Reading Goals

In 2013 my goal was to read 100 books. My final tally was 121.
In 2014 my goal for 150 books. I have read 160 so far.
For 2015 I want something more structured than just a number to work towards.  I came up with a list of personal reading goals, based in part on these two lists from BookRiot and Popsugar.

Here's what I came up with:

• A book of more than 500 pages
• A book I started and never finished
• A drama
• A book translated from another language
• A book I own but never read
• A Pulitzer, Man Booker, or Natioanal Book award winner
• A memior
• A historic nonfiction book
• A book set somewhere I'd like to visit
• A book published before 1900
• A nonfiction book published after 2000
• A Shakespeare drama
• A book recommended by a friend
• A collection of short stories
• A book set in Africa, or by an African author
• A book set in Asia, or by an Asian author
• A book by someone under the age of 30
• A book by someone over the age of 65
• A collection of poems
• A self-improvement book
• A Christmas book
• A book of philosophy
• A classic novel
• A biography
• A professional development book
• A church classic

Does anyone have a recommendation for other goals I could make, or books I should read?

Take the Quiz

At youth we tested our Bible knowledge with this quiz: Prescription Drug or Old Testament King? 

Let me know how you did!

Youth Ministry Blueprint

Some church members and myself decided to start planning regular youth events for the ten or so youth we have attending our little church. I am really excited! I have been involved with different youth ministries for five years now, but someone else usually planned which curriculum we would use.

Here is what I want to do for the next year:

John Wesley taught that believers should perform works of piety and works of mercy to develop their relationships with God and others.  So our first devotional will be on "Why we Study the Bible" then prayer, and so on. Febuary or thereabouts we will begin doing acts of mercy - such as volunteering at local charities.

One thing I want to emphasize with the youth: These acts are NOT what make you a disciple, or a Christian. These acts are not why God loves us.  God loves us while we are yet sinners. We seek him in need of grace, not holding up all our rags of righteous behaviour. Our walk with Christ is about relationship, not performance. 

So why do we do these acts?

1) Out of grateful hearts because the all-powerful God of the universe loves us!

2) To leave room for grace in our lives. When we seek God and help others and participate in communion and fellowship with the body of Christ, it provides many opportunities for God to communicate with us.  We find grace, often, while doing these acts.

3) Direction. Sure there's nothing wrong with me watching TV and messing around on Pinterest, but it shouldn't be my focus. These acts of piety and mercy give me a focus.

If you have any ideas for a devotional about any of the acts of piety or mercy, please let me know!  I'm looking for strong object lessons to communicate these truths!

Meditating on Matthew

I just read about Jesus' baptism and temptation in the wilderness in Matthew 3 and 4. I was imagining how it would have been to see Jesus baptized (that part wasn't weird, it had become almost trendy in Jerusalem and Judea). But suddenly a voice speaks from the sky, and a the Holy Spirit comes down in a visible way. Jesus was surely delighted to hear from his Father,and to receive a message of approval. I bet Jesus was pumped! Maybe it felt like an ordination or a commissioning. "Time to begin my Father's ministry!"

I've never had God speak his approval out loud from heaven, but I have had moments when I felt especially close to him. I had a moment recently when I felt like I failed God (whimpy quiet time). And I said, "Lord, why do I always let you down?" and I suddenly realized that my perspective was all off. I never have access to the Lord based on my merit. It's always because of Jesus and his blood. I can cry out to him, and draw near to him because of Jesus, not because of something I did. And in that moment I felt so pumped and so close to God.  I was ready to take on the world! (Which in this case, means starting a new youth ministry at Carter's Chapel, where Sam is pastoring now.)

I keep reading in Matthew: after Jesus' baptism he is led into the wilderness. Probably the wonderful experience at his baptism encouraged and sustained him as he fasted rigorously. And then, when he was very weak (physically), the enemy came to tempt him.

There is a pattern of undulation in life, where a really wonderful time is followed by a really tough time. I call this "Youth Camp Phenomena" because that was when I first noticed this.  Iwill do something new and exciting, and in the beginning my spirit is buoyant and excited. And then when things hard, and I'm worn out from work and church, the enemy comes to tempt me. Usually I am tempted to bad attitude like resentment, and sometimes I am tempted to laziness. And it always happens when I am tired, or sick, or dealing with an outside stress.  What is the opposite of impeccable timing? Satan has that. Sometimes I've given in to temptation. I'll hold a grudge against someone, until I get quiet enough to hear the Spirit pointing it out.  Whether I give in to temptation or not, I always feel like the season I am in will last forever. The season of tiredness or weakness or emotional trama. And it never does.

In Matthew: After Jesus resists Satan's temptation, God sends angels to minister. Notice, that God did not speak out of the sky again. Often someone will minister to me in an unexpected way. I may be asking the Lord for a literally AWE-some devotional experience, to encourage me in my tough time. But instead, a lot of times, he will send one of his children to help. Maybe Katie will say something encouraging, or maybe a church member will give me a nice card, or maybe I will unexpectadly run into a friend who gives me a hug. In my case, I've never noticed angels ministering.  I am most oftent ministered to by someone in the Body of Christ.  And when the season of  trouble is over, I look back and see God's faithfulness once again. And then I pray, "Lord, help me to remember this the next time I'm exhausted and doubting you."

*** Thank you Dani, Jon, and Shane for inspiring this interest in blogging, after a two and a half year dearth. ***

D-Now

This weekend was my church's youth retreat (Discipleship Now). I think we had 97 youth total. Jolene DeHeer was the speaker again. She did a great job.
We had a Bellarive concert in the sanctuary on Friday night. No broken stained glass or concussions, so success! They did a good job of keeping the youth interested and being worshipful.
When it was time for everyone to go to there rooms, I was in charge of a room with 17 girls. Three of them walked in and said, "Melissa, you know we're not going to sleep tonight, right?" I told them that no one could be forced to go to sleep, but regardless, they were going to lay down silently with their eyes closed for eight hours, whether they slept or not. And they were very well behaved, which I appreciated.
On Saturday, the kids played "The Amazing Race" which was basically a scavenger hunt. They loved it, although a couple of the boys did get talked to by the police for standing in the middle of the road. The kids collected nearly 200 cans of food for this soup kitchen.
We also played laser tag in the church basement which was a big hit. And again, no concussions, no broken windows, nobody fell through the wall this time.
Sam and I both taught "break-out sessions." Our theme for Youth retreat was made in God's image. We ended with Jolene speaking and we all took communion together. It was very special.
Fortunately, working with youth is invigorating, or I would probably have fallen over asleep half way through. I worked over eighty hours last week, but it was worth it. It was really exciting to see God working in the kid's lives, and exciting to have Him working on my life too.