Through My Eyes: Difficult Teachers, Bayshore Baptist Church, My Bible Confessions and Summer

Hey everyone! I’m sorry I haven’t posted anything for a while. But today, I am

going to talk about a few different subjects. I have had so much going on since I last posted (which is forever ago I know) and I hope to post a whole lot more in the future.

Channelside Academy is a great school. It has seriously changed my life. But one particular teacher is not exactly on my favorites list. Mr. Aparicio is my Spanish teacher. The language was a thing I have had to take for a while and Mr. A joined the staff this year. I know I am supposed to respect my authorities but when you have a teacher whom you just hate because of his personality? Let me tell you, his evaluation scores in the behavior section was not exactly what I think he could have hoped for from me. Romans 13 talks all about how we are supposed to submissive to our authorities. Romans 13:5 says “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to your authorites.” Mr. Aparicio is a hard teacher to deal with because of his bad discipline. One time I got in trouble for doing nothing! But you know what? I realized that in that very situation, I was doing exactly what Romans 13:5 says to do. I dealt with the consequence because my authority said to and if I was one of those people who argued, I would have probably brought home a behavioral notification that day.

Ok, y’all. Bayshore Baptist Church is now my prime hang out spot. I love this church. The church is amazing and everyone is so nice here! This week, I have volunteered to do VBS here and work at a station. Previously, I had thought that it was going to be fun and I was going to fit in just right and all the youth would notice me and I would make some friends. Well. I was wrong. I pretty much just sit in story time all day and help the leader. Yesterday, I had to be queen Esther and be stuck in a costume and a light up tiara most of the day (Thanks Tom!) The snacks were held in the Loft. (Oh yes, THE Loft. It is one of the coolest youth rooms I have seen. Its cool and boring at the same time.) But my mother said something that I realized that I was doing this for my love of ministry. She said “You just have to do your best for God. Don’t care about what anyone else will think. Just do it for God.” I’m here at Bayshore cause I delight in serving God, not just impressing anyone else. I have met some great, amazing, unique people at this church. And I come back because of the people who make the days I spend here AWESOME!!

So yes. I have this thing I like to call Bible problems. I am a good Christian girl. I pray everyday. I go to church pretty much and almost everyday of the week. I go to youth group events. You know, the normal. But the one thing I skip every single day that pretty much every single speaker I have heard stresses about is to read your Bible every day. Listen, guys, I am most certainly NOT a morning person. I would rather sleep in till 9-10 o’ clock than wake up at 6:30. I also used to think that the Bible was just a big boring book and that I knew all the stories. But recently, I have started seeing all these new perspectives on new stories and I realized the Bible isn’t such a boring book. It is filled with so much and I have only dug a tiny bit into His word. I hope to fix these Bible dilemmas.

This summer is jam packed with things to do. This week I am finishing VBS here at Bayshore, then I’m headed to Bigstuf again next week!! (I have a blog about last summer at Bigstuf; you should go check it out!) Then the week after that I have Lake Aurora. Then I am off to Texas with my grandparents, and Monday’s at NBCC with the Upward Soccer Clinics. Stop by and say hey or sign your kid up! It’ll be a awesome and fun way to get your kid into sport and my dad will be running the whole thing. Hope you guys have an awesome summer and I will blog again sometime soon.

Through My Eyes…respecting authorities is important even though you might not like that particular authority, volunteering for God has benefits, and there is so much more to the Bible than you think.

                                                            - Abby 

Through My Eyes...hanging with the Jetts!

Summer is already almost over! (Well, for me anyway.) This past week was a little thing I like to call VBS. I have been going to VBS since I was really little. I even have a certificate from when I was only a few months old saying I went to VBS! My summer has been great, starting with BigStuf and I’m ending it with a week of Lake Aurora with my best friend, Miya. 

A few days ago, Bethany Jett invited me over to her house for wings. I said yes. (Of course, I couldn’t pass on wings…) It was basically my first time going over to Bethany’s house as a “Youth Groupie.” I went over there, and I thought it was going to be a lot of people. I walked in and Jedidiah and Josiah were eating while watching Jeremy play Lego Batman on this gigantic screen TV. The Jett boys are all boy...all I can say. They are probably the cutest, squirmiest kids on the planet. So, since Sean, Kagan, and Justin were playing video games, I took the opportunity to play with them. Jedidiah and I played for a while, then Jeremy came in, and little Josey walked in, too. I walked out when Bethany put the kids to bed. Justin, Sean, and Kagan went to get the wings when Janine walked in. Bethany, Natalie, and I were playing a game of Hand and Foot. We squeezed Janine in and played for about another 15 minutes. When the wings came, they were in a big tin basket, almost the length of an oven. They were pretty good wings! We watched a show called Psych. It’s about this dude who pretends to be psychic to solve crimes for the local police. I stayed till about 11 p.m. I had a lot of fun, so I hope I can go over again.

Through my eyes…..I loved going over to the Jett’s house.

