Caleb Conlow Is Working For God - Dancing for Jesus

Embrace or Chase

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Life now can be really rough for some kids. They are exposed to a lot more things now that are not Christ-like. Sin is everywhere and it makes my head spin. Even for me, when I wake up I have big decisions to make. Do I embrace God or chase everything else? A lot of times I chase everything else because it may seem more appealing. That is really stupid of me. Every week I have one day when I take the garbage out of my life. One by one, I take the junk and pull it out, and ask for forgiveness. I feel like I should get a garbage man just for me. But you know what? God is my garbage man. He is there to pick up the trash and throw it away, and forgive me, and help me through life.

It has been a difficult month for me. I was sick for a while and that really took a toll on me and now I am sick again!. For about a week and a half I couldn't walk and sleep, and again I am going threw the same things. I was in so much pain. I would lie in bed and think all day. Every once in a while I would have a phone conversation with Seth, my dad, or Driver. I was even too sick to play halo! So I spent a lot of time praying and finding out things about me. I kept thinking about Embrace or Chase. Each day we wake up with a decision to embrace God, or chase everything else in the world. That kept echoing in my mind. I kept praying about the year I've had. The many ups and downs. I prayed to God about my strengths and weaknesses, and God spoke to me the week I was sick. He showed me what I was supposed to do. These high school boys really mean a lot to me. Being with them and interacting with them is a blessing. God was telling me to speak life to them. To show them God's love and shine God's light onto them. There are some times when I want to be alone when I would rather stay home or watch a movie and just hang out. But then I am reminded how lucky I am because I have people in my life who are always doing the same thing for me, so I can't help but love these guys.

Most of the guys are struggling with family issues. Fighting with parents is a big one. It seems to me that a good portion of them struggle with honoring their father and mother. And I ask myself, why is this so hard? I had a hard time listening to my parents and obeying them, too.. My relationship with my parents improved when I started being honest with them, opening up to them, and started showing them I cared. But the biggest part of it was when I really got into my faith. When I fell in love with Jesus and had a personal realationship with God. That's when I noticed that things in my life began to get better.

I can't explain it. My life started to make sense to me, and my friendships are stronger now. I started thinking that I needed to figure out how REAL of a relationship my friends had with God. Are they just moving along on a conveyor belt, running up the escalater the wrong way, or are they really searching for God? I feel like if these boys really felt God, then they could have the life they dream of. But they need to start realizing life isn't about them. It took me a while to figure that out. I don't want them to figure it out the hard way. I hope they can learn from my experiences.

If you could keep me in you're prayers that would be amazing! I got my 4th infection down here and I am really sick and feeling like crap again. It's fine because I am learning a lot and God is showing me things and speaking to me and preparing me for things!

Hockey Fans.....Get Excited

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I feel like I am Derek Boogaard of the Minnesota Wild Hockey team right now. I know my role on the ice but I feel like I need more game time! There's about 5min left in the game and they put me out on the ice to go take care of business, the only problem is there is no trash to take out, and I am playing with supper stars and they are leading the NHL in points, and here I am leading the NHL in PIM (penalties in minuets) and Sidney Crosby just danced around me and I just gave him a break away to pull a triple deak like in Mighty Ducks to burn my goalie and put a nice backhander in the top shelf of the net! Let me break it down for you, I feel like there are many ups and many downs in my life. And that is ok, I know that's life. And life is not fair and things happen for a reason, but I feel like I get defeated even before the game is over. Hey there are 5min left in the game, I can still go out there and give it my all and tally up a goal and send it to over time, and hey if I lose the game, that's ok to. But I no in the long run I am going to win and going to succeed and hold that Stanley Cup over my head like a champion. The champion is in me, I just have to break out on my own and get my own break away.

After that little story here is what's going on in my life. I feel tired and exhausted and feel like I have no strength at all. My family could use prayer as there are a lot of things going on. But I don't want to give up, I want to be strong for me and others. I want to set a good example as well. I am VERY excited for this next year to come around. I know God has a plan for me and I am pretty sure I know what it is! I am ready to break out and show the world I can get the game winner and the 1^st star of the game.

The Pictures Below: 1st one is Derek Boogaard taking out the trash. The 2nd picture is Sidney Crosby scoring the game winner. The 3rd picture is Scott Stevens holding the Stanley Cup over his head, a good victory!

Upset and Confussed

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I was going to write about New York . I even had eight sentences written about it. Then God said.that's not what you're supposed to write about.

I ask myself many things at night. I ask why no one wants to hang out with Micah?? It seems odd that if there is a kid doing well in life, people are more than happy to hang out with that person. The sad thing is if a kid is struggling, then it's difficult to find someone who wants to help out. I am so sick of people walking around in their "Christian Mask". We need to stop trying to impress people and start trying to show God's love. I try not to care about what people think of me. I know deep down that I am making the right decisions with life in general or if it is with the youth kids. Even though some disagree with me and may not like me. It happens everywhere I go. I think we need to drop the act, and stop pretending. I see it way too often in today's churches. It's like we are in a contest. Well, I've lost the contest and I am proud that Christ has loved me in spite of my sin.

