Hello from Sunny San Diego!

Hey Surge!

Wanted to let you know that Cheryl and I are having a great time with the Furmans here at the Youth Specialties Conference!  We are learning lots of great things.  I'm praying that the stuff we learn here will help all of you at Surge grow in your relationship with God.  He is already working on my heart, reminding me to rely and trust in Him more and more each day to be the best youth pastor I can be.  We were told today by one of the teachers that it is really, really tough for you all in middle school today.  I'm sure that's not news to you!  I mean, I knew that already but it became even more clear when he gave us a lot of stories and research that showed it's a ton harder for you than it was for me or your parents at your age.  But I'm also encouraged by the fact that in the middle of the craziness of school, sports, TV, movies, music, family, friends, etc... God is there with you, right in the thick of it.  He loves you and wants you to know it! 

Check out this great passage, especially if you feel anxious or worried today. Provers 3:5-6

Well, I'll make sure to update you in the next couple days and let you know what's going on. 

By the way... the first 10 students to leave a comment on this post (at least 10 words!  C'mon... it had to be a little challenging!) get a little something we picked up down here next Tuesday at Surge!

Comments

[Nolan Dehaven]

Hey B.J I'm up early because the rain is non stop up here there was a few lightning strikes last night. it also sounds like you're are having a great time
Nolan Dehaven

[Drew DeHaven]

Hey BJ! Hope you are having fun in San Diego. I'm up early this morning because I have 2 soccer games in Medford this weekend. We leave at 8:00 this morning. Take care, Drew

[BJ]

Hey Nolan and Drew! I hope you guys have great games today. I'm bummed I missed out on the lightning and thunder. Sounds like that was pretty sweet!

[Hannah Turner]

Hey BJ. I Just wanted to let you know that you are soo right about middle school being hard, especially in 8th grade. The social part isnt that bad but the homework just piles on you. I started the year not doing very well but after a little bit I got my act together and I am doing soo much better! Anyways it was your support that got me here. Thanks a lot!
With love...
~Hannah

[Rachael]

hi! i like the website its nice i am kind of in a rush but its nice to have a place ware i can go to see whats going on in surge
g2g bye.

[Mike Crosswhite]

Yeah, middle school's pretty rough I've heard...let me know how the conference went, I know those youth specialty guys have it covered from every angle...and then some. To all the junior highers out there, stay cool

- Mike

[carli! ♥]

Hi B.J. the SURGE web site is great! There is a lot of info! I LOVE the pictures,too!
♥ ~carli!

[cassie]

ya middle school is tough with all the dramma peir pressure and clicks but it is the world, people think that middle school is hard, but i think all middle school is is somthing god uses to help train us for the real world

[BJ]

Thanks for all the great comments everybody! Isn't it good to know that we can bring our "stuff" to the Lord - every thing, big and small? Yes, Jr. High is a place where you will be challenged each and every day. You are learning what it means to carry your faith into a place that can be faith-less, hope to others who feel like giving up/giving in, and love to those that others label "unlovely".

Let's all pray that Surge is (and becomes even more) the kind of place that God wants it to be - where we fall in love more and more with Jesus.

[Michael Gentle]

Hi, are staff eligible for a surprise from California? ") I went to a Promise Keepers event one year, it was a couple of years after the first one I've ever gone to. I wasn't expecting much this time around, how could it be as powerful and special as the first one I thought? Well, God met me there the 2nd time, and showed me that I was controlling things in my life, and that I needed to hand control over to God and trust Him with the things in my life that I was struggling with. They had an alter call, and many people walked down to the field (we were at a football stadium), and they asked us to put all our worries, fears, and any other junk we were holding on to, and put them into the palm of our hands. Then they asked us to lift our hands into the air towards God in heaven and hand everything over to Him, hand control over to God. I felt I couldn't do this, because I felt ashamed, guilty, not worthy, but then I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart, so I lifted my hands into the air, and right then I felt a huge weight lifted and I felt freed. I went home feeling on fire for the Lord, which I hadn't felt in a long time. It was this Promise Keepers event which I heard the verse Proverbs 3:5-6 and it became my life verse!
Kids, staff, trust God with all your hearts, not just 75% of it but 100% of it. It's not easy to do, not for me. It's easy to loose the excitement you have for the Lord, it was for me, after a week or so when I returned from the Promise Keepers event, I started going back to my old habits, not trusting God, and I started to worry, and be stressed, etc…
So, my encouragement to you is, be in the Word, it's our shield of protection (I’m doing this more now myself), pray, worship (crank up the Christian music and praise songs), worship is powerful! You will feel the Joy of the Holy Spirit in your heart. I'm not perfect, none of us are, there will be ups and downs, but keep your eyes on God, trust Him always, and He will be there to guide, teach, and protect you. God is GOOD! Amen? AMEN!

[♥cassie♥]

amen to that Michael!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[emma2]

hey bj!
i am sooo glad you are having a good time in san diego!
to bad you missed the big storm!
it was really cool!
yah, so have fun, and we'll see you on tuesday!
take care!
emma2

[emma2]

this comments thing is totally fab!!!!
it is "da bomb"
ttfn!
emma2

[BJ]

Hey you guys,

I got some sweet stickers from YS. Can't wait to give them to you for posting on this website.

How was church today?

I hope everything went well!

We miss you!

BJ

[♥cassie♥]

Don Miller was a great speaker i was glad he came and spoke

[Keira]

that is so cool that u guys r at the conferenve thingy, now u can realate 2 us better (even though u already can!)
i luv u guys!

[Ryan Gillihan]

DANG! I wanted to be the first to post!!! Oh well, thanks cassie for reminding me how to get here.

This is rly cool. who knew that a surge website could actually be
" Da' Bomb"! That Don Miller guy was so funny. I wish I had that on tape to watch again. He rly needs to come back! Not that BJ's bad at all... =)

(dnt even think about putting a number at the end of my name! that was so 6th grade!)

Ryan

[Ryan Gillihan]

hold on: quick thought.

The website is techniacally an automated robot, so... why is it trying to make sure im not one when it os one? am I making sense here?

Or maybe BJ is bieng chased by robots?

Or did the Furminator give him "the stink-eye?

[Mike Crosswhite]

Gillihan, you can get Don Miller's talk (both of them) off this website. Go to the main Grace Chapel page and click on audio messages...it's all right there. Take it easy man, it was good reliving Rwanda w/you Sunday. Peace out everyone else

- Mike

[♥cassie♥]

Nice ryan i think bj is getting chased by robots

[Mr Roboto]

Finally! I have hacked your humanly codes with my super computer powers and plan to destroy this blog with my other super powers! Uh oh, does not compute with stink eye the reader is giving me right now, self destructing in 10...2...BOOM!

Wait- how can you type blowing up?

Thanks MC for the info. If you can be the first to post the author of this post (BJ: no looking at email address!)...well...Ill think of something to give you!

[emma2]

ryan, that is how you tell emma c, from me, from emma h!!!

it is not 6th grade and that was mean!

tuesday was fun bj

thanx

[ryan]

Wht? Who in the world wrote that robot thing?

[♥cassie♥]

Mr.Robot man i am guessing is either Josh Blane or Mike am i right

[Mr. Roboto]

Nope guess again please, my audio receptors are waiting for an answer.