I always hate starting out a post this way, but I just feel the need to apologize for not writing more. I wish I could give you guys a good excuse why I haven't blogged in a while. I wish I could tell you that I was climbing a mountain or that I was writing the foreword to Francis Chan's new book coming out on Hell. Unfortunately I can't tell you anything like that...all I can say is that haven't made time to blog. Before you start throwing erroneous things out like, "Charlie has blogged because he doesn't care about us" or "Charlie must be backsliding in his faith, so he hasn't written anything," let me update you on my life!
I am moved into my new apartment even though there are still boxes kind of scattered throughout my bedroom. I am in charge of our jr. high program this summer called LIFT Remix. I got a haircut about 2 weeks ago. I just got done drinking a Sprite, and I gelled my hair this morning. I'm a busy guy. I tell you all of this just to say, "I'm sorry for not making time for you, blog nation."
But on a serious note, this week as been a really good week. I've got a lot accomplished for LIFT Remix, and I was able to hang out with students two days this week. For some reason, anytime I get to hang out with students it re-energizes me. I just love doing life with students. Recently I started meeting with 3 Jr. High boys once a week. We hang out and have fun, but it is also a time for me to be able to pour into these guys. What is really cool is that I am already seeing results! The 3 guys I've been able to hang out with have great potential for leadership, and we have been talking about what it means to be a leader. Well last week at Remix, one of the guys really stepped up and was leading his group during a time where other groups were just goofing off. Now to you that might sound normal, but this kid is usually the student who is goofing off the most. It was really neat to see that my time with them is already paying off, but I can't take the credit. God is moving in their lives, and he is allowing me to help.
Another thing that I was really encouraged by this week was an encounter I had with an older lady named Helen in a hospital. This week we had 4 staff members out of the office on vacation and 3 of them are ministers that make hospital visits, so when this lady needed someone to come pray with her there was no one available...except me. I have never made a hospital call before, so I was pretty nervous. When I got to the hospital, I nervously walked down the hall to her room and knocked on her door. She quietly said, "Come in," still tired from her surgery that morning. I walked in and introduced myself and asked how she was doing. We ended up talking for about 15 minutes, and she told me about her life how her surgery went. As I grabbed her hand to pray with her she said, "Oh...you have nice warm hands." Then she smiled and prayed for her.
I usually hate going to hospitals because it always reminds me of my grandpa, but this time I was smiling as I left. It was so encouraging to be able to just sit and talk with Helen. I hope something has happened to you guys this week that has reminded you of how much God cares for you and how involved He is today. Love you guys!
