December 2014 Newsletter

Us together at Carolina Point summer
camp with our high school students.

With the holiday season upon us, many find themselves reflecting as the current year comes to a close. For me, Amy, this year has been one of a lot of changes. Never in my wildest dream, did I think I would be living in Southeast Georgia, married to a man doing youth ministry with military teens.  Sometimes during our time of reflection, we often wonder, “How did I end up here?”

Initially, I felt completely unprepared for this mission to serve military teens and their families. I wasn’t quite sure how things would unfold, if I would fit in, or if the students would even like me---which I am learning, are all very similar feelings of these military students we work with. As I began to reflect, I have seen the hand of God woven throughout my life experience, preparing me all along the way for this mission.

I grew up in a very missions-minded church. Not only did we support missionaries all over the globe, but also many families within our congregation were either away serving in the field or had at one time. Annually, we had a missionary fair that allowed the missionaries we supported to come and provide updates and share all that was happening where they were serving. I always enjoyed helping out with the event and soaking up all the exciting stories of the far away lands and the work that God was doing through our missionaries and the people they were serving. Not only was my church one that was very missions-minded, it was also comprised of many military families from neighboring Fort Leavenworth. It wasn’t uncommon for the military families to get connected, only to just disappear a few years later due to orders they had received to move to another installation.

Phillip and I together after Melissa's
baptism last month at Chapel Next.

A snapshot of us during the 2014
staff conference.

Given my upbringing, it was only natural for me to develop a servant’s heart and a desire to help others. As a high school student, I went on a mission trip, and did all that I could to serve those in my own backyard that were in need. As I began to think about a career path, whatever I ended up doing, I knew it would involve serving others in some way.

Phillip and I on the golf course
during our outing at the 2014
Club Beyond Staff Conference.

After college, I found myself still searching for my purpose for my life’s calling. I pursued a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, where I also felt compelled to serve military families through the lens of mental health. It was shortly after I began my graduate work that I remembered the “crazy guy” that had attended my life group the year before trying to raise financial support to work with military teens. I had the opportunity to connect with Phil while he was on a visit back to our church in KC in December 2012. Just like the exciting stories from faraway lands I enjoyed hearing as a child at my church’s missions fairs, I was so intrigued to hear Phil share about the work God was doing through him in Georgia, as well as share my new-found passion to serve military families. We could have talked for hours, but life had to move forward for both of us. Neither of us ever imagined that our paths would ever cross again, but once again, God’s hand was busy at work, preparing us for the journey we are now on together.

As I sit and reflect about how I have ended up here, I think about athletes. Whether football players or marathon runners, it takes a lot of training and practice for them before they can take the field or enter the race. I feel that my life up to this point has been a lot of training and practice, sitting on the sidelines observing the game. Now, I find myself taking the field, in the middle of all of the action, serving alongside my husband as we serve military students. My journey hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but I am forever grateful for all of my life’s experiences that have helped pave the way and prepare me to travel this current road. As I reflect, I am grateful for my Christian upbringing; for all of the missionaries that poured into my life, and for all the service members of the United States Military that sacrifice so much for this country. I am grateful for all of you that have chosen to partner alongside us in this mission, whether through prayer or financial support. As this year comes to a close, I encourage you to reflect on your life and how the hand of God has been woven throughout your story. I am excited to see what God has in store in the upcoming year as He continues to use us as His vessels through Club Beyond.

Phillip and I at the 2014 Club Beyond Staff Conference in
Panama City Beach, Florida.

If you are already currently partnering with us through prayer or financial support, we thank you for your gifts that keep the mission to reach military teens alive. If you have yet to join our team, we ask that you prayerfully consider joining us in whatever capacity you are able. One-time gifts are just as vital as ongoing monthly support.

Merry Christmas from Phil and I to each of your families! 

November 2014 Newsletter

Amy and I had the wonderful opportunity to get back to the Midwest and spend some great time with so many friends, family and loved ones. Stops along the way in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Tennessee allowed us to draw from God’s wellspring of love and care. We enjoyed wedding celebrations with awesome people in Omaha and Kansas City and a rivalry football game in Lawrence, Kansas on a sunny afternoon with family and dear friends. We also had dinner with a wonderful mentor couple, Tom and Lynn, who poured more life into us than what we ever imagined. Sometimes God will take us away from our routine and our own chaos to see what really matters the most. Time with others mattered to us and got us to thinking about what to do in the time when we got back home. This got me to thinking about the next comment I’m about to make.

