Last weekend was such a breath taking experience in the Jr. High world at Central. It was the first time we have ever introduced Communion to our students and gave them each the opportunity to partake in it. They were given the opportunity to write down any sins they wanted forgiveness for and nail them to the cross before taking Communion. It was absolutely astonishing to see our 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders on their knees at the cross acknowledging and remembering all that our God has done through the crucifixion of His son Jesus Christ. Our students understood, some for the first time, what this beautiful sacrifice meant and how they are able to be made clean again. Some were on their knees, others in small groups praying, and some standing and worshiping. What a true honor it was to be in the room and witness the maturity and thirst these students possess in praising their God. This weekend we are going to continue this gracious story of our Savior and celebrate Easter and the resurrection. I am so excited to see our students grow even deeper and thank God for all that He is doing in our ministry.

God Bless!

Shelly Rants

Jr High Ministry Intern

It’s a tale of seven people on a three-hour tour that goes wrong as the tour boat, the S.S. Minnow, is shipwrecked in a storm!  It had a catchy theme song.  It had a fun cast with outrageous storylines.  The classic 60′s TV series “Gilligan’s Island” is making a comeback to the big screen! Now before you either jump for joy or cringe in disgust, there is something we can all learn from this.
We can learn to never give up on our dreams.  Sherwood Schwartz, the series creator, has spent 29 years trying to sell this thought.  29 years he has spent in debates and discussions on making this a hit.  Sherwood Schwartz has a dream.  Some might think it’s a crazy dream or applaud his determination.  No matter what side you would take, he never gave up on his dream.  At the age of 93, Sherwood Schwartz can see that once you set you mind on a dream, just go for it.
Are you living life like Sherwood Schwartz or have your dreams turned into the S.S. Minnow and washed up on shore?  Are you instilling in your kids a passion to dream?  Do they see in you the ability to dream with no limits?   Do they see you dream with determination?
Kim Trethewey
Central Kidz

Two weeks ago, I received a text from my sister. Her and my 3 ½ year old niece had been walking downtown, waiting for the family SUV to get fixed. They past a very large women and Abbie said, “Hey mom, you look like that lady.” My sister racked her brain thinking what her and this lady, who was a different ethnicity, and to her knowledge looked nothing like her, had in common, and my sister said, “How so, Abbie?” Abbie’s response, “You have a big butt just like her.” Abbie is the most feisty of my sister’s 3 children. She has spunk and attitude, and mischievousness that gets her into all kinds of trouble, and any thought she thinks almost always come out of her mouth, making everyone around her laugh.

My nephew, Spencer, the oldest, is brilliant and helpful, and overtly witty. At the age of 5 he took an IQ test and was asked to explain what the word “Migrate” meant. He’s straightened up in his chair and said, “Oh, you know….it’s like “my great” pen, or “my great muffins, “my great” stuff;” there can be “my great” anything really!”

There’s Kennedy, my 5 year old niece, she is the Princess, the Diva, the one who will crush your heart with a single bate of her eyes. She loves to make up stories and use her imagination. Once her and my mother went to the park, and began picking flowers. After a few minutes a muscular, angry-looking park ranger approached. He scolded the both of them and told my mother that they would be charged $60 per flower they had picked. Kennedy tilted her head, smiled at him, and swayed in place. The ranger looked at Kennedy for a minute and said, “Well, I suppose it’s okay this time, you guys can take the flowers and go.”

God breathed his very self into each child you know! God has given each of your kids unique and wonderful attributes. Do you take time to notice them? As Easter approaches what a perfect time to celebrate life, including the little lives God has entrusted you with and your very own life. You see, God marvels at you the same way I marvel at each child I know. God is so memorized and captivated by you, that he sent his very son to die so that He can spend eternity with YOU! Three days ago Abbie marched up to her mother and said, “Mom, you know what’s in my heart?” My sister thoughtfully said “uuummm…..” and Abbie shouted, “GOD!!” As you celebrate the amazing resurrection of our Savior, celebrate all the amazing things God is doing in your family.

Heidi
Henderson Elementary Team

Friday night, we filled 6 buses with 342 high school students and leaders for an all-night, activity-driven, caffeine-filled, ALL-NIGHTER. Ladies and gentlemen, this was no ordinary “lock-in.” Our idea for Amped was simple…get over 300 kids into buses, have them travel around Vegas and experience the best the Valley has to offer (Paintball, Broomball on Ice, Pole Position Go-Karts, etc), give them quality time with their friends and amazing Fuse leaders, and see what happens. IT WORKED!!! WE HAD THE NIGHT OF OUR LIVES!!

