ENCOURAGEMENT

A couple of weeks ago me and my family left Austin to head for the Gulf Coast to have some fun on the beach at Mustang Island. At the same time we were there the NW Austin area YoungLife team was also in that part of Texas planning their Fall semester of clubs and events.


I have a great relationship with YoungLife and because their wins our my wins we are able to see into each other's dreams and needs throughout the year. I love the exchange because ultimately we are chasing after the same things. We want to see students come to Jesus and we value relational ministry. 


So when their area director called us and said, "Hey can you guys come up to the place where we are staying and let us be a blessing to you?" My wife and I loaded our boys in the car and headed to their part of the beach. That night we gathered in the condominium they were staying in to eat with their team.


After dinner I was talking with one of their leaders when I felt a change of light and silence in the room causing me to look up and see the faces of their college kids and leaders surrounding the table. That's when Billy their area director spoke up. For the next ten to fifteen minutes Billy looked us in the eyes and shared with his leaders everything that we do for students in NW Austin through Gateway and the Uprising. It was very humbling and for a few seconds I felt tears swelling up within me. It wasn't over the top or in lieu of any string attached. Quite honestly it was the first time in a very long time that anyone ever talked like that to us and in front of my sons. 


What Billy and his team didn't know is that it could haven't come at a more needful time in our lives. The thing that I was struck with after it was all over was the fact that Billy intentionally or unintentionally taught his team of single and college aged leaders what it looked like to speak life and love to people who may never be able to repay it. For Billy I know it was from the heart.


I would encourage you to create a teaching moment like this for your staff, interns, or leaders. Think of ways and maybe even people who need life breathed in to them like this. 

A BROTHER'S NOTES

you and I gotta get to a place where the cross is unavoidable--and I think it means we put Him in the sometimes awkward center of everythingless than a minute ago via webAndy Baxter
baxtertown

I HAVE MY BRIDE BACK!

My wife has been gone for the last five days and it's been me and the boys alone. We had some man cub time and eagerly waited for her return. Cat leads NW Austin Area YoungLives and she took seven teen moms and their babies to YoungLives camp. This is a picture of the last session where babies were allowed to go. The girls get to be teenagers, as they should, and do everything we would have our students do at camp. After activities and sessions the girls come back and get their babies from a sea of volunteers who spend the week at camp taking care of the babies. Don't worry the longest stretch for them happens just one day for a five hour block.

The girls get to encounter the Gospel for the first time in their life. It's epic. I walked in from the back and when I saw this scene I was ruined knowing that these mommies get to hear about Jesus. Their life is hard and that is an understatement. They sang a song and had everyone sit down. Anyone who had made a decision was asked to stay standing.... half the room. They passed the mic and every girl said who they were and what decision they made.

Four of Cat's girls trusted Christ.

LETTER FROM MY YOUNGLIFE FRIENDS

My brothers and sisters in Younglife are fighting for the lives of students all over the world this summer in their camping ministry. I got this letter last night from my friend Billy Suess. It's ridiculous and if you don't want to weep openly about it you're soul-less. I love hearing this.


NW Austin YL Friends

It feels like we have been here at YL camp for a year!  The days have been so packed with joy and adventure.  I wanted to write to share a quick story with you.

Last night our speaker, Springer, talked about how much he was let down by his friends, family, and the faith community when it came to knowing Jesus.  He then shared a story about his little girl and how she used to play hide and seek with him when she was little.  He would cover his eyes, count, and then say 'ready or not here i come.'  Filled with anticipation, his daughter would jump out of her hiding spot and scream, 'HERE I AM DADDY!!'  At the end of his talk, Springer, covered his eyes, counted, and said ready or not here I come.  Just then, his real grown up daughter stood up and said, 'HERE I AM DADDY!'

Our students watched a father fight through the crowed to embrace his daughter.  What a powerful picture of the way Jesus comes to find each one of us!  During cabin times, kids wept as they shared story after story about disappointments in their own lives.  Even now as I write this my eyes are filled with tears just thinking about how kids carry so much pain.  How wonderful that Jesus really does come to find each one of them and will never let them down!!

Please pray with me today as kids start to see how their heavenly father views them.

I can't wait to see each of you.


It reminded me of this clip from Cinderella Man. In this clip I would reckon myself and the church to be the bride, waiting in angst as Jesus does the work.

YOUNGLIVES CAMP

My wife is on staff with Younglife. She leads NW Austin Area Younglives. This is her first year to lead with YL. They're taking seven teen moms and their babies to camp. All of the moms and their babies were at our house tonight tie-dying tshirts for camp. These guys are gonna have the best week of their life. It ruins me to know that Isaiah and Israel's mommy gets a chance to hear about the saving love of Jesus. Watch the video below. Feed readers may need to visit the blog.

BUNCO FOR YOUNGLIVES

My wife leads the NW Austin area YoungLives ministry. Tonight her and her team are hosting a Bunco Tournament. The room is filling up with chicas and peeps who want to help teen moms and their babies. Pretty legit.

