Dear Team,

I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy in the midst of flu season! This week, I want to share with you another aspect of military life that presents us with ministry opportunities.

Training exercises. Job related schooling. Temporary Duty Assignments. Deployments. There’s a number of military affiliated things that take a service member away from their family. The separations can last anywhere from a few days or weeks to several months. Many of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving 18 month deployments. Family separations are just a way of life for the military family.

Granted, the nature of a separation can impact the emotions of a family different. Obviously a student with a parent deployed downrange to a hostile environment would experience a different set of emotions than a student whose parent is gone for a 6 week training class. But regardless of the circumstances surrounding a separation, life is difficult when a parent is gone. Students are bummed when their mom or dad miss important events in their lives: sporting games, plays, choir or band concerts, birthdays, holidays, ... the list goes on. Home life can become a bit more stressful as the non-military parent becomes a single parent. Teens are often asked to help out more around the house and often need to babysit for younger siblings.

As a youth worker, there are many ways that I can encourage students in my youth group while their parent is away.
I can attend extra-curricular events and cheer really loud for my students or I can take a student out on a coffee date and spend time talking one on one (giving some much needed special adult time).

It’s my desire that youth group be a safe place where students can come and process their feelings and be with peers who are experiencing similar things. It’s also my desire that students would learn to lean on the Lord and find strength in Him during challenging family separations. I think it’s important that they know they’re loved by the Lord!

This week, when you see your key...
Pray for the students and spouses of deployed personnel...that they’d feel encouraged by God’s love and experience the peace that only God can give.
Please continue to pray for me as I seek out opportunities to share about Malachi around Wisconsin’s Northwoods.
Thank you for praying last week for churches in the area. Last week I visited a church and was greatly encouraged by the sermon. I attended there today, and again was very encouraged. I think this maybe a great church for me to plug into while I’m living here. I spoke with the pastor briefly afterwards about going into ministry, and he said they’d love to pray for me! Praise the Lord for opening this door!

I’ve done some work on my blog this week, www.bethmabry.blogspot.com. On the right hand side, you’ll find a link that says “Check out the latest key club posts.” I’m going to post my weekly update/prayer requests here (in addition to e-mailing them out). This way, as more people join the club, they can scroll through and see what God’s done thus far into journey. Also, by clicking the “Learn more about Malachi” link, you’ll find some great videos and info about military ministry.

I have set aside special times throughout the week to pray for the Key Club, and specifically, individuals who make up this team. Please e-mail or call me (715-277-4520) with ways that I can be praying for you and your family. Or, feel free to call and just chat! :)

I hope you’re encouraged this week, as you think about how the Lord is answering our prayers!

For the Gospel,
Beth

Stars and Stripes: "For teens overseas, change is constant...and quite an education"

I came across an interesting article this week from Stars and Stripes. In the article, military teens living overseas are interviewed about their experiences. Military family counselors are also interviewed about how military life impacts teens.

It gives great insight into how teens feel about the different aspects of growing up in a military culture - moving, diversity, and the structure and discipline that comes with the military are addressed. I'd encourage you to read it when you have a few minutes.

As you scroll down, on the right hand side, you'll see a section called "Students at overseas schools tell their stories." I'd encourage you to read through a few of these short stories, as they will give you an "insiders view" to what it's like to be a teenager growing up on a military base overseas.

To read the article, click here.

Key Club - 10/18/09

Dear Team,

Random fact about me: I’m an HGTV junkie (that’s Home and Garden TV). I’m hooked on all the design shows with outrageous paint jobs and one of a kind furniture overhauls. I often catch myself doing mental renovations wherever I go.

I really like the trash to treasure, junky to funky type shows. The ones where designers snag bargain pieces at yard sales and thrift stores, add a little elbow grease and paint, and wa-la, they’ve got a fabulous like-new creation. I now find myself scanning craigslist, yard sales, Goodwills for random pieces with transformable potential. I’ve discovered that having this type of outlook makes 2nd hand shopping way more fun because it’s like an adventure to uncover the hidden potential buried deep within.

Isn’t it cool that we have a God who’s in the transformation business! When reading through the Scriptures, it doesn’t take us long to see that God has eyes for potential. Consider Moses the stutterer, David the little shepherd boy, Jonah the flee-er, Peter the denier, Thomas the doubter, Paul the persecutor, the list goes on... (and remember, we can add our names in there too.) Yet despite these things, God chooses to use people to accomplish great things for His glory.

For the military teen, picking up and moving or saying goodbye to friend who’s moving, is challenging. The turnover of people on bases can be a real emotional struggle for students. However, I think there’s hidden potential in the hardship of moving.

I think that God has big plans for military teens because of their distinctive attributes; their transient lifestyle and relational and cultural adaptability give them huge potential to impact the culture wherever they find themselves. As a Malachi youth leader, I’ll have the opportunity to disciple students to grow in their faith; equipping them for their walk with the Lord and empowering them to use their gifts to minister wherever they go in the future. What a privilege it will be to come alongside students and help them see the difficulties they face can become divine opportunities.

This week, when you see your key, would you pray for...

1. Students to see their transient lifestyles as an opportunity to share Christ in a variety of places.
2. Staff to disciple students well and to help teens discover their spiritual gifts.
3. Please continue to pray for opportunities for me to share about military teen ministry - specifically with individuals and churches around northern WI.

