How a real servant ACTS...

by Nick Cleveland

This morning in HSM I challenged us to look hard at the words of Christ in Mark 10 where He defined greatness as having a servant's heart. We discovered together from God's Word that a real servant ACTS humbly, immediately, & spontaneously. So together we venture into this week...March 15-21 committed to 5 ACTS of kindness from a heart motivated to make Jesus famous! We'll leave this post up this week for you to share what you did and how you saw it impact others! GO & SERVE!

"...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Jesus Christ

by Nick Cleveland

March Madness at HSM is called ACTion month. For the rest of the month we will up our focus on taking ACTion for Jesus! We want HSM to grapple with the concept of healing hurts of others in the name of Christ in big AND small ways.

We kicked off ACTion month by every small group doing a 15 minute service project in our church building helping the custodial crew turn the building around for school the next day (bath room cleaning, room set up , etc). This is just one of the many opportunities students will have this month...

But one of our focuses has been taking ACTion in our Jerusalem...SCHOOL! One adult associated with HSM illustrated our vision for taking ACTion on campus perfectly this week. Read her story:

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"Nick, Had a neat experience today I wanted to share with you....A boy in my study hall threw a pencil and I saw it, so I went to the table and said who threw the pencil they laughed at me and smiled. A few minutes later I hear a pencil hit the window (again).....I walk back over and looked the boy in the eye. I ask "What is your name?" He tells me. I told him I saw him play basketball at noon and that he should have been on the team. He told me he has only been at our school for two weeks because he got kicked off his old school's bball team.

I walked away...He said hey do you go to Grace, and I said yes. I said why? He said his Grandmother has taken him there. I invited him to HSM. I started putting chairs down for lunch and he stood up and helped me. He said good bye to me and really seems to be struggling. Please pray for him. The kid is hurting and needs Jesus! Wish I could make a difference in his life."
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This teacher already has began to make a difference in his life. She saw him there and cared enough to find out about him. That's where ACTion starts...now let's pray for where it ends - in Jesus!

The Narrow Road

by Ben Framstad

"Enter through the narrow gate...small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life." ~Matthew 7:13, 14.

The Christian life is a pursuit of God. We get our spiritual hiking gear at the start of our trip, and we set off on our quest with a Bible under our arm and a heart full of faith.

Wooster Grace Students has taken that theme for this season of Lent by creating the "Journey to the Cross" blog. If you haven't visited it yet, please do. So far we encountered 7 days worth of interactive blogposts with videos, audio clips, and articles that are challenging our faith in Jesus Christ.

As I've watched this journey in HSM take off, I've been humbled by the impact the blog has already been making. I've heard different people who have heard of the blog outside of our student ministry, and even outside Wayne County, saying they are committing to the journey, and have also recieved comments and e-mails regarding the posts. God is working and preparing many hearts this year to remember Christ's death and celebrate his resurrection.

This is exciting.

I hope the blog has challenged you and been a worthwhile encouragement to you. Visit it now at http://www.journeytothecross.blogspot.com/

Give me your eyes...

by Nick Cleveland

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Those are the words from the chorus of Brandon Heath's song "Give me Your Eyes". A friend tipped me off to this song and using it to challenge our student leaders to see those around them like Jesus does. We've been working to develop this kind of heart in the students who are on stage and who 'make' HSM (our Sunday morning High School ministry) happen.

Then it happened yesterday. A key student leader in our ministry sat down next to his girlfriend who came to HSM yesterday (she was there to watch him 'perform'). In the middle of my part two message on getting out of the boat and walking on water, he stood up from the back row, moved one section over to the backrow. No one saw it except me.

He sat down next to a person from his school who is new to HSM...this kid is young, intimadated (so I learned 35 minutes earlier from his mom), and virtually invisible. He just sat next to him and saw him. I'm thankful to serve Jesus next to people who 'get it'! Now, for me...I pray the same prayer...Lord, give ME your eyes!

The Best Valentine Ever

Valentine's Day can be a very lonely holiday. For just about any type of person. It could be hard for you, a high schooler or middle schooler, or your parents or your teachers or your neighbors. This Valentine's Day we wanted to extend some love toward the widows in our church. So, our high school girls small groups each adopted a few widows to send Valentine's day cards to.

We may never know how many lives have been touched through the giving of these cards by our high school girls. But, we do know that at least one life was touched significantly...I'd like to share some excerpts from a letter that we received this week from one of the widows that received a Valentine's Day card.

"I would like to make you aware of a special blessing that came my way recently from one of your Sr. High Small Groups. A group sent me a special Valentine. It included a wish extending God's love to me. This meant so much to me. It gave me such a lift to think some young people from home was thinking of me. I just want you to know you and your young people are in my prayers daily. At my age (83) and partly disabled I have lots of time and I try to use it to glorify the Lord. May God richly bless you."

All that to say, never underestimate the way God will use something as simple as a Valentine. It reminds me of a verse I read recently, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." Colossians 3:23 God can use even the smallest things to touch people's lives. Doing even the smallest things for his glory and to the best of your ability can make the difference in people's lives.

Thank you to all that participated in writing these Valentine's Day cards. You may never know the impact you made on someone's life.

Journey to the Cross

To recognize the season of Lent this year, Wooster Grace Students is hosting "Journey to the Cross," on 45 day online devotional to help people reflect on, know, and draw closer to Jesus. We see this as the original purpose of Lent, established by the church many years ago. The Journey begins today, Ash Wednesday, and will continue until we reach the cross on Good Friday. If you would like to take the challenge to go on that journey, you can visit www.journeytothecross.blogspot.com. It will be updated daily with articles, online videos, and downloads to supplement your quiet time with Jesus. Let us know that you've become a traveler either by leaving a comment or by calling/e-mailing the student ministries office. We'd love to know you're walking with us.

Sincerely,

The Wooster Grace Student Ministries Staff

My Biggest Fans

by: Rachel Snyder

One of my biggest passions is high school basketball. Probably because it has been one of the most impactful experiences in my life so far. Last night after the LAST open cafe, I got to go with two of our students to watch the Smithville/Waynedale sectional game at Triway high school. These two girls that I went with are in a small group together along with a player from Waynedale. Now, mind you, one of these girls i went with was from Smtihville. But she came to support her small group friend -- and sat on the Waynedale side (w/ her bright green Smithville Letterman Jacket, but that's beside the point). I was completely impressed by the support that these two girls gave to their small group, despite the rivalry. It was so awesome to see a connection stronger than their school affiliation. And despite Waynedale's loss, seeing the small group together, laughing, smiling and encouraging each other after the game reminded me of the value of our small groups and the connections that become possible because of them. I feel completely blessed to be a part of HSM because these girls reminded me of the deep connection that comes when friends are following Christ together. It is so cool to watch you guys be a part of and investing in each other's lives.

This is a shout-out to Ellie Shoup, Amanda Gessel and Abby Kauffman. :)