Malibu Week 1: Broken, broken, and Unbroken!

Hi Friends! We're just finishing up Malibu week #1. Dietrichs thriving, Tanya too.

On Day 6 (today) I had to take Janna out on a water taxi to Sechelt, BC to the emergency room for an x-ray on her foot. She rolled her ankle, breaking her 5th metatarsal bone, during...the (non-treacherous) Virginia Reel dance, while sachay-ing down and back. After breaking it, she kept dancing, not wanting the experience to end abruptly. She's such a little warrior.

A powerful element during the week has been 'Real Life.' This is a panel of four, that shares moments of their lives in HS and leading up to HS. These four brave folks on our team here share honestly and with vulnerability about the hard things they walked through, which helps our 375+ high school friends to have an example that a) they are not alone and others have gone through hardships b) God is able to transform our broken stories in powerful ways and c) helps campers to open up about their stories with their leader and friends. Tanya shares about her growing up without presence or affirmation from her father, and the pressure of succeeding as a mixed race girl struggling to be 'seen' and to be a success. Others share of overcoming betrayal from parents and friends and the struggle to find faith amidst pain. One teammate, Maddie Z, shares of making it deep into Americal Idol only to be dropped in a late round, and plummeting her back into an even deeper depression that temporary popularity could not fulfill. Kids are really processing deeply, excited to share specific stories of kids.

ONE CAMP STORY! 

One girl here at Malibu, from a Middle Eastern country and a really broken, tough life story, had been describing some never-before-feelings she’d been having here, during cabin times and the 15 min quiet times. She shared of hearing a voice that seemed like the way God has been described. Some ways that she has heard this voice: a) realizing clearly as to how she has pushed God away (realizing sin) from her b) receiving comfort from her many fears she's struggled with, c) feeling a sense of forgiveness like never before, d) feeling ‘led’ to share things she would not normally with others, e) feeling a peace she can’t explain. She had known of God growing up, addressing Him as Allah, but never feeling any closeness or relationship. As she shared her experiences with her leader, her leader showed her in the Bible where Jesus describes the Holy Spirit who is fully available to all who would receive God. This sweet girl realized that she was hearing and recognizing it was God, personally pursuing her. The Holy Spirit, as described in John 14 and 16 (and many other places) lined up to this new experience. Isn't that SO God! Personally speaking to a girl who had not known God in a personal way, she went from a broken young lady to 'unbroken' spirit. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound."

And...both kids got to be in the epic Malibu 'Opera' on night 4, look closely and you'll see Janna in the middle/right in pink, dressing as a main character from the week, and Dietrich is dressed at a maple leaf. Here's a short video clip of it, only to be shared with you, don't share this to those from Everett/Mill Creek, Spokane or Wenatchee, Walla Walla, Tonasket and Leavenworth who are still coming in the next few weeks. :)

God moments for ‘us’ and ‘them’

God sightings so far. 

Tanya continues to thrive, as she leads well alongside of this talented team we have here. Twice yesterday, people here stopped her and said during their morning prayer time that God wanted her to know how deeply loved she is, and how God delights in her. 

Don’t you love how God can get something across to us? 

A girl from Lynnwood introduced herself, sharing she was at Creekside camp last year when I spoke. She remembers ‘everything’ and appreciated how Janna was an object lesson and how I knocked at her door on the stage and she finally opened it, and hugged me, like how Jesus knocks on our door and we can open it, and open our life to God. Fun to see how the seed planted last year is still growing in one kid! 

Marcus, one of our head leaders, took one on one time to connect with a camper here who self professes they are Satanic. It’s a joy to listen to, spend time with and express value to every kid regardless of any uniqueness. I’m glad that when I was an early teen and did not want anything to do with God, people like Dick Conner, a NW University student named Tony Cloud and others reached out to me too. Praying! 

I pulled together some of the kids here for the month for a cabin time after club day 2. Dietrich called it ‘manpaigners’. (Like YL’s ‘campaigners’). The speaker, Scott Didrickson, shared about the adoption of their daughter from an orphanage in Ghana. I asked these boys, first, who they know who is adopted, and how ‘adoption’ relates to God’s love for us. 

