drinking from a fire hydrant

"Our calling now is looking to the living resurrected Christ moment by moment for our strength and understanding to as far as possible help to heal all the abnormalities of this time. And to bring real and substantial healing."

Morning and Evening by Francis Schaeffer

I desire to look deeper and experience more of the love of Christ. To create within myself a continuous habit of coming to Jesus. A little drink from the fire hydrant that pours out from above.

"On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, who those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." John 7:37-40

If anyone is thirsty! Come! Drink! I am thirsty everyday! This is a continued drinking...sometimes I feel like there is this fire hydrant being poured out and all I want to do is open my mouth and take in what little water will fill my mouth. My prayer is that this continuous habit of coming to Jesus the streams will flow. That I would not allow anything to hinder the flow of the Spirit in my life!

truth in a letter

A Letter from Hudson Taylor, born in 1832, a missionary in China. After the death of his 7 year old son, 5 year old daughter, 5 week old newborn and wife, this letter came from his friend McCarthy about holiness.

"The Lord Jesus received his holiness begun, the Lord Jesus cherished his holiness advancing, the Lord Jesus counted upon as never absent would be holiness complete. He is most Holy who has most of Christ within and joys most fully in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. It is defect of faith which clogs the feet and causes many people to fall."

It's Jesus.

"How then to have our faith increased? Only by thinking of all that Jesus is and all he is for us. His life. His death. His work. He himself has revealed to us in the Word to be the subject of our constant thoughts. Not a striving to have faith, but a looking off to the Faithful One. Jesus Christ seems to all that we need. A resting in the Loved one. Jesus Christ entirely for time and eternity."

It is running to Christ.

It is glorying in the Cross.

It is worshipping the Risen and Holy One.

a 74 degree Christmas

A warmer Christmas spent with the family in Florida! A good time to relax, work out, enjoy the beauty of the clear blue water, collect shells, spend time with my cousins and aunt, be still and know He is God!

what I have been reflecting on

"Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live

in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in

by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells. And the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

thy life in my death,

thy joy in my sorrow,

thy grace in my sin,

thy riches in my poverty,

thy glory in my valley."

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions ed. by Arthur Bennett

a White Christmas

A White Christmas at Windy Gap, a Young Life camp property in NC! A staff retreat to be together in the midst of the blizzard!!

Young Life girls! Some of my sweetest friends!

The Young Life Committee

The Christmas Party

The Christmas party for the Loudon County Young Life family! What a night to reflect on a season of ministry and being together!

Dave Barnes "Mary and Joseph"

Mary was the first of three
Long black hair and sugar sweet
Daddy's eyes and Momma's crooked smile
She was barely seventeen
Got a job keepin dishes clean
Planned to stay in this city for awhile
For awhile

Joseph ran a lumber yard
About a mile from olive park
Quiet boy he never had much to say
It was love right from the start
He bought a ring and won Mary's heart
Had hopes for a home and kids someday
Kids someday

The angel scared her half to death
She would've screamed but she lost her breath
On a midnight there in the middle of May
He said "Oh mary don't be afraid
You'll bear a son that the Lord has made


Name him Jesus, He'll light the way."

She packed the clothes, he made the plans
They had to go to Bethlehem
But there was nowhere left to stay
So in a barn she gave birth
To the King of Kings the Lord of Earth
Just a little bitty thing sleeping on the hay
Sleeping on the hay

The story's too long to tell
But he walked on water and lived through hell
Killed on a cross and rose from the grave
We got a King they got a son
Mary and Joseph were the only ones
There on that very first Christmas day
There on that very first Christmas day

Dave Barnes and Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors!! AND ELLIE!!

Noticing the smallness of His entrance

"For quite sometime I have been living with the suspicion that God has a preference for the small, the hidden, the quiet, and the lowly. I see it clearly all over the pages of Scripture, but maybe nowhere more clearly than in the Christmas narrative. To imagine that God, the Creator of all that is, chose to enter into that creation in the way that he did is simply astounding. To come into this world as a tiny, helpless baby; born to a couple of poor teenagers who could afford nothing more than a lowly stable for a room is beyond my imagination. It is almost as if God wanted to slip into our world without being noticed at all; except by those that were watching and waiting, by those paying extra careful attention.

