FOCUS is going to attend a city-wide youth worship and prayer service followed by a lazar tag lock-in.
when: april 20th, meet at fbc @ 6:00 pm (pick-up saturday morning @ 6:30 am)
where: God's House WestBank Cathedral, Lazar Tag in Harahan
how much: $15 (includes transportation, food, and 8 hours of lazar tag)
spaces are limited, SIGN-UP NOW!
more information to follow, but you've really got all you need right here...and as always, call randy if you gots questions.
that's right, we're going to a concert.
newsboys
kutless
stellar kart
i can hear you asking, "randy, when is it? where is it? how much is it? is there a deadline?"
well, i'll tell you:
when: wed, april 18th. leave fbc @ 5:00 pm.
where: southeastern louisiana university in hammond.
how much: only costs $5 plus money for food and/or souvenirs.
deadline: april 8th
as with most people, i am about to type something very
cliche: i normally don't do these things. but since it didn't take a
lot of thought, i thought i'd do it. an interesting note: paul, whose
bulletin i read and inspired me, shared with me the same band on "fight song"
question; not the same song, but same band. fun, yeah? starflyer is just such a cool band.
some of the
coincidences are pretty stinkin cool. also, i've decided to add some thoughts after each song (a little something extra for focus fans across the globe). [I didn't realize how long this sucker was gonna get]
anywho... here goes:
If you're reading this and want to try it for yourself, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool!
Opening Credits:
panorama - the cars
panorama: isn't this a good word to describe what our lives should be like? when i hear the word, i think of a picture or painting of glorious mountains. our lives should reflect a panorama of our glorious Savior.
Waking Up:
you already take me there - switchfoot
imagine a world where, when people get up in the morning, they are already thinking about their Savior. they are so longing to spend time with Him, it is as if they are already there. a world where people walk so closely with their Lord that they don't have to carve out 15 or so minutes in the morning.
First Day At School:
your love endures - third day
first days at school typically are either good or bad - not much in between. God's love endures even through our hardest days.
Falling In Love:
unchanging one - todd agnew
if only the person we fell in love with didn't change, didn't grow old, didn't put on a few pounds. how about falling in love with the unchanging, God who created the universe?
Fight Song:
play the c chord - starflyer 59
i'm not sure if fight refers to something like a college or high school fight song, or to a song about fighting. i might be stretching it here, but if "c" stands for compassion, we might be fighting less.
Breaking Up:
taking over - evanescence
i got nothin' here. oh, wait... the hurt takes over. it's all you can see, especially if you didn't see it coming...
Prom:
your love - eoghan heaslip
many high school students fall into the lie that love is about sex, when sex is really about love. God created sex to be between a man and a woman, married together. sex is God's gift to humans. it's sad that we've let a lost, mistaken world twist God's gift into something wrong. sex itself is not wrong, but it is intended for married couples. what greater gift could you give to your future wife or husband than yourself?
Life:
how great is our god - chris tomlin
pretty much says it all.
Mental Breakdown:
i'll fly away - o brother where art thou? soundtrack
ever want to fly away from your troubles? ever want to make everyone else fly away from your troubles? crawl into the Bible sometime and read the words of david in the Psalms. let his words soothe your pain.
Driving:
let me take you home tonight - boston
sometimes the best part of driving is coming home. home brings rest, sleep, food, warmth, comfort, love.
Flashback:
through the fire - day of fire
can you remember back to a time when things weren't going so well? was it school, work, family, girlfriend, boyfriend? if something like that came up again, would you call on God to help carry you through it? he will, you know.
Getting Back Together:
brilliant corners - thelonious monk
i've never gotten back together with an ex-girlfriend. i have, however, become re-acquainted. it's like turning a corner. a very brilliant corner where you can't see the hurt anymore, and you can begin to heal.
Wedding:
you and i - shane and shane
it's what marriage is about - you and i become we. there is no longer two, but now is one - just as God intended.
Final Battle:
you are my joy - david crowder band
seems like this one and the next one should have been switched, but oh, well...
Death Scene:
draw the line - pod
its' not too late to draw the line. you're dying...are you ready? do you know where you'll go?
