Amazing Highlight God Sightings from Creekside, July 6-10!

This Creekside this week God moved mightily in middle school kids' lives, and mine. 

TOUGH NUTS TO CRACK

Young Life camp is open to all kids, and many kids come with little or no faith or 'appropriate behavior.' We had a rough group of kids from Issaquah. I was immediately drawn to them. After two days, some campers were on the verge of being sent home for their actions of bullying, disrespect and destructiveness. My team and I prayed for these kids, and leaned in to both redirect them, but also help them draw nearer to God. I gathered them for a reconciliation meeting at 11pm, with two groups of kids refusing to work out their conflict so I met with each group, separately. We talked about two options: own their part and resolve this, or continue to escalate and be sent home. The discussion led to exploring a 'third way.' One unruly boy said, "so what am I supposed to do if I get slapped in the face, just let him do it again?"  Another kid added: "wait, isn't that in the Bible somewhere?"  All the kids in unison started snapping their fingers and chanting "ooooooooohhhhhhh!"  I pointed out that they were touching upon a 'third way.' I asked if they knew where that quote of turning the other cheek came from. They did not. I asked if they know WHO said that famous quote. One finally inquired, "was it Jesus that said that?" I saw a Bible on their grotesquely messy cabin floor, and opened it up to Matthew. 5:38-42. They learned it was GOD who introduced the kingdom "third way" of the other cheek and the extra mile.  Their eyes were opened and they decided to invite the others in and they talked their conflict through, listened to each other's frustration, shared back with each other apologies for their harshness and agreed to start over. Wow. These kids did not even KNOW Jesus, yet were already being transformed by Him, by simply following His way. 

As the week went on, the connection with these guys deepened. They invited me in to share God stories, or as they requested: "Give us some 'lore.'"  I shared ways I've seen God move mightily in kids' lives. One of the hardest nuts to crack,  responded humbly, saying' "I want to seek and know God." 

In my stories, the kids and I discovered that I went to high school with and played on the tennis team with their dad, Anthony Stetler. And other kid, I knew his dad from playing basketball at the Everett YMCA. The bond grew, God moved in their hard hearts and by the end of the week, three kids showed up at the new believers experience to start a new relationship with Jesus. The commemorate this by writing their name on a 'tile' and placing it in the sluice box (a mining themed structure where gold is sorted through flowing water.)  Praise God for His light shining in our darkness, making ways where there were none. 

A SIMPLE YES!

Kaiden's leader, Brian, from Tri-Cites, sensed during cabin times that he was talking about God in an informational, impersonal way. Kaiden had been 'around' church and people who knew God. Brian's curiosity as to whether Kaiden had any personal relationship with God led to a convo on day 4.

“Do you know what it means to have a personal relationship with God?”

“Kind of. I think so.”

“Do you know what it means for someone to be a Lord?”

“Kind of. Like a king or a boss?”

"Exactly! Do you know what it means to ask God to be the Lord, or the King, of your life, where God has the first and final say to guide you?"

"No, I have never heard of that.”

“How would you feel about Him being that for you?”

“I’d really like that. How do I do it?"

 

Brian then helped Kaiden put words to what he wanted to pray. Kaiden opened his life up to God, and He moved in his heart for the first time, in a big way. A beaming smile of joy and gratitude was on full display for the rest of the trip. Praise God that we get to be a part of first steps with Jesus!

OVERHEARD IN CREEKSIDE... 

Overheard a leader and a kid finishing a one on one conversation.

Leader "Jesus chose you."

Kid: "Really?  Me?"  And he broke down crying.

Then they hugged and prayed. I have no context, but simply hearing that was powerful. 

IS GOD'S LOVE FOR ALL?

A large group of talented basketball players came and walked around like the owned the place. You could hear them constantly jabbing at each other of who is the greatest, who is 'trash' and blurting out excuses as to why they underperformed in that recent basketball game. I joined them a few times, I might have been the only one who actually passed the basketball in an entire game. They called me 'unc' (a Gen Z term meaning I am an old guy with 'cool uncle vibes.' I joined their leader, praying for them this week that they could get past their toughness, pride of themselves and deeply connect with God. By the end of the week, you could see their faces brighten, their tine lighten and fists un-tighten. 5 of the 8 kids started a relationship with God. One encounter was a Holy Spirit 'mic drop.' 