I can already see it now when I come home from this ministry. Everyone is going to think I am a totally different Caleb. NO, I am not! I am the same old me. I am still loud. I am still outgoing. I still goof around. I still take jokes too far on some occasions. I am still an idiot and out of control sometimes. But you know whatthat's the way God made me. The only difference is that I am deeper in my faith, I am stronger in my beliefs, and I am on fire for God. All I want is for people in the youth to be open and honest. I do not like to sugar coat things. Let's shake things up a bit. Let's take some chances. I am going to be wild around kids but that's me! But I know what I am doing. I know how to relate and have conversations and show God's love to them. I know how to connect with them. Somehow, God gave me a special gift of working with youth. I don't know what it is, but just about any young guy loves to hang out and talk with me. The parents wonder why. They think of me as an immature guy that is just one of the youth. That's fine with me. But I can guarantee these kids are learning a lot about life, their friends, and their faith, because I have God speaking through me.

Tonight, at church, after the message I was going to pray for the guys and talk about the week. I knew someone in the group was struggling with life in general. God put this kid in my head and heart last night as I was falling to sleep. I gave it all to God. He showed me that He was using me to send a message. It hurts to see a large church with so few willing to step up and help a lost sheep. So many times I see someone getting left out because of their personality, or where they are in their faith. I am not talking about the leaders in the church. I am talking about the youth. We are all so scared to go talk to some people, or invite them over. We are all different and that's the way God made us. We are all too comfortable with our lifestyle and our group of friends. We need to break out and do something different. I love God and I know he died for my sins. Shouldn't that be enough to go and show his love to all? Yeah, I am going to be real with kids. I am going to shake things up and make them uncomfortable. I am going to make them feel stretched and awkward. But in that process it will make them stronger in their faith, add a little bounce in their step, find new confidence, and make great friends. We're going to have a fun time doing it all of us together without anyone left behind. That's what I want for all kids, including Micah.

Just for 1 or 2 seconds take a look at the pictures I have below......Right away what group do you want to go talk to and share the word and speak truth into. So many times people give the guy smoking a cigarette no chances at all, because of his image. What kind of image are we giving as Christians if nothing is being said or no attempt is made. The 2nd picture I have is a happy group of kids. People seem to have no problem interacting with them and showing love to them because of there image....I am not perfect but I am going to put an effort to never do something like this ever again.

High School Boys Weekend

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There are not many times in my life when I really get down, and cry, and show my emotions. Don't get me wrong, I cried a few times before the trip. But I have not cried since I have been down here in Atlanta. I don't know why. There were a few times this weekend at Disciple Now when I wanted to. My heart broke for these boys. We got totally real. Nothing was forgotten. Nothing was left out. All our sins were thrown out. All our struggles were talked about. All our love for God was talked about, and shown through our actions. It was a weekend filled with joy and seriousness. I had a goal for this weekend. I wanted to do the packets that we were assigned, but I wanted to take it a few steps further. The more comfortable we got with each other, the more the guys spilled their guts. I was really talking to God this weekend and I decided to do some hands-on exercises with the guys. One day we wrote down all the sin in our life on a sheet of paper. All the sin we are living in, including me. Then on the other sheet of paper we wrote down one thing we know is holding us back from having a better relationship with God. We prayed. Then I prayed for the boys that God would forgive us and we could start a new life with God. It was really an incredible time with God and the guys. The reason I wanted to go deep, and get real, and expose myself with everyone is it was time for a reality check. It was time to stop living a sugar coated life. It was time to wreck these guys and shake them up. And it worked! Wouldn't you know that almost all the guys were struggling with the same thing!? I wasn't shocked, but they were. They couldn't believe it. It brought them closer together as a group. We also talked about God's check list that he doesn't have. I had them write down sins they have commited. We talked about it and I asked them which sin was the worst. They agreed on which one was worse. All I had to say was I am sorry guys, you're wrong. "Killing a Man" is no worse than "Stealing a car". A SIN IS A SIN. God does not have a check list of sins in heaven. I had to make sure that no guys felt WORSE for his actions and sins. Because they're all sins! It was an amazing time. I am trying to explain it but I can't. I don't know what to say to help you understand what went down in that house. I wanted to make sure these boys were wiped clean of there sins. So one by one I took the guys outside. I showed them there a sheet full of sins and I burned it in front of their eyes. I burned it and put it in a pot full of the other boys ashes. Then I prayed for them and I got on my knees. As I was on my knees praying, I took their shoes and socks off and washed their feet. All in all, it was an amazing experience. I will never forget it. On Sunday, at church, we gathered as a group and the boys went up and said so many compliments about me and the weekend, It was the best thing that has happened to me in a while.

Some highlights of the weekend that were fun.

