I wanted to share a link to my (other) blog on my photography website. I shot a wonderful wedding this weekend down in Tucson and wanted to share it around.
If you happen to be in the market for a photographer for any reason and you happen to be living in the Missouri area, please give me a call. All my contact info is on my website.
I hope you enjoy!
Colin and Allison's Wedding
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Volunteer Hearts (Part 3)
This week, we hear from Ashley Caruso. Another wonderful part of Team Durango. Ashley is from Florida and became a YAV after attending the NYG as a participant. You'll find her wonderful story and insights below.
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I decided to apply to be a YAV because of my experience as a participant. I came home closer to God, my youth group, and myself. I wanted to pass that joy on to someone else. I wanted to see kids enjoy the gathering just like I did when I was a participant.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
To be completely honest, I was scared to DEATH to be a YAV. I heard that it was a lot of work, a lot of responsibility, and A LOT of stepping out of your comfort zone. I happen to like my comfort zone and was VERY apprehensive about stepping outside of it. I was hoping that I would experience that amazing "God moment" like I did as a participant but was skeptical that I would considering how busy we would be.
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
The most overwhelming part of the gathering was the mass event on Tuesday night when they were discussing distractions and how they get in our way of our relationship with God.I was having second thoughts about being at the gathering. I had actually considered going home because I felt like I didn't belong. That I was not good enough to be here with all these amazing believers of Christ. I had screwed up a lot this past year and had fallen away from God, my family, and friends. I had pretty much turned my back on everything that was important to me. I was in an abusive relationship that totally consumed me (in a bad way). I thought that was the type of love I deserved. I moved out of my parents' house, moved in with this abusive guy, got engaged, lost 2 jobs, and left my church. These things were huge distractions and kept me from my loving Savior. I really broke down and pretty much just laid all those distractions down at God's feet. Mia Koehne spoke about her struggles with looking for empty love. That's where I was a year ago. It was also overwhelming to have my little brother, Steven, there as a participant. He got to experience that HUGE weight of distractions lifted off my shoulders and put onto the shoulders of Christ as he died in my place on the cross.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
I think I saw God's love most in the people of San Antonio. They were so happy we were there and were so happy and willing to help if any of us were in need. I think the story that sticks out in my mind is when I got to speak to one of the ushers at the Alamodome. His name was Alex and when I first started talking to him, he seemed pretty skeptical about us "Christian Youth". He was there on Thursday night when we were writing down our sins and laying them at the cross. He left the stadium and stepped into the hallway while we were doing this. We continued worshipping and Alex stepped back in. We came to the part where we turned to the person next to us and told them that their sins were forgiven. I went over to Alex and told him that Jesus had died so that we might live and that his sins were forgiven. He broke down and said that he needed to hear that and that he is going to start going back to church. WOW!! What an awesome testament to God's love.
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
I've already started recruiting YAVs for the 2016 gathering in New Orleans, LA! I've been telling them about the bonds that are formed, the awesome experiences I had, the fact that you get to be there 2 days early, and all the AMAZING events that you get to see from a different perspective. I think your heart really has to be in it to volunteer, but it is so amazing that it would be CRAZY to miss out on something this awesome.
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I decided to apply to be a YAV because of my experience as a participant. I came home closer to God, my youth group, and myself. I wanted to pass that joy on to someone else. I wanted to see kids enjoy the gathering just like I did when I was a participant.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
To be completely honest, I was scared to DEATH to be a YAV. I heard that it was a lot of work, a lot of responsibility, and A LOT of stepping out of your comfort zone. I happen to like my comfort zone and was VERY apprehensive about stepping outside of it. I was hoping that I would experience that amazing "God moment" like I did as a participant but was skeptical that I would considering how busy we would be.