YOUNGLIVES NW AUSTIN FIRST CLUB

I'M SO EXCITED!

My wife and her team are hosting their first club for Younglives tonight. She has been such an inspiration to me as I've seen her take so much initiative. She's pretty stellar and so many cool thing have already happened. She's gotten to go into the five main high schools for our area and talk to teen moms about club, summer camp, and their mentor program. I will be going to club tonight and hopefully I will have some photos and stories to tell about her and how her team reached out to the girls. They are going to have a blast. I would love it if you would pray for her and the crew of leaders she has. Club rundown for tonight!

6:00 check in and eat
6:45 Welcome and mixer (get to know each other)
7:00 music (2 songs)
7:15 Anna's skit and 2 games
7:30 camp promo video
7:40 Cat - "This is what young Lives is" talk about camp/ announce baby store
7:50 Jen's craft
8:00 pick up babies

Whoot!

YOUNGLIVES NW AUSTIN

My wife's first club is coming up for Younglives. Whoot!

DITCH THE DRESS FOR YOUNGLIVES PROMO

We threw this video around on Facebook after Cat and her committee finished putting up the dresses for her fundraiser today. 456 dresses.

WHOOT! FOR THE WIFE!

I've blogged a few times about my wife jumping on board with the mission of Younglives. She has been building her committee and team now for about five months. Their first fundraiser is happening this weekend. It's called Ditch the Dress. Basically college students and young women have been ditching their prom dress and donating it to Younglives in Northwest Austin. Cat has about 275 dresses and so this weekend they will be selling them to the public for $25 to $50. They're awesome dresses and the money goes to Younglives.

Fashionably Austin got a hold of the event information and will be coming this Saturday to do a report on her event. We're pretty excited about this. Check out Fashionably Austin's blog. Join the Ditch the Dress Facebook Fan Page and spread the word about the event. You can share the event page on Facebook and RSVP as well. Please post it to your profile.

CANYON VISTA WYLDLIFE

This is Taylor Woodward. He leads the CVWyldlife team. Reach out and support your local younglife ministry.

NEWS ALERTS

Do you know how to add a news alert? Google emails me everyday all recently released content on the web that contains whatever word I am interested in reading about. I think everyone one of you have already been doing this. If not give it a try. One of my alerts is set to ship me anything out there that mentions the words "Younglife" or "Wyldlife." Here are some pieces that I snagged from said news alert.

Young Life Comes to Camp Buckner in 2010

Thank God for Young Life and Ministries Like Them Jan 19

the teenage alcoholic

YOUNGLIFE PROPAGANDA POSTER

We're going a little overboard with the propaganda posters. I did one for the Gathering then Andy added about three more. Andy also did this propaganda poster for Younglife. Enjoy. Poster below.

GROSS GAMES CLUB or EVENT

I have another sweet file from the relic Wyldlife folder I harvested from one of our old computers. This is a rundown for a Gross Games club we did. Keep in mind this is 2005. Use to your liking. Also, I always plan two more games then what I think we need in case we are running ahead of schedule. Seven games is good but not necessary. Enjoy and keep loving students.

Clubbers Hang Out Around Fire Pit while New Clubbers Register

Bring Clubbers in & Welcome

-LEADER stalls saying, “Hey everyone welcome to Wyldlife… Glad you’re here…we have a couple of things to talk about before club begins…We need everyone to turn off your cell phones (cue for music and walk on character)

-CHAD & DAVE – Jersey Boys Cleaning Crew walk in.

Game 1 Baby Food Roulette – Works like hot potato. Clubbers make a circle and start passing a paper bag with baby food in. When the music stops the clubber with the bag has to open the bag and eat the food. We will do several rounds of this for fun.

Game 2 Plexi-Glass Relay (2 Volunteers needed) A couple of strips of easy-cheese and several Oreos will placed onto a clear sheet of plexi-glass. Both clubbers must be the first to successfully consume their allotment of cheese and Oreos off the glass in front of club.

Game 3 Eat That Food – Clubbers sit scattered throughout the room. When the music starts a beach ball will be thrown into the room. Clubbers will tap it around keeping it up in the air. When the music stops the last person to hit it must come to the front of club and pick out a sealed paper bag from a group of sealed paper bag. They open the bag and whatever is in it they must eat. Game keeps going till all bags are gone.

Game 4 Hose Head (2 guys and 2 girls needed) Guys put a panty hose over their head down to their neck. The girls will be handed a banana and must feed the banana to their teammate through the hose. The first crew to eat their banana wins.

Game 5 Banana Foot Feed (2 Guys & 2 Girls) – Guys lay on their back with head placed at the feet of their girl partner. Girls sit in chairs. A Banana is placed at their feet and when the game begins the girls must peel the banana open and feed it to their male partner using only their feet.

