Cigi's Blog

Royal Relationships

2011-06-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed Part 4 of the Royal Relationship series...here it is. Clay, Cigi, Mike, and Georgia talk about how to do and how not to do relationships. Listen close!

CYM "Retro" Night

2010-01-22T12:25:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night was Retro Night at CYM. We went back to the basics with everything..our wardrobe, games, and Pastor Ty's message. Pastor Ty talked about the importance of getting back to the basics in our walk with God. We learned about revelation and having those "aha moments." It is hard to get bored when God is giving us something fresh and new all the time but that takes relationship with Him. He also talked about our prayer life and spending time with God. We have to stay soft, mold able, and shape able so that God can speak to us. And last but not least he talked about repentance. So many times we let go of stuff and give it to God but then before we know it we have gone back and picked it up again. Getting back to the basics means really breaking the things that tie us to our baggage. No matter how old or young we are, we can all apply the Retro, or back to the basics, principal to our lives everyday.

We played Twister.

Kylie won best dressed girl.

And we had a rubik's cube race (Pastor Ty's idea)!
Sadie, Cigi, Dimitra, Clay , and Stewy
1980 Bullriders, Clay and Stewy.

The battery on the camera died so unfortunately I don't have any pictures of Pastor Ty in his bellbottoms and crazy shirt. It was a fun night!!!

CYM Night-Celebrating Our Future!

2009-11-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday was our CYM Night for the month of November. The theme of the night was "Celebrating Our Future!" When I was younger and Ty and Heather were in charge of College and Career they put a night together for us to celebrate our future, the dreams,and the vision that God had given us. I wanted to recreate that night for the youth group because it made a huge impact on my life. Thanks to the help of Heather and all of the youth group leaders, we were able to pull it off! It was a great night!

Here were a few points from the night:

Even if we can't see it right now...God has a plan and a future for our lives.
Live your life like you have a future.
Don't wait til your future gets here to live in it.
Dream Big!
We have a reason to celebrate!
Jeremiah 29:11-For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-11-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

Week Four: Be a Treasure Hunter!

Teaching points: Sometimes what seemed like the end is only the beginning. Many people join up in the treasure hunt for Jesus but they sit content with the unopened treasure chest
like our pirates did at first. However, when we really dig in to God’s Word and begin to allow
God’s Spirit to give us direction, we see that signing up for a life with Christ is only the first
step on a wild life-long adventure following the exciting and unique path God has planned
for each of our lives. God’s Word is alive and as you walk through its pages, you’ll see
different parts come alive in you. No matter how often you read it or how well you come to
know it, God can continue to use it to change you. Having God’s Spirit inside of you is great
and just knowing you have a spot someday in heaven is a great reward, but by listening to
His direction each day, and bravely taking each step He puts before you, you will find that
your life becomes more of an adventure than you could ever have imagined. God wants
each of us to be a life-long treasure hunter—not to hoard up a huge chest of treasure for
ourselves—but to open up and share with the world. The treasure of Jesus is way too much
for just you. It is the greatest treasure that the world has even known. A life in Jesus,
walking each day as a bo’sun of your captain, is a voyage that God wants us to invite
everyone we meet to join us on.

Verse: Ephesians 1:18 NCV ...How rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his
holy people.

Phrase: To our captain we say “Aye!” then hunt His treasure all our lives!

Discussion questions:
1) Share a time when you were given an amazing gift.
2) What can we do to continue to seek for more of Jesus in our lives?

Slam It review questions:
What color is Captain Lockhart’s jacket?
A. Blue
B. Gold
C. Blood red
D. Black

The answer is:
A. Blue

What did the pirates have to do in this week’s
challenge?
A. Surf back to the ship
B. Swim back to the ship
C. Build a boat to return to the ship
D. Wait to be rescued

The answer is:
C. Build a boat to return to the ship

Who will be the next bo’sun?
A. Patch Bluebeard
B. Pegleg Red
C. Petey Greenteeth
D. Silas Grayhook

The answer is:
D. Silas Grayhook

Which word is not in this week’s verse?
A. Treasure
B. Rich
C. Glorious
D. Pray

The answer is:
A. Treasure

This week’s phrase says: To our captain we say
“Aye!”
A. You’ll be bo’sun if you try!
B. Then hunt His treasure all our lives!
C. You don’t need to ask him why!
D. Hunt His treasure with all your might!

The answer is:
B. Then hunt His treasure all our lives!

What should we do when we’ve made Jesus
our captain?
A. Repeat a prayer
B. Don’t tell anyone
C. Seek Him for the rest of your life
D. Just go to church every week

The answer is:
C. Seek Him for the rest of your life

LHS FCA-I Need You To Survive

2009-11-13T22:44:00.000-08:00

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-11-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Week Three: God’s Spirit is our guide!

Teaching points: Sometimes we can get confused by the huge amount of information in the Bible. Sometimes it uses words we don’t understand or stories we can’t relate to as a
kid. Even though the Bible contains a clear and complete description of God and how to live
for Him, it can still be too much to comprehend. God is so much bigger and greater than our
little brains can understand. God knew we would need constant guidance, encouragement,
and help to live out what His Word says. He knew we would need specific direction for our
lives. After Jesus left earth, He told His followers that God was going to send an even better
replacement. Jesus was God in the flesh living among His people. What could be better than
that? God sent His own Holy Spirit to come to make a home inside our hearts. When we
make God our captain and agree to join His treasure hunt for a life lived like Jesus, His
Spirit will come and live inside of us—going with us everywhere we go and pointing the way
at every step.

