Week to remember

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!

I proposed to Kelly Matten Thursday afternoon February 25, 2010. AND SHE SAID YES! This is such an exciting time for us and we begin planning now haha.

Apart from this exciting news this past Campaigner Weekend was one I will remember for a long time.

It was an incredible time with leaders and I felt truly encouraged and I believe the other leaders did also.

I will remember our cabin time Saturday night for the rest of my life.

We had a great discussion about Don Baker's talk, who by the way did an incredible job speaking! We talked about John 13:34-35 among other things. We discussed verse 35 when Jesus says, "By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." This is the brightest light we can shine to people. People will argue apologetics all day, but they have a very hard time arguing the power of love, Darrell Bock said.

After this discussion we gave prayer requests. Heavy things were shared. Very Heavy things. We prayed for everyone and said Amen, but a strange thing happened. No one made a sound. It took my about 10 seconds to realize that a one of the kids was in tears. Without a word one of the leaders got up and hugged one of the kids. Then one by one all 12 guys in the room came over and took a knee and put an arm around the kid. It was silent. All you heard was the sound of guys crying. I had a hand on the kids back and remember just feeling him cry. It was so quiet yet the tears were so noticeable. Don Baker earlier that night said, Jesus was a great listener, so great that he even hears our tears hit the pillow. As a staff person and leader I felt I should pray or say something, but there was no words. He was surrounded by followers of Christ who loved like John said we should, "My dear children, let us love not with words and tongue but with actions and in truth," 1 John 3:18.

This went on for about 10 minutes then finally we stood up and then comforted another as he cried.

People are hurting. Christians and non-Christians are perfectly alike in this way. People are dying for this message of truth and grace and life and comfort. All I can say is all of us in that room were given a very special picture of what Jesus meant when he said, love one another. I've never been so greatly impacted with such little words. We were there with and for one another. We didn't know the answers, we couldn't solve the problem, but we wrapped our arms around a brother and did our best impression of Jesus Christ in our lives.

I learned something that night. Jesus never promises the answers or a solution, but he promises his arms to surround us and his shoulder to cry on. We need this. And many people don't have it. It's Christ's example we follow to do it.

It was memorable to say the least. The weekend was so great and Campaigners the next night was phenomenal as well.

Thank you for you prayers! They worked in a deep way.

I love you all!

A cool story

Hello Everybody!

I hope everyone is ready for this snow. The grocery stores are packed like Y2K.

Just wanted to tell you all a story...

Last week on Thursday I went up to Westminster High School to see some kids and hopefully meet some. After hanging with some kids I found myself in a conversation with a Junior girl named Kelsey who I had never met. She proceeded to ask me many questions including, "Who are you? Why are you here?" Before I could get an answer out she asked me, "But your like 20 why are you hanging out with 9th graders?" Needless to say she had no filter. I left that laughing and pretty doubtful of my ability to work with kids. The few days later I went back. As I was talking with some kids I felt a hand hit my shoulder, and I turn around to see Kelsey. She asks me the same question, "Your 20 why are you here?" I respond very cleverly, "I'm 22 actually, and I'm here to see some friends." For whatever reason she thought this was funny, and after a 5 minute conversation I was accepted as a friend of Kelsey. I mentioned I wanted to meet the Vice Principle and as he walked by Kelsey said, "Oh he's my best friend I'll introduce you!" She did, and then before I left she said, "Are you going to be here tomorrow?"

Chap Clark at New Staff Training said, "Every kid we are working with is asking the question, "Is this going to be a person who truly cares about me?" I'm borderline emotional as I write this because I remember when Kelsey asked why I was there and was the extreme of skeptical. But soon after she was asking the question, "Are you coming back?" Kids need Christ and a rescuer in their lives. I am so blessed to have a part in this as a mini-rescuer of kids. We bring a light into a dark place. To answer Kelsey's question, I'm going back.