One boy, 11 years old, shared about how a kid in an orphanage is lost, doesn’t know if they belong or are fully accepted, like we feel until God takes us in and we experience all those things we didn’t have.’  Nice insight, kid!  Then Dietrich, 13, shared something I never thought of. He explained, ‘God’s adopting and love for us is like the story Jesus told, where the two men walked past the man who was beaten, robbed and left unconscious. They are like the parents who couldn’t or wouldn’t keep their kids they had, or like those around who did not help the child who was born. Yet God’s love is like the 3rd person, the Samaritan man who helped him, took him in, used their money and care to restore him. That’s like how I think God adopting us is like. He takes us in no matter what condition we are, to be with him instead of on our own, ignoring or avoiding us.’  Uh....yep. Think he pretty much nailed it.

Dietrich also jumped in to help run a field games station (see Dietrich, pointing, below), giant Jenga, along with Conor Dooley. 30 groups of HS came through. He helped lead like a champ. I didn’t see that coming! 

Praying for the campers to have a powerful week...A

and for those of us serving too. Sometimes the message is for the messengers too! 

Kids arrive: this never gets old!

Seeing 375 high school aged campers and their leaders exit the Malibu Princess boat never gets old. I tried to pray for every single one as they enthusiastically ran up the camp and into camp. God is more excited for them than they have any clue, so the ‘welcome’ always feels like a foretaste of heaven. Here’s a time lapse of the welcome 

 Join us this week praying for kids from Lynnwood-Terrace, Hood River, Issaquah, Eugene and a few others.

Before campers arrived, Tanya, serving as camp director, addressed the entire team of work crew, summer staff, leadership (“A”) team and property staff, inviting them to pull together to grasp how high wide long and deep the love of God is for them, and then extend it to over 1,300 campers over 4 weeks. After speaking in the breathtaking new Malibu club room, Sequoia, she invited them to go on a prayer walk to pray-pare their hearts. She is slaying it.

One guest, the Yacht Host, Tom Culp, overflowed with nostalgia today. He shared that 50 years ago today, the sound was hooked up to the radio in the dining hall so all the campers could listen to the broad-cast of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin taking a ‘small step’ of the first moon walk. I can tell already, this week and month will be out of this world. 

And PS, Janna and a crew of 7 other teenage girls have immediately bonded and formed a small group for the month. Amazing. And Dietrich is already diving right in.  

Pre-Malibu Pics and Prayers

Friends 

We are on our way to Malibu. On our way we made an interesting stop.

Backstory, at our YL region Art and Wine Auction In April, a live item was a photo shoot with pets. Well...in true Eastern WA style, the winning bidder requested family pics with their family cow and goat. Janna is less a goat whisperer than she is with dogs, but she handled it like a champ. It was a fun adventure together for sure. 

Wake Surfing...

Before we headed to Malibu landing this morning, we stopped at Lake Stevens to take a ride on our friends, Casey and Alyssa’s boat. I ended up attempting to wake surf. I don’t know if I quite got it but surfed a few times without the rope, but like a Pharisee, I lacked a sense of ‘grace.’ Wasn't pretty, but it was a great way to start our journey this month.  

Border 'Non'-Issues

If you’ve followed Tanyas issues getting a passport, and our past troubles at the border when traveling to Malibu, you’d know how much prayer surrounded our border crossing...and it was apparent as it took, no joke, 3 minutes from getting in line to entering the land of maple and ketchup potato chips! 

Prayer Team

We invite your prayers for the next few weeks. Pray for Tanya’s leadership and the assigned team who will serve 4 weeks of over 1,300 high school aged campers from all over the NW. And pray for our family to bond with our other families here, with each other, and with God. That WE would be different when we leave, just like we pray for the campers to. We will share updates the next few weeks on here, stay tuned!  

Are you in with us? 

Jeff and Tanya

YL Dominican Republic Dominated Me!

