I posted a new blog post over at the PDYM Blog today…Go check it out there!
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
There are thousands of youth workers in the virtual world who have a lot to say and a lot to contribute. However the average post on this blog attracts 2 or 3 comments. I personally want to hear from you. We may start a topic, but the point of a blog is to provoke conversation and idea sharing. READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
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Fall is here. That means cold mornings throughout most of the country. So, I’m just wondering, have you brought out your sweaters yet? I’m just curious because in the south, God’s country, it’s cold in the mornings, in the mid to upper 70′s in the afternoon, and then cool in the evenings. Yesterday on my way home I noticed a guy sitting in the car next to me at the red light wearing a thick, winter style sweater. I had my window down because it was hot! I think some people feel a little cold and dive right into their winter clothes, so how about you? Fill out the poll below to let us know!
[polldaddy poll=1033622]
Thanks for Participating!
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I seriously look fat in this picture. Am I this fat? Dang.
I finally got to meet the famous Brad Ruggles. He assembled a Bloggers Meetup for the Catalyst attendees. I think I was the only one there who was not at Catalyst, but when you get this many bloggers from around the country assembled in one city, its a night that you cannot turn down. I’ve attached some thumbnails of random pictures I took throughout the night, click on the picture 2 times to enlarge it to its full size (and I’ll be working on editing some of these pictures with the bad red eyes).
Here are some links to some of the bloggers who were there, I did not get to meet everyone and I still have to find the blogs of the new bloggers I did meet:
Brad Ruggles – Lisa Ruggles – Pete Wilson – Pat Rowland – Jenni Catron – Terrace Crawford – Aarron Dininny – Nic Burleson – Zak White – And others (I can’t find them all right now)
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…about his hearts sin condition. Straight from a 5 year old’s mind and heart to his lips. (This conversation took place at MeMaw’s house)
Gavin: MeMaw!
MeMaw: What Gavin?
Gavin: (With hand placed over chest) I hate this sin in my heart
MeMaW: You hate the sin in your heart?
Gavin: Yes, how do I get rid of it?
MeMaw: You have to ask Jesus to get rid of it for you
MeMaw: How did you know about the sin in your heart?
Gavin: From 3D (Our children’s program at church for K-5th Grade)
As a parent I am excited to hear my son acknowledging the ‘sin in his heart‘ and even more his desire to get rid of it and to get it out of his heart…at the age of 5. I am reminded of what Proverbs 22:6 says about teaching our children the right things at a young age so they will stick with it at an older age. That is my daily prayer for my children…that they stay on the right path when Mom and Dad are not around.
I believe education, both secular and spiritually start at home, however I understand that we cannot expect to be the only voice in our children’s lives. That is why I am so thankful for the other voices in my children’s lives, such as 3D at TCAG, my mom-in-law, “Mr. Shane,” and many others who have taken a vested interest in my family. I appreciate my pastor pushing our children’s teams to provide environments that are second to none for the children in our church and the children in our community that have yet to be reached. Just a thought…don’t go at this parenting thing alone!
Other Conversations with a 5 Year Old Posts: Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4
Join the Conversation: Any interesting conversations around your house recently?
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After my airline ticket was purchased for the Gathering my uncle moved from L.A. back to Atlanta, so I got stuck in California for a couple of extra days alone. My friend Tom suggested that I go check out the Reagan Library, so I did. Reagan was my President. He was in office from the time I was born until I was 8 years old, and what a great President he was. I was blown away by this place, it is not ultra exciting as it is a museum of sorts, but the videos, the pictures, the letters, and the audio of Reagan playing throughout the building are awesome! The historical items they have on display are very cool. I got to see the very x-ray taken when Reagan was shot. I walked away thinking to myself three thoughts: #1 Reagan was a great leader, #2 Reagan loved his wife, and #3 Reagan loved this country…even if it was at the expense of losing popularity in the world. If you ever get an opportunity…go see it! Semi Valley is beautiful and when you look out at the land surrounding the library, it helps put into perspective how BIG God is and how small we are.
One final personal note. Neither one of our Presidential candidates could stand toe to toe with Reagan. I know McCain likes to say he is a foot soldier in Reagan’s army, but Reagan would probably disagree. On the other hand, if you are an Obama supporter, Reagan would eat your candidate for lunch and still need dessert. The words of Reagan echoing through this Library are powerful, and I could not help but to think how much trouble we will be in if Obama is elected. I will do a post in the coming days about a great story I heard from one of the videos that I watched at the Library, its powerful. Until then, check out the photos below. They are not the greatest as they are from my cell phone camera (Nicki would not let me take her camera). If you click the photo for a second time it will expand into a larger photo.
