Archive for June, 2009

I miss the girls!

Posted: June 30, 2009 in Dogs, Family, Life, People, Travel
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One of the major downsides of traveling for such an extended period of time is being away from those you love. 

If you know me well, you know that there are two very special girls in my life – Gaby and Kate. These dogs are divas. These dogs are spoiled. These dogs are a very big part of the Cromer family.

Eleven days ago we had to say goodbye to them. They are currently on summer vacation at my parent’s house in Tennessee. (Thank you so much, Dad and Mom.) However, that vacation could turn into an extended vacation.

NORTHchurch is graciously providing us with temporary housing when we move until we sell our house. What a blessing not to be burdened with having to pay two mortgages. The idea is that we will have the opportunity to sell our house and also have plenty of time to find a house in Oklahoma that we really like without rushing either process.

However, there is one major downside. Our girls – Gaby and Kate – will not be able to come to Oklahoma with us when we move. The temporary, transitional housing does not allow for dogs. So the girls will have to stay in Tennessee until two things happen: 1. we must sell our house in Texas and 2. we must buy a house in Oklahoma.

Basically, I am really missing these two beautiful divas…

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On the road again…

Posted: June 29, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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Do any of you enjoy living out of a suitcase? I’m not a big fan.

Today we are officially halfway through our four weeks of traveling and living out of a suitcase. We have had a great week in Oklahoma City. Here are some of the highlights of our few days here:

  • I had the privilege to communicate at the Revolution youth service.
  • Got introduced as the new student pastor at all three NORTHchurch services.
  • Enjoyed two connect groups (small groups)
  • An awesome get-to-know-you, volleyball-playin, burger-eatin pool party and cookout with a lot of the students, youth leaders, and parents.
  • High school baseball and late night Mexican food with the Fouts family in downtown OKC.
  • Looked at way too many houses, including the house that NORTHchurch is so graciously providing for us until our house sells.
  • Learning the mean streets of Edmond/Oklahoma City
  • We did laundry in a laundry mat.
  • Heather and I had a great date where we watched X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

WHAT’S NEXT:

Today we are leaving with the NORTHchurch students to go to Dry Gulch Camp. We will be there the next few days growing closer, having fun, playing games, and worshipping our guts out. We will leave that camp a day early on Wednesday  to fly from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dallas, Texas. We will arrive in Dallas around 9:30pm Wednesday night, drive back to Sulphur Springs, do as much laundry as time will allow, and finally drive back to the Dallas airport at 2am to catch a flight to New York City. We will be going on an eleven day mission trip with high school students and adults from Shannon Oaks Church to the Bronx. We cannot wait.

God is going to do some amazing things in the next two weeks; we just need to have enough clean underwear.

Real Estate A.D.D.

Posted: June 26, 2009 in Culture, Funny, Life, People, Random
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Over the past few days I have learned something about myself. I have a severe case of Real Estate A.D.D.

Now, if you know me, then you know that the phrase “A.D.D.” is not normally an accurate word to describe me. I tend to be a very focused, not easily distracted, and intense individual. However, all that gets thrown out the window when it comes to looking at real estate. 

Heather and I have been looking at houses in Oklahoma City this week. We have been diligent and hardcore about seeing as many houses as I can in the short amount of time we are here. Yesterday we looked at 20 houses. To make matters worse, it was 100+ degrees the entire time during our 20 house search.

I have learned that I am good and focused for 4-5 houses. After that, the Real Estate A.D.D. kicks in and my mind starts to wander, all the houses start to look the same, and I start to get distracted by anything shiny.

Real Estate A.D.D. kicks in even faster on websites like realtor.com (kicks in after looking at 2-3 houses).

Anybody else suffer from Real Estate A.D.D.?

Update

Posted: June 24, 2009 in Faith, Family, Friends, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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It has been a week since my last blog post. Life for Heather and I has been extremely crazy, busy, and whirlwind-ish over the past week. Here is some stuff in my life that you have missed in that one week…

*I went with a group of 23 adults and Jr High teenagers from Shannon Oaks Church to IMPACT. IMPACT is an amazing church camp at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. I got to worship, laugh, pray, play cards, have deep conversations, throw frisbee, and have fun with those incredible students.

