Hey Sweet Friends and Family!
I was trying to decide if I was going to just delete this blog since I'm not longer in Virginia, but I also thought that this would be a good way for my Virginia family to know what is going on in my life here at home! So now it's not like I'm going to VA, but it's like my letters to y'all! I also want to take a few minutes and reflect on what I learned this summer! So the real question is where do I start? I can not even believe how fast and hard I fell in love with Virginia and the sweet people that I go to know along the way! I never thought that it was going to be so hard to leave anywhere the way it was hard leaving! I think so many times I say God gets bigger to me when I travel somewhere new and that He busted that box I had put Him in wide open, but in reality I usually just upgrade Him to a newer/bigger box. Ever find yourself doing that? God never gets bigger, He always stays the same! Our view of Him is what changes!
I got the opportunity to read We Would See Jesus this summer with the PSM staff and it is so crazy to realize how much God cares for us! He is the "I AM" and that is not a complete sentence because He becomes the "I AM" that each of us individually needs. Isn't that crazy?!? When we need comfort, He provides. When we need a listener, He listens. When we need to be broken, He breaks us. He never causes us to hurt for just punishment, but only to draw us closer to Him! I LOVE this fact! Also, "I AM" is present tense, meaning He is always present with us! I cannot tell you how much joy this has brought to my life!
So now that I'm back in Denton, I have moved into my new apartment, started coaching, started school, and jumped back into DBSM! It is so great to be back where I know how to get places! :) I am so excited to be back with my huddle group (which are now freshmen in high school!) School is gonna be a super hard but fun semester!
Prayer Requests:
-Wise use of my time
-Good rest (I know that sounds funny, but I do a lot, so when I am sleeping that it would be restful!)
-Safety while driving the bus (I will be driving the volleyball bus) haha!
Love and Miss Y'all!
~Court
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
What's Student Minitries look like when the Youth Pastor's Gone?
Hey Friends and Family!
I have been missing all my Texans very much! However, I can officially announce that I will be coming back and be in town on Aug 21! I know for some of y'all this is a little later than I originally thought, but I moved the date back because my best friend Sidney Ann will be flying in to Yorktown on the 18th, staying for a couple of days then we will start the first part of our trip on the 20th! I'm super excited that I don't have to take the trip back home alone like I did on the way here! So that has been a HUGE blessing and a weight off my shoulders!
Other than that news, I have a week after SportsWorld ending, have now fully recovered from the craziness! And have moved on to some new craziness! Matt left for Japan on Wednesday, so that means that there is just one less of our fearless PSM team...however I fully have faith in the people that are still here! Right before Matt left, he told us how ministry does not revolve around any one person, but that the Youth Pastor is just the face of what a youth ministry is. But now with him gone for 2 weeks, we as the PSM staff are now the faces of PCC's youth ministry. I think this is a really cool idea! So many times, when I saw a staff member leave, I thought that that was the end of ministry as I knew it, but looking back, we have always recovered! I'm not saying that there could ever be the exact same thing as before but God uses whoever He wants! Why couldn't He use someone else? Not really sure if that made sense, but maybe this way...God uses the weak to lead the strong, He uses sinners to lead sinners, so why do so often we get caught up in following one particular sinner? Even Paul, compared himself to the lowest of low, so why do we feel like we need one particular person to lead our relationship with God? Isn't that God's job? To lead us where He wants us to be? To show us who He really is and to remind us that ALL we need is HIM? So often I find that when some "crucial" person in my life is removed, I complain to God about how He took someone away, when He most likely took an idol out of my life and I should be thanking Him! That's what has been on my mind lately! So ask me about it! Keep me accountable to God not a person!