Amy and I with our dear friend, Toni,
at the KU/OSU game.

Rick (old boss) and I during the recent visit
in Kansas City, a true blessing!

Amy and I with my family back in Iowa during our Midwest visit.

Normally when I cross paths with someone who asks how things are going with the ministry at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, things usually trend toward the weekly attendance at Club. Sure it is exciting to share what is going on at both of our locations with our teenagers and the uprising in attendance. It’s a wonderful thing, but it’s not the only thing.

In the recent weeks, Amy and I have spent some great moments together visiting our kids in special moments where they shine in their passions and strengths. One evening was in Savannah watching a couple of our Hunter middle school girls, Clairah and Alyssa, participate in their first volleyball scrimmage for their school. Their sports teams are in the developing stages and this was a monumental event to see how far the kids have grown in their abilities and we got to share in that moment!

Clairah (far right) with her friend and Alyssa next to me after their volleyball scrimmage! 

Amy and I with Alysia and Austin
at the Long County Football Game
....which was COLD! :) 

Another shared event was where we decided to pick up Austin and Alysia from Fort Stewart Club to hang out with them as we watched a mutual student compete in the color guard for their football halftime show. This young lady attended camp with us and has a heart of gold. She’s passionate about life and has poured herself into this new talent and for us to see her in action was such a moment for Shelby.

Shelby and I after her halftime
performance for the flag corps.

Bradwell Institute's band during a bitter
COLD day'scompetition!

Ethan with us after his team's game.

It isn’t enough that we know our kids are involved in specific activities, but when we get to physically see them doing it, that is where the sparks fly for our teens. This is certain for quite a few of our local high school band members who shared with us about their band competition right before state kicks off for them. Amy and I not only made it up to see them in the blustery cold wind – yes it was THAT cold in southeast Georgia that afternoon, but we also made it up earlier in the morning to watch one of our Hunter youths play in one of his final soccer tournaments in the Savannah area.

Recently, Desiree (name changed for privacy), a girl from Hunter followed up with me after she shared she had been struggling at home with life changes and all. It wasn’t enough that it blew me away a 7^th grade teen wanted to grab my ear to visit about some deeper things, but this young lady admitted where her physical anger was getting the best of her and how it might be bad for her to be thinking that way.

Our dear friends, Tony and Michelle.

The daily grind of full-time ministry can sometimes be exhaustive. We have been praying earnestly for a mutual couple for God to put into our path and grow relationally and spiritually as we work with our teens. As of late, Amy and I had the wonderful moment to sit down and have dinner with an amazing couple, Tony and Michelle, who lives locally in Hinesville and does youth ministry at their church in town. Interestingly enough, this couple also understands the value of relational ministry. Tony once commented to me after the guys marathon day and said that he knew we ‘got it’ in relational ministry to teens. It was a breath of fresh air to sit down with them over a meal. Before we knew it, we’d been visiting about life, ministry and whatever else for three hours!   

It is true that our weekly efforts matter because they lay the foundation for us to be able to be readily available to hear when our kids want us to plug into their activities or lives when we’re trusted. Please join us in praying as our leaders spend time outside of the weekly ministry routine and that our hearts and ears are open when these teens desire for us to live life with them.

Thank you for being part of our life. Life on life matters, especially to these teens. 

October 2014 Newsletter

Gorgeous weather allowed for the group to grow ten-fold!

Oftentimes we can get tunnel vision in the ministry and mission and forget some of the most important moments of what God is accomplishing right in front of our eyes. Recently my wife, Amy, shared with me how this ministry’s pace is crazy and feels like each week evaporates so quickly and soon we are looking upon another week of ministry before we know it. Slowing down for all of us is crucially important as we celebrate what God is doing and share those pivotal times with others. Celebrate with me all that God is doing at Hunter Army Airfield!

A rowdy crew together one evening!

CLUB

Playing charades with the girls! 

Playing charades with the guys!

Kings of the calendar!

