Something outa nothing.

Getting ready for human foosball.

It was another awesome Friday morning at Founders Park today! We were joined by a handful of new kids, and got to see a few that hadn't been around in a while. 

Andy with a mighty serve!

Today the game was "human foosball". Pretty much, its just like foosball, but with people. We had two teams and split them up on either side of picnic tables. Then used a couple beach balls as foosballs. 

The girls were into it!

It was a blast! Kids loved it and it was fun watching them work together to get goals.

Friday mornings are awesome.

After the game I got to share a story from Mark where Jesus made something incredible happen out of what appeared to be nothing. It can be found in Mark 6:32-44.

In the story, Jesus' closest followers had just returned from a mission that Jesus had sent them on. He had them go out, two by two, and start to tell people to follow God. He also gave them the authority to heal people.

When they got back from their trip they started to tell Jesus about all of the things they did, and all the people they got to teach about repenting and following God, but, they were tired, and Jesus knew that they needed to get away and get some rest. There were so many people swarming all around them that they had to leave the town and go across the sea to find a quiet and secluded place for a retreat.

The only problem was that as soon as they got to the other side, the people were there too! As soon as Jesus got off the boat he saw that these people had followed them and were there waiting for him.

I think I would have gotten a bit frustrated, but Jesus looked at them, and the author of Mark tells us, "he had compassion on them," and he started to teach them, "many things."

As the day wore on, and it began to get later in the afternoon, the disciples were tired, and wanted to try to get back to the original plan of the trip… rest. They called Jesus over and told him that he should send the people away so that they could go get food. It was late, there were over 5,000 people that needed to eat, and there was nowhere around there that would be able to feed them.

Jesus looked at them and said, "You feed them."

I'm sure the disciples must have lost their minds here. They told Jesus that it would take almost a whole years wages to pay for enough food to feed everyone. There was no way they thought they would be able to do it… besides, that wasn't what they wanted to do, they wanted Jesus to get rid of the people so they could all get back to resting.

Jesus asked what they had on them for food. Turned out they had five small loaves, and a couple tiny fish.

They had nothing.

Jesus took the food, looked up to heaven and blessed it, and then started handing it out to the disciples… and something amazing happened. The food didn't run out. The entire crowd, more than 5,000 people ate till they were full, and then the disciples picked up 12 baskets of food that was left over! All from 5 small rolls, and a couple tiny fish.

In sharing this story I wanted the kids to remember three things about Jesus.

1. Jesus had compassion. He wasn't upset that the crowd ruined his vacation plans, and he wasn't in a hurry to get rid of them. He saw that they were in need, he saw that they needed some guidance and that he could give it to them, and so he changed his plans. Jesus is compassionate. All the time, no matter what, Jesus will never stop actively loving us.

2. Jesus knows our needs and can provide for them. Jesus knows us, he knows what we need more than we do, and he will always provide. There are times when what we want, and what we THINK we need are different than what we actually need, and in his love, Jesus will give us what we actually need.  In my own life I have doubted this, often. There are things that I have truly thought I needed, but didn't get, and then later looked back on the situation and been so thankful. Jesus knows our needs, and is ready to provide.

3. Jesus can make something out of nothing. Even when it looks like there is no way, Jesus can do things like feed 5,000 people out of a few rolls and fish. He can make even the bleakest situation into something great. He doesn't need much, he just needs what we have. He can do more through the little that I have, than I could ever imagine. He can do the same through you. He doesn't ask us for what we think we need, he doesn't ask us for more than we have, he just asks us for what we have. And when we let him have it, we get to watch as he does some amazing things.

Ladera Ranch Wyldlife is actually like this. When we started out, we didn't have much. There were a couple families that wanted something for their middle school kids, and then me. That was it, and that was only a year ago. Now we have over 100 kids coming every month to have a blast, hang out with some really great leaders, experience things they might not get to otherwise, and hear about Jesus. Jesus is doing something special here out of nothing… and I am so grateful I get to be a part of it!

So, if you want to talk to your kid about WyldLife this morning, ask them how we played "human foosball." Ask them what Jesus did with some rolls and fish, and then ask them if they remember any of the three things I told them I wanted them to remember about Jesus.

Our newest leader, Chris Wimberly, lost a challenge and had to eat a jelly doughnut in one bite!