On a smaller picture, this week was a full week! There really was not much "down time" haha! Is there ever in my life? Monday, the interns got to take a group of 11 students to Bush Gardens for the day! Tuesday, we had Roots at 6:30 am and the PSM staff meet and spend a lot of time in the office! Wednesday, PSM had a beach day for 5th-8th graders, which was so much fun!!! Thursday, we had Engage, which is for High School students. Friday, we had Server 757, and we got to go help a family with in the church do some work around the house! Today, I went to the PCC's play "Long Story Short" which is the entire Bible acted out in 2 acts (it was super funny!!!) And tomorrow I am teaching over 1 Corinthians 4 in Sunday School for 7th-10th grade! So basically, it has been a super full week! But I have had such a great time! I can't believe it has already been 2 months I've been here!
Prayer Requests:
-Japan Mission Trip
-Teaching Sunday School tomorrow and Roots on Tuesday
-Intentionality with students I have connected with
Love Y'all!
~Court
I have been missing all my Texans very much! However, I can officially announce that I will be coming back and be in town on Aug 21! I know for some of y'all this is a little later than I originally thought, but I moved the date back because my best friend Sidney Ann will be flying in to Yorktown on the 18th, staying for a couple of days then we will start the first part of our trip on the 20th! I'm super excited that I don't have to take the trip back home alone like I did on the way here! So that has been a HUGE blessing and a weight off my shoulders!
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| Matt, Sarah, Elisa, and Me after dinner |
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| Yep! This is what we do at the Beach! |
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| PSM Yorktown Beach Day |
Prayer Requests:
-Japan Mission Trip
-Teaching Sunday School tomorrow and Roots on Tuesday
-Intentionality with students I have connected with
Love Y'all!
~Court
Sunday, July 24, 2011
SportsWorld 2011
Hey Sweet Friends and Family!
Man, am I tired! As most of you know, SportsWorld is one of my favorite weeks of the summer EVERY summer! I was trying to figure out how many I have been a part of and I can't quite settle on a number, but the great part it that I still find so much joy in it, no matter how many times I have been through it! This week was no exception! I think being in a "Coach" position is in some ways more excited than being a counselor, because I got to watch students that I have gotten to know over the last 2 months become the leaders and be living refection of God's love for us to those kids! There is nothing more exciting than that!
Don't get me wrong, I learned A LOT too! I got to work with Keaton on the games crew and that was so awesome! I have never been on the games crew, except for the first time I came to Virginia, so I really did not know what I was getting into. But let me tell you, those students that work that are so amazing! They do not get to have the "glamorous" jobs. They have to refill water jugs, and set up games in the million degree heat, and I have never been more impressed with any students I have worked with! Those students challenged me to be less selfish and more others minded and I am so grateful for that!
I had a lot of fun this week too! I enjoyed watching counselors have shaving cream put in their hair and let kids "sculpt" it into various things. I watched them put Vaseline on their faces and attach cotton balls to it to make beards. I watch kids just drench their counselors in water! I have a few moments that I will always love! I also enjoyed the community, we shared through out the week, one night we worshiped by the water, another we had movie night at my house! The community that SportsWorld creates is simply amazing! The focus is taken off ourselves and put on others, yes, but more importantly it is put on God! And when that's happening, lets be honest, it's so much fun!
Prayer Requests:
-Honoka is flying back home to Japan tomorrow, so safety for her trip!
-The Japan team leaves on Wednesday for their 2 week mission trip, pray for prepaired hearts and willingness to do what is asked of them!
-With Japan gone, Matt will be gone, so for the PSM staff and interns who will be trying to fill that HUGE void, just grace and organization!
I love and miss y'all so much!
~Court
Man, am I tired! As most of you know, SportsWorld is one of my favorite weeks of the summer EVERY summer! I was trying to figure out how many I have been a part of and I can't quite settle on a number, but the great part it that I still find so much joy in it, no matter how many times I have been through it! This week was no exception! I think being in a "Coach" position is in some ways more excited than being a counselor, because I got to watch students that I have gotten to know over the last 2 months become the leaders and be living refection of God's love for us to those kids! There is nothing more exciting than that!