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
The most overwhelming part of the gathering was the mass event on Tuesday night when they were discussing distractions and how they get in our way of our relationship with God.I was having second thoughts about being at the gathering. I had actually considered going home because I felt like I didn't belong. That I was not good enough to be here with all these amazing believers of Christ. I had screwed up a lot this past year and had fallen away from God, my family, and friends. I had pretty much turned my back on everything that was important to me. I was in an abusive relationship that totally consumed me (in a bad way). I thought that was the type of love I deserved. I moved out of my parents' house, moved in with this abusive guy, got engaged, lost 2 jobs, and left my church. These things were huge distractions and kept me from my loving Savior. I really broke down and pretty much just laid all those distractions down at God's feet. Mia Koehne spoke about her struggles with looking for empty love. That's where I was a year ago. It was also overwhelming to have my little brother, Steven, there as a participant. He got to experience that HUGE weight of distractions lifted off my shoulders and put onto the shoulders of Christ as he died in my place on the cross.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
I think I saw God's love most in the people of San Antonio. They were so happy we were there and were so happy and willing to help if any of us were in need. I think the story that sticks out in my mind is when I got to speak to one of the ushers at the Alamodome. His name was Alex and when I first started talking to him, he seemed pretty skeptical about us "Christian Youth". He was there on Thursday night when we were writing down our sins and laying them at the cross. He left the stadium and stepped into the hallway while we were doing this. We continued worshipping and Alex stepped back in. We came to the part where we turned to the person next to us and told them that their sins were forgiven. I went over to Alex and told him that Jesus had died so that we might live and that his sins were forgiven. He broke down and said that he needed to hear that and that he is going to start going back to church. WOW!! What an awesome testament to God's love.
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
I've already started recruiting YAVs for the 2016 gathering in New Orleans, LA! I've been telling them about the bonds that are formed, the awesome experiences I had, the fact that you get to be there 2 days early, and all the AMAZING events that you get to see from a different perspective. I think your heart really has to be in it to volunteer, but it is so amazing that it would be CRAZY to miss out on something this awesome.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Transition Days
Today was a transition day of sorts. It started with a lot of goodbyes and continued on spending time with the people who will populate my life in the future.
I have grown up in Flagstaff. I was baptized and confirmed at the same church. I have spent 20 years of my life involved in the ministry at Peace Lutheran as either a youth participant, usher, greeter, or youth leader. I have seen the church ebb and flow, change from pews to chairs, get new hymnals, get painted and repainted, rooms change, people pass away and new members come. I have seen and been apart of just about everything at Peace.
The wonderful kids that I have had the privilege of leading in the youth group spoke their words to the congregation this morning about their experience at the National Youth Gathering just two weeks ago. Their experiences give me hope for the future of the LCMS and the future of their lives. They are filled with God's love and compassion and truly have found lifelong friends during their time at youth events. I am not always 100% fond of the policies or direction of the synod but I cannot debate the history and impact it has on my life and the people who I have crossed paths with.
I reminisce because it was my last Sunday of consistent worship at Peace. They had a cake made for me and when our presentation to the congregation was over, I was surprised by the youth group with a number of heartfelt letters from them.
I have spent the last four years with these kids. When I began, there was about 4-5 consistent members at inconsistent events. It was led by a wonderful parent who was just too busy to also take on the task of planning and coordinating events for a small youth group. She did phenomenal in the circumstances.
I prayed about the whole situation and felt compelled to take on a more prominent role with the youth. It may be the one true situation in my life where God spoke a clear and concise message to me. When I was asked if I was interested in leading high school Sunday School, I asked for the whole youth group instead. It started slow and I was not sure how to become that person God wanted me to be. I am still not sure I do the best job of it sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if I am not just hurting the kids more with my advice, or fully getting my point across in bible studies. And I certainly don't claim to have the impact on their lives that some have told me I have had, because at the end of the day, God put us all on the path that crossed in the cramped youth room at Peace. I was merely a tool in his belt. I was very clearly stressed and tired to those closest to me at times and questioned the role I was playing.
When I left today, we have grown from those original 4-5 (who all still attend or have graduated out of youth group), to more than 20 in four short years. At the last National Youth Gathering in 2010, we sent 4 kids and 2 adults. Two weeks ago, we sent 12 kids and 5 adults. We only have a congregation of about 130 members.
