It's over

So I had my last full day in Stayton yesterday. It's weird that I'm leaving in a few hours and not just for the weekend. Very odd. I've had a blast the last couple days hanging out with people and sayign good byes. I even rode the skycoaster (they pull you 100 feet in the air and you pull the cord and fly, it's crazy). This experience has been awesome, and I can't wait to see what's next.
Thanks for praying. I'll continue to update this with job updates, and updates from my new place when I get there as well!

Fired Up

Hey, it's been a great day! Just wanted to let everyone know that I got a call back from the church in Olympia on Thursday, so I think this means I'm the guy they want to pursue for their position! I'm excited and think this is where God's leading me! This is really cool! Thanks for praying.

The Home Stretch

Hey all, just wanted to update you on my last few days in Stayton. This last week has been awesome and fun filled. I've been trying to hang out with as many people as possible, and keep those relatiojnships strong as I head home. Wescott's been at seminary all week, and was on vacation last week, so I've had the office to myself for a while. I've had some fun end of the summer projects to keep me busy! Just to update everyone on my plan, I'm leaving here next Wednesday. The plan currently is to head home until I find a job! It's sad leaving all my new friends, and the church down here, but I"m also excited about what God has next. Tonight was my going away party and it was a great encouragement to see everyone come.

My interviews last week went well, sorry about not posting sooner about them. I think the church in Olympia would be a great fit. It's a one year youth director position with the possibility of being permanent if things work out. I know I'm in the final 4 for that position and should know early September. The church in Ferndale was a good interview, but I am unsure if it is a good fit for me. I just keep getting resume's out, and keep praying that the right doors are opened!

I'm excited about my last few days here. I'm hanging out with a ton of different people and also get to be involved in a couple service projects as well. Tomorrow I'm helping with a clothing drive, and Sat. helping with habitat for humanity. I'm also sitting in on Wescott's seminary class tomorrow. Thanks all that are praying, and keep praying! I'll be updating this more even as I leave here and head to what's next!

Life

It's been over a week since my last update. It's been a pretty busy week. Wescott has been on vacation so I've been running the show and it's been a ton of fun. We've had 2 jr. high bbq's that have gone well and 2 high school bbq's that went well too. Some highlights are we had 17 high schoolers at sunday school last week. We all crammed into Bob's office, even though we were cramped it went really well. I even made homemade muffins!

I've been housesitting this week also so it's been nice to be in Stayton, and have my own place for a bit. Last week I also went rafting for a day with the college group. I've never been rafting before, it was an absolute blast! I also led a devotional which went well, and led into some good conversations with an exchange student who's not a christian.

It's weird being down to my last couple weeks. The junior highers don't want me to leave so they showed their love on Sunday by playing a great prank on me. With a couple leaders help, they duct taped me to a picnic table, and put makeup all over my face, painted my big toes pink and put glitter all over. They had fun! I am loved!

Also the student I took to community college is enrolled, and he got accepted in a special program that will give him tutoring, free books and help towards getting his 4 year degree and transferring. He's really excited!

Job stuff is coming. My resume is out there, I've sent ito to a bunch of different places, and have an interview in Ferndale on Thursday, and have talked to a church in Olympia also. Keep praying for the right doors to open, and God leads me to the right place!

Also be praying that my time here ends well!

This morning was my mini sermon on "And lead us not into temptation.." of the Lord's Prayer. I think it went really well. I practiced last night with Wescott and heather in the audience and got comfortable with being up there, and what I was saying. This morning was good, I felt a tad nervous but went up there, and tried to be clear and just say what I knew I wanted to say. I think I came across well, and I got my point across! I was excited and pleased, so 4 minutes was good, next time I'll move up to 10 minutes! =) Peter Siedenburg came and visited this morning so that was fun to see him, and Kevin Kent was in town so I had dinner with him last night. It's been a long time so that was really fun to get updated. Both of them are doing well. Things are going good, I'm housesitting this week, so that'll be nice to be on my own for a few days. I hope that I can spend a lot of time with high schoolers this week, and just really build those relationships.

Out of my comfort zone

Well I've said all along I want to get involved with some whole church stuff, and be involved with the Sunday service. Well this Sunday is our summary of our series on the Prayer and I'm preaching for 4 minutes on the verse beginning with "And lead us not" from Matthew 6. I'm excited but pretty nervous so please be praying. I think this is the weekend Miki's bringing a group down so that'll be awesome!

Brad

Prayer Update

Hey all, please continue praying for my dad. The medicine the doctor's gave him hasn't worked and he had another episode of high pulse today. They gave him new medicine that hopefully will work.

On the bright side some cool things are happening:
I'm going with a student tomorrow to meet with an advisor and help him registar for community college classes. Pray that I can spend a lot of time with him the next few weeks.

I also may have a lead on a job in September so please be praying for what God has for me there as well!

This week is pretty quiet, the only thing going on is our softball tourney. We won our first game, so we're in round 2 of the winners bracket tomorrow. Hopefully I hit better than today, 1-5 with 4 whiffs. You don't whiff in slowpitch softball.
Miki and a group are coming to visit this weekend so I'm excited for them to see me down here!

Brad