*Two 10+ hour van drives.

*I got to see my family (Dad, Mom, and sister) while I was in Tennessee. 

*I got to see my Dad on Father’s Day. That was special. With living so far away from my parents, being able to hug my Dad’s neck and tell him face-to-face that I love him was very special to me.

*I turned 28 years old on June 20. Only two more years in my 20s.

*Heather and I put our house in Sulphur Springs on the real estate market. Yes, 900 Barbara St is for sale. Feel free to check out the Century 21 link and the Realtor.com link, take a look around, and buy it from us.

*We got back from IMPACT Monday night. By 11:15am Thursday morning, we were in Oklahoma City. We will be here for the week and we will be going to camp with the NORTHchurch youth group. We will leave for camp on Monday.

*I am speaking tonight at my first REVOLUTION service.

*Please continue to pray for Heather and I as we are in the middle of our big transition from Shannon Oaks Church in Sulphur Springs, Texas to NORTHchurch in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Please pray for energy. Please pray for our house to sell. Please pray that we quickly connect with the people, staff, teenagers, parents, and leaders at NORTHchurch as quickly as possible. Please pray that we take advantage of every second we have with the people, staff, teenagers, parents, and leaders at Shannon Oaks Church as we celebrate what God has done and continues to do. Please pray for Ben Vos as he takes over the student ministries at Shannon Oaks Church. We covet your prayers.

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Keep a watch on the blog because I should be available to write more this week.

SSWC Injury

Posted: June 17, 2009 in Funny, Life, Ministry, Music, People, Random
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With over 180+ teenagers and adults participating in Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009, somebody was bound to get hurt. There are way too many paint scrapers, landscaping equipment, environmental factors, and horsing around for there not to be the occasional injury.

The worst SSWC 2009 injury did not happen to one of the teenagers. It did not happen to one of the adult crew leaders. In fact, the worst SSWC 2009 injury happened to someone who did not scrape one wall, cut one blade of grass, or pick up one paint brush.

No, the worst SSWC 2009 injury happened to the SSWC Director…me!

During the SSWC days, I drive around to all the worksites with our media team to encourage the workers, take daily pictures, capture video, and make sure everything is running smoothly. On one of these routine worksite stops, we were taking pictures of teenagers who were working on top of a roof. A junior high guy (who will remain nameless) dropped his paint scraper. Gravity and the angle of the roof took care of the rest. As I was encouraging the students to keep working hard, the sharp corner of the paint scraper speared me right in the chin. Here’s a picture of the damage…

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The cut was actually pretty deep. We seriously debated whether or not to go to the doctor to get stitches. However, after rubbing dirt in it, shaking it off, and walking it off, I felt I did not need stitches. After 24 hours, my Wolverine skills kicked in and I had pretty much healed.

PEOPLE NELLYI did have to put one of those butterfly bandages on it, which made me that guy who has the awkward bandaid on his face. As I was walking up to the next house after the paint scraper fiasco, one punk teenager said, “What’s up, Nelly!” (See picture.) Honestly, I thought it was a pretty good joke.

I wish I had a better excuse for the potential life-long scar that I might have on my face than “a junior high kid dropped a paint scraper on my face.” I wish I could say something like “a sexual predator was trying to mess with our SSWC teenagers and upon defending them, things got a little physical.” Or at least I wish I could honestly say “you think this is bad; you should see the other guy.”

No such luck. Paint scraper to the grill will have to do.

Deep Thoughts by B. David Vos

Posted: June 16, 2009 in Friends, Funny, Life, Ministry, People, Random
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These seven videos became instant classics at Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009. Let the deep, gentle, and yet oh so wise words from B. David Vos blow your mind. 

Couple of questions:

  • What’s your favorite Deep Thought by B. David Vos and why?
  • What is the name of the song of Deep Thoughts by B. David Vos?
  • Where were all the Deep Thoughts by B. David Vos filmed?

