Goodbye 2010's

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade! There will be some changes at 2nd Mile Ministries and I hope you will be in prayer with us as we enact those changes. Our Connect Middle School program and our BLOCK High School Programs will be merging starting this month. We will meet weekly. The two programs will eat together, play together, and then as the night goes on, we will do small group discussions separately as the age gap may prove to bring out different levels of understanding. Please pray that the program merge will help grow a bigger community of students, that the older students will help build up and not tear down the younger students, and that the staff and volunteers would be of one accord. Looking forward to what's new in the new year is an exciting place of unfamiliarity and trusting in God to show up. 

e beneficial to split up.

For this blog, I thought it might be fun to look back at the 2010's, and think through my top 10 moments or memories in somewhat chronological order.

1.) Summer Internship, June, 2010. After spending a summer in inner city Milwaukee the summer prior, I decided to spend a summer in the bold city of Jacksonville, working in a low-income neighborhood, putting on a summer day camp at a ministry I would eventually call my job, my home, and my life. That summer really changed what I thought about life as a Christian, and how I thought about spending my time and effort. I became close with the other interns, had a lot of fun at camp, and was hit hard by God's love for those kids, imagining where they'd be when they got older.

2.) My friend Sarah's wedding, October, 2010. As I mentioned before, the summer of 2009 was my Milwaukee summer, where God gave me a brand new point of view about the world. I was first exposed to the devastating realities of financial poverty, spiritual poverty, and homelessness. Through this difficult but powerful summer, I went to battle together with strangers from other colleges who have become family to me. Sarah was one of these people and it was at her wedding where nine of us reunited and had a great time. We played games, talked about how our lives have been different since that summer in the city, and it was a very encouraging time for us. I remembered in the Bible when Paul would be encouraged and also encourage other believers just by going to see them again. Never have I felt non-family members feel more like family.

3.) CCDA, 2011. The Christian Community Development Association, founded by John Perkins, is an annual conference where people around the country who work for similar organizations like 2nd Mile, worship together, exchange ideas, and most of all, learn ways to better serve their respective communities. This was my first experience with CCDA. I've been to their conferences in Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Detroit over the years. One speaker came and totally opened my eyes to a topic that seems to be swept under the rug in American history. Yes, we learn about slavery, about the Civil War, about Civil Rights, basically history of black and white conflict. But Richard Twiss came to talk about his people, the Native American, and their plight, their experience and history. I remember the room fell silent as he spoke, the room gave him a huge applause as he finished, and the room humbly prayed afterwards in response. It was one of two times that I felt I needed to purchase a talk from these conferences that talk and watch at a later time and I still have that talk to this day.

4.) Artistic awakening, 2012-Present. I had some recurring dreams in 2012 about a tree residing near a ginormous waterfall, and felt that I needed to paint it. My only painting experience being in elementary school, I didn't really know what I was doing. It took a long time but I painted it. Ever since then, the creativity God has given me has allowed me to express my thoughts, ideas, and even emotions through art since then and it's been a great outlet for me to feel closer to God who created me.

5.) The Proposal, September, 2013. I was nervous of course, but was more excited to blind-side Missi with my question. She had asked me earlier that week if I thought I was ready for marriage. Taking her question very literally in order to throw her off, I said something like, "Not right 'now'," knowing that I would be "ready" in a few days. I knew I wanted to marry her when we started dating, and the eventual marriage was finally set in motion. It's exciting to follow through with a plan that was years in the making.

6.) The Wedding, June 21st, 2014. Getting to see my biological family, my college family, some of my Milwaukee family, and my 2nd Mile family all at the same party was unforgettable. Knowing that it will never happen like that again (at least until death) is sad to think about. I would finally get to show "the world" my commitment to Missi and we'd live together forever. That day went by so fast and I regret not eating more, not hydrating as much (I had a headache after dancing to a few songs), but the memories are still quite vivid. Missi and I hate being the center of attention, so you'd think I'd be uncomfortable with this big party being for just us, but it was such a celebration of how God has provided and loved me through those amazing people that attended that I just enjoyed every minute of it. Sometimes Missi and I jokingly talk about going back and getting married again.