It physically pains me sometimes to worry about these kids and the path that they walk. I worry about their relationships, life decisions, their walk with God and if I am truly stressing enough that they are amazing for being who they are and that no one can tell them differently. Because it doesn't matter who you are but whose you are. And I just pray that they never lose sight of that fact. That God is the one true path in life and as long as they put their faith in Him, he will never lead them astray.
I leave these kids with great hope for their futures. I pray that the new youth leader is led by God in the most beneficial way. I expect incredible things from these youth and I know that they won't let me down.
I wanted to close this blog post with photos from over the years of my time leading the youth group and some of the activities we have all had the blessing to do together.
I have grown up in Flagstaff. I was baptized and confirmed at the same church. I have spent 20 years of my life involved in the ministry at Peace Lutheran as either a youth participant, usher, greeter, or youth leader. I have seen the church ebb and flow, change from pews to chairs, get new hymnals, get painted and repainted, rooms change, people pass away and new members come. I have seen and been apart of just about everything at Peace.
The wonderful kids that I have had the privilege of leading in the youth group spoke their words to the congregation this morning about their experience at the National Youth Gathering just two weeks ago. Their experiences give me hope for the future of the LCMS and the future of their lives. They are filled with God's love and compassion and truly have found lifelong friends during their time at youth events. I am not always 100% fond of the policies or direction of the synod but I cannot debate the history and impact it has on my life and the people who I have crossed paths with.
I reminisce because it was my last Sunday of consistent worship at Peace. They had a cake made for me and when our presentation to the congregation was over, I was surprised by the youth group with a number of heartfelt letters from them.
I have spent the last four years with these kids. When I began, there was about 4-5 consistent members at inconsistent events. It was led by a wonderful parent who was just too busy to also take on the task of planning and coordinating events for a small youth group. She did phenomenal in the circumstances.
I prayed about the whole situation and felt compelled to take on a more prominent role with the youth. It may be the one true situation in my life where God spoke a clear and concise message to me. When I was asked if I was interested in leading high school Sunday School, I asked for the whole youth group instead. It started slow and I was not sure how to become that person God wanted me to be. I am still not sure I do the best job of it sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if I am not just hurting the kids more with my advice, or fully getting my point across in bible studies. And I certainly don't claim to have the impact on their lives that some have told me I have had, because at the end of the day, God put us all on the path that crossed in the cramped youth room at Peace. I was merely a tool in his belt. I was very clearly stressed and tired to those closest to me at times and questioned the role I was playing.
When I left today, we have grown from those original 4-5 (who all still attend or have graduated out of youth group), to more than 20 in four short years. At the last National Youth Gathering in 2010, we sent 4 kids and 2 adults. Two weeks ago, we sent 12 kids and 5 adults. We only have a congregation of about 130 members.
It physically pains me sometimes to worry about these kids and the path that they walk. I worry about their relationships, life decisions, their walk with God and if I am truly stressing enough that they are amazing for being who they are and that no one can tell them differently. Because it doesn't matter who you are but whose you are. And I just pray that they never lose sight of that fact. That God is the one true path in life and as long as they put their faith in Him, he will never lead them astray.
I leave these kids with great hope for their futures. I pray that the new youth leader is led by God in the most beneficial way. I expect incredible things from these youth and I know that they won't let me down.
I wanted to close this blog post with photos from over the years of my time leading the youth group and some of the activities we have all had the blessing to do together.
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| Splatter painting our "Undignified Love" Shirts |
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| Placing our handprints on a piece of fabric so that it can be hung in the youth room. |
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| Donald Duck. Disneyland. |
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| Speaking at the Youth Encounter Quake Zone in Phoenix. |
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| Waiting in line to get into the gathering that the Youth Encounter Quake Zone. |
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| Lunch with Swen and Dean at the Youth Encounter Quake Zone. |
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| Star Gazing at a congregation members house. |
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| Creating a poster displaying the poverty in the world during the 30 hour famine lock-in benefitting World Vision. |
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| Hiking on the San Francisco Peaks. |
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| Light painting the playground during a lock-in. |
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| Hiking Bear Mountain. Sedona. |
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| On the way out of the Grand Canyon after spending the night at Indian Gardens bunkhouse. |
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| Enjoying the flight to San Antonio for the 2013 National Youth Gathering. |
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| The crew from Peace Lutheran at the National Youth Gathering 2013. |
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| In front of the a German Catholic church, San Antonio. |
Friday, July 19, 2013
Securing God's Place
13 “No
one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the
other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve both God and money.”
