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That Little Voice

In my freshman English classes I am teaching the students how to write a personal narrative. A personal narrative is basically a true story that has personal significance. I wrote two example paragraphs of my own personal narrative yesterday and had an epiphany: God's gentle whisper was the driving force behind my story.
 
In the spring of 2008 I played indoor soccer with a few colleagues from work and their friends. One of my teammates was a young man named Anglin, who worked with a youth group at a church in Stockton. Anglin and I became fast friends. We both loved soccer, Jesus, youth, and life! After the season we kept in touch and encouraged each other in youth ministry.
 
One random day in July, Anglin invited me to a pool party with his youth group in Stockton. I didn't want to go. I didn't know anyone, it was a Friday night, I had a tough work week and I just wanted to stay home. I was thinking of how to tell him "no" when a gentle whisper said I should go. I fought it.
After trying to justify why I couldn't go, I found myself calling Anglin and saying yes. Begrudginly, I went.
 
We arrived at the house in Stockton and it was full of 15-20 middle school and high schoolers. There were also 5-6 adults including the youth pastor. They were a spirited bunch and seemed to really enjoy one another's company. There was a balcony above the pool that the kids were using as a diving board. Yikes!
 
After meeting everyone and hanging out for awhile I decided to take of my shoes and put my feet in the jacuzzi (heelloo, who wouldn't?!). I was chatting with Anglin and some of the kids when I heard screaming. The youth pastor was screaming "He's not breathing! He's not breathing." I looked over and saw a teen lying on the grass with the youth pastor kneeling over him.   His lips were blue and he was unconcious. The youth pastor was looking in his mouth screaming "He's choking! He's not breathing!" I ran over and went into auto-pilot. I thought to myself "If he's choking he needs THIS." I put my hands above his belly button and shoved in and up, like I've been taught (I was a pool lifeguard for 10 years). The young man, Martin, coughed-up water and opened his eyes. He was very lathargic and couldn't speak to us coherently. The paramedics showed up and took Martin to the hospital. They called it a "wet drowning".  Martin was in the hospital for 7 days because of the water in his lungs. He got an infection and they wanted to make sure he was ok. As far as I have heard, Martin is a healthy, happy teenager.
 
I do not know what would've happened to Martin if I hadn't been there. It's probable God may have used someone else. But that day, he chose to use me. His gentle, nudging whisper sent me to a pool party in Stockton. To a young boy named Martin who changed my life. I don't ever want to ignore God's whisper again. If He calls, I want to go. You never know, someone's life could be at stake.
 
~Lori Sipkovich

Mental Musings by Pastor Lance

Staff - Lance ThumbnailThis blog is a collection of random thoughts from Senior Pastor Lance Hahn.

 

 

 

PastorDude - Pastor Russ' Blog

Staff - Russ - ThumbnailRuss Graeff, Executive Pastor - The "Brain Behind Bridgeway" speaks!

 

 

 

Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Clarity... Justin's Blog

Staff - Justin - ThumbnailOut of the mind of our Pastor to Students & Young Adults.

 

 

 

Provoked To Passion

Sean Morgensen - High School DirectorStaff - Sean - Thumbnail

What's on Sean's mind... what's provoking him to passion?

 

 

 

Mark's Blog

Staff - Mark - ThumbnailCheck out all the things Pastor Mark is working on or thinking about!

 

 

Beyond The Crossroads...

collection of thoughts, reviews, insights and plans from the inner workings of our young adult ministry

The Least of These...

Staff - Jenny - ThumbnailJenny Stephenson - Kidsway Director

Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all–he is the greatest.   -- Luke 9:48 NIV

 

BRIDGEWAY VOX

VOX LogoVOX is latin for voice.

Bridgeway VOX is your place to hear some of the many voices at Bridgeway. Real people, real thoughts, real questions... real messy. It's all part of our quest for authenticity and relationship... a part of our VOX.

 

Out Of My Mind

Staff - Joel - ThumbnailThoughts, wonders, and rambling from resident "old man" Joel Asay.

 

 

 

 

Soul Care

soulcare - thumbnailSoul Care's mission statement is to heal and equipp the church community. We believe these action words thrive in a culture of authenticity. However, many of us struggle to be truly authentic in a growing, changing church community. We don't always feel safe. We don't know what the norms are. We hold back.

This is our attempt to stop holding back and start engaging...

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