Don't get me wrong, I learned A LOT too! I got to work with Keaton on the games crew and that was so awesome! I have never been on the games crew, except for the first time I came to Virginia, so I really did not know what I was getting into. But let me tell you, those students that work that are so amazing! They do not get to have the "glamorous" jobs. They have to refill water jugs, and set up games in the million degree heat, and I have never been more impressed with any students I have worked with! Those students challenged me to be less selfish and more others minded and I am so grateful for that!I had a lot of fun this week too! I enjoyed watching counselors have shaving cream put in their hair and let kids "sculpt" it into various things. I watched them put Vaseline on their faces and attach cotton balls to it to make beards. I watch kids just drench their counselors in water! I have a few moments that I will always love! I also enjoyed the community, we shared through out the week, one night we worshiped by the water, another we had movie night at my house! The community that SportsWorld creates is simply amazing! The focus is taken off ourselves and put on others, yes, but more importantly it is put on God! And when that's happening, lets be honest, it's so much fun!
Prayer Requests:
-Honoka is flying back home to Japan tomorrow, so safety for her trip!
-The Japan team leaves on Wednesday for their 2 week mission trip, pray for prepaired hearts and willingness to do what is asked of them!
-With Japan gone, Matt will be gone, so for the PSM staff and interns who will be trying to fill that HUGE void, just grace and organization!
I love and miss y'all so much!
~Court
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Summer Escape 2011
Sweet Friends and Family!
Interning at PSM has been crazy and exciting, but such a wonderful experience. This week we headed to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania for Summer Escape (for the Dentonians that is the Great Adventure but for HS students). It was such a sweet time with students! Crazy things happened on this trip that we didn't see coming but God was good and faithful to keep us safe! I have so many fun memories of this trip I can't even process them all!
We left on Monday and drove for most of the day. When we go there it was raining but Peter and the guys were so good at organizing and putting up the tents and setting up camp! We had some really great worship and talked bout what this week was going to look like and how we were going to be looking at Psalm 119! Then we milk and cookies and played mafia!
Tuesday we all got up and had breakfast then went to a park and played some ultimate (so much fun). We took a hike and got to see a beautiful scenic over view! Then we went to a place where there were some natural water slides that a river had carved out. It was an exciting experience but because of the extra rain it was not something we did for long because it didn't seem super safe, so we left early.
Wednesday we went rafting. Two of our three rafts did not have guides, so Tyler and Peter had to guide the other two (I was in the raft that did have a guide)! But the guys did so great! We definitely had some great moments were students fell out of rafts and at lunch the head guy was like "And chivalry isn't dead here on the river so ladies come on up and make a sandwich, and when you're done you can make yourself." Haha! the guys thought that was so funny! Then when we got back a group went to the park again to play ultimate! We had a super sweet time of worship this night because two of our upcoming senior girls lead it! There is just something always so encouraging to see students using their gifts God has given them to glorify Him! Gives me chills! Thursday we drove home!
So now we are gearing up for Sports World that is coming up with this week! Keaton came in last night and will be running our games again! Which is a HUGE blessing! I am so excited to see what it is going to look like this year! When I came 3 years ago, VA had never seen it, so I'm excited to see how they have taken it and improved it to meet their own needs!
Prayer Requests:
-SportsWorld, for safety and that the Gospel would be boldly proclaimed and seen in the lives of the students running it!
-Japan Mission Trip, that they would finish support raising and be preparing their hearts as well as the hearts of those they will be in contact with!
Love Y'all!
~Court
We left on Monday and drove for most of the day. When we go there it was raining but Peter and the guys were so good at organizing and putting up the tents and setting up camp! We had some really great worship and talked bout what this week was going to look like and how we were going to be looking at Psalm 119! Then we milk and cookies and played mafia!