Just got back from a 5 day trip to the D.R. with staff in the Young Life NW Division. VP Lindsey Patchell, International Senior V.P Marty Caldwell & an anonymous donor invited the RDs and spouses, to experience from what the Lord is doing in Latin America Vida Joven (YL.)

Wanted to share 8 deep impressions of what dominated my heart and mind while in the DR that we will be marinatin' and percolatin' on for a while. You'll see in these video clips and pics will include elements of the 8 impressions below.
   *Especially this summary video I compiled from our trip.
   *Also, to see scenes from the D.R., here's my google drive folder with 6 video clips from the D.R.
YL club, including a hilarious walk on, melodrama skit, music, a rap and club talk (en Espanol.)
8. Joy, fun, and laughing are forms of bonding between us that transcend all differences. Lucky for me...because people laugh all the time at me. But really, smiles translate!
7. Money and joy are not directly related. Folks here have SO little financially. Yet the people we met here are filthy RICH in joy. They smiled like they had a 100K in their pocket. They prayed like God was about to answer. They rejoiced like they won the world series. And connected relationally more easily than MOST I know with lots of money. And the way they prayed on the spot for so many situations...leaning in to trusting God and not self, was inspiring.

Jarabacoa, DR Young Life leaders and us

6. Working and serving side-by-side together offers the highest level of bonding. Even if doing an arduous, inefficient activity like hand mixing concrete, making a meal, cleaning dishes, serving meals...makes sense why 'serving together' is such a game changer for growing in faith and community.
5. Language and cultural barriers can be 'thinned' (like my hair) if we decide in our hearts that we WANT to connect with others. We were placed with a host family who didn't speak any English. What worked to connect was eating together, using 'google translate' to overcome communication barriers, playing cards, sharing pictures of family, interests and asking to see their pictures. The barrier between us was thinner than my hair-do.
4. There is no gold standard of excellence. Culturally embedded excellence is what we can look for. Kids in the DR are blown away by green, gress fields to play in, three served meals, having a leader with them, being safe, simply having a gymnasium and cabins. It is wise for us to ask, 'what would excellence look like for THESE kids?' that we are leading. YL camp in the NW would be too much for them.
3. Cheerful hospitality expresses the abundance of God. When we welcome strangers/hosts, use eye contact, make room for others at a crowded or empty table, initiate conversation with those we don't know well, and engage with people's stories who we don't know well; it expresses that we believe that God's love and provision is enough for each of us, and will not run out (scarcity of time, love, money!)

Leaders sharing their Discipleship Tree, List and map.

2. Discipleship is the best form of leadership. For depth, but also for width too! Jesus invited us to disciple, teach, invest life-on-life with a few. If we all did that, changed lives would be exponential. Yet it is inefficient (so hard for busy Americans like me/us), often hasn't been modeled to us, it can be hard to do life WITH others, and requires intentionality outside the lines we typically run in. We got to see a simple form of discipleship in DR Young Life (Vida Joven.) Each leader or student wanting to lead were actively learning to utilize these tools:
   #1. A 'list.'  Names written of 'relationships built,' who they are praying for and who they want to invite to camp, club, to pray for and be with more.
   #2. A written discipleship tree which includes who their roots are who pours into them, who the 3+ they are pouring into, AND who' thos' 3+' are pouring into as well.
   #3. A map if their neighborhood/area they have vision for, and
   #4. A simple way to study the bible for themselves and to teach others with, called the 'Discovery Bible Method.'  With simple, transferable tools like this, we saw 40+ year old Directors all the way to 13 year old 'kids' back from camp, who ALL had the same approach. It was BEAUTIFUL and effective in empowering all.

The host family who we stayed overnight with.

1. God does not primarily speak English. He understands and speaks every language with pinpoint precision. God is not white, nor American. God is God, he loves all, has plans for, loves, delights and stores up unique blessings in people of every culture. He loves ME, and he loves Yefri, Nathalie, and you. Equally. Good reminder to let him expand my heart to make room in my heart for others 'otherly' than me, and learn from the way God revelas Himself to them uniquely. We have a lot to learn yet!