Funeral Song:
novocain - olivia the band
i hope that when i die, they play something cheerful. i hope there's no morose moping and crying. i know i won't be crying. i will be in the presence of my creator king, and i hope that the people i leave behind have a celebration for me.
End Credits:
something more (augustine's confession) - switchfoot
something more... heaven. could you imagine living, and not knowing if there was something more?
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DNOW is March 16-17.
Cost is $35.
Information packets will be sent out this week.
I am extremely pumped about what God wants to do in the lives of Westbank students. The trick, of course, is that God can only do what he wants in the lives of his people if his people let him.
Please be praying about what God wants to do in your life at DNOW '07. I'm praying for you already.
Please call the church office to talk to me if you have any questions about DiscipleNOW. If you need financial assistance for DNOW please do not hesitate to call me - PLEASE do NOT let money stop you from coming to DNOW.
rando
Well, our DNOW rally was a success. Daniel Savage did a great job leading worship, and Bryan Scholl challenged us to show our faith through our actions and not to just pray for God's rain, but to prepare for it.
Sunday brought two new believers into the FBC Belle Chasse family; and baseball, and with baseball, a chance to unwind and relax. Thank God for baseball!
DNOW is in just over two weeks (March 16-17), I hope you are getting excited. I know I am.
rando
I'm dying here. If you have any relationship with FBC Belle Chasse (even if your 4th cousin thrice removed visited once 2 years ago), and you are viewing, or have viewed, or are going to view this blog, how about showing some love and telling me you visited by leaving me a comment. It'd be nice to know that someone out there is getting something out of this blog.
Of course, I'll keep blogging anyhow... but it's nice to feel some love, you know.
rando
That's right. It's time for our second DNOW Rally! Woo Hoo!
Please, people, contain yourselves...
Ok, now that's out of the way, on to the pertinents:
Westbank DNOW Rally
8:00 - 10:00 pm
Ames Blvd. Baptist Church
3323 Ames Blvd.
Marrero, LA 70072
Meet at FBC Belle Chasse at 7:00 pm to ride to Ames. Will be back at FBC no later than 10:30 pm.
All attendees will be eligible to win various door prizes including a Nintendo Wii game system. Woo hoo! Now you are really paying attention, aren't you?
Well, that's all I've got right now. See you guys Friday.
rando
Today marks the "REAL" first day of spring. My friend Ben might disagree, but I think he'd understand.
The #1 ranked Clemson Tiger Baseball team begins its season today versus George Mason. I know some prefer the crack of a wooden bat, but when the Braves don't give us much to cheer for, I find myself loving the clinking of metal bats up in Tigertown.
I love spring!
Go Tigers!
Here's something I found the other day: Twitter. Twitter is simple. You want to know what I'm doing? Twitter tells you. I've added a Twitter icon to the focusyouthministry blog, so you all can see what I'm up to. It's just for fun, so don't take it too seriously.
Saturday night, FOCUS Youth Ministry will have a "HangOut Night" at FBC Belle Chasse. Come around 7:00 pm and hang out uutil as long as you want, or until Midnight. Randy will provide some food and snacks. Bring lots of friends and come ready to have some fun. Call Randy if you have questions. Go to www.fbcbellechasse.net to get Randy's cell number.
Holla!
Last Friday morning I arose at 4:00 am to drive with three classmates to Jacksonville, Florida to attend the 21st annual Pastors' Conference. I want to share with you all just a taste of what I gleaned (just like Ruth -- Thank you Dr. Patterson):
1. From Junior Hill
- Praise God in all things, not for all things.
- Our value is not found in who or where we are, but in who we are in the sight of God.
2. Al Mohler
- Preachers are not impressive; our message is impressive.
3. Mac Brunson
- God allows Christians to be attacked so that they will depend on him.
4. Jerry Vines
- God never changes.
- God's Word never changes.
5. Calvin Carr
- We must challenge people.
6. Jerry Falwell
- God wants to take us to a higher level.
7. Fred Luter
- Being a Christian is not all good.
- The righteous suffer afflictions.
- You can do everything right and still face affliction.
- The afflictions will pass.
8. John Sullivan
- The church doesn't exist without the CROSS!