Luke 16:13
No ever said finding a job was easy (if you did, please tell me your ways). I am a history major with experience in photography, recreation, coaching, movie theatres and as a youth leader. None of which complement each other well.
As a christian, I find that I want to do something directly related to promoting God's Kingdom on earth. Be that church work or working for a christian non profit. What better way to evangelize and promote my own relationship with God than to be surrounded by other like minded individuals and get paid for it. It's like killing every bird that ever lived with one stone.
The problem is that Christian jobs are hard to find. And where there are jobs, my experience doesn't lend itself to being very advantageous. So, I look for jobs that aren't necessarily Christian on the surface.
However, when you truly look at your job and think that it might not be "christian" because none of your co-workers attend church or the mission statement says nothing about eternal life, think again. If you truly believe that everything in life is ordained by God, than you are in that job by the grace of the Father. He meant for you to be there and because of that reason, it is Christian.
You were put on this earth for a purpose and that dead end, stressful, low paying job that you hate is all part of the plan.
While I pray and ask God for some guidance in my job search (and I ask for your prayer as well), I am going to try to be content with the job that God lays out in front of me. It might not be that dream job I so strongly desire, but it is going to help support our new family, and lead to the life that God has laid out just for me. And with that always in mind, I will be happy to struggle and stress and find peace in knowing God has it covered.
Luke 16:13
No ever said finding a job was easy (if you did, please tell me your ways). I am a history major with experience in photography, recreation, coaching, movie theatres and as a youth leader. None of which complement each other well.
As a christian, I find that I want to do something directly related to promoting God's Kingdom on earth. Be that church work or working for a christian non profit. What better way to evangelize and promote my own relationship with God than to be surrounded by other like minded individuals and get paid for it. It's like killing every bird that ever lived with one stone.
The problem is that Christian jobs are hard to find. And where there are jobs, my experience doesn't lend itself to being very advantageous. So, I look for jobs that aren't necessarily Christian on the surface.
However, when you truly look at your job and think that it might not be "christian" because none of your co-workers attend church or the mission statement says nothing about eternal life, think again. If you truly believe that everything in life is ordained by God, than you are in that job by the grace of the Father. He meant for you to be there and because of that reason, it is Christian.
You were put on this earth for a purpose and that dead end, stressful, low paying job that you hate is all part of the plan.
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| God's Glory in beautiful color. Sunset, Hart Prairie, Arizona, July 2013 |
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Volunteer Hearts (Part 2)
Check out last week's post HERE, where Rachel answers why she was a YAV (Young Adult Volunteer) and how God worked on her heart during our week in San Antonio.
Check out more of what the LCMS National Youth Gathering is all about HERE.
This week's answers are brought to you by Hannah Hester, Team Durango.
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I chose to apply to be a YAV because I had a great experience at the previous two national gatherings. I wanted to help bring the same enthusiasm that the Orange Nation did for me. They were all so welcoming and loved the Lord and wanted to share it with everyone.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
I thought that being a YAV would be another great experience for meeting other believers and praising God.
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
I think that being an usher the most overwhelming moments were when all the participants and youth leaders were all filing into the dome. They were all excited to be there. It was scary how fast all those seats filled up.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
At the Mass Events I felt that is where I saw God's love. All the Christians there to worship and praise God and learn to LiveLove(d).
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
You get to meet such wonderful people. It is worth the experience to see the national youth gathering in a different light. It isn't work at all. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Check out more of what the LCMS National Youth Gathering is all about HERE.
This week's answers are brought to you by Hannah Hester, Team Durango.