Tuesday we all got up and had breakfast then went to a park and played some ultimate (so much fun). We took a hike and got to see a beautiful scenic over view! Then we went to a place where there were some natural water slides that a river had carved out. It was an exciting experience but because of the extra rain it was not something we did for long because it didn't seem super safe, so we left early.
Wednesday we went rafting. Two of our three rafts did not have guides, so Tyler and Peter had to guide the other two (I was in the raft that did have a guide)! But the guys did so great! We definitely had some great moments were students fell out of rafts and at lunch the head guy was like "And chivalry isn't dead here on the river so ladies come on up and make a sandwich, and when you're done you can make yourself." Haha! the guys thought that was so funny! Then when we got back a group went to the park again to play ultimate! We had a super sweet time of worship this night because two of our upcoming senior girls lead it! There is just something always so encouraging to see students using their gifts God has given them to glorify Him! Gives me chills! Thursday we drove home!
So now we are gearing up for Sports World that is coming up with this week! Keaton came in last night and will be running our games again! Which is a HUGE blessing! I am so excited to see what it is going to look like this year! When I came 3 years ago, VA had never seen it, so I'm excited to see how they have taken it and improved it to meet their own needs!
Prayer Requests:
-SportsWorld, for safety and that the Gospel would be boldly proclaimed and seen in the lives of the students running it!
-Japan Mission Trip, that they would finish support raising and be preparing their hearts as well as the hearts of those they will be in contact with!
Love Y'all!
~Court
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Washington D.C. Mission Trip
Sweet Family and Friends!
I am so sorry I have not updated y'all much lately! Things in Virginia have gotten a little crazy! School is out and now summer is in full swing! I absolutely LOVE it! God is so good and makes that more and more evident each day I get to spend with Him! I am so excited to get to share with you a few of the things I have gotten to experience while I was with PSM in D.C. and share what God has been teaching me through it!
We worked with CSM in D.C. and we stayed in Anicostia. It is an Urban community with majority of the people being African American. In the mornings, we would work in our service groups and work with various organization. While in the afternoon, we ran a VBS/Sports World camp. The camp was nothing like anything I have ever seen before! They were not our typical kids that want to learn about God and respect their counselors, but they were kids that absolutely broke my heart at how lost and hurting they were! However, God is good and through His grace we got to see changes in a few kids hearts! One kid for example, physically had to be removed from hitting another and was given an opportunity to hear some solid TRUTH spoken to him and by the end of the week left with a "Yes, Sir". Isn't God Amazing?
One of my favorite experiences was working at Charlie's Place, which was where we got to serve breakfast and hand out cloths to homeless and jobless people. What was so great was not the actual service we provided but the conversations we go to have! I got to speak with a precious man from Egypt, who has a masters in journalism but still does not have a job or home. It was just heart breaking! Another man I got to speak with was out of jail for having possession of a gun at the wrong time. Before that, he had had a good job, a house, and family who loved and supported him, but none of that was there when he got out. "We are all one bad decision from being where I am now," he told me. These men made me so thankful for what God had given me, but also made me realize how much I hold on to things so tightly. We are called to think of things above only (Col 3:2).
Over all this was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had! I can't wait to see how this changes my life, not just temporarily but long term. So ask me! Don't be afraid to keep me accountable, it would be one of the best things you could do for me! God is Good! And this week I got to experience what it is like to live out being not only a hearer but a doer of God's work (James 1:22).
Prayer Requests:
-Summer Escape is a camping trip to Pennsylvania, we leave Monday and come back Thursday, pray for safety and opportunities to grow closer with Students and God!
-Sports World is the week after we get back from Summer Escape, pray for energy, gentleness, and chances for the Gospel to be proclaimed not only by words but by actions!
-Japan Mission trip leaves the week after Sports World (no, I'm not going on this trip) they will be working there for a few weeks, pray for safe travel and a boldness to proclaim the Gospel!
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Love Y'all!
