Another crazy weekend as a youth pastor's wife

Well, this weekend was absolutely nuts but such a blessing at the same time.

Being a youth pastor's wife comes with so many curves and turns and long weekends. I remember looking back several years ago in high school and vowing that I would never marry a youth pastor. I don't really know why, I just for some reason was really turned off by the idea. I wanted to marry a teacher, and be fellow teachers and... well that was the "dream."

I fell in love with a man that loves teaching... but in a different setting and God opened my eyes to that joy. I am SOO blessed every weekend but the 250 kids that walk through the youth doors at Palm Valley. This weekend we had a record high of 240 kids total! That is amazing. Our Saturday night service which maybe topped out at 20 students had a record high of 41!! God is so good. We are running out of room in each service as so many kids are attending.

I read this blog called Marriedtoayouthpastor.com. It is such a fun thing to read the thoughts of other women married to youth pastors. I get ideas, tips, and encouragement knowing that so many other people are in the exact situation as I am in! I love it!

Each weekend we are at church on saturdays from 1-8pm and on Sunday's from 7am-2pm. It's a LONG weekend. I pray that I don't get schedule to work on Monday's just so I can have that time with Jeremiah (that is his day off) and get that time to rest. Ha today I have school from 7-noon, work from 12:30-5pm and class from 6-10 pm. Doesn't get any less relaxing than that! Summer school is almost over, so I will be glad to get that nightmare of a schedule out of the way.

I never thought, looking back, that I would have fallen in love with youth ministry. It's hard, I get worked up sometimes about it, but it has to be one of the most fulfilling parts of my life! We have the best leaders, students and staff. It's great and I love showing up each weekend and see how the leaders will step up again and prove that they are there with the same passion and drive to see these students "get it." Seeing students click with a message or talk about it later is the most rewarding thing ever. Seeing my husband pour his heart out and challenge students' lives is even more rewarding.

Needless to say, despite these 15 hour days, I am encouraged to know that once this week is over, I will again walk through the doors of Palm Valley and start another crazy, awesome weekend all over again!

Until next time :)

And it begins...

Well this is my first day as an official "blogger." I guess when you get older, "blogging" is more accepted than Myspace, so this is the alternative!



As much as I feel like I have had significant moments in my life to document, now I feel like my "life has been reborn" in a sense. I am learning to live in a whole new world, new expectations, new job, new emotions... It's all new! So this is the time I felt like I needed to get my moments out there for others to share in, comment about or just keep up with my life. This is also a way to remind myself how good God is and to share those joys and struggles with the world and remind me how real and alive God truly is.

Jeremiah and I have been married a month now and wow did the time fly by. It was the most beautiful wedding, everything I had ever dreamed of









































and.... now.... it's over.





You plan for months and months and in a few hours... it's over... wow



I never imagined that it would come and go this quickly and that life would hit so fast. It has been a blast and we are learning so much about each other and about ourselves. It's the best and most difficult thing ever but it is such a blessing.



I started a new job at starbucks and I love it! I love working with adults (I worked in childcare the past 3 years and getting a degree in education... so I needed a break)... I am meeting so many interesting people and God is stretching me. I have never worked in a secular environment before so it is difficult to know the boundaries of conversation and whatnot. I actually have been able to share a lot with my coworkers and customers... one of my managers actually came to church with me this past weekend. Known her 4 days and she asked to come to Palm Valley... it was the biggest throw off ever... It was ALL God.. I just gave her the directions :) She loved it.



I love Palm Valley for so many reasons but this reason is top on my list- We strive to reach ALL people for Christ... we are not a church that has a 'typical' member. I LOVE THAT... People with all backgrounds, styles, personalities find ways to connect at Palm Valley and hear the good news of Christ. Thank you to all you churches who strive to reach all people for Christ and are not afraid to try new, crazy ways of reaching out.



This will be one of many posts as my schedule is so busy and writing my thoughts down seems to help keep me sane :)



I pray that I am a blessing to someone reading and readers are a blessing to me through comments, suggestions or just personal stories of their life.





God Bless