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I chose to apply to be a YAV because I had a great experience at the previous two national gatherings. I wanted to help bring the same enthusiasm that the Orange Nation did for me. They were all so welcoming and loved the Lord and wanted to share it with everyone.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
I thought that being a YAV would be another great experience for meeting other believers and praising God.
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
I think that being an usher the most overwhelming moments were when all the participants and youth leaders were all filing into the dome. They were all excited to be there. It was scary how fast all those seats filled up.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
At the Mass Events I felt that is where I saw God's love. All the Christians there to worship and praise God and learn to LiveLove(d).
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
You get to meet such wonderful people. It is worth the experience to see the national youth gathering in a different light. It isn't work at all. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Volunteer Hearts (Part 1)
If you read my post from a couple of day's ago (HERE), you may remember that I was a volunteer in San Antonio for the LCMS National Youth Gathering. It was my second time doing so and loved it even more. I worked with an incredible team of people and wanted to share their reasons for volunteering and see what God put on their hearts while working at the Gathering for a week.
To give you a general background of what I did, here is a short explanation. Orange Nation (as we are called due to our orange shirts) consisted of nearly 500 volunteers all between the ages of 18-25. We worked in every aspect of the Gathering from traffic control, ushers at events, coordinating games, concerts, etc. In essence, we helped to make sure the events that the coordinators had planned ran smoothly. I was Team Captain of Team Durango. We were Mass Event ushers everyday throughout the week.
I have asked my team to answer a few questions and send them back to me. First off is Rachel Duensing.
(To clarify, YAV stands for Young Adult Volunteer)
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I had been to two gatherings before and had an amazing time so when the time came to be a volunteer I didn't want to pass it up. My sister had been a YAV and loved it so I knew that if I had to opportunity to serve I would take it run with it.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
I was expecting to be running around stressed out and trying to help everyone in sight. I was pleasantly surprised when my group was asked to help during the day by running around the convention center and the city of San Antonio yelling and cheering trying to get kids pumped up for the gathering. My duties as a mass event usher were a bit stressful but so much fun. It was great meeting all these kids and being able to worship along with them!
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
It was definitely overwhelming during the mass event where Jessica, the young woman in a wheelchair, was sharing her story. That was overwhelming in a good way because it is then when I realized that if she can overcome two comas and still have a positive attitude, I can get through the struggles in my life.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
I saw God's love through the people of the city of San Antonio. They were all so welcoming and did a great job of dealing with 25,000 youth and all of us volunteers. It was also in the fact that local news stations would do stories on the gathering and all of their viewers would see them! The song says it only takes a spark, and I think that the stories that aired on the news stations may have just been enough to light a spark in some viewers.
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
I would tell them to apply because you get to experience and meet new people! When you come as a participant you get to meet new people, but you still spend the majority of your time with your youth group. As a YAV not only do you get to meet participants from other areas, but you work right alongside people from areas you may have never been before and you form a relationship with them. Personally, I came as a volunteer not knowing what to expect, and I left with a family. I wouldn't trade my experience as a YAV for anything in the world! D-U-R-A-N-G-O!
To give you a general background of what I did, here is a short explanation. Orange Nation (as we are called due to our orange shirts) consisted of nearly 500 volunteers all between the ages of 18-25. We worked in every aspect of the Gathering from traffic control, ushers at events, coordinating games, concerts, etc. In essence, we helped to make sure the events that the coordinators had planned ran smoothly. I was Team Captain of Team Durango. We were Mass Event ushers everyday throughout the week.
I have asked my team to answer a few questions and send them back to me. First off is Rachel Duensing.
(To clarify, YAV stands for Young Adult Volunteer)
What made you decide to apply to be a YAV?
I had been to two gatherings before and had an amazing time so when the time came to be a volunteer I didn't want to pass it up. My sister had been a YAV and loved it so I knew that if I had to opportunity to serve I would take it run with it.
What were you expecting being a YAV would be like?
I was expecting to be running around stressed out and trying to help everyone in sight. I was pleasantly surprised when my group was asked to help during the day by running around the convention center and the city of San Antonio yelling and cheering trying to get kids pumped up for the gathering. My duties as a mass event usher were a bit stressful but so much fun. It was great meeting all these kids and being able to worship along with them!
