NIGHT OF NETS...Celebrating 2013 and Looking Ahead to 2014

This week is a really quiet one on the CU campus.  I'm getting a chance to do some long range planning and vision casting, finishing up grading, and spend time with some of the folks I work with in my office talking about how to make better our student programs and initiatives in 2014...

I also dropped a few checks in the mail over the last few weeks as we closed up Night of Nets for 2013...the funds raised this fall at CU and several other campuses will provide about 5000 bed nets for families in sub-Saharan Africa...it is a sort of sacred moment for me sealing an envelope with a piece of paper that will ultimately save, change, and better the lives of some remarkable folks threatened by the bite of an insect as the rainy season approaches...

And this morning over coffee and cocoa at our favorite local place a few of us dreamed about how to grow Night of Nets in the year to come...we've seen it move from 500 nets the first year to 5000 in its fourth year while providing about 10,000 bed nets for families in Africa...

And now we dream and are beginning to try and take next steps that might move its impact to 10,000 families involving 20 different campuses in 2014...it's a big step to dream of doing in year 5 what we've done in the first 4 years combined, but I am quite certain that God can do more than I can imagine and it is clearly time to capitalize on our chance to make a massive dent in the impact of this deadly killer...here's some encouraging and compelling info via my friends at World Vision in their Beyond 5 Blog:

Malaria falls under preventable diseases and children under 5 years old is the group most affected.  The world’s deadliest creature, the mosquito, kills nearly 655,000 people every year. The World Health Organization estimates that an African child younger than 5 dies every 45 to 60 seconds from the disease.

Last week, the World Health Organization reported positive news in the fight against malaria.

Global efforts to control and eliminate malaria have saved an estimated 3.3 million lives since 2000, reducing malaria mortality rates by 45% globally and by 49% in Africa.

An expansion of prevention and control measures has been mirrored by a consistent decline in malaria deaths and illness, despite an increase in the global population at risk of malaria between 2000 and 2012. Increased political commitment and expanded funding have helped to reduce incidence of malaria by 29% globally, and by 31% in Africa.

The large majority of the 3.3 million lives saved between 2000 and 2012 were in the 10 countries with the highest malaria burden, and among children aged less than 5 years – the group most affected by the disease. Over the same period, malaria mortality rates in children in Africa were reduced by an estimated 54%.

http://beyond5.org/2013/12/17/more-than-an-itch-for-kids-under-5/?fb_action_ids=10202454496297770&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B569403739808130%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D 

There's no chance to turn back at this point...and it's my prayer as I wrap up my last week on campus for 2013 that 2014 will see NIGHT OF NETS continue to transform lives in Africa and in west MI as we seek to end malaria in the name of the ONE who entered into the mess of disease and sickness to redeem all things at Christmas...

10 reasons I’m hopeful and excited about the next wave of leaders...BRAD LOMENICK, Catalyst

I recently read this list and resonated with it...and continue to love working with the young leaders in my student engagement team and student leadership teams at CU...it's one of the best parts of my job!  Can't wait to watch their impact in the decades to come...

1. Passion for God. Everyone seems to think we’ve lost a generation of Christ followers in our country, but after seeing the 60,000 college students gathered at Passion Conference earlier this year, and the 20,000 + who gather at Urbana every other year, and the 20,000 who were just in Kansas City for the IHOP One Thing gathering earlier this year, and the thousands who gather at Catalyst, and Hillsong, Jesus Culture, Worship Central, and many other venues- this instills confidence that the next generation of leaders love Jesus and are passionate about serving Him and making Him known for their generation. 

2. Willing to work together. 20 and 30 somethings are more willing to collaborate than any other generation before. They trust each other. Really. And see collaboration as the starting point, not some grandiose vision of teamwork that is far off in the distance. Collaboration is now the norm.

3. Don’t care who gets the credit.. For the next generation- it’s way less about who, and way more about what and why. The next wave doesn’t care who gets the credit. It’s way more about “what’s right” instead of focusing on “who’s right.”

4. Generosity and sharing are the new currencies of our culture. In business, relationships, networks, platforms, technology, distribution, content delivery, etc- Open source is the new standard. This new wave of leaders has tools/resources such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and tons more social media tools that make influencing much more readily available.

5. Understand the holistic responsibility of influence- They are wiilling to connect all of life together- faith, compassion, charity, work, career, church, family, friends. It’s all connected. There is way less compartmentalizing of life among the next generation of leaders. .

6. Authenticity wins. Trust is incredibly important. Leaders won’t have followers going forward unless they trust them and see that they are authentic and real. Authenticity is not only important to the next generation, it’s a requirement.