Over the last 7 weeks, we’ve seen unreal growth at Hunter. A record group of 41 kids showed up and rocked the doors of our location playing football, ninja, video games on the TVs and air hockey. Friends were bringing other friends and their friends were bringing other friends and the exponential ministry plan was working. The choice to move our meeting place to a location where we had a giant field across the street for our youth to gather and play before Club has been a ten-fold blessing. It blows our minds to see kids continually showing up, whether being dropped off or walking from their neighborhoods and they keep coming and coming! The best part about it is that our kids are bringing their friends who haven’t been before to experience the energy going on each week which continues to build.

BIBLE STUDY

A shot of one of our largest groups, 41!!!

We’re seeing record groups showing up 45 minutes ahead of Club to have a Bible study about the week’s prior ‘talk’ and go deeper in the Scriptures. There were twenty-six in our first week alone of having our study! The youth continue to show up for the study in the recent weeks where 14 and 20 have been ready to hear what God’s Word says to them. So many of our youth this year haven’t heard God’s stories in the Bible and they are truly hungry for His Truth and how it can apply to their lives.

GUYS MARATHON DAY

Looking back at the past two Guys Marathon Days we’ve hosted at Hunter, we’ve had a group of guys which was vibrant and intimate – each group being 5 to 6 boys. This year was unexplainable in what happened. We had nineteen boys show up for a day filled with flag football, hotdogs at lunch, ultimate Frisbee, ultimate football, their own 1lb+ steaks at the end of the day and watching the movie God’s Not Dead together. Adding amazement to the day included four additional leaders to help out with the number of students we hosted in the ongoing fellowship and competition together which everyone loved!

The crew together before heading to play flag football!

Heading out to play some games!

Grilling time!

The steak! 

Getting instruction for flag football!

LEADERSHIP TEAM

If that’s not enough to brag upon what’s happening at Hunter, we are seeing our adult assistance and leadership team grow. We’ve had 2-3 new leadership team members join  us knowing that we’ll need the extra support and care for these teens as we reach more and more regularly. It overwhelms me personally with joy and peace to see God’s mighty hand all over this location.

Many people who visit the ministry and mission here at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield can’t physically imagine how we can provide ministry 45 miles apart. I continually share with them it’s because God’s called us and we’re NOT going to give up hope for what He has in store for us. Often I have shared with Chaplains, parents, students and anyone else, “God’s onto something here.”

Amy and I are honored and humbled by your ongoing support as we seek God’s plans to reach our youth at Hunter Army Airfield with persistence, patience, obedience and perseverance. 

September 2014 Newsletter

Each of us within the leadership team must ‘win the students’ right to be heard’ when working alongside them. It’s all part of the way each of our leaders can truly show empathy, care and God’s love to these teens no matter where they are coming from when we hang out with them.  I shared with our leadership team over a recent weekend retreat which allowed all of us to understand the ‘how and why’ of what we do to reach our military teens on Fort Stewart and Hunter. It brings us back to a reality that our students don’t want to be preached at but want to be cared about and loved. Our team spent time sharing their personal stories, dreams, fears and everything in between – just as we ask our teens to do. The bridge started to form between us. Life was shared and modeled throughout our time together.

This is a snapshot of our newest couple
Jacob and Sara. 

Just as our students and families move often in and out of our locations, our leadership team will go through continual change. We are fortunate enough if we have a leader continue with us 2-3 years since life does come at them hard and most of them are soldiers themselves and are always busy with the tempo of the military life. Meet our newest leadership team additions, Jacob and Sara. These two were introduced to us while we were attending our summer camp for middle school students in June. Sara was on staff with the camp and Jacob came out during the week to help and see how things were going. There was something awesomely different about them. Their open hearts to love kids was refreshing. Soon after meeting them at camp, God opened doors in dialogue between us to share the Club ministry mission and how they were connected to the military. It didn’t take long for the both of them to come alongside us and check out the ministry and fall in love with the kids there. Their love for teens in general is infectious. One of our teens who was impacted through camp that has been specifically cared for by Sara was baptized soon after attending camp. Sara and Jacob are also taking some of our students to church with them every week because they don’t have a ride.

Here's a snapshot of Vern and Mary Miranda.