I went to bed Friday morning at 4 am and awoke at 4:15 am by a screaming alarm meant for truckers.
Josh Gross was talking bad about the Cadillac, saying it was an old man's car. So I told him that my gas tank was open and asked him if he could shut it. He got out and I drove away and made him walk the rest of the way to church. It wasn't too long of a walk, but it was hilarious.
Some of the guys went paintballing and I showed up at the end and asked one of the boys if I could shoot him while he ran. He agreed, and asked for a five second head start. Two seconds later I was drilling him with pink paintballs and he was screaming and took off running while getting pelted. Then Tyler veered left and he took a big spill/fall right into the woods.

This Week is a Busy one

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

First of all, thank you for your financial support. I am now fully supported through July. I no longer need any additional funds sent to Adventures in Missions on my behalf. If you'd like to continue supporting this ministry, I'm sure Adventures in Missions would appreciate additional gifts. All the support I need has been raised. Thank you so much!

I have a busy week ahead of me. On Wednesday night I have church to attend which is always a good time. I enjoy all the kids, and hanging out with the guys. I get extra excited about Thursdays. This is the day of ministry. For the past six weeks I have been working closely with Jay Cotton. He started working with us a few months back and he is Robin's son. How would I describe Jay? He is like a small looking me somewhat. He has a great head of hair that is really curly, and a personality of a comedian and prince combined. I am really thankful that God placed this young man in my life. He is a southern boy. He has a strong accent and he says so many great one liners. I have a ball when I am hanging out with him. He really is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. The best thing is I have developed a new friend down here that I can hang out with on the weekends, go eat with, and play Xbox with at night. I get to hang out with this incredible guy with great manners who is very polite. He takes after his mom. Seth and I have had many good times with Jay. We've had so many laughs and chuckles and also many serious moments. I'm really getting to know Jay and his heart. I can't explain it. Trying to disciple him has rewarded me more that I thought. It has showed me that this guy really likes me and Seth and we can open up with each other and share our hearts. Another sweet thing is Jay started going to Angelo's with us on Thursdays. Angelo is the guy that has set up an inner city ministry with kids that are struggling in todays world. Jay jumped right in. He really seems to enjoy himself and the other guys seemed to like him, too. It is amazing that Seth and I have a great friend down here that we can hang out with. I am very excited for Thursday. Seth and I are going to pick up Jay and do a devotional, have some prayer, and just talk. Then we're going to Angelo's. We are also going to go pick up ministry supplies for Church because I have discipleship this weekend.

Discipling is going to be great! What is going to happen is we are meeting at church on Friday and we are breaking up and spending the weekend at this guy's house. It is going to be me and the high school boys. It is going to be a fun filled weekend, but also a great time for me to teach and reach these boys. I am truly excited to dig in deep with these boys and really find out who they are and what I can do to help these guys in their walk with the Lord. I am doing five teaching lessons and one-on-one sessions with them. We'll play some cards UNO is coming, along with some other board games. So I am ready for a weekend filled with Gods love and no sleep!

Things are going well with me down here. I really miss my friends and family. I was talking with Seth this morning about our friends and all the good times I have had with them. I love them all and miss them. About a week ago, I had a conversation with one of my best friends. His name is Sam and I met this guy in the 4^th grade. To this day he still plays a big role in my life and is a great influence on me. He is a great encourager and very humble and fun to be around. I have a big old smile on my face right now just thinking of him. Sam, I love you and can't wait to see you again.

I'm busy in the office right now. I am still mobilizing the mission team from the office, and working with Pam Roth, who by the way really encourages me. She really helps me, and is a great lady. I am still hammering out those emails and phone calls and I have a few interviews today. I am really excited. I love everyone and am thinking of you all and praying for each one of you.

I am currently listening to The Beach Boys and I think those guys just get me in the mood to type a small book. Thanks for reading this, and keeping me in your prayers.

The Awakening: Discipleship & Missions

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Awaken to the Adventure

Disciples aren't born; they're made. It's a process that takes time, discipline, and God. In reality, it looks more like waking up than attending a class.

As part of The Awakening, you can undergo a discipleship program like no other, experiencing four months of intense training in another country to prepare you for the ministry that awaits you for the rest of the year.

Join The Awakening

Your mornings will be spent in training and your afternoons ministering in local communities, activating what you've learned. In the context of experiential learning, you will be discipled by mentors who want to see you grow deeply in your faith.

You will be part of a community of other individuals who share your passion and desire to come alive in Christ. This time will challenge and stretch you in new ways, and you will never be the same.

Become a part of The Awakening in either Latin America or Africa and discover your role in the kingdom of God.

You were made for greatness, to experience the abundant life and freedom that Jesus promised. As they awaken, current participants are saying:

I don't think that I will ever have such an opportunity to give up all of myself and all of my expectations as I do here. (Emily Tissot, Latin America)

The Bible study has... turned into a church. So, we have church at noon Tuesday-Friday under the tree in front of the market. I love watching as people just bring their stool/chair/water container... and join in the singing. We are going through the book of Galatians, and it is cool to see how freedom is effecting their hearts. (Denise Eckert, Africa)

For more on The Awakening, visit the First-Year Missionary website.

