Category Youthmark Stuff

Are You Serious?

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Yesterday was a busy day; got up early and was out the door by 6:20 on my way down south.  Got in about 90 minutes of writing before catching up with Wescott over coffee.  After the coffee I was on the road even further south to Chehalis to meet with Portland friend, Kirk (Chehalis is about the half-way point between our homes).  While meeting with Kirk one of our friends and Youthmark Mission Venture client, Jeff (the key to the title of this post) arrived at Starbucks with his wife and one of their daughters.  After chatting with Jeff, extending my meeting with Kirk by going to Applebees I stopped by for a quick coffee with Brad in Lacey.

Okay, back to the Jeff conversation at the Chehalis Starbucks:

We were chatting about all the things he has going this weekend, including a fundraising dinner tonight for the mission.  Then it hit… it was Friday.  Then it really hit:  His mission trip starts exactly three weeks from now.  

As my friend Dylan would post:  Are You Serious?

Wow, three weeks from yesterday begin the actual mission trips!  

Speaking of that, I have been blogging a lot more over at my youthmark.com blog here.  Would love for you to follow and even comment there (while there, read the church blogs too… pray!).

Grace,
Brian

Finally an Update

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

The busy season has gotten the best of me; it was tough enough to keep up with this blog, but I have finally begun posting again at the Youthmark “Brian” blog as well.  You can link to that here. 

 

Over at the other blog...

Over at the other blog...

 

 

My hope is to post at least 2x a week over there, while maintaining 3-4 posts a week here.  Content wise, the Youthmark blog is going to focus more on the mission trips and upcoming Youthmark events/products, etc.

My biggest hope/goal for both blogs is that it leads folk to their knees in prayer… okay, and the occasional falling to your knees in laughter on this blog as well!

Thanks for your support!

Grace,
Brian 

FoF Update Again

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What my Status Update looks like right now

What my Status Update looks like right now

 

 

The FoF (Faith on Facebook) Challenge is about 6 weeks old and I am very encouraged by the emails, texts and facebook messages I continue to receive. 

For those “not in the know,”  the FoF Challenge was given as the last message at each of the Youthmark Mission Venture training events.  Here were the dates/places people received the challenge:

April 3-4: Lake Retreat, 6 churches from Western WA received the challenge.

April 19: Escondido CA, the Emmanuel Faith group received the FoF Challenge.

April 25: Two Colorado Springs groups received it.

April 26: A group from Glenwood Springs was trained and received the challenge.

May 3: The Spring, TX group was challenged by the FoF

May 8-9: The remaining 12 churches from Western WA came to Lake Retreat and were given the FoF Challenge.

Participants are asked to donate their “Status Update” for a week, a month, or until their mission trip this summer.  In the update they are to write something along the lines of “Ask me about my FoF Challenge.”  In turn, Facebook friends do begin to ask about the FoF.  The trained missionary is then able to respond (usually in a private message) by saying something like: “The FoF is a Faith on Facebook Challenge I am taking, the challenge is to find out what my FB friends think of Jesus… so, what do you think of Jesus?  Who do you believe Him to be?”

The goal is to open up spiritual conversation between FB friends!  

It is working!

There is not a day that goes by I don’t receive some sort of FoF related question, comment, report, etc.  

I am proud of the FoF participants!

The neatest thing, I am finding the FoF is giving me more confidence offline too!  I am quicker to engage in spiritual conversation anywhere (as it should be)!

You wanna join the FoF revolution?  Jump on!

Grace,

Brian

Youthmark, the last 5 months in pictures…

Brian Aaby 3 Comments

Here is a little picture timeline of the last 5 months in the life of Youthmark.

Each of these pictures calls for 1000 words, but I choose to just show the pictures instead!

What a blessing it has been to speak in a variety of places, meet scores of rural pastors, eat many a club sandwich and spend valuable time with students and adults training for a 2009 YMV!

Grace,
Brian

Pray-4-Retreat

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

Tonight begins our last Spring Retreat/Training for the Youthmark Mission Ventures!

I look forward to being with the 180+ people who will be attending the retreat!  Pray for the hearts and minds to be open to doing missions NOW and not just then (this summer).

I look forward to catching up with many blog posts I have been thinking about but not able to write quite yet! Busy season!

Thanks for your prayers!

Grace,
Brian

Three of My Favorite Things (in one day)

Brian Aaby 2 Comments

This last weekend I was able to do three wonderful things!

First I was able to have lunch with the Murrell family in Pine Valley, CA.

Second I was able to have a slice of Apple Pie at the Julian Pie Co. with Pastor Rick Hill in Julian, CA.

And last, I was able to have dinner with my best friend (outside of Jesus and my wife of course) in Escondido, CA.

Pretty sweet day if you ask me.

I was down in the San Diego area over the weekend to train the students of Emmanuel Faith.  Since my flight got in on Saturday morning and the training wasn’t until Sunday morning (and all day on Sunday), I decided to take a quick road trip from SD to PV to Julian to Escondio (all of these drives were less than an hour).  

I had such a great time catching up with Pastor Joe, Jenny, Joshua and Caleb.  I wish we would have had more time to share stories and catch-up.  Pray for the church in Pine Valley, some great things are happening.  By the way, both Pine Valley and Julian were towns I have been to previously on one of these mission trips.  

In Julian, Pastor Rick gave me his new book But YOU, When You Pray.  This is a first for him and I’m excited he has been published!  We had a fantastic time hanging out for nearly two hours!  Again, pray for the church in Julian!

When I arrived in Escondido, I was treated to some great home-cooking from Jerusha Clark (Jeramy’s wife).  We were able to hang out on both Saturday night and a little on Sunday night before I flew out on Monday morning!  I wish I had more time with the Clarks as well.