Another recent addition to our team comes from a long-time standing experience with Club Beyond overseas in Europe. The history behind his involvement includes marrying the associate staff with Club Beyond as he was stationed there! I had the pleasure of getting to know Vern as his wife, Mary, found out his next duty station would have Club Beyond. We got together over a meal to share stories together. Vern’s heart and transparency about where he is personally with his own faith walk and his passion for teens is phenomenal. Personally, I am thrilled to have him on the team as a ‘sage’ who has seen ministry done in other places and has been involved in ministry with youth for a long time.

The leadership team together as we are learning and educating one
another in reaching our teens for God's mission this year. 

As I reflected what I learned at a recent training for Youth for Christ, we are in a season which is ‘anew.’ We begin with new vision, new students, new leaders and a new calling to reach our military teens, wherever they might be. Specifically in the past year, it has been brought to my attention via the reactions of our teens that they wonder if they’re even worthy of this love of God whom we speak. They wonder if they’re worthy of any praises or care. Life pulls them down and if that’s not enough, the military life adds to the struggle.

A photograph of Walter (left) and Zac (right)
as they compete in a 'warhead' challenge
during our recent leadership retreat.

That being said, our leadership team is headed into a season leaning into what Jesus has shown us in the lives of our students who have shared life with us and have been amazingly transparent. 

Pray as we show them God’s love in His Word in the series throughout the school year called “Love Undeserved.” We’ll shepherd them through the Old and New Testament stories of where He has shown His love in His people and through situations that seem totally unlovable. Pray that our new and returning leadership team members truly do “earn the right to be heard” with our teens this year and share with them this love God has for them, no matter the circumstance.

Honored and humbled to be on mission,

Phil & Amy Parsons 

August 2014 Newsletter

We’ve ramped up for all school year long for this and it’s here – high school summer camp at Carolina Point! Max capacity of 26 students, 5 adults and 3 Project Serve college youth blew away any expectation we had in the fall when we began sharing the vision of camp. When the final list of attendees was compiled it was apparent that God had the right group going with us and He was going to show up, big time!

The whole Fort Stewart/Hunter crew after our battle during
the Hunger Games competition.

As soon as we stepped off the vans, electricity ran through our veins. The staff’s awesome welcome along with the opportunity for free time around the camp was perfect for our students. From being launched off the blob in the lake to chilling out by the newly built pool, our kids got comfortable quickly. Before all of us knew it, we were finding ourselves dressed in dark clothing in our cabin teams ready to accomplish the feat of the police obstacle course. Mud, gunk, epic fire hose being shot at us and keeping their fearless adult cabin leader clean were part of the overall plan. Teamwork. Camaraderie. Family. Another moment in the week we found ourselves all dressed to impress in our cabin competition outfits – Army cammo gear . It was epic to see from afar. There was no misplacing our group of teens who came together and were competing against other teams with one another.

Our group atop the mountain after the hike,
with the Carolinas and Georgia as backdrop.

Looking back in the past 6 months, we've seen unsurmountable explosion on the scene of our youth who need Christ the most. We've seen students throughout the past half year who have an understanding of Christ and God, but camp brought to light those youth we had no idea in their belief system. One was Kyle. We knew his home life wasn't the greatest just by his interactions at Club and honestly, he was a good kid from the outside,  typically cheerful and open to talk and catch up often when he came to Club.

Kyle with our guys during worship time.

Camp pushed Kyle outside of himself and apparently his belief system. He shared with us that he was more of a scientific guy and not into the whole "God thing" life we all lived. One evening soon during Club time at camp while we were worshipping, Kyle headed out of the room and I was outside right there with him checking if he was alright. He stood there exclaiming to me, "I just can't do it.....I see how you all worship and I can't do it. I don't understand how you all can do it. It's great, but I can't sit in there anymore." As he calmed down, we walked back into the Club room and heard the Club talk.

Kyle with his cabin group after the first night of an
awesome police obstacle course. 