Big News

Posted: June 15, 2009 in Faith, Family, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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Dear Family & Friends…

Heather and I have some big news. Before you get any delusional ideas, we are NOT having a baby.

No, Heather and I have been feeling for a long time that a transition was in our near future. From day one since we entered into full-time ministry our prayer was that we would be willing to do whatever God was calling us to do, no matter how difficult it seemed to be and what it may cost. That we would die to self and be fully submissive to God’s leading in our lives. That is how we ended up in Sulphur Springs. And that is how we will be leaving Sulphur Springs.

Heather and I have decided to move to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to work in student ministry at an incredible church – NORTHChurch.

This has been a very difficult and bittersweet decision to make.

Bitter because we are leaving a community and church family that we love very much. A church family where we have dove head first. Where we have lived life with people. Where we have loved and been loved. There have been many tears shed making this decision. I assure you that it was not an easy decision to make. 

Sweet because we are 100% confident that we are being obedient to God’s call on our lives. If you can learn anything from our situation, learn this: when God calls you to do something, you do it…period. We are excited (and incredibly nervous) about what God has in store for our family in the next chapter of our journey.

Yesterday, I made this news public as I got the opportunity to preach at Shannon Oaks Church. This was the hardest sermon I have ever had to preach. If you did not get a chance to listen to it, I encourage you to take a few minutes and listen. (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OR CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SERMON)

To SOC, we want to personally thank you for loving us, caring for us, spending time with us, trusting us, following us, and helping us feel like part of your family. It has been nothing short of an honor and a privilege serving you. I ask and I expect you to do the same for Ben and Lisa.

For five years SOC has been home and each and every one of you will be missed. We know that we will always be connected here and that part of our hearts will forever be linked to SOC. Thank you so much for everything. We love you very much.

Following His footsteps,

Brian & Heather Cromer

SSWC 2009 Recap

Posted: June 13, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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SSWC logo

How do you describe something that is indescribable? How do you put into words something that is bigger than your vocabulary? This is the problem I am facing while trying to describe Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009. To say it was good does not describe it well enough. To say it was incredible does not give it justice.

Here are some facts:

  • 74 hours
  • 180+ teenagers and adults
  • 8 churches
  • 5 denominations
  • 15 houses painted and restored
  • Countless lives changed
  • 1 amazing God

But even these numbers do not give the three and a half days of Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009 justice.

Students and adults worked hard to scrape, paint, trim, landscape, and restore fifteen homes in the Sulphur Springs area. We helped fifteen incredible individuals and families with amazing stories.

Our nightly evening worship services were incredible. God showed up in a real and powerful way. Jon Webb, Brandon Mitchell, Jared Hall, and many more were used to usher us into God’s presence.

As the director of SSWC, I want to personally say a big THANK YOU to the countless number of people who helped make SSWC happen. Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving your time, money, and energy. Thank you for fixing food or serving food. Thank you for getting up early and staying up late. Thank you for hanging out with teenagers. Thank you for playing dodgeball and volleyball at insanely late hours of the night. Thank you for driving vans full of teenagers. Thank you for picking up a paint scraper and paint brush. Thank you for supporting this ministry. 

Much more pictures, videos, and more from SSWC 2009 coming soon…

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For those of you who participated in SSWC 2009, what will you remember from SSWC 2009? Share the stories, the memories, and the life changes that happened at SSWC 2009.

Sulphur Springs Workcamp 2009

Posted: June 5, 2009 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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SSWC logo

Sunday is the official start of the 3rd annual Sulphur Springs Workcamp. SSWC is an interdenominational, in-town mission experience in the city of Sulphur Springs. Students from all different local youth groups will come together and work together to help make the city we live in a better place. Basically we paint and restore houses for free for those in major need.

The theme for SSWC is “EAT. SLEEP. SERVE.” That is the theme because that is exactly what we do. We eat. We sleep. And we serve people.

This year, we have incredible people that will lead us to the throne of God. Brandon Mitchell will be speaking every night in his very unique, real, raw, Brandon-way. Jon Webb will be leading worship. Brandon and Jon have been a part of the SSWC family all three years. This year, SSWC is extremely excited to have the dynamic, pee-your-pants-hilarious, talented comedic duo – The Skit Guys – with us this year.

