In the past, instead of inviting people to give something up for Lent, we have invited you to find something to add to your life that will allow you to simplify your life so you can refocus on the promises of God. This may seem to contradict itself–picking something else up to simplify?!?!? But, if you pick up and stay committed to a devotional practice it forces you to give up different things on different days–not the wholesale no to one particular thing. Sometimes in order to pick up a devotional practice on a particular day you will have to give up several things on that day. But, the object of this Lenten discipline is not to focus on the object being given up, but on your relationship with God.

So, it is with that in mind that I lift up the following devotional blog to you:

. . . in the meantime

It is written by the same author who wrote the book we are using for our Lenten study this year, David Lose. It will be a different devotional everyday (a writing, video, etc.). May this serve as a blessing to you as we enter Lent together and may our relationship to Christ be strengthened.

You have GIVEN something of yourself, that no one can ever just take. You must GIVE that away freely…and doesn’t it feel good?!!?

-“Volunteers don’t necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”  ~ Elisabeth Andrew

“I’m just a volunteer.”  Have any of you ever said this?  Is this how you feel when you are surrounded by others?  It has for me.  Truly.

A short 15 months ago I attended a youth and family workshop.  I had only been a  volunteer for a little over 2 months and I was asked to attend The Living Room Summit.

Once I arrived, I realized this workshop was for youth ministers and pastors.  Needless to say I felt a little out of my element.  Ah, who am I kidding, I was WAY out of my element. I learned about and grew in my faith ten-fold,
but the whole time all I could think was, “I am just a volunteer.”
 As the ever eloquent Marilyn Sharpe reminded me, ‘Chelsey my dear, you are not just a volunteer. You are priceless! Ministry could not run without you!’

I bet you can guess my response to this… “Yea right!”
I couldn’t help but laugh and completely disagree with her.  I am a volunteer, I am so dispensable.  They need me for one thing and then I’ll slink into the back and no one will notice me again.

WRONG-O!  Since that time, I have explosively changed my mind about what a volunteer really is.
Holy Moly guys! You have no idea how important you are!!

We at Cross of Calvary have such fabulous volunteers who, week in and week out, serve the church through involvement in all of the different kinds of ministry we have here.
You aren’t asked to help out because we need to fill space, you are asked because you possess something that is worth sharing.  You have more in you than you may think. 
Or maybe you know how valuable you are! And that is AWESOME! Keep it up, because someone, somewhere will need you.

 -Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless. ~ Sherry Anderson.

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer for our youth ministry?
What qualities do you need to possess?
You only need TWO very very important characteristics: Love God, and Love children.
That is it!

Pray with me, and keep this prayer, this request to God, in the back of your mind…
Father, we thank you for giving us all the gifts we possess.  Help us to use these gifts as an outlet to share your Word.  Give us the courage to put ourselves beyond our comfort zone to minister to others in anyway we can.  Amen

Questions about the cross are many and various, and many times when we ask the questions we are given some vague, unclear answer. But, we are not alone. Christians throughout the centuries have struggled with many questions about the cross. Many of them driving to the heart of our question, “What does the cross have to do with me?”.

One month from today Lent will begin. These questions about the cross will guide us in our journey. We will be using David Lose’s book “Making Sense of the Cross”. The book is written in a conversation form. Lose has an imaginary conversation with someone like us who has oodles of unanswered questions about the cross. It is a wonderfully written, easy to understand book. You may place your order for the book through the church. Just send us an e-mail. The cost will be 12 dollars. If you decide not to purchase the book, please don’t think you can not dive into our Lenten study. You should be able to follow very well without one, but the book will give you an added depth to your Lenten study.

So, we go forward to learn more about this central symbol in our life as Christians. It is hoped that looking at it from a variety of perspectives will deepen our walk of faith and add to our appreciation of what Christ has done for us. So, come with your questions and see what answers you will receive!

I do plan on updating every Tuesday. Check it out!!.  I will be blogging about life in general, as it happens.  It will be for everyone, however if it is a specific blog geared for middle or high schoolers, I’ll let ya’ll know.

Now I want to know what you guys want to be reading.   I’m not just writing because I like to talk… which I do.  I’m writing to give you something(hopefully good) to read!!  What are things you are looking for from me?? I am ready and willing to change topics, formats etc etc to quench your reading thirst. E-mail them to me, facebook, or comment on this blog.

I will blab about whatever strikes me as worthy for the week.  The cherry on top will be our quick weekly devotional; meant intentionally to bring you closer to God, and those close to you (your friends, family, family-friends, friend’s family, family’s pet etc…)

YOUTH: We can touch on the hard hitting topics that everyone is concerned about…. School, homework, boys, girls, sports, music, faith, praying, insecurities, making and keeping friends, living out God’s work,  saying NO to a ‘DO IT’ world, texting, youtube-ing, facebook, connecting, and best of all  YOU!

ADULTS: What do you want to hear?  What are things you have questions about? What do you want to read?

Don’t ever be hesitant to ask me something, or talk to me. I LOVE talking (I tend to ramble a bit, which you’ll all find out…wait, am I rambling now?? Oh dear, I don’t know how I get off on such different topics. Anyone else have that problem?  One minute talking about birds, then the next it’s the new I-pad, and then its shoes! Ok, I caught myself.) Sorry about that! I do tend to wander from the main topic…. Now what were we talking about?

Ahhhh yes, TALK TO ME!! Hang out! Come visit me in my office- I LOVE LOVE LOVE to get out of the office! We’ll meet for coffee, or soda, or whatever it is you guys drink these days, Redbull??  Yikes!

Ok, I’ll leave you with a thought, a prayer, and hopefully I’ll see you again!

Our world is busy, even my blog is a little crazy (a little?)  but there are so many missed opportunities to connect with ourselves, our loved ones, friends, and our God. Our awesome and perfect God.

What in your world right now, is something you can let go of.  What is something you want to let go of, but have a hard time doing so?
Is it that grudge you’re holding onto? That anger inside of you that boils up anytime someone bumps your arm? What about an hour?
Maybe an hour is too long. What about 10 minutes? Do you have 10 minutes to spend away from your phone, facebook, homework, or tv, to just BE.

That’s it just BE.

Be silent.

Be still.

Be comfortable.

Be with God.

It is amazing how easy your day can calm down and make sense when you spend 10 minutes breathing, and clearing your mind. It is almost impossible with all of today’s distractions but I challenge each of you to try.

Lord, I ask you today to take all that is weighing me down and lift it off my shoulders. Help me to see what 10 minutes can do. Help me to clear my mind and focus on you.  I thank you for all that I have today, and I give thanks that in an ever moving world you are a solid rock to cling to. Thank you for letting me just BE.  Amen.