Keep Your Eye on the Ball -- Clint's Monthly Column for April

Our webmaster, Elizabeth, has some great ideas on how to get the blog back up and running. I'll be doing a monthly column, plus there will be weekly features from Elizabeth and other teens.

I want to encourage all you youth groupers to be a part of the blog. Read the weekly columns, even sign up to write one! Leave comments! Send the site as a link to your friends, and put it prominently on your blog. I still believe that this site can be an excellent tool to encourage the group, and to reach out to newcomers and friends. The sidebar always has the latest scoop on upcoming events, and interesting links, including how to get saved.

As many of you know, April means the start of baseball season. I grew up playing Little League baseball every summer, and I loved to play. If you've ever played baseball or softball, you probably heard your coach say something like, "keep your eye on the ball" when you were hitting. Keeping your eyes fully focused on the ball is one of the first keys to hitting. You can't hit what you can't see!

Now this has a spiritual application -- we need to keep our eye on the ball, too! We need to be focused on Christ. Hebrews 12:2 says to fix our eyes on Jesus. We need to be focused on Christ -- knowing, serving, and sharing Him -- if our lives are going to be a "hit" for Christ.

Let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. It's not easy, as so many other activities and thoughts tend to fill our minds, but we can do it with the Holy Sprit's help. E-Team, stay focused on and ready to fill your roles! An illustration -- two Wednesdays ago, you know that youth group was a bit less than organized and complete, as many were busy filming for the Easter service. Wouldn't you know it, the one night that we were in disarray is the night that at least four visitors came!! I felt bad about that. This shows us that we need to be ready every week and praying every day for God to work in our midst. He will, but we don't know when. Let's be ready!

Speaking of Easter, what a great day it was last Sunday at BSBC! The "Son is Risen" service went wonderfully -- everyone did a great job. The cantata by the choir was also powerful. I believe we were successful in clearly communicating the awesome truth that Jesus is alive! There were several new and likely unsaved people there to take it in. You should all feel proud and honored to be a part of God's work. By the way, we probably haven't seen the last of WBSB 99 Eyewitness News. We may use this program as an outreach to teens next Easter. Christ is risen!!

You can be looking forward to an exciting month of May. We'll be serving Jesus together at the Extreme Makover -- Patmos Edition on May 5 and 6. We'll be having a special night to salute our seniors -- Jimmy, Brittany and D.J. -- and we'll look forward (Lord willing) to a summer to remember!!

Thanks for reading -- have a great day in Jesus!

"Awesome" Andy Interview

Q. : So when were you saved?
A. : Well, I was saved when I was three years old. I prayed with my mom and asked Jesus into my heart. After that I sort of just lived like it was my parent's faith, not my own. Then when I got to college, I had to start to do things on my own, and that's when it became my faith.

Q. : Did you or do you have any Christian inspirations or mentors?
A. : My dad was a big inspiration to me. He was a good Christian and taught me a lot of things. Tim (from camp) also was a big inspiration for me. I also love good Christian books.

Q. :Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
A. :My favorite verse would be Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Q. : And do you have any christian advice for teens?
A. : I think the most important thing for a Christian teen is that they develop and grow in their relationship with God.

Compliments of Mr. Robert Eric