The Year of Unending Stirring

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones! We're only a few days away from #aliveagain 2012 and God is moving all around in a way like never before. 

I had a rough ending to 2011 when I was notified on Friday (December 30) that our site for our Winter Retreat (January 6) had double booked us and would not be able to provide the experience we'd previously had or signed up for. I was sick to my stomach. In my head I went round and round after phone call upon phone call was made, conversation after conversation was had, thought after thought was voiced, trying to come up with the best "what do we do now" scenario. 

Well, we prayed and my wife on Saturday morning urged me to try and contact the camp we spent our 2011 Winter Retreat at (Be the Change). I assured her that no camp anywhere in the world would be able to accomodate a group on less than a week's notice. But my wife is much smarter than I am and often more faith filled and so I contacted my friend Denise at Miracle Camp and Retreat Center via email with a subject of "URGENT." Shortly after, Denise called me on her cell phone to say "through cancellations and last minute decisions to make other plans, we have availability next weekend and we'd love to have you here." 

And now only 3 days away the excitement and anticipation has heightened greatly because I realize God is in control and will exert His glorious power in ways that we don't expect just so we know not only who's in charge but how much He loves us and How great His plans are for us. 

I'm currently sitting in my office. I was directed to a video on Vimeo that is a brief 10 year recap of the Desperation Movement. I then pulled up my iTunes to find the latest podcast from Elevation Church which was a video of Pastor Steven Furtick and Wade Joye talking about 2011 at their church. As I watch these things, my heart is stirring and I am so ready for God to move in a mighty way in my life and in the life of our youth ministry. 

I want 2012 to be the year in my life of unending stirring. I want to feel like I'm on the edge of my seat, anticipating what my Father in Heaven is going to do next all the time. I want to always be ready to move. I want to always be on my knees asking for more. I want every selfish desire that I have to all mainstream focus on one prayer: I want more of You God. 

2012 is going to be the year I remember for the rest of my life. 

///Bryan Ball, Student Ministries Director///