7. Not willing to wait. Young leaders are ambitious and passionate about making a difference now. They are not necessarily willing to wait their turn. They want to influence now. Evidence of this is the explosion of church planters in the last 4-5 years, along with social innovation and social entrepreneurs.

8. See social justice as the norm. Leaders who care about the poor and lean into causes and see the social gospel as a key ingredient to following Christ are no longer seen as the exception. Young Leaders see taking care of the poor and sharing the Gospel as BOTH crucial to the advancement of the Church and of God’s Kingdom. 20 somethings I believe are and will continue to become more balanced in their pursuit of both. They don’t have to be one or the other.

9. Seeking wisdom and mentors. Overall, I sense that 20 and 30 somethings are highly willing to be mentored, and are hungry for wisdom from older leaders around them. Those of us Gen X’ers tend to think we have it all figured out. Millenials and Gen Y are assumed to have it all figured out because they have so many tools and technology at their fingertips. But from what I’ve experienced, they still are seeking wisdom, just as much as any other generation before them.

10. Change the world mentality. The next wave of leaders have global visions way beyond generations who have existed before. They truly believe they can make a difference, have an impact, and build significance, regardless of resources, organizational help, team, and overall scale. This kind of vision inspires, and also forces leaders to work together, hence #2.

http://www.bradlomenick.com/2013/11/22/10-reasons-im-hopeful-and-excited-about-the-next-wave-of-leaders/

DO THE RIGHT THINGS VS. THE NICE THINGS

I read this today and thought it was a fantastic way to look at things, as I often  find myself trading the right thing for the nice thing...check out these example questions from Mark Miller at his blog entitled "Great Leaders Serve":

Nice Thing or Right Thing?

Set a new strategic direction or stay the course to avoid challenging anyone?

Attend a portion of an all-day meeting or stay all day so as not to offend the host of the meeting?

Challenge a team member who fails to prepare for a meeting or avoid the issue?

Decline a speaking engagement or accept every request regardless of the audience?

Dismiss an employee who can’t grow with the business or keep the person on the payroll indefinitely?

Eliminate a program to reallocate needed resources or sacrifice new ideas so outdated ones can be funded?

Have a difficult performance conversation or continue to give inflated performance ratings?

Say “no” to non-strategic work or say “yes” to non-strategic work?

Confront problems and issues or avoid discussing problems at all costs?

Give stretch assignments to people and expect them to struggle or avoid giving stretch assignments because they may create some discomfort?

Cut your losses when a product or program has failed or continue to let a project flounder to avoid confronting the project leader?

Pursue truth through conflict or avoid conflict because it makes some people uncomfortable?

http://greatleadersserve.org/right-things-vs-nice-things/?utm_content=buffer65e24&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Why You Should Have a Compelling Cause in Your Life…

Here's an article I recently wrote for our school paper here at CU...

Let me make a confession as I start this article. I am a cause guy. I am easily drawn into trying to meet the needs of others, into trying to make the world better, into helping to bring God’s Kingdom in all its fullness to His creation. The first real cause I jumped on board with was the global HIV/AIDS pandemic over a decade ago and that led me on a journey engaging several others like education, microfinance, poverty, food security, clean water, and the current cause I’ve been chasing for the last few years is the reduction of cases of malaria through the distribution of bed nets. To be honest, I never dreamed I’d care so deeply about so many injustices in our world.

I’d love to ask every student on our campus about what particular cause or issue they are passionate about today! Here are a few reasons why I think everyone should have something that draws out our passion and a piece of our heart as we live our lives:

1. We are wired, we are made, and we are called to be engaged in helping bring change to other’s lives and our world. God has given us that remarkable privilege and opportunity as His ambassadors and hands and feet as we encounter the things that break His heart on this planet…

2. You meet some great friends who share the same beliefs and values when you join others in trying to make the world a better place. The first group of students that pulled me into caring about AIDS became a community that is one of my favorite groups of all time…

3. You end up learning a ton when you seriously tackle a major problem in our world. I’ve become so much more aware of things truly happening in our world and in people’s lives because I’ve tried to figure out the best way from really bright people how to help be part of changing people’s situations.

4. You find joy and purpose that we all long for in our lives. You and I were made for so much more than just a “normal” life where our goals include only comfort and security and having everything we want in material possessions. Opening a schoolhouse, drilling for clean water, and handing a family a bed net are memories and moments I know I will never, ever forget.

5. You are part of a team, part of something that leaves a legacy of transformation.  Causes require collaboration, and the pooled resources of a group of people do more together than they ever could just being used by individuals.