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The 2008 Gathering is over. I hate having to type those words. I think Doug tweeted it best, I wish we were all neighbors. Every year I make new friends and deepen my relationship with those who I am already connected with. My favorite part of these few days together is pictured above, sharing life with some of the sharpest leaders in student ministry. We do not discuss numbers, we don’t flaunt successes, we sharpen each other, we stretch each other, we pray for one another and we have tons of fun! I cannot describe the power of the authenticity that takes place around our tables during our various sessions, but I can say, its good.
Check back…I’ll be posting more about the Gathering and my week in California…right now I’m getting ready to fly home to my family who I greatly miss. California is great, but it stinks without them! California with my family would = Heaven 
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Last night the PDYM State Mentors went to Lucky Strike Lanes for a little dinner and bowling.
My Results:
Game #1 3rd place 114 pts
Game #2 4th place (I didn’t get serious until frame 6) 101 pts
Doug Fields showed all the youth pastors how to do it with the high score of the night at 159 and Jim Clark came in a close second with his strong effort of 139.
I even tried a little meditation…the bowling gods still did not smile on me.
I choked like the Chicago Cubs in the pursuit of a World Series Championship.
Despite facing the anger of the bowling gods, I had more fun than I have had in a long time.
It’s sad I only get to hangout with these youth workers once a year. We’ve had a lot of fun.
Unfortunately it all ends today at 3:00 pm PT.
The after party heads to Hollywood afterwards, so who knows what will happen there!
(This is for Ben Taylor)
Join the Conversation: When’s the last time you had a lot of fun?
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This is where I am this week…Yes, California!
I am at Saddleback for the Gathering with Doug Fields and his team.
There are so many Youth Ministry geniuses here, I am wondering why I am here.
I may not be blogging a lot over the next couple of days because of this.
But that’s ok, I’m not complaining.
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Today I had a pastor point out to me the dangers of blogging, especially when there is little to no context given behind certain posts. He brought to my attention a couple of posts I had written several months back and revealed to me a little bit about the attitude it seems I was portraying, or maybe the underlying messages I was giving off hidden beneath my words. I am fortunate this pastor wants to talk about it in a couple of weeks when I get back from California.
To be honest before I even speak with this pastor, I went back and read two of the posts he referenced to me and I have to say, they were pretty bad. I allowed some things that were happening in my life, along with some discontentment to mold my thinking and corrupt my heart towards God’s most precious creation, people. I also allowed those things to produce a critical attitude of views and practices within the church just because I choose to do differently. I am always promoting the church working together and being ONE, putting aside petty differences to see the lost brought to Christ, and while I was shouting from the roof tops that the church should be acting in this manner, I was being hypocritcal. I personally find this humbling, but in a sad way humerous, since my pastor just asked me to preach on October 19th with a theme of loving the hypocrite. I guess I should be asking how people are able to love me, it may just make the perfect message. On top of the areas where I personally strayed, there were some things that had no context or understanding for the reader and so it was easily misunderstood by the reader. Blogs can be very good and healthy, but when things like this happen, it makes them bad and really ugly in many ways.
To those who have read my blog, if you read this post, I apologize if I wrote some things that were misunderstood, but also some things that were completely wrong from my end. I desire to live a transparent life and in doing so, your going to catch me mess up and sin, but I am thankful for people such as this pastor who will step into my life and point me in a healthier and more productive direction for my life. My desire is to shine Jesus to the world, and if there is anything in my life that dulls that light, I want to get rid of it. I deleted the posts that were brought up to save any additional issues in the future after I am able to grow from this experience. I am very aware of one thing; I am 27 years old and though I would like to think I have some things figured out, I know that I am far from it! I am thankful for men, such as this pastor, who do not mind getting their hands dirty and helping a yound man such as I, because God knows I need it.
So today, I am thankful for grace, people who know how to love a hypocrite, and people who want to see me become all that God wants me to be. Its good to have people in my life who are living Christianity out. I look forward to growing from here in the next several weeks.
Humbly,
Nick
Join the Conversation: Have you ever said or did anything where you looked back months later and regreted or changed and thought “How Stupid of Me?”
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I was contacted a couple of months ago by Samantha, an editor, writer, and representative for Bluefish TV, about contributing to their new website, The Small Group Exchange. I was really blown away & honored that they would be asking me (a nobody) to write something for such a well known ministry resource company.
My article, Sharing Life Through Difficult Times, went live today. The article focuses on how huge of an impact our small groups had during the devistation caused by Hurrican Katrina. The other day, after Hurricane Ike, I posted a little bit about my former churches involvement surrounding Hurricane Katrina and posted two videos to show a little bit of what we did and what we saw. You can check those videos and that post out HERE.
Go read my new article on the Small Group Exchange and come back here and let me know what you think.
Join the Conversation: How have small groups impacted your life or your church?
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