134 Happy - Sad - Mad - Glad

Jeff Bezos, the founder owner of Amazon, understands and believes in the difference between a Calling and a Career.

If a great business man believes in a calling, how much more should we? Are you called to serving others and adventure? Or are you stuck, because you can’t see beyond a pay check?

Jesus said an earthly father knows how to give good gifts to his children. How much more does your Heavenly Father give good gifts beyond imagination to his children? 

Ask God for His passion with in and His Calling for you in this world.

Ephesians 2:10 and Psalm 139

Jesus said “Greater works will you do…..”

Andy McDaniel... Leader... Ripple... Tsunami!

What is a tsunami? A tsunami is a series of extremely long waves caused by a large and sudden displacement of the ocean, usually the result of an earthquake below or near the ocean floor. This force creates waves that radiate outward in all directions away from their source, sometimes crossing entire ocean basins.

Andy McDaniel was born and raised in poverty in Alabama, USA (or Bama as he would say). He was 1 of 5 children. In high school, a girl he liked invited him to a Campus Life Club, which is a division of Youth For Christ. That was the first RIPPLE. This young lady had no idea that she had awakened a sleeping Giant of a Leader! She simply did the right thing.

His Campus Life Director led him to Jesus and discipled him... RIPPLE #2 has now begun! Andy feels called to Campus Life Ministry with YFC and thus the ripple becomes an EARTH SHAKING event that has occurred, but no one has yet identified. He becomes a Campus Life Coordinator for Clearwater and later Orlando and that starts a quake in me (Doug) and my ministry. When a Tsunami begins it can’t help but to take everything and everyone around it with them. Executive Director, (now Andy) calls the shots in Miami, Nashville, Grand Rapids, and Miami for a second time! People he has led to Jesus and the young men and women he has trained to be leaders are all over the USA and the World. Now people not only see, but feel and know the Tsunami effect cannot be stopped. 

36 years in Youth For Christ and 15 years in Moriah Ministries, Andy has done his good works that God planned in advance for him to do in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:10) His wife Valerie, his 3 children, and many grandchildren know this Tsunami of a leader well. He has now gone to heaven and waiting to see all that God has done yet to come.

You are the man Andy... I love you my brother!

Lenita Abouchabake is from Sydney, Australia and the Founder of Teen Coach Academy. This is her second interview on the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast.

Most people really do not know why they believe what they believe. Many of us who do, need to be refreshed, so that we can fight spiritual warfare more effectively.

But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect. - 1 Peter 3:15 (Amplified Bible)

"A Ready Defense" by Josh McDowell is a book I gave out to seniors at our church as we honored them for their right of passage out of high school. I knew only some of them would use it and a close friend of mine, currently is getting ready to go through this a page a day over the next year. 

You will have to listen to this podcast episode to learn why this almost 500 page reference book is so key to our faith and especially our students. It can be used as a "Bible Book Study" to prepare students for life... especially if they are going to college. 

Why should you follow this advice? Well, I am a very simple person. I don’t like complicated messages that make me or somebody else feel smart and everyone else feel dumb. That's counter productive. This is the most clear book, compiled from 16 volumes of Josh’s books, the most important and clear parts. They are evidence based and historically and legally sound.

I hope this helps you and empowers you to help others to be all you can in your ministry and calling in life!

While you may be teaching, coaching, raising or leading adolescence it is important that you pay the most attention to your young children while doing the work.

Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest. - Luke 9:48

When children are present you must be mindful of them. You must look them in the eyes, listen to them, and tell them how much you love them. The rest of the world will be changed by the way you love your family. Your children and spouse are watching and paying attention.

But the world around you is especially watching... They recognize how you treat your own.

COMFORT... IS IT A TRAP?

Most of us "work forward" -> to being comfortable, but comfort can kill you or at the least make you lose the ability to achieve or live up to the purposes God has made you for in this life. Too much comfort slows creative juices down. To much comfort can set you up for moral failures as it did for King David.

"Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” - Jeremiah 42:3

Stanley Tam - US Plastics Company: Gave God 100% control as Senior Partner over his company. Stanley took only a salary for himself.

Why? Because Stanley knew God would do more with the money than he could. He also knew that the treasures in heaven would last through eternity so Stanley said that he was just paying it forward.