 God moved again within him as we walked back to the cabins together. Kyle shared some of his darkest secrets with me and how he felt like he wasn't going to have a home when he got home, specifically jail time for his previous actions before camp. Then he excitedly told me, "I want to have what you all have....I WANT TO BELIEVE." Rather than push hard, I shared how he needed to share things with his cabin mates and leader and that I was there for him. I also shared with him how God was meeting him right where he was in his own mess at camp. No judgment, nothing. Thankfully Kyle got to meet with the Creator of our universe at camp, all because we didn't give up on his 'awkward' actions and lifestyle. Prayerfully I hope we get more opportunities to check in with him and walk alongside him as Christ did with His disciples long ago. This IS what it's about. In the trenches, living life, discerning what God has for all of us one step at a time. 

If that wasn’t enough, we had numerous breakthroughs with many gals and guys in the week of camp in North Carolina. God brought the harvest of those students who needed to unplug from the normal military life and expectations and get with Him and His people. Our teens’ ability to become more vulnerable in their own lives became evident as we went through the camp ropes course together. They started to experience God’s mercy, love and kindness through His creation and the people around them.

Our group of awesome young men on the formal dinner night:
truly a 'band of brothers.'

We at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield ask each of you to continue to pray for all of our students who attended Carolina Point with us this summer. Pray for the students’ hearts as they opened up to the Creator of our amazing lives and universe – that they seek more of Him in the coming school year. I personally ask each of you to pray for our upcoming launch back into the regular school year of ministry. Please pray that we follow what God wants, not what we want for our teens. Pray we discern and educate our leadership in the manner that honors God and aligns all of our hearts toward serving these amazing teens in the upcoming year.

Graciously humbled to serve each day,

Phil & Amy 

July 2014 Newsletter

Amy and I on Jekyll Island
in July 2013 right after I
popped the question.
An incredible night! 

What a difference a year makes, especially engulfed by ongoing military youth ministry! A year ago I was out on Jekyll Island with 4 of my students spending time with the wonderful lady I had been courting over the past few months. We were there for the great fireworks show on the island and I had more in store – the big proposal. Amy and I became engaged that evening and looked ahead at a year of  of 1,060 miles apart until she moved to Southeast Georgia when finishing her school career in Kansas. Before her departure back to the MidWest, I arranged for our engagement photos to be taken the following day with a dear friend of ours – which they looked magnificent!

Now here we are and we have just finished our nuptials and honeymoon exactly one year from our engagement date. We married on the 4^th of July at Jekyll Island at sunset which was exactly each of our dreams before we met. It was perfect since we were casually dressed and barefoot. Waves were crashing on the shore in the background as we listened to our dear friend and pastor give the invocation to the wedding. Intimate and small was exactly what we hoped to accomplish with the small amount of people at the wedding to include my mother, her parents, my best man and her matron of honor and husband and finally our pastor from our church back in Kansas City.

Amy and I walking along the beach after our wedding ceremony.

A wonderfully captured moment of our wedding party
together for our rehearsal dinner. 

Amy and I as we arrived to our amazing cabin nestled in the Smoky
Mountains for our honeymoon.

Amy’s way of thinking blasts conventional norms, something God is changing in my own life via her heart. Rather than enjoy time in a place running around just doing, doing, doing, we chose the different option and nestled into an awesome cabin in the Smoky Mountains. It was perfect for us. It was far enough away from the busyness of the tourist cities most find, but within distance if we wanted to go check something out. Bringing more of a connected mentality to our trip included groceries and preparing meals together for a majority of our trip. When we wanted to check out interesting places and not worry about lunch, it allowed us to pack a lunch and eat on the go. Some of the things we enjoyed together were hiking  to Laurel Falls; seeing a mother bear and her three cubs; driving and  seeing Cades Cove;  some of the local fare in the town we stayed; fishing in our own private pond at the bottom of the hill where Amy caught a beautiful bass on our last night; watching movies in the evening together in our comfortable cabin, and rafting class-3 and 4 rapids on the Pigeon Forge River We daily did devotions together with our morning coffee. We saw some beautiful deer eating right as we walked by them. We also played 18 holes of putt-putt together. We lived our lives together.

Our youth desire the same thing when we spend time with them. They don’t need the ‘latest and greatest’ thing or freebie we’ll throw at them for coming to hang out. They just want time with people who care about them and want to get to know them. Summer Club has been perfect for us.  We planned two summer camps and our wedding in between them. It’s been a time where we invite our youth to come chill and hang out with us. They can play a game indoors with a leader, whether cards, Jenga or foosball, or they could join in on a rigorous game of ultimate Frisbee or football.