Verse: 2 Timothy 1:14 CEV You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with
the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you.

Phrase: Lost at sea is what you’ll be, without the Holy Spirit guiding thee!

Discussion questions:
1) How can you know when the Holy Spirit is leading you?
2) What can you do to invite God’s Spirit to live within your heart?

Slam It review questions:
What is Sharky’s favorite food?
A. Gummi worms
B. Gummi bears
C. Live fish
D. Bubble gum

The answer is:
A. Gummi worms

What did the pirates have to do in this week’s
challenge?
A. Find a big gold letter
B. Swim underwater
C. Find north to get to the other beach
D. Run barefoot in the sand

The answer is:
C. Find north to get to the other beach

How can God’s Holy Spirit be our guide?
A. He can live inside us
B. He tells us the right choice
C. He leads us the right way
D. All of the above

The answer is:
D. All of the above
Which word is not in this week’s verse?
A. Guide
B. Treasure
C. Guard
D. Holy Spirit

The answer is:
A. Guide

This week’s phrase says: Lost at sea is what
you’ll be,
A. So sit down and sip some tea!
B. Without His Holy Spirit guiding thee!
C. The North Star shows where you are!
D. The word thee has two E’s?

The answer is:
B. Without His Holy Spirit guiding thee!

How can we let the Holy Spirit guide our lives?
A. Follow Him around
B. Do our own thing
C. Obey His voice
D. Find which way is north

The answer is:
C. Obey His voice

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-11-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Week Two: God’s Word is our map!

Teaching points: If we really want to seek Jesus, we have to know what we’re looking for.
The Bible is God’s holy Word. Every word printed in it was inspired by God and has a
purpose. God doesn’t want Jesus to be a hidden mystery—He has given us every clue we
need about who Jesus is and how we can let Him lead our lives right in the Bible.
Throughout the Old Testament before Jesus was even born, the scriptures tell us all about
Jesus and how He would change us from the inside out. The Old Testament stories show us
the consequences of sin and where that path leads. The X on the map is a new life with
Jesus—free from death and sin. The New Testament gives us practical steps to find Him.
Everything we need to know about how to live can be answered in the Bible. Even though it
won’t say specific things like “what should I do if my friend borrows my ipod and breaks it,”
it does have the principles we need to make those choices.

Verse: Colossians 3:16 NIrV Let Christ’s word live in you like a rich treasure...
Phrase: Read the Bible and you’ll be hooked, the keys to life are in God’s book!

Discussion questions:
1) Share something from the Bible that has helped you make a good choice.
2) What can you do to help you remember to read the Bible every day?

Slam It review questions:
What is the name of the pirate ship?
A. Rising Sun
B. Son Shine
C. Rise and Shine
D. God’s Risen Son

The answer is:
A. Rising Sun

What did the pirates have to do in this week’s
challenge?
A. Put together a key
B. Dig up a key
C. Put together a map
D. Hold their breath underwater

The answer is:
C. Put together a map

How is the Bible like a map?
A. It tells us what direction to go
B. It shows a picture of God’s big plan
C. It leads us on the right path
D. All of the above

The answer is:
D. All of the above

Which word is not in the week’s verse?
A. Jesus
B. Word
C. Rich
D. Treasure

The answer is:
A. Jesus

This week’s phrase says: Read the Bible and
you’ll be hooked,
A. The keys are in my pocket, look!
B. The keys to life are in God’s book!
C. So swab the deck and hug the cook!
D. The Bible is God’s holy book!

The answer is:
B. The keys to life are in God’s book!

How can we make the Bible the map for our
lives?
A. Hang it on our wall
B. Use it when we travel
C. Read it every day
D. Tape it back together

The answer is:
C. Read it every day

CYM Night

2009-10-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

The Grandma Skit

2009-10-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Call is Higher Than the Fall

2009-10-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday night, October 28th, is this month's CYM Night!!!! You don't want to miss it!!!

The 3 Legged Race

2009-09-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-09-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

This was the last week of our Superhero Series. We have learned that we all have "Super Skills," "Super Smarts," and "Super Strengths," and we can use all of these things to serve God!

Teaching Points:
• Saul had everything the world looks for in a superhero, tall, handsome, strong, and popular.
• Saul was more interested in being popular than serving his country. He liked for others to serve him.
• Samuel had to work hard to keep Saul’s head out of the clouds. He served his king, his God, and his country by
trying to remind Saul that serving God was more important than being popular.
• Samuel and Saul were both big-time Bible heroes, but Samuel was a bigger hero than Saul because he served God
obediently instead of serving himself like Saul.
• Saul had everything he needed to be a great superhero. He was chosen by God to be the first king of God’s people.
• Samuel was born in a regular family and became a great superhero because he obeyed God and served God all of
his life. God spoke to Samuel and started using him to serve God even as a young boy.
• Each person is uniquely designed to serve God in a special way. All of your skills, smarts, and strength work
together to allow you to serve God.
• Many superheroes in the world like celebrities, athletes, and famous people have been blessed with amazing skills,
smarts, and strength but they often don’t choose to serve God with their superpowers.
• You need to choose to use your superpowers for God. When you serve, you are a superhero to God.
• God created us to serve. Samuel is a good example of someone who would rather serve God than please people.
He served people by leading them towards God.
• You are a superhero for God when you are a super servant to others.
• You don’t have to wait until you’re grown up to be a super servant. Ask God for ways to serve right now.
• Trusting God’s special plan for your life is going to be an amazing adventure.

