We have two mission opportunities this summer.  Well two that will call for us leaving the state of Georgia.  Below is a brief description of both.  Please contact me if you have any questions.

• BUFFALO, NY - This trip is partnering with a new church start in a small town located about 45 minutes outside of Buffalo.  A team from RRBC spent a week with this church last year and plan to return to continue the work.   The plan is to do sports camps and backyard Bible clubs during the week.  The trip cost is around $600 (all airfare).   There is an interest meeting next week at 6pm in the Rock.  We will have some more details.  Matthew Kempf will be the trip leader.  

• ROATAN, HONDURAS - This trip is making a return after one year off.  This trip will consist of Bible training for leaders as well as VBS type events with the kids of the Colonnia.  We will plan to have an interest meeting very soon but for now we do need to know who is interested.  If this is you please send me an email.  Cost for this trip is approximately $1200.  (majority of which is airfare)

* special offer - hopefully you made it down this far.  If you did and if you have a student interested in one of these trips we have some good news.  We are prepared to give $100 towards either one of these above trips to the first person to respond through email.  So if you or your student is interested here is a great opportunity to save some money!

DNOW Weekend is coming up and we need students and host homes.  Dates are March 11-13.  If you are interested in hosting some students please let me know.  We also need students signing up.  Also - if you're student attends DNOW and you host a home, your student gets to come for free!  *only one student per home would be free though, sorry.

Hope everyone has made the mad dash to gather up your milk and bread due to snow being in the state.  Somehow I'm thinking we'll be ok, not so sure about Friday. Buy stock in cows for good measure.  For the future, and maybe even tonight, always be aware that any church cancellations will be posted via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as through calling post.  So be sure you follow, like and join in with us via social media.  

We had a great time this past weekend walking through Scripture and looking at relationships.  Relationships can be so tricky.  I can't imagine attempting to walk through life without the wisdom of God not to mention dealing with relationships.  So our hope this past weekend was to attempt to Reconnect with Relationships.....go back to the basics and think Biblically about our relationship with God and others.

It was helpful for me, my heart and I'm praying the students were able to grow in light of the time together.  We believe this weekend was so powerful and we feel the topics are so needed that we are making our notes available on the Refuel page.  So make sure you go check that out.

Here are a few highlights for me that may or may not be in the notebook or notes:

• dating is simply a relationship with the opposite sex that ultimately leads to marriage.
• Samson (the strongest), Solomon (the wisest), and David (the holiest) all struggled with sexual sins.  What makes you think you can handle this on your own?
• Dating becomes a reality when Christ is your ultimate joy and pursuit.
• Look for the heart rather than then body, plan for a lifetime rather than a night.
• Become the right person. Rather than looking for the right person become the person the person you're looking for is looking for. (you get the point!)
• Your family, your life, exists for the glory of God.  There is no greater purpose.
• Nothing ever comes about that dismisses the priority of glorifying God with my life.
• If there has never been a spiritual conversation with your close friends can you really consider yourselves close friends.
• Is the kingdom of God impacted for God's glory in your squad/friendship?
• "A true friend is someone who is walking in when everyone else is walking out."  Martin Luther
• The only hope for any relationships is to first be in a relationship with God.

We've made it to Jesus and are beginning to learn why He is so special. We know He is but do we need know why He is?  Do we really know much about Him?  I know, knowing the simple "He came, He died, He rose" is great and crucial.  But could anyone have done that?  Did it have to be Jesus?  Why was He special?  How do we know this?  

Our hope is to deepen our understanding of Jesus and strengthen our walk with and dependence on Him.  Doing this will only amplify the light we're to shine in this dark world.  The more we deepen this understanding and trust the more we live lives that glorify the Father.  Confidence, hope, boldness grows as we learn about who we follow.  Clarity brings effectiveness. 

Most true freshman rarely see the field in football.  Why?  Because they are still a little foggy on the details of what they're supposed to do each play.  Your own ability in anything is lessened by uncertainty.  But when we are fully aware or at least greatly informed and confident we are free to live and move and play fast.  Our understanding of Jesus only helps as we seek to glorify the Father and live according to His Word.  Relationship is key.  Do we know the one we call Lord?

Below are the notes, outline and questions from The Rock as we dive into Jesus as our Prophet, Priest and King.  Enjoy!

Good afternoon!  Hope everyone is doing and geared up for the weekend.  For me and 60 other folks from the student ministry we'll be heading up to Blue Ridge, GA and Laughing Bear Lodge for Refuel.  This is always a very low key time together in the Word and mountains.  I'm looking forward to discovering all the Bible says about relationships.  The good news is we'll be making the teachings available online via our booklets.  So if you're not able to attend as a student or you just want to follow along as a parent, you'll be able to!  Those will be up early next week.

If you do have a student attending Refuel all the information you need to know can be found on our Refuel Page.  We will be pulling out at 5pm tomorrow (FRIDAY the 15th). 
This means you need to arrive by 4:45p so we can load, pray, hug and pull away.  Student may want to eat a healthy snack before they leave.  We will be having a light dinner once we arrive at Laughing Bear.  If you have any questions please email, text or call me!

Well....how many week until spring break?  That may be a question that's pretty popular in the minds of students.....and teachers everywhere.  Some students may skip straight to summer break.  Either way it seems we're always looking for the next big thing....the next opportunity to be lazy, to be off, to have a time away from stress, work, and life.

It's a bit dangerous to live this way isn't it? I realize the majority of it is very innocent.  We do need breaks, time away, but in this there is a danger to not see Christ as our all.  That's very extreme thinking I know but shouldn't we guard this....especially for the sake of those younger....our children.  Are we conditioning them to always look for the "time away from commitment" as the next big thing that the "only big thing" is missed by us and them?

Don't get me wrong....spring break is marvelous....our family has plans to return to Texas for more road trip fun....we can't wait!   But in this I never want my family to think that this is our ultimate.  Christ has this place or at least deserves this place (Col. 1:18).  So enjoy the anticipation and excitement while looking ahead to the next "time off"  but never allow that to become your joy.  As a follower, Jesus is our joy.

Spring Break is coming.....Jesus has come and with Him comes life and life abundantly. 

It was good to be back at the Rock last night. My heart was encouraged by the Word, by the crowd and by seeing the faces of students I absolutely love.  My heart is so wanting them to fall deeply in love with Christ. Meaning, I hope they see that God has sent Jesus to bring us life.  A life we could never have on our own.  A life of redemption that leads to a life that glorifies the Father.  I want that for my own life, my family and for these students.  So being together provides the opportunity to point them to Scripture. I love it.

Last night we took some time to catch up on where we're at in our teaching and in our year.  I've attached the notes from last night as a way for you to know what's going on but also for you to be challenged by the Word as well.

Refuel is here....well not here but very close.  We plan to have a meeting next week at 6pm in the Rock.  There's really not a good place for us to meet so we'll make the few students who there endure our meeting.

The trip is Jan. 15-18 of course.  Money is now due.
We'll have all the information you need next week.

Largely our plan is to leave around 5pm on Friday, the 15th, 
Students will need some spending money for lunch on Monday.
We will also plan to stop off at some outlets malls, for lunch, but also to get some energy out before we return home that Monday.

In the meantime you can take a look at the Refuel Page for other information.  We'll have this printed out at the meeting on Wednesday.  But if you'd like a little more time you can see it now...though it may be dated wrong.  But the "what you need" packet is pretty much the same.

If you have any questions feel free to call, email, or text.  The latter is always best!


THANKS AGAIN for allowing me to be a part of your students life.  I absolutely love them to death and strive so hard to join you in your pursuit to raise students who love and follow Christ!