Dan Schmoyer’s Blog

I am sending out my newsletter in the mail today so if you love getting mail and would rather save the surprise and excitement of opening a letter and reading it you might want to wait to click on the links below. The snail-mail letter includes the quarterly newsletter as well as a card for you to send an extra summer scholarship donation to TreeHouse.

During the summer we have a few trips that cost the kids some money. The reason we still go on these trips is because of the way the they challenge, stretch, and encourage each teen to do something they never would have thought about doing. Some kids have never spent a night in a tent camping, some have never been on a boat, some kids have never left MN, and a few teens have never left home for an over night stay. Our activities and events are designed to give each teen an opportunity to try something new. In doing so, many of them find out they have talents and gifts they never explored before. It is encouraging and very rewarding to watch their self-confidence grown and their spiritual interest go to a deeper level.

Please consider giving a special designated amount toward our summer events because they have been life changing summers for many teens at TreeHouse. Thanks!

Also, please be praying for the staff at TreeHouse because the summer is our busiest time of the year. We need energy, patience, and grace as we continue to pour into the lives of the teens. Thank you in advance!

One final thing, I have added a page to the website that contains virtually all the talks I have done at TreeHouse. It is located on the top of the website where the tabs are located. I will try to keep that up to date so you can use them. I have also included any PowerPoint or handouts that were used during the talk. I hope they are helpful to you!

Dan

TH Newsletter Summer 2008- Stepping Stones

TH Newsletter Summer 2008- Sponorship Request

Time really flys!!! I used to hear “old” people say that when talking about their kids growing up and getting older. I would always dismiss their statements because time seemed to go so SLOW for me as I grew up. Well, I have joined the ranks of the “old” people because Titus and Ruby have gotten so big, so quickly! Titus can stand up by himself and loves to crawl to any place that allows him to stand. He loves to wave “Hi” and is always excited to see Ruby. He is doing much better with his eating since we started the Glutton Free diet for him. He actually enjoys eating his crackers and rice milk, which is a HUGE improvement from one month ago. He is so fun to play with and does something Ruby never did at his age, or even now—-cuddle! He lays his head down on your shoulder and will sit with you and snuggle with you. It is so fun and cute

Ruby is a great big sister! She is the perfect “go-for” and enjoys being around Titus. To be completely honest she isn’t always the nicest sister (she is learning how to share and not be Titus’ mommy). Despite her faults she is still a loving and caring sister who is always ready to help with anything we are doing. She loves being outside and is a great helper when it comes to mowing the lawn, raking the yard, and cleaning out the garage. Ruby is a huge book worm and will sit with you and read books all day long of you allow her. She likes all the Dr. Seuss books as well as the Bernstein Bears collection. She is getting very excited about Mark and Grace coming to visit next week because she likes having other people around to entertain.

Time goes by VERY quickly with 2 kids. I am amazed at how fun they are, how much energy they expend (and take from us!), and how exciting it is to watch them grow and learn new things. God sure created kids with a unique set of characteristics- cute, fun, tiring, hard, smart, and rewarding.

I will try and update our photo page soon so check back there for the Spring 2008 folder.

Have a great day!

Dan, Maggie, Ruby, and Titus (and Timber and Grizzly for the weekend)

I am going to start posting my newsletters online so you all can read them or pass them on to other people who may be interested in the ministry TreeHouse is doing in Minnesota. I am going to add the letter most of you received already because my new one is not out yet.

If you did not receive a copy of the newsletter in the mail and you would like one please let me know and I’ll add you to the mailing list. Otherwise you can subscribe to the website and you will be notified when the newest newsletter is added.

Have a great day!!

Dan

Spring 2008 Newsletter- “So Close!”

Last week I was able to see the awesome transformation of a child of God. Here is what happened….

Steve is on my careload and has been since he started coming to TH last summer. He is one of the smartest kids I have ever met. He thinks very abstractly, understands hidden meanings, and always seems to ask questions I had never thought about. His gift has also been his curse. Steve told me that he has always been able to outsmart or explain away religious ideologies with “What if….?” questions or the use of logic. The only Person he has not been able to outsmart is God. When I first met Steve he made it very clear that he did not believe in God or religion. He was totally closed off and disinterested in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can think of a specific time when I was sitting outside looking at the stars one night (7 months ago) and he said he did not want to believe in God because he didn’t want to waste his time believing in someone he was not convinced even existed. These are his words on faith; “It is like jumping off a huge cliff and not knowing what is going to happen. I don’t want to get to the bottom (the end of life) and realize I had just wasted that time and belief for nothing.” I was blown away by his honesty and passion. He was seeking and desiring to know but he did not want to throw his emotions and feelings at the door of just any religious idea or thought. He wanted to know the truth.

Over the past few months I have talked with Steve about God, truth, relationships, and faith. I truly believe that God has been working in his heart over the past few months because our conversation last week gave me a small glimpse into the work the Holy Spirit is doing in him. We pulled up to his house and sat outside in the van and talked about God, faith, trust, truth, and what Christianity looked like in a practical sense. He asked so many great questions and listened intently as I tried to communicate the message of God’s redemption as best I could. I told him these three things. 1. You need to come to a point where you know you have sinned and missed the mark. You will only ever seek for God when you realize you need help. 2. Jesus Christ paid the price for you on the cross so you do not have to pay for the penalty of your own sin. All you need to do is accept that free gift. 3. Once you have accepted that free gift and asked Him to forgive you of your sins your should have a desire to serve God out of gratitude for all He has done for you, NOT because you have to but because you want to. Steve has a LOT of knowledge about God but he summed it up this way. “I know more about God than most of my friends but there is a difference between knowing ABOUT God, and KNOWING God.” I looked at him when he said that and smiled because only the work of the Holy Spirit can get someone to that point. He said he is at a crossroad now. Does he accept the truth and the facts about who Jesus Christ is or does he continue to do what he has always done and try to outsmart God.

Steve did not give his life Jesus that night but I am very encouraged as I anticipate the day when he does accept the free gift of salvation. I asked him what is keeping him back from taking that step and he said he needs a little more time to think about it. I got the idea that his thinking wasn’t focused on denying or refusing the facts but rather a time to get the facts and truths sink in and become his own before deciding to step over the line drawn in the sand; eternal and purposeful life vs. eternal and purposeless life.

Keep praying for Steve and his salvation. I think it is close and because of that I believe Satan will do everything he can to distract and detract him spiritually. Please pray that I will have godly wisdom as I talk with him. Thanks! I will let you all know when he joins the family of God and begins his spiritual journey.