7.) MAXIMUS!! February 22nd, 2017. Even before he was born, I loved this baby. After two miscarriages, this pregnancy really increased our faith in God and in prayer. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God, and the PEACE of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7. We prayed every day for our baby to be okay once we learned that Missi's water broke at 19 weeks. I can't explain the peace I felt even though the situation was not great. God blessed us with hope and peace and faith during that time and ever since we were surprised with a boy, he has made us stronger as parents and as people. He continues to bring joy in our lives every day, our goofy, smart, and happy boy.

8.) KAA, June, 2018. There's nothing quite like getting to see students step out in faith and make decisions to either accept Christ for the first time or rededicate their lives to Christ. I was in charge of six students, who I've known for a collective 31 years (if that makes any sense). It was a great week to relax, invest in the what the students were learning, and even teaching a few times throughout the week as well. I can still see the impact of that week on those kids to this day.

9.) New Places!

9a.) Jamaica, April, 2014.

9b.) Alaska, August, 2015.

9c.)Vermont, August, 2018. 

-One of my college roommates got married in Jamaica a couple months before my own wedding. It was dope. Went outside the country, jumped off what seemed to be a huge mountain (it was a 35ft cliff), was barefoot in a beach side wedding, lots of memorable firsts.

-For many many years, my answer to the question "Where would you most want to visit in the world?" was always Alaska. I love Jack London's White Fang and I guess wanted to see mountains, glaciers, vast nature. Getting to go on a cruise with my wife and in-laws was amazing. Zip-lining, getting pulled by sled-dogs, kayaking in crystal clear water was awesome.

-Vermont was our first vacation, just the three of us (Missi, Max, and me). This state was our second choice for a honeymoon so we wanted to eventually check it out. I'm used to road trips to Colorado with my family, taking maybe two days to get to our destination. This trip, we intentionally meandered up the eastern part of the country, leisurely stopping at various places along the way. It was a great way to do a vacation and I can't wait until the next time. Vermont is beautiful by the way if you've never been. I'd say it's a good in-between of Alaska and Colorado, there are busy towns if you want the Colorado life, and there's plenty of space and seclusion if you want the Alaska feel.

10.) Murphy bed, August 2017-March 2019. Building anything practical and functional was never something I thought I'd ever do. Seeing as our guest room was only utilized when guests came, I wanted to be able to use it for either a music or a prayer room, or anything rather than just sit there most of the year. I saw an article about murphy beds and the idea would never be able to leave my head until I built one and installed it. With a lot of help and building space from my friend Jason, we did a few hours of work here and there over the course of a year and a half. The video that we went off of said it might take a weekend to build. Ha! Honestly, I don't think this bed would've been as memorable had it only taken an easy weekend. I learned a lot about furniture and I'm so happy that it has been serving it's purpose most of this year. We've used it for music, working out, quiet times, taking tests, and for when guests come to visit.

There are probably things I'm forgetting. In ministry, and I suppose in marriage and parenting as well, there are many little moments that may seem insignificant and maybe not so memorable, but over time, those little things, the constant presence in a person's life, that can have much more significant impact on a person's life. I've witnessed some great connections with families in our neighborhood, just simply because we've been around for a long time. Don't underestimate your impact on those around, don't waste those moments, they are given to you for a purpose (and it's not for your purposes).

Happy New Year and have a great rest of your week!

True Community (Nov. 2019)

Brokenness. We all have it to varying degrees. Some of us have lots of personal struggles, some are very near other peoples' pain and suffering, and to many it may seem like it will never stop. Health fails, our bodies fail, our dreams fail. Another school shooting, another overdose, another political scandal, another divorce, another death. It is very clear that the world is not the way it's supposed to be. Imagine a world with no more tears, pain, suffering, or sin. I can't. It seems too far from the reality that I see and experience every day. My bent is to avoid pain, to find a safe corner of comfort to just breath and try to convince myself of the lie that this safe corner is a reflection of the whole world around me. It is not the case. The more I shut the world out from my heart and see how the world doesn't fit in my safe corner, the more I segregate myself from the reality that this world is broken. I used to compare my life with the suffering, the evil, and the brokenness of the world and consider myself above it, just a little bit better off, not because of anything I had done, but because I was living in a safe corner, keeping to myself.