There were a couple of Amped highlights for me personally. The first one was seeing Fuse students invite so many of their friends to be a part of a church event, maybe for the first time. Some students got on the bus intimidated and scared. ALL OF THEM left Amped having one of the greatest nights of their life at CHURCH. Priceless.

The second highlight for me was seeing our students interact with each other and the people at the venues. No hospital trips (woohoo!!). No disciplinary issues. No students sitting in a corner alone. In fact, one of the venue managers came up to me and went on and on about how great our students were. He even said, because of what he saw that night, he now has “faith in the future of our country.” No exaggeration. He also proceeded to send half of his staff home because “he didn’t need them.” He told me about how, a few hours earlier with another group, he spent the whole night breaking up fights and kicking teenagers out. He couldn’t believe how respectful and honorable our students were.

I can’t tell you how proud I was in that moment. There is no better complement to what God is doing in the lives of our students at Central. The Bible says that being a Christ-follower is more than words; it’s action and how we display our love for each other. I know that what I saw in 300 crazy teenagers that night made heaven smile.

As I reflect on Amped, to be honest, I’m still in a daze. It takes me longer these days to recover from nights like that. I drank way too much caffeine and have gotten way too little sleep. But, I wouldn’t trade that time for the world. It was one of the greatest nights I’ve had as a high school pastor. I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of a movement of teenagers in, of all places, the Las Vegas Valley. Can’t wait to see where we go from here.

Robert Poliszuk

Fuse High School Pastor | Henderson Campus

I was walking my seventy-pound puppy this afternoon as the sun was setting. I had worship music playing on my ipod, and I contemplated what I should write about in this blog. I picked a dandelion from my neighbors yard.

I used to make wishes on dandelions growing up. I loved the challenge of trying to blow all the seeds off the flower; I used to blow until my lungs gave out because I had so much hope that if I could just get that last seed off the flower, my wish would come true and my life would change.

Just before I was about to rock this little flower with a miniature hurricane I stopped. I couldn’t think of anything to wish for. I thought about the kids of Fuse High School. I thought about their struggles and their prayer requests. I didn’t think about my own life, not out of modesty, but out of faith that everything in my life is part of an intricate plan that God has for me {Jeremiah 29:11}. I wouldn’t change a thing in my life, and as I thought of the Fuse kids (your kids) I realized that I would not change a thing for them either. Don’t get me wrong, I will always be lifting them up in prayer, but I know that every single struggle I faced as a kid, as a teenager, and now as a young adult has shaped me, molded me. Sure, I screamed and cried and rebelled along the way (just ask my own parents), but God brought me out of that to the other side where the grass is greener, and I know that I have been changed.

As much as it hurts to watch, I know that I would never rob a child of the chance to grow, and as a parent I know that someday you would want your child to mature and develop a strong relationship full of faith in God. But as we know, “…suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. {Rom 5:3-5 NIV}

So my message is this: hope. To every parent watching his or her child stumble through a difficult time, you are not alone and God has not forgot your child’s struggle. Solomon said that there is “nothing new under the sun”{Ecclesiastes 1:9}. God has been working in the hearts of children for a long time; He is well practiced. You can trust Him with your child, and have hope because someday your “baby” will grow up to be stronger in their faith because of their struggle.

Lastly, you as a parent are not alone in this hope. Every staff member and volunteer in our ministry is right there with you. Together we can pray, hope, and watch God perform miracles.

-Nikki (Fuse High School)

Everyone has heard at one time or another the saying, “Stop and smell the roses.”  We all understand the concept that comes with the saying, but how many people really do it?  In this crazy world where everything is go go go.  There is work, school, soccer practice, dinner, etc.  Our day is jammed packed from the minute we wake up in the morning, and is full speed ahead until we fall asleep at night.  That scene repeats itself day after day.

I will admit that was my life.  I would hit the ground running in the morning and didn’t stop until I would fall asleep.  Day after day, week after week, month after month, it’s all the same.  Recently I have been feeling like God is yelling at me to STOP!  He is jumping up and down waving His hands trying to get my attention from my busy crazy life.  I’ve realized that I’m missing all the little moments.  Over the past few weeks I have really made a point to live in the moment with God. Whether that moment is a moment of fear, confusion, happiness, or thankfulness.   I try to live it with God.  Through all this I have grown so much closer to the Lord and wake up each morning looking forward to the moments I’m going to spend with Him.

I want to challenge all of you to really just STOP!  Live in the moment.  Think about how much more sweet life will be if you did this.  If you stopped and really just embraced the moments with your children, your spouse, your family?  Sounds like such a simple concept right?  Then why don’t more people do? Why do they just race through life focused on the future and whats the next thing?  Take the time to live life in the moment with God and embrace the life you have.

Go ahead… Stop and smell the roses.

