The beginning of a new school year...and other stuff

So, last week was our first (full) week of the new school year. Being a youth center sitting strategically in front of the main high school on the reservation, our ministry's program calendar operates in relation to the school's calendar. Our programs this year consist of: Open Kennel, The Stand (a regularly held evangelistic Bible study), our Monday night discipleship group (for teens to go deeper into the Word), Thursday's Study Lounge, and the 5th Quarter (a party held after home games). On top of all this I'm starting a media program, in which I'm partnering with the A/V teacher at the high school here. The purpose of the media program is to create a vehicle in which to connect with a hand-full of teens and to dig into the Word and topics that challenge their generation. The videos that we'll be producing will be played on the youth center's big screen T.V. after school. (Keep an eye open to a website devoted to our productions!)

-On another note-
It has been challenging, making the shift from city living to the slow paced, living by faith, life that we now live in. Prayer is not an option, it's a necessity. I think I'm starting to sense a little more of what the Apostle Paul meant by praying without ceasing. Prayer becomes a rhythm, not a destination (while having sacred space to be alone with God is important). Prayer is the sound of breathing, for the one who is poor in spirit. Realizing that God is all you've got is both frightening (truthfully) and liberating. Prayer isn't the list that you continually spout out, but the conversation that doesn't end. When God stops being the One that lives way "out there" and becomes the One who lives inside us (by His spirit), I believe, that's when this relationship with God thing starts to make sense. So, life may be a little more difficult...but very fulfilling, knowing that He said "go", and we went. It's hard, but good.