Bible Story:
Saul and Samuel (1 Samuel 9 & 13-15)

Verse:
1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV ... try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Phrase:
I can Super Serve as you can see. It’s part of God’s big plan for me!

Discussion Questions:
1) How can a kid serve others?
2) How can you use the superpowers God has given you to serve Him?

mcUSA Step

2009-09-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tatum Common Ground

2009-09-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

This week at Tatum Common Ground:
Ping Pong (my new favorite game!)

Hunter spoke on how powerful, but also powerful our words can be...

Great job Hunter!!!!

Lovington FCA

2009-09-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

I love the freshness and newness of the first FCA of the year! It is so exciting to see the faces that you haven"t seen in a while and to meet the new faces at Lovington High School...like the freshmen. 1st Christian Church in Lovington brought fried burritoes, we played the partner game, Kelsie Wallace spoke on being Jesus' hands and feet by caring for people the way that He would, and we ended by singing Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It was a great day and an awesome start to the 2009-2010 school year! Great job LHS...keep it up! Check it out.

Tatum Common Ground

2009-09-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today was the kickoff for Tatum's Common Ground meetings and it was awesome! This was their first time to have it at lunch and they packed the library completely out...a lot of kids had to sit on the floor. Hadley spoke on "Keeping It Up," and finishing strong. "It's not how you start...it's how you finish"-Ty Bean. He talked about setting high standards, living a life of excellence, and helping each other finish strong. Then they did the I Need You to Survive drama. It was a great way to start off the year! Keep It Up Tatum!!!! I am proud of you guys! I look forward to you guys finishing strong this year at Common Ground!
Lovington High School FCA starts tomorrow!!!

Check out what happen at Tatum Common Ground today.

I Need You To Survive Drama

Crossroads Youth Ministry Rewind

2009-09-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Announcements:

Taylor FCA on Wednesdays at lunch in the Library
Lovington Freshman School and High School FCA on Thursdays at lunch upstairs in the gym
Tatum Common Ground at lunch on Wednesdays in the Library
September 23rd-Early Release Outreach in Lovington
September 30th-CYM Night at 6:30pm
October 5th-Hobbs Boys and Girls Club Food Drive (I need to know who can help asap)

Game: Ping-Pong

Message:

Abby Jay was the guest speaker Monday night and did an AWESOME job! She talked about how our hand can remind us of things that will help keep us where we need to be. The thumb represents THE WORD because our thumb is something that holds things and THE WORD is something that we need to hold on to. Our pinkie finger represents PROMISES, just like "pinkie promises." It reminds us that God keeps His promises. Our pointer finger represents DIRECTION. We use our pointer finger to point, give direction, or test the wind to see where it is going. This finger reminds us to always be checking to see where we are headed and where God is headed because we want to be going the same direction as Him. Our ring finger represents our 1st TRUE LOVE because above all else God loves us (1 John 4:10)! And last but not least is the middle finger, which represents our THOUGHTS. What are you thinking about? What do you need to be thinking about? Awesome job Abby Jay!

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-08-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

SUPERHEROS WEEK THREE: SUPER STRENGTH
These last few weeks we have been talking about how to be a SUPERHERO for God. Week 1 we talked about Super Skills (example: being a good friend or helper), week 2 we talked about Super Smarts (example: working hard in school or at home to be super smart so that God can use our education for him), and week 3 we talked about having Super Strength (physical and inner strength).

Teaching Points:
• God blesses some of us with physical strength (like David). That helps those people serve their purpose (like being a military leader like David or an pro athlete today).
• Some people have very little physical strength. God still has a unique (stay away from using special here) plan for those people too.
• Very few people will be blessed with the kind of physical strength for the few rare stand-out roles like being King or an Olympian.
• Most of us will need to learn to use our superpower of God’s inner strength (like loyalty, self-control, faithfulness, courage, and integrity).
• That’s the kind of strength you can use in everyday situations. People aren’t normally called upon to defeat a giant like David. People are daily called upon demonstrate loyalty, humility, and integrity like Mephibosheth.
• We can rely of God’s strength, an inner strength of character, just like Mephibosheth relied on David for his strength.
• We often try to do things out of our own strength but we’ll never be super without God’s help.
• You are a superhero for God when you let Him use the super strength He gave you.
• You don’t have to wait until you’re grown up to use your super strength. Ask God for ways to use them right now.
• Trusting God’s special plan for your life is going to be an amazing adventure.

Bible Story:
David and Mephibosheth: David brought the disabled son of his best friend to live in his palace and took care of him. Mephibosheth relied on David’s strength to support him. God had a purpose for him too though. Later, when David’s kingdom was threatened, Mephibosheth stayed loyal to David, even when it might have been more to his advantage to join up with the enemy.
1 Samuel 9 and 16

Verse:
1 Corinthians 16:13 NIRV Be on your guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be brave. Be strong.

Phrase:
I’ve got Super Strength as you can see. It’s part of God’s big plan for me!

Discussion Questions:
1) How does super strength mean something besides big muscles?
2) If super strength can be on the inside, what does it look like when you live it out each day?

The "Superhero" Series is a production of lifekids.tv.

Rodeo Camp in Orville, WA

2009-08-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

I had planned on video blogging about my trip to Orville while we were gone, but the camera that I took was not compatible with my computer so I will have to write about it and use pictures instead. First off, Oroville Washington is a loonnnnnggggggg ways from Lea County New Mexico. We were just a few miles from the Canadian border which meant that it was really hot during the day and really cold at night. Dimitra, Whitney, and I did music, games, and skits for the services, hung out with the girls at night, and did the breakaway roping clinic. Dimitra and I were the announcers at the rodeo and Whitney took the pictures. This is one of the services, (check out the view), and that is our tent in the background.

