Holy Week - A Pilgrims Ranting

So this lent has been very different than any other for me...

I've been thinking more lately about balance in life. And what I really need.

Did the Almighty give me life and vocation (husband, father, worker, friend, brother and son) so that I can work out my salvation with fear and trembling and be Christ to others?

Or is He making all these things a reality just so I get the message that He loves me and I'm to rely on Him and rest in that love?

I know it's both, it's the timing and the focus, ebb and flow. I'm at the mercy of it.

I don't want to retreat from life's challenges to "be with Jesus," running away from God's action in my life to hide in the very same God.

I also feel the wear and tear of life dry me out spiritually, emotionally and otherwise at different times. This Lent (amid countless blessings!) has been that way. I need someone to run to.

What does it really mean to be "Dependent" on God?

Lately, It's been God knocking at the door of my heart, inviting me to embrace him in the quiet - while the work and trial around me make the motion of life seem too fast for me.

Since lent began I have walked with and simply witnessed others suffer. I've been blessed by a wonderful wife and children daily. I've been inspired by the courage and faith of the young men and women at Reach.

I have come to see the Church not be able to do everything for everyone, no matter the effort or perspective of those involved. I've also met new (for me) and inspiring personalities in the Church who see possible things, and remain fixed on what is coming. Others have shown me what supernatural realities we can help make manifest through and with Christ.

I have come to a place where a phone call, the face or voice of a friend, an email that has kindness or any such simple blessing will move me. I have come to a place of obvious dependence.

I don't know if this is a new perspective on what I have missed or ignored - hopefully not all of it - or if there is some transformation here that God is moving me through for my good/salvation.

I do notice a greater interior need - I want to want His help.

It sounds like a happy or familiar prayer "Make me dependent on you Lord."

It sounds like a good thing to want God's help, but dependence on it has far greater implications for me at this point.

His passion has not been where I have known him best. Holy Week is here and I won't be able to sort things out and do a "good" job. I'm not going to have things buttoned up or look back and pinpoint the will of the Father.

Recognizeable and easily recounted truths about the human person that apply to what I've written pop into my head as I read it - but in the middle of living this little blog post no "Aha!" moment may be needed. I may be just where I need to be for Holy Week. I guess God only knows...

Dream Teams

The Training...
Well the teams are all trained up. Team life, Catholic Teaching, retreat skills and a week of O.J.T. with training retreats locally have got these teams in top form as they begin the great adventure of serving on a Reach Team. One of the many highlights for me was when Phill went home to visit his folks and came back as Catholic as the Pope! He was raised Methodist, active in his Catholic parish for many years, had some RCIA classes and his Bishop saw that it was time.. So we celebrate a new brother in the faith!
Another highlight for the second year in a row was the Winkler family hosting the team at King's Lake north of Spokane. The weekend has been an amazing time to be with the Winklers while solidifying some great team dynamics by getting pushed into the lake by Bryan!
The Teams...
The teams this- year are amazing! Enthusiasm, energy and personality exude from these people. I have been blessed to be a part of Reach for a few years now and knowing that any group of young people out there will be matched or surpassed with unflagging, positive and Holy Spirit imbued energy gives me a mighty fine feeling indeed. Check out the team blogs all coming on line soon!
The Ministry...
As many of you may have heard or know, it's tough to get insured these days. In fact, in order to do that this year, we have gone under a different non-profit corporation. That's right we aren't incorporated with the Yakima Diocese any longer.
Thankfully, insurance doesn't hinder the blessing of our Bishop Carlos A. Sevilla, or his ongoing knowledge and support of Reach's ministry.
Our new incorporation is under the Catholics In Action. The Catholics In Action Board stepped up and took on the daunting task of seeing that Reach is insured properly and has a corporate home. Knights in shining armor...
The Mission...
The mission of Reach Youth Ministry continues to be sharing of the Gospel with young people. I personally am reminded of the mission tag-line under the esteemed Mark Evevard (Director 1992-1999) "Bringing young people and Jesus Christ together".
That's what our charism is - giving youth an opportunity to respond to God's great love on retreat and for the rest of their lives.
That mission continues, and I am certain that whatever challenges are placed before us, Christ will provide the means to overcome those challenges and ensure that His young people know His Love.

So, here's to another year of dynamic ministry. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of young people to truly experience His Love and respond with all their being!

The Elusive "Reach Man"

First of all - sorry for the long blog silence. I realize this may now be written to no one due to my neglect... Ah well here goes anyway.

Catching up -
Our fundraising dinner with Bishop Sevilla was very successful - we served about 150 and had a great time! The Sevigny girls were the show-stoppers and I think donations going up can largely be attributed to their humor, musical (and choreographic) skills and inherent cuteness. Nice work everyone who contributed and a HUGE thanks to all our faithful and new sponsors. We will continue to evangelize youth, in no small way due to your financial help and prayers.

Reach Gonzaga was wonderful Tammy's Keynote and Matt's Band Predicting Departure took the ministry to a new level and the Reach teams Reached It Up a notch as well! I personally enjoyed pitchblack fourway capture the flag! We are planning this event for next year so keep an eye on the reach site for the date - Mark your calendar , it was awesome!

We've had some great interviews, some seriously warm, compassionate, gifted and Holy people are coming on team next year and I am excited for next year already!

We just need more men!!

What is it that makes the "Reach Man"? I'm a former Reach Man myself - so you'd think I would know - The closest I can come to a definition is a young man who is ready to follow an all-powerful God in an unexpected way.

I have often been quite sure that I have encountered a Reach Man in the making only to be met with an extremely cautious and guilty rejection to my invitation to become a full fledged Reach Man. Many of these men have sought their manliness through living up to what others desire of them - well intentioned - but who is then ready to listen to God's prompting? To live according to the movement of the Holy Spirit?

I don't think we men have lost site of being manly, taking the plunge, trying something new or giving it all to God through others. I just think young men - potential Reach Men - are in need of some encouragement that they can take on a challenge and live an interruptable life and all will be well - God is in control. Go ahead and be a man. Jesus did.

Well, I'm off to pray with the teams - I know "Lucky!"
Our next event is the DUB or Reach's Discipleship Week in Ellensburg this year - you should come...

Peace,
Dan

the little children...

I'm trying to keep up with blogging but I often don't have much that is worth reading...

I do, however, have a beautiful family (if I do say so) and with the arrival of spring, some new photos and a family update may be in order.

I hope you like it - because it's what you're getting.

This is Roseanna and Connor 4 years ago.
This amazes me.

Connor and Rose (with Katie's Godfather Sean) a few weeks ago.

This is Katie on the day she was born.
Hard to describe what this does to me.

This cuddle turned into a mutual nap - pretty cute.

This is Katie a few weeks ago, toddling around the place. The blue eyes are from her Great-Grandfathers on Dad's side and one on Mom's.

The Crew.

Carseat Katie

Buddies.

So you may ask, "Are your kids your whole life Dan?"

Short answer is no but that is often where the miracles are each day.

Renee and I want them to be happy in this life and with God eternally - that's a tall double order. They are doing the same for me in my life I often learn and grow because of what they need.

So they aren't my whole life, but family life is how we are all working out our salvation at this time, and we love it. I've heard they don't belong to me anyway.

They sure are cute when they're little though...