Author Brian Aaby

Here he is to worship

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

Great connections with people this week.  Praising the Lord for new friendships, answered prayer and the ability to speak into each others lives.  As you are able, please lift up the following pastors/youth pastors/workers I had the opportunity to (or am yet to) meet with this week:

Patrick (Bellevue); Dave (Bellevue); Stephanie (North Seattle); Steve (University Place); Brent (Tacoma); Alan (West Seattle); Jeremy (West Seattle); Melissa (West Seattle); Kyle (Normandy Park); Carlos (West Seattle); Nathan (West Seattle); Danny (Normandy Park); Chad (Burien); Eric (South Seattle); Mark (Burien); Aaron (Kent); Lane (Enumclaw); Devin (Enumclaw); Wesley (Renton); Adam (Tacoma); Brandon (Renton); Jake (Renton), Joe (Kent); and Mike (Kent).

I told Will (my son) all about it, and all he could do was stand in praise (hand even lifted to the Lord, guess he has some charisma!  Ha).

Grace,
Brian

Will must be praising God! Right?

Will must be praising God! Right?

The Car

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Aaby family Conversation Last Friday:

Halle: Daddy, have I told you about the car I want to invent?  It only costs $10!

Me: No Halle, tell me.

Halle: Well, it has volume control for each of the seats, so you can control the volume of the person speaking from any seat.

(at this point I was very much intrigued, I like that invention a lot!)

Halle Continued: And it has a bunch of other accessories that are really great.

TIME OUT!

My six year old daughter knows, understands and uses the word, “accessories?”

smart, but still a kid!

smart, but still a kid!

 

 

Grace,
Brian

Blast From My Past

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This morning I had the opportunity to sip some joe while hanging out with one of my OLD pastors.  Okay, he’s not so old, but he is truly the first Pastor I called “my Pastor.”  

I was saved at age 17, through Young Life (well, more like, through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Father), but He used Young Life and Malibu.  I then had a senior year with a great Youth Director discipling me and the other senior guys.  I then went south to The Master’s College for my Freshman year of college.  I attended a very large church for most of my Frosh year… Great teaching from Dr. MacArthur, but never could call that place “home.”  Then I got the bug.  The youth ministry bug.  I came home and did an unofficial internship back at the church I attended for my senior year in High School.  During that summer I knew I needed to pursue being involved in the local church youth ministry scene (I was a YL leader my frosh year).  So, upon arrival back at school, I looked for a home church…

In late September of 1992 I pulled into Live Oak Elementary school. Ironically enough, I met a young man, Jeramy Clark, that day as well (washing our hands in the bathroom to add a strange twist).  Little did I know that Jeramy would later become one of the best friends a guy could have nor did I have any idea I would end up being the Youth Pastor at that church: Lake Hills Community Church.

I attended Lake Hills 3-4 times before I asked the Pastor if I could get involved with the youth.  He said, “Sure you can get involved, we have 3-4 jr. highers, they don’t have anyone leading them, go start it.”  Huh? A 19 y/o sophomore in college start a youth group?  It would help you to know that Dave was only about 27 at the time and his elder board was also 3-4 young men (young people don’t always make the wisest decisions).  So, in November of 1992, with about five of my college friends, I started ROC (Reach Out for Christ).  I think the first week we had more staff than students.  Slowly, over the course of the next three years we grew that little group, started a high school ministry and even a Sunday School class that students loved coming to!  But as I look back, I can honestly say that I also experienced my first shepherding from a Pastor.

Today, I got to have coffee with that Pastor, Dave Devries.  He and his lovely bride, Deanne (and daughter Maddie… son Doug is in school in NY) have moved to Seattle to be a coach and shepherd to church-plant pastors.  What a great call, the NW needs Jesus, and in turn, more churches.  I’m thankful the NW Pastors will have Dave around and selfishly I’m stoked to be in closer contact and sharpen one another! 

Grace,
Brian

New Toys

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I remember waking up the day after I received my new bike!  The excitement, knowing I was going to be able to ride (all day).  When I was 16 my family purchased a hot tub; that first week, even month, I was so excited to soak.  At 19 I bought my first vehicle, a B2200 Mazda pick-up (aka “BJ”).  There was something about jumping into it, knowing it was mine.  I could go on, our first house, a newer car, having kids (yes, I know they aren’t toys, but sometimes I still act like it!).

Yesterday, my lovely wife, went to the giant garage sale at Audrey’s school and purchased a “Bouce-A-Roo” for William.  I was invited back to the days-gone-by of my childhood when I received a new play-thing.  The excitement and anticipation!  Will loves it, even as I type, he is bouncing and giggling.  The girls are getting quite a kick out watching him as well.

Will turns five months old tomorrow, what a blessing he has been to this family.  He brings us much joy and is very loved by the four other members of the family… okay, back to watching him bounce in his new toy!

Grace,
Brian

How Fun!

How Fun!

 

 

We love our brother!

We love our brother!

Yo-Yo

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At my house with my family for several hours today!  YES!  Here is the yo-yo I took my 4Runner on this week.

South to Canby, Oregon (Mentor experience)–Sunday to Tuesday

North to home–Tuesday

South to Auburn (Individual YP), West to Normandy Park (YP Network), North to Burien (Lunch with YP Network), East to Fairwood (Individual YP)– Wednesday

South to Lacey (to pick up Brad Hostak), farther South to Vancouver WA (hmm, felt like I was just there two days prior?) and then North to home–Thursday

North to Everett (Individual Youth Worker) and Further North in Everett (Individual YP), South to home–Friday

North to Snohomish (Individual YP) and Northwest to Marysville (Free Methodist Network of YP’s) and South to home.–Saturday

A premarital counseling appointment later tonight will take me a full 3 miles away from my house, making it, by far, my closest appointment!  My 4Runner thanks David and Natalie for keeping it close!