Al Parsons, our fearless leader!

Dimitra speaking at one of the morning chapel services. Her and Whitney both did a great job!!!

Our AWESOME breakaway ropers!!!

Rockstars, Al and Joanie Parsons...they were the opening act for Rockstar Night!

The Rockstar Concert judges, Randy, Paula, and Simon, (also known as, Joe, Jackie, and Al).

Rodeo Camp 2009 Team
(we are missing a few people because it was late at night and some had already went to bed).

Whit and Dimitra standing in front of the shower trailer. : )

Dimitra and I trying to run the rodeo as the second string announcers.

James, our bullfighter (and skit guy, counselor, dad, husband, etc.).

Bullriding instructors, Joe Melling and Colby Riley.

Dimitra and Bodee Blue.

We had a great time hanging out with our Washington friends, but we couldn't wait to get and see you guys! Thanks to everyone in Washington that took care of us.

Beat Down with Adam and James

2009-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Camp Crossfire 2009 Highlight Video

2009-08-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a look at just a few things that happen at Camp Crossfire 2009.

Kenny Kniffin ROCKS!!! He did an awesome job on this video! Thank you to everyone who made Camp Crossfire 2009 a huge success!

Don't forget to be the Rockstar that God created you to be at school this year. Blessings on your 2009-2010 school year!

Camp Crossfire Time Capsule

2009-08-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!!! Well...camp is over, the fair and rodeo is finally over, and school is starting soon! YAY!!! Life as we know it will soon be back to normal. Or Not! Sometimes I think that once we are back on a normal schedule that things will slow down, but things usually don't happen like that. Since we are getting back to the "real world" it is real easy to lose focus or to forget about what God might have done in your life this summer (at camp for example). Last week at youth group we talked about the commitments or decisions that we made at camp so that we could hold each other accountable this year to keep living all out and on fire for God. We are going to put all of our commitments in a time capsule and bury it at the church. Then next year before camp we will see how far we have come since this point! I'm excited about looking back on this year, but I'm even more excited about living it! Putting our commitments in a time capsule does not automatically make them happen or come true. It takes hard work, dedication, staying faithful, and setting high standards. Everyone can be a part of this. Leave your commitments on the comment board and then we will put them in the time capsule as well. Everyone is invited to be a part!!!

Every Story Counts!

2009-08-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Tori Fike
So here it goes. Snap, where do I start? Let’s see…I was born, haha, just kidding. I can’t say that I’ve had some super tough experiences or did some really wrong things and then had an AHA! moment, but I did find Cowboy Junction, with the help of a dear friend. I can honestly say that going to Cowboy Junction has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. God knew exactly what He was doing, of course. Before that time, I was a good Christian when it came to not doing things I wasn’t supposed to do and stuff like that, but I wasn’t glorifying God and worshipping Him and praising Him like He so greatly deserves. I began to pray more, and read my Bible more, although still not as much as I would like, but I’m workin on it. And Cigi, man what a Rockstar she is. Its so great to be a part of a youth group that I can feel connected to, and a youth pastor that is there goin through it all with us. She has blessed my life in so many ways, just by being who she is, especially for just being who she is. She has never made me feel like I’m not good enough because she pretended to be perfect, and that’s awesome. And Pastor Ty and Pastor Heather. They give the best sermons I have ever heard in my life, and I can’t say that there has been one that hasn’t touched my heart in some how, way, shape, or form. God has done great things with their lives. And then, there was Camp Crossfire. Man oh man. I think that last week was one of the most eye opening times of my life. I worshipped like I’ve never worshipped before. My hands were high, and my heart was open. I also realized, though, that you don’t have to lift your hands and go crazy to truly worship. Its about doing what your heart tells you to do, without holding back, whatever that may mean for anyone, because everyone is unique. And the counselors and all the staff were just so absolutely amazing and it was such a blessing to know them. And when I got back home, I started to pray, not because I had to or needed to, but because I wanted to. And it wasn’t just about the nightly “go through the motions” prayer anymore. I pray all the time about anything that comes my way or I happen to think of, and its an exhilarating experience. I love my Jesus with all my heart, and I can only hope that I can someday touch someone’s like mine has been touched. Sorry, that was long, I didn’t mean for it to be. But I had this tug on my heart and I felt that it all needed to be said. Thanks to those of you who read it through =).

Love yall,
Tori Fike

Camp is 8 days away!!!

2009-07-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!!! I know my blogging has slacked off a little these past two weeks, but I am spending most of my time getting ready for camp so I am sure you understand : ). If you haven't already, make sure and check out Sara's and Hunter's testimonies. They ROCK!
Camp is only 8 days away! I can't believe it! After camp the blogging will pick up...promise. I can't wait to see you guys at camp!!!!

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-07-13T08:36:00.001-07:00

Episode 5 of "Scoundrels" was on gossip. Rusty Trusty is feeling pretty good about the town now that they've got the obvious scoundrels under control but Honest John isn't so sure. He still senses that something isn't right. Silent Sue always seems to play a small role in anything bad that goes down. She spreads gossip, flatters people but talks about them behind their backs, and thinks that is she just leaves a detail out that it doesn't count as a lie. She finally gets on the wrong side of Josie, the town tomboy, who challenges her to a showdown at the Bigmouth Corral. Word gets to John just in time and he gets there and breaks up the fight. John helps Sue see how destructive her words have been. Her deceit, flattery, gossip, and hypocrisy are dishonest too.

