JoshLazar

I'm Going Home

In two days I will begin putting my heart and soul into the ministry to the new lives that God has given me. It is a beautiful thing to behold how we can follow God. The following will be a hard statement to make, so please hear what I am saying. My heart is no longer in Richmond... now my heart is in Fredericksburg. As hard as it it to leave and as much as i will miss my favorite students, God does something weird when He moves you to a new place in ministry. He releases your heart from the people you ministered with and He moves your heart to that new place He has called you to. Now, as I drive up to my new home town, I dont think of visiting friends, but rather - this place is dying and going to hell. This is my new home. This is where God will use me. This is where we will build new friendships. This is where we will see a church reach thousands in the Southpoint, Spotsy, and Downtown Fredericksburg communities. I get tingles when  I drive into  town now.  I am no longer leaving my home. I'm going home.

God use me to reach many people for YOU! Use Mia and I to help impact and entire community, city, state, and nation because of what Your going to do there. I ask for a heart like Yours. I ask for a passion for my new neighbors - whoever they will be. Use us to build Your Kingdom not for us but for YOU - amen.

Lonely Tonight...

Again tonight, I am by myself as my beautiful lady is in Spotsy. She had her first day today at Ni River Middle School teaching MS Chorus and Drama. I am so proud of her. She woke up at 4:20AM, got ready, drove an hour and a half to Ni River MS. Taught the first day of classes - ALL WHILE PREGNANT! She is amazing...
I know all you other bloggers out there say that about your wives, but we all know I GOT THE BEST!
PEACE AND LOVE!

Punk'd

In an effort to show some love student-style, my car got hijacked, tortured, and tagged. The inside was full of hundreds of balloons. The outside was fully tp'd, shrink wrapped, sticky-noted, and other assorted evil! On the windshield (or what used to be the wind shield) was a poster that read "Try leaving now!" Now you can see why I love these students so much!

My Last Day at Swift Creek

Yesterday was my hardest day in ministry to date. Yesterday, I said goodbye to the people I love. Yesterday I said goodbye to the ministry that God has allowed me to invest in for the last six years. I am going to miss the students from CROSSFIRE! They have been my heart in ministry. They are an amazing bunch of students and I will be forever grateful to God for allowing me to spend this part of my life with them.

Thanks CROSSFIRE for everything. Remember... YOU ARE NOT JUST STUDENTS... YOU ARE THE CHURCH!

Here are some thoughts, memories, and insights from my last six years at Swift Creek:

I am so sad to leave my home, ministry, and family
Student Mission Projects to the following locations:
    2 trips to Russia
    Mexico
    Inner-City Nashville (the ghetto parts)
    Inner-City Charlotte
    Richmond Church-planting projects
    Becoming the Church - ministry to people in our community
Watched an entire class enter middle school for the first time and graduate high school!
Seen hundreds of students come to know Christ
See many hundreds of students be taught relevant truth from scripture
See 17 students called into full-time ministry!!!
Dealt with the hardest and darkest parts of ministry
Dealt with the best and brightest parts of ministry
Traveled and spoke and churches, conferences, and camps
Spoke in the public schools and our local Christian schools
Spoke at Graduation Baccalaureate services for a local public high school three years
Had the extremely painful privilege of speaking at the funeral of a beautiful 16 year old girl!
Saw former students getting married!
Ate lunch with students at parks, their schools, local restaurants, the church, etc...
Went to basketball games, track meets, choir recitals, and dance competitions
Stayed up all night long against my will because students love it!
Played paintball
Played laser tag
Had cookouts
Had luaus
Went skiing
Went hiking
Went camping
Did girlie things (Mia did that with the girlies!)
Destroyed things (REFUGE demo and remodel)
Went on Winter Retreats
Went to Winterfest a few New Years Eve's
YEC's
Camps
Went Go-Karting
Went to conferences
Officed out of the dungeon (also met there for ministry!)
Moved into a swanky office!
Went rock climbing (I hate heights)
Did scavenger hunts
Played pranks
Disturbed the peace!
River Cruises
Rented 50+ vans for traveling to and from activities (could have purchased an entire fleet with the $$$)
Did countless outreaches
Had hundreds of meetings with students, parents, and volunteer teams
Got to teach the Bible to students
Met, dated, fell in love with, married, cherished, and going to have a baby with my beautiful wife Mia!
Quadrupled the average stay of a Student Pastor in the US!
STUDENT MINISTRY MEETING LOCATIONS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS:
    staff offices
    trailers
    basements of dungeons
    homes
    outside
    anything that would cover from the elements
    main church worship center
    REFUGE Student Center!
Dreamed, conceptualized, designed, and got to see built a State-of-the-Art Student Ministry Facility
Ministered along side of some of the best volunteer workers in Chesterfield County!
Ministered along side of a wonderful ministry staff who are passionate about Jesus!
Did Countless other events, memories, and insights
Got punked yesterday! (more to come on that later)
Cried a lot yesterday!
Was sent off by my church to serve and minister in a new community!
Loved every minute of it!

