The Thursday Update

JULY 31, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

This week, we were able to take 18 of our students to Kingdom Bound at Six Flags Darien Lake to enjoy the thrill of rides, cool off in the water park, and the highlight of enjoying engaging, life-giving music from several Christian bands. Of all the blessings I get to experience in my role, one of my favorites is watching students engage in times of worship and participating in worship alongside them. One of the bands that led us in worship was We Are Messengers, a band you may know for songs like "Come What May" or "Maybe It's Ok."

During worship, the lead singer, Darren Mulligan, took a moment to talk about joy before singing one of their other popular songs, "Where The Joy Is," to talk about his own faith journey and his heart behind the song. He talked about struggles with depression and mental health, and how God had been so faithful to bring "joy in the morning." Having experienced similar things in my own life, I related to what he had to say and thought, "Wow, what a great thing for me to talk about in this week's Thursday email!"

All joking aside, I did find what he had to say touching, so I spent some time in my personal devotions this morning walking through the passage that this comes from, Psalm 30. In this beautiful Psalm, David praises God for rescuing him from trouble and calls others to praise God because, "his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning" (v.5).

God never promises that we will never have trouble in this life, and our everyday experience confirms this. Although we can take hope in the fact that our troubles are temporary, and joy comes in the morning. As believers, we can have hope that in this life, God has good plans and has good purpose even during our pain. Furthermore, we can look to eternity, knowing that while we experience hardship here, we will one day experience joy to the fullest in the presence of our Savior Jesus.

So whatever pain or trial you may be experiencing through this "night" of your life, be encouraged, because joy comes in the morning.

Pastor Nate

JULY 24, 2025

Lakeshore Family,

Some of you may have seen the news this week about the death of Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic heavy metal singer, often referred to as the “Prince of Darkness.” For me, this one hit differently. As a teenager and young adult, I listened to a lot of his music from Black Sabbath and his solo career. Songs like Paranoid, Iron Man, Crazy Train, Diary of A Madman, Bark at the Moon, and Mama I’m Coming Home, were all part of the soundtrack of my life before I came to faith in Jesus. Back then, I didn’t think much about the spiritual weight of the music I consumed. I was just drawn to the energy, rebellion, and incredible guitar playing from the likes of Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Zach Wylde. But looking back, I now see how deeply it reflected a longing for something more - a search for identity, truth, and peace.

Ozzy’s life was full of extremes: incredible fame, intense personal struggles, and a complicated spiritual backdrop. While he played with dark themes of wizardry, mystery, and the demonic, his music often hinted at inner turmoil and brokenness. It’s a reminder that even people who look like they’re flying high again, can be struggling inside. As believers, we know that only Christ can fill that aching void in the human heart. Jesus said in John 12:46, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” That’s the hope we cling to and the light we carry into the world.

Ozzy’s death also reminds us of a sobering truth: life is short, and eternity is real. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” That might sound heavy, but it’s actually a call to live with purpose. We all leave behind a legacy—through our choices, our character, and the message our lives communicate. The world may celebrate stars like Ozzy for their boldness or edge, but God honors those who walk humbly, love deeply, and shine His light in a dark world.

So let’s be people who don’t just go off the rails on culture’s crazy train, but who live with intention and compassion. Let’s not make our mamas worry because we’ve been bad, bad boys – instead let’s practice kindness and live our lives in accordance with God’s will. Let’s continue to pray for those who still feel lost in the darkness and remember that no one — not even a man once called the Prince of Darkness — is ever beyond the reach of God’s grace. If God can rescue someone like me from all that noise and give me a new song to worship Him, then He can do the same for anyone. Let’s keep pointing people to Jesus—the Prince of Peace and the only source of light, truth, and hope.

Make a great day!

Frank D.

JULY 17, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

Currently, 17 of our students are at Word of Life Island in Schroon Lake, NY for a week of camp. I'm exhilarated for our students to experience this amazing week of camp because I know that it matters so much for our students. After almost a decade of attending camps as a student, serving there in Bible College, and taking my students there as a youth leader, I recognize the unique opportunity camp gives students to encounter Jesus in a life-changing way. Here are five reasons why camp matters:

1. Escaping the Noise - Our culture is cluttered with noise, noise, NOISE! In Luke 6:12, Jesus "went out to a mountainside to pray, and spend the night praying to God." In the same way, camp provides students an opportunity put their phones away in the pristine Adirondack mountains, and escape the noise to hear God's voice.

2. Shared Experiences - Without a doubt, camp will be packed with lots of fun. Although, did you know that this fun is actually fundamental? Camp provides an opportunity for students to have shared experiences with each other, their counselors, and their Lakeshore Leaders. Those shared experiences lead to commonality, which leads to conversations, which can then lead to changed lives. Camp creates memories that last a lifetime, and impact students for eternity.

3. Strategic Partnership - Have you ever told your student something, for them to not listen, but then they come home at a later time having heard that same thing from another source and listening to that source? I know I did that as a student, and found myself in a few you were right mom and dad moments with my parents! Well, the same is sometimes true of student ministry. Sometimes the things we communicate with our students during the year, for lack of better words, suddenly "click" with them at camp! Camp doesn't replace student ministry, but partners with it.

4. Gospel Saturation - The reason I love Word of Life over other camps, aside from my past experience, is how Gospel-centric they are. Students hear the gospel multiple times over the course of the week and have multiple opportunities to respond. It was at camp where at 15 years old, I truly understood the gospel for the first time and placed my faith in Jesus.

5. Life-Changing Decisions - For those who already have a relationships with Jesus, Word of Life challenges students to live a life on fire for Jesus, setting aside worldly pursuits to love Him wholeheartedly. In my own life, I can confidently trace my call to ministry to my youth group, and Word of Life Camp involvement. Furthermore, I've been blessed with a front row seat to see so many students lives radically change as a result of their time at camp. This includes two of our own from Lakeshore Students who accepted Jesus at camp earlier this week. Praise the Lord! At Lakeshore, we want to train students who follow what Jesus says in Matthew 16:24; "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." We want to see students make life-changing decisions so they can make a difference for Jesus in their world.

So why are we excited about camp? Because it changes lives and impacts students for eternity, and that matters.

Pastor Nate
Student Pastor