6. You don’t fixate on your own issues and needs in an unhealthy way. The battle against narcissism is a challenging one in our culture, and one of the best ways to slay the demon of selfishness is to give deeply of the best of you for something or someone else.

Keep your eyes and your heart open as you read and listen and watch; and when something grabs your interest, please decide to learn all you can. And then actually throw your time, your money, your words, and most of all your gifts and strengths into doing something to literally change lives and our world. 

We’ve raised the resources to provide about 10,000 bed nets so far through our Night of Nets campaign at CU, and frankly, I really hope we double that number just in 2014. It’s something that gets me up in the morning as a follower of Jesus! Be unashamed in your advocacy and your campaign for that thing that causes major holy discontent for you personally. You’ll watch yourself be changed into something far more than you have experienced before…

Chip Huber is the Dean of Student Engagement and Founder of NIGHT of NETS

www.cunightofnets.com 

5 Elements of Kingdom Ministry from Noel Castellanos in Leadership Journal

I love this list...excited to have Noel speak in chapel next semester here at CU...and to seek to live these out with our students, church and my own family & friends...I long to be truly about Kingdom work...

1. Incarnation: We must have not only the same message as Jesus but the same method. You really reach people when you enter into their world, their hurt and pain. If you've incarnated God's love into the community of a homosexual, for instance, he'll realize, Oh, this guy is willing to enter my life. He doesn't just condemn me. Then he's more capable of hearing our message.

2. Proclamation: We're told to proclaim the Good News, so this is clearly an essential. Proclaiming the truth in love, and in the context of incarnation, is not forcing it down people's throats. Proclamation is also about formation, describing the kind of people God shapes us into.

3. Compassion: The Good News is authenticated by our caring (Luke 4). And when we are truly incarnate among the poor, these folks are more than just statistics. They're your neighbors. They're your friends. And if you meet a person with a need, compassion leads you to do what you can to meet that need.

4. Restoration/Development: When you live in a neighborhood where the same needs emerge over and over again, then you have to look at the larger picture and begin to fix what's broken. In Baltimore, a little church took over a struggling public elementary school and revolutionized that neighborhood. They're not just doing compassion, handing out backpacks to kids. Instead, they saw these kids getting a poor education and said, "We've got to be about restoration and development."

5. Confrontation: The best way to do justice work is to be incarnate in a community. As you work to meet people's needs through compassion and restoration, you eventually come up against systems and institutions that are keeping people in those conditions, beyond their own irresponsibility or sinfulness. This is when you must identify and confront injustice. We might discover this injustice in our government or schools or police forces or even churches—no institution is immune to injustice.

—Noel Castellanos is CEO of the Christian Community Development Association and lives in Chicago.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2010/summer/jesuswelcomeefforts.html?utm_source=connection-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=12072488&utm_content=225764747&utm_campaign=2013&start=5

Watching Prayer Work...

Today is October 1...and it's this deal called NIGHT OF NETS...

www.cunightofnets.com

I've spent the last several weeks doing lots of things connected to new student orientation, student leadership, student activities, chapels, student organizations, and a bunch of other things connected to campus life at CU...

But in the midst of a whirlwind of teaching and leading and planning and vision-casting and literally running from place to place and meeting to meeting I often find myself in the fall not pausing to invite God's Spirit and Power and Blessing upon the many things I am pursuing...

I read a book last year called THE CIRCLE MAKER by Mark Batterson that challenged me to consider praying more passionately, more specifically, and more centrally as part of my life and calling...so I chose a couple weeks ago to start a little 40 Day Prayer Adventure with some other students at CU and specifically decided to "circle" Night of Nets in prayer...

I began to pray asking for God's favor and blessing multiple times a day and invited several other folks I know well in my life to circle it with me in the week leading up to the event...and not surprisingly, I've seen God surprise me several times in even the last few days...

We are seeking to provide 5000 bed nets for families in sub-Saharan Africa in Jesus' name...which is about what we have done the last 3 years combined almost!  But I have watched other universities join us, recruits plan their own Night of Nets events, hundreds and hundreds of students but shirts that save a life, and an enthusiasm for this cause grow beyond my expectations on our campus and in our community...

And I am once again as the visionary reminded that God more desperately wants to see us serve and give and share our resources than I do...and His invitation and call to others to join us is so radically compelling and will do more than I could ever dream or imagine...and He is simply waiting for people like me to ask Him to do so, to beg Him to meet the needs of those He created and loves...

