I am currently sitting at our church in Canton, Michigan at 4:30 am. As a youth ministry, we are sponsoring a church wide prayer emphasis for a solid week, 24 hours a day. Most people who have been involved in the local church on any level know that prayer related gatherings are the most difficult to get people to show up for. In fact, it's why many churches shy away from these kinds of things.

But I sit here this morning, alone at our church at 4:30 am refusing to be discouraged because it's not my opinion that this is hard. Jesus made it clear that this would be hard! And because I know that this is supposed to be difficult, I will not be surprised when the Enemy attempts to tell me to give up. Rather, I will say "it wasn't easy for Jesus and I am so much less than He is and therefore, this is not going to be easy for me."

When we remove our opinion and begin to live in obedience to the truths of Scripture, our lives are completely transformed. Following Jesus is most certainly not easy. Pursuing a deeper relationship with Him is even harder. Living with a constant hunger for justice, holiness, righteousness and a thirst for HIs Word...it's not going to be easy. But if I commit to live in obedience, my opinion is removed and all of a sudden what was once "not easy" is now a way of life.

A friend of mine emailed me this quote on the eve of this prayer week and it puts it all into perspective. It says, "One can desire revival, talk about revival, expect revival, but not until the Church prays can one experience a divine move of the Holy Ghost."

My opinion means nothing. I choose obedience.

///Bryan, Student Ministries Director///

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///

One of my favorite verses of scripture comes from the Gospel account of Matthew where Jesus says this to His disciples: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24 (NIV)

Do you follow Jesus? Or do you walk side by side? Following means He leads and you are ok with being covered in the dust that kicks up off of His sandals as you walk closely behind. Walking side by side implicates a sense of independency that can lead to a dangerous perception of Jesus as a support system.

Is it semantics? Is it over analyzing? Is it simply verbiage?

I don't think so. If our perception of our role as Christ followers is anything but blindly following our Shepherd's voice, the reality of our relationship will follow.

As 2011 comes to a close it's natural to re-examine the various areas of our lives. I encourage you to join me in re-examining this: where's Jesus? Is He leading or is He your hype man that you acknowledge only when the spot light on you goes off?

Today I choose to follow You.

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