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It is true, everything is bigger in Texas!! I have had an amazing 6 days in wonderful Dallas and will be shortly boarding a plane for Cali. But before I leave I wanted to give the "Top 5"...Top 5 Reasons Why Texas Rocks...5- Ya'll is fun to say!4- You can get from the hotel lobby to the 29th floor in 22 seconds.3- You can get the hook-up of an $800 a night suite for $99 because the hotel wants to be nice to their early check-in guests!2- You can ride the train for free and get almost anywhere around downtown!!!1- Being called Sir rocks!!! And the people on the streets, in the hotel, on the train, and in stores are amazingly friendly!!! Especially the Chris Rock look-a-like.Top 5 Reasons Why Texas Needs Some Work-5- Hotels don't give free lint brushes.4- Attractions cost a lot of money to attend.3- The weather changes like no tomorrow...70 one day and 40 the next.2- If you don't speak Spanish you might find yourself in funny situations.1. If you want to visit the pub, don't plan on leaving without smelling like an ash tray.Back to the real world now...until next time...Cowboy Derek
These past few weeks I have really felt God working within my ministry. Although I feel Him at work it has been very difficult to deal with the overwhelming emotion. I often say "When it rains in pours". Recently it has been pouring with hurting high schoolers. It seems that every few months I have a large number of student situations and these past two or so weeks has been like that. From alcoholic homes, hurting relationships with parents, abuse, death, homosexuality, sex, break-up's...all things I have been processing through with students these past few weeks.On Friday night I attended the Phil Wickham and Shane & Shane concert here in Fresno. It was an awesome show. I didn't really know what to expect but it was really great. One of the songs that Shane & Shane sung and talked about was Psalm 118:24, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it". This verse has made me really think about rejoicing, about being happy. Is it really possible to be happy in the midst of pain? Here I am trying to meet students where they are at, trying to help them with hurt and pain yet needing to be happy, needing to point them back to the one who can lift them up in all their hurt and pain, Jesus. It is hard to think that "this is the day the Lord has made". That even when they are dealing with the death of a parent, breaking up with a girlfriend, an abusive parent, etc. that this is still a day that the Lord has made. It doesn't say the Lord only makes good days, no every day the Lord has made and even during hard times He is there.Today it really hit me hard. I was checking up on different student my space's. I came across one of my kids that I met this past summer at camp. He lives about two hours north of me and I have not seen him since camp. We communicate on my space every once in a while. His headline said "Mom RIP". Initially I asked myself can this be true or is this guy just angry with him mom or something. Sure enough my attention was directed to a blog he wrote about ten days ago about the death of his mom. About him watching her die in a hospital bed as they pulled the plug. She went from healthy to sick in a matter of no time and then she was gone. My heart ached as I read these emotions on the screen in front of me. I messaged him and told him how sorry I was. I gave him my number if he needs to talk. He messaged me quickly right back to tell me the memorial service was yesterday. I felt horrible. Why didn't I read that blog a few days ago? I could have been there yesterday. His message continued to say that he would call me but maybe not for a few weeks because "grief is a weird thing". It hit me just then, how would I deal if my mom died? This kid is six or seven years younger then me and he is having to deal with this. I couldn't even deal with this. My prayers are with the family and this very special student. Please join me in praying.Sorry this blog was semi-sorrowful. There are a ton of hurting kids out there, lets partner together to reach them and let them know they matter.
