Jr. High Stand (vbs) Countdown...

Aug. 1-3 at 6pm to 9:30pm we will packing Parkview Christian Church with a whole bunch of crazy and energized Jr. High Students!!! It is an amazing time of community, friends, worship, fun, games, food, sugar and anything that connects with Jr. High students. Don't miss this event and continue to follow this blog to hear more about Jr. High Stand at Parkview and each day I will put up a post to give you details about each night and what happened that night. Don't forget you can sign up at the door so bring your friends it is never too late. Struggling with all His Energy....jason

The Day after Know Sweat

The day after Know Sweat is always a little difficult for me because I am still tired and trying to remember all that we accomplished. One phrase from the week that stuck out to me happened on the last night of Know Sweat and the speaker told us to write below all the pictures we took of our service projects "Remember when we loved like this." That is always the challenge when you get back from a mission's trip, church conference or anything really church related is will you keep it going in your life. My challenge to all of our students, leaders and parents is don't forget how good this week was and whenever something starts to take priority over church and Christian community don't let it happen. Keep that phrase in mind - "Remember how you loved like this or remember when you allowed your son or daughter to go away for that week and how connected they were." Please keep this momentum you have created and stay connected at Parkview Student Ministries. "Stand" our Jr. High VBS is in 2 weeks if you haven't signed up or volunteered quit reading this blog and go to www.parkviewchurch.com and sign up!! Volunteer for Children's VBS as well and continue to serve. Struglling with all His Energy - jason

Day 5 Know Sweat

Ummmm... I am ready for bed! It has been an great week and the students made a lot of decisions tonight about being kingdom workers - when they get home please support them. These students and adults are taking their roles as the body of Christ very seriously and they are ready to make an impact when they get home. Today was all about bringing Hope and this group of jr. high student are ready to BRING IT!!! Can't wait to see what they will do when we get back. We are getting up at 5am tomorrow so i am going to bed. Love you all and can't wait to see my wife and 3 little boys. Hope you are ready to see your loved ones as well. Struggling with all HIs Energy!! We will call you when we are about an hour away from Parkview to pick up your students - In Christ ---jason

Day 4 Know Sweat

Another great day of serving and looking forward to completing all of our projects. Tonightwas an amazing night of worship and teaching for our students and leaders. We talked about the role each of us has as kingdom workers and being built into a spiritual house for God. Students and leaders lives are being transformed as I write this blog and they will be arriving in Orland Park very soon. Please pray for us as we discover what role God wants us to play in our families, friends, church and life in general. It is not easy to change and each of us needs encouragement even the parents, families and friends that are reading this. Some of us have been labeled a certain way or we may even think we can't change but that is simply not true. God wants the best for us and He wants us to see the Hope we have in Jesus and then bring that hope to one another. I pray that our jr. high students, leaders, parents, families and friends all believe they have a role to play because we have all been called to help people in need. Have a great night!!! See you all on Friday - Struggling with all His Energy - jason

Day 3 - Know Sweat

The rain held off Praise God!!! All projects got off to a great start and the students are working extremely hard. You can say that HOPE is becoming contagious around here and the students are spreading it where ever they go. We have 4 projects that we are responsible for this week: project 1 - applying an overcoat on a roof, painting foundation and sanding front porch.

project 2 - painting entire home and shed

project 3 - putting up siding and painting

project 4 - working with the local housing authority: washing windows, redoing a basketball court, food drive and painting.

All of these projects are putting the hope of Jesus into these families lives that we are serving this week. I wish you could all see your kids putting other's first this week and the things that God is doing in their lives it is definitely one of the perks of my job. Todays theme was all about being born into hope and the students learning they have a definite HOPE in Jesus that will never fade or spoil and we get to share that with the people we encounter on a daily basis. Tomorrow we will be in the 2nd chapter of 1 Peter so keep reading along with us and see that we are "built into family" tomorrow's theme. Have a great night everyone and see you tomorrow - I am ready for some sleep!!! struggling with all His energy - jason

Day 2 Know Sweat Tennessee

We are here in Milligan College safe and sound!! The road trip is over and now the real fun and sweat begins. It rained part of the way here and the forecast is 50-50 on rain here this week. Please pray that we can get through our projects and we are able to accomplish what God has intended for us to do this week. The theme for the week in Engaging Hope and the students will be studying 1 Peter throughout the week so if you want to read along with us that would be awesome! Tomorrow is the first chapter and we are discussing being born into hope that Jesus has given us. In our group time tonight we did our traditional get to know you time where everyone has to get each other's signature on their notebook so by the end of the night everyone has 68 signature's and gets to meet everyone. We broke up into our service project teams and also got to know one another a little bit better. This group of Adults and Jr. High Students have been great and i can't wait to see what God has in store for them this week. So...... day 2 almost over lights out at 11pm!! Have to get up for devotions at 6:30am tomorrow!!! Hopefully, have more pics tomorrow - Struggling with all His Energy- jason

On the road

Hi Parents!

There was no internet access last night at the hotel but everyone made it there safe and sound. Everyone slept well, I have my Starbucks, and we're on the road again! Tennessee bound!!! I will update when we get there and settled!

Thanks for your support and prayers!!

Jason

The day before Know Sweat

It is the day before Know Sweat and it is always busy and stressful getting things together. I always have to remind myself of the days ahead and God is in charge of everything. If you are a parent you are probably a little nervous and apprehensive of letting them be out of your sight for 5 days or some parents may be counting the days for this trip. If you are a student you probably can't wait but still a little nervous - who am I going to room with, what i am going to be doing and how am I going to live without my ipod, computer, phone etc. for 5 days? It doesn't matter who you are God has a plan for you when you are sending someone on a missions trip or if you are going on one. It is the day before Know Sweat and I am going to miss my family TONS!!!! But, I know God has a plan for it and He has a plan for you this week as well......struggling with all HIS Energy - jason