Battlefield

Yesterday was a big day in Cypress Student Ministries. It was the last Sunday of summer. The last Sunday before school starts. The last Sunday our students didn't have to worry about rushing home to finish up all the homework they forgot to do the entire weekend.

It was also a very bittersweet Sunday for a couple of our students that will be leaving for college this week.

So, naturally we focused in on this very big time of change during our programming yesterday. Here's what I learned...

An surprisingly large number of our students confessed that school feels more like a "battlefield" than a positive environment. The majority of students I surveyed said they're not really excited about school to start so much as they are bracing for the unwelcome blow that would surely come. If not this week, shortly thereafter.

I was shocked. I know that there is a small percentage of students that find themselves on the bottom of the social pyramid who are subjected to bullying and unfair treatment in school but most of our kids?

The athletic kids?

The popular kids?

The smart kids?

The outgoing kids?

Student after student I spoke with said, "yes". And the minefield looks different to each of them. For some it is bullying but for others it might be gossip, judgment, pressure to perform, pettiness, staring, hating what you see in the mirror, competition, or speech class or 101 other things.

My heart broke for these students. Your students. My students.

So the challenge was this: instead of walking down the halls or campuses of your schools paralysed by the mines that lay in your path, look up. Look around you. Look up out of your pain and look into the eyes of another's. And ask yourself this question: is it possible to form an alliance with the students God has placed in my path so that we can fight this battle together, on the same side? Is it possible that instead of seeing school as a battlefield God is asking me to see it as an opportunity to allow the light of his unconditional love to shine through me to make this school a brighter place?

And remember the promises in Matthew 5 for those of you that take God up on this challenge...

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Sunday Night Rewind

Thanks for coming out on Sunday night and inviting your friends. If you were there then you know we had a BLAST. Beginning with the hilarious youtube footage that The Chuckah brought to our attention (that's why you gotta get there early), to The Chuckah scoring a goal by actually falling into the goal, to The Chuckah sharing a heartfelt story and impassioned plea to all of us to continually seek out the God that creates beauty from very ugly situations like the front side of a tapestry.

If you weren't there you're not going to want to miss out any longer because we're gearing up for an awesome year as school starts back up. We've launched our new Student Action Team that will begin meeting this Sunday to think up some awesome ministry plans for this year AND we're planning a trip to Kenya, Africa. Can it get any more exciting than that??

Remember: bring your cash next week because we'll be launching the sale of small sugary items to snack on during youth group PLUS the soda cooler will be full!

Team Building 8.15.2009

Last Saturday morning a group of High Tiders took a trip out to Trinity to a ropes course there to work on team building but ended up with so much more;) We had an AWESOME facilitator and I was super proud of everyone that participated...see the pics below...

What is IT?

Over the last few weeks our Senior Pastor Douglas Poole has been bombarding us with emails, mailings, and posters all over campus with the word "IT" all over the place.

But what is the "IT" he's so excited about?

Why is "IT" the only thing he can seem to talk about these days?

Because, we believe, the only way we can be a church that reaches our community with the love of Christ and raise up fully devoted followers within our walls is to be full of "IT"! Whatever that quality is that excites people about the things of God. Whatever that thing is that makes people hungry to know more about living a life of purpose and vision!

So, we're going to attempt together to understand what its going to take to get "IT" together as a community!

This includes YOU, the parents and students of our church!

On Sunday, August 16th we're going to be launching the Sunday morning series called "IT".

On Sunday, August 23rd and 30th there will be an opportunity to sit back over a cup of coffee with Pastor Poole and chat about how Cypress will be pursuing IT for the next 18 months.

Please make every effort to attend one of these vision-sharing gatherings!! Students - I will be looking for you to lead the church in this movement. I am excited to see all of you sitting up front ready to get engaged in leading the adults toward "IT"!

Make the 23rd or 30th on your calendar today!

Springs of Hope Kenya Trip 2010!!!!

I'm as excited as I've ever been to write this post to the families at CMCC...