I Laughed, I cried, I did an interview with Kaylah Schmidt!

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So I am writing a new blog. I decided to write it on an interview I just did. I have done a hand full of interviews the past few weeks, but this one was different. She was really fun to interview! She was on fire for God and happy and excited to be alive. Her name was Kaylah and I have to say it was a very impressing interview. She blew me away by the way she was talking about our God and how excited she was. Interviews were just interviews for a while, and that is my fault. But she put the spark back into doing interviews, she is what I needed to get myself excited about doing interviews. All the mobilizing, all the phone calls, all the e-mails, and all the times not a single person calls be back or ignores me, it pays off because I remembered how much fun I can have while doing an interview and laugh and praise God while doing it. A good solid night put to bed at Adventures In Missions.

Worried? Maybe, Let's just play Halo

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have had a lot of things on my mind the past few months. I have wondered when I go back to Minnesota if I will stop pursuing God. Not just go to church and Thursday night meetings, but really have a close relationship with Him. I can see myself going back and getting out of the swing of things. I do not want to put God second, but I can see how that could happen. I don't just want to say I am a believer. I want to be able to show people and my friends through my actions. However, I don't want my actions to contradict my beliefs. They would be like how can you do "this" and be called a Christian. I have had many wonderful talks with my friends about it. But even thinking about that scares me for what could happen in the future. I am not scared about making bad choices with them; I am scared that I could possibly place God second in my life. I do not want that to happen. There are so many things that I want to do when I get back. Get a job. Enroll in some kind of schooling, and really invest in my friends. If I show God's love to them, encourage them, pray for them, and hang out with them, it's going to help me keep on track. Some of my good friends I have only known for about four years, but I have established that they are really good people. We can talk about anything. They get jacked up when we get together and play Halo all night. My mission is going to be getting them jacked up to learn more about God. That would be the greatest thing ever. I really want to be a good influence on them and be that one person that really cares about them.

Things have been hectic lately, I am missing something in my life right now, but I do not know what it is. I have talked to a lot of people about it, but it is really bugging me now. Pray that I can find out what it is. Something is not making me whole right now. Otherwise, things are going well. My staff skin infection is looking better as the days go on, and my really bad headaches are going away. I am still playing the good old Xbox 360. I started playing in the pro-circuit recently. Our clan is called DaFirm. They are guys I have played Halo 2 and Halo 3 with. Right now we are ranked 43^rd in the world. That is the highest ranking we have ever had. We have a really strong team with about 16 guys from all over the world, including Ireland , New York , Oregon , etc. Here is a link to our team stats: http://gamebattles.com/xbox360/halo3/team/DaFirm

My name on the member list is l Caleb l The cool thing is right now there is 5,000 teams in the pro-circuit, and the top 100 are going to get money as a team for the team to decide how to use it. The top 50 teams get sponsored by someone, and we are talking with sponsors at the moment. The top 16 teams are the official Pro teams, that is our goal. It has been a really good stress reliever for me down here, and I love to play. I have had many good conversations with my teammates about what I am doing in Georgia . I've been talking to them about God, and I have had a good response to it. I can show God's love there as well. Right now we are putting together a montage (best of clips of me playing Halo) and we are trying to make the Top 16. We're shopping around to find someone who will sponsor us and pay for our tournaments and gear. But the cool thing is God has played a big role in this. Because I have been so busy down here I have been only able to play in about half of the matches, but the team has understood, and it have been really helpful. Maybe God wants me to show his love over Xbox live? I have thought about it, and it makes sense to me! I am on it all the time and I am good at talking to people and strangers. Why not bring God into the conversation? I am good at sneaking him in without people knowing we are talking about him. So that's what is going on right now in my life. Pretty exciting if I do say so myself. I am looking forward to Friday. Josh and Jeremy Gross are sleeping over, and that means Halo 3 all night. And I am fine with that. Here is a Bible verse that really caught my eye. Colossians 3:12
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." That really sticks out to me, whether I am playing Halo, hanging out with friends, or just doing life. God bless you. P.S. Tonight we have 3 matches on Xbox Live for the Pro Circuit, I will be playing in only 1 because I will be gone at Angelo's at that time. If we win all 3 then we should make top 30. I am playing at 9pm EST

One Crazy Day

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I really do not know where to begin. I had a bump/swell on my chest and it really hurt. So I went in to the doctors office to have it looked at. They ended up cutting it open and draining it, and not gonna lie it really hurt after. Right now I have a small tube in my chest with some gauze. I was thinking to myself wow this chest pain really sucks. But then I thought about all the pain Jesus went threw when He died on the cross for us. He was beaten, whipped, spit on, and yelled at. But He was also nailed on the cross, He died for our sins. And you know what, I can never think about how much pain He was in. What I went through is nothing what Jesus went through for us. It just blows my mind away.