A tall, Latino baller of a young man from the cabin (far upper right in picture) agreed to do his one on one with his leader, who asked about his highlights of the week and about where he stands in terms of a relationship with God. The camper recapped his family faith history of growing up going to church, and then paused, appearing to start to choke up. He paused the conversation to go back to his cabin for something. A few moments later he returned, wearing a pair of Deion Sanders style, glamorous sunglasses. He resumed sharing, and recounted his own faith journey that had abruptly stopped in 2020, when his sister announced to her family and church that she was 'bi-sexual', it changed things for her family. Her church did not handle the news delicately, and the parents decided their family would no longer attend church. That was six years ago and the last he had talked about or considered God. Tears streamed down his 8th grade cheeks from behind the designer sunglasses. His leader asked how that impacted how he was hearing the good news of Jesus this week. He had been hearing how the love of Jesus, from the way he loved sinners, welcomed children and died on the cross for sin for us all, yet he could not 'get' if God's love really is for EVERYONE. His leader shared some verses and Jesus' own words on the cross clearly expressed that His love is for all, always inviting us, including him, his sister and family. And each of our responses to God's love is up to each of us. It sunk in to his heart, realizing that God had never withheld his love. Church people may have mishandled a nuanced conversation, but God's invitational love does not fail. That was enough for this young man to grasp, and he prayed right there to finally open the previously closed door his heart to God. Praying that his response to the good news that he is known, pursued and loved sends ripples of grace to his family. 

SECOND TIMES A CHARM

A kid from Everett-Mill Creek came to camp last after being diagnosed with cancer. While at camp, he could not come to terms with his question of 'if God really is loving and able, why do I have cancer?" He left Creekside with his door 'closed' to God. Over this past year, he has been through chemo, and during it all the treatments, he longed to return to Creekside and continue to press in to understand God's love and  plans. His doctor approved him coming to camp, and this year, while hearing a new speaker share God's good news, and processing it during the week, solitude and one on one with his leader, he decided to open up his heart and commit his life to Jesus. Praise God for sec
ond chances and even when its hard! 

STORM ON THE REZ

We had a group of native kids from LaConner, WA here this week (pictured here)

They arrived first and my first high five went to two kids; 'Stormy' and Noah (upper right in pic). Sometimes kids are aptly named, especially native kids. Stormy's dad just passed away a few months ago and he received a scholarship to be here. By the end of the second day, he wanted to go home. Life on the rez was more familiar for him. The constant cheering, the joy, constant energy and action was too much. His friend Noah, also from his tribe, stuck tightly with him and his leader Quentin who was raised  there too and now goes to CWU. We prayed that God would hold Stormy through the storm he was going through, and calm him from the inside. Day 3, Stormy locked in, as did his friend Noah, who got his hands on a bible and decided to start reading it from the beginning. After a few chapters in Genesis, I asked him what he was reading. He enthusiastically reported to me: "I'm in the Bible! I'm Noah!"  

The last night I visited their whole cabin and they were having a hard time settling down with extreme thirst and brought a backpack drink dispenser full of ice cold gatorade. You would have thought my their reaction I was bringing a kegger to a wild frat party. But while pouring them each refreshing cup, we got to acknowledge the amazing week that God brought these guys through and how glad we were that they all decided to stay, take in the whole week, find themselves in God's story and experience some healing and calming of their storms. Join me in continuing to pray for Stormy as he returns to the rez, carrying both loss and a vision of gain.

UPDATE FROM OUR WEEK AT MALIBU!!!!

I am writing this while on the bus coming home from a week at Malibu camp, having just enjoyed front row seats to see God moving in the lives of a cabin full of high school friends from Spokane. Enjoy this recap what just went down as we prayed, rallied to get kids away for a week to slow down with face to face time with friends, leaders and God. Hope this brings glory to God and fills your cup.

5 of 10 guys were players, I was their tennis coach at Mead HS. A few were from Gonzaga Prep HS. On the outside, these guys are fairly well put together, talented, having parents that love them. Yet inside, every one of them were full of doubts and self-doubt, plagued with anxiety, enveloped with emptiness, languished with loneliness and bruised with harsh and hurtful words from others. 