Memory Verse: Proverbs 20:19 (NCV) Gossips can't keep secrets, so avoid people who talk to much.

Phrase: Don't nobody like a tow-faced Sue, so always be the same ol' you.

"Scoundrels" is a series produced by lifekids.tv.

Every Story Counts!

2009-07-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Hunter Ray

I absolutely love telling each other our testimonies! A lot of times, telling others our story helps shed light on their own. My story starts out pretty early. I grew up going to the Methodist Church in Tatum my whole life, so I knew who God was. The only thing was I knew of Him in my head, not my heart. I went to church because that was what my parents wanted. I truthfully was bored out of my mind. As church got more and more boring for me, my heart began to search for something that could fill the void I felt in my heart. It just seemed like God was not active and close to me. By the age of ten, I was desperate. I turned to the only thing that made my heart beat faster...girls. At ten years old, I became addicted to pornography. A lot of guys struggle with this, but in my case it became an obsession. It was the only thing that made me feel better. The horrible thing was that as I became more and more addicted...the worse the hunger got. After each time, I remember thinking about how horrible of a person I was and the guilt was tremendous. I prayed nearly every time after pleading with God to get me out of it. I kept hiding the addiction, hoping that no one would ever find out. Well you know how that goes...I got caught. My mom finally found out what I had been doing. I had used the computer without her permission and when I went to make sure she didn't know I used it, the mouse fell behind the desk. She found it and I got into trouble. I remember (before I came clean about what happened) getting on my knees and giving my life to God. I remember that I told Him that I didn't want to go my way anymore and that I would follow Him where He took me. Ever since that day, my life has changed...A complete 180. I don't remember the exact day I put my trust in Jesus, but I do believe Him and asked Him into my heart somewhere along the way. Looking back now, I can't believe how far he's taken me. It took a whole two years for the addiction to go away, but He completely set me free from it. He's changed me in ways I could have never imagined. I've given Him everything because on that day so many years ago, I found what I had been always been looking for...Jesus. My desire now is to know Him to the fullest and help to make Him known.

~ Hunter ~

Praise be to the Lord my Rock! He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 144:1-2)

Kickin' It with Juan

2009-07-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Tell us what you want to see Juan do...the sky is the limit!!!!

Crossroads Youth Ministry Rewind

2009-07-07T13:27:00.001-07:00

Monday Night July 6th, 2009

Announcements

If you are interested in being a Blessings volunteer contact Corina Casler.
20 days until Camp Crossfire!!!

Game
Our game this week didn't really go as planned...so we had to improvise. Everyone had to get from one side of the yard to the other with a balloon between their knees and then when they got to the other side they had to side down on their balloon to try to pop it.

Message

Changing the World-"Man in the Mirror"-Michael Jackson

Man in the Mirror
Chorus: I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change!

If we want to change the world for Christ, we need to start with ourselves by looking in the mirror of God's word and then putting it into practice.
Obviously Michael Jackson wrote a ton of songs over his career, but there is one in particular that carries a very strong message. "Man in the Mirror"
James 1:22-24 (NLT) But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
How many times a day do you look in the mirror?
What do most people think about when they look in the mirror?
What would we see if we looked in a mirror that showed us the condition of our hearts?
What kinds of things does the Bible reveal?
Why are we often more willing to fool ourselves by not changing then to put God's word into practice?
What does it mean to 'forget what we look like' on the inside?
Matthew 26:41-The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Don't wait for camp to make a change!

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-07-06T09:46:00.001-07:00

This week at JCKC we watched week 4 of "Scoundrels." It was a day off for Honest John and Rusty Trusty because they were doing some cleaning at the office and preparing for the "Jail Sale." Bucky Bandito is a notorious criminal and slipped into town in disguise to check out the bank. When he realized that the sheriff was distrated by his Jail Sale, he took the opportunity to rob the bank. Honest John caught him and threw him in jail. When they were writing up the report, Bucky told a series of stories about situations where he stole as a child that then led up to his dishonest lifestyle. By listening to his own excueses instead of God's Word, he began to feel like it's okay to steal in certain situations. Honest John pointed out that Bucky always had a choice to quit being a thief. He could trust God to provide what he needed, work for the money, or ask others for help.

Scripture Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:28 (NLT)
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead use your hands for good hard work...

Phrase: God provides the real deal, so you never have to steal.

"Scoundrels" is a video series produced by lifekids.tv.

Crossroads Youth Ministry Rewind

2009-06-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Monday Night June 29th, 2009

Announcements

If you are interested in being a Blessings volunteer contact Corina Casler.
4th of July Celebration-July 4th at 5:30pm
Workshops at Camp

Name game

Name, age, where you are from, and your earliest memory. If you weren't at youth Monday night we would still love to hear yours so post it as a comment!

Message

Who do you surround yourself with?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12-A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Realize your surroundings.
Going with the flow is not necessarily a good thing.
Find people who are encouraging and who aren't afraid to stand out.
Will Smith (Teen People Magazine, August 2004)-"The best thing anybody ever said to me is that you're only as good as the people you associate with. Look at the five friends that you spend the most time with-that's who you are."
Jeanne Mayo-"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future."
Proverbs 22:24-Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
Proverbs 27:17-As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Lets surround ourselves with people who are going to sharpen us and build us up!