So, during this season, would it not be wise of us to try and take notice of the small, the hidden, the quiet, and the ordinary? Would it not be wise to ask ourselves, "If God chose to become smaller (in some amazingly mysterious way that I cannot fully comprehend), then how might he be asking me to become smaller as well?"

Jim Branch

my first TN real Christmas tree

Finding the perfect little Christmas tree for my house! We walked out in the back yard and found this little cedar tree! It was the perfect size and fit incredibly! It reminded me of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree!

Next year, we promised to try to find a pine! The cedar branches hurt!

The Event

The Event was the ONLY night to sign up for camp this summer! We are going to Sharp Top Cove May 28 to June 5! We have limited spots and were celebrating with our last club of the year: Our Christmas Club! We got 3/4 of our spots filled; including leaders we are going to have to request more spots! This was the first time we have had camp filled before Christmas and even before the New Year!!!

Please pray that we are able to follow up and get the momentum moving to get more kids on our trip!!! We really want The Event to be an annual event to sign up for summer camp!!

late FALL

Late fall was filled with the end of football season, the beginning of basketball games, hunting and fishing, preparing for time with family and the great Turkey dinners! Jesse and I made a trip to Nashville to stay with his childhood best friend Michael and his wife Paige, the boys went hunting and then Jesse and I went to the Tennessee Titans game.

Thanksgiving was spent with Jesse's family for lunch and Nana and Grandad's for dinner. It was so fun being around each other's families. I loved getting to know Jesse's family! Loved watching the boys/kids play football in the backyard and me getting to talk with the girls and play Candyland in the backyard! My family's tradition is always celebrated with a sweet prayer around the dining room table with my Nana sensitive emotion. I am so grateful for the incredible week spent with our families!

Here the girls get together for a shot at the Basketball Jamboree. Kaity and I have a sweet friendship. We always give each other the heart sign to show how much we love each other.

ARE YOU CONVINCED?

As the semester comes to a close and another year begins, it is worth asking why do all of this? The overwhelming task of reaching lost, uninterested kids, "winning the right to be heard," running a successful club, getting kids to camps and club and on and on. There is ample reason to quit...to throw in the towel. But to persevere, to succeed, you must be convinced that you have been personally selected by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to involved in this craziness.

Are you convinced?

that Christ is worth it?

that lost people are eternally separated from God?

that Christ was resurrected in time, space and history?

that this isn't really our ministry- it's His?

that God answers prayers?

that you could have no greater privilege than to stand in front of kids and tell them about Christ?

that God goes with you and precedes you, in contact work?

that because of Christ, kids will respond to your friendship?

that underneath it all kids want to hear the Good News?

that praying by name for kids adds a great dimension of power in our ministry?

that there is power in God's Word?

that the Bible is God's Word?

that God continues to make a way when there appears to be none?

that when "trials and temptations crowd into our lives," we should welcome them as "friends?"

that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness?

that you are a part of God's holy, salvation history?

that there are divine appointments waiting at the school?

that there is no more critical group to reach in the world than adolescents?

that you are a missionary?

that the "coincidences" increase as we and others pray?

that it is OK if people don't understand you or your ministry- Jesus was always misunderstood?

that it must have been fun to follow Jesus around?

that the Pharisees probably didn't laugh a lot?

that it's fun to talk about Jesus?

that kids generally have all the wrong impressions of Christ?

that there is no more important time daily than yours with Christ?

that Christ actually enjoys meeting with you?

that ministry will drive you up the wall without a thriving personal devotional life?

that prayer warriors make all the difference in the real fruit being born?

that Christ's ministry was to the masses but He poured His live into the 12 and particularly, His 3 main disciples?

that your needs have been and will be well taken care of by your Father in Heaven?

that God loves you like He does the kids we're trying to reach-that you are precious, beloved?

Are you convinced? If not, there are easier, less stressful things to do. If so, then you can't wait for the next chance to stand in front of kids and with fun, enthusiasm and boldness, tell the "old, old story of Jesus and His love."

Bless you as you go!

