Summer 2012

This is an update of E.P.I.C.* proportions.

I'm actually in the process of making an actual/formal newsletter, whilst I was making this blogpost, but decided to go with this one first as a draft of sorts for the actual newsletter.

Anyways, since my last post here, a lot of things have happened, and I am going to run down through a bunch of the more important stuff that went on in my life (in no particular order).

1. Lifebox Summer Class

One of the Pastors of Victory Christian Fellowship/Lifebox.

I got to attend (together with 2 of our church's youth leaders) this one-day summer class on Campus Ministry put together by Lifebox along with Historymakers (who were the ones that invited us.)
I learned so much that day not just about being a campus minister, but more importantly about what being a disciple really means.

2. Catching Fire Youth Camp

"Catching Fire: Ablaze for God's Glory" KBCF Youth Summer Camp 2012

So we had the youth camp (after 4 years since the last one we had), last April 25-27 in Antipolo.
2 weeks before the actual camp, it was decided (not by me) that we were to change venues; being we originally set it at a camp site in Pampanga, the leadership decided to change the venue, which would entail changing the ENTIRE program as well. Imagine the shock I got that day.

But God, in all his amazing-ness, came through! We were able to find a new venue, make an entirely different program, contact speakers, find campers, arrange logistics, etc.

Some of the Camp Staff.

Fireseeds. The Campers during the Banquet Night.

It was a crazy two weeks, but I know that even though I can't see yet actual results as to how this camp impacted the campers' lives, I know a definite investment has been made.

3. Great Balls of Fire!
This is actually still part of the camp update, but I figured I'd move this to another number just because God deserves another number of praise!

So, like I said, since we revamped the whole camp program two weeks before the actual camp date, we had to make do with a lot of us doing double/triple roles because of time and budget constraints.

I ended up taking over 2 session (message) slots in the program. One of my topics was this one, Great Balls of Fire, all about Developing Personal Vision and Decision Making.

Screencap taken from the movie "Adjustment Bureau". 

A "life map" example I used in my message.

I love talking about vision and all that entails it, so I was really pumped up and excited to try and share with them ideas that I know definitely changed my perspective in life.

4. The Principle of the Path

I recently tweeted that if ever I get a chance to live in the US, I would definitely choose to pick to live in Atlanta, Georgia. Just because most of my life and faith heroes come from Georgia (Louie Giglio, Tim Elmore, and Andy Stanley).

Anyways, I have been a huge fan of Andy Stanley's for a few years now; He is such a revolutionary communicator and visionary that even if i've heard a sermon of his from a few years back, I still remember a bunch of them.

Revolutionary book.

One of them being the "Destinations" series they had in North Point Community Church, which I believe was the basis for this book's existence. In a nutshell, the Principle of the Path goes: "Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination."

I'm not even halfway through the book since I have a lot of self-assessment stops I need to make along the way as I read this.

I kind of cheated a bit as I peeked at the end of the book, so forgive me. But that's where I found this amazing quotation that I also used in my message at camp:

Knowing doesn’t make the difference. Doing does. The decisions you make will determine the direction and the destination of your life. Choose wisely.

Revolutionary I tell you.

5. The Avengers

"Shawarma." A bonus scene only for the US release of the movie.

On the upside, we did get to see it some two weeks before they did.

I have been a fan of the franchise since the first Iron Man movie came out. I also saw all the other movies in an actual cinema and not just in Blue-ray: Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America.

I was so excited to for Summer 2012 to kick in after watching the end credits in Captain America last year, and I must say, the movie definitely did not disappoint.

Much buzz was given for this movie not just in the secular field, but even in the Christian blogosphere.
I know I definitely had a lot of a-ha moments reading what other Christians thought about this movie.
I also would want to contribute my two-cents to it.

I'd like to think that youth ministry is much like being a super hero. Don't get me wrong, my theology is still quite intact, and I acknowledge that the power definitely does not come from just us, but definitely comes from the ultimate source Jesus Christ, but hear me out.

I may not know much about the whole comics franchise, but in the movie, I know that the old saying 'United we stand, divided we fall' definitely spoke to me.

My favorite scene in the movie.

There is no "I" in "TEAM". (John Maxwell)

And from what I've been reading in leadership blogs, the bible, and through my personal experience, the youth ministry cannot simply be done alone. There's simply no room for a lone ranger in youth ministry.

Think about it, just like the superheroes in this movie, where each of them have their own skills and special abilities, a thriving youth ministry consists of differently-abled people binded together for the ultimate cause of connecting students and young people with the true source of power in this universe: Jesus. How cooler can that get?

6. The Incident

From an action movie, to some real life action. Well, almost.

Just this last Wednesday, I was going to church from my house and something happened.

For the full story, you can read it here on my facebook account.

In a nutshell, I almost got pickpocketed. My beloved pink aeropostale tote bag got slashed while I was riding the jeepney going to church. Thank God nothing drastic happened, I didn't lose anything, nor did I get hurt. I was even able to take a picture of the perpetrators (I have always wanted to use that word in an actual real life sentence haha)

My poor bag. Now a definite on the 25th Birthday gift wishlist: A new bag =)

That day, I was reading Psalms 27-32. And I was reminded of one of my favorite bible passages:

The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1-2)

And true enough that day, God has proven yet again just how much of a protector He is to me.

Thank you Lord!

I know there's still some time before summer officially ends, but the next part of summer will be concentrated on a different post: My 25th birthday. Yikes. Mixed emotions on that one. I'll update you all on how that will turn out. =)

How about you, how has your summer turned out so far?

*E.P.I.C. as defined by Tim Elmore (Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich, Connected)