Lets Do Work

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What is my Purpose in Life?

I tend to ask myself this question a lot. I am trying to figure out what my purpose is. What should I do with my life? What should my faith look like? I have no idea. Some say let God lead you to where you need to go. Others say you can pick your job, spouse, house, and car but can I pick my faith? What I put in is what I am going to get out. I have heard that a lot from people I respect. However, how do I know what's right for me? Prayer, asking people, reading, that all sounds good. But let's say I decide to do what I want to do a four-year degree in criminal justice. I can do a lot of things with that degree. Does that mean I am ignoring God? If I am doing what I want to do, then it's possible that it's not what God wants me to do.

I was talking to a guy last night that I really look up to. He asked me, " What does Caleb look like in five years?" Wow! If I see myself five years from now I envision a guy that is respected, a man with a strong faith, a man with a steady job, and wisdom. But I have hurt some people growing up, and have lost respect with some of them. Those people remember me from seven years ago, instead of now. I need to earn back that respect. I have a strong faith, so I think. But I know it can be stronger. I can read the Bible more, pray more, and dig into life more. I really have never had a steady job, although I have worked at one place for almost a year. I can improve in this area by working hard and not giving up so easily. Wisdom, I have some now. I have experienced many things in my life. I feel like I can talk to people and tell them what happened to me, or talk to kids that are going through something similar.

But the biggest thing that I am struggling with is forgiving myself. There are some things that I can't seem to forgive myself of even though I know God forgives me. One thing that comes to mind is my brother Micah. I was so nice to him when he was younger. Then, when we became older we started fighting. It increased, along with the teasing. I did not encourage Micah like I should have. I pressed his buttons and he pressed mine. I was not the type of older brother that I should have been. Then, my cousin Joshua came along. He was the greatest guy to Micah. He hung out with him and encouraged him. He treated him like a brother. I could see Micah so happy. Then one night it was over. Josh died. I still get mad at God that he took Josh away from us. Why? Why did this have to happen? Then I ask myself why Levi gets terrible migraines! Why does this beautiful little child get these. I used to pray to God that I would get the migraines instead. I would rather have them, and throw up, and be sick, than to see my little brother get them. I would do anything to help Micah be happy and put more faith in God. I don't think I am the best at showing my brothers how much I love them. I would rather die than have them die. I would rather lose a job than have them lose a job. I would rather be poor so they can be rich. I would rather they have a happy and fulfilling life if that meant that I couldn't.

Everything happens for a reason. It is God's plan. He knows the next move. But, I am sorry for all the hurt I put Micah through. He never deserved it. We had many good times, but way too many bad ones. I had a great time with him over Christmas. I had some alone time with him and that helped. I do want to say to my brothers, if they read this, that I love you guys and I am sorry for every time I have hurt you. When I get home, I am going to show you how much I love and care for you. It's crazy to see how much I love my family when I am away from them. How much you appreciate them when they are not there. It's like you don't pay attention to them when you are there, and when you're gone your mind seems to blow up. Something is missing in my life right now and I don't know what it is. I hope I can find out soon. I want to live my life to the fullest potential. I want people to think of me as someone who did something with his life. As someone who cares. I have a lifetime ahead of me to build a new legacy. My new journey of faith begins today.

Ready, Set, Go!

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I feels good to be back in Georgia, at first I wasn't so happy because I was leaving all my friends and family yet again. But things just had to kick back in and I'm excited to be here. It was a great 1st half but I think the 2nd half of the trip will be better. I decided to start the Purpose Driver Life again, but this time really think and try to take it in on a deeper level. Really let God show me what my purpose is. Work at the office is going great. I am still mobilizing and this time around it is only Pam and I. She is great, I love working with her. She always has a good attitude and she really puts me up when we are on the phone. It does get stressful because you want to make all the calls, or drop the emails, or clean up the folders on the computer and sometimes I'll get myself worked up, and then there is Pam to calm me down and gives me baby steps to what I do. I feel like I have been taking baby steps in my faith while I have been down here. I wasn't satisfied with it because I wanted to see bigger results. But with talking with God, he showed me that there is nothing wrong with baby steps. Sure I want to grow a lot more and sometimes I feel like I am almost behind compared to other people. There is were I am wrong, I have to learn not to compare myself to people. I just have to Do Work and keep at it.

Here are some pictures of my apartment and my roomies:

Our bedroom Our living room

Kitchen Lonely table

Seth Doing Work Driver...being Driver...

I'm back in Georgia

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I had a wonderful break when I went back home, it was just what I needed. It was really good to see my friends and family and talk and see supporters. I really just tried to relax but it really didn't happen, I was busy non-stop and running around. I got the chance to share what I have been doing to our youth group on one Thursday night. Also on one Sunday the church talked about me at both of our services and talked about what I am doing and I stood up and it went really well. I'm just trying to get into the swing of things down here and I am really looking forward to the rest of the trip. Just keep praying for me and my family.

