God is moving in Tyrone

It's a wonderful to here such positives things going on in Tyrone especially when it comes to things of the Lord , we need to encourage each other and get the blessing of God on this town.

WHEN I STARTED JOSHUA HOUSE IN THE FALL OF 1998 THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 ACTIVE TEEN YOUTH GROUPS IN ALL OF TYRONE AND THERE WERE NO YOUTH PASTORS AT ALL. IN 2007, GRACE BAPTIST HAS A YOUTH PASTOR, CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD HAS A YOUTH PASTOR, QUESTHAVEN LODGE HAS A FULL YOUTH MINISTRY FOR TEENS AND KIDS. ALONG WITH THOSE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN HAS A YOUTH GROUP, CMA HAS A YOUTH GROUP, NORTHWOOD BAPTIST DOES, WARRIORS MARK UMC HAD ONE THEN AND STILL DOES, AND SEVERAL OTHERS.

MANY OF THE CHURCHES HAVE SEEN GREAT THINGS WITH THEIR YOUTH OVER THE LAST 5+ YEARS.

I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION SOME OF THE THINGS HAPPENING AT JOSHUA HOUSE:
WEEKLY AFTERSCHOOL HOMEWORK HELP AND HANG OUT FOR KIDS ON TUESDAYS AND TEENS ON WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AFETR SCHOOL. YOUTH GROUP FOR KIDS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS (approx. 15 weekly) AND TEENS/YOUNG ADULTS ON SUNDAY NIGHTS (approx. 30-40+).
MONDAY NIGHTS PROVIDES CHILDRENS' DANCE CLASSES FROM 6-8PM.
THURSDAY NIGHTS HANG OUT AND DINNER FOR TEENS PROVIDED WEEKLY.
PRESNTLY THURSDAY NIGHTS--BALLROOM DANCING LESSIONS ARE PROVIDED.

THREE YEARS AGO WE STARTED A BASKETBALL LEAGUE FOR TEENS THAT DO NOT PLAY FOR THE SCHOOLS. THE 1ST YEAR FOUR TEAMS PLAYED IN THIS LEAGUE BETWEEN BELLWOOD AND TYRONE. LAST YEAR SIX TEAMS PLAYED AND THIS YEAR 10 TEAMS ARE PLAYING IN TWO SEPERATE LEAGUES (REC & COMPETITIVE). THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 8-10 PLAYERS PER TEAM = 80-100 TEENS PLAYING FOR FREE
IT REALLY IS A GREAT LEAGUE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS WHO WOULD NEVER PLAY ON A SPORTS TEAM.

EVERY YEAR WE GO WHITE WATER RAFTING, TO CREATION FESTIVAL, HOST HOOPSFEST (55 TEAMS PLAYED LAST YEAR), MINISTRY TRIPS (GUATEMALA, DETROIT, BALTIMORE, AND OTHER PLACES).

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE TO READ UP ON TESTIMONIES: http://www.joshuahousetyrone.org/Page.aspx?ID=49561

KEEP PRAYING FOR THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY! GOD HAS GREAT THINGS IN STORE FOR THEM.

BLESSINGS,

BLINKING BABY JESUS

My wonderful, talented, creative, and obviously handsome, husband, a few years ago made a wooden silhouette to be used as an outside decoration at Christmas for our manger scene. We purchased the large plastic lighted Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus. We completed the scene with real hay and the Star of Bethlehem (lighted, of course). Ahhh, can you picture it?

At the start of this Christmas season as we brought down and dusted off our decorations, we realized that baby Jesus had blown a bulb. That same wonderful husband went and purchased a replacement bulb for our Jesus. The question posed to me was honey, is it an issue if baby Jesus blinks? A slight oversight was made in the purchase of a blinking bulb. Yes, our baby Jesus blinks. On, Off, On, Off, On, Off. Laughter was my first response. My initial look at our blinking baby Jesus brought more of the same reaction and in our life the moments that make us laugh, we try to keep alive awhile. So baby Jesus blinks on and on. Each time I turn the corner to our street, my focus has automatically started to become blinking baby Jesus. A Voice in my heart says there is a lesson in there somewhere, a lesson in a Jesus that blinks.

What is a blink anyhow? A glimpse, a glance, a momentary gleam, this blinking definitely obscures how we see Jesus. I think in this life at one time or another all of us have allowed our Jesus only enough room in our lives to blink. Salvation . . On, Doubt . . .Off; Hope . . . . . On, Fear . . . Off; Peace . . . . On, Turmoil . . Off; Forgiveness . . . On, Bitterness . . Off; Love . . On, Anger . . Off. As I continue to ponder the blinking, I am struck by the absolute truth that the light of Jesus, my Savior, your Savior, the Savior of the world never, ever blinks! The blinking comes when I allow the Light to be enveloped in darkness, when I close the eyes of my heart, to the Truth in the Light. God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1:5-6)

Yes, our baby Jesus still blinks on and with each blink, I have begun to ask myself what makes the Jesus in me blink? What have I allowed in me to keep the Light hidden? At the center of me is a bulb that does not blink, the Love that does not fail, The Spirit that does not sleep. And therein, I believe, lies the lesson for us all, my much loved brothers and sisters in Christ. The light of God is always ON. What is it in the center of you that turns Him off?

All our love and All God's Blessings,

The owners of blinking baby Jesus,

Tyrone, PA