                                                                      Abby J

Krisitan's Kaleidoscope: North American, Microphones & Crazy Kids (Installment 10)

For those of you who were wondering where your ministers were this past week. We were at the North AmericanChristian Convention, and it was incredible! The convention was held in Orlando at the World Marriott hotel. The convention was a week long and consisted of two main sessions a day with several classes to choose from in between. While there, we got to hear such speakers as Rick Warren, author of Purpose Driven life, Bob Russell, and Christian comedian Chonda Pierce. The theme for this year was Refreshed, and that’s what we got, refreshed and renewed in the Lord. I have to say out of all the great speakers and classes my favorite part of the trip was getting to spend time with the staff that went. We had a blast together! We even volunteered to help count offering for the NACC, and that’s were we had some of the best times. All who went to the NACC were truly blessed!

Well, I hope you were at the ten-thirty service this Sunday because I got the chance to preach. What an experience and opportunity it is to preach the word of God! I just thank everyone here at NBCC for letting me get the chance to speak. I truly love preaching the word of God.  I preach again at all services on the 29^th so no excuses as to why you cant hear me then. And for all those wondering this time I will check the microphone before I get on stage. For the record, I just want to say I did turn the mic on; it just didn’t work. So not my fault, but all in all I had a great time up there, and I thank you for all your support. I just want to say that I really love speaking here at NBCC and being with you all and the reason is, I feel so loved here. I am not so scared to mess up when I preach, and I don’t get so nervous because I know no matter what, at the end of the day, you all love and care for me.

By the way, last night was our first night of Vacation Bible School, and it went great. The kids are learning about God on Promise Island, while here great stories, and doing fun activates. I ask you all to be in prayer for VBS, please pray that God will plant a seed in these kids so that it may one day grow into a beautiful tree of the knowledge of God. Oh, and I ask that you will as well keep those helping out at VBS in your prayers because kids are crazy, they have more energy than they know what to do with. 

Kristian Beasley

Ministry Intern

Kristian's Kaleidoscope: Installment 8

GET READY TO HAVE YOUR CAR WASHED!!!!!! This Saturday from 9am-2pm the C2 (college and career) class is having a fundraiser car wash at the church. I was looking at some of your cars last Sunday, and I noticed how filthy they were so come on down to NBCC and have’em washed for a good cause.  Also, coming up is VBS! Be ready to have some fun in the sun! VBS starts Monday the 16th- Thursday the 19^th.  Our theme this year is Adventures on Promise Island. We will teach kids what God what He promises to us. 

Well, for those of you keeping count it’s week number 8 for me. I am still loving it here at NBCC, and I still like most of you. Just kidding! I love you all, and I thank each and every one of you for making this internship so great. This past week was kind of crazy with three funeral services Thursday till Saturday. Then, with all the rain we had, I thought for a day or two we might have to build an ark like Noah. However, I hope you all stayed dry this last week. I know Bayshore was completely flooded and going down to south Tampa, I needed a raft not a car. I did see a sign posted on a church billboard on my wet way to work that read, “If you prayed for the rain, you can stop now.” I found it quit clever.

I learned a valuable lesson this week, that ministry is always full time whether you’re a part-time intern or a full-time senior minister. God’s work never stops. The kingdom of God doesn’t take a day off, I now realize.  Just because I am tired does not mean there are not people who need to be saved. God has called each of us to live a life that serves and glorifies Him and this is not depicted on our time but His. In 1 Peter 3:15 it says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” We must at all times be ready to serve God even if it means giving up our day off or losing time we could be at home. Being a Christian does not qualify you for a comfortable, cushy life but rather the opposite.  It calls for a life that faces hardships and endures for Christ sake. So remember, God wants us to have fun and calls us to relax but to always be ready to act. You could say we are called to be God’s firemen.

Kristian Beasley

Ministry Intern

            Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plansI have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Kristian's Kaleidoscope (Installment 5)

Who’s ready for wacky Wednesday? I know I am! Its going to be so much fun, don’t forget June 27 is also our Churchwide Game Night. So be ready to have some fun and fellowship with others here at NBCC. That Sunday, however, I preach. I know a lot of you were asking me because you missed the first sermon but don’t worry! There is more of me to be had. I can’t wait to get the chance to preach again; I am very much looking forward to it. 
Like I say every week, God is doing big things here at NBCC and I cannot help say it, it's true! With big events like Wacky Wednesday, VBS, the mission trip to the Bahamas, and last week's Prom. It is hard to say that God isn’t moving this church. On that note, I just want to say how excited I am for VBS. Kids are one of my biggest passions so it’s going to be great working with them. We all have to admit the best part about kids is the fact that they say the darndest things. So if you want to hear the funniest things you have ever heard, and teach kids about Jesus then come help us out July 15th through the 19th. 
Well, as some of you who were at church this Sunday know, I had the privilege of doing the communion meditation. I truly enjoyed leading the church into a time of remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice. Like I said on Sunday, our time of reflection should truly put us back into that room where Jesus washed His disciples feet. As we meditate on Him, we should be brought into that upstairs room; we should see Jesus holding the cup in hand; we should feel ourselves reclined at the table. When we do this, when we remember like this, then we start to see the real picture of Jesus’ sacrifice; then we start to make out what He really went through on the cross. When we put ourselves back where He first broke bread, then we can see the pain in His eyes, the suffering on His face and see a glimpse of His great love for us. For then we will know that our God truly loves us and how great His only Son's sacrifice was. 
I look forward to another great week here at NBCC and can't wait for all the new, exciting, upcoming events! So everyone be ready for what God’s going to do! 


Kristian Beasley
Ministry Intern


“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11)