I love being able to watch, to see my God answer the humble prayers of His people...I can't wait to see how He surprises me, even tonight at Night of Nets...

ALL IN: My Night of Nets Manifesto. Or why I am slightly obsessed with bed nets…

Tomorrow we kick off my favorite event in the Cornerstone campus calendar. We call it night of nets...and it combines two of my greatest passions in life: the beautiful game called soccer or futbal and the people and communities of a sub-Saharan African nation called Zambia...

This is the 4th year we've done this event at CU and it is now one of our best attended and embraced student activities...the event is designed to use the platform of athletics in our culture to bring awareness and real change to one of the world’s greatest global issues.  We are trying to raise funds to provide insecticide treated bed nets for families that face incredible health dangers caused by the deadly disease malaria.

We've watched this event grow quickly in the amount of money we've raised, the attention given to the issue on our campus, the number of students involved, and now this year has been exported to other university and high school sports and teams to expand the impact of these truly life changing items...

To be honest, this little idea I shared first with a few CU soccer players in an impoverished community in the Dominican Republic has morphed into something I hoped and dreamed it could be...and with that growth has demanded more of my time, my resources, my thinking, and my skills as a leader and educator...

And this thing we dubbed night of nets keeps perhaps most importantly grabbing a deeper and fuller grasp of my heart...I am quite sure that many of my co-workers, friends, students, players, and family members wonder at times why I tweet so often about malaria, create & post a multitude of different visual pieces of promotion about NETS on our campus walls and doors, and cast vision almost hourly in classrooms, leadership trainings, staff meetings, soccer fields, and conversations in my office about the chance we have right now to change lives forever on the other side of the world...

So as we head into our 6 night of nets matches for this year, here's a little list and explanation for why I am all in on this event, why I think it is one of the most important things we will do as a Christian college during the 2013-14 school year, and why it causes my heart to jump and my voice to speak loud as I join so many other people to try and end malaria in our generation...

1. I can't think of anything more ready to be used to invite large numbers of people in my world to do great good than the power of sport...soccer is our world’s global game and there’s something so special to connect as people and friends through a game we love to watch and play…and we have watched athletes, coaches, and fans embrace with gusto their chance to make sports something beautiful and brilliant as a tool to draw many together to both watch and do something extraordinary on and off the field of play…

2. I love the way God has given a ragamuffin group of young men a cause that unites them and allows them to come together to do something that others would never expect them to do...the driving force in night of nets has been a large crew of male college soccer players who have thrown off their selfish and entitled mindsets to be remarkable advocates for a people often forgotten and marginalized in our world…and their involvement badgering and cajoling fellow students to buy a Night of Nets shirt or fund a bed net has caused them to eventually end up in Africa where God changes them into people they could have never imagined they would become…

3. The scope of the issue is so massive that it demands an immediate and real response...malaria is an awful disease that affects hundreds of millions of lives...and as Rick Warren has said the greatest issues in our world do indeed respond the greatest responses...when you end malaria, you impact positively economics, health care, education, families, and the churches of communities in unprecedented ways…

4. Something so cheap and so simple can produce transformational change. A bed net that costs $6 can alter the life, the future, the ambitions of children and families simply because they no longer have to worry about an insect bite ruining their lives...I can’t even begin to describe the opportunity bed nets provide to prevent sickness, death, orphans, and immense heartbreak and grief…a bed net is something almost everyone I know can provide for another whose life hangs in the balance without it…

5. I love the sense of unity and connectivity that this event brings to my life and the college community I love so much...Night of Nets might be one of the very few things that can draw together students from all residence buildings, student interests, and friend groups to be part of something at CU…I love seeing hundreds and hundreds of students walking across campus

6. It's personal for me...I’ve taken hundreds of malaria pills to prevent being infected while I travel to Africa and it’s something I’ve read about in all kinds of books and journals and websites…and I am committed to trying to stop my African friends from getting infected by malaria because I’ve seen friends lose their children because a mosquito bit their son or daughter in the night as they slept…and I refuse to accept the fact that anyone dying from a ridiculously preventable disease is the way God wants our world to be in 2013…

7. I am convinced that it is something that Jesus and the Scriptures call me to do as a follower of Him and a person who is seeking to live by the words of the Bible God has written to call me to live a different life...Jesus brought physical healing, a call for justice, uplifting of the oppressed, and a love for those the world had forgotten…and He invited His disciples then and His followers even now to announce and help bring about the coming of His Kingdom…and I can’t help but want to be like Him…

The Apostle Paul in Romans 12 says it better than I could as I think about God’s call on my life to be a person who tries to have God’s love for me to move me to action…

