Love in LoCo

This past week, our multi-area director emailed the staff asking us to prepare a short PowerPoint presentation with pictures, videos, and highlights from the ministry over the past year.  He specified to include details from September 1 through now, but as I didn’t join the staff until December 1, my ministry year was a bit shorter than everyone else’s.  Still, going back through my pictures and videos from huddles, it was so evident how God has been at work in Eastern Loudoun Schools this year.  I went from only knowing students, teachers, and coaches at one school in Loudoun (Potomac Falls, where I taught for the past several years), to now knowing staff and students at seven other high schools and five middle schools.  With all of these schools to visit, several with overlapping huddle times, I am so incredibly grateful for the teachers, parents, and local youth group leaders who so faithfully serve with our ministry each week.  In anticipation of the ne...

Anyone who is familiar with the public schools in Loudoun County knows that May = testing season.  SOLs (the, I think, ironically named VA Standards of Learning tests), Advanced Placement tests, and for many, SAT testing.  This time of year increases the anxiety of students, teachers, and parents alike.  So, I thought it was very fitting that at last Friday’s huddle at Potomac Falls High School, the student leaders chose to show a video from Mike Donehey, the lead singer of Christian band Tenth Avenue North.  It was a teaching video on the band’s song, “I Have This Hope.”  Donehey explains how the hope he and his bandmates have in Christ recently helped them through a difficult time with someone they love and how the song was written as a result of that trial.    He acknowledges that while verses like Isaiah 43:2 are certainly comforting, most of us would rather just avoid passing through the waters or the fire altogether.  The Bible promises ...

  Last week was one of those weeks where I was reminded, yet again, of how blessed I am to be in this role.   On Wednesday I attended a huddle at one of the local middle schools where I had the opportunity afterwards to invite several promising young leaders to our upcoming Leadership Camp in June as well as have some really great conversations with several students.   One such student, a seventh grade girl, was opening up to the teacher sponsor and me about her home life.   For several years she has lived in this area with her grandparents because her father has been in prison since before she was born and her mother decided she couldn’t handle raising her on her own.   I can’t imagine the heartache that this little girl has gone through at such a young age, but I am so thankful that the Lord has caused the FCA huddle at her school to thrive so that every Wednesday afternoon, she has the opportunity to come and hear about a Father who loves her more than she ca...

He is risen!  Father, forgive me for ever taking that fact and all of the hope and joy that comes with it for granted.  Because He lives, I don’t have to fear death.  Because He lives, I live with the hope that one day, I will join my aunt, cousin, and grandmother and so many others who put their trust in Jesus and I will spend eternity singing praises to Jesus Christ our King.  Because He lives, I can face each day knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of me.  That’s a really big deal!  Yesterday was such a joy-filled day.  I had the opportunity to attend church with my whole family (we normally go to three different churches in the area) and be reminded of the amazing hope we have because Jesus Christ conquered death and sin once and for all on the cross 2000 years ago.  I got to spend plenty of time outside, playing corn hole in the sunshine, eating delicious food, and watching my niece wander all over t...

This season I have the opportunity to serve the Potomac Falls High School Girls’ Lacrosse Team as a Character Coach.  I’ll be honest that prior to starting this role, I knew next to nothing about lacrosse.  I am slowly learning, though, as the girls who are on the sidelines waiting to go into the game graciously answer my many questions about different calls, plays, etc.  It is such a privilege to serve with these girls, as several are former students and current FCA huddle members and to get to know the three coaches, who are fathers of girls on the team.  So far, the girls have had a chance to pinpoint specific character traits that they value as a team and these will be the traits that we focus on throughout the season.  I am so impressed by the work ethic and camaraderie these girls share.  And, did I mention they’re the defending State Champions?  I have really loved getting to know these girls so far and I can’t wait to see how the Lord works ...

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!   I had a blast at Potomac Falls High School this morning where the FCA huddle hosted Batter Day, an outreach event they put on several times a year providing free pancakes to students and staff.   They were able to be extra festive this morning with plenty of green sprinkles and food coloring!   I love the heart these students have to serve their school and get the word out about FCA! Double duty...filling bellies and advertising for FCA! 3 Huddle Leaders serve pancakes to students and staff.     Serving is always more fun with friends! Festive pancakes!

Growing up in a Christian home, I’ve read some of the stories in the Bible so many times over the years.  It’s certainly helpful and inspiring to read about the lives of these people who were ordinary and flawed and yet still able to accomplish great things for God’s glory by stepping out in faith, but at the same time, there’s a bit of a disconnect sometimes.  These people lived a long time ago, in a world without technology and Netflix and other modern day distractions and temptations.  I’m encouraged by the stories of Esther and David, yes, but I can’t go to coffee with them.  In recent years, I’ve been inspired by some modern day “heroes of the faith.”  Some are people I know personally; others, I’ve simply read about and followed on social media like Jennie Allen and Kelly Minter.  Like me, these people are not perfect and face a myriad of struggles every day, but they are nonetheless surrendering their lives to God to be used for His purposes right...