What was the most overwhelming moment you experienced at the Gathering?
It was definitely overwhelming during the mass event where Jessica, the young woman in a wheelchair, was sharing her story. That was overwhelming in a good way because it is then when I realized that if she can overcome two comas and still have a positive attitude, I can get through the struggles in my life.
Where did you see God's love the most during your week at the Gathering?
I saw God's love through the people of the city of San Antonio. They were all so welcoming and did a great job of dealing with 25,000 youth and all of us volunteers. It was also in the fact that local news stations would do stories on the gathering and all of their viewers would see them! The song says it only takes a spark, and I think that the stories that aired on the news stations may have just been enough to light a spark in some viewers.
What would you tell someone to convince them to apply to be a YAV in the future?
I would tell them to apply because you get to experience and meet new people! When you come as a participant you get to meet new people, but you still spend the majority of your time with your youth group. As a YAV not only do you get to meet participants from other areas, but you work right alongside people from areas you may have never been before and you form a relationship with them. Personally, I came as a volunteer not knowing what to expect, and I left with a family. I wouldn't trade my experience as a YAV for anything in the world! D-U-R-A-N-G-O!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Memorial
If you haven't heard about the 19 brave souls who perished at the Yarnell Hill fire last week, you must be under a rock and please take this post as your information.
If you read yesterday's post, you would know that I was in San Antonio the whole of last week at the LCMS National Youth Gathering volunteering to make the week amazing for the 25,000+ kids who attended.
I was sitting in a private worship service for all the Gathering workers on June 30th, when Cassie texted me about 19 firefighters who had died. My stomach immediately dropped. I quickly received a call from my mom making sure that I wasn't worried about my family.
These deaths hit close to home for a few reasons. The first being my father and brother both fight wildland fires during the summer months. My dad has been doing just about every job imaginable from digging line, to leading inmate crews, to being a crew boss for the military and now serving on a Type 1 Incident Management Team, who gets the call to manage the largest and most serious fires that start. He has nearly 30 years of experience with fire and just about anyone who is anyone in the Southwest fire community knows his name.
My brother has found his calling as a part of an engine crew off of the Kaibab National Forest in Arizona. He is in his fifth season and makes me jealous just about every year he goes out and sends me pictures of being on the fire line.
They both make me proud to have the last name Boness because I know the sacrifice that goes into 16 hour shifts of hard labor day in and day out to protect lives, structures and resources. They would never say it and I probably wouldn't either if I was in their position, but they truly are unspoken heroes to numerous communities who rely on their expertise to save property from overwhelming forest fires.
The second reason the deaths hit me so hard is because this happened in Arizona, to Arizona Hotshots. It is the most deaths on a fire line in Arizona history, the most firefighters to die on any wildfire in the US since 1933 and the most firefighters to die in America since 9/11. To say this event wasn't significant is to grossly underestimate the sacrifice.
I feel close to this community despite never setting foot on a fire line because my family, my flesh and blood has spent years of dedication to this industry and I know countless firefighters by name.
The Granite Mountain hotshots are based in Prescott, Arizona. Only and hour and a half's drive from my hometown. I have been through Yarnell, where the fire occurred, numerous times and feel close to the communities that were affected. All of Arizona does.
We mourn for the families and lift up those lost. The memorial service for those Hotshots is today and God knows that I will be praying for comfort and knowledge to prevent more deaths in the future.
If you have time, please find the live broadcast online and show your support for those lost. The memorial begins at 11am Arizona time.
If you read yesterday's post, you would know that I was in San Antonio the whole of last week at the LCMS National Youth Gathering volunteering to make the week amazing for the 25,000+ kids who attended.
I was sitting in a private worship service for all the Gathering workers on June 30th, when Cassie texted me about 19 firefighters who had died. My stomach immediately dropped. I quickly received a call from my mom making sure that I wasn't worried about my family.