On a short note, last Monday, we had Campaigners and we talked about why we do club. We said Jesus was known as being a friend of "sinners" and therefore we want Young Life to have the same reputation. We decided that if non-Christians aren't coming to club, then we will do things that they will come to. Me and Tiff and the Campaigners are going to focus on loving and befriending lost kids and start club as soon as we feel it will be a place that non-Christian kids feel is for them.

To help this process I went up today to Westminster High School to volunteer to help with the baseball team. I got a job! I'll be helping out with the team which will give me a reason to be around kids and get to know them.

Thanks for your prayers! They are being answered!

Wow So much to talk about!

Hello Supporters!

So much has happened since my last update. I hope your Christmas was Merry. It sure was at the McGregor household.

I was able to attend some football games this Fall with some guys and sat in the bleachers quite a bit. And even introduced some kids to the shaky face.
It was a great year in 2009, but 2010 has set the bar high with New Staff Training in Colorado! We were in Fraser, CO (nicknamed the icebox of America because of it's low temperatures). It was SOOOO beautiful. We had such a blast! We took two classes while we were out there: Intro to Youth Ministry taught by Chap Clark, and Communicating the gospel to adolescents by Darrell Bock. We were in class most of the time, but they were so informative and interesting it didn't seem like class.

The Lord really used my time out there to teach me a lot! I'm excited to see the things I've learned start to intersect with my ministry.

On our free day we got to go snowboarding at Winter Park. Me and another staff associate Stafford, hit some SERIOUS jumps in the terrain park and my adrenaline is still pumping, took me straight back to 9th grade. We made it to the peak that sits about 12,000 feet. It was breathtaking. Literallyl we couldn't breathe out there at all, especially when we played basketball.




Me, Josh Goodman and Will Cox were asked to do a little program bit, which was a blast, especially when we interviewed the President of Young Life, Denny Rydberg. We got to ask him what skills translated from the late night breakfast restaurant business.

Eventually for the finale we got to do a little dancing which is always a blast!


It truly was a blast, but most importantly I am excited to get back and now apply what I've learned to my ministry and work with kids. If you hear nothing else from this blog please hear this: I am so thankful for you allowing me the opportunity to have this training and for making an investment in my life like this. It's SO awesome to be partnered with you in Carroll County. As far as some of you might be from me in Carroll County, you are still impacting kids in this area. Billy, Brady, Aaron, Taylor, Miles, Terry, Alex, CJ, Luke, Dalton, Chris, Andy, Evan, Ryan, Mitch, Mark, Kevin and James are just some of their names. Thank you so much!

Getting to know some guys!

Hey supporters!

Club last week, the 9th, was so great! It was incredible how the Lord answered prayers. Earlier that day I sent you all a pray request list including some things like technical stuff at club, silence during the talk, clarity in the talk, and belly laughter. That night our friend Travis was able to play guitar leaving me freed up to MC the night which aided in everything flowing throughout the night. You could hear a pin drop during the talk, even during my jokes, just kidding. The first thing the other leader Karen said to me after the talk was, "It was SO clear!" And I'm happy to say that I laughed and kids laughed really hard! Not only this, but afterward at Chick-fil-a I had a great time with guys I've never really had the opportunity to talk to before. It was crazy how the Lord answered prayers last week!

So last night was the last club of 2009 and club was pretty small, BUT Alex Fiore was there, Brady, Tanner Bair, Terry Powers, Hunter and Luke as well as a good amount of other guys. Club was pretty ackward, especially when the gogggles broke and it took about 15 minutes to fix them while everyone was waiting for the skit to start, hahaha. But I laughed, and to my surprise kids definitely laughed hard! Tiffany, the other leader, gave her testimony and did an incredible job! I got to give Billy, Tanner, Taylor and Terry a ride home. Which was awesome. While I was praying at the school the other day I started dreaming about the school being turned upside down and the incredible work the Lord will do there. I started to imagine camp trips and clubs and campaigners and the whole school being impacted. It's really exciting. I dropped Terry off last and told him how at the last school I was at there were 80-100 kids at club. He was like, "Oh my god!" and I said, "You said it man" haha. No I didn't really say that, but I said Westminster could be bigger. I think God's gonna use Terry in a huge way, but only God knows!