God really put the idea for my SSWC in my brain about four years ago (a good friend likes to say that God impregnated me with SSWC). I was hesitant at first to put another big project on my plate (especially in the always busy summer season). However, God kept putting this idea of an interdenominational local mission experience before me. I procrastinated for one year before deciding to give it a shot in the summer of 2007. What ever small expectations I had for SSWC were blown away by God’s ability to do more than my tiny brain can even imagine. Anywhere from 90-100 people participated in SSWC as we painted and restored nine homes in Sulphur Springs.

Last year, 140+ people from five different local youth groups painted and restored twelve homes in the Sulphur Springs area. We helped multiple widows, elderly, and those severely sick.

This year, 180+ people from eight different local youth groups will be painting and restoring fifteen homes in the Sulphur Springs area.We will be helping many families and individuals including multiple widows, elderly, severely sick, three people confined to wheel chairs, two on oxygen, and one World War 2 veteran.    

Every year people ask me why. Why do feel God wanted you to start SSWC? There are four main reasons why.

1. IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. God is pretty specific about sharing your faith and helping other people. It is the right thing to take care of a widow who cannot take care of things like painting her house herself. Mission trips (in the youth ministry world) are often only thought in the context of far away from home or in another culture. While I am all for global, short term missions, being able to spread the Gospel and the love of Jesus in our backyards is equally important.

2. TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHER YOUTH MINISTERS. As a youth minister, I know how tough summer can be and how hard it can be to plan a bunch of stuff. The best trips seem to be the trips where I simply show up, all the details are already taken care, and I can spend time and love on my students. I try to make SSWC as youth ministry-friendly as possible. My desire has always been for SSWC to be something that is a blessing to other youth ministers, not a burden.

3. TO HELP SMALL YOUTH MINISTRIES. The majority of churches in our area do not have the resources, budget, and staff to participate in summer missions. SSWC was designed for the small church that maybe is being led by a volunteer. This is a local, cost-efficient (only $50 for students) mission experience that is legit. Now every student can have the opportunity to participate in missions.

4. TO UNITE THE LOCAL CHURCH. (WARNING: I will probably preach right here.) If we were honest, we (Christians) do not do a very good job of uniting. We tend to focus more on all the things that make us different – worship styles, songs we sing, vocabulary, etc. SSWC focuses on what we have in common – JESUS, which is by far the most important thing. Sure, the denominations represented think differently about certain aspects of the Christian faith. However, we all believe in the fundamental truth that Jesus is our savior. Maybe people seeing different Christians getting along and serving together in unity will get nonbelievers interested in having a relationship with Jesus. Crazy thought, huh?

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Sulphur Springs Workcamp will be from THIS Sunday, June 7 to Wednesday, June 10. Please be praying for this incredible mission experience. If you want to be a part of this incredible event, let me know. We could use you in some way, shape, or form. I hope to post a daily update every night of SSWC, complete with pictures and highlights from the day.

Small Things

Posted: June 2, 2009 in Faith, Family, Friends, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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Most people get the big things in life right. It is easy to get the big things in life right.

It is much more difficult to get the small things in life right.

I am passionate about the small things in life. I want to be a man that gets the small things right. I want to be a husband that gets the small things right. I want to be a friend that gets the small things right. I want to be a pastor that gets the small things right. I want to be a follower of God that gets the small things right.

When it comes to drinking the koolaid that says that getting the small things in life right are some of the most important things or moments you and I could ever do or experience, I have already had three or four glasses.

Getting day 1 of marriage right is much easier then getting day 1,359 right.

Being a good friend during a crisis is much easier then during the monotonous, routine rhythm of everyday life.

Bringing my ministry A game is much easier during a massive event like Sulphur Springs Workcamp then during a small group of eight people sitting around my living room during a Bible study.

Being a good follower of Christ the days after a life-changing, mountain-top experience is much easier then six months later when the freshness and emotion of that same moment has worn off.

I want to get the small (but not so easy) things in life right. 

Do you?

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