Ezra as he is geared up to throw in a ball for a high-energy
game of soccer.

Ezra is one of those students. He’s a recently graduated senior and has really desired to hang out more and more when our leaders do things outside of Club. He’s going to stay local and get his Associate’s Degree at the community college and that’s all God’s plans. God will keep him in our fray a bit longer potentially. He is a leader in his own regard but desires to be a kid at heart. He plays hard, but is dedicated even more to those he loves.

If the past year is indicative to our journey together, we’ve been battle tested for life with one another, that’s for sure. We’ve already weathered storms with my dad’s health issues while at summer camp and then his sudden passing away in January along with Amy’s unforeseen departure from her school program and realignment to God’s call on her heart.

Prayer Requests: 

                - For our marriage and God’s hand over it in the early stages.
                - For Ezra and 24 more high school students and 5 leaders going to summer camp at the end of                     July to North Carolina.
                - For our upcoming contract renewal, that God’s plan stays on course for us to stay in Georgia. 

June 2014 Newsletter

Ethan showing off his first-ever fish he'd caught,
a prize-winner for sure! 

Eric showing off also as he caught his first fish
while at summer camp!

Just imagine a group of 21 military teens attending their first-ever Club Beyond summer camp as a ‘joint event’ between Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield for six days and five nights, secluded on the marshes of Midway, Georgia. Up until this point, we seldom had opportunities to combine our efforts between our students because of the limitation of transportation and timing. While brainstorming after completing our 2013 summer camp,  I felt led to provide our middle school kids an opportunity to attend a real summer camp. A combined summer camp opportunity came to fruition after a friend of one of our leaders shared about a local camp only about 30 minutes from both of our ministry sites, plus wonderfully located on the marsh waterfront. The best part was the initial visit for me personally and how rustic the camp was along with the key points they drove home – fully unplugged from all media sources, amazing game times together, multiple times in the chapel throughout the day with lessons and a way to honor one another with modesty.

Our ladies who immediately enjoyed
meeting their friends from the other
Club Beyond location.

 Personally I wondered how our students from different locations would acclimate with being around one another since they hadn’t been before. This was another piece of God’s overall plan. Our kids found comfort in their companions from the other installation location. Friendships started to come together ever so quickly via hanging out on the playground equipment, competition in team games or sharing conversation with one another in cabin time each evening. Life together was being celebrated fully.

Our group of guys who blended so well together
from Fort Stewart and Hunter.

Our students experiences so many firsts in attending summer camp – riding a horse, catching a fish, using a kayak, walking across a rope bridge, learning to swim along with multiple team competitions. One of the biggest God-centered moments was how our kids began to embrace the overall culture of camp and memorize the Scriptures that were part of the overall team challenge. The camp’s direction was focused in Romans and students were challenged each day to memorize their verses and a ‘primary verse’ to earn points for their team. Many of our own kids carried around scriptures on paper ready to learn and memorize them to earn points for their team’s possibility of earning the pizza party at the end of the week. Not only memorizing but truly understanding what the Scripture means was included in their awarding of points which made things even a bigger blessing! If you recall one of our Hunter youth in the May newsletter, Kyle was actively one of those students memorizing Romans so his team could win! J

If the experiences and memories made within our student body wasn’t enough, working alongside such an amazing staff put icing on the cake! I had the amazing opportunity to work with such a servant-minded and humble amount of adults I’ve never experienced before. I was the new kid on the block who had 20+ students coming to their camp. It could have been seen as a negative; however, everyone embraced us as immediate family. To that alone, I am ever so grateful for everyone’s open hearts to accept the group we brought to camp that week.

Camp was one of those ‘mountaintop experiences,’ and as each one of our students come back to their homes, they will be faced with challenges. Stresses of the home life, military changes and culture, sibling rivalries, pending divorce and ongoing fighting and anything else in between await our youth when they left camp. “Mr. Phil, can’t camp last all summer…….at least a month long,” was the routine question from over half of our youth as we finished the week at camp. Our military teens long for true relationship and people who care for them which they experienced fully this week at summer camp in Midway, Georgia. I thank God daily for opening doors to allow us to attend this camp that affected not only their lives but my own in a great way. It was because the camp lived throughout the week that we were ‘unashamed of the Gospel’ as Paul stated to the Romans.