These deaths hit close to home for a few reasons. The first being my father and brother both fight wildland fires during the summer months. My dad has been doing just about every job imaginable from digging line, to leading inmate crews, to being a crew boss for the military and now serving on a Type 1 Incident Management Team, who gets the call to manage the largest and most serious fires that start. He has nearly 30 years of experience with fire and just about anyone who is anyone in the Southwest fire community knows his name.
My brother has found his calling as a part of an engine crew off of the Kaibab National Forest in Arizona. He is in his fifth season and makes me jealous just about every year he goes out and sends me pictures of being on the fire line.
They both make me proud to have the last name Boness because I know the sacrifice that goes into 16 hour shifts of hard labor day in and day out to protect lives, structures and resources. They would never say it and I probably wouldn't either if I was in their position, but they truly are unspoken heroes to numerous communities who rely on their expertise to save property from overwhelming forest fires.
The second reason the deaths hit me so hard is because this happened in Arizona, to Arizona Hotshots. It is the most deaths on a fire line in Arizona history, the most firefighters to die on any wildfire in the US since 1933 and the most firefighters to die in America since 9/11. To say this event wasn't significant is to grossly underestimate the sacrifice.
I feel close to this community despite never setting foot on a fire line because my family, my flesh and blood has spent years of dedication to this industry and I know countless firefighters by name.
The Granite Mountain hotshots are based in Prescott, Arizona. Only and hour and a half's drive from my hometown. I have been through Yarnell, where the fire occurred, numerous times and feel close to the communities that were affected. All of Arizona does.
We mourn for the families and lift up those lost. The memorial service for those Hotshots is today and God knows that I will be praying for comfort and knowledge to prevent more deaths in the future.
If you have time, please find the live broadcast online and show your support for those lost. The memorial begins at 11am Arizona time.
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| My dad and I last fall when he let me out on to the line at a prescribed fire in Flagstaff, AZ. |
Monday, July 8, 2013
LCMS Nationl Youth Gathering
Every three years, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) throws a huge party! 25,000+ youth show up and bring down whatever town it's in and praise the one and only true God until their voices are hoarse from screaming, their feet are swollen from walking and their adult leaders are ready for a good long nap coma. They call it the LCMS National Youth Gathering.
This year, San Antonio played their part and they played it well. They were awesome, to say the least. The police were on top of their traffic control, the restaurants served us until they literally ran out of food some nights and the locals wanted to be a part of the energy. Cause honestly, you can't help feeling the vibe when 25,000 young people are wandering the streets with awesome respect, loud voices and God's love showing through their hearts.
I am going to avoid too many details of the trip and let some photos do the talking. But, I do want to say how proud I am of my youth group. Three years ago, the Gathering was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. I was too old to attend as a participant, but pretty much made the decision, that unless I was physically incapable of attending, I would never miss one of these celebrations ever again. And so, the door was opened for those a little too old to attend as a participant to volunteer as a Young Adult Volunteer, also known as a YAV. My first experience as a YAV was incredible. It was much more liberating to see the Gathering from the inside and have zero restraints on how I wanted to best experience everything that it could offer. I was a on a team of other young adults who did the ushering for the morning bible studies and the Mass Events at night; which are big parties with music, skits, testimonies and extra thrills thrown in that happen each night of the Gathering. We had so many people attend the Gathering that in New Orleans, we were housed in the Super Dome and last week in San Antonio, we were in the Alamodome!I was blessed enough in San Antonio to not only be able to volunteer again, but lead a team of volunteers and usher the Mass Events once again!
On top of these nightly hooplahs, they have on-site servant events, off-site servant events, basketball courts, indoor ziplines, concerts, speakers, university booths, photo booths, internet cafes, obstacle courses, drum circles, volleyball courts, blood drives and so much more to keep all these kids occupied in between nightly parties. And the party doesn't stop there, they have night life activities at certain hotels where participants can keep the party going even after the Mass Events.
To say that this isn't some of these kids best week of their lives is probably an understatement. These Gatherings are a huge reason why I am where I am in my spiritual walk. I probably never would have become a youth leader in the first place.
