying what the world is selling!

Chris Miller

Hey Rock Youth!

Check it out…we are going to have another POOL PARTY!!!

When & Where:

August 30 2pm-9pm

Miss Chris’ house

What to expect:

Music!

Swimming!

Hangin’ with friends!

Great food! (ok…it’s grilled hotdogs)

What to bring:

Towel

Bag of chips or a 2 liter of pop

Let me know if you need a ride or directions. I am soooo excited to see you guys!!!

Miss Chris

Huh??? I know that’s exactly what I thought the first time I heard “shreddin the gnar”. I found out it’s actually a surfer term that means “We’re going to charge it. We’re going to do whatever it takes. We’re going to go BIG. No holding back. We’re going all out!!!”

So what does this mean to ROCK youth?

It means we are going to “shred the gnar” spiritually. We are going BIG, going all out, and doing whatever it takes to engage in spiritual conversations and effectively communicate the mission and message of Jesus!!!

Why???

Because:

- we are talking about life and death

- we believe hell is a real place

- we realize the battle is real

- what matters to God, matters to us

- we know the consequences of not knowing Jesus mean a life without hope, and an eternity separated from God

                                                                                                                                         
I love being part of a youth group where the #1 priority is sharing the love & hope of  Christ that we have found with others. I heard a definition of evangelism recently that I love : Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where they found bread.  That is one of the things I love about ROCK youth. Everyone is welcome.  Just because some know Christ it doesn’t make them “better” than anyone else.  No one has a “holier than thou” attitude because we realize that without Christ we are all broken/lost people. 

So I want to challenge everyone to “Shred the Gnar!!!” It’s time to give it all we’ve got!!! The price is to high NOT to.

Miss Chris

It’s not even spring yet, and I am already super excited about summer for a few reasons….

1. No school!

2. It’s flip flop season.  Let’s face it, people, who really wants to wear socks AND shoes all the time?

3. I’m going on an awesome mission trip to Uganda.

4. Summer camp!!!

This year Church of the Heartland has reserved an awesome facility – Rainbow Christian Camp in Converse, Indiana.  Kids camp will be June 4-6, and youth camp will be July 1-3.  This Saturday, March 14, at 1:00 at the Winamac campus is our first planning meeting for SUMMER CAMP!!!!  So if you or someone you know is interested in helping make to make camp awesome for our kids and youth, be sure to show up and bring your creative ideas for camp!

Also, start praying about how God wants you to be involved in summer camp – whether it’s helping send a child to camp, promoting camp to kids you know, serving as a counselor, or participating in one of the many other aspects of camp!  Making camp happen is definitely a team effort, and there are lots of ways to get involved.  We would love to see you there!

Leigh Anne

I was thinking about you guys today & I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU!!!
Thank you…
for loving teens uncondintionally
staying late to clean up (when you have to work the next morning)
for believing the best in teens even when you see the worst
being faithful
being positive
for telling the truth in love
for crying with teens at 1am
for being taxi drivers/car counselors
for using your strengths to cover my weaknesses
for being YOU!
I love and appreciate you all and I wanted you to know

.http://www.morethandodgeball.com/?p=5426

Love, Chris

“If we dared to live beyond our self-concern, if we refused to shrink from being vulnerable, if we took nothing but a compassionate attitude toward the world, if we were a counterculture to our nation’s lunatic lust for pride of place, power and possessions, if we preferred to be faithful rather than successful, the walls of indifference to Jesus Christ would crumble. A handful of us could be ignored by society, but hundreds, thousands, millions of servants would overwhelm the world. … The call of Jesus Christ is revolutionary. If implemented, we would change the world in a few months.” quote by Brennan Manning

How cool would it be to overwhelm the world?!!! One of my favorite quotes (sorry I can’t remember who said it) “The generation that the world can’t change is the generation that WILL change the world!!!

Chris Miller

I want to be able to laugh at myself
I want to treat people better than they expect
I want to live like I believe God can do anything
I want to love people I don’t like
I want to let others succeed without being jealous
I want to be secure with who God made me
I want my actions to match my words
I want to get over it fast when someone hurts me
I want to notice when someone is hurting
I want to talk to God and listen to what He says
I want to do what’s right even if it cost me
I want to relax and let God do the stuff I can’t
I want to be thankful for what I have
I want to listen more than I talk (yeah, seriously)

Bottom line….I want to love more

Chris Miller

KWAM winter camp is coming up February 20-21! We have 68 kids signed up – a new record!

The theme of the weekend is hidden treasure – and you can be sure that there will be people dressed as pirates, kids walking the plank, and a treasure hunt! Our awesome food team has even planned the meals to be treasure-themed!

I was really blessed to see this year’s camp planning team working together and contributing really creative ideas to make Winter Camp 2009 the best one EVER!! Thanks to everyone who has helped make it happen!

Keep winter camp in your prayers this week. Pray that the kids would have open hearts to hear the Gospel and to grow as they walk with God. After this weekend, our goal is that the kids who came to camp would know what real treasure is and realize just how much God treasures every one of us.

Can’t wait for camp!
Chris Miller