Of the 10 guys in our cabin, there we some common threads.

    *8 struggle with deep anxiety and persistent depression.

    *7 had previously been introduced to Jesus and fell off the rails and lost their way with God.

    *2 were in a mature place where they wanted to grow personally, yet focus on helping the others

    *All 10 clearly understood that they filled their life with things that don't fill their 'cups' / gloves. 

    *All 10 doubted that even IF something special happened this week, it would not even last.

    *1 guy had never prayed/talked to God before. For 4, it had been a long time. 

How it all went down!

Night 1 and 2, all the guys committed to 'own' where they are at, not pretend to be closer than they actually are to God. And when sharing what they wanted out of the week, every guy expressed wanting to encounter God, to 'feel' His presence, and that they would finally figure out HOW to connect with God. Most guys fell asleep during the first two cabin times. Was not sure how seriously they would engage.

 

Night 3 and 4. Guys related to a metaphor about a large flashlight that is made to fit a large battery. Anything else filling the inside of the battery interrupts it from working, even if it seems to fit. The guys opened up about what they fit in their lives that short-circuits their connection to God that they were made for. Endless phone scrolling, comparison, pursuit of money, trying to 'lock in' to excelling in sports at the expense of anything else, and an infinite amount of distractions. Bottom line they all realized was that TIME was not the problem. Even when free time comes, every one of them 'doesn't feel like' praying or reading the bible or turning to God. They are compelled to waste time instead. It sickened them. The conclusion was that it is a 'love' problem. They do not love God to a level that they would want Him. Can you relate? Front row seats to hearing these honest young people share so authentically that I felt my own excuses evaporate that I have a time problem. Do I have a love problem too?  Big oof! 

It was so truthful, my co-leader Logan (Whitworth student, from Yakima) and I gave them an invitation for the guys to 'say to God, what they just said to each other.' In other words, lets not talk 'about' God, to TO God about all this. They all did. Some were nervous of not knowing how to talk to God. But they encouraged one another and workshopped it out into a beautiful group time of prayer and confession where everyone lifted to God the distractions and burdens they have been carrying and choking on. 

Day 5 and 6 were 'fire', as the kids say. In addition to cabin times, we mixed in 1-on-1 convos and 2-on-1 convos where we went even deeper into the next level of depth and opportunity. 

My co-leader Logan and I met with two of our guys, back to back. 

Me, Logan, Nate, 'JC' and 'E'

    In the first convo, our usually cheerful guy, 'E,' was uncharacteristically subdued. He stared at the wooden, Malibu 'Suivoolot deck' while sat side by side on Adirondack chairs overlooking the pristine, Princess Louisa Inlet. E is a relational sparkplug, but in this moment, he was slouched and mumbling responses like a deflated hot air balloon. I would never have guessed a guy of his magnetism, talent and consistency coming to Young Life would be so beleaguered by depression and boa-constricted by internal lies of his self worth and inability to be someone who has the capacity to even connect with God. He had a 15 minute quiet time the day before and got nothing out of it. It was 15 minutes full of distraction and discouragement. Instead of drawing closer to God and hearing his voice, he left the time believing more deeply that there is something faulty about him and that closeness with God is not going to ever happen.

  For an hour, Logan and I listened deeply, shared key verses that have freed us from similar battles, and I was able to share my own journey of identifying the sources of the self-talk and words that have run roughshod through my mind. E had never considered that he was listening to the wrong voice. It stopped him in his tracks. He began to sit up straight. His own voice perked up. He began to look at the view rather than at the floor. We agreed to pray together and the three of us proclaimed the truth of the word of God over the darkness and lies. He prayed out "God I want your voice to be louder and more dominant to me than any other voice." He walked away 30 pounds lighten in his shoulders, and shared that night with the other guys what took place. In fact, we had another 15 minute quiet time that evening and he had a totally opposite experience than the day before. He took it slow, breathed deeply, invited God to speak, listened and realized that he IS a person who CAN connect with God and hear Him speak. Glory to God that he still moves stones and transforms the lives of all who believe, even overcoming our unbelief.