A little comfort is good for renewal. A lot of comfort is good for destruction. Choose wisely!

YOU MATTER… Everything You Do Counts… Everyone You Meet Is Important!

You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:20 (Amplified Bible)

For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. - Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified Bible)

All the above and much more is what I am talking about on this episode. God does not make mistakes and has already pre-arranged and set in motion your events and intersections with people, places and good works. 

Keep in mind that every person good, sad, happy, glad, mad and annoying are important. God is using them to give you opportunities. He is also giving you for them for their spiritual growth and good works. We see with human eyes. God is teaching us to see with spiritual eyes… His eyes. He wants us to act and react by His power. He is setting us up. He is setting YOU up for God Size Wins! 

Treat Young and Old like they are the Princes and Princesses of Heaven. Heaven’s the stage, the guardians and the audience. Heaven is lending a helping hand and cheering you on. 

Make No Mistake… You Count! You Matter!  You Are On The Hall Of Fame List In Heaven!

Heaven Knows Your Name! God Knows Your Name! Jesus Knows Your Name! The Holy Spirit knows your name and is nudging you this way and that way, strategically to line you up for world changing events and encounters that you were made for in Christ Jesus!

Just Show Up… Keep Showing Up! Be Bold… Be Strong! Act with Love and Strength!

“Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

In this episode, we interview Chase Allen (Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church Umatilla) about his month long sabbatical in 2023.

Here are some of the questions we discuss:

1. How long have you been in student ministry and how long have you been at this Church?

2. Who decided you needed a sabbatical?

3. Did you think you had time to take a sabbatical? 

4. What changes did you feel with the extended time off while on sabbatical?

5. What did you do or not do?

6. Was your time off refreshing? 

7. How did this time off affect your wife and children?

8. Do you feel, see or have any thoughts on what changes in yourself have occurred or not? Has anyone else noted anything better about you?

9. Could you have used more or less time?

To the listener of this episode… How does this translate in your life? How can you take a sabbatical even though it looks impossible in your busy world?

Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16)

Ed Sheeran (Songwriter/Artist) - “Writing music is like turning on a faucet. At first you get muddy water. The more you run it, the clearer the water gets. The same thing happens when writing music. At first the ideas are unclear, but as you keep writing the thoughts and ideas become clearer and better.”

Here are a few important topics we discuss in this podcast episode:

• Small goals that gives you wins.
• Scale down your big habits or goals to small wins.

Every action should be about “casting a vote” for the type of person you want to become.

A few examples of the consistent habits I complete on a daily and/or weekly basis:

• 11 minutes in the gym during my lunch hour.
• 3 to 6 minute cold plunge in my pool during the winter season to prepare for upcoming cold weather events.
• Record a solo or interview style YWOF Podcast episode.

Short consistent wins are better than long sporadic wins! People need consistency. It’s better to do something toward your goal everyday than a lot someday… “Someday” seldom comes. Confidence and encouragement comes by making steps in the right direction. 

What small steps or actions can you take each day that are achievable?

Habits come with seasons of life. Some years your habits take different shapes. Prime your environment to make your new habit easier. Schedules matter! Sometimes you have to put things out not polished to meet deadlines and meet your goals. Creative minds usually have to create “trash” first. The creative “trash” always leads the good ideas to the surface.

(1 Kings 17: 8-16) Elijah asks the woman to make him some bread…

God has a plan for you and your team!

Moses had a lot of energy when he was in Egypt and thought he knew everything. However, he found that his energy alone and his willingness to lead got him into trouble. It took God about 40 years to get Moses in the mindset to where he actually could lead with humility.

In this episode, you will learn about the four major excuses Moses used with God, thinking that would get him out of leading. God led us all from somewhere to ministry and I bet you possibly had one, if not all, of Moses same excuses… I know I did! 

God always has a better plan for your life. He also has appointed a team of volunteers and employees to make things possible to build His kingdom through student ministry and through our student’s families. God is interested in your humility and your willingness to follow him even when it scares you to your knees.

Ironically, his way is a lot more fun than your way! I would’ve been a pretty boring person even with the exciting life that I had planned for myself compared to the life God pushed me, coached me, and drove me into. The ride has been wild and exciting and full of emotion… I have never laughed so much in my life.

Keep looking for the right team members, because God has already prepared them for you!