So, it’s been a while since I’ve written (insert my deepest apologies). This summer was intense in many ways, but so good too. Towards the end of it, my wife and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and I took two weeks vacation at one time. It was my longest break since graduating college in 2006, and God really refreshed me and has been speaking to me since coming back (not to mention we had a blast!).

He has shown me some holes in my worship leadership as well as my own relationship with him that I can work on. I see this as a positive – He’s given me fresh eyes and it’s good – no one is perfect and we are all constantly learning and growing.

SO, there’s lots happening (Emily starts her first full time teaching job next week, and I’ve been doing a word study on “worship” in the Bible and may take a grad class this fall – just to name like 3 of 100 things), and I promise there will be more regular posts coming soon.

Just wanted to catch you up (in case you care – does anyone actually read this?) and let you know I’ve not forgotten about you…

Following taking a year off in 2003 (that’s kinda a CYF rule that you have to take a year off after high school graduation before you can come on board as staff), they asked me to be the worship leader of this amazing camp where God changed my life. I’ve been blessed to lead every year since (this year was my 7th year – I’m getting old!).

This year rocked as usual and I just love seeing these precious students that God loves so much be impacted by Him. It’s awesome.

I’ve been so blessed by the community of CYF camp and hope that God allows me to be apart of it for the rest of my life.

Check out this link for this years highlight video – and if you know any teens (entering freshman in H.S. through entering freshman in college), send them to CYF 2011!!!

http://www.vimeo.com/13061962

I met a young man there who I’ll call Matthew. To many of us, he would be considered an outcast; he could not speak well, he smelled, and just did not seem all there.

My heart broke for him. It’s this type of person that God has been teaching me to love and not judge. I have no idea where he comes from or what has gone on in his life.

As the week went on Matthew took a liking to myself and other leaders at the revival. One night, he came forward and accepted Christ. He was a mess and confessed to me that he had just found out he has lung cancer and has two months to live. He’s 19.

I didn’t know what to do with this. Still don’t. All I know is Jesus came to love the lost and the lowly. God’s been showing me over the past couple years how judgmental I can be towards a huge population of people – I’m no higher than anyone else! I came into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing. Who am I to place myself above someone else?

I used to think I was “normal” to have a great education, be good at a lot of things like sports, etc., and have good parents. The reality is, is I’m in a minority to have most of these things, including the hope to “succeed” in life.

What does Matthew have? That’s my question. He needs Jesus. He needs hope. Who’s going to give it to him?

I need to. We need to.

One last thing – this is not an “us verses them” mentality that I’m speaking of. I want to be clear about that. I’m not better than Matthew. I think for years I thought I was (not even on purpose). God is teaching me that I need to actually consider others better than myself, which may mean being around others who are not as educated, have as much money, opportunity, etc. But, this doesn’t mean that I view myself as better and go out to be a savior to everyone. I can’t do that.

Jesus can.

Who is the Matthew in your life? What does he have?

All I can say is my prayer life has been struggling, and God is using this book in my life right now. The stories Jim shares about how prayer changed their church – literally – are amazing. I have shed tears as I’ve read what God does when His people call on Him in faith. I’ve also been broken over my own apathy when it comes to prayer.

God is doing something in me as I read this book, and in the end, I hope that He changes my life forever in whatever ways He wants to.

We love God because He first loved us. In our own power we are incapable of coming to Him. The cry of this song is for God to awaken us through the power of His Holy Spirit for this moment, for this hour. As we become more missional in our approach to communicating the gospel, this is a must. We need to pray for God to awaken us to His plan, to His will.

You’ll find the lyrics to the song below, and if you want to purchase the song from iTunes, just click here (which I highly encourage especially if you go to RiverTree so you can know it before we sing it this weekend : ). Also, click here to see a video of Chris Tomlin explaining the meaning behind the song, as well as how to play it.

I pray that God draws you nearer to Him and awakens you to the leading of His Spirit – maybe this song will help.