 The next hour Logan and I met with JC, E's best friend, who also exudes magnetism, off the charts talent, leadership beyond his age (tennis team captain, drum major in the band, faceman of a rock band, etc) and a consistent engagement with Young Life. He also, when being given a chance to share deeper, unveiled a nagging dark depression, pesky addictions and a reluctance to even bother trying to draw near to God, since it never lasts and I screw it up and fall back to sin. JC shared details of patterns in his life where people seem to die and take their owns lives all around him; family, girl friends and friends. He feels cursed and fearful to make ANY commitments because he will fail and be worse off for even trying. He has not committed to God because of this gripping fear and experience of failure following through and the shame storm that rages after tripping up. 

We listened, let him hear himself saying these lies and filters that keep him from the closeness with God he already expressed that he wants. We shared Jesus' words that HIS burden is light, and a commitment is to be WITH Him, letting Jesus walk alongside Him to help carry the commitment, and provide for him. We shared Jesus' invitation to follow him, the Holy Spirit empowers us, God's grace covers us, and Logan shared about how the disciples committed yet messed up so many times, yet were never booted or beaten up by Jesus, but learned, grew and were given more. We read Psalm 139, how God knows EVERYTHING, so its not a performance, it truly is a relationship based on GOD'S initiation and knowing us. Something began to release inside of JC. When it came to us praying, he asked for strength to make commitments, to let go of fears and to draw near and prayed the last two verses of Psalm 139. After our time, he went back to the cabin (Lillooet 8,) got his guitar out and wrote a song based on Psalm 139, and at cabin time shared with the guys that he commits to grow in faith, the word, in prayer and using his gift for God.

A last meeting took place this morning that was of colossal impact. N is our quietest camper, he does not seem to have much to say, and mumbles when its his time to talk during cabin time. He went to YL only twice this year, even though we invited him every time. He signed up 3 weeks before camp, because he heard another wrestler, Trandyn, signed up. His older sister came to YL camp years ago when my daughter Janna invited her, but she was quiet also, reluctant and skeptical. (Amazing that 5 years later, God got ahold of her and completely transformed her life right as she graduated HS and is a dynamic follower of Jesus now!) N requested to have a 2:1 with me and Trandyn, who I invested in as a junior leader during the week. We met up on the rock near the gym this morning (Monday, Day 7) and just asked him what he had been processing and where he is at with Jesus. He talked for almost an hour, hardly resting for a breath. He has SO much to say. He soaked up every bit of the speakers 'talks', he made notes of all the Bible verses that were shared so he could look them up. He did not have a Bible so we got him one on day 1, and he had underlines and marked pages already. 

N's story and family dynamics are heavy. Harsh words have pierced his heart deeply and formed unhealed wounds that lead him to be a subdued person. Trandyn stepped in and he heard the wounding words and he spoke truth of who N really is, and that he respects him as a wrestler, and is so proud of him as a person for all he has overcome. It was so powerful coming from a peer (even just 1 year older) speaking God's truth. 

His family has had an ugly breakup with the LDS church years ago that have left a deep distrust in 'religion' and disbelief in God's goodness and love. Yet somehow, this week, N concluded the opposite of his parents. He wanted MORE of God. He was blown away but all he saw, heard and experienced.

He shared that in the cabin time where we all prayed out loud, it was the FIRST time he has ever prayed. Then in the two 15 minute quiet times, those were the second and third time he ever prayed. We asked him if he has ever said 'yes' to start a relationship with Jesus. He said he has not yet, but wants to. So, Trandyn led us in prayer, I prayed and then we let him pray. It was a beautiful moment to be there for this. From there, we walked into the club room where the final club had already started. During club, the speaker gave a chance for kids to stand up and share ('say-so') if they started a relationship with Jesus. Pretty sure N was the most recent one to make the call, it was about 10 mins from praying to sharing on a mic with the other campers that he started a relationship with God!

"N" sharing at Say-So!

During 'say-so'. he stood and proclaimed his faith alongside Spokane cabin mates E, JC, Austin and one our Spokane girls too, Avery. When E and JC shared as well, it revealed that the Holy Spirit worked deeply in them enough to overcome their doubts, self-doubts, fears, anxiety and lack of confidence that even if God showed up in their lives, that it would even last. Yet, they committed. Huge win. And as we head home, we have plans to dive into God's word, meet regularly and lean on each other rather than trying to go it alone. Pray with us for E, JC, N, Austin, Avery and the others like Nate, Trandyn and Ryder who came also that committed to take their faith to the next level of growing and taking next steps too. 

