Paige and I

Allie and I

Heather and I at Covanent Night

Kilah and I

My remaining AC family from my 1st year

My apartment, 910!

My AC Family

My AUDAX 1st year assistant leaders

     As I write this, I am on the road with Crissy headed to Florida for thanksgiving break. It’s going to be an amazing week, but first let me tell you about this week past!

     On Monday and Tuesday we had cadre, which Pastor Mike was here for. It was great to see him again and spend time with him. I’ll get to see him in a few more weeks for Christmas break!

     Wednesday was O2 night and we had a Thanksgiving Day party. It was a ton of fun! We played charades in which you acted out what you were thankful for, had pumpkin pie, and just enjoyed each other’s company. I am so thankful for my Audax family this year, as they have taught me so much more than I ever could.

     On Thursday, Mike Rogers flew into town with his wife and we got a chance to spend some time with them. Mike Rogers is on Jeanne’s Youth Leaders Coach board, and is a successful businessman who loves the Masters gang. It’s great to see him and hear what he has to say. We all have a lot to learn from him!

     On Friday we had the usual classes, and after our small groups got together to prepare for pumpkin bowl. We met at my apartment, ate pizza and made our football t-shirts. The girls slept over at our apartments and the next day we headed to the church for Pumpkin Bowl! Pumpkin bowl is Oxygen’s annual tradition where we have a football tournament between the different O2 groups. This year, our group placed 3^rd out of 9 groups and also won best sportsmanship. As far as I’m concerned, I’d say that’s a win! Our group has grown so much this past year and I’m so grateful for God using our leaders to reach out.

     On Monday, our day off, our mentor family made breakfast together as we got ready for break. We watched Elf and even had pumpkin pie! It was early, but it was nice to get the chance to hang out before we went off to break. Later that day we went to Pastor Jordan’s as a second year class for Thanksgiving dinner. We all brought something, and sat down together to eat. We all went around the table and talked about what we were thankful for, and it was a fun, relaxing evening. I was reminded that night of how thankful I am for all these amazing people God has put in my life. I don’t know how I could live without them!

     Tuesday was another good day. It started off with prayer, and a scripture studies test followed by a Southeastern test on Acts. I’m proud to say I aced them both! After that, our family went to Chik-Fil-A, and watched the Little Rascals. It was nice to have some downtime together before we are away for a week. We all went to Covanent night together; a tradition right before break where we go and make new covanents to God about what our lives will stand for. I got the opportunity to pray with a bunch of people and see what God was showing them. It was such a blessing! All in all, I've had a great week. Please keep me in your prayers, as God changes me from the inside out here!

     The time is flying by here. I can’t believe that in a week I will be on thanksgiving break… I’ve been here 2 ½ months and it feels like 2 weeks!

     On Tuesday we worked a fundraiser at the Georgia Dome, to help pay some of our tuition. Even when we are working we manage to have fun together, and so the time really flew by. After our fundraiser we had an undershepherd meeting at Pastor Adam and Lucy’s. As leaders of our small groups, it was nice to just have fellowship and talk about where our strengths and weaknesses as a team. I came out of it with so many ideas for making Audax better, and some practical ways to do it.

     On Wednesday, we had a southeastern study hall, prayer, and Hosanna taught creative art and design this week. Wednesday night is Oxygen night and Jeanne spoke on the importance of relentless prayer. It was a very powerful message and I really believe that a spirit of desperate prayer was birthed in some of our students that night.

     Thursday was 3^rd year chapel day! It was incredible. They talked about the importance of vulnerability, and we had an amazing worship session as well. It was great to talk with our mentor families after and really see what was going on in their lives. I love the chances we get to really connect and build relationships that go beyond just having fun.

     One thing that I loved about Friday was our family time. We went to a beautiful monastery in Conyers, GA which was especially nice this time of year. We walked in and talked about our year, and asked them if they are getting everything they came here for. It was another cool moment to connect with them and give them guidance about their first year here. We gave them a token; a glass jar filled with 227 black beans. Each bean represented one day at Masters, and we told them to look at it and always to make every bean count. They really liked it, so I'm guessing it went well!

     On Saturday I had the day off; I did a lot of studying and caught up on some reading. It was nice to just be able to get stuff done that I haven't had the chance to.