In our hearts Lord, in this nation, awakening

Holy Spirit, we desire awakening

For You and You alone, awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

For the world You love, Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

In Your presence, in Your power, awakening

For this moment, for this hour, awakening

Like the rising sun that shines, awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

From the darkness comes a light, awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

This year I began to give guitar lessons. Currently, I have three students – two brothers (8 and 11) and a man in his fifties.

My position in the church as worship leader is obviously a visible one. In turn, I’ve been asked frequently over the years if I give guitar lessons – especially by parents of kids who look up to me and want to learn. I’ve always made excuses in the past about “being to busy,” or “I’m self-taught and don’t know a lot.”

The reality is that God has gifted me and given me tons of experience to grow that gift, including completing a music minor in college, and playing in various bands for the last 10 years. I do know enough to teach!

I’ve realized that it’s part of my responsibility to pass on what I already know to others. It’s part of being a good steward with what God’s given me.

So far, teaching has given me great joy and I am humbled when I think about what these small seeds I’m able to sow may reap in the future (whether I get to see that or not).

After all, didn’t someone have to plant that seed in me of learning to play guitar? Oh yeah, that person was my dad who got me a guitar as a surprise when I was 10. He probably didn’t know that guitar would be so integrated with the ministry God’s called me to when he bought me that cheap guitar for Christmas in 1994.

What have you been given that now needs to be passed on to others?

This morning, my sister gave birth to our new nephew, Blake Andrew. How exciting – there is nothing like new life. This is our third nephew in addition to our niece (wow, she is so outnumbered). We are grateful for a healthy mom and healthy baby most of all, but I am stoked about his middle name, and am excited to meet him when Emily and I return from Peru.

Both of my sisters have two a piece now…my parents are such happy grandparents to four amazing grandchildren!

Emily and I moved into our new home this weekend. It was quite amazing to see the body of Christ at work Saturday – it took us just one load and only two hours to move (over 10 guys from our church came and helped)! Amazing! We also had a powerful prayer time as we ate pizza after everything was moved in. We are enjoying settling in and excited to see what God has for us there in the future.

I’m sure I’ll write again soon in regards to Blake, the Peru trip, and other things, but that’s it for now.

This weekend my wife and I are moving into a home we purchased in Canton, and then soon after that, we are traveling to Peru for a mission trip with our church.

For sometime now, we’ve been feeling called to the city of Canton as we’ve been partnering with LoveCanton. We are praying God will open our eyes to how we can help the people of our community (and I know we will learn and grow from them as well) as we move.

Although I don’t know entirely what to expect in regards to the Peru trip, I imagine it will only further our hearts for being a missionary right where we are. Wess Stafford’s book “Too Small to Ignore” (which we’re reading as preparation for Peru as we’ll be doing a lot of children’s ministry there) is already wrecking my heart when it comes to the lens we view children through. Loving children is a large part of helping a city change through love.

So, really “March Madness” was just a cute little title for me to bait and switch you into reading what’s going on in the Bergy house this month. These two adventures are also part of why I’ve not been able to blog as often as I’d like (packing a house can take time…).

I look forward to writing more later after I process the Peru trip, and I’m sure our move will bring future stories as well.

Until next time, and whether it’s basketball or crazy awesome life adventures, enjoy your March Madness.

The older I get, the less time I find (or make) to be creative. Adult responsibilities (did I just say that?! I’m getting old…) can rule our lives to where we no longer take time to create. I’m not even talking about something big like writing a book or an album – what about even just making a card for our spouse (I made my wife’s birthday present this year which she loved and it was so refreshing for me!)?

So, today, Dwayne challenged us to write a poem. He gave us some guided advice and had us write something just four lines long.

After praying and brainstorming, the below poem came out and I’m really excited about it. It did not take that long and was a refreshing expression, a wonderful way to begin my morning.

I hope I can make some time to create more often.

Snow reflects.

Light created, glory that always was.

Sin expiated, love for daughters and sons.

Snow reflects.