~Court
I am so sorry I have not updated y'all much lately! Things in Virginia have gotten a little crazy! School is out and now summer is in full swing! I absolutely LOVE it! God is so good and makes that more and more evident each day I get to spend with Him! I am so excited to get to share with you a few of the things I have gotten to experience while I was with PSM in D.C. and share what God has been teaching me through it!
We worked with CSM in D.C. and we stayed in Anicostia. It is an Urban community with majority of the people being African American. In the mornings, we would work in our service groups and work with various organization. While in the afternoon, we ran a VBS/Sports World camp. The camp was nothing like anything I have ever seen before! They were not our typical kids that want to learn about God and respect their counselors, but they were kids that absolutely broke my heart at how lost and hurting they were! However, God is good and through His grace we got to see changes in a few kids hearts! One kid for example, physically had to be removed from hitting another and was given an opportunity to hear some solid TRUTH spoken to him and by the end of the week left with a "Yes, Sir". Isn't God Amazing?
One of my favorite experiences was working at Charlie's Place, which was where we got to serve breakfast and hand out cloths to homeless and jobless people. What was so great was not the actual service we provided but the conversations we go to have! I got to speak with a precious man from Egypt, who has a masters in journalism but still does not have a job or home. It was just heart breaking! Another man I got to speak with was out of jail for having possession of a gun at the wrong time. Before that, he had had a good job, a house, and family who loved and supported him, but none of that was there when he got out. "We are all one bad decision from being where I am now," he told me. These men made me so thankful for what God had given me, but also made me realize how much I hold on to things so tightly. We are called to think of things above only (Col 3:2).
Over all this was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had! I can't wait to see how this changes my life, not just temporarily but long term. So ask me! Don't be afraid to keep me accountable, it would be one of the best things you could do for me! God is Good! And this week I got to experience what it is like to live out being not only a hearer but a doer of God's work (James 1:22).
Prayer Requests:
-Summer Escape is a camping trip to Pennsylvania, we leave Monday and come back Thursday, pray for safety and opportunities to grow closer with Students and God!
-Sports World is the week after we get back from Summer Escape, pray for energy, gentleness, and chances for the Gospel to be proclaimed not only by words but by actions!
-Japan Mission trip leaves the week after Sports World (no, I'm not going on this trip) they will be working there for a few weeks, pray for safe travel and a boldness to proclaim the Gospel!
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Love Y'all!
~Court
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Summer is Finally Here in VA!!!
Hey Sweet Friends and Family!
This week I got to start working on summer stuff! I found out that I am going to DC for a mission trip that leaves next Sunday (June 26th) and we will be there till the next Saturday! I'm super excited because this gives me some great car time with students! (As many of you know, that's when we get to know our students the best and make them do some of the most ridiculous things!) I LOVE it! So, I've been gearing up for that! I have also been getting ready for Summer Escape which is another trip (like the Great Adventure for Dentonians) that we will be taking to Pennsylvania the week before Sports World! But I have been working most on Sports World because those other 2 trips for the most part are already planned, so I have been working on games and making sports binders! The theme this summer is "Rescue" based off Galatians 1:4! It is going to be a great event this summer!
I have also been meeting so many amazing people from the church! I think it is so funny how busy interns are because everyone wants to have us over thinking we don't have that much to do, but I'm pretty sure me and Eliza are 2 of the busiest people here! (just kidding!) But in all seriousness, it has been so amazing to see how welcoming the PCC body has been! I feel like in Denton sometimes we miss people because we are so large and that is such a shame! I was telling someone who was asking about DBC that yes at lease 1 leader will know every student but I go up to people and think they are new and they have been coming for 5 months. And that is not bad at all! It is just so cool to see what a smaller church is like!
Prayer Requests:
-Safe travel for the DC trip
-Open heart for our team as well as the people we will come in contact with
-good time management
Love Y'all!