Back from Mexico

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I just got back from the wonderful country called Mexico. It truly was an amazing experience. It was great to experience a different culture and see how truly different America is than Mexico. I'll never forget walking through the streets and having it be uneven and piles of dirt and rocks just sitting in the streets in big mounds. As I looked around and all I could see were shacks for houses and dirty dogs running amuck. It was something that I have never experienced before. "See God working" is what I got out of the Mexico trip. I got to do a lot of things while I was down there. Everyone on the team has there own gifts when it came to ministry. I got to go along on a few of the ministry's. One of them was going to a neighborhood and talking with the locals and praying with them and building a relationship. It was crazy seeing these students speak Spanish and having conversations with them and sharing the word of God and just loving them. I have to say that there was one place that just blew my mind away.. It was a place of filth. a place of brokenness.a place of regretit was a prison. Now you think you know what a prison is, I thought I new what a prison was, but man was I wrong until I stepped foot into the Mexico prison. I don't know if any of you guys have ever seen the movie Gladiator. But when I got to the prison I got frisked and stamped on the hand twice, and just like the movie Gladiator there was a big rusty metal sliding metal door. When the guard opened it I felt like I was in the movie. It was a slow open and light flashed on my eyes and it was the sun beaming down on me and I looked and I saw golden dirt everywhere and hundreds of people. I started walking and people are just coming up to me asking questions and begging for money. It was all in Spanish so I really didn't know what was going on all the time but I could understand some things. In Mexico there are just people wandering around, working at shops and just hanging out. No rules to follow, freedom within the walls. It was really packed and there are really no guards anywhere. You could do what you want basically. I went to the prison twice, both times with Seth and Matt. Matt is on the Mexico team and Seth is on my team in Georgia. It was cool to see how Matt has built relationships with people within the walls. It was amazing to see God at work everywhere a participant went. Seeds being planted, lives being changed, prayers being answered, and God being praised. You could truly feel God in Mexico.

Road Trip!

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Alright, alright, alright! So I am getting ready to leave on a trip! On Thursday morning we are taking a 10 - 12 hour van ride to Louisiana. We are camping out and then on Friday morning we are heading to the Border of Mexico, which is another 10 hour drive, where we will be picked up, and then driven into Mexico. We will be staying in Matamoros Mexico. We will be doing what the FYM team does (First Year Ministry). We will be there for one week, and then we will drive back and stop in New Orleans for a few days to do ministry. I am very excited! I will blog a few times when I am in Mexico and let you know what I am doing. Prayers would be great!

I had a great week for Thanksgiving! Seth and I went over to the Gross family's house, where I ate a worthy meal, with huge bun's. After eating I slept for a while. When I awoke, I had a slice of pie and hung out with Josh and Jeremy. For dinner we had homemade wild rice soup. Yeah, it was amazing. Seth and I slept over at their house two days. We played video games and watched movies with their boys. It was really a fun time.

I also watched over Joe's house while he was gone. Seth and I took care of his dog, and her name is Molly. He had cable so I was able to watch two hockey games! I also was able to do laundry. I don't think I have ever been so excited to do laundry in my life. (Mom, I don't know how you do it!)

Being Real

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

How real can I be with you? How can I really act around you? Where is your heart really at? These are some questions that I am asking myself and some of the Senior High guys. I really like how these boys don't give me the Bible answer all the time. They give me REAL answers and tell me what they are really struggling with. Sometimes they swear, or screw up, or make bad choices. But I care most about their heart. I care about how they feel about our Almighty Lord. I want them to always share their struggles with me. I know I am not perfect. I am far from it. But I make sure that I can share my brokenness. I take apart my heart and really look at where I am. I find my faults, and try to fix them. Lately I have been praying about where to draw the line on a lot of things. A lot of the times I will be disappointed in believers because they judge so many people's actions. I have done a lot more praying down here then I expected. But I am thinking about the next step. Going into battle and showing God's love. I wish I could see people break out of their comfort zone more. I see so much potential everywhere I go. I love my friends back home. Not all of them walk with the Lord, or they have fallen away from God. They like to have fun and goof around. But some of them smoke, drink, or swear. Would you approach them in public? Would you show God's love? These are the people that are struggling most and are really ready to hear God's word. Sometimes, I can have a better conversation about God with a non-believer than believers. Non-Believers will be real with me and share their heart with me almost all the time. Too often, believers just talk about theology. They talk about how they don't think someone is preaching the right way, or leading the right way. As long as we both love the same God with all our heart, the rest is less significant, right?

Sometimes I have a hard time trusting God. I'll blame God for something that goes wrong in my life. I struggle with my thoughts and words each day. I'm sharing this because I don't want people that are reading my blogs to think that life is easy and there are no struggles. Satan is attacking me, but I am growing closer to Christ each and everyday. Sure, I'll stumble and fall, but I'll stand back up and keep on marching. I will make sure that God tears my heart apart and I can replace all those worldly thoughts with worship and knowledge. I really want to thank Dex and Andy. You have worked wonders in my life. You taught me things that I would have never learned if it wasn't for God placing you in my life. You both reached out to me and you never let go. You never gave up on me no matter how much I would complain. The things I've done, the people I hung out with, the people I have hurt. That didn't matter to you. All you cared about was where my heart was.

