Youth Pastor's Life

  Life with 2 under 2   It’s been a whirlwind. From brother arriving about 2.5 weeks early, mom wasn’t ready for that at home, to learning a new routine for everyone. It’s been well whirlwind feels like the right way to explain it. Most days I don’t know up from down but somehow by the end of the night everyone is feed, alive, ready for bed, and the house is still standing.   As this first month has flown by, I’ve come to realize that I have a very unpopular opinion about newborn/infant stage. It may come from PTSD of NICU/Children’s hospital stage with Acelynn or it might come from that one thing no one likes to speak about or it may I’m a Youth Pastor and love teenagers: Postpartum struggles.   Are ya ready for it? Newborn/infant stage isn’t my favorite stage of life. Yep. There I said it. It’s not my favorite in any capacity. I would rather have the toddler days of fits and tantrums and coloring sessions and walks at the park over the sleepless nights. I feel guilty even thinking ab

 Well, its been a hot minute and a few changes have happened in my life since the last time I actually sat down and wrote anything here.  1. Marriage. Yup ya read that right. I met Joel in February 2021 through mutual friends and by November 2021 were married.  2. Kids.  Our daughter Acelynn was born in December 2022 with a rocky start. (more about that story later) Baby number 2 is due to join the family in September 2024 3. Job. March 2024 I unexpectedly lost my 8-5 job that I loved. Lots of changes. Some good and some not so great. Since March 2024, there have been hard days and there have been easier days.  But through it all one thing remains true.  My GOD is FAITHFUL in the midst of the highest highs and in the lowest of lows. 

God, did you forget about me? Do you remember that I exist? Maybe I am the Grinch’s roommate. Here I sit and these questions as well as others like them are racing through my mind over and over the past weeks. Some days the voices are so loud that nothing else seems to be able to come through the screams and through the tears and cries that follow. Mentally I’m exhausted and worn out. Spiritually my armor seems to have holes in it than not and the darts and lies of the enemy penetrate every last inch of me. Slowly turning my heart into nothing but ash. Nothing but an empty space in need of life to be restored to it. Why is the battle raging inside of me? It’s the season. It’s the time of year.  My explanation to those around me – I just don’t like Christmas. I don’t like the parties, the music (I turn the radio station to avoid it), ect. That’s only the surface level answer I tend to give. I have tried countless times to express the real reason of the why – but each ti

I may be their youth pastor but these students challenge me to become the best version of myself. This past week, we finished with a challenge of stepping out in faith and building a boat by using God's recipe. Sounds strange or complicated?!?! Let me explain! The week before school kicked off (I have said it each year) I told the students "this is your mission field for the next 36 weeks". So I challenged them to pray for 1 classmate each week. Not to hard to do, right? For most of the students, this is very much outside of their comfort zones and a step of faith to pray for those who may have hurt them in the past. Just like Noah who had to step out in faith to build a boat that seemed to be the most absurd thing to do and the one thing Noah had to rely on was the instructions that God had given him. God asks us to step out of our comfort zones to do what seems crazy to those around us but He will always help us navigate those times. God gave us a recipe book - th

I am alive! 😀  Life has taken a few turns since the last time I posted - and life as I know it right now is 'under construction' with many new chapters and new journeys on the horizon. And I am so excited to share it with you all!  So for now... I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And it feels really strange saying that. I feel like summer was only a few weeks ago.  "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~~ Isaiah 9:6

WOW!! This summer has been an amazing/wild ride. It feels as if graduations just happened last week and I was looking towards summer camps and fair time was still months away. Now - its all done and over with and school is starting up. Yup - you read that correctly - school is starting again. I go back to "WOW - where did the summer go"! While the summer has been an amazing ride - I have learned many valuable lessons through the summer on 2018. Now that I am on the other side of most of the lessons from the summer - I would not trade them for anything. As painful and uncomfortable as those lessons have been and are I have learned many valuable things. I'll let you in on a few. Summer Camps. This year I was blessed to be able to attend both High School and Middle School summer camps. Each one brought something different to the table and at the same time both had the same core. Giving students the pause in life to connect with God and with those around them. Not having