When we went to New Orleans, We had 4 kids, 2 adults and myself as a volunteer representing our church. Not bad for a congregation with roughly 140 members. However, in three short years, we sent 12 kids, 5 adults and 2 volunteers! Praise God! I was mostly absent from the youth during the week because I was busy with my duties as a volunteer, but when I met up with them after the Gathering conclusion, they asked me to lead the final bible study for the week. When that bible study turned into an absolutely moving testament of the growth of faith, I was floored. My prayer was that these kids would find some piece of God during the week. They were all in different places in their walks and I just wanted them to find a piece. They found a whole pie. Many are now talking about going to the Concordia University system for college. Some are already going to Christian universities this fall.
As I look forward to the move in less than a month, I can't help but thank God for the chance to celebrate with these kids one last time. They have taught me more about my faith than I have probably taught them as their youth leader.
For more photos, please visit www.bonessphoto.com
This year, San Antonio played their part and they played it well. They were awesome, to say the least. The police were on top of their traffic control, the restaurants served us until they literally ran out of food some nights and the locals wanted to be a part of the energy. Cause honestly, you can't help feeling the vibe when 25,000 young people are wandering the streets with awesome respect, loud voices and God's love showing through their hearts.
I am going to avoid too many details of the trip and let some photos do the talking. But, I do want to say how proud I am of my youth group. Three years ago, the Gathering was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. I was too old to attend as a participant, but pretty much made the decision, that unless I was physically incapable of attending, I would never miss one of these celebrations ever again. And so, the door was opened for those a little too old to attend as a participant to volunteer as a Young Adult Volunteer, also known as a YAV. My first experience as a YAV was incredible. It was much more liberating to see the Gathering from the inside and have zero restraints on how I wanted to best experience everything that it could offer. I was a on a team of other young adults who did the ushering for the morning bible studies and the Mass Events at night; which are big parties with music, skits, testimonies and extra thrills thrown in that happen each night of the Gathering. We had so many people attend the Gathering that in New Orleans, we were housed in the Super Dome and last week in San Antonio, we were in the Alamodome!I was blessed enough in San Antonio to not only be able to volunteer again, but lead a team of volunteers and usher the Mass Events once again!
On top of these nightly hooplahs, they have on-site servant events, off-site servant events, basketball courts, indoor ziplines, concerts, speakers, university booths, photo booths, internet cafes, obstacle courses, drum circles, volleyball courts, blood drives and so much more to keep all these kids occupied in between nightly parties. And the party doesn't stop there, they have night life activities at certain hotels where participants can keep the party going even after the Mass Events.
To say that this isn't some of these kids best week of their lives is probably an understatement. These Gatherings are a huge reason why I am where I am in my spiritual walk. I probably never would have become a youth leader in the first place.
When we went to New Orleans, We had 4 kids, 2 adults and myself as a volunteer representing our church. Not bad for a congregation with roughly 140 members. However, in three short years, we sent 12 kids, 5 adults and 2 volunteers! Praise God! I was mostly absent from the youth during the week because I was busy with my duties as a volunteer, but when I met up with them after the Gathering conclusion, they asked me to lead the final bible study for the week. When that bible study turned into an absolutely moving testament of the growth of faith, I was floored. My prayer was that these kids would find some piece of God during the week. They were all in different places in their walks and I just wanted them to find a piece. They found a whole pie. Many are now talking about going to the Concordia University system for college. Some are already going to Christian universities this fall.
As I look forward to the move in less than a month, I can't help but thank God for the chance to celebrate with these kids one last time. They have taught me more about my faith than I have probably taught them as their youth leader.
For more photos, please visit www.bonessphoto.com
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| My Youth Group, Pre Gathering. |
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| Some of my Team of YAVs at Charlie wants a Burger for dinner. |
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| Looking good in their Sunday best for a special Gathering workers Worship service. |
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| At Lulu's for 3 lb cinnamon rolls! |
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| Writing cards for terminally ill kids. |
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| A little drag never hurt anybody. |
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| All of Team Durango in our place of work. |
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| I can't even photograph all the people in the Alamodome at one time there were so many! |
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| 4th of July fireworks. |
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| Youth Group - Post Gathering. |