God's Moving in MIGHTY WAYS!!!

I've updated lately about the amazing things that God has been doing in my own life recently with the addition of our new baby, Jordyn, but I want to take a break from taht to tell you about the amazing things that God is doing in the hearts and lives our students here at NMC. It's been amazing to work with my partners in ministry, Derry, Terry, Jason and Jeremiah over this last year. Although this last week I've been sitting back on the sidelines a little bit and lifting my teammates, volunteer leaders and our students up in prayer. You see GOD IS MOVING IN MIGHTY WAYS in the lives of our students here at NMC.

We've entered our Summer season of ministry and we had some exciting trips. Derry and Janelle led a team to New York for N.Y.G.O. (New York Gospel Outreach) and Jason led another team to Juarez, Mexico for our IMPACT Trip but now they are in the midst of our Summer Camps. As I've been checking Derry and Jason's Blogs I've been getting amazing God-bumps (not to be confused with goose bumps) because as I read I have been brought along with them on the journey of how God is moving in the lives of our students.



Sr. High Camp is now over. The camp experience is over but I have a sense that the moving of God is still flowing in the hearts and lives of our Sr. Highers and we won't see all of what God's doing until this school year. Many have been challenged to live life differently this year and to be the One that brings God to those around them. You can read more about Sr. High Camp on Derry's blog.



Jr. High Camp is still taking place as we speak. Yesterday they spent the day at Cedar Point together. Although this is a cool experience and outing for our students this is not what camp is about. After reading about the ways students are connecting with God in the worship and also the reports that we had a large of amount of students who over the last few days "got it" (as we like to say in the youth ministry world), I'm so pumped! I can't wait to talk to some of the students first hand and hear where God challenged them, what areas they are going to stop playing the game with God in and where they have expereienced true freedom in Christ. You can read more about what's happening at Jr. High camp on Jason's blog.



Now for our Preteens. Although our Preteen camp doesn't start for a few weeks (Aug. 8-10), my heart is excited and my spirit is a little restless because I have a feeling that God still has a lot that He wants to do in the lives of our Preteens. We still have a journey ahead of us that God wants to take our Preteens on. For now, join me in prayer for our Jr. Highers as they still have a few days left of camp, for our Sr. Highers that even now they will start making steps to prepare for this school year and how God wants to use them, and for our Preteens that they will be open and ready to be the One God is asking them to be. More to come . . .

Last Few Days With Baby Jordyn Grace

Day 2 - Leaving the Hospital



My favorite one is of Jordyn in the car seat where she looks like she's had a rough night on the town!! Cracks me up everytime I look at it.

Day 3 - At Home with Daddy!



That's right! She's a daddy's girl! At least for right now.

Day 4 - Check up with the Nurse



Everything checked out okay. Jordyn's looking great.

We had a rough night with her last night but she was sleeping peacefully when I came into work this morning. It's hard not to love this girl. She's just too cute. Anyway, what a new experience and blessing she has been to our lives so far. It's hard to think she's only 5 days old. Rocky's starting to adjust to her. He was staring in her crib last night for a while> Checking up on her and making sure she's safe in my opinion. I have a feeling they're going to become really great friends.

More later. . .

Better Sooner than Later . . .

Well here SHE is!!! The new edition to the Lehane clan. Baby Jordyn Grace Lehane was born Saturday at 2:40 pm. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 6.4 oz. and is 19 inches long. Rose was amazing (what else would you expect)! We arrived at the hospital at 12 noon after Rose started having contractions from about 7:30 am. Two hours and forty minutes later and here's our new edition. How blessed we are. I'm still calling in all the prayer support I can now that I am the dad of a beautiful and healthy baby girl.



To see individual pictures of Jordyn Grace go here.

It's time for a little shuffle!

I have read this on a several of my favorite blog reads and thought it was a pretty cool idea (plus I was tagged by my good friend, Derry Prenkert, on this one a while back so I didn't want to disappoint him, Hi Derry : ). I have about 5,942 songs on my iPod right now so this should be interesting to see what actually comes up. So here it goes:

1. Wherever the Wind Blows by Pillar from The Reckoning (For when I'm in a 'Rock out' kind of mood.)
2. The Message by 4Him from The Message (Haven't listened to this one in a while but the words behind this song are pretty awesome for those of you on the journey in following Christ.)
3. The Youngest Son by Undecided from More to See
4. Any Other Lover by Smalltown Poets from Third Verse (This is one of my favorite bands. Love their music but haven't heard anything from them in a while. I should probably check if they're still together. Definitely a good listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed.)
5. Getting Into You by Relient K from Two Lefts Don't Make A Right ... But Three Do! (Can you really go wrong with a little Relient K?)
6. Monotone by Mars Ill from Raw Material
7. The Change by Steven Curtis Chapman from Speechless (Another great song of challenge to us Christ Followers. I really need to listen to this one on repeat, it gets me pumped!)
8. Autobahn by Anberlin from Blue Prints for the Black Market
9. Untitled, Anonymous by Everyday Sunday from Anthems for the Imperfect
10. Wherever You Go by Desperation Band from Desperation
11. Harder Than The First Time by BarlowGirl from BarlowGirl
12. Breaking Me Down by Downhere from So Much For Substitutes (I love these guys!!! I haven't been disappointed yet with one of their albums. If you don't have one of their albums you need to go out and buy it right now, I'll wait here. . . no really, go out right now and buy one . . . I won't blog again until you do : )
13. Boom by P.O.D. from Satellite (When I feel like rocking out these guys and Pillar help me do it.)
14. Let My Words Be Few by The Bethel College Chapel Band from Let My Words Be Few
15. Believe by Grits from The Art of Translation

Well I hope that was a great read for you all and gave you an insight into some of the music I'm in to. If any of these songs/bands trip your fancy, leave me a comment.