The training on Sunday was very successful.  I thought the students responded so well.  This is a team which will be heading into the Gulf Coast.  They are doing something unique, the first part of their two week mission will be done in the inner city of New Orleans (working with Urban Impact).  Then, after that experience, they will head to a Rural community to do the Youthmark Mission Venture!  I can’t wait to hear the reports!  If their training is ANY indication of what their mission is going to look like, we should hear some great things!

The students responded really well to both the FoF and the call for awareness for Charity:Water!  God is using these things to bring others to Himself!  Praise God!

Now, off to do more of my favorite things!

Grace,
Brian

Faith on Facebook Update

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

It has been so fun to follow the first wave of the “FoF Challenge.”  On April 4 we concluded our first Spring Retreat (training 95 students) for the Youthmark Mission Ventures.  What the students didn’t know was that most of the training has little to do with going on a mission trip, rather being on mission at all times!

I did a practical challenge to end the retreat.  The FoF Challenge is for students to donate their status update for the purpose of beginning spiritual conversations with their Facebook friends.  By simply writing “Ask me about my FoF” in their status bar the Facebook missionary will receive responders who do, in fact, ask about the FoF.  

I have been able to follow many conversations (posted on “walls”), this is fun to see the boldness.  I have chosen to privately message the people who ask me about my FoF.  This way I can continue to have people ask me about my FoF (if I post it on my wall, it will essentially get rid of the intrigue).  There isn’t a “right” or “wrong” way, it is just the way I choose.

Currently I have had several ask me about my FoF and specifically have been able to share the Gospel in three different messaging conversations!

Praise the Lord!  Pray for the students in Escondido, CA;  Colorado Springs; Spring, Texas and the remaining students in WA who will be trained and given the FoF challenge!

Grace,
Brian

A First

Brian Aaby 1 Comment

WARNING: For those with weak stomachs, read with caution.

Last night I was scheduled to speak at Tabernacle Baptist Church of Shoreline.  With my in-laws in town we met for an early dinner at Famous Dave’s down by Southcenter.  I knew something was up when I didn’t want to eat (I like the food there a lot).  I even mentioned to Elisabeth, “hope I’m not fighting something off.”

On my way driving north I began feeling worse.  When Hayden, the youth pastor, asked if I wanted to play the games (which I normally would) I declined saying, “nah, I’d rather observe” (knowing that I’d not make it through the games without making up a new game entitled “Toss Your Cookies”).

So, then we moved upstairs for some singing and the the message.  I informed Hayden that at any point I may need to step out and find a restroom.  Well, I made it all the way through worship and even made it through my message, though when I normally would close in prayer, I asked Hayden to do so instead.  

I even made the 45 minute drive home (only twice thinking that I would need to pull over to make a roadside deposit). 

Immediately upon my arrival at home and another several times during the night I relived myself of the food poisoning.

Throwing up stinks (literally), but I’m feeling better today.  

……

I obviously couldn’t come up with anything better to tell you than a throw-up story, sorry!  

Grace,

Brian

Either Or

Brian Aaby Leave a comment

Are you a morning person or a night person?  I am both.

Are you a Coke person or Pepsi person?  I like both.

Are you a “share with words” or “share with my life” type of witness person?  I am both.

Are you an “I hate Monday” or “I like Monday” person?  I am both.

Most of the time I am an “I like Monday” guy.  Granted, there are weeks I don’t look forward to, but this is one of those weeks I am pretty excited about.  I have a few administrative things I need to get done this week, but nothing over the top.  The financial side of things is a little stressful (I’m still figuring out all this stuff), but learning is fun.

One of the highlights of the week is going to the Home Opener of the M’s.  I love Safeco Field and we have been so spoiled by Elisabeth’s folks, each year they get us seats to opening day.  It’s fun, this year they are joining us for the game (they do about 50% of the time).  We look forward to the extended time with them this week!

I am also looking forward to being back with the Burien network on Wednesday.  My spring has been so sporadic with Wednesdays, it is such a blessing to be with these men.  A few of them are going through some really tough things right now and being able to sit with them and pray with them is a boost to all of us!  

Also on Wednesday I am meeting with another Youth Pastor, and then speaking at a north Seattle youth group.  Fun times!

Oh, one other thing I am very excited about: THE GOSPEL!  How can you not be excited about the Greatest News Ever?  He is Risen Indeed.  I get the opportunity to once again share the great news tonight at Young Life through the relationships I am building with students and then follow up with three different FoF conversations I have going on my facebook (read the posts from last week if you don’t know about FoF).

So, whether or not you’re a Monday person, morning or night, coke or pepsi; I hope you’re a witness person!  We need to share with our life, but we also need to share with our words!  Praise be to the one who paid it all so we may live (and share)!

Grace,
Brian

On The Road Again

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I just returned from a brief scouting trip to Idaho.  Though our last trip was intended to be a Montana and Idaho scout trip the specific needs of some of our sending towns could not be met by the places we looked at in northern Idaho.  So, I booked a flight to Boise and took a two day whirlwind tour. I started on Tuesday by heading north to the Garden Valley area. From Crouch to Cascade, through McCall, north to Riggins, south to Council and Cambridge I returned to Boise in time on Wednesday to have dinner with my friend Cory and his family.  

The trip, once again, was a great blessing.  Though all the churches need to confirm with boards it looks like we have our last three Idaho towns booked.  Very exciting!

Now, I’m home for a good stretch and look forward to good times with my family (and extended family coming to town).  Of course, I will catch and M’s game or two in their opening home stand!

You can pray for a few upcoming speaking opportunities I have and a meeting with a church to talk about doing some consulting!  Appreciate your faithful prayers!

Grace,
Brian