It was a really good weekend. On Saturday I sat down and planned a Bible study. I really got into it. I tried my hardest to plan out something the Senior High boys could understand. I talked about the video game Halo and how we tend to put things above God. Whether it be video games, movies, friends, or money, that "stuff" never lasts. Everything goes out of style eventually. But God doesn't. I had a great response to everything that was shared with the guys. What it comes down to is we can't follow God when we put things above him.

The Unlikely Prayer

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It's been an interesting week. Last Sunday at church was amazing. In Sunday school, Jamie, the Sunday school teacher could sense something was holding the class back. I could feel it to. I could feel fear in the Sunday school class. It was as if Satan was trying to take control of the room and hold these teenage boys back from sharing. It was really weird. We decided to drop everything we had planned for the lesson and have prayer. One by one we sat in a glossy white chair and we would put our hands on their bodies and just lift them up in prayer. It was amazing to see the difference that speaking to God can make. When it was my turn to have a seat, I was hesitant. I was struggling and scared to sit in the chair. I was holding back. I remember that moment so clearly I sat down on the cold chair and the room went silent. I could feel the cold air conditioning being blown down on my shoulders and on my arms. It sent chills up my spine. Then the most unlikely person started praying for me. It was Tyler . I love this kid. I get along with him and another kid named Jordan so well. They inspire me. They remind me of myself several years ago. Tyler looks just like my older brother Eli, and he also acts like him. Tyler put his hands on my shoulder and he just lifted me up in prayer. He started praising God and thanking the Lord that I was put in his life. At that moment I felt loved. I felt accepted; a person without shame. After the prayer, I stood up and I was face to face with Tyler . We didn't speak we didn't even blink. We just staring at each other. The next thing I know I have my arms wrapped around him and we were just hugging. It was all I needed. Just to know that this one kid cares about me as much as I care about him and the other kids in class. It was a great time of sharing and bonding. It was a great lesson for everyone, especially me.

Remembering

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I have been feeling sad the past couple of days. I can't help thinking about my cousin, Joshua, who had his life taken away at the age of 25. April 29, 2006 is a day I will never forget. Sometimes thinking about it, I feel like I am going to cry. I remember Josh as a fun guy. He would give anyone the shirt off his back. He had very little, but what he had he would give away. He was kind, generous, and always wanted to make people happy. I could talk to him about anything. He was always there for me and my brothers. He had such an impact on us it was like he was our older brother. He would eat dinner with us almost every night and we would love it. I connected with him because Josh and I had the same personalities. He was a friend and mentor to me. When he left my life I felt empty. It felt like no one could understand me the way Josh did. But God provides. In Minnesota , God put a guy named Andy in my life. He works at Trinity Evangelical Free Church. He was there for me and could understand me. I could talk to him about anything. Now that I am in Georgia I can't do that with him as much. Here, God has provided me with four amazing men that I can tell anything to. They all have qualities I love and respect. Jason Driver is my Resident Assistant/Mentor; he is a great guy and a handyman. Then there is Cory Jacobs who has tons of energy and gets excited about everything. Don Rock took the time to get to know me and has a great smile. Finally, Dave Gross, who can answer all my questions, is slow to anger, and has great wisdom. Josh had these qualities, too. He was a handyman, he would get excited and pump me up, he had a great smile, he took the time to know me, he was slow to anger, and had wisdom. God didn't replace Josh in my life. However, he has added four great guys that I can turn to. I'll never forget you Josh. Nor will I forget any of my mentors. Never. And that is something to smile about.

Walking With The Lord

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I am sitting at my desk trying to figure out how to explain the street evangelizing experience I had this week. I remember the day so well. I woke up very excited, and I was ready to go. All the interns met at the Adventures in Missions office at 9 AM with Cory. He is in charge of our team ministry. We talked for a bit, and then split up amongst ourselves. I remember praying to God, but I also remember that I could not sit still. I was so excited and filled with joy. I remember praying, and asking God to lead me to someone in need. I asked that he would give me words of divine wisdom. When we arrived in downtown Atlanta I was like a little boy at Christmas. Cory and I started walking, and I could hear the Holy Spirit basically directing my path. We ended up in a rough part of town, and I remember looking around and thinking to myself, "Hmmm..Minnesota, Atlanta - a big difference". The next thing I know we came across a homeless man. We start walking and talking with him, and I was so excited! We let him know why we were there, and what God is all about. He was very interested and then the conversation became more personal. It turned out that Ray was a homeless man who has lived with HIV for 14 years. He has been homeless and living on the street since 1994. I really can't remember everything we talked about but I do remember asking if I could pray for him. I don't know what came over me. I never felt such a strong warm sensation all over my body especially my heart. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit in me and it was going crazy. The next thing I know my arm is on Ray's shoulder and I could feel a wave of God's energy come out of my body and pass threw my arms and finger tips, right into Ray's body. I prayed like I have never prayed before. God took over my tongue and I just lifted Ray up and praised God that we met. Then Ray started crying, and at that moment I knew why God had brought me to Atlanta. This is a moment in my life that I will never forget. God has never spoken to me like that before. I never felt so disciplined and calm in my faith. I am completely confident that God sent angels down to protect me and the other interns in Atlanta. I could feel His presence in the air, in my life, in my words. I felt protected everywhere. I was in a filthy part of the city, but at that moment, it was the greatest place on earth.

