$42 & 14 hours!

Well we are 2 1/2 months into our building project and I hardly have the words to describe all that has gone on. God has been blessing Sk8 Church like crazy and it is the most incredible thing to witness. I don't know if we get to see God move and provide like this more than once in a lifetime so we are trying our best to take it in, write down, and be awe struck on a daily basis. There are 2 things that we were blessed with that I want to share with you.........
$42

Since we have started meeting in the building we have been able to have a sweet like donation box set out. Our goal is not to raise money for ourselves but to give the kids a chance to give money to others that are hurting or in need. So far we have raised $111 for our friend and Sk8 church bookkeeper, Chris Berlet, who lost her home to a house fire last month. Then we raised $85 for a Haiti orphanage fund. Now the next 2 weeks we will give the kids the opportunity to give to Dry Bones, www.drybonesdenver.org, a ministry to homeless youth in Denver. I tell you all this to preface how special the $42 check was that I just got in the mail! I opened the Sk8 Church mail and found a simple letter that said:

"you guys were chosen to receive our skate church's offering this week"!

I now know first hand how very sweet that $42 is. I have personally seen the dollars that come out of a skaters pocket. Usually sweaty, wadded up, and sometimes all they have to their name. Jesus talks about the importance of the heart when we give in Mark 12:41-44.......Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. but a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling all His disciples to Him, Jesus said "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on". I can not help but think of this offering when I see the crumpled up dollars in our donations box, or receive a check from a skate church for $42. God is working in these special hearts!

14 Hours
This week we were planning on building the "bowl". The very large, difficult and final piece of the skate park. It is well known among skaters that a bowl type feature is hard to build. So Buck called an expert. A man by the name of Jud Heald. Jud is a pro skater that loves Jesus and has dedicated his time and talent to serving Him. He runs a ministry/demo team named Untitled, untitledskate.com, and lives his life as a man that serves and loves God. After a few phone calls back and forth and a "maybe I could come out there sometime" conversation, Buck hung up and set out to plan the bowl build out. The phone rang again and it was Jud. He said "you know I could come out right now. I am going to pack up my two oldest kids and get on the road tonight"......now this is not that remarkable except HE LIVES 14 HOURS AWAY.....in Missouri!!! Jud arrived the next day with the cutest 5 & 3 year olds and jumped right in. He preached the Gospel at Sk8 Church were more than a few kids gave their lives to Jesus, and was up bright and early this morning building away. Here is a pic at mid day!!!

This whole project, God has had the most incredible turn around time. We pray and speak out loud what we need and

God provides it in a matter of hours!! When we sat around saying "we need someone that can build a bowl"......God was preparing one of His workers (Jud is on the right) to come half way across the country and BUILD A BOWL!!!!! THE NEXT DAY!!! Praise God!!! He is like no other!!!!

So we are building the bowl and getting this project finished. We can sense that God has huge things in store for this building and for the youth-specifically skaters-in Steamboat Springs!! We are excited to be finished and see the harvest that He is planning!!! Thank you for following us in this journey!!!!

It's a Shelter for.......

I have been waiting for just the right moment to write and share all the amazing things God has done lately, but it did not come until today......

The building project has gone so fast and smooth and God has provided so much it is almost overwhelming to take in!! We have had school groups, youth groups, friends, and last week a lot of contractors in here working and everyone has really worked so hard. There are days when we get more "church" done then building and I have to say that those are my favorite. Those "real" conversations where all the people around share what is on their hearts and minds and we pray, talk, cry, or laugh together. People seem to be drawn to this place like a beacon-maybe it is to witness God moving so mighty with the hopes of being inspired-maybe the "work" going on is comforting to so many that are out of work and they enjoy the pace and activities for awhile -maybe just friendship and shooting the breeze with someone, I don't know, but it is working and we are so BLESSED by the people we get to hang out with everyday.

Last week we had 7 highly skilled, luxury home builders working to finish all the furniture pieces in the space. One of them made the most appropriate comment:

"this place is like a shelter for out of work carpenters"!!

How very true. While we can not pay the people working here, we are able to offer a job site, a hot lunch, and that fellowship that only comes from working side by side with other men. They can be creative in design and build. They have to really use their building skills. When we stop to pray for lunch we pray not only for our food, but for their jobs, their marriages, anything they need!! I was marveling the other day how God would wait until he had the highest skilled people available to build this place for the youth of this town. He loves all of us so much that He provides the very best!!

2 weeks ago we held our first Sk8 Church here and actually had skateboarding!! Yes-let that sink in.....45 kids showed up! Last week 65 kids came to skate and hang out, eat a hot meal, and hear the Gospel!!