A day with Rush of Fools

This video is of "Undo", Rush of Fools #1 debut single. Great sound, great words, great music. Great all the way around!!!



A couple months back, as I was researching possible worship bands for our denominational youth event, 3DYC, I was given the name of this band called "Rush of Fools". Unfortunately it didn't work out to have them for our event this year but the opportunity arose for them to come to good ol' Naptown. To see individual pictures go here!

Rose and I had the unique opportunity to hang out with these guys and their Road manager Andrew pretty much all day on Father's Day. It was just an amazing time and the first time I've ever really gotten to hang out with a Christian band before. Needless to say I was a little geeked!! The even gave us awesome little onesie as a gift for our new baby who will be on their payroll soon for modeling off this cool merchandise.



What was really cool is that these guys were very down to earth and amazing in person. They were very authentic in their faith and that's the type of stuff I look for when I'm trying to find a new band to listen. They never thought they would be where they are. They all had different stories of what they were planning on doing before God took them on a journey they would never forget. Just another example of God taking some guys who had a desire to use the talents and gifts He had given them to use for His glory. God is using them in really big ways. My favorite image from the concert they did on Sunday night was watching two little girls on the stairs of the stage with their hands raised to the heavens in worship to God as they were singing a song of praise to Him . . . man, if only I had a picture of that to show you.

If you want to check these guys out more check them out here!

37 Weeks . . .Whoa Momma!!

It's hard to believe it but my wife is just under 3 weeks away from having our first child. I am completely amazed . . . and nervous. Did I mention nervous. Look at these cool pictures from the ultrasound! I have to say, it looks like a boy to me and it looks like 'he' has 'his' mother's good looks.

At this point, I know that I know nothing when it comes to how this new edition to our family will change our lives but I'm praying that God will give Rose and I the insight and wisdom to raise this child to the best of our abilities and to show the love of Christ to 'him' at every opportunity we have. We'd both appreciate all your prayers and any words of wisdom you'd like to pass on.

All I can say is, in the words of Mike Yaconelli, "What a ride" being a parent is going to be. I'm excited . . . and did I mention nervous : )

From Past to Present

As I said, I'll be bringing you up to speed on some events that took place over the last few weeks. On June 3rd Rose and I had the honor of going to an ordination service for a very special person. This is me and one of my youth leaders, Frank Taubitz (Associate Pastor at Calvary Missionary Church in Livonia, MI). About a month or so before this photo Frank had asked if I would come and lead worship for his ordination service. For all that he and I have been through and for what he has meant to me over the years, I didn't even have to hesitate, the answer was 'Yes, I'm there'.

Over the month of June at church we were going through a series called "Love Wins" and one week we talked about thinking back to those people in our lives who have helped us meet Christ and helped us grow in our relationship with Him. Frank was definitely one of those people in my life. I'm sure at the time Frank felt like many of us in ministry (not just pastoral but more importantly those of you who volunteer).

When I met Frank he worked in the field of computers, had two small children and a wife yet he felt so compelled by the love of Christ in his own life that he felt God calling him and his wife to work with the youth at Allen Road Missionary Church. Frank was fairly new himself as a Christian at the time and used to play in a bar band called "The Key". Little did he know, (this sounds distinctly like a line from "Stranger Than Fiction", sorry for that side note - great movie though) that God was about to use his life to influence and touch the lives of many people. Little did he know at the time that he would be a major influence in helping me get to the place that I am now in my life, a youth pastor and worship leader.

There is so much more I could tell you about my friend, mentor, brother - Frank. I talk about him and some of my other youth leaders often when I talk ministry with others. The great part about Frank that I hope will encourage many of you, is that Frank at the time was just someone who wanted to be used by God and he used those gifts and talents that he had to use for God's glory. Frank eventually felt the calling to going into the ministry which is awesome and I know he is and will do great things for God BUT know that to me Frank was my pastor before he became a pastor. To those of you who feel called to use what you have for God to change the lives of others, even when you feel like you don't have much to offer, you are still pastors to those students, co-workers, friends, neighbors, (enter your own group of people here), and God can use you in mighty ways if you'll just say "God, I'm IN because Love Wins".

Change is Coming . . .

Well, I'm stealing part of the theme from our 3DYC Conference coming up to describe my blog. Yes, I know many of you have been so anxiously awaiting a blog post from me and I promise more is coming (disregard my previous promises for this, I failed with those but will achieve triumph in this area shortly).

Many people who use Firefox have told me that they weren't able to see my posts because of some glitch and I've spent a lot of time trying to find a template that I like that isn't just a basic one on blogger. For the time being I will settle with this one but I am trying to change up my blogspot to reflect more of me.

Intro some new videos that you'll find on the sidebar. I have a lot of things to update those who are my faithful blog readers about (all 2 of you). Lots have happened over the last few months, Rose and I have been in and out of the area. Until I'm able to update you more with a new post later this evening, enjoy one of my favorite bands on the sidebar - 12 Stones with the song "The Way I Feel" from their first album. If you haven't listened to them before, check them out!