Regrouping

Hey Gang!

What's Up? You have all been heavy on my heart recently and I just wanted to check in and see how you all were doing! I can't stop thinking of your precious faces... the tears, the smiles. You all touched a place in my heart and I love you.

I want to encourage you. I know school is back in session now... your back to homework and getting along with classmates. I'm sure some of you have been put in uncomfortable situations... maybe you have even taken a few steps backwards. Let me say to you that the process of growth often involves a growth spurt, and then a step or two backwards. Remember with each step we take in our Jesus Journey we grow closer to Him and more mature in our responses. When you fall backward keep in mind that you have already been able to press ahead. See temporary set backs as an opportunity! An opportunity to apply the truth - the truth according to James 3 is that we all "stumble in many ways". We grow, we stumble, we get back up, we grow, we stumble, we get back up. Friends it is a process! We never arrive. This process will continue until we leave this earth. So don't give up - keep pressing toward the goal. In fact, just keep pressing into Jesus.

Be a light to your friends, demonstrate to others the process of growing up in Christ. BUT DON'T QUIT. You are being refined by the process...

Jesus loves you - He's with you!

I love you too - praying for my friends in Gallup, New Mexico

CJ

Wow!

Wow! What a great time we had in New Mexico! You guys rock! I think the Brandon Muchow mosh pit was the best!

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Hold on to the lessons you learned this past week. Stay in the boundaries, leave no one behind, and trust in the Lord to guide you. Linda and I will be posting all summer and you can keep up with Brandon on his my space.

On a personal note, I (CJ) want you all to know the profound impact meeting you had on my life. Your stories touched me, your drama's moved me, and your passion for the Lord inspired me.

I look forward to hearing how God is working your lives.

We'll share more pictures soon... along with words of encouragement!

God Bless you guys - Much Love -

CJ

We want to hear from you!!!

Hey there!

We are getting so pumped for our upcoming conference at Joshua Generation in Gallup, New Mexico on Friday June 6th.  It's gonna be awesome!  In addition to the conference, there will be a BBQ and a mini concert in the evening.  If you live anywhere near there, we hope you'll come by and check it out.

Don't Go There is all about boundaries... the boundaries that the God who made you, who loves you and who knows everything about you (including your weaknesses, fears and failures) has set for how we guard our hearts and minds... and the boundaries He's set for the way we live... the things we say, the things we do...the boundaries for our sexuality... for our relationships.  It's about choosing to move against the tide of public opinion or culture or even what our flesh wants to do, and toward the life of adventure that God calls us to live. It's a call to radical surrender and unwavering commitment to the God who loves us so much that He gave EVERYTHING to express His infinite love for us.  

When CJ asked me to create a post today, I realized that what I really wanted to do was invite you to dialog with us.  We want to hear from you... What's it like to be a Jr. Higher/High Schooler/College Student or Young Single adult navigating your way through life as a Christ follower in 2008?  What are the biggest challenges you face?  What boundaries are you finding it difficult to live within?

Feel free to answer any or all or none of my questions... I just wanted to get the conversation started...

So... what do you think?

Let's chat soon...

Linda 

Don't Go There!

Boundaries...

Don't Go There - Stay with in the boundaries!

How many times have you heard that message before? Most of the time boundaries are set in place for one reason. Protection. They keep us from getting hurt or from hurting others. We drive within the speed limit so we don't smash into someone or something and get hurt. We stay within the boundaries on the ski slopes so we don't cause an avalanche on an ungroomed area. We stay on the path so we don't get lost. The list goes on and on...

God also sets boundaries. The boundaries are designed to keep us safe. His boundaries will keep us from getting hurt, hurting others, and they will keep us from making a mess of our life.

I don't know about you but I've always been one that likes to roll outside the boundary lines. I've always had a rebellious streak that screams "don't tell me what to do!". I wanted to do things my way. Honestly, in living "my way" I made a mess of my life. I thought if I lived my life within my own boundaries, and ignored God's boundaries I'd have more fun and be happier. Just the opposite happened. By trying to gain freedom, I lost my freedom. I was shackled with guilt. Burdened with brokenness and despair, and a prisoner to my mistakes.

BUT... God sent people into my path that taught me that if I embraced God's boundaries I would find freedom. Christ came to earth so that we might be free from our sin, He came so that we could be set free from guilt and shame which are products of those mistakes. That is what He has done in my life... He has set me free! I've found that by living within His boundaries, which are found in His word, we can have an abundant life. Living an abundant life is about living free.

I challenge you. I challenge you to examine God's boundaries and test them against your own. I challenge you to live within His "lines" and see if you don't feel better emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Want to explore God's boundaries... Good! Over the next few weeks we'll chat... and I'd like to invite those of you who live near Gallup, New Mexico to come to our Don't Go There! Youth Conference host by the Joshua Generation Church on Friday June 6, 2008.

Till next time... Don't Go There!