We on staff with 2nd Mile are reading a book by Michelle Warren called The Power of Proximity. In what we've read so far, she talks of how much her life changed when she began intentionally living in poorer communities. The book talks about what God can do with shared pain. I relate to a lot of what's in this book. Probably the most profound takeaway for me so far has been this idea of brokenness. She writes, And it is important to know of pain...It destroys our self-pride, our arrogance, our indifference toward others. It makes us aware of how frail and tiny we are and of how much we must depend on the Master of the Universe. This reminds me of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Luke 18:10-14 says, "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

If I am not in touch with my own pain, my own suffering, and my own flaws, I will never be able to understand the pain, the suffering, and the flaws of others. It's easy to judge from far away, but getting closer to pain builds a bridge between myself and the homeless man, between myself and the drug addict, between myself and the "tax collector" so to speak. If you think about your closest relationships you've had in your life, they are probably built on lots of time spent, lots of fun, and lots of shared pain. Regardless if the pains between you are similar, that safe space of trust allows for true healing to occur. I've seen it. I've experienced it. Finding people with whom I can share anything with complete honesty has brought some Scripture to life that I never thought could happen. Psalm 133:1-2 says, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes." I think of the early church in the book of Acts, chapter 4 verse 32 says, "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had." This is talking more of possessions, but how true this is when we share all of ourselves as well.

Michelle Warren also writes about community and how it is birthed when pain is shared, "not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as a recognition of God's saving promises." I know what it feels like to not have community, to not trust other people with my pain, and I know I'm only hurting myself and my relationships when I do that. As I continue to live in Brentwood, among the "tax collectors" of society (meaning disliked and maybe even avoided), I pray for my own humility and courage to remain proximate to this pain, to not run and try to medicate my pain and other peoples' pain with binge-watching a TV show, with locking myself in my house, with distracting myself with my phone or computer. I encourage you, especially in these holiday-filled months when you will be around family and friends, to give of yourself, whether that's listening more than talking, giving more than receiving, forgiving rather than revenging, apologizing rather than accusing, communicating rather than keeping to yourself. To understand someone else's pain, just ask. I too often assume everyone in my life is fine because of the front they put up. I'm sure people think the same of me.

Praise God that he sent his son to set the example of becoming proximate not only to humanity, but to the sinners, the evildoers, the tax collectors of his time. Where in the Bible do we see Jesus leave people in a broken place? To finish up, Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Have a great last month of the 2010's.

Obligatory pic of Max helping me putt

October 2019

Connect Middle School Program: More kids coming. More kids staying. More kids growing in leadership. More kids being introduced to the Bible, to God, and to what that means for their lives. Sometimes I overestimate what a teenager can really take in and apply to their lives. Other times, I completely underestimate their ability to understand biblical concepts and how to relate to them. I've been super blessed to be able to see Christian volunteers come in and lead a small group of teenagers in what the Bible says about a certain topic. They break it down in terms that the students understand by using their own examples and stories to better convey the biblical truths. This month, we are learning about anger and different ways it comes out and what God wants us to do with that anger.

Sweet potato harvesting

In October, we've had a chill game night. Just Dance was a huge hit on the Wii. We went to our nutritional garden and harvested sweet potatoes. It was getting darker earlier so we had to work quickly on weeding some garden beds and digging for those veggies. Also coming up this Saturday is our annual Family Fall Festival, and the middle schoolers have been planning, designing, creating a photo booth wall to be used at the event. They voted on pumpkins, candy corn, and skeleton masks like in the beloved movie Coco. Interesting combination of decorations but they have been executing it well. A couple of the students were even willing to come early to the event to help set up. I believe these kids are hungry for responsibility, for meaning, and for growth. Please pray for continued growth in their lives, for wisdom for us as staff and volunteers to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He would have us speak truth into their lives, and for even more kids. God proves over and over that he answers prayers, we just need to put our trust in Him.