9. Johnny Hunt
- Jesus' crucifixion was completed at Calvary and carries with it ongoing effects.
- When there's dynamite in the church, things will happen.
- The cross is dynamite!
10. Ken Whitten
- God is more interested in your change than your comfort.
- We never change until the pain becomes greater than the fear of change.
11. David Allen
- The essence of Americanism is self-sufficiency; the essence of Christianity is Christ-sufficiency.
- Never mistake the silence of God for the indifference of God.
12. Erwin Lutzer
- It is better to fail in something that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in something that will ultimately fail.
And finally some pictures of Jacksonville and the Pastors' Conference.
Well, I survived the last two weeks. I've still got a lot of work to do, and spring classes start Wednesday. We had a lot of fun last Friday night at Calvary. I hope our students had a chance to unwind and meet some new people - we're going to be seeing a lot more of them. Next month on February 23, we are having another D-Now rally - this time at Ames Blvd. BC.
I've added a new gadget to the blog - a calendar. This calendar will let anybody who finds their way to the blog see what's coming up for Focus Youth Ministry. This way, in case I forget to put it in the bulletin or Herald, it will still get out (that's assuming anybody even reads this blog).
I'm interested to know who's visiting the blog. You can comment on any blog post by clicking on the blog title then clicking on "post a comment." Tell me what you think. This doesn't have to be a one way street.
Focused on Him,
Randy
This month is gonna be busy.
First off, I am taking two workshop classes which will wear me out. I start class today at 1pm and i finish at 9pm. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I go to class from 8am - 4pm. And, woo hoo, I go and do it all again next week. I've also gotta finish reading three books and write papers on them by next Monday. The week after that, I start the spring semester; and the week after that, I go to Jacksonville for the J'ville Pastors' Conference. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it.
But that's not all.
On January 19th, FOCUS is going on a road trip. A very SHORT road trip to Calvary Baptist Church for the first of two D-NOW kickoff blasts. D-NOW is in March, but we (the youth pastors of the Westbank) are trying to get our students pumped now. We'll be having another D-NOW kickoff in February.
On February 4th, we are looking to have a Super Bowl Party. Details are still in the works, but expect to have more fun than you can handle.
I hope you are excited about the next few months; I know I am.
Rando
in about 24 hours and 6 minutes 2007 will have arrived. i have no idea where i'll be or with whom i'll be. just like last year, and all the years before.
i could let this depress me, or i could focus on all the good stuff that has happened in 2006. i won't go into that list right now . . . you're welcome.
but i must say, i believe that new year's eve has got to be the most depressing day of the year for all us unattached single folk. some people say it's valentine's day (mostly women) and they are partially right, but new year's eve is the time when you gather with friends to usher in the new year, and all the couples exchange those first kisses of the new year. all us single folks are left just sitting there feeling awkward.
this blog isn't supposed to be a rant on being single, however, as i've had a lot of free time since classes ended for winter break, i've been inundated with tons of those sappy, happy, chick flicks. you know the ones i'm talking about -- the movies where the guy and girl struggle through an hour or so of beating around the bush and end up professing their love right at the last minute. i read a book once that referred to these movies as "girl porn." now, let me explain what i mean -- "guy porn" plays to the eyes of men, while "girl porn" plays on the emotions of women; getting them all worked up over this emotional roller coaster of a film. what makes this so hard for both men and women is that it's not a realistic portrayal of life (i hope you already know this), and it messes with our heads.
most of my seminary peeps are gone for the holidays; everybody who lives here is doing family stuff; and i can't go home yet. this is all coming out a bit late, but i bring this up because all these movies (some i've seen before, others not) just make me feel even more lonely. they make me feel like a loser cause my life hasn't worked out like the movie. which is a load of crap.
and i realized something - God loves me. he has a plan for me. i have to trust him to work it out in his perfect timing. if i try to get involved, i'll screw it up for sure. it's hard, but i believe it's worth the wait. i recall Psalm 23, and i am comforted. i am not alone . . . God is always with me.
it's now closer to 23 hours and 28 minutes til 2007. i pray that you will remember that God is with you and he loves you very, very much. Happy New Year!
i hope some of that made sense.