A snapshot of our wonderful group together on the final day of summer camp.

Every one of us was unashamed in living it out that week. Pray for each of us that fire burns strong through the summer and beyond.

Prayer requests:

- For the teens who attended summer camp that they press into Christ’s plan even more, no matter where they stand now.
- My upcoming marriage to Amy on the 4th of July and all the happenings around it. That we serve Christ in everything we do.
- For MarshView Bible Camp and all the teens impacted by their amazing location and staff. 

May 2014 Newsletter

Speaking into Kadence's life (wearing black hat)
as he is moving in the next few weeks to Virginia.

Typically when students roll into the month of May they are jovial with the thoughts of summer around the corner with school no longer in session and plenty of fun and commotion together during their free time. Military teens have a different take on the summer. This time of year usually is the peak of the moving season for our families therefore cleaning up housing, packing, leaving great relationships and trying to find new friends, researching a new home and school for the family along with many other details currently occupy many students’ minds. A shocking fact within our community exists that the average number of moves for our students typically is four and much more if they are in their later years of high school.

A glimpse of our phenomenally huge crew of
high school students on their last Club night of
the semester together where we are their 'refuge'
each week!

Seniors love this time of year because it’s the culmination of all of their hard work and efforts for the past 12+ years of schooling. Perhaps it is different for our military high school seniors because they have finally found roots and a community they can identify and therefore this moment is quite bittersweet for them. They get to graduate with people they have spent more time with and their identity hasn’t had to change for some time. Their next steps are easier to see because they are settled into a home state or location and their college might be within a drive to reach. Still, the end of school shines yet another farewell moment they have made before.

In talking with one of my mentors who have shared moments with me in person or on the phone, we got to discuss the ‘why’ our kids keep showing up to Club. Bottom line – what gives?!?! There was one word that resonated with us more than anything else. Club provides our military teens something no other place does – a REFUGE from the normal life with no judgment but total inclusion of who they truly are in their own world. They don’t have to have the military life figured out. They don’t have to be the latest and greatest at everything they do. They just come and are KNOWN. When they walk up to us while outdoors, they’re celebrated, cheered on, high-fived, hugged or called out in anticipation of their arrival. They MATTER here.

The middle school crew praying over students who are
leaving our family this summer.

It all brings us to how we show our youth the impact of leaving with a legacy. In a straw poll I did on our final Clubs of the semester, I asked our students how many of them would just pick up sticks and move on without saying much of anything to people they left behind. An astounding 90% or more raised their hands. They’d never been taught how to care for one another or even show how someone has made a difference in their lives before they leave to another place. Therefore, we showed them how it was done. The last week of Club we spoke into our students’ lives who were preparing to move to another military location sharing with them (one at a time) what we loved about them and how they brought their own ‘flavor’ to the Club family. We took intentional moments to pray over the youth who are moving along with our outgoing high school seniors. Tears were shed and truly deep and honest prayers were shared in the room when our students were allowed to voice their hearts.

My moment to show my great thanks to Chaplain LTC
Greg Walker and his wife Roxanne for all they have done
supporting us as they head to Fort Bragg, NC. 

We’re winding down here as we usually do each school year so our leadership team can rest and all of us can plug into graduation ceremonies, award banquets and farewells for our students and their families. Interestingly enough, I glanced back at a year ago where God had the ministry headed and it was unreal with what has happened over the last 12 months. In May of 2013, we had our biggest crew of 50 youth (combined) and we finished the 2013-14 school year early this month with record groups at Fort Stewart and Hunter. The middle school group was 29 and high school group was 47 at Fort Stewart and our Hunter group blasted off at a recent game night with 27 students! What a culmination of a school year where God brought the harvest!

So many thanks to each of you as we take these moments of rest before summer begins,

Prayer requests:

·         Our partnership with the housing authority blossoming through the summer.

·         For new leadership to come into the fray as other leaders move and depart.

·         My upcoming wedding in July to Amy and the pieces come together smoothly.

·         For our teens attending middle and high school camps in June and July. 