Before we started the night we all took a knee to pray. When we pray we go around and everyone gets a chance to pray if they want to and the kids that were here just laid it down!! Some were praying out loud for the first time and it was so raw and real. I can not tell you how powerful it is to hear words that come straight out of a young heart when eyes are closed and heads are bowed! After that we ate dinner together and Buck shared his heart and the Gospel then we (they) skated and skated and skated......

It was so awesome to see the kids so happy, and energetic. There was a middle school and high school dance that night so we only had the older die hard skaters. We had a few new skaters show up that heard there was a Skate park here. They all skated for about 4 hours. They cheered each other on, high fived me & Buck often and were sober and happy. At the end of the night they all just automatically cleaned up!! Sweeping, emptying trashes-it was amazing.

So when I think of the statement about this being a shelter- that becomes my prayer-Lord, let this be a shelter for all. A shelter of hope, love, grace, forgiveness, beauty. A place to find rest for your soul and freedom for your burdens!!

At this time we are so overwhelmed with God's provision and love and outpouring that our "needs" are all taken care of. He is more than sufficient for today!! Please rejoice with us in this great day He has made and if you are seeking shelter please come on over-you never know what God will have for you!!!

"It is for you"

So tonight I had a new and wonderful experience.......A kid we have known for a long time, but haven't seen in a while came into the building with a friend. After looking around for awhile he looked at me puzzled and asked:
"Why are you building this?"
I was taken aback, and it took me a second to answer "It is for you and the other kids in town".
To see the shocked look and to hear his amazement such a great reminder. To him it was odd that we were building this for other people. To me it is what we do, what God has asked of us, and what He has put in front of us, but to see the fresh look from one of the people we are building for was so encouraging. To be able to say to this and many other kids that "this is for you" is amazing!! To be able to tell God-this is for you-unbelievable. It is very easy right now to get lost in the plans, and people, and building, and code, and financials and forget why we are doing this and who we are doing it for, but God is so faithful that He brought that reminder right to me today-as if to say "don't forget". Today was a monster 12 hour day for me, and 15 hours for Buck and worth every moment, but they all fade away and that one conversation sticks out. I want every moment of this project to be filled with fresh wonder that there is a love so great that He provides something so tangible and real for this special group of people. Something that speaks their language and their interests. He is a God that loves them so much that He would do this for them. I want all the youth to know that they are so special and they deserve a place made just for them!!

To God be the Glory!!!

I Think the other amazement came from this kid when he took in the MASSIVE piles of lumber that has been graciously donated and the painted walls, ceiling, half finished skate park and tons of little blessings like tv, games, food you name it!! We have the guys from Team Pain up here donating their time and tools to build a professional sk8 park!! We have so many amazing contractors that are blessing us with their incredible building talents! Everyday God keeps bringing more and more then we could ever imagine. Very rarely do we get to experience God on this level and it is a challenge to even take it all in!!

We have 2 youth groups coming to work this week and we will be ripping out and installing new carpet, installing the chain link divider and finishing the drywall and electrical in the offices. We have been so blessed and since almost everything so far has been donated we are ahead of budget!! We will be looking to do some easy fund generators in the weeks to come. If you have an idea to help please let us know! We have do have some practical needs this week:

A new industrial metal sink
Snacks and bottled beverages for the workers
Soups/chili for our crock pot so we all have lunch when working
Pray we all stay healthy
I need 2 square black simple book cases-6-8 feet tall. Either new or in really good shape (please nothing broken)
We need an extra MAC laptop cord
We also could use another Mac laptop or desktop. We all share one little laptop and it is very challenging. We can use a used one in good shape

Thank you for walking with us on this journey!!!
Tara

God is on it!!

So we are 2 weeks into building and things are happening so fast. We have the ceiling and walls painted, one ramp built, offices framed, electrical fixed and lots of other projects in various stages of completion. An example of how this past couple of weeks has gone.....On Monday I was praying and asking God for some snacks. Very specifically, some sweet and salty treats and drinks for everyone working so hard. I was kind of complaining to God really, that I did not have time to go to the store and definitely did not have time to assemble anything!! I ended my prayer time and went down to the building. About 20 minutes later this wonderful woman knocked on the door and asked if there was some building going on. I answered yes and she said
"We had a funeral yesterday and I have some brownies, chips and lemonade. Could you use those?"
I almost fell over!! It is not everyday that we get to experience God on that kind of level. From the snack day on He has been that quick and specific. We had all the paint, drywall, and labor donated (thank you Spegiel & Sons & Brush)-HUGE!! All the steel (thanks Axis steel) for the ramps was donated, more snacks by the Ballard family, framing and material for offices donated by Timco, more general construction donated by Shawn Walsh-I know I am missing some, but the bottom line is we have been unbelievably BLESSED!!