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-06-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

Last week at JCKC we watched Part 1 of this week's "Scoundrels" which was about cheating. Wild Bill is a big time rancher from a big city. But he uses his street-smarts to take advantage of everyone. He shorts an employee some money but talks fast to cover it and confuse him. He overhears a good idea and passes it off as his own later. Finally, he cheats at a card game at the saloon. This time though, Honest John catches him cheating.
This week all of the other cheats came out as people put together what happened to them that day. Honest John talked to Wild Bill Hiccup about cheating at cards, taking Silent Sue's ideas, and keeping Ben's money. Wild Bill Hiccup decided not to cheat anymore and repaied Ben his money. Even when you get away with it, and no one ever finds out, God knows. God hates cheating. Cheating is wrong because it is dishonest. God is honest, and as His children, we need to live by His character.

Scripture Memory Verse: Deuteronomy 25:16 (CEV)
...the Lord is disgusted with anyone who cheats or is dishonest.

Phrase: You could be a sneaky cheat, but God can always smell your stink.

"Scoundrels" is a video series produced by lifekids.tv.

CYM Night

2009-06-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night was our CYM Night for this month and we had a blast!

Here are some of the highlights:

A game of "Survivor" (dodgeball game) in the arena...the girls did awesome!
The Fire Skit with the CYM skit team...real funny! (Trey and Tyler stole the show).

Fabian, Lesley, Abby, Ty, and Dimitra led worship, which ROCKED!
We talked about Passion vs. Excitement.

-Excitement is shallow...Passion is deep.
-Excitement is temporary...Passion is eternal.
-Excitement can be copied...Passion is authentic.
-Excitement comes from feelings, emotions, etc...Passion is not a feeling, emotion, or
"show."
-Excitement is good, it's not a bad thing, but passion is REAL and it lasts!
-Passion is ENDURING.
-Passion stems from VISION.
-Passion is AUTHENTIC.
-Acts 4:13 (How they could tell the disciples were real).
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,
from they could see that they were ordinary with no special training in the Scriptures.
They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

"Every Story Counts!"

2009-06-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Sara Kiesau

I've always thought my testimony was kinda lame. It seems the people that have experienced the most extreme things, overcome the most harsh conditions, just always seem to have cooler testimonies. But I've come to realize that though I've never been an addict, imprisoned, or really any kind of rebel in the least bit (ok I do speed...), I've overcome several things that make me who I am today, things that I never would have found my way out of without the big man upstairs, guiding me and pushing me in the right direction.

My relationship with God has developed gradually throughout my childhood. I can't really say that I can pin point the exact day I was saved and accepted Jesus into my heart. I do remember Hot Hearts in the 7th grade, though. I remember finally giving up on trying to wrestle with life's challenges alone. I was at that stage where I never did anything without my friends, I had aloneophobia (yep i made that word up). But during the alter call, I didn't hesitate to get up out of my seat, walk down to the floor of the coliseum (from our nose bleed seats), and place everything in His hands, on my own-a decision I made for myself. Since that day, I've had plenty of ups and downs. I've gone through stages where I'm totally on fire for God and try to glorify Him in every little thing I do. And then there's those periods of time where I get confused, or caught up in the craziness of life, that I forget or ignore what I should be doing. But no matter what, my heart is where it should be, it's my head that gets in the way sometimes.

As far as my family goes, I'm the oddball. I am very independent, especially in my walk with God. My parents go to church because I ask them to. I didn't grow up with parents forcing me out of bed on Sunday mornings, I wound up in church because it was what all my friends were doing. But somewhere along the way, I chose to seek God based on something going on in my own heart, not because of other people. So my whole relationship with God, from the start to where it is now, was established without the guidance of anyone living under the same roof as me. That's difficult sometimes, but I believe that God has his reasons, mainly for me to be a light in their lives.

With college coming up quick, I've been forced to step back and really take a good look at my life. I believe that anything can have an impact on your life, but until you can honestly say you have no idea what your life would be like without it, it's really not that important. I can technically live without my family and friends. I absolutely can not even fathom what I would be doing, how I would be living my life, without God. I don't even want to think about it. He is the center of everything, and I seek Him in everything I do. And it's funny, I tend to find Him. I put my trust in HIm for EVERYTHING, especially now, with this huge ginormous step in front of me. I may be entering a campus filled with 40,000 people I don't know, but I'll never really be alone, because God will always be there, guiding me each and every day, and that is pretty dang comforting.

Crossroads Youth Ministry Rewind

2009-06-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

Monday Night June 22nd, 2009

Announcements

If you are interested in being a Blessings volunteer contact Corina Casler.
4th of July Celebration-July 4th at 5:30pm

Game

This week we played a game called "Coin-Ball-Book." The goal of the game was to hold a coin in your eye, a ball between your knees, and balance a book on your head while walking to the other side of the yard without dropping anything. Good watching!

Message

Self-Esteem Part 2
Sometimes it is easier to give compliments than it is to receive them, because we don't feel like we are deserving of the compliment. We also discussed that it is so much easier to tear a person down (including ourselves), instead of building them up.
We compared the self-esteem and confidence that Gideon had compared to David's.
If our value or esteem is based on what people say we are or who we think we are it will more than likely be low, but when we put our confidence and value in what God says we are we can't lose! Let's not only build other people up, let's also believe what God says about us and put our confidence in Him.

Unleash Your Inner Rockstar!!!-2

2009-06-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you want to be a part of Camp Crossfire 2009, let me know! We have a spot for you!

