Yesterday we spent 16 straight hours with 58 teenagers. It was delightful! We went to art galleries and museums, had pizza and tacos, watched movies and took in a planetarium.
Why you may ask?
Well we have worked and ministered with young people for over 25 years. We have spoken to over 1 million of them along with their leaders and parents. We have done this in 60 countries spanning various ethnic, religious and income settings. Some might say by now we should be experts, but there are no more experts . . . only explorers. Of which we are only two!
Yesterday we lived life with them. We did not lead or follow, we were just were part of their journey . . . creating moments. We asked questions and listened to their unprocessed answers. We shared stories, concerns, passions and questions. One thing was confirmed to us again. This next generation is an ungraspable people group.
We do not mean that in a bad way or in a manner of “why try to do anything”. This age group is fascinating; they are touchable and distant, honest and self-protective, real and artificial, caring and provocative, predicable and unpredictable, united and divided, complex and simple.
This Next Generation includes 2 billion under the age of 25 people. Around the globe many of them saw the same movie this weekend, downloaded the same song, talked about the same hero, and played the same sport. Many of them struggled with self-identity, their parents and peer acceptance. They hold various beliefs so close and so far from their daily lives.
Family and faith are no longer at their core, (and we are not saying who left who), but they live for compassion and community. Whoever accepts them, hears their heart and creates a better tomorrow will lead them forward.
We want to have MOMENTS with them! There is so much potential there.
We are now preparing to lead the program team in Sydney, Australia for their first TeenStreet 5-10 April 2010. We would appreciate your prayers for us and for those organizing and preparing for this event!
The last two days while exercising, I watched Louie Giglio’s DVDs: Indescribable & How Great is Our God. It is amazing to me to hear about and see the immensity of God’s details in the heavens and on earth. In the heavens how BIG the galaxies are. Also to see the incredible detail he puts into our human body. I am always fascinated with science, and this we just another big WOW when I think of God’s detail even in things that need such specialized microscopes and years of research to find what God has done in only a word and a breath!.
Psalm 8: 1, 3 & 4 says: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens . . . When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
God said the word (in Gen 1) and the heavens and earth were formed. In Genesis 2:7 it says, “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” So just a word and a breath and things came into being.”
God also created man in such a unique way, with all the fine details (check out Psalm 139 if you haven’t lately). But the one part that I learned about today was the complex protein called “Laminin” that is the protein “glue” of our body, that holds it all in place. Uniquely enough it is in the shape of the cross.
Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” God uses laminin to hold our bodies together. But it is he himself, and what the cross represents in our lives that holds every part of us together!
Thanks God for being amazing in the heavens and on earth . . . and in me! You are indescribable!
I sit on a tattered bench of green long gone.
I look out at this garden where for two weeks I belong.
Palms and ferns, flowers & more.
Stand and wave in the wind of no more.
My bags to the left, birds watch up above.
This is peace . . . a moment I love.
DISCOVER’s begun and we head home.
Amazed, in mercy I roam.
This is the place in Argentina that we went with our friends Heino & Tine, Marcos & Lorena, Steve & Esther, DUZIE after DISCOVER life camp in Paraguay.
God is awesome to make such incredible beauty! WOW!
Poem by Dan Potter
I stand at the edge of one of the most majestic falls in the world.
The water roars down into a white abiss. The grass follows the water and guides it down it’s fall.
The mist creates a rainbow and rushes up to refresh my face.
I look across at rocky clifts which peak at red clay and decend into tall gree grass into the wonder of white.
A bird flies free above it all, no fear of falling. Just able to see what my eye cannot. Without limits it sails from Brazil to Argentina – no stops, no costs, no fear.
Stand as close to the edge as possible and sing “How Great thou Art”.
Art . . . It is all art and I am amazed again, then I walk away.
Not to leave, but to another and another again.
Butterflies ride upon my wrist, an iguana crosses my path, a family of “coo-wah-tea” go from bush to bush.
The rain comes and children dance, my clothes turn cold with the heavy mist.
It blinds the eye, but we could remain here for years and not take it all in.
What a wonderful world!
PASSIONALITY with DUZIE . . . Dan & Suzie Potter
PASSIONALITY – We are a PUZZLE PIECE of God’s Heart. Each one of us is different and has our special role and place of spreading God to this world!
John 10:10 Jesus says, “I have come that they may have LIFE, and have it to the FULL.”
What we are going to do is find 3 words to describe you! Our examples:
Dan’s Passionality: CREATE HOPE through COMMUNICATION
Suzie’s Passionality: INFLUENCE POTENTIAL through CONNECTIONS
#1 MY PERSONALITY Who am I ?
Choose one or two of these words from any of these groups:
GET IT DONE (doer personality):
¨ Create
¨ Lead
¨ Build
¨ Provide
LET’S GO (influencer personality):
¨ Communicate
¨ Connect
¨ Teach
¨ Inspire
YOU’RE IMPORTANT (relater personality):
¨ Serve
¨ Give
¨ Listen
¨ Support
MAKE A PLAN (thinker personality):
¨ Develop
¨ Organize
¨ Think
¨ Focus
#2 MY IMPACT What is my effect on others ?
Choose one or two of these words for this part:
¨ Hope
¨ Peace
¨ Direction
¨ Love
¨ Faith
¨ Growth
¨ Wholeness
¨ Safety
¨ Health
¨ Justice
¨ Solutions
¨ Support
Put it together so far:
#1 MY PERSONALITY __________________
#2 MY IMPACT _____________________
__________________ + __________________
my personality my impact
#3 MY ABILIBITES What am I REALLY good at ?
Make a list of at least 5 things that you are really good at:
1 __________________
2 __________________
3 __________________
4 __________________
5 __________________
Choose 1 or 2 of these for your 3rd word (or use other words from #1 or #2).
YOUR PASSIONALITY STATEMENT
Put it together so far:
#1 MY PERSONALITY __________________
#2 MY IMPACT _____________________
#3 MY ABILITIES _____________________
__________ + __________ + _____________
my personality my impact my abilities
Put it together into a sentence.
(Add a preposition before abilities – usually “through” or “by”.)
Try all the combinations of words that you have come up with to make your PASSIONALITY STATEMENT!
PASSIONALITY now what?
Talk to people you know, and try speaking out your
PASSIONALITY STATEMENT to them!
Live like you are that part of God’s heart for others!
Try to make choices in your life based on living according to how God made you!
Our examples once again:
Dan’s Passionality: CREATE HOPE through COMMUNICATION
Suzie’s Passionality: INFLUENCE POTENTIAL through CONNECTIONS
Your PASSIONALITY STATEMENT:
__________ + __________ + _____________
my personality my impact my abilities
Please let us know what your PASSIONALITY STATEMENT is
and how God is using you as you live it out!
www. DUZIE.com or info@DUZIE.com