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

So I am called by God’s voice and moved by His Spirit to be all in…to be OK with being thought of as a little overzealous, a little crazy, and a little too focused on one thing…

And being all in means I can’t wait to invite people to share God’s blessings in their live with others in great need through the gift of a bed net at Holland Christian, at Calvin College, and at Cornerstone University in the next few weeks…

And being all in means I can’t help but dream…dream of providing 5000 bed nets via Night of Nets for families that are praying God will provide one for them tonight on the other side of the world…dream that many more college and high school soccer and volleyball teams will join us to bring Night of Nets to their campuses in the near future…and dream that one day malaria will no longer be on the minds of people in Zambia just like it is never thought about by people living in my city, my state, and my country…

I can’t wait to see friends in Zambia sometime soon again…and tell them a little story about how students in Grand Rapids, MI responded to Jesus’ call in an event called Night of Nets, and then watch them sing and dance and whoop with joy as they receive a net that ends malaria in their house…

That’s why I am all in, why I love being part of Night of Nets, and why I invite you to be part of a campaign to held end malaria…

You can check out more at: www.cunightofnets.com

The 10 Experiment: A Week of Choosing the Simple Life

This past week our family did something different as we wound down the summer...and I thought I'd reflect on it for a few minutes before my life goes crazy at CU...

This summer Ingrid and I both read Jen Hatmaker's book SEVEN where she details her decision to live much more simply as she cut out excess in her life by choosing to eat and wear and purchase far less in terms of variety over various months...her writing about her experience challenged us, made us laugh, and frankly overwhelmed us at times...

One of the things that I honestly struggle with, think about, and then bring up with our family all the time is the massive amount of choices and variety of goods and activities and good old stuff that fills our lives, our budgets, our stores, and ultimately our faith journeys...

It is something that overwhelms me anew every time I travel to the developing world and throws me not guilt, angst, and disillusionment when I re-enter American culture post cross-cultural experience...

I wanted to have our family at least consider how much excess we live with and simply don't need in a culture and everyday life that continually invites, prods, and seems to suck us into living well beyond our needs and what actually causes us to be content and satisfied...

We created some lists of 10...10 things we would choose for a variety of things for just 5 days...our simple way to try and live like others do and be reminded of how much we have when we take away options and extras...at least in a small way for a short time...

So here's what we did...

 *Made a list of 10 foods that were the only things we could eat: cheese, frosted mini-wheats, potatoes, water, diet coke, bread, bananas, peanut butter, eggs, chicken

*Each person selected 10 clothing items to wear for the week

*Each family member gave away 10 possessions

* We were only allowed to spend 10 dollars per day outside of necessities as a family

*Allowed to only participate in 10 hours of media time for the week

*We drove only one car for the week

*Recycled everything possible

*Buy clothes at thrift store only

*Picked 10 stores/vendors as viable places to go to

*Observed 10 minutes of quiet prayer and scripture reading per day

*Sought to set aside 10 hours of rest in a sabbath

It was in many ways more difficult than we thought it would be...and the people who knew we were doing thought we were more than a little crazy...mostly because we didn't need to live this way.

Here were a few of the things we observed and experienced:

--not having coffee made getting going more difficult and confirmed a serious caffeine habit

--our moods were crankier simply because we weren't able to eat wheat we wanted to eat

--repetitive lives seem boring and blasé and lifeless

--giving away 10 items is ridiculously easy...we may have been able to do this several times over and still lived the same

--we did more reading and talking without media

--changes in weather are a big deal without lots of clothes (we had a strange summer cold snap during our August week)

--you lose a little sleep and don't schedule extra appointments with only one vehicle

--without tons of options and purchase options we would most likely be thinner and wealthier

--I heard less complaining as the week went on...not sure if that was because we were learning to live with it or because we knew it would soon be over

After our week living 10 was done, we actually broke out of the experiment by going to the newly opened 5 GUYS restaurant here in GR where hundreds of people stormed the place and it offered over 20 toppings for your burger and a soda machine that paralyzed you with hundreds of flavor kinds...so yes, we are still fully American and not ready for any sort of sainthood status...

As we talked together about the week there was a mix of new awareness of how we live with way too much and a bit of recognition that we would have to do something even more drastic to actually shift our lifestyle and habits for good to how they probably should be...