April 2014 Newsletter

When a family moves (PCS-Permanent Change of Station) to the Third Infantry Division, there’s a stigma that follows the move to this southeastern Army installation. Our location has been quoted as the Army’s leader in suicides, DUIs, divorce and deployments for soldiers and their families. The pace of life here is unfathomable and hard to explain except that many call it the “Marne Express,” either you ride the train or the train will run over you. I can’t agree more that the tempo of this location is surreal; continual field training exercises away from families, training exercises for 30-60 days away from Georgia across the country, deployment schedules to war and anything in between that keeps the soldiers busy with the ‘battle rhythm.’

Kyle (black t-shirt with green popsicle) cooling off from
the long day of competition in the neighborhood.

Let me first introduce you to Kyle (name changed for privacy). He is the classic rugged, athletic and rowdy middle school boy who also is a big bully on his bus, the playground in the neighborhood and in his school. He’s a huge trouble maker and runs with the group of kids that most parents try to keep their kids from hanging out with them. I first was introduced to Kyle when Club threw together a neighborhood outreach event at Hunter last summer with flag football and kickball, and we fed all the kids tons of hotdogs – and what kid doesn’t like free food!?! That day, I got to experience who Kyle was in his own surroundings. Kyle competes hard. He loves to bend, more like break, all the rules whenever possible. He wins at all costs, no matter the situation.

Kyle (green t-shirt) plahying a game of wax
museum one evening at Hunter Club.

A week ago, I was finishing putting the final touches on prep work before our students at Hunter started showing up to Club that night. To my surprise, I noticed Kyle walking toward the parking lot – 45 minutes before Club began. This wasn’t the first time Kyle has shown up considerably early, so I pressed into what God had in store for his hanging out ahead of time. Most people see Kyle as the bully and troublemaker all the time in his daily life, but I get to see something deeper, something about his own story. Recently he shared with me how his folks are going through a divorce and all the while his father is deployed to war overseas, fighting for our country.  One of the things I noticed about Kyle lately was all the new stuff he’d been bringing or wearing to Club. This evening was no different. Kyle had a set of headphones on his head, easily worth $300 or more and a ‘backup pair’ in his bag he carried worth another $200. We got to talking about where things were in his life and I asked him how he was handling things with his parents pending divorce. “I’m doing alright,” he stated, “but my sister, I’m not sure she’s handling it so well.” In that moment I shared with him about my divorce and how the pain really hurt badly and stated that it is alright to be honest when things are not going alright around home. Finally, I asked him why he comes so early to Club. “I like to come early and hang out,” he unashamedly stated to me.

Another student who is shining star to our continually-growing Hunter group of youth is a bright-eyed 6^th grade girl named Cloe (name changed for privacy). Every time Cloe shows up, she runs to me and gives me a huge hug,  smiling ear to ear, ready to share what she’s been doing lately. Cloe is yet another youth (among many) who chose to walk to Hunter Club every week. She’s a die-hard for the group and loves to participate in any game we provide throughout the night.

Cloe (front sticking her tongue out) with one of the biggest groups
of teens we've seen at Hunter ever. 

It was on an evening when I noticed her overall posture and demeanor were different than any other time I’d experienced. Cloe was more withdrawn and her mood wasn’t the best. I took a moment to ask her what was up and she replied “Mr. Phil, my parents are getting a divorce and my dad tells me it’s all my fault.” Soon tears were flowing.  She was broken from all the pressure on her shoulders with what her parents were going through, let alone her own feelings with all of this. In that moment I shared with her how our own parents will sometimes say things the wrong way, but they still want the best for us. I was able to share with her it was not her fault and that she is cared for and loved by God, even in this tumultuous time. Not too long after our dialogue with one another, I continued to check in with Cloe about the situation and show care to her. Some weeks she would be better and sometimes she’d be downtrodden. No matter the case, she still came to Club – the place where she knew she was being heard when nobody at home would listen.

Life in the military is tough for adults, but even tougher for our military teens as Kyle and Cloe have uncovered for me personally at Hunter Army Airfield. Both of these amazing teens come to Club knowing they are loved and cared for each week regardless of what baggage hangs on their shoulders. They come to a place they see as a refuge away from their home, school and daily lives. As we celebrate nationally the “month of the military child,” please join us in prayer especially as we reach so many military teens that need to experience God’s love not only spoken, but LIVED to them.