randy
i'm packing. again. grrrrrr....
i hate packing. i hate living out of a bag with limited clothing selections. you know, like -- what if i get to where i'm going, and then don't feel like wearing what i've packed? maybe i'm being a girl, here; sue me.
but packing means i'm going somewhere.
my parents have put up for airfare tomorrow, which means that instead of a ten hour drive to columbia, i only have a 1 hr 41 min flight to charlotte and a one hour drive to columbia. woo hoo! this will be my second flight to the carolinas in as many weeks -- i'm becoming a regular world traveler.
tomorrow also brings another type of decision -- what to wear to church.
should tomorrow be a dressed up day, or a business casual day, or maybe be a rebel and go jeans... this ordinarily wouldn't be an issue, but tomorrows a special day, for multiple reasons.
1. tomorrow's Christmas eve. it nearly begs to have people dress up.
2. tomorrow i perform my first baptism. i have the privilege and honor of baptizing one of my students. i'm terribly excited, but you probably can't tell.
3. tomorrow's Christmas eve...wait, i've already mentioned that one...
Christmas eve holds a special place in my life. for years, my family (parents and brother) would go to church for the Christmas eve service, then meet my grandparents (dad's side) at red lobster and then go and exchange presents either at our home or theirs. even though i got all the "good stuff" on Christmas morning and spent that day with my mom's folks, it was always Christmas eve that was most special.
in 1998, i spent my birthday at my grandfather's funeral, and a year later we were having a my grandmother's funeral a week before Christmas, while i started a new job the next day.
as of tomorrow, i have a new reason for Christmas eve to be special. as i already mentioned, i'm baptizing a student tomorrow morning. what better day than Christmas eve to profess one's faith publicly?
anywho... the story of Christmas (from the ESV Bible)
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to s." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and raising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
as i sit in a Sleep Inn here in wake forest, nc, i am thankful for a time to recharge and be refreshed. as always, time with my brother can be trying, but it's a comfortable sort of trying.
i've had time with my family, time with my self, time with all the people in the houston airport, and time with my Savior. i always get time with my Savior, but sometimes at home all the stuff i've gotta do clutters my brain, and i have a hard time focusing (*screaming*).
one thing that hit me the other night as i prayed, so many times i pray that God's will be done in my life (as it should be), but Jesus told us in Matthew to "ask, and it shall be given to you, knock and the door shall be opened, seek and you shall find."
so, i asked.
i hope this thing i have asked for is in God's will. i would wait forever if i only knew. part of being a follower of Jesus, however, is trusting in God's timing, and waiting on him.
i think in the past i've asked for God's will, but not actually told God what it was i wanted, and it hit me that God wants us to ask, to seek, to knock. he doesn't just give us stuff. i think i had forgotten that.
so i asked.
what is it you need or want to ask God for?
rando
fog settled in around new orleans last night. my former roommate, angel, was a bit freaked out. he doesn't get fog in south florida. it didn't help that he recently (i suppose) saw the movie "the fog."
the fog was still around this morning, but it wasn't too bad. my flight to houston took off with no problems and we were set to have a beautiful arrival in sunny houston.
the fog not only followed me to houston, it beat me here. we had the (unknown at the time) privilege of a fully computerized landing. the airport is temporarily shut down, and my flight has been delayed.
sometimes in our christian walk, fog settles in. we find it hard to see our way. we lose sight of our goal. we delay fellowship, worship, prayer, and all sorts of other things that God uses to mature us.
i pray that when the fog sets in around you, you stay focused on your Savior, the only one who can "land" you safely.
rando
ok, so there's no wizard (at least that i'm aware of), but i'm still off... to the great city of wake forest, nc. my brother graduates from SEBTS on friday, and i'm flying up to nc to see him get his walk on. i suppose the best part of this trip is getting a break from life for a couple of days. school is over for the semester, and this will be like a small vacation from work. i'll also get to see my family and some family friends.
i'm gonna miss belle chasse and nola, but, as they say, "absence makes the heart grow fonder" (i've always wondered who "they" are) (and why they "say" things).
for anybody in nola or belle chasse reading this, i will miss you. you can call me on my cell if you need me: 504-232-5579.
rando