Humbly Yours,
Jeff and Tanya Huber

Discipleship Tree: Allen and Sir Charles

One of the Young Life guys back in 2012-ish, that was one of "my 12", (intentionally invested in) on my Discipleship Tree, Allen Turner, from Everett, is featured in a Young Life Missionwide email, the 'Monday Morning'. 

Fun to see how God has taken him from the rough hand he was dealt in life, to shower grace upon him, that the Holy Spirit brought him to his senses (like the prodigal son,) throw His arms around him, and lift him to become a dynamic, to be the fruit bearing leader he is today.

He is interviewed with his YL kid, Sir Charles, leading like a champ. Proud of him And cheering for Sir Charles! 

Check out the article and video clip here!  
https://t.e2ma.net/click/70433/78mvj6/bsg6zk

2018: Valuable Lessons Learned

Happy 2019.

This week Tanya and I have been reflecting on what we learned during 2018 and I'm so glad we did. We came up with 21 valuable nuggets, each with deep meaning I never want to forget. As I sat in a beach chair brainstorming each one, two sisters ran up to me, looking over my shoulder saying 'Whoooaaah! That's a LOT of ink, WHAT are you WRITING about?' We laughed, but the truth is, if we don't know why we had wins or losses, we might not fully bag up the gold we just panned from the river through hard experience.  Here are the top 12 lessons learned:

10. I Blame Shame: A new mentor, author, Brene Brown uncovered my eyes to how shame silently and violently impacts us (me) and all those around us. Shame, protecting one's emotional exposure to possibly being hurt, and the automatic triggers which lead to putting walls up are crouching all around us. In meetings, in relationships, in my job, family, and marriage. Yet, there are ways to combat shame, namely: me leading with thoughtful vulnerability, taking risks, cultivating resilience in myself and in others, practicing gratitude, increasing a sense in others of belonging, and practicing self-compassion (talk to yourself like a loving friend, and help others do this too.)

9. Scarcity vs. Abundance. Two deeply varying views of life, often of the same set of conditions. One of 'not enough', one of 'enough.'  One based in fear and self-preservation, one based in trust and being loved. Much of ministry, relationships, and life waver between these two poles. The Lord has been inviting me to trust HIS abundance, HE is enough, and he is able, and can be trusted.

8. Was I faithful? At Creekside, as camp speaker for 350 middle school kids for three weeks, Ernie Merino and I would always meet and process after each 'talk' I gave. We landed on a key, first question each time: "Was I faithful?" There are always ways to improve and to acknowledge that went well, yet, in serving God, the 'was I faithful' seems to be primary and allows all other evaluations to be secondary, lighter, and outside feeling related to our identity.

7. How a hyper guy can hyper-focus. I have a track record of gobbling up to-do lists, getting back quickly to people and getting 'ish done, yet also, putting off the 'more important' work due to a struggle to do heavy lifting of hard yet critical work. My life coach Randy Trettevik helped me discover that I AM good at blocking out time to get heavy lifting work done. I schedule 1-2 hour blocks of time (time blocking) and ONLY focus on that. It has been a confidence booster!

6. Plan well, pray well. Speaking of ADHD, I have always struggled with prayer and time with God. I am SO easily distracted. So when I FINALLY carve out time to be with God to pray, reflect, journal...and then don't have a plan for how to use the time I carved out...my brain spins like a hamster wheel.  I learned this year to decide ahead of time how the time can be used. On my weekly (written) action list or google calendar, I type in what my soul/mind craves. Sometimes its been to lament about some loss in my life, or make a 'thankful' list, or review a previous journal entry, journal about my dad, or pray for each area and staff in our YL region. This helps me SO much to be able to enter in and make the fullest use of time set aside for solitude.

