3D Ministry Parent’s Blog

   Vacation!  That is where my family and I have been for the past week.  We first headed to Houston so that I could officiate a wedding and then we stayed there and around so we could spend some time with family.  Oh they just love those grand-babies. 

Vacations are extremely common among our culture and range from simple to extravagant.  Some go camping, some stay home, while others head to Hawaii or some other exotic destination. 

We know that vacations are worth it, but what does it actually do for your family.

Rest

We live in an area where the pace of life is slow.  Do you feel that?  While there isn’t as much traffic and everything is only 15 minutes or less away our lives sustain an all too busy schedule and drive.  When we can get away and slow down and rest our family recharges and thrives.  Rest doesn’t require scheduling or obligation.  It requires intentional slowness.

Play

Families need time to have fun together.  Growing up it was the times we played as a family that I cherish and remember most.  Play doesn’t necessarily take planning or forethought as much as it requires looseness.  Find the sparkle in your child’s eyes and let loose.  Let them see a side of dad they rarely take in and allow them to experience mom with little reserve.  Playing hard will bring refreshment to the family.

Time

Vacations are seen most purposefully in spending time together.  Families are in all different directions with kids involved in academics, sports, arts, and church and adults involved with work, household responsibilities, and church the family spends less than a few hours together every day.  Vacations are an excellent way to spend almost all your time together and allowing that availability to renew your family ties.

While vacations can be stressful and make you more tired than when you began it will rejuvenate your family life and allow the Holy Spirit to redeem what the world tries to take away.

We got back last night and I’m tired, but as a family we are refreshed!

-Mercer

We have one Mission Trip completed (Impact) one in progress (Mexico) and one coming in July (Fortress).  Also we have students in almost all of the Into All The World campaigns.  We are serving all around the world with mission efforts that are helping children, churches, homeless, and brothers and sisters.  It is a complete joy to see all that God is doing!

I went with our middle school boys to Impact in Houston this past week and the trip was amazing.  We had one student who when asked about his trip and how it was couldn’t stop describing how they prayed over people in the park that was full of homeless men and women.  That’s amazing since for one of our fun adventures we went to Schlitterbaun.  I was in class on Sunday morning and as the teacher taught the adult class a lady that is bound to a wheelchair due to muscular and development difficulties said in slurred speech, “It’s all going to be alright!”.  One of our students handed a homeless man and took his hat off and immediately asked if he could pray over the man.  I couldn’t imagine such courage and spiritual maturity when I was in seventh grade.  And then there was Louis, who we met across the street from the church.  A Vietnam Veteran who has been homeless his entire life.  His message to our boys was to finish school, because he didn’t.  After visiting with him sharing some cookies and giving some food and water one of our ninth grade boys prayed over him with everyone else laying on hands.

The trip was remarkable and these are a few highlights.  Catch one of our seventh through ninth grade boys and ask about their journey for even more stories.

I can’t wait to hear from our Mexico Missionaries!

-Mercer

Summer has already officially begun!  No, not the summer solstice, but the 3D Ministry summer.  This past weekend we hosted at our own building our in-town retreat for middle school students, called Breakthrough!  It was an amazing weekend.  We talked about Philippians 3:10-14 where Paul lays out some athletic imagery.  Paul speaks about a race we run, not one of status and advancement, but one of humility and service.  He also spoke about a goal and we have our eyes on the goals that matter within the Kingdom.  Of course with any athletic imagery there is the idea of obstacles and we fought the gladiators literally and spiritually.  Lastly, Paul speaks of the prize and although our prize is in Heaven, it is much more;  It is the already, but not yet.  Our prize is being active participants of the Kingdom here on earth and the satisfaction of Heaven when we leave.

On top of the gospel message of the weekend our middle school students also welcomed a great class of sixth graders.  These guys and gals worked hard all weekend and were so great to get to know.

Coming up in our summer is the Middle School boys mission trip to Impact Church in Houston and Mexico for High School students.