Swift Creek family, you will always have a special place in my heart. Follow Jesus passionately. Remember that what makes you different cant possibly be greater than what makes you alike - Jesus living inside of you! I will miss you dearly. Thank you for the memories, prayers, and support. Godspeed.

(Sorry, not all of our group would fit in the photo!)

Design Design Design

On top of my extremely busy ministry schedule, I am a graphic designer on the side. It seems like I have spent an additional 40 hours in the evening this last week on design. I am working on two different Virginia political campaign design jobs, and designing all new signage for two churches who have changed their names and need all new stuff! Both my new church Lifepoint, and Revolution Church in GA kickoff there new looks, names, branding, and banners. Everything needs to be done before I begin designing. It'll all get done!

Ill post some designs after the churches kick off their new looks. I want their people to see it first!

Busy Busy

These past few weeks have been very difficult on all accounts. I have been preparing our student ministry for transition once I am gone. I have been in meetings almost constantly. It is hard to believe that now the time has come for me to say goodbye to Swift Creek Baptist Church. Tomorrow will be my last Sunday there as Pastor of Student Ministries. Wow! That is hard to say. The church is so generous and giving. Tomorrow they will be throwing a party for Mia and I to say goodbye! I am not too manly to admit to you that we will spend most of the day crying! Its part of life... sometimes tears can be therapeutic. God has been so good today. Tomorrow, I will give you a recap of my last six years at Swift Creek!

Yes, I am still alive!

OK... so I've been away from the blogging world for a while. Sorry! I have been so extremely swamped with everything in my life that is changing...
It seems like my life is running parallel to Carlos Whittaker. He is a worship leader in Cali that I read who is moving ministries to ATL with one of Northpoint's churches.
I know what you're dealing  with man! 

I'll be back soon!

Thats Hot!

So if you know me well you know that I have a hot sauce collection. It is getting rather large at this point. My friends and family usually pick some up for me if they find some.  The beach is always a great place to buy novelty hot sauces.  Maybe one day, my collection will be this big! Donations accepted...

My Family...

This week, my family has been at the beach! I wish Mia and I could be there with them. Originally, Mia and I were going with them, but of course, our life transition has put an end to that dream!! :) So anyways... they sent me some pics of them para-sailing. My parents, Sherri, and Hannah's friends Sammy and Danielle. Enjoy!

Spotsy Schools Rock!

Today, Mia and I got to participate in a free golf tournament and picnic for Spotsy county teachers. It was hot... really hot! I love the heat, but today was not a golf day! Anyways... They had the free golf tournament, tons of sponsors, local radio station, tons of prizes, and lots of food!
I have never seen a school system make such a huge deal about the school year. Thats why they have such a great system! I couldn't help spending the day thinking... these are the people that God has called us to minister to. I am so excited!

Today on the drive in I got chills when I came into the area. Its like the feeling I got when I played sports and was in the locker room ready for a huge game! Although the big difference now is that I wont be sitting on the bench for the entire game!