5. Power, Race and Privilege. This was a year where I learned more about how race, voice, power and inequity that exists all around me.  I see more clearly how systems in our world, country, and yes, even in Young Life, are set up to help those in power continue to be so. I know there are many factors to consider, many of which I do not fully grasp. As I explore how this relates to leadership for many Latinos in Central WA, I can see how the ability to express their influence and voice is muted because of views of them being merely viewed implicitly as "orchard and farm workers", rather than called, deeply, gifted leaders, fully worthy of being trusted to lead communities and areas.  I've been learning ways to empower, re-adjust and create financial systems in YL to make room for diverse voices to lead us. Yet, without fixing on my own, but collaborating.  I am far from figuring out how our slice of the Kingdom of God is to operate more equitable for all ethnicities, females and socio-economic levels, but I'm learning! The counter to this I've been hearing is that a 'victimhood' culture is giving people a voice to grab at power from white people, mostly males, and disregards other issues like lawlessness and immigration. What's asked is: 'who is paying for people's quest for liberty and happiness?' Also, the fruit of faithfulness and how hard work paid off by people and their predecessors led them to success, and that its not right to disdain people for this. How can these two varying views reconcile? No idea! Yet I sense God's call towards 'togetherness' in the region I live where our leaders, staff and committee can represent the 50+% of the kids of color. I pray that in Young Life, His Kingdom come and be reflected, and his will be done for all kids and adults.

4. "Relax, don't do it." The Enneagram test results reveal that I am off the charts as a "7" and a "3."  Which laymen terms means I'm living in joy, excitement, thinking ahead in terms of vision and next adventures. The healthy, relaxed pairing to this is to go to "5" which is investigating, losing myself in hobby, study, or activity. My problem is that I am 99% 7, but 96% a developed "3," which is the achiever who's live gravitates to get 'ish done as my go-to impulse. An Enneagram counselor, (John Evans) helped me see how urgent it is for me to eschew work to relax and lose myself in enjoyable things, and that is how my cup can be refilled and how that adds health to me and those around me.  

3. Can I get a 'with-ness.'  One of my commitments is to read the bible yet its easy to fall out of rhythm when its 'just me' reading. I found the blessedness of with-ness this year. Reading with a few friends added tremendous value and motivation. We used group texts, meeting in small groups and using the Marco Polo app in groups, sharing insights with each other.  With-ness wins.

2. Goals just wanna have fun. I set some goals for the year and ran it by my friends Ryan I and Mike K. Both liked where I was going but commented that they were 'kinda blah.'  Mike commented that they were 'nuts and boltsy,' wondering if I'd actually be motivated to do them, and inquired if they can be a little sexier. Sexy? I can do sexy! So I spruced up my goals and added flavor, flare, stretch and adventure. I typed these into my goal sheet & in the Notes app on my iPhone to keep track
       -20 'Daddy Daughter and Doggie Dates' with Janna. Finished with 17/20.
       -25 movies in the theater with Dietrich. (His favorite thing!) Finished with 25/25!
       -16 Stand Up Paddleboard dates with Tanya. 12 lakes, 4 rivers. (Finished 9/12 and 4/4)
       -50 solitudes w/ God. Listed all the best places, tracked where each time. Finished 45/50.
       -Read 12 books. Finished 13/12! Most EVER in a year.
       -104 work outs with Tanya, doing a 'check in' on our life (physical, emotional/mental, work, kids and relationships) each time. I didn't track it but it was our best year of connection...ever.

1. Connection wins. If you notice the goals set for the year, the BEST ones have to do with connection, not purely accomplishment. Each goal creates space and at bats for connection to take place. With family, self and God. I learned that goals towards connection were the best.

What were your learning lessons and goals this year?  I'd love to hear! 

-Jeff-



Bonus: The 13 Books I read this year. Wanna talk about any of them?

Face to Face,Vol 3, Sharing God's Life. Marty Folsom.
Boys in The Boat. (about the UW rowing team in Nazi Germany)  Daniel J. Brown.
The Road Back to You (Enneagram.) Ian Cron.
Leadership and Self-Deception. Arbinger Institute.
Good Faith. Gabe Lyons.
The Go-Giver. Burg & Mann.
Mentor Like Jesus. Regi Campbell
Right Color, Wrong Culture. Bryan Loritts
Daring Greatly. Brene Brown
White Awake. Daniel Hill.
Dare to Lead. Brene Brown
Disunity in Christ, Christena Cleveland (Duke U.)
Who Is This Man? John Ortberg