~Court
This week I got to start working on summer stuff! I found out that I am going to DC for a mission trip that leaves next Sunday (June 26th) and we will be there till the next Saturday! I'm super excited because this gives me some great car time with students! (As many of you know, that's when we get to know our students the best and make them do some of the most ridiculous things!) I LOVE it! So, I've been gearing up for that! I have also been getting ready for Summer Escape which is another trip (like the Great Adventure for Dentonians) that we will be taking to Pennsylvania the week before Sports World! But I have been working most on Sports World because those other 2 trips for the most part are already planned, so I have been working on games and making sports binders! The theme this summer is "Rescue" based off Galatians 1:4! It is going to be a great event this summer!
I have also been meeting so many amazing people from the church! I think it is so funny how busy interns are because everyone wants to have us over thinking we don't have that much to do, but I'm pretty sure me and Eliza are 2 of the busiest people here! (just kidding!) But in all seriousness, it has been so amazing to see how welcoming the PCC body has been! I feel like in Denton sometimes we miss people because we are so large and that is such a shame! I was telling someone who was asking about DBC that yes at lease 1 leader will know every student but I go up to people and think they are new and they have been coming for 5 months. And that is not bad at all! It is just so cool to see what a smaller church is like!
Prayer Requests:
-Safe travel for the DC trip
-Open heart for our team as well as the people we will come in contact with
-good time management
Love Y'all!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
She's the Intern from Texas.....
Hey Friends and Family!
It has been another amazing week! I officially starting working this Tuesday. For those who don't know the story: I had to have my passport for tax purposes or I had to have a million photo IDs, which I did not have. So I had to have my room mate search through all of my packed up boxes to find my passport! And she mailed it to me! So I got to start working on Tuesday!!!
I got to drive under water this week! Yes, I did type that correctly! I drove in an underwater tunnel to get to another peninsula in Virginia, so I drove under water! Isn't that cool? I also found a beach this week and got to meet one of the other interns! She is so sweet and I have really enjoyed getting to know her! Other than that this week was super chill and so will next week for the most part! But after that the summer will really launch and then the magic happens!
The Lord has really been working on my heart here! I am continually amazed at how Wonderful and Good He is! 1 Corinthians 10: 13 says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is FAITHFUL, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation [He] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." This has been such an amazing encouragement to me because, God knows when you are going to face trials, but He WILL NOT leave yo alone in them! That has been such a blessing to be able to walk with!
Thank you for your prayers! I have totally been able to feel them being answered!
Prayer Requests:
-D.C. mission trip for the PSM students in a couple weeks
-Patience for learning my way around Yorktown/ Newport News
-Continue to meet (and remember) PCC students and families
Love Y'all!
~Court
It has been another amazing week! I officially starting working this Tuesday. For those who don't know the story: I had to have my passport for tax purposes or I had to have a million photo IDs, which I did not have. So I had to have my room mate search through all of my packed up boxes to find my passport! And she mailed it to me! So I got to start working on Tuesday!!!
I got to drive under water this week! Yes, I did type that correctly! I drove in an underwater tunnel to get to another peninsula in Virginia, so I drove under water! Isn't that cool? I also found a beach this week and got to meet one of the other interns! She is so sweet and I have really enjoyed getting to know her! Other than that this week was super chill and so will next week for the most part! But after that the summer will really launch and then the magic happens!
The Lord has really been working on my heart here! I am continually amazed at how Wonderful and Good He is! 1 Corinthians 10: 13 says "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is FAITHFUL, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation [He] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." This has been such an amazing encouragement to me because, God knows when you are going to face trials, but He WILL NOT leave yo alone in them! That has been such a blessing to be able to walk with!
Thank you for your prayers! I have totally been able to feel them being answered!
Prayer Requests:
-D.C. mission trip for the PSM students in a couple weeks
-Patience for learning my way around Yorktown/ Newport News
-Continue to meet (and remember) PCC students and families
Love Y'all!
~Court
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