Doing the 10 experiment was meaningful and productive and something that will be a reference for our family going forward as we continue to think and ask and pray and live with the needs of our brothers and sisters, what is truly healthy in all ways for our family unit, and the call of Jesus to live a life of faithfulness and sacrifice in mind...and I hope that a year, a decade, a generation later living 10 will be simpler and require less change because we resist the cultural mandate for stuff and more stuff because we find that living simply brings a deeper joy and contentment and love as followers of the One who lived a simple life of godliness without very much stuff as He saved us from our junk through His life and death...

Check out the book that started this journey for us and create your own 10 list:

SEVEN

A NEW SEASON BEGINS: Windshields and Rearview Mirrors...thoughts from Tim Elmore's HABITUDES

Our men's soccer team is welcoming a crew of new players to campus this year...and asking returning players to step up and replace a talented and passionate and successful graduating group...along with my every year welcome week I run for 400 new students at CU, it has caused me to think lots about helping folks to look to the future...here's some thoughts I read and shared with our soccer team this morning...

CU SOCCER 2013--Windshields and Rearview Mirrors: 
Tim Elmore's Habitudes for the Journey

Everyone focuses on something—the past or the future. Where does your energy come from? When our dreams are bigger than our memories, we gain energy from the hope that lies ahead. Often, we must let go of the comfort from our past to make progress.

Rearview mirrors are good to glance at, but not to gaze at. Most of the time, it’s best to look straight ahead.

This Habitude is not simply about letting go of the past. It is important to sustain friendships we’ve made along the way. We should be grateful for fun memories and good times. Our past will always help shape our future. But sometimes, the past can hold us back. If our memories are more important than our dreams—we are in trouble. If we prefer to look in the rearview mirror instead of the windshield, we’ll get stuck—and maybe wreck. Holding on to the comfort of our past can keep us from grabbing the adventure that lies in our future.

Here’s a question for you: Where does your energy come from—the past or the future?

On your journey, can you peer out in front of you and become excited about the horizon? Can you gain more energy from the future than the past? Based on our qualitative research at Growing Leaders, the most common reasons students get “stuck in the past” are:

·         They are victims of time. They can’t seem to break free of old patterns.

·         They are victims of relationships. They stay involved with people who hold them back.

·         They are victims of comfort/nostalgia. They fear that their best days are in the past.

In response, we recommend the following simple new habits and attitudes:

1. Replace comfort with curiosity.
Choose to leave the comfortable to pursue the compelling. Hunt for new horizons to conquer.
2. Reject being a victim of your circumstances.
Don’t let anyone control your emotions or your response to life. It is your life, after all.
3. Renew your commitment to embrace opportunities.
Hang out with different people. Search for new challenges that will stretch you.
4. Relinquish the past and create new memories.
Perhaps it’s time to let go of the old trophies and ribbons and go earn some new ones.

***Philippians 3:12-14 (New International Version)

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

http://growingleaders.com/blog/windshields-and-rearview-mirrors/

DR Trip Flights Home

The guys on the CU Men's Basketball team have spent the last two days in church, spending time with the people of Santiago and GO Ministries staff, and debriefing their trip while visiting the beautiful beaches of the DR...later today they will head home with new experiences and a call to live differently because of what God has taught them and shown them over the past week...many of you will have the chance to hear more about this trip in the days to come...pray that God will use it to indeed do transforming work in their lives and that God will continue to grow His Kingdom work in Santiago...

Here is their flight schedule once again as they arrive back in GR tonight:

TUESDAY AUGUST 13

*Delta #324 departs Santo Domingo @1245 pm…arrives in Atlanta at 6:30 pm

TUESDAY AUGUST 13

*Delta #1964 departs Atlanta @835 pm…arrives in Grand Rapids at 10:45 pm

CU Men's Basketball Trip--DR Post #4

A Saturday DR trip update:

Hello everybody this is Jacob Plite, Senior at Cornerstone University. It is currently 10:30 pm on Saturday August 10, 2013. Today was another amazing and eventful day. We started off waking up at 9:00 am. Kyle, our mission leader gave us an extra hour to sleep in since we didn’t have construction work today. It was a blessing to say the least. Our breakfast was excellent, as usual. We had scrambled eggs with bacon and fruit. The cooks here are incredible. After breakfast we got dressed and walked to the local basketball court where they host youth tournaments. The ages of the teams were 13-14 years. Pedro and Ray, two of our mission counselors coached either team.

            

At halftime of the basketball game we all had the privilege of listening to Edgar Sosa speak to the local kids. Edgar was on the national team that we played two days prior. He was born in Santo Domingo and played collegiate basketball at the University of Louisville. He currently plays professionally in Italy. Edgar spoke to the community in Spanish so we weren’t able to understand what he was saying, but I could tell that his message was genuine. After his speech he signed autographs and took many pictures. I was happy that I was able to get a photo with him. He is a fantastic basketball player but more importantly, he is an extremely down to earth and compassionate guy. I wish him all the best in his future with basketball.