Boys Day at the After School Program: We had six boys over at my house earlier in the month (most ever to be in my house so far) and it was fun for the most part. We got to do one of my favorite activities--spray paint art! While the boys waited their turn to colorfully express themselves, they watched the movie Like Mike inside. It was good bonding but also revealed some frustrations between some of the boys. Three of the boys are brothers and new to the program. None know how to read and struggle to process things like when they can't have what they want when they want it, when they lose in a game, etc. The other three boys have been around for years and definitely have a strong bond towards each other and band together to despise and ignore the new boys. Please pray that the boys would learn how to handle conflict this year and how to make good choices despite the choices that others make.

Max Update: Praise report, Max's hand is out of his cast and the bone has healed fine. Prayer request. Max seems to be struggling to poop lately which is resulting in stomach pain and throwing up a lot in the mornings. We give him laxatives, give him reflux medicine in case it's something to do with that, and mess with his feeding rates and amounts. If you could please pray that God would give us answers, we would be gracious. He often seems to take two steps forward and 1.9 steps back.

Thank you so much to those who donated sports equipment or money last month. The kids have been overjoyed!

If you want to see something you've never seen before, click the link below. We got a sweet new basketball to make videos with.

Light up basketball

September

Connect Middle School Program: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9. For the month, of September, our middle school students have been working on memorizing this verse. The topic that received the most votes from the students to learn about was the topic of confessing sins. We looked up verses about what sin is, learned not only the ten commandments, but also a plethora of other sins. They each took a "Life Test", as if in school where they answered relevant yes or no questions such as, "Have you ever cheated on homework before?" The point of this activity was to show them just how difficult and even impossible it is to live a perfect life. We all "failed" our tests. A perfect score gets us to heaven; a test with even one wrong bans us. I showed the students what the test of Jesus's test might look like. All of his answers were "No" and he got a 100%. I asked the students that if Jesus was willing to trade test scores with them, would they do it? Students gave a quick "Yes!" Confessing sins should be a consistent practice. If I can't think of at least one way I sinned today, that is not representative of a life without sin, it is probably a representation of how little I consider my sin nature in every day life. We at Connect have continued to write our sins on our giant wooden cross which hopefully will be completely covered by the end of the year.

Another thing that's been incorporated into the program is Read to Lead, a computer program that allows the students to become a boss of a non-profit organization that solves community problems. This month, they learned how to delegate jobs to others based on their experiences and expertise. There was a devastating flood in this fictional town and medical and food supplies needed to be transported to a community center. This program is awesome and I recommend it for anyone teaching middle school and up.

Learning how to put together a basketball rack

Leadership Development: I'm not sure if I've mentioned this is a previous blog, but if so, it's still good to remind you of this. Since the beginning of summer, 2nd Mile has put together a committee of students (ranging from elementary all the way to high school) to help plan our annual Family Fall Festival. In an attempt to encourage students to see themselves not just as future leaders but as present leaders, we filled a giant white board wall with ideas for food, activities, attractions, strategies, etc. Some good, some great, and some very creative but impractical. (Not sure if we could get celebrities to come, but I like the way they think). Since becoming a father, leadership development has been closer to the forefront of my mind. Any time I do something, I want Max with me, seeing me do it, naming the tools or items being used, and if he's able, I have him help me. Max helps me put clothes from the washer into the dryer, he helps me put forks, bowls, plates away from the dishwasher, he brushes his front teeth, then his bottoms, then his tops, then his tongue, then he spits. I've even seen him try to teach his stuffed animals how to brush their teeth, how to put "their" toys away. This is the whole point, teaching kids something new, so that one day, they have the skills to teach the next group of kids. My hope with the middle school students is to teach them how to set up the projector and how to prepare snack not to make my job easier (many times it makes my job longer and more difficult), but in order that they too can become teachers of these different skills. I'm hoping to incorporate more types of leadership development, giving them the chance to teach everyone a game, or even lead a Bible lesson.

Max update: What would a blog entry be without something going wrong with Max. He broke a bone in his left hand falling down a few steps at a playground, so now he is sporting a pretty solid blue cast. It will come off in a couple weeks. Probably more traumatized than hurt, Max is living life so full that you wouldn't even realize he hurt himself (save for evidence of a cast).

