Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

An Amazing God

Worship this week has been awesome. I am so excited about leading and I could really handle doing this more than just this one year. I love leading these teens in praise and seeing their different postures of worship. It has truly been a delight to see so many individuals come together as community through worship and study. Kadesh is a great experience for students who are serious about seeking God.

I have also had the privilege of spending time with the camp counselors. I have sat in on their evening devotional. There is much more time and preparation put into this camp than anyone can truly appreciate. It is a big task done seamlessly.

I still get tired like I do when I am a group leader, but I am able to rejuvenate myself through more periods of rest and alone time. I have been able to spend more time in prayer and meditation this week. I didn’t realize how much I needed that.

God is amazing. He is working through the Holy Spirit living in us all over the world at the same time. I am honored to be a part of this journey of faith. I fall and stumble, but I am constantly being picked up, brushed off, and pushed to go again.

Why is God amazing to you?

-Michael

Worship at Kadesh
Well we have worshipped twice together and the third will be tonight as well as the fourth. It started off a little rocky last night, but this morning was awesome. God is definitely in control. It is quite different to not be leading a group. I miss being with the students, but I am getting a unique perspective as worship leader. I can sit and observe the ministry that is taking place all over the room. It is amazing what happens when so many adults throw themselves in front of the fast approaching dangerous life of teenagers. Not knowing what may come their way, there are so many group leaders here that are giving there all for helping with these students and making a huge impact on their lives. I love what I am doing this week. It is so awesome to plan and lead worship for spiritually hungry adolescents. Why can’t all year be like this one week? Full focus on Jesus Christ where our main objective is a full out war on Satan. Pray for these students and their families as so much hope is instilled and truth uncovered.

-Michael

Early In the Morning

It is a little after 6:00am as I write this. In less than one hour students will begin to arrive at the church building with bags in tow. We leave today for our high school Camp Kadesh. Pray for our safe travel today and Saturday when we return. As I write this I am thinking about home. I left at 5:30am to come to the office and get some things together for the trip. I already miss my wife. I hated to wake her this morning, but she looked so sweet and I couldn’t help but say goodbye. It is becoming more normal a practice for us to be apart, but everytime I leave it hurts. She has a big week ahead of her getting ready her classroom for school upcoming. She will also spend some time with her parents. Then she is also left with all the duties, which is just further compounded now by having our puppy. I love her for being so understanding and supportive of my job and ministry.

I also will miss my two children Maverick and Zeke. No, we haven’t also caught the movie star craze to name human beings weird obscure names that they will later change (i.e. cocoa, apple). These are our pets. We both love them and for the most part, as much as pets can, they love us. I will miss my walks with Zeke and the times when Maverick lays in my lap after a long day.

I am excited, however, to see some old friends, worship with over 200 students, and give my students the opportunity to change their spiritual lives. I love the camp. It gets real messy with students, just like Jesus wants. The trick is taking what happens in one week and building on it the rest of the year. This year I am leading worship. It may not sound like much, but it is task. We worship three times a day. Since, they are students the energy will be extremely high during the evening and night and you must work hard on pushing them in the mornings. I pray that God will use me to lead this camp in worship that will break down their defenses and allow their hearts to be open to Christ.

Thank you for your prayers! This week will be a blast! But it seems that something is always missing when Leah is not there to share it with me. I love you sweetheart!

-Michael

A Proud Papa

Tonight Leah and I took Zeke for his third puppy preschool class. He has done so well learning his commands. Sit, Settle, Stay, and down. Tonight we learned Come, leave it, and how to loose leash walk (walking without pulling while on a leash). Petsmart has been our instruction and our neighborhood the training ground. We have worked hard with him. He has to sit before he can do anything. He has to settle when we aren’t walking. Since he stays outside potty training is not necessary. However, tonight I couldn’t be more proud of ole Zeke! Our teacher was showing us how to teach our puppies to loose leash walk. He chose Zeke because we had said how much he pulled when we walked. As our trainer was showing us the method behind the madness, Zeke decided to release some of his own madness. Right there on the cement floor of PetSmart, Zeke went #2. The instructor let him go and then cleaned it up as well. Leah was somewhat embarrassed, but I decided to lighten the moment with a shout, “That’s My Boy!” and “If you have to do something right, it might as well be that!” I got a few laughs and our embarrassment faded.

It has been a tremendous learning experience, training Zeke. I have found quite a few similarities between the human learning experience and the dog learning experience. It has made me much more aware of teenage behavior and how the reactions of parents affect whether an adolescent will behave in the same next time the same situation occurs. Of course, then there are times when teenagers are like my cat Maverick. He won’t give you the time of day and every action he has during the day leads him to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom. Maybe I should further look at the similarities between adolescents and cats and dogs.

-Michael

p.s. It is good to be back in the blog world. I will be out again, however, starting Sunday through next Saturday. Maybe in mid-August I can return to my normal routine.

Chadder’s Adventure Theater

Well time has gotten away from me and I haven’t kept up with my blogging like usual. This month is our busy month for trips in the youth ministry. This week has been our church’s Vacation Bible School. I am in charge of Chadder’s Adventure Theater. Which basically means that we play a short video clip about Chadder the Chipmunk and his friends and their adventure. Then we work in a workbook and memorize the treasure verse. Next week we leave for Camp Kadesh.

I am at home now just taking a little time to blog. I miss my days of blogging every day. However, I don’t believe I will be there again until the summer is over. Camp will be great and I hope to tell more after we get back.

-Michael

2 Weddings and a Shower

We took last week for vacation. It was very productive, but not necessarily restful. Leah’s sister was married this past Sunday. The previous Friday, Leah hosted a shower in her honor. I Performed the ceremony and we did many little things in between to help the wedding be successful. This means that vacation was not necessarily restful, but very productive. We were able to work in our yard all week and have it looking great. I got several opportunities to hang out with my new puppy Zeke. And Leah and I were together all week. Which the last one was the best part of vacation.

The wedding went really well. No big issues. The reception was fun and exciting. The happy couple left for Virginia the next day. Now I am back at work getting ready for my next trip coming up this Saturday. Life is busy, but good. Pray for our journey to Ganado, TX and our mission there.

-Michael