LeadN2

I am once again participating in the Camp Crawl to support Created To Be Me Camps for Just Say Know Ministry this summer. I'm looking for 9 people to match my donation of $100 to underwrite my goal of $1000 ($10 per mile) for the 100 miles I plan to walk June 9-July 12. I'd love to have that goal met before I start walking so I can focus on inviting others to help me exceed the goal while the walk is under way!

Can you help me with the remaining $900? You can make your donation on my page here: https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/655d74/m/mikeswalk.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph, a Jewish man living in Palestine under Roman rule, is forced to report to Bethlehem for a census. He takes his young, pregnant wife, Mary. Unable to find lodgings — there’s no room at the inn — they settle in a stable.

There, in a manger — a feed trough for animals — Mary gives birth to the child who the faithful believe is the son of God.
King Herod of Judea, learning of the birth of a rival, orders that all male children under 2 be killed: the Slaughter of the Innocents. Jesus, Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt.

“So the story is Jesus is born into hardship, lived under occupation, survived a massacre and became a refugee. This is a story we Palestinians can understand.”

Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church

This is where I got to walk today! A broken plane gave me several hours of time, so I now know LVI from one end to the other! My 3 miles puts me at 19 miles total for the CAMP CRAWL.

I wanted to do the half-way mile, but just couldn’t convince myself to do the additional laps necessary, so that marker will happen tomorrow back in Nashville…if the replacement plane gets here to take me and a hundred or so other people there.

Here’s the link - please consider supporting at least a mile of my walk for Just Say Knoww Ministry!

https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/campcarwl

N2Discovery (www.n2discovery.org) is looking for a few good young writers! We are developing an anti-racist devotional prayer journal for young people, and want to provide a place for young voices to be heard. The 28-day journal will feature the voices of seven young people from different racial backgrounds who can, in four devotions each, express their journey of struggle, identification, response, and hope. Each devotion will include scripture, story, reflective questions, and prayer. There will be a $100 stipend for each writer when their four devotions are published.

To be considered, potential writers should send an email expressing your interest to Michael Ratliff, Lead Officer at [email protected]. A devotional writing sample of less than 200 words needs to be submitted with expressions of interest.

Spiritual Formation Retreats for Local Church Student Ministry | N2Discovery Discovery Weekend is a spiritual formation retreat for middle schoolers that engages high school students in servant leadership.

Excited about this opportunity for youth to discover how they can make faithful decisions about this good and powerful gift of our creation.

Registration is now open! Sign up your new 9th grader for an amazing virtual experience this summer. www.justsayknowministry.com

Young Leader Checkin:

Mike Ratliff is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Young leader checkin
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

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Effective leaders understand the need for taking breaks in order to be most effective. LeadN2> is offering you a way to re-center - pray, think, inspire - without leaving your desk. Enjoy our latest reflection and subscribe to our channel for future reflections designed to give you the break you need to become a more effective leader.
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Buffalow River Reflection A three minute break from your day to think, pray, enjoy...

Take time to reflect.

https://youtu.be/tZPHoBVh8l8

Wander Reflection 1

Take time to reflect... https://youtu.be/IoxQiLHLa7E

Barren River Reflection 1 Take time out to reflect as you enjoy the beauty of Barren River Lake State Resort Park.

Today's devotion by Collins Etche Ako:

Lourdes Pastrana Montenegro posted this image of the Melancholy on here page with this caption; “Always missing part of me”, on May 24, 2020. I was not seeing this image for the first time nor watching and listening to Lourdes express her grief for the first time. I first met Lourdes in April 2018 during our missionary orientation in preparation for Missionary Service with Global Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. When I first met Lourdes, she was still greatly grieving from the demise of her son, Sebastian Calderon II who was 26 at the time. Sebastian was hit and his life was instantly taken away by this 21year old at the time who was texting and had ran a red light while Sebastian had the green light. When you listen to my friend, Sebastian’s mother, Lourdes Pastrana Montenegro tell this story, she always concludes this sad story with these words, “taking my son’s life and ours with him”.
The Melancholy, a sculptural piece of artwork found in Lake Geneva, Switzerland made by Albert Gyorgy was Albert’s own approach to dealing with the feeling of emptiness, the intense sadness and isolation that grief had left him with as he mourned the loss of his wife. My friend Lourdes surely identifies with this massive void that Albert felt as he was grieving the loss of his wife and that we all have felt at some point when we lose someone dear to us. This feeling of a massive void but also the massive void as a part of the sculpture is representative of a multitude of emotions that we all face and must deal with at different stages of our life.
I have felt that massive void while grieving the loss of a brother from cancer, a father from su***de, an adopted mother from a car accident and a friend from HIV/AIDS. I have felt that emptiness while grieving the loss of a relative from the violence of a civil war of secession, and while watching a friend’s lifeless body being pulled to the shores after drowning. I have felt that intense sadness and isolation while watching dead bodies of strangers being pulled out of a wrecked van and while watching my cousin die because we just could not find a corresponding blood donor for her after a surgical operation. I feel that massive void, profound emptiness, intense sadness, and isolation now as I struggle to be in mission in a time like this. I can relate to the Melancholy and to all humans who can identify themselves with the massive void that this sculpture depicts.
Strangely for as far as my memory can take me, and even now as I struggle with the profound emptiness, sadness and isolation of the COVID pandemic season, I have found strength and courage to move on in the words of Psalm 23. As I write this piece I have found myself very often wondering where the author was when he wrote this Psalm, what the circumstances were surrounding its writing and what exactly prompted the author to compose such a masterpiece. Could this have been a divine response to a feeling of intense void and emptiness the author was struggling with at this time? Can others who are having to deal with feelings of intense void and emptiness caused by grieve and other uncertainties charm their grieve to rest, and find comfort and courage for uncertain times in the words of Psalm 23?
Just like David, in my moments of intense void and emptiness, I have had to remind myself about my God, the God of Israel and my relationship with God, with reference to David’s analogy of a shepherd and his sheep. God is my shepherd and I am his sheep. With this shepherd – sheep analogy, I see a God who disdained not to feed, to guide, to govern, to defend, to handle and heal, to tend and take care of me, the sheep. I see the good shepherd referred to in John 10:11 and John 10:14. My good shepherd supplies all my needs; even provision to fill up my intense void and emptiness. As my good shepherd restores me and leads me in the paths of righteousness, I shall not want; I decide to not desire more than what the LORD, my good shepherd gives. It is ok not to be ok, but we are not alone, the good shepherd is in this with us.
Bible Reading: 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23