Finally, if you are a giving person, we have compiled a list of sports equipment that we'd be interested in. Since having more open courts and people coming through our building, things get worn out more quickly. Check it out! Some things don't cost much at all.
2nd Mile Sports Equipment List

And so it begins....

There aren't too many signs in Jacksonville of seasonal changes, no spring flowers, no leaves changing colors, no fluffy white snow or bitingly chilly air.  From about April through October, it seems to be either hot or very hot. There seems to be a bit more precipitation these months, especially with potential hurricanes and tropical storms. With Dorian working its way towards Florida...or Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina, the students of 2nd Mile have most of this week off of school...just in case. One part of the year that does yield a feeling of seasonal change is the beginning of a new school year. Some kids get bumped up to the next program in our Leadership Development Pathway, depending on if they go on to middle or high school. It is my privilege as a ministry worker to witness this growth and see relationships and trust build over the years. Let year nine begin!

Connect Middle School Program- The school year in Duval County began August 12th. I have a big prayer request. There are many middle school students that we've had in our programs over the years, but for various reasons, only about four to six have been available to attend Connect so far this school year. Pray for the knowledge of this program to reach many ears, that God would put a willingness, a need, and a desire in middle school students' lives to come to a place where they can have fun, grow, and learn what it means to live for Christ. So far, we've had Bible studies on Thursdays about the definition of the gospel, how and why to memorize Scripture, and we will dive into new subject lessons each month voted on by our students. On Monday nights, we hope to have a game night once a month, in order to chill out, invite new students, and just grow together as a unit. We have also started a Read to Lead program on the computer. Each student gets the opportunity to be the boss of a non-profit organization and they learn how to solve problems. They each get staff members that have different tasks and they learn how to lead and work together as a team. This last lesson had them figure out how to search for a missing child from a shelter after a hurricane struck his neighborhood. (This hurricane scenario was strangely relevant to what's been going on in the Bahamas). Please pray for more numbers at Connect. Those that have been coming have a special place in my heart. We have an 8th grade girl destined to do great things. Natural-born leader comes to mind. One of our 7th grade girls has had her grandmother and her grandmother's sister pass away in the past couple weeks. She has been having a rough time and might be questioning the goodness of God. There are a couple of 6th grade boys, new to this program, that have a ton of energy, can barely sit still, have huge hearts, but can get on other kids' nerves. There being a small number of kids has been great for having more conversations per student, however, we'd love to impact more students. I guess you could pray for discernment as well as this might be what God wants for the time being.

two:fiftytwo After School Program- We've been through two weeks of the elementary school program and so far, it's been a fun time. There are six new students, a family of three brothers and another family of three sisters. Each family has been great to get to know, seeing how they interact with each other reminds me so much of my siblings. The bond was strong, whether it was having fun or having arguments. Thankfully, there are a lot of 5th graders this year, seven to be exact. I'm excited to hopefully get to work with all of them once they get into middle school. Many of the students are behind in reading. They don't have the basics for sounding out, it's all word memorization at this point. They don't have the tools to accomplish all that the school district demands of them on standardized tests. Pray for a willingness to focus and learn how to read better. It breaks my heart to think that one day they won't be able to comprehend the Bible, much less, read it. If you know of any programs that have proved to help increase literacy, we are all ears. One of our students got tested last year to see what exactly he needed help with. The results were very helpful and specific, but the couple month long program costs like ten grand, not possible for families in Brentwood. When I went in to this amazing facility out in a nice neighborhood with personal tutors and computer programs designed to help students who were behind, I did not see one student that looked like our student. "The harvest is plenty....." as they say.

Personal Update- Max is eating and drinking now! Well, kind of. Successes from the last month include:

-Drinking water (from us dropping it in his mouth with a straw to him holding a sippy cup and sucking on his own)

-Putting all sorts of different foods in his mouth (from brats, to cheese, to bananas, to sausage, to apples, to popsicles, etc.)

-Spitting out his food without struggle (he used to just hold it in his mouth not swallowing it and not letting us take it out)

So, progress I guess. He's not swallowing any food yet, just kind of tasting and spitting. Please pray that tasting leads to swallowing food soon.