JC, Austin, E and Avery sharing at Say-So

WE get to invite Jesus' light into kids' darkness. It is such a joy and worth the time, money, energy and effort. Thank you for caring, partnering, praying and, like Luke 15, celebrating when   

Hearing how He filled kids' lonely and anxious hearts, what a powerful reminder that God is able to do more than we could ask or imagine.

Malibu Prayer List for June 23-June 30th (and UPDATED from the Border)

Left for Malibu Monday. Currently there, updates at the very bottom! 

 

Here is who I invite you to pray for this week! I will share updates below as the week goes on, and in 'comments' if you follow along. After the week i will post again about all God did!!! 

Mead HS campers: Jeff and Logan with Nathan, Nathaniel, Jackson, Trandyn, Easton, Ryder. 5 of these guys are my 'tennis guys' I coach. What a joy! 

    Praying for Easton to catch a fire. Nathaniel to meet Jesus. Trandyn, Ryder and Nathan to come alive in Christ, with a contagious faith to rock Mead HS this year. Pray for Jackson, he is a musician, tennis player,  and an absolute delight. At YL two months ago, he shared at the end of the message that his faith is second hand smoke, based on others' experience, and he longs to have his own direct connection to God. C'mon! Lets pray for this!  

Also pray! 

Mead and Mt Spokane HS girl campers: Tanita our steady leader, Ava Watkins (pray for clarity to make a commitment to Jesus, she previously said 'no thank you' but is reconsidering now!  Also, Ella, Camdyn A. and Addie Kerrigan.

Gonzaga Prep HSL: Grace with Lucia, Carolina, Alexi.

North Central and GPrep HS: Adam Sonneland & Brendan: Austin, Sebastian Wolf, Isaac, Avery, Timothy

UPDATES on OUR NIGHT 1 (stuck) near the border: (Wednesday day/night)

We and all the groups were turned away at the border for not having 'work permits' for being leaders with kids at camp. Very interesting to say the least.  

Groups on busses stuck at the border

Maybe disguises might help...

Each bus from 8 different areas all had to find a hotel to stay at for the day/night until a plan was formulated to get us through. Our Spokane group as well as Federal Way and Central Kitsap ended up at Semiahmoo, in Blaine. They gave us a group discount for rooms, provided amazing hospitality. 

We were able to throw a night 1 club' together too so we did not miss starting strong, having an intro message (by Tanita) and each leader could have a cabin time with kids. We had a program walk-on (Rick and Paul, border agents who play pickleball) by me and Adam Sonneland. And a staff from Federal Way, Jordan, led a mixer, and 3 high school kids who packed guitars for Malibu, busted them out and led club songs at the hotel too. 

It felt like night 1 club! 

We were pumped to be there fore an epic evening of pickleball, bikes, s'mores by fire pits, club, cabin time and a great night of sleep.  

Praying for what is next.

At the end of the day, kids shared that they were blown away by seeing how God was with us even in our plans going sideways, and that they were having SO much fun already.

We got our work permits (stunned that I'm saying this) and passed through the border this morning and are on our way to Malibu now, we will all arrive in time for a 9:30pm dinner and 10:30pm Day 2. 

"We Are Clay Masterpieces": recap from Malibu Discipleship May 2026

Tanya and I were invited to be the co-speakers at Malibu Discipleship Weekend in late May. In fact, that was how I spent my 50th birthday. So worth it. 

What we shared was a greatest hits album of what God has been revealing to us over the past 4 years. A combination of lessons from mentors in our lives, and how God's word that has grabbed hold of us (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 8, Philippians 4,) and elements of neuroscience; how God shapes even our brains to align with what He has to say to us.

Interested yet? This may become a manuscript for something in the future, who knows! 

Tanya spoke night 1 (while I was in Tri-Cities coaching our Mead HS boys tennis team to 2nd place in the state championship.). She shared about how we are God's masterpiece, his workmanship, whom He delights in and planned to do great works in and through. She crushed it, because she has lived what she spoke.