Don’t know if you’ve noticed this yet, but gas is expensive!

Grace,
Brian

Things That Are Tough About My Job

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After three straight posts about the things I’ve been loving about my new career path, I experienced a day in which I made some discoveries of the other side.  So, here’s a quick hit, as to not throw myself into depression (no worries, I’m being somewhat overdramatic on that one) about the tough stuff:

  • Though my job is full of meeting with people, I spend most of my time getting to know the other, rather than being known.  This stands in stark contrast to being on staff at a church where, though you remain busy, you give and take in relationships.  Have a “staff,” “volunteer staff” and “youth group” meant I was knowing and being known.  
  • Because I have spent so much time getting to know youth pastors and networks of youth pastors, I have been on the road (by day) a lot.  Take today for instance… South to Auburn, northwest to Normandy Park, North to Burien, and east to Renton.  Great meetings with individuals and with my network, but in order to do any of my other work (yes, I do have other stuff to do besides just meet with people; like emailing and calling to set up, yes, more meetings!).  So, I find myself doing blog posts, emailing and advance work on other stuff either early in the morning or late at night (after the kids are in bed).  Which generally leads to sleep deprivation (didn’t help that while in Canby I stayed up way to late).
  • I desire to be around the house more than I have been able to as of late. I have loved the flexibility I had as a pastor when it came to “hours.”  Because there were days I would be out until 10:00 PM, I wouldn’t start work until Noon (which afforded me some mornings at home with the fam and Elisabeth a regular half-day “off”).  Well, this has NOT been the case thus far for me/us.  I really miss driving Audrey to her preschool and spending a few minutes watching Halle in her homeschool setting.  And before you “normal” workers (those who work 8-5) start screaming, I want you to hear me, I’m not whining about my job or my hours, I’m simply stating the change I am noticing and how I miss what has been.
  • For those who know I like coffee shops (for the atmosphere, the coffee and/or tea), I have found myself missing the atmosphere a lot.  I am still at coffee shops all the time, but right now, I am there to meet; not to chill out, work and witness.  Now I am there to meet! I long for a two hour stretch at a coffee shop to just surf the net, send some emails and plug in my ear buds!
Okay, wipe the tears away; I’m done with my ONE post about things that are tough.  For encouragement sake, go back and read my last three posts about what I love!  I am thankful for my job, I know others have it way tougher than me!!! Today was a great day, a day in which a lot got done relationally and teams signed up for YMV’s; but even with that, I think it is okay to grieve the past a bit!… Isn’t it?  
Grace,
Brian 

The Blessings of My Job (Part 3)

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My last couple posts have looked at two (of the three) recent blessings of my job!  Today is the final one in this brief series…

One of the blessings of my job: “Gleaning”

In networking and speaking I have had the opportunity to be used in the lives of others… doing training and speaking into the life of another person; however, the flip is true as well… Others have been used to train me, speak to me and given me the ability to glean.

Whether it has been at the JFYM Forum, down in Canby for the Mentoring Conference or the Highlands Community training; I have had the opportunity to sit under some great teaching.  In addition I have had opportunities to sit with people I greatly respect and have them speak into my life.  I have also just been around great people and listened in on conversations and gleaned some great insights.  In some ways I feel like I have been a grand Buffet and gotten to pick and choose the scrumptious morsels to place on my plate… it’s been great!

Reading, listening, relating and observing… these have been the key areas of gleaning as of late.  It’s really a great cycle; glean, implement and live it out so that others can glean, implement and live it out!  This isn’t always easy; some things don’t always settle well.  We struggle to digest.  The things I am learning are high in nutrition and value, God will use these things to bless my spiritual health!

I am blessed in my job, I’m praising God for the opportunities He is affording me right now.  Pray for me, I desire to be a good steward of the things He has given me!

Grace,

Brian

The Blessings of My Job (Part Two)

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

This week I’m posting about some of the blessings I am experiencing because of my new venture!  Yesterday I posted about speaking, as for today… 

One of the blessings has been, “Networking.”

Most of July and August were spent putting together the Youthmark Mission Venture prospectus.  This meant I spent many-an-hour at Starbucks writing copy for the different pages and talking through design concepts, etc.  Well, the job completely changed after Labor Day.  For the last three weeks the thing I have done the most is meet with people and networks of people!

Though I have enjoyed the network times (for example, I drove to Mill Creek and met with 12-15 youth leaders from the various churches and para-churches in that area), but the one-on-one times with area youth leaders has been the thing I love LOVED the most!  Sitting one-one-one or one-on-two with people from local congregations has been such a blessing.  To hear real stories of successes, failures, brokenness, humility and humor has been life-giving.  Sometimes it is just so nice to have a refuge and be a refuge.  I pray that this “ministry” for youthmark can be a gift to these youth workers!

Through networking I am often able to share about the Youthmark Mission Ventures as well.  Because I believe so much in the ministry strategy it is not something I really need to sell.  In fact, none of my one-on-one appointments with youth workers has had the implied intent of selling a YMV.  Though I am very excited about the resource I know it isn’t for every group; but it’s been neat to see how the people I am sitting with can see how much it can help their group.  Pray that the Youthmark has the opportunity to serve 36 different teams this next summer!

For those I have been able to network with thus far, thank you!  I can’t wait to see more healthy networks exist in the Pacific Northwest!  We are truly stronger together!  

Grace,
Brian