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-06-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Sunday at JCKC we watched Part 1 of this week's "Scoundrels" which was about cheating. Wild Bill is a big time rancher from a big city. But he uses his street-smarts to take advantage of everyone. He shorts an employee some money but talks fast to cover it and confuse him. He overhears a good idea and passes it off as his own later. Finally, he cheats at a card game at the saloon. This time though, Honest John catches him cheating. Next week we will find out what Honest John and Rusty Trusty do to Wild Bill for cheating.

Scripture Memory Verse: Deuteronomy 25:16 (CEV)
...the Lord is disgusted with anyone who cheats or is dishonest.

Phrase: You could be a sneaky cheat, but God can always smell your stink.

"Scoundrels" is a video series produced by lifekids.tv.

Women With Vision

2009-06-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

Pastor Heather always knows how to throw a party! Wednesday night was "Women With Vision" and we had so much fun! The night was all about dreaming big, stepping out on faith, getting involved, and being a part. We have such an incredible opportunity to get to be a blessing and to be a part of what God is doing!

The food was incredible!

Softball Game Video Blog

2009-06-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

This week's softball game against 180.

Crossraods YM Recap

2009-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Monday night June 15th, 2009

Announcements

Camp Crossfire-if you are planning on coming to camp HURRY and get your info and money into Cigi!!!
CYM Night June 24th 6:30pm at CJC
If you want to be a Blessings Volunteer or would like to help with horse camp contact Corrina Casler.

Game

We played a game called "Straw Slide." Everyone put an ordinary drinking straw into their mouths. The goal was to get their mouths from one end of the straw to the other without using their hands. Lots of funny faces!!!

Message

Self-Esteem Part 1
After my blog post, "Blogging??," I discovered that I am not the only one who worries about what other people might think. We all want to be loved, accepted, and fit in, but sometimes we base our self-esteem on what other people think about us or even what we think other people might think about us. We begin to put confidence in who we or they say we are instead of who God made us to be.
Fun Element-Everyone had a piece of paper and a pen. They all had a few minutes to write compliments on each others' papers. We then discussed some of the following questions:
Was it easy or hard to write compliments? Is it easier to compliment or put down? Is it hard to receive compliments?
Don't buy into the lie that you are not valuable--you ARE!

Next Week

Self-Esteem Part 2
David and Gideon

On your own

Read Judges 6 and 7
Where was Gideon when God spoke to him?
What did God call him?

This week at Junction City Kids Church

2009-06-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

This week at JCKC we watched episode 2 of "Scoundrels." The Lucky Duck Mine is an old abandoned mine in the town of Whopperburg that belongs to the sheriff, Honest John. Honest John locks up the opening because he wants the kids in the town to be safe. Butch Tappity and the Square Dance Kid hear a rumor (from Silent Sue) that there's actually gold there and that Honest John just wants to keep it to himself. They make up a lie to get the keys from the deputy, Rusty Trusty. Then they lie to get some mining equipment. Finally, when they think they are about to strike it rich, the mine caves in on them. Honest John rescues them just in time. He shows them how the cave-in is like what happens to us when we lie. Our lies come crashing down on us. We can't even remember what we told people and have to keep telling lies to cover up our other lies. The best punishment in this case is that honest John tells their mama!!!

Scripture Memory Verse: Proverbs 12:19 (NLT) Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.

Phrase: Shootin' straight and bold is worth more than gold.

"Scoundrels" is a video series done by lifekids.tv

Camp Crossfire Update

2009-06-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

We currently have 10 spots available for camp! If you have not sent in your info and/or deposit yet...HURRY! You can print off a brochure at www.cowboyjunctionchurch.com. If you have any questions you can email cigiallen@yahoo.com. We are going to have a blast!

Maid 4 U

2009-06-10T13:03:00.001-07:00

This is Sadie and Dimitra's new buisness! If you need your house cleaned, they are "Maid 4 U!"

Camp Ideas

2009-06-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! We are making so many plans for camp and we want to know what you want! What are some things you would like to see at camp, (activities, games, water day activities, etc.)? The sky is the limit! Be creative. Comment with your ideas and we will try to do the ones that we can. Have fun with it! We can't wait to hear what you come up with!

The EE Tie-Down Roping

2009-06-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

There have been times in my life when I have definitely made decisions without putting a lot of thought behind them, but this year at the Joe's Boot Shop Roping was one of the worst times ever! I had wanted to enter the EE tie-down roping for a long time. The EE Roping division is for people who have just started roping, little boys, old men, and girls. They rope little holstein calves and everyone had told me that if you rope all four calves and tie them all down you WILL win money. Sounds easy enough right? That is where I should have put a little more thought into my decision. See I thought that since I had all of the equipment needed like a rope, neck-rope, 2 pigin-strings, a horn knot, knife, and ankle brace that I was ready. Plus I had tied-down on my horse before (yeah so it was like 4 years ago, but still), I knew how to tie a calf, I felt confident about catching them, and the calves looked little enough to flank (from the bleachers anyway), I thought I was ready! Right? Not quite. I had not practiced getting off, flanking, tying, or even checking to make sure my horse knew what he was doing. I thought that since I had seen Trevor Brazile do it before, (and by the way he makes it look really easy), that I could surely do it. Besides all I needed to do was catch them all and tie them down. Piece of cake!
Pastor Ty preached a message recently called "Are you ready or prepared? You can find it at http://www.cowboyjunctionchurch.com/media/podcasts/. See I felt ready to enter the EE Roping because I had all the stuff, knew how, and had watched Trevor do it a thousand times, but I wasn't prepared. I had put no effort or work into my tie-down roping. I had not practiced or even thought about practicing. I just entered! How many times in life, in our relationships, and in our walk with God do we just expect to be able to do something but put no work towards actually doing it. Being good at something takes effort and preparation. Paul talks about this life being like a race. He says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
Work hard, run with the purpose that God has given you, and prepare!
Next year I am not only thinking about entering and getting ready for the EE Tie-down roping at Joe's Boot Shop...I am preparing! Look out EE Ropers!