Prayer: O Lord my God, teach me to wait upon you and to be of good courage. Help me find that peace and strength that surpasses all understanding, even amid the intense void and emptiness of grief and uncertainty. Lord I surrender all to the you. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer!
Affirmation for the day: The Lord is my hope and strength and through him I can turn this intense void and emptiness into a spring of healing and restoring balm, as I cast all my burden unto the Lord.

Author

Pst. Collins Etchi Ako, MTh, MP& Dev
Global Ministries Missionary

Assignment: Administrative and Liaison Support, East Congo Episcopal Area
United Methodist Church

Global Missionary, General Board of Global Ministries I The United Methodist Church
458 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta GA 30308
[email protected]

GBGM Advance #3022413

http://www.umcmission.org

Join young leaders from across the world for a checkin, devotion, and prayer time at GMT-5

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Building bridges to the future is limited only by the ingenuity and creativity of the one providing leadership for the project.

With the right support, ordinary materials can produce extraordinary results.

This is a bit of wisdom I continue to work on...

The trail ahead of us is not always marked well...sometimes, it isn't marked at all. Ultimately, we have to rely on faith, community, and our gut to make the right choice. It is in the willingness to make a choice that true leadership shines.

I just published my first Kindle book with Amazon! Its a tough book to read about a tough topic. It's also a topic we don't like dealing with and one more young people need to know about. There are trainings for adults, but nothing really that helps a teen recognize and respond to being groomed for s*x. Consider downloading this short book and think about how you might use it to help high school guys get a grasp of what can happen.
"One in six boys will be abused by the age of 18, and most will not report the abuse because of cultural gender stereotypes. This book is for teen guys, not their parents, teachers, or youth leaders. Rick's story illustrates how easy it is to get sucked in to a s*xual abuse situation. Included factual information provides guidance for what to do if a predator targets them for s*xual abuse."
Let me know what you think and how I can help you use it to help keep our students safe. If you're a member of Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free and loan it for up to two weeks...

https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-Being-Groomed-S*x-ebook/dp/B0887ZZT7K/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=michael+ratliff&qid=1588867095&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Are You Being Groomed for S*x?: Teen Guy's Edition Are You Being Groomed for S*x?: Teen Guy's Edition

Hi Friends, I want to invite you to join me for a short 30 min. check-in Zoom meeting this Thursday, 9AM CST (UTC-5). The only agenda is to see how your are doing in this time of distancing. I hope to see you then. Message me for the Zoom Link.

The bridge from where we are to where we need to be can seem treacherous. True leaders are willing to risk the swim to show us the way.

Maybe it is a good time to reflect on these words from a kindergartner’s wisdom.

Looking for something to listen too? Learn more about protecting leaders and participants in ministry:

https://beardedtheologians.com/2020/03/05/beardcast-for-3-5-2020-part-2-with-mike-ratliff/

Beardcast for 3.5. 2020 Part 2 with Mike Ratliff In Part two of our interview with Mike Ratliff we talk about Safe Gatherings and you can find out more about safe gatherings by going to You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Soundcloud,…

Just like these youth workers, we are all in this together. If we stand, it will be because each of does our part and all of us choose to stand together.

Linworth UMC near Columbus, Ohio is now accepting applications for their new Director of Discipleship position. This, inclusive congregation is characterized by their love of Jesus, love for their children and youth, and desire to include others. The new Director of Discipleship will have the opportunity to help share the future Linworth is moving into.
https://linworthumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Linworth-UMC-Director-of-Discipleship.pdf