it's party time

Our youth staff had its yearly Christmas dinner party tonight, and it was a blast. We traditionally exchange names for gift-giving, and each person makes/creates a gift to exchange. This year's gifts were some of the best I've seen in terms of creativity and thoughtfulness. We learned that not only can Josh Cone bake (cookies), but he can sew! We saw some homemade scarves, a pillow, some cool scuba-gear, top quality leatherwork, and much more. And a meal at the Tavern (a State College tradition in and of itself) is just about as good as it gets.

It's always fun to get together with our staff. We have so much to celebrate, and there's always a lot of laughter around the tables.

I am encouraged by what I see and sense God doing in our students, and in the men and women who lead them. I have said it a hundred times, but it bears repeating: I can't imagine trying to do student ministry without a top-quality team of leaders. We ask a lot of our staff, and expect that God will work through them as they invest their lives in the lives of others. God likes that, I think!

Thanks, God!