After the game was over we walked back to the mission center to take a quick nap before lunch. We had fried chicken and rice. This chicken put any Buffalo Wild Wings to shame, no lie. After lunch we got ready to go paint another local basketball court just a few miles away. However on the way it started raining heavily which made the court much too wet to paint. Instead we listened to Pastor Nico’s testimony. It was very moving as expected. One thing that has really stood out to me while on this journey is how passionate everyone is for Christ. Pastor Nico has sacrificed much of his life for the kids in this community. He has given them the opportunity to learn about and grow love for our glorious God. I have utmost respect for that man and everything he has accomplished so far.

Once we arrived back to the missionary we had more time to kill since we weren’t able to paint the court. Some of us took naps and the others played cards in the dorm. I was the designated DJ so I played music while playing cribbage on my phone. After about an hour it was time for dinner. On the menu was some delicious pork, fried eggs, and some sort of mashed potatoes that I had never had before, but were quite good. After the meal we listened to Pedro’s testimony. Pedro was a professional basketball player back in the 80’s and still holds two records to this day. One is the most single game steals, 18. And the other is most points scored by a rookie in his first professional game, 28. Pedro is now in his 50’s and still has such a passion for the game. Pedro is the 8^th child of 18 children. He spoke of his family and how he has over 100 nieces and nephews back in the states. He wanted us to remember that we always have a home in the Dominical Republic now. Just because we speak different languages, doesn’t mean that we’re not family. He told us that we all have a special place in his heart after this week. Pedro is an incredible man that I will never forget. I wish all of you readers could have the opportunity to meet him.

After Pedro’s testimony we had an hour break before our game against the local club team. We played on the same court that Edgar Sosa spoke at for the 13-14 year olds. It was quite an experience because the court is outdoors and we played at night under the lights. It’s very hard for me because I am still unable to compete due to my injury.  Traveling all this way and not being able to play against the Dominicans is tough to swallow. I am currently six months out of surgery and have two more to go. My coaches are being very patient with me. Too patient in my opinion! But I understand their reasoning. My brothers played a very scrappy game and came out with the win.

After the game we walked back to the missionary for some Dominos Pizza. As you all know, it was fantastic. The Dominicans really enjoy their corn pizza. It was a first for me and definitely won’t be the last. I highly recommend everyone trying it. And that brings us to right now. I just got done eating and am currently in Kyle’s house on his laptop typing this blog. I hope you are all enjoying reading about our life-changing journey. Can’t wait to see you all when we get back!!! Blessings.

Yours truly, Jacob Lee Plite J

 

CU Men's Basketball Trip--DR Post #3

And here's the newest post from today in the DR via Anthony Allen:

Today was yet another great experience in the D.R. We started out working construction just like we have the past couple other days. It feels great to be able to help out the ministry knowing its only going to help others in the future. It's hard work but working with side by side with another makes it fun, and we can already notice huge improvements at the site. The guys who we work with from the D.R are awesome. They have a constant smile and they seem like they don't have a care in the world. I've never met people who love life as much as them despite all the negative stuff around them. They find a way to always look on the positive side which is truly amazing.                            

We only worked a half day at the construction site and then headed to an area called the "hole". This is the poorest area in all of Santiago and one of the country's biggest spots for drugs and prostitution. I couldn't believe my eyes when we arrived. They live side by side in little 10 by 10 houses with water running through the middle of the street in some parts. These houses are stacked on one another like nothing I've ever seen before. Human waste and trash is all around you. When we finally reached the court where the little kids were it shocked me. These kids were full of laughter and joy despite these terrible surroundings. These kids loved every second of us being down there. They would ride on our shoulders or backs all day if you let them. Seeing the smile on these kids faces alone made the trip all worth it. From there we walked the kids to the church and helped feed about 50 or so kids a meal, and for some it is their only meal of the day. In total G.O Ministry feeds about 120 kids a day 6 days a week, which is awesome. Even though that seems like a lot, hundreds of other kids need food as well. But it's a great start and hopefully that number only grows. It was truly a once and life time moment down in the "hole".                   

We also got to play one more local basketball team who was very good but fortunately we got the win in double o.t! They were great guys. Overall this experiences has gotten better and better with each passing day and is truly a life changing event. These people down here spoil us and are a joy to be around. This has been one of the coolest experiences of ours life's. We are all truly blessed individuals!

