youth center?

When I look at what we believe God is calling us to here in Ambridge...mentoring, lacrosse team, leadership initiative and a youth center. One really stands out, doesn't it...youth center. A youth center in Ambridge run by Ambridge Youth Ignite, wow just saying it makes me feel like I am crazy. For some reason recently God has begun to stir that in me. Honestly, it scares me and that's one reason why I think we need to start pursuing it.

I just finished this book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson, it really helped me see my fear as a good thing, something that was there for me to overcome, something for me to push into. With that I feel the desire to start praying over a building here in Ambridge that would be a great place for a youth center, that place is the old Foodland.

A couple of experiences have gotten me to this place of search for and praying over a possible youth center. First, in Batterson's book he talks about the building that they prayed over and received to start their own coffee house near Union Station in DC. Um buildings definitely come a lot easier in Ambridge then in DC near Union Station. Secondly, I met the people who operate The Open Door in Crafton Heights near downtown Pittsburgh. Their story is very similar to Batterson's and actually Ambridge Youth Ignite's, they opened a youth center and its still in operation 20 years later. Check out their video below



So, I caught myself saying well if they can do it why not us?

Faith and staying

Since my last post, we have had a difficult season. My wife and I who have been attempting to live on the support of our donors, looked at our financial numbers and knew things needed to change. From about April of 2008, I have been applying to jobs and not until recently have I felt peace about what I am about to write.

We are staying in Ambridge, not because I found a great job, not because we got enough donations, but because we can't run away from God's calling on our lives to this place. We love it here, we love our church, we love our friends, we love the youth and the challenges our ministry brings. With all of this God continues to place a burden on our hearts for the youth of Ambridge and we can't run away from that.

As I was thinking about what to say I remembered one of my favorite movies "Field of Dreams", there is a scene in the movie where Ray (Kevin Costner) is faced with making a decision about the field and his home.



I see a lot of similarities between Ray's decision and ours. We need people in our lives (like James Earl Jones in the clip) to say keep going, its worth it, even though things look bad now it won't always be this way.

Peace to you guys as you strive to stay or leave and go where God is calling.