Club was awesome!

Hey supporters!

Thank you so much for your prayers this past Wednesday. They were not in vain. Sorry for the delay with the update, but club went so well!

We didn't have a huge turnout, but Travis played guitar which freed me up to just hang with guys and have a blast and it was incredible! I was able to be up front and MC the night, which was a lot of fun, and I really did laugh hard and so did kids.

I gave the talk about the Cross and I just want to tell you that you could hear a pin drop the whole 15 minutes. Also, one of the leaders said it was crystal clear and I got good feedback from the rest of the people I talked to. Hopefully the Lord will use it in the hearts of kids.

I finished the talk by saying this, "Just like Christmas gifts aren't meant to stay under the tree, this gift of God was meant to be opened. 1 Peter 3:18, 'For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.' I want you guys to think about two questions: one, do you know anyone who loves you as much as this God? And two, Do you want to?"

After club at Chick-fil-a I got to hang out with some guys and have great conversations with fellas that I normally don't really get to talk to and I think some steps were definitely taken in those friendships.

Thank you so much for you prayers! They were felt! While I have you, please pray for Campaigners tonight that it would be a blast, that kids would be loved and encouraged and challenged. And please pray for our last club this Wednesday as Bailey Wolfe shares her testimony. I know these prayers work so I'm not too ashamed to beg. Thank you so much!!

Club Tonight!

Hey supporters!

Tonight we have club at Ashton Emily's house and I will be giving the talk about Jesus going to the cross. Last week I talked about Sin and this week I will tell them more about the greatest gift ever given.

Please pray for tonight. Some guys won't be able to be there that have been bringing a good amount of folks to club, so please pray that kids would still make it out. We struggled with technical stuff in club last week that provided some pretty akward moments so please pray that no matter how big or small club is that we wouldn't even notice cause the aroma of Christ and joy of Him would be so overwhelming. Please pray for kids to belly laugh, but during the talk we would be able to hear a pin drop. Please pray that the Lord would prepare kids hearts to hear this story the gospel, which literally means, "Good News."

Our team knows we can do nothing apart from Christ, John 15:5. Nothing. Please pray we would be reminded of that, our stress relieved and that everyone there would be reminded of this incredible, reckless love the Father has for us. Also, please pray for conversations after club.

For my talk I ask that you would pray that it would be concise, clear and covered with my own gratefulness of what he's done for me.

We will be singing How Deep the Father's Love For Us tonight before the talk and after the talk. As that song goes, "Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer, but this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom." Please pray this would would strike kids in the depth of their hurting and aching hearts. And please be reminded yourself of this incredible forgiveness and love poured out for you.

Thank you for your loving and adoring prayers for my little mission field I've been called to. Real quick, I walked through the empty hallways of Westminster High School today and I know this...your prayers echo through those places where kids are and will impact lives forever.

Thank you.

North Bay update

Hey teammates!

North Bay was so awesome! I have never been so tired in my life. Friday when we left I was feeling sick, but as soon as I left to go to the bus I felt great! I know this was an answer to prayer!

One of the things I prayed several times this week was that kids would continue to sign up right up until we left on the bus. Friday night we are 10 minutes from leaving the parking lot on the bus when Taylor Robinette grabs me and says I think we have a late sign up. The short story is 20 minutes later Brady Udovich shows up and comes with us on the weekend! I thought immediately of what I had prayed and it was crazy to see the Lord answer prayers like that.

Friday night the kids were up very late therefore we were up late, which I think caused me to feel pretty sick Saturday. Saturday night during club I had a headache so bad that I left club because I thought I was going to throw up. However, I ended up getting some water and felt much better after Entertainment night.

The kids had a great time this weekend and I think were really brought closer to the Lord. Brady and Tanner heard the gospel for the first time so please be praying for them.

Thanks supporters!