Game 6 Ice Cream Feed (4 guys 4 girls) Guys and girls partner up and lay with backs on the ground so that they make a straight line with the tops of their heads touching. The guy is given a scoop of ice cream in a cup and a spoon. When the game begins they must scoop their ice cream and reach over their heads to their partners head and feed them the ice cream.

Game 7 Hawk A Sausage (6 clubbers needed) Clubbers are given a Vienna sausage and they must spit it as far as they can across club to see who can hawk the sausage the furthest

Big Louie and Jimmy exit and return to Jersey to pursue their professional lives.

Bryan & Justin sell the Christmas Party & the Rampage Hockey Game.

Club Songs

1. Complicated, Avril

Camp Sell

2. You & Me, Life House
3. Unwell, Matchbox 20

Club Talk

Dismiss, Hang with Kids

DITCH THE DRESS FUNDRAISER FOR YOUNGLIVES

My wife has been building a team of mentor moms and committe members to reach out to teen moms in northwest Austin through the ministry of Younglives. Her team is hosting a fundraiser in March to raise money for taking moms and their children to a week of camp where they can come to know Christ and be loved on by caring adults.

If you would like to help out they need prom dresses and formals that have been tucked away in a closet and quite honestly will not be worn again. So, ditch the dress! Dresses will be sold to high school girls in the community who want a dress but can't afford a brand new one. This helps them and helps younglives.

DITCH THE DRESS ON FACEBOOK.

Join the Facebook group page and learn more.

NW Austin Younglives "Ditch the Dress"

Some of you have been asking me what my wife is doing with Younglives. Specifically you want to know about the fundraiser she is doing called "Ditch the Dress." Here some info.

YoungLives provides a non-judgmental environment where teen moms can meet and build friendships with other girls in their shoes. Everyone at YoungLives is accepted unconditionally. Young moms experience a warm welcome and a safe, loving place where they can discover who they are and where they’re headed. YoungLives gatherings aren’t just about sitting around! Girls can plan on plenty of crazy humor and creative activities (not to mention free food and childcare). We also connect them with a caring adult woman who will help them navigate this phase of their journey with ongoing emotional and spiritual support, as well as wisdom from her own experience. We can also help these new moms with practical tips and training as well as help with things like housing, maternity clothes, car seats or baby furniture. And finally, YoungLives sponsor a week long summer camp where the girls can kick back and relax, have fun and explore their spiritual beliefs with peers. Even the babies get in on the summer camp fun. A team of volunteer child care workers provide quality, nurturing care for the children right there on site.


So where does "Ditch the Dress" come into the equation? It's easy.

You drop off your old prom, formal, or evening dress(es) at one of our drop off locations. In March of 2010 YoungLives will host a city wide dress sale. The dresses will be sold at a price that those who buy will find cost saving and 100% of the profits will go toward sending teen moms and their babies to camp, an experience that will change their lives, and you make room in your closet. It's a win, win deal. Local high school students who couldn't afford an expensive dress save money for their prom and the teen moms of YoungLives benefit from your donation.

If you want to participate or need more info leave a comment or email us at: Chad and Cat Swanzy.

DITCH THE DRESS ON FACEBOOK.

Here is a video about the ministry of YoungLives

The $80 set

Recently for Younglife I was asked to put together a set design that would center the room and change the retreat center feel of cabin into something they could use to bring 260 plus kids together and create energy for their "So You Think You Can Dance" competition for students. The pic above is about half the design. We got a stretched fabric panel above the floor, lights, more fabric up front for color, then 4 X 8 styrofoam panles free hanging from the ceiling by fishing line. The video below reveals the full set. I had about a 4 hour build time.

A weekend with Younglife at Polar Bear

I have always loved the ministry and mission of Younglife. My wife is raising support to go on staff for Younglives. I'm pretty stoked about that. This past weekend they invited my family to join them at Polar Bear. They asked me to build their set to center the room. Here are a few videos I grabbed with the flip camera. I got to watch them chase after 260 plus high school students with the love of Jesus and the Gospel.


This is one of the clubs at Polar Bear.





This is a walk on skit called Marvin the World's Worst Magician





This is crud war.

Younglives in Northwest Austin

My wife is on a mission. She is starting a Younglives club in NW Austin. A lot of you who read this blog are friends and then more of you are youth leaders from all types of denominations and missions like Younglife. I'm excited for my wife and if you have any questions on how you can support this mission or if you have questions let her know. Email Cat.

SIT SOWN IF... (GROUP GAMES 48 OF 70)

YL Playbook is a great place to grab some games. I don't know if we will ever become a superpower like the wonder twins but on my end of the "shape of a bucket of water" end of the deal I formed a slide above for this mixer game. I'm typing the directions here but giving you a link to YL Playbook so you can grab the mixer questions.

Materials:
list

Directions:
Ask the entire group to stand. Instruct them to sit down when the statement characterizes them and remain seated. Encourage them to be as honest as possible. If you have trouble because most are not sitting down, give them general characteristics (sit down if you are under 15, if you have on white socks, if you are in love).

THE QUESTIONS...HERE!