Against the odds...

I woke up this morning, finished my mid-term (for one of my classes at Covington Theological Seminary), and then ran out the door. Classes were good as always. Terry Trivette spoke in chapel and did an awesome job preaching out of 1st Chronicles on worship.

Then I headed down the road to LMS and talked with my kidzes during their lunches. I saw all of my usuals that I eat with every week, but I also got invited into a new section of the cafeteria today. One of my girls were eating at a table with some of her gothic friends so I figured I'd attempt to strike up a conversation. I was immediately asked if I was a preacherman. I said yes and with a strange expression and a finger pointed upward they replied, "like, for God?" There were at least 3 claiming atheists, a couple wiccans, and one agnostic at the table. I had some interesting conversation with them and asked if we could pick up another time. I told them the God I served was an awesome, loving God who had changed my life for the better and that they should take a serious look at who the Bible says He is.

3:00-5:00 Tutoring at Hickory Grove went well, thanks Jolee and J C . We had about 12 kids today. They were all fired up about spring break.

5:00-7:30 I picked up kids from Hickory Grove, Oglethorpe Ridge and Arbor Mill, and went to Sherwood Forest for the Bible Study. We had 30+ kids and a great time was had by all. They were a little wilder than usual, but I believe the lesson really got through. It was on The Righteous Judge. My favorite part is when Jesus says the most beautiful words in the Bible, "neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more".

The teens were a lot of help with the popcorn, snow-cones, and setting up.

One little story before I sign off. When I pulled into Arbor Mill at around 5:00 , Josh (11 yrs. old) was leaning against a telephone pole with tears rolling down his face. I asked what was wrong and he said he had to stand up against the pole until 8:30. He told me he didn't clean up the back yard and the neighbor who was watching him gave him this punishment. He had already been standing there around 20 minutes. While we were talking his mom came home and when he told her what had happened she jumped in the neighbor's face (who was already drunk and holding a 40 oz. Beer in his hand). They went in their trailer and the kids came running out saying they were fighting and throwing stuff.
As we left, Josh started screaming and pushing with Jonathan, and as I was trying to get them settled down it occurred to me that they were simply acting like their parents!!! I don't blame the kids... it's not their fault! I'm just trying to show them a different way to live and praying that they see something different in our lives that points them to Jesus.

I had to separate a 13 yr. old girl and a 16 yr. old boy and tell them to keep their hands to themselves. I had a parent pull her 3 kids out of the middle of the Bible Study. I had to correct little kids for taking God's name in vain, singing inappropriate songs, and using bad language. I had old women griping because the kids were in the streets and yards (which is where they were when we got there)... and on and on and on...

Oh yea, but I also had the opportunity to share Jesus with so many precious little children. He is the only thing that will make their lives any different than the lives of the people surrounding them.

for HIS glory,

Nathan Cravatt

One Wild Wednesday...

The schedule got changed around a little today, but things went really great. It went a little something like this:

11:00 - 11:45 Holder concessions downtown - picked up cups, popcorn bags, and other supplies

12:00 - 1:00 Westside Elementary - had lunch with a couple hundred kids

1:20 - 2:45 Catoosa County Jail - I spoke to the women's group from Luke 15 about being "Satisfied with the father". Around 10 women responded to the invitation to turn from their sins and put their faith in Christ as the only way to have their sins forgiven. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

3:00 -5:30 Forest Green Trailer Park - This was our first meeting in Forest Green. Around 15 people showed up. The kids begged us to come back... and we will

5:30 - 7:00 Picked up kids from Forest Green, Hickory Grove, and Oglethorpe Ridge. Picked up pizza and drinks, and went to church. We took 20 kids to church tonight THAT WOULD NOT HAVE GONE IF WE HAD NOT PICKED THEM UP!!! Please don't ask how we fit everyone on the van... we need a bus!!!

8:30 - 10:00 Dropped off kids and went home

God is so good to use common people to do the extraordinary job of spreading his message of love and forgiveness. These kids are so precious!

Tuesday's are CrAzYyyy!!!

I sure do serve an AWESOME GOD!!! He has brought me through another Tuesday... Praise the Lord. Today was a great day. We were in 3 Trailer Parks and 1 YDC. We started our tutoring program at 3:00 in Sherwood Forest and we pick up kids from Arbor Mill which is just down the road. Rob Clark and Christina Neighbors were there and were a great help as always.


Christina helping with homework... Rob getting beat at a video game...


BIGTIME FUN... after tutoring (of course)
for those of you who haven't seen it, this is inside of our trailer. We have 3 Xbox's and 2 PS2's... oh, and then there's the popcorn and snow-cone machines...




Riding in Style


We headed over to Hickory Grove at 4:30 and J C Groves and myself met with about 25-30 kids. Today was more of a relaxed day at Hickory Grove. We usually do a Bible Study on Tuesday, but today was more of a one-on-one time where we just play with the kids and talk to them about stuff going on in their lives. We have a great relationship with these kids and they know we are there for them. I love to tell them that Jesus loves them and that they are so special to God and to us. They hear so much negative stuff every day and we are there just to "love them like Jesus". They are so open to the Gospel... they could teach our churches something.

Group of teenagers stop by to chat at Hickory Grove... refreshments are always a big hit

Then I dropped off the trailer at home and headed to Dalton to the YDC(youth detention center)where I help with the music, preach, and counsel with the 30+ boys and girls that come out for the church service. This is such a great part of the ministry of Young America. Most of the kids we deal with either have already been in, or are headed to YDC or prison. Praise God we got to lead 2 boys to ask Christ into their hearts for the first time tonight.




May all that we do bring glory to the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!

A Journal of Sorts

I have been encouraged twice in the last week to start a journal... so I'll give it a shot. I'm a little nervous because I'm not the best at sticking with something ( easy mr. judgemental-type, you have weaknesses too, you're just too scared to admit it ). I'm afraid my posts will look like this; 3-27-07 ; 3-30-07 ; 6-15-07 ; 4-10-12; ... I'll try to do better than that. Chances are I'll be the only one reading this anyway.

Well here goes... Thanks Dad and Wes for the inspiration.

ok, I'm going to figure this thing out... maybe