On vacation at the end of July, I got to play a couple rounds of disc golf with family...and my body did not shut down on me. Granted, I may have taken lots of ibuprofen, but I didn't lose sleep as I've grown accustomed to over the past couple years. I'm learning my aging body better, doing yoga more than I care to admit, and trying to make healthier decisions. Thank you for your prayers!

We had the most beautiful purple sky last week that included a huge rainbow (or "Wambow" according to Max)

July Update

Four-square!

Connect Middle School Program - Together, 2nd Mile's high school program, BLOCK (building leaders of Christ's kingdom) and the Connect Middle School program went to one of our volunteer's house last week to enjoy a cookout, video games, fellowship, and outdoor fun. It was the first time that these two age groups intentionally got together to just have fun with each other. Hot dogs, burgers, chips, fruit, water, soda, Sonic racing, four-square, football in the street, watching movies, it was a great time! No lesson plans, no agenda, just quality time together.

BLOCK - Although I am not as involved with the high school program, they have been doing some exciting things the past few months. The high school students started running our open courts. Open Court has been every Friday from 4-6pm this summer which has loud music, basketball, concessions, and indoor games for anybody who wants to come hang out. We've been seeing some new and familiar faces on Fridays and it's been encouraging to build these relationships.

In a couple of days, students in middle school and high school will be driving to New Orleans for a week to either help out a ministry with their summer day camp or, weather pending, helping with some storm relief projects. Pray that students would grow closer to God, each other, and would grow in character, even if just a little bit in this next week.

Chassidy playing basketball with 4th grader Jabarie

Summer Intern - I came to 2nd Mile back in 2010 as a summer intern, after I had graduated from the University of Wisconsin. There were nine other interns that summer, including my wife. Since that year, there has been a spattering of interns here and there throughout the years. This summer, we have Chassidy. She will be a sophomore in high school and she has been a part of 2nd Mile since she was six years old. I've talked about her in previous blogs, but just wanted to express my admiration for how far she's come in knowledge, maturity, and leadership qualities. If you search for 2nd Mile Ministries on facebook, you can see her in one of our Pray, Collect, Act videos. She's helped with field trips, some office organization, and has had weekly Bible studies and book readings to help her mind grow even more. She has also been shadowing the various staff members and their ministry roles to see how a non-profit Christian organization operates. I can't wait to see how God uses Chassidy in the years to come, in whatever He would have her do.

As summer vacation slowly approaches its end, our staff members prepare for the long school year ahead. Please pray for the right students to be in our programs (not in our eyes but in God's), for the planning period to be well-thought out, and for God to be moving in the hearts of the students, volunteers, staff, and even in your own hearts as August fast approaches.

Book Highlight - I don't read much, but I read a book (easy easy read) this summer called Kai'Ro: The Journey of an Urban Pilgrim. I've been told it is similar to Pilgrim's Progress but with more of an urban theme. If you are looking for new books to read, I'd recommend this book. It's target audience is more for people living in neighborhoods like Brentwood, but anyone can find deep conviction and meaning in Kai'Ro's difficult journey through life as a new believer in a fallen world.

Summer Time! (June)

"Dear God, thank you for this day. Thank you that we could eat this Taco Bell and have fun at the park learning how to play disc golf." What a beautiful prayer said by one of our elementary school students on one of our summer field trips. After School Program- Normally a very busy, fun, chaotic, and hype summer, 2nd Mile Ministries is a little quieter for this summer. Without our regular summer day camp (we'll be back at it next summer), we've had to adapt to planning new things for the students to enjoy. In hopes to continue relationships with our elementary students, we've taken them on field trips to different places around Jacksonville, experiencing new things they may not seen or done before. For the field trip that I got to plan, of course I was going to expose them to the wonderful sport of disc golf. Not being able to play this sport myself much anymore because of my health, it was great to see them focus on how to throw their discs as far as they could. It was a lot more walking than they had anticipated, but they enjoyed the time. We got to play on the playground and shoot some hoops afterwards. Then we voted on where to go to lunch. Taco Bell won out, which to my surprise, was even a new experience to one or two kids. On another field trip, the students went to Sweet Pete's, a huge candy shop in downtown Jacksonville where they learned how to make taffy.