     Sunday was really fun. I had breakfast at McDonald's with Jordan and Allison, and Audax hung out and make tacos together. It was cool to make Sunday lunch together like a family! Late that night Beth and I went to the airport and picked up Pastor Mike for cadre. It was so good to see him again! He is helping out with the small groups in the cadre so we will see him for the next two days. It's nice to have a little piece of home here with us.

     That's all thats really happened this week. We've been having a lot of tests before break, so I've been studying and leading a somewhat boring life. I'll keep you posted on my second year, and what happens on thanksgiving break!

     It was another great week in Atlanta! After getting home from retreat, we had a few hours to unpack and relax. The next day we had cadre! The youth pastors were here for retreat, and then a day at Jeanne’s house to be poured into and mentored. It was a long day, and the youth pastors didn’t leave her house until 2 and 3 in the morning. However late it ran, it’s worth it to think of how their lives really are being changed. The fact that we get to be a part of it is incredible!

     Tuesday was our day off, and I sure made use of it. I simply slept, got groceries, cleaned the apartment, and hung out with my roommates. We just came out of a very busy season here, so I knew that I just needed a day to relax.

     On Wednesday we had a great night at Oxygen. It was testimony night and we had different students share about what God did in their lives over retreat. To hear their stories was so encouraging, and made me realize why our hard work was so important. All of the late nights and early mornings helped bring life change for our students. That makes it worth it.

     On Thursday we had a family lunch, and our family came to my apartment and watched Toy Story 3. We went grocery shopping together and made tater tots and pizza bites. It was just another fun, relaxing time we could spend together.

     Friday and Saturday were both fundraising days for out missions trip to NYC! We were bucket brigading and raised around $400 during both days. It was freezing outside, and involved long days for both. We made about $20 a person… only $480 to go!

     Saturday night involved dinner at Cracker Barrel with two of my greatest friends; Allie White and Heather Robertson. Both were my roommates last year, and we decided to just have some fun and hang out. After dinner we went walking in Graves Park. I am so thankful for the people God has placed in my life! Later that night I went to a Christmas party with the 2^nd and 3^rd year class, where we had hot chocolate and watched Christmas movies. Lastly, I spent the night with some of my Audax girls.

     Today we had church followed by an Oxygen leadership meeting. Later tonight, we are going out to celebrate the birthdays of a few girls in my class. I love how much of a family we are, these all are some of the greatest people I have met.

Here are some pictures of the week:

Hailey and I at church

Allie and I

My Papa from last year mailed me a turtle footstool... since turtles are my favorite!

Retreat Week!

     I had the most incredible week! From Tuesday to Friday it was honestly a blur of retreat and cadre preparations. There were tokens to make; youth pastors to pick up from the airport, curriculum to go over, and everything else we have in a normal week. But it was SO WORTH IT. Instead of going through each day, let me tell you about fall retreat 2010.

     Our theme was YouTube, and the main message we wanted to get across is “how do you broadcast yourself to the world?” Our speaker was Pat Schatzline, an Assemblies of God pastor that travels around the world to speak. Going into this retreat, I really was praying and believing my girls would meet God and really change some things in their lives. One of my girls had recently begun experimenting with drugs, and it reached an all time high the week leading up to retreat. At the end, she came and told me she was completely done with drugs, and even promised me to never touch them again. It was evident that God did so much in her this weekend!

      Another highlight of retreat was the YouTube competition each O2 group participated in. At every service, three groups were chosen to imitate a certain video found on YouTube and compete to see who imitated best. I am proud to say that MY O2 group AUDAX won the entire thing! Our first video was called “Hippies Wailing over Dead Trees” and can be watched here ---.  It was a lot of fun to do, and really gave our group some healthy pride.

     One of my favorite things about retreat was the rap groups we had on Saturday morning and afternoon. I was chosen to lead a rap group with another third year guy, and it truly was a privilege. Rap groups are like small groups; only we discuss the service and how it applies to our lives. It was so cool to ask our group questions and really have them open up. Our group was honest and vulnerable with each other, and God totally used that.

     The weekend was really kissed by God. I could tell you stories of every one of my Audax girls and how God changed them. That is really all it’s about. One of my girls even told me that I am closer to her than her mom is. I really can’t help but be satisfied in the fact that I know God has used me to help these girls along in their walk with him. I am more than excited about it.

     Here is a video of our opening service:

my family at Stonecrest mall

our small group at retreat, AUDAX!