Night 2 I shared from what I have been deeply moved by over the past years, inviting them on this journey for themselves.

Recapping Tanya said, we truly are God's masterpieces, but we often feel like master pieces of crap if we are honest. Our minds are filled with negative self-talk and beliefs that drag us down from our true identity God gives us. 

I shared about how my job on the Mead Tennis team coaching staff is *mindset coaching; identifying our players' negative self-talk and replacing it with affirmations of identity and clarity. Every player shared and did not realize how plagued they were, yet how possible changing is. I asked the high schoolers in the room if they have experienced this same negative self talk that has impacted them. The lights were low, but looked like at least 95% raised their hands. They get it. They hear the constant negativity.

The question was posed..."who's voice is that coming from?" 

I took a risk and did a 3 minute history of God's voice, from Genesis 1 to Old Testament invitations over and over to 'come to me', to Jesus, and literally to God speaking this very day.

Then I did a 3 minute history of 'the accuser', Satan's voice. From Genesis 3 ('Did God realllllly sayyyy...?') to the temptation of Jesus, evil seen in the bible and Revelation to literally this morning when certian thoughts of shame, comparison, self-hatred or bitterness entered their brains. Real stuff. 

Then I shared the story that rocked me. 

I met with Psychologist, Dr Tim, to share about how burnt out I had become as an area director, and lost energy to lead leaders, invite people and overcome my feeling of being so alone. Dr. Tim asked which specific words ran through my mind, and when. I repeatedly had these scripts running through my mind: "No one really wants to help lead. Its better that you do all the work. You burden people when you invite them to take on leadership. You're faulty and not a good fit as a leader, you just do things wrong. Why even bother being a director."  As I shared, he leaned in and asked, "who's voice is that?" He paused and waited a few moments. I was stunned, I had never considered the question.  He pressed, since I had not answered yet. Is that God's voice, is that consistent to how He speaks to us? Sobered, I finally answered; "that is the voice of the accuser. Satan. Speaking half-believable lies."

Dr Tim continued: "May I ask, have you been obedient to that voice? And how long?"  I was stopped in my tracked. Awakened as if a Great Wolf Lodge water bucket with ice water just dumped over my head. I realized in that moment that negative self-talk is real, and it has a source, and it is not from God. It must be addressed and it can be done!

What comes next is good news. That our mindsets and mental messes may be jacked up, but God is fully able to reshape us, like clay. Jeremiah 18 shares this relationship between God, our shaper and sculpter, and us the misshapen clay. When we get out of alignment, mentally, spiritually, it is nothing to God to simply reshape what is the marred. This is good news, no need to sulk or shame storm or feel like a  hopeless lost cause. God is able to re-shape us.

It fit to share about research in neuroscience. With all of our negative self-talk and thought patterns we have, our brains have formed neuropathways that are deeply formed and hard to change old mindsets that we have thought, believed and even obeyed as truth. Yet, our brains are so resillent and reshapeable. We can train our brains, with new thoughts beliefs, to form a new pathway in a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. The "clay" metaphor absolutely fits how God made our brains with the way they can be reshaped. I shared how it works. Replace the lie or negative talk with a truth, a positive, emotionally compelling statement, and begin to speak it out, believe it and keep repeating it daily. This repetition is similar to what God has said all along in scripture, to meditate day and night on God's word, to write it on doorframes, to share it with our children and their children. God all along was a mental health expert who wanted us to know and believe the truth, not lies.

SO many of these kids were familiar with neuroscience and it blew their gourds to combine this with God's word, so applicable and yet so simple. They were given ample time to have solitude, listen to God's voice and begin to re-route neuropathways of God's words. 

I have a laminated page full of affirmations, truths and scripture that I review regularly to align my brain with truth and fix my thoughts on 'whatever is true, right, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy' (Philippians 4.).  SO many scriptures point towards meditating on and memorizing the word, keeping it in front of us, not forgetting, teaching our kids, and Jesus had truth locked in when being tempted. Its a God theme! 

More to say, but that was the summary. 

*I have been learning from a mentor, Brad Board, a sage on this topic where he learned from presenting for the Pacific Institute for years for positive change in how we can transform our lives through beliefs and thoughts. He's helped me do mindset coaching for myself and my tennis players, and any YL staff who desire this support to.