Blogging?????

2009-06-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging...that's right after 4 months I am blogging once again. I've decided that blogging is not as easy as it looks. Heather's Blog "Keeping It Real" ROCKS! (If you for some reason have not checked it out yet you need to. It is found at http://heatherbeansblog.blogspot.com/). She has done an awesome job blogging, me on the other hand not so much. I decided I was going to make another attempt at blogging, but I immediately started thinking of all the reasons why I am not a good blogger. Reasons like...
-"I am so busy!" Youth Group, Camp Crossfire, Kids Church, keeping up with Pastor Ty, who has time to blog?
-It is hard to think of something to say! Something fresh, fun, interesting, funny, encouraging, clever, challenging and making it fit all age groups. Yeah right....not happening!
-Who's reading it? Anyone? No one? English teachers like Mrs. Medlin? YIKES!
-What if I don't live up to all the great bloggers out there? (Heather, Ty, Emily, Steven Furtick, etc.)
...and then all of a sudden I realized that I was making some of the same excuses that I make in life and in my relationship with God. "I am to busy!...It's hard!...What are people going to think of me?...What if I don't live up?"
I may be busy, but I can make time for what is most important, like my relationship with God and with friends and family. And sometimes things are hard, life is hard, but God is good and He is the author, not me. It doesn't matter who's watching, reading, or listening, I need to live for an audience of One and put my confidence in Him alone. I probably won't live up to people's standards in life, but that is not who I am living for. I don't want my lame excuses, insecurities, or silly reasons for not doing something get in the way of something awesome that God has for me, and I definitely don't want them to get in the way of my walk with God. Blogging is one thing, but my relationship with God is different. I want nothing to hold me back!

Unleash Your Inner Rockstar!!!

2009-06-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

The theme for Camp Crossfire 2009 is "Camp Crossfire HERO: Unleash Your Inner Rockstar!" We are so excited about camp that we have already started "Unleashing Our Inner Rockstar!" Pastor Ty is not only a great rockstar and incredible lead singer, he is also the king of editing video! More to come next week!

A Tribute to Love...

2009-02-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

...from Crossroads Youth Group.

I just want to thank everyone that attended or helped with the Valentines Banquet. It was a huge success! I am so proud of the youth group. You guys stepped up and did a great job. Thanks for your hard work. I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day!

Valentine's Banquet

2009-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

The Valentine's Banquet is this Wednesday, hosted by Crossroads Youth Ministry! There will be food, music, videos, entertainment and lots of fun!

Thanks Pastor Ty for the video!

I LOVE Wednesdays!!!

2009-02-04T08:43:00.001-08:00

I just got back to the office from being in Tatum at Common Ground this morning. I LOVE Wednesday's and mainly because I get to start it off in Tatum and secondly because I get to spend lunch at Taylor, both with some of my favorite people! I am so proud of all of the school groups! Tatum Common Ground meets every Wednesday morning before school at 7:30am. That is commitment! Taylor Middle School Fellowship of Christian Athletes, both 7th and 8th graders, meet during their lunch time on Wednesdays. We usually laugh alot...lots of fun! Lovington High School and Freshman School both meet on Thursdays during their lunch times. The churches help in feeding the high school groups, which is always such a blessing to everyone involved. I am thankful that I get to be apart of these groups and I have enjoyed getting to know all you wonderful people. The leadership is doing a great job and we always appreciate the teachers for being involved and for their support. Wednesdays are great and I can't wait til tomorrow!

Christmas/New Years Card

2009-01-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

Just in case you haven't seen it.

Cigi <><

Blogging once again!

2009-01-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

As you can see my blogging has been lacking a bit...okay, maybe a lot. Now that the website is officially up and running I am going to TRY to get more consistent with my blogging. I am so excited about all the cool things that are happening at CJC and at Crossroads Youth Ministry so I thought I would make a list.

CJC's website is live!
The youth group finally has a name-"Crossroads Youth Ministry"
The Valentine's Banquet is coming soon and is going to be lots of fun!
Pastor Ty, with God's help, has been hitting homeruns every week at church and he has so many awesome messages planned that are coming soon (example: "Core" in February).
Blessings Equine Therapy is going great and has been so much fun! The barn looks awesome and works pretty good too. What a cool ministry!
Junction Christian Academy is officially coming in August. I can't wait to see what God does through this school.
Our road sign is going to be here soon.
"Shine in '09," Crossroads Youth Ministry's theme for this year.
And most importantly, God is doing awesome things in hearts and lives!

Just to name a few. I can't wait to see what all is coming in 2009!

Cigi <><

Youth Party

2008-12-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

Well...here goes. Monday night we had our "somewhat of a surprise" youth group Christmas party. We ate, laughed, and then hurried back to the church. This is my first official blog, and since I am still learning I decided to include a few pictures of the party. Hope everyone had a very merry CHRISTmas!

Youth Group Christmas Party 2008. Lots of fun!