Rummage Sale-Summer Trip

Interesting items sold at the sale!

Every year in early June, 2nd Mile Ministries collects items from churches and other individuals for a whole week and then sells them for six crazy hours on a Saturday in hopes to raise money for our Summer Day Camp. Because there is no camp this summer, whatever money that gets raised is going towards our summer missions trip to New Orleans where middle school and high school students will go and help Urban Impact with their summer day camp for a week. 2nd Mile Ministries has modeled and practiced their summer camp after this ministry in New Orleans so hopefully their format will not be completely new and foreign to our students. Please pray for the students to grow in their relationship with Christ, with each other, and with themselves as they spend their weeks serving and leading and growing.

Connect Middle School Program- The middle school program, of which I am responsible for leading, has continued to meet throughout the summer. For me, this summer is going to be a time where I hoping to bring in some more students, whether faces that we've known from the past or completely new students. Where our school-year schedule is very focused on personal development, Bible studies, and becoming leaders, I wanted this summer to have a more inclusive feel to it, one where we get to know new students and incorporate them into our every week rhythms. Our first meeting of the summer, we just played a bunch of indoor games (because of Florida thunderstorms preventing us from outside). The students introduced themselves, their schools, grade they were entering, and their dream jobs. We had four new students come that first week. The following week, rather than games, we went to our community garden a couple blocks from the church where we meet. I've had the privilege of spending more time in this garden lately and getting to understand nature a bit more. We learned valuable lessons on hard work, teamwork, nurturing living things, careful planning, and removing the "weeds" of our lives. We picked eggplants, green peppers, and even a watermelon (it wasn't ripe enough yet). We also weeded, pruned some plants, and collected some greens. Please pray that more students would not only start coming this summer, but as the school year approaches quickly, that students would make the middle school program a natural part of their every week schedules all year.

Family Update- So Max still isn't eating. We don't know why. Doctors don't know why. Developmentally speaking, all of the oral skills are there. At this point it may just be a mental thing for him, preventing anything from going down his throat. On top of the non-eating, he's been throwing up a bunch. We've been tossed around his pediatrician, nutritional doctors, GI, endocrinology, and surgery with little to no answers. My wife and I are hanging in there, but it gets very easy to feel like we can't do enough for Max to get him on the right track. We follow doctors' instructions with very little results of change. He's visited the hospital twice in the past month and a half for low blood sugar issues. We now know how to check his blood sugar at home and how to deal with it if it gets low again, so I guess that's a plus. He's talking more now, his facial expressions are hilarious and beautiful at the same time, and he's just a joy to be around. Please pray that God would intervene. In the gaps of our own understanding and in the evident gaps of the doctors' understanding, pray that God would help Max get off the feeding tube, that his blood sugars would even out, that his puking would decrease.

If you got any more prayers in you, pray for me. I'm having similarly frustrating issues with my own health and getting the run around from different doctors. I'm still not completely healed from a couple years ago and honestly I can't say with confidence that I'm even getting better. All I've learned about my body in the past few years is, "If you don't want any pain or discomfort and you want to be able to sleep more at night, do nothing. Don't pick up anything heavy, don't carry your son for more than a couple minutes, don't throw anything, don't shoot hoops for too long, don't exercise one bit. I've tried easing back into physical activities. I've tried stretching. I've had appointments with my doctor, with a bunch of his various specialist buddies, and no one can tell me what's going on. I have a great long list of things it isn't, so.....that's helpful. Sorry about the venting. I've just been so used to being able to play sports, run around, and using those things to develop relationships and now that that's put on hold (hopefully just for a period of time), it leaves me feeling helpless and hopeless.

I've been trying to understand in the fog of my own grumbling and lack of knowledge what God's plan is for all of this. What does he want me to do, to learn? I know that it's not beyond a shepherd to break his sheep's legs in order to keep it from running down a wrong path and getting hurt. Please pray for how I deal with Max's and my health. Feel free to pray specifically for our health, but for some reason God hasn't answered those prayers how I'd like them to be answered. Praying for my attitude, my faith, and my heart would probably be a better venture. I know God can work on my heart and my mind. Thank you for your time reading these updates. Have a great week!