Anthony Allen '14

CU Men's Basketball Trip--DR Post #2

Here's another post from Wes Hudson about Thursday in the DR...love hearing the reports...Kyle Bradley from GO shared this with me about the team of guys so far...

It's an impressive group and easy to invest in. We're having a blast!

Here's the report from Santiago:

Hello from Santiago, DR coming from Wes Hudson. Today has been a great day to say the least! As Shane has told you in the last blog, we are doing construction and today we did just that. We started early once again with everyone waking up around 8 o’clock to eat breakfast. This morning we had eggs, sausage, and PB & J, again another delicious meal the hard working cooks have been spoiling us with. Man do they know how to cook! After breakfast we met back up around 8:40am to talk about the second part of the mission statement that GO ministries has. Today it was about redemption, restoring, and renewing. Kyle our main leader had a great talk about these three topics and how important they are not only in the ministry but also in everyday life for everyone! After the talk we were off to another hard day of work. When I mean work this is hard labor and a great way to understand really the difference between hard labor here and in the United States. We worked for a good 2 ½ hours today. During that time we accomplished many things like trenches finishing the cemented walls and continued working on the cistern that was started yesterday. The cistern is going well and being dug semi quickly! Good thing we have so many hard working Dominicans, teammates, and coaches! During our hours of working I have noticed that our team gets extremely tired in this heat and hard labor but then I look and notice the people that do this way more than we do! The main construction guys are Luis and Felix. They are constantly working and never taking any breaks and it makes me really appreciate how many things that I truly have been blessed with.

When we got done working we headed back for a fantastic lunch cooked by our famous cooks. Again supplying us with great food. Today for lunch we had chicken, rice with beans, plantains and bread and butter. It was delicious! After lunch Luis shared his testimony. This testimony truly spoke a lot to me during this time. He had gone through so much and has gotten so far since he has turned to Christ! He is a very awesome person even though he won’t agree with that because he is one of the most humble people I have ever met!

Now that we were done with lunch we got a quick little cat nap and then headed off to Los Perez to play with some local kids. This was a great experience! Right when we arrived you could see the excitement on their faces and how much they loved seeing us to come acknowledge them. This was definitely changing just by seeing them being loved by others and being played with. This was a lot of fun! We played basketball, held the kids and swung them in circles, and watched the young phenomenal kids play baseball. Wow did they love to sit on our shoulders! This was a nonstop thing throughout the hour we were there. It was great!

After the hanging and playing with the kids we went back to the dorms to take another nap before dinner. After the naps we had a great dinner that consisted of mashed potatoes and fried cheese. This as well as the other meals were awesome! After dinner we had to gear up for one of the best experiences and toughest teams we have played and definitely the best we will!

Gametime! We rode our bus to the Santiago Metros stadium to play against the Dominican Republic National team. As we arrived the metros were still going through practice, so we sat and watched a little bit. After their practice we finally got to suit up and get on the floor. As we got on the floor we continued to look smaller and smaller as their players walked out on the floor. It started at 6’3” then 6’5” then 6’8” then to 6’10” and yes I’m going to say it 7’1”! We looked at them and just said oh well we have to figure how to play against. Then we started layup lines and man, I think they may have springs in the floor because everyone was getting up and throwing it down! Then the buzzer sounded and it was time to play! The game started out great for us! We got off to a quick start with a nice alley-oop from Alex Lyle to Ben Lanning!! We thought we were in good hands and got a quick lead and our biggest 11-7. Boy did that end quick! They went on a 14-6 run to end the quarter to finish 24-17. We were still in good hands and had a lot of confidence then the second quarter came along and our legs started wearing out and the work we did previously in the day took a toll on us and couldn’t buy a basket. We ended the half down 20. The second half started a little rough but hung with them for the most part and then they just blitzed us in the fourth. After the game we met up with the guys and they were very classy and humbled themselves so well! They were so nice to all of us and thanked us for playing! Can you believed that thanked us?! One of the highlights of the night was the dance routine they had at center court, which they included us in as well. They start off with a beat and then everyone gets a chance to get in the middle and do a little dance. Of course I was selected along with Mike, Travis and Coach E. The best dancer of the night goes to Coach E for sure!! He has some moves!

           

After the talking we rode back home to shower and again we get spoiled with another meal of tacos. The tacos were great!

Everyone is enjoying this great experience! We all need to take some time to look back and really think about how blessed we truly are and how many great people our in our lives. Being here has changed so many views on life and has really made me look at how special life is and the smallest impact that we can have on anyone! God bless!

Wes Hudson, Senior, Class of 2014