We are excited that summer has begun!  We are excited that you and your children are joining us in this spiritual journey and mission!

Enjoy the summer as a family and as a faith family.  We Praise God for you and the mission He has given us!

It’s Worth It!

-Mercer

Note:  For two years now we have had a website just for our ministry.  Along with that website we have had a blog just for parents.  Unfortunately, following a computer crash we lost the ability to update that site.  However, now we this wordpress and hope to update at least weekly.

Welcome!  A few people have asked me since February 22 if I felt like a real parent yet.  Fortunately, before the question I had been thinking about this exact question.  My response is simple.  Not really, parenting involves guidance, processing, deep interaction, and spiritual leadership.  Right now I feel that we are sustaining life more than anything else.  While we still have some of those characteristics in our almost 3 month olds we are not able to fully parent just yet.  However, it is coming and I am sure you all have smug faces and a devilish grin as you think about what is coming my way.

Parenting is tough and rewarding, sometimes all in the same moment.  I always say during 6th grade parents class and Faith Decisions that having a group of parents together to talk to one another is spiritually forming and encouraging to you as a parent and the body of Christ as a whole.

I hope that this space on this blog will be a place where parents can virtually connect so that they can connect personally as well.  I pray that this space is affirming and encouraging.  I envision this as a place where parents of the students we work with can be informed and transformed.  I hope to not be the only writer of this blog.  I hope to recruit you as parents to help as well.  May God do a mighty work with our families and this ministry.

It’s Worth It!,

Michael

This has been a crazy week.  We have been hit with cold temperatures, ice, and snow.  We have cancelled the Winter Retreat, Sunday Morning Church, and Wednesday Evening Church.  I would imagine that we are all anticipating normal again.  We are rescheduling the Retreat and changing our calendar somewhat for things like Faith Decisions that need to be reworked.  However, it will all be Lemonade when we are done.  We appreciate your flexibility and patience as we adjust.

Families are handed lemons as well.  Some families more than others.  We learn how to make Lemonade or sometimes the Lemons rot and we throw it all out and begin anew.  There is a season for both.  Being a family is a struggle and intense.  There is intense passion within the family.  Since God has made each of us unique we don’t always see things the same way.  When times are intense or when struggles appear it may be hard to see the lemonade that awaits or what newness may come.  We surround ourselves with friends, family, church family, and sometimes professionals.  These are God-given and needed relationships for our maturity and spiritual well-being, however, I want to encourage us not to forget the basics God has given us.  The basics of prayer, scripture, meditation, sabbath, fasting, and worship.  These “basics” from God give us what we need daily when things are good or bad to maintain and grow in our relationship with Him and His people.  These basics make newness a reality and Lemonade so much sweeter!

God Bless Your Journey with God, Jesus, Spirit, the people who serve Him, and the people who still need Him.  And may God bless your journey of parenting.

-Mercer

New is a way of life, especially in America.  We get new clothes, new cars, new homes, new spouses, new children, new everything.  New isn’t always bad, in fact God created new and continues to create new in our lives.  We awake every morning to a new day with new perspectives and new opportunities.  God also loved a mix of old and new.  He loved when His people remembered their past while looking forward to the future.

 Today, we are just 5 days from a new year.  As people of faith we look back at our year and remember the blessings of God and look forward to a new year that will greet us with His mercies, His grace, and His joy.

 What has been the most memorable moment for your family from 2006?

What are your aspirations as a family for 2007?

Where has God taken your family this past year?

What would God like to do for your family this next year?

May God Bless Your New Year in 2007!!

-Mercer

Earlier when we launched our site we had a blog for Parents.  However, it wasn’t working for us to be able to blog regularly.  So we are trying this out!  When the new year rolls around our goal is to blog every week giving updates or cool info we have found.  If you want to write once in a while for us or you found something you think every parent should hear, just let Michael know.  His email is attached to this blog!

-Mercer

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