The Simplest of Things Often Have Life-Changing Effects.

Two weeks into this being a youth pastor thing and I feel truly blessed by the people that I have around me. This week was one of those weeks where I'm being reminded over and over again of the support that I have. I am so incredibly lucky to have people who love me enough to let me be and see how I grow. People who love me enough to encourage me as I continue to evolve into who God is making me and who he will continue to make me. Growth has to be an on-going process but if no one is there to tend to it, encourage it, help it along, it won't happen. Unfortunately too many people haven't experienced this kind of support so I hope to help offer that to them so that they too can experience the great joy of knowing that you have a group to get your back, to support you through hard times, and take joy in your successes. As corny as it sometimes sounds, simple joys and trips and experiences that come unexpectedly so many times end up being some of the greatest blessings one can experience.

My pastor always encourages us to "create memories." For small group this week, 2 high school students and I on a whim became extras in a movie that some Ball State students were putting together. It may not go anywhere but the fact of the matter is that a memory was created. It was a blast, hilarious, ridiculous, unexpected, imaginative, random...a memory. There are so many good people in the world and when they come together, great things happen. But the fact of the matter here is that they NEED to come together. The best things happen in a community, when we experience life TOGETHER. Love gets happened upon in being together because true love is not a one way street. Love, joy, happiness seems too cliche only because we been made to believe that it only happens in silly little chick flicks and gooshy ramantic novels... But these things are possible when we come together and be together and experience together and love together.

So what's the hold up? Everyone always has something that holds us back from this, because, ultimately, it is EXACTLY what satan DOESN'T want us to experience. So he brings into our lives the very things that we hate but are brainwashed to love only enough to realize we hate it only enough to feel we can't have it only enough to desire to have it only enough to ruin our lives as we continue to choose it over what is truly important, what truly matters... which are those who bring us life by experiencing life (its ups and downs) along side of us.

Take delight in the simple things. Don't take for granted all the things we deem as "cliche" that truly have the power to bring a smile to a face or brighten a day, or save a life...

I like this video. It is of an old neighbor of mine who used to live below Kylee and I. He gets it.