Jessica Dillon
Preschool Team

For middle school and high school, Wednesday night means Fuse Groups. As you probably know, on Wednesday nights during the school year, middle school and high school students gather in homes around the valley to participate in Fuse groups. Fuse Groups are always scheduled to take place from 6:30-8:00pm. Rarely, however, do students leave right at 8:00pm. Groups don’t always wrap up their discussions on time. Once they do, students need to play video games. Throw the football. Talk to their other friends in the house. Get more cookies. I’m always curious to see who will be that first student to actually leave. Will it be because they get tired? Or have homework? Or (gasp!) mom comes to the door and says “Let’s get going!”

I talked to that mom last night. As her son pleaded for 5 minutes of playing Ninja (if you don’t know, don’t ask), she apologized for interrupting and asked if she was early. I almost screamed “No!” And even if she was early, I wouldn’t care. You see, this particular parent always says hello when she drops off and picks up her son from our events. She asks me what we’re teaching next at Fuse. In September she asked to meet her son’s group leader.

As student leaders, we love it when parents want to be involved. We love it when parents want more information. Come check out the Fuse Group house. Come check out Fuse over the weekend. Ask us what we’re teaching. Meet our leaders. We love it! You parents give us permission to love and lead your students and the more we know you and your family, the better we can serve you. Mom ringing the doorbell is not a bother. It’s a blessing.

in Him,

Matt Vairetta

Southwest Student Pastor

Right now my wife Dallas and I are in the middle of the adoption process. We are excitedly working through forms and piles of paperwork and tasks to get everything in order so that we can adopt and welcome a child into our family. I think with any new addition to the family there is excitement and some fear. One of the things that I want our kids to know is what it means to be a Carnahan.

I have read a couple of places about creating a family creed – a simple statement that sums up what we believe and how we act in situations. Our kids are figuring out life by watching us and learning from what we do. I am passive in a lot of things in life but I want to be super intentionally about helping my kids know how God wants us to live. One of my get ready goals is to write a family creed, with Dallas, before our child is here. It has to be simple to memorize and very clear. It’s not going to be easy to sum up the way we want to live. It will take several drafts until we get to the right place. It’s going to take lots of talking with God and each other. But it’s going to be so much fun.

If you would like some help on your family creed there are some great resources out there. Steven Covey has some good thoughts. http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/

Another cool site is Family-iD. They have some great resources for your family.  http://familyid.familyvisionministry.org/

Daniel Carnahan

Central Kidz – Summerlin

I have three boys that are very unique individuals.  My oldest, Hayden, is brilliant, sensitive and creative.  My middle son, Carson, is random (beyond all belief), determined and silly.  My youngest, Harrison, is busy, mischievous and has a smile that could make your heart melt.

Being that they are so different I’m finding that just when I have this parenting thing down (which is all of 2.2 seconds) I’m thrown a curve ball.  What worked one day doesn’t work the next.  What worked with one child doesn’t work on the other.  What I think is best is sometimes different than what my spouse may think is best.  I make decisions daily, with my kids in mind, that I second guess.  To sum it all up…I LOVE being a parent, but some day’s and seasons it can be tough!

I was thrilled when I heard about Kid Unique, not only for myself but for other parents as well.  Kid Unique, a four hour experience held right here at Central, will help parents discover their kids identity in Christ!  I am confident that this experience is going to have a huge impact on families. For more info on this resource that’s just around the corner (March 14) click here.

Andrea Kessler
CentralKidz

I have had the blessing of being part of an amazing 24hrs with 25 of the most amazing junior high “Girls of God” lead by amazing women.  We spent those 24hrs pouring into, loving on, worshiping with and introducing them to who God calls them to be as “Girls of God”.   Self-Image & Beauty, Modesty, Confidence, Integrity, The Tongue, Dating (whatever that means in junior high), Growth, Surrendering their life to Christ and Purity were the topics we tackled with Gods leading hand.  It was such a treat to be surrounded by the purity of the falling snow outside as well  the innocence of your precious daughters inside the Mt Charleston Baptist Church.  Gods presence up on the mountain continues to leave me in awe back her in the valley.  The sounds of the worshiping made up of junior high girls so ready to grow deeper in their walk with Him, that was my favorite part.  So much so that I have saved their voices recorded on my iphone as a reminder of that amazing time.  As a mom, we want nothing more than our students to know God and to have a full understanding of who He has called us to be. Well , I’m here to tell you our students are doing just that – growing closer to Him and finding that identity in Christ. For many of those young girls, that idea of who God is in their life was discovered up on that mountain. Now our responsibility as their parent is to continue to encourage them to find out more of who He is, the promises He has for them and that their identity is made up of more than “sugar & spice”.  Does your little girl, or any student for that matter, know how wonderfully God has made them?

Marlene Hughett

FUSE Junior High