Overcoming Obsticals

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I was at church on Sunday and I was sitting in the nice chilled sanctuary and I started asking God questions. I asked God, why am I afraid to put all my trust in you? Why is it so difficult for me? The closer I get to God, the more Satan urges me. I know I am scared because of what people will think. I can't help but think about the past. I think of the friends I have lost and the people I have hurt. I feel guilt about the things that I knew were wrong, but I did anyway. All I want in life is to love God with all my heart and to show God's love to everyone. But it is a struggle for me. Satan is putting obstacles in my life. I know I have to pray, and read, and ask questions, and not to be afraid to change. I need to give it all to God. The biggest thing for me right now is temptation. I know I struggle with it. Who doesn't? As I was trying to find answers I came across this verse. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. That really touched me and gave me hope. And I realize I can't live in fear. Fear is holding me back to grow closer to God. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10. God will be there for me whenever I need him. In the past I would sometimes forget that. I won't forget that anymore.

It Feels Good

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A lot has happened since I have arrived in Georgia. We worked a training camp which was a week long and that was kind of tough. I was sick for a few days and that was a mess in itself. I really enjoy it down here. The other interns are great. Some are strange, but in a very good way. I really like the church we are attending. The service was amazing and the youth room is crazy. I can feel God's love down here. We are also moving in a week or so. We are changing apartments and we will have a residents assistant. His name is Jason Driver. He is an amazing man. I can talk to him about everything and I feel like God has put him here for Seth and me. Living with Seth is like living the dream. We get to have fun at night. We also started our office work yesterday and they are throwing a lot of things at us. I am very excited to learn everything and get into the swing of things. I have realized this week how much I miss seeing my family. I AM NOT home sick mom! But I do miss seeing 'smalls' (Levi) and kissing his head, playing video games with Eli, getting into arguments with Micah, and then playing video games with him. I have to mention I miss my mom's cooking, and just seeing my Dad and talking to him about religion and sports. I also miss seeing all my friends at home. But I know God put me here for a reason and I am really excited to see where He leads me in this ministry.

Almost There

Sat, 1 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I can't believe that I am only 5 days away from heading to Georgia. Reality started to sink in a few days ago. I realized that I am taking a big step in my life and my walk with Christ. I am very excited to have this opportunity to go on this internship with Adventures in Missions. I am really excited to see how God will used me and how God will change me. I want to thank everyone for their generous support and consistent prayers. "The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."

Exodus 15:2

Finding Who I am

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It has been a long time since I wrote a blog, and there's a reason. I have been doing a lot of praying and reading over the last two months, and I have been getting worried about going to Georgia as an intern. The reason is I'm afraid of how people are going to react to my views. I grew up in a Christian home, and over my nineteen years, I've learned a lot. One thing I learned is I need to go to places where no Christians are. Some people have a difficult time with that. If I'm not going to show God's love to the lost, then who will? I've learned that God's goal for my life is not comfort but character development. I learned that from the book, The Purpose Driven Life. You have to love the people that are hard to love. I have a strong faith and I am not perfect. But God has shown me my heart, and I know what I have to do. I believe with all my heart what my youth pastor said, "You don't need another WWJD bracelet or a honk if you love Jesus bumper sticker. You need to show your love. You need to be broken down, and keep on being broken." There have been times where I told people that I am going over to someone's house, and I get a disgusted look. I think to myself, "Wow, here is another Christian man or woman that loves God, but won't walk into a lost person's house." It seems we are more than willing to help some people, but when it comes to non-believers and lost Christians, people just turn away. To tell you the truth, I am no Bible thumper. I can't recite every verse in the Bible, but I have a strong faith, a strong heart, and a strong will to help the unwanted. I thank God that He has shown me who I am.

I'll end with this with a verse that changed me: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song." (Psalm 28:7) I think it is amazing how God has impacted my life and opened my eyes.

Blog

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

This is the first time I have ever did a blog. So I will tell you that I am stressed out because I feel like I am not getting anything done it feels like. However I am working for my neighbor Neil for a job so I am thankful for that. I have to remember that I have to put my trust in the Lord and keep on praying. I thank God for this opportunity to go on this Internship because I am excited to see what kind of Man I will become.

In Him,

Caleb