First post this year.

Well, I know it has been a while since my last post, but believe me, I have not given up. As a matter of fact I have started a fun blogsite which will highlight one photo per week this year. Great challenge. You can see it at photography52

Well, I just returned from Nashville, TN. I was there attending the National conference on Youth Ministry and also had the chance to visit my sister and her father. What a great time. I was asked several months ago if I would teach a round table at NCYM and after much prayer decided to obey the Masters call. The round table was on ethics in youth ministry. As you guessed, not many attended my round table. As a matter of fact, my first session was me and my computer.

Anywho, one special moment came when I was browsing the vender booths... I came across "children's Christian Homes" out of Abilene. I was thrilled to visit this booth and share a special story. (If you would like to know the full story, you can look in my October archives "Stories from the road"

For those of you who remember Whitney, I was able to tell the story of Whitney to one of the key staff persons at the children's home. She told me she knew Whitney and was thrilled to hear how God was chasing her. She told me she would share this story with Whitney's case worker when she returned.

The time of sharing we had gave me a sense that this story is not over yet. God is best... All the time.

I hope to be able to encourage more this year through the blessing of blogging. Just before I left for NCYM, I had a journey into the darkside of blogging. "MYSPACE" is very different than the wonderful things my friend Jason got me started in blogging.

One of my ex-students who left WA to return home to CA had posted a terrible site. She had lied about her age, the site was full of foul language, sexual content, and un-Godly photos. WOW! I was hit hard by this. However, I was able to get the site off the web. I emailed her aunt here in Washington and spoke to her father in CA. She is only 13. It broke my heart.

Just a reminder... Listen to your younger friends. Check out their blogs and encourage positive Godly things.

Peace to you all this New Year.
johno~

P.S. Jason, if you are out there... It's been a while.