We have waited so long and know that it is here it is mind blowing!! Really my favorite part is 10 skaters working side by side with us every night. I love giving the kids something to do and be proud of. We have some incredible men here that are teaching the young ones to build!! I think this is just a start.....God is amazing and His specific provision is blowing me away!!! If you have not been down here yet or you missed us when you came please keep coming. We want to show you what God is doing. To see how He is not bound by tough economies or two people who try hard but make so many mistakes!!

We made a sweet little video that shows what we are up to. We would love to show it to your small group, church, friends, whoever!! Let me know if you would like to see that. I will post it when we have the final back.

OK……this is the most exciting blog I think I have ever written………yes it is awesome and I can barely contain my excitement!!! I am overwhelmed by the provision of God today, and I hope my letter conveys the last couple of weeks at Sk8 Church.

I am writing to you NOT from my cold, lonely basement office like usual, but to the beautiful sound of multiple skate boards, excited shouts, cheers, sk8 church kids sweeping and cleaning trash out, scraping old decals off windows, and building a ramp. I am watching Buck skateboard while he talks with the kids here, my own kids are covered in drywall dust rolling around on a skateboard, Hunter has fallen and smacked his hip, Buck is limping and it is almost a perfect day in our new indoor, Sk8 Church, Sk8 Park/Youth Center building!!

THE VISION

When we started sk8 church 5 years ago God gave us an amazing vision for a place in Steamboat Springs that would give the youth a positive, sober place to belong and be encouraged in their sport of skateboarding. A place that anyone in our community can go to find help, hope, love, teaching, encouragement, and a friend. A place that is for youth, built by youth, where they can find rest for their souls and a break from their burdens. A home base for Sk8 Church. An office out for the basement for me, additional Bible studies, youth recovery meetings….oh the list goes on!!

For a long while we wrestled with the fact that God had not brought this place, and eventually settled in to the fact that we just did not know when it was going to happen. We moved forward, and have had an incredible time, with meeting in our home, local hotels, wherever we could, steadily building our community of friends, and continually praying for that sweet vision God gave us.

Even though we did not know when it would happen Buck was always faithful in searching out EVERY commercial spot in town over the years. He has passed out countless numbers of our vision packet to almost every realtor in town. Many, many times this proved futile and even frustrating over the last 4 years, until recently……….

THE BREAKTHROUGH

3 months ago, on his never ending quest, Buck gave one of our packets to the owners of Steamboat Powersports, explained the mission of SK8 church and went on his way. Two months later, out of nowhere, we received a call from the owners expressing an interest in meeting to discuss sk8 for one of their properties.

After many meetings, much discussion, and generosity that ONLY can be explained by God’s intervention, we have a home for sk8 church!! 4,800 square feet of home! Located at Riverside plaza, this space allows us to have 2000 square feet of skate park. 2400 square feet of lounge/gaming area, lots of food, video games, pool, ping pong, music, offices and enough space to minister to many more kids. The space is on the bus route and located in an easy to get to plaza, but out of the way enough that we won't be bothering too many people!

So what does this mean??

It means that in the coming months all of you have an incredible opportunity to help impact this community with us! It means that you will get a chance to use your gifts and skills to help us help kids. Imagine a young man or woman from a fatherless home (the majority of our group) having the opportunity to work side by side with a father figure. Being able to learn a skill, be praised for a job well done, and have the feeling of accomplishment. I am excited!!

So here is how you can help right now………..COME SEE US!! Let us show you what we are so passionate about!!!! Verticle Arts has blessed us with an incredibly, detailed drawing for us to show you and to work off of. We are in the Riverside Plaza, behind Pisa’s restaurant! We have a small list posted of things we need now, like paint, carpet, plywood, 2x4s, printer/fax machine, trash cans, light fixtures, chain link fence, snacks and drinks for everyone working, homemade cookies (you know who you areJ) and your prayer and encouragement!! If you are going to the lumberyard give us a call and maybe you can pick some things up for us. Do you have some extra lumber at your house or job site that you need to get rid of? Time on your hands and some skills?......we need it all! I promise you an experience that will rock your world and inspire your heart.

COME SEE FOR YOURSELF………..IT IS AWESOME!!!

I am so thankful to be able to share this exciting time with you!! We will share details as they come up!!!!

Praising and loving God,

Tara Chavarria

Christ for Life Sk8 Church