Carol Lee

Young Life Loudon County

Carol Lee Weaver, Loudon High School

carolLee@LC.younglife.org

PO Box 735

Lenoir City, TN 37771

(865) 988. 7794 (office/fax)

(731) 225. 3980 (cell)

For ministry updates : http://carolleelocoyounglife.blogspot.com/

Want to be a part of email updates? carolleeyltn@gmail.com

Young Life brings the good news of Jesus Christ into the lives of adolescents with an approach that is respectful of who kids are and hopeful about who they can be.

It's basketball time!!!

meeting them in the rain

Raining. Jumped in my car. Text came from Lauren saying, “I am not ok. Right now I am not ok.” I looked over to see Lauren in her car. I jumped out of my car to sit with Lauren as she asked me, “Have you ever missed someone so bad it hurt? Lauren lost her mom to cancer last year. I was able to sit with her, hug her through her tears and pray that God would meet her there. In the midst of questions I myself am hurting through, I was able to love Lauren in her pain. I love I got the opportunity to meet her there.

what are they drawn to?

This picture was taken by a girl named Kelsi, I didn't know she was taking it- but it was at a Loudon Basketball game. I wonder why she would take this picture? Just of me. Me talking with some high school friends. A few weeks before, Kelsi shared with me about her new boyfriend, confided with me about some family issues and cried on my shoulder. Kelsi and I haven't hung out one-on-one. She sees me at her cheerleading practice, at the school lunch, in the hallways, at the football/basketball games. She doesn't come to Young Life. I would come up to her and get to know her. But now she comes up to me and talks. But she for some reason is drawn to me. Her camera is drawn to me. I will bet it is the aroma of Christ that is so attractive. May I continue to watch the Lord draw girls who need Him into my life!

I met Kelsi doing contact work.

After a mini-Quest that same afternoon with Suzanne- a new leader on our Loudon team, we spoke about contact work, being seen and meeting with kids on their turf on their terms. She challenged herself to get out of her comfort zone. So when I walked into game that night...there was Suzanne standing by some high school girls...3 rows down from her husband, another leader on our team. A snap-shot that I wished I had my camera for.

Contact work as a Young Life leader could be and probably is the most intimidating part of being a leader. The ultimate aim is to love each kid to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Winning the right to be heard.

Building a bridge of friendship and trust.

Identifying with people where they are.

Understanding an penetrating a culture.

Demonstrating Christ's love for people.

Active listening. Being the instrument God can use in another life.

We go to young people for the same read that Christ came to humanity: to reveal God to them with no strings attached. To love them in order to get an opportunity to preach to them is a string. We should love them because they need love, because God loves them and wants to love them through us. Contact work reminds us of our dependence upon Jesus Christ. If it weren't for Him, we would stay in some comfortable setting with friends on own age.

But Christ says go and we go in His strength, with His blessing. "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you," John 20:21

a fun and unexpected joy

An unexpected joy in my life...God's faithfulness in prayers...allowing the Lord to have full reign of it...affirmation from family and friends.

snap shot...oh snap it's December

This fall has quickly gone by...Mudfest, Fall Camp to Windy Gap, Barn Party and now we are on to preparing for our last EVENT of the semester...Christmas Club. WoW! I have had so much going on...it doesn't feel like it should be December!!! Here are just a few snap shots of the fall and the many faces of Young Life!!

Sitting with a purpose

I have done a lot of sitting lately...Sitting with Chely’s parents in their living room- talking about life, love, the past, their 22nd wedding anniversary and how they got married. Sitting with friends around bonfire since it’s gotten colder. Sitting around my grandparent’s dinning room table sharing in the comfortableness and love of family. Sitting with Kallee about her relationship with Christ and finding her strength through the hard times in her life. SItting with my counselor diving into the wounds of my heart as I carry the wounds of others. Sitting in the hospital room with my best friend's new baby, Miller. Sitting with my girls at football games. Sitting with Suzanne talking about the foundation and methods of Young Life. Sitting in the office planning the trip to Sharp Top Cove for Greenback. Sitting in training talking about why we do what we do and asking ourselves why we do certain things. Sitting in my living room full of quietness of the morning- in His Word.(Man I miss my hammock!) Sitting with Lynsi and Suzanne at Brown Cup digging in their hearts as women.