Over the last few years we have supported the construction of an orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya under the leadership of Molly and Joseph Bail (two Meadowers that moved to Kenya last year with their son and our friend Elijah).

The good news is the orphanage is completed and the furniture is now being installed!! Soon Springs of Hope will be just that...flowing with hope for children who have been orphaned by AIDS. Springs of Hope will be full of life and fun and children who now have a home with Molly and Joseph!

The great news? Cypress Meadows Student Ministry will be partnering with Paul and Jen Steinbrueck to provide an opportunity for students and their families to see, experience and do ministry first hand in Nakuru next summer!

If you're at all interested in getting more information on the work that is done at Springs of Hope and what it will take to send your student, yourself, or both to Kenya next summer you need to be at a Springs of Hope Kenya Q & A opportunity THIS Friday from 6:30-7:30 in Studio 4:12.

Attending the meeting DOES NOT obligate you to travel with us next summer. It is simply an opportunity for you to see what the trip is about and get your questions answered!

For more information about the meeting or Springs of Hope email me at hightide@cypressmeadows.org!

See you Friday!

BigStuf

Last week 10 HT students spent the week at a student leadership conference called BigStuf and God did some big stuff in us!

We were privileged to hear some fantastic speakers like Perry Noble, Andy Stanley, and Steve Furtick who challenged our faith in ways some of us had never considered. All three speakers raised the bar of commitment in our lives and presented Biblical truths in a way that inspired each and every one of us to give even more of ourselves to the cause of Christ.

Each morning and evening we were also incredibly blessed to be led in worship by the Steve Fee Band and Chrystina Fincher, two of the best worship leaders (beside Chris Cox of course) I've ever seen!

Besides the awesome line up at the conference its always good to get away and connect with one another in ways that it is impossible to do in the midst of our day to day reality.

Thanks parents and guardians for allowing your student to attend! I think (if they've not already shared with you about it) they all have stories of how God has impacted their lives through BigStuf and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead of them!

Remember Francis?

Remember Francis? Last Christmas you guys heard his story and responded by raising over $200 to get him out of his home and into a boarding school. Below is part of his story in case you've forgotten.

"His mother died sometime ago and his father remarried a woman with two children. His step-mother despises him and his alcoholic father violently abuses him when he drinks...which is most days. Francis showed me the scars where his father has bitten off his flesh...one wound is still open. He let me see a scar on his left leg where his dad swung a machete at him. He told me how his father recently taped his legs together and hoisted him in the air and before his dad could build a fire under him, neighbors intervened. Many days his family refuses to give him food and many nights they refuse to let him in the house so he huddles down in the bushes or garden to sleep. He told me how his father denies this bright young man the money to attend school. I could go on, but by now you more than get the circumstances of his life.Frances then went on to tell me how good God is to him. How God spared his life by sending the neighbors to his rescue..."

Well thanks to the tremendous outpouring of support from YOU, our boy Francis has begun school and is doing exceptionally well!! Here's the latest update from our friend Molly at Springs of Hope orphanage who was just with him to celebrate "Family Day".

"I wanted to share this photo of Francis at school. He is doing so well and really excited about school and his grades are getting better and better. He is so thankful for the opportunity and every time he sees us he just tells us of his plans of studying so hard and seeing how he can improve! The teachers really like him. Thanks so much!"

There are a couple of folks traveling to Kenya this next week and have volunteered to take items from YOU to Francis. If you're interested in encouraging our young Kenya friend please bring the following on Sunday morning to Paul and Jen's** table outside of service OR Sunday night where we'll be filling our cell phone bucket for Francis...

• Letters of encouragement from you to Francis


• Pictures of you and your friends labeled with your names so he can see the faces of the students that are praying for and supporting him


• Smaller, flat items like a calculator, bookmarks etc that he might like to see and/or could use at school

Thanks for making a difference in this young man's life!

**if you leave things for Francis with Paul and Jen on Sunday morning MARK THE ITEMS CLEARLY WITH FRANCIS' NAME and let Paul and Jen know it is for Francis specifically!