Also, thank you for praying for me and the Awana group I spoke with last Wednesday. Teaching 50+ elementary kids isn’t really in my ideal comfort zone, but I thought it went fairly well. Knowing there were so many people praying gave me the confidence to get through it. :) They were a great group of kids who really love the Lord. I gave them each a penny to remind them that they are “one sent” by Lord to share the love of Christ with others.

Thanks for your partnership in this ministry!!

Because of Christ,

Beth

Key Club - 10/10/09

Dear Team,

Thick fuzzy socks, a hot cup of coffee, a blazing fire place and a good book. Can you think of a better way to spend a cold, snowy weekend - besides flying to the tropics, of course :)

I’ve been reading “The Shack” by William Young the past few days. And although many people in the church are divided over the book and the theology it presents, I find some things very attractive about it. Young does a beautiful job depicting the relationality of God. He portrays the Triune God as an African American woman (Father), an Asian woman (Holy Spirit), and an Arab man (Son). What a beautiful picture of diversity - a God of the nations! The relationship among the Trinity is amazing. So much genuine love, friendship, an inner-dependence, laughter. What’s equally beautiful in the book, is the way each member of the Trinity reaches out and desires the same type of intimate relationship with people.

We’re created in the image of the Triune God - a God that exists in community! What was the first thing that was “wrong” in the Bible? Isolation; after creating Adam, God said it wasn’t good for him to be alone! We’ve been created for relationships with God and with people! Isn’t it amazing that we’re divinely wired for community?

One thing military teens really crave is relationships. On average, military families move every 2 to 4 years - that means the typical teen will move once or twice during their teen years. That’s a lot picking up, saying good bye, and starting over. For students, entering a new school and trying to learn the ropes as quickly as possible can be an overwhelming task. Students involved in extra curricular events (like sports, music, drama, etc.) may have worked very hard in their old schools to secure a lead position, only to move into a new school and have to start over. Although this sounds difficult, some students welcome the chance for a fresh start in a new school. Just goes to show, that we’re all different.

One of the ways that I’ll help students with the moving transition is to provide a safe place for students to build community. It’s my desire that students come to youth group, a Bible study or a fun outreach event, connect with their peers and feel accepted. Many students will come to youth group simply to hang out with friends.

Wouldn’t it be cool if they came to youth group and met Jesus, a True Friend! It’s my desire to provide students with opportunities to know and experience Christ. As an Air Force brat, the message of Jesus’ constant and unending friends resonated deep in my soul. I look forward to sharing this message with fellow brats, encouraging them to enter into a lasting, personal relationship with Jesus.

Relationships are important! Through relationships people are impacted and transformed. The theme verse of Cadence International is 1 Thessalonians 2:8 “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” I’m excited for the relationships God has in store for me in Germany. I’m excited for the students that will get to experience Jesus for the first time, and for the students who will grow deeper in their relationships with the Lord.

This week, when you see you flag key, would you pray for...

1. Students as they seek out friends. Pray that believers would reach out to new students and invite them to youth group. Pray that God would soften the hearts of students to His Word, so they can meet Jesus!
2. On Wednesday (the 14th), I’m teaching an Awana group at local church. They’ve asked me to come in and share about global missions and evangelism. Please pray that I would communicate God’s heart for the nations well to this group of students and that they’d be encouraged and challenged to consider how they can reach out to others with God’s love. Also, please pray that this may lead to an opportunity to share my passion about military teen ministry with the larger church body.
3. Pray for more Key Club members! If you have a friend that you think would be interested in joining the Club, please let me know (beth.mabry@cadence.org).

Again, thanks for journeying with me.

Because of Christ,
Beth Mabry

Key Club - 10/5/09

Dear Team,

KEY: “something that secures or controls entrance to a place.” I believe that prayer is the key to any ministry. It’s through prayer that doors are opened, hearts are softened and people are reached with Good News. It’s through prayer that people are given strength and wisdom to minister. John 15:5 tells us that apart from Christ, we can do nothing. Your prayer partnership is “KEY” to reaching military teens with the Gospel. Thank you!

I’ve been assigned to the Kaiserslautern Military Community (aka, KMC or “K-Town”), located in southwest Germany. K-town is the largest military community outside of the United States, with an approximate population of 35,000-40,000 people. K-town is also home to the largest American school district outside of the United States, with 11 schools and over 7,700 students. My “mission field” is the 2 high schools and 4 middle schools in the area - about

4,000 teens! I am beyond excited about ministering to this unique group of students. Over the next 40 days, I’ll be e-mailing you with a variety of information about the military community along with specific prayer points.

This week, when you see your flag key, would you pray for:

1. Students. This year’s fall youth group kick off occurred a month ago. The KMC youth group had approx. 50 middle schoolers and 60 high schoolers come. Would you pray that these groups would grow throughout the coming months with students interested in knowing God and growing in Him. Also, please pray that the students in these groups would bond well, and form a close knit community.
2. Staff. There is a team of Malachi youth workers in the KMC and they are short staffed (which is why I’m eager to join them!). Please pray that God would move parents and other adults in the community to volunteer to help with the groups.
3. Me. Please pray that God would provide me with opportunities to share my passion about military teen ministry with individuals, churches, Sunday school classes, small groups, etc.

Thanks for journeying with me!

Because of Christ,

Beth Mabry