Derry Prenkert

To Save A Life

2009-11-11T15:45:00.004-05:00

Last night we had the privilege of hosting an advanced of the independent film To Save A Life. The screening was for area community and church leaders.
The film was written by Youth Pastor Jim Britts, and is set for a January 22 theatrical release.

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Christian Movies (there are very few exceptions, End of the Spear is one that comes to mind). I usually find the directing subpar, the acting poor, and the plot lines overly simplistic and cheesy.

I did not find this film to be like that. There are a couple below average performances by supporting cast, but the main characters are fantastic. The story line is engaging, moving, and hits close to home quite a few times (sometimes uncomfortably too close to home). In fact, we had several 11th and 12th Grade Student Leaders present who loved the film and were challenged by it.

The bummer with an indie film like this one is that it may not last very long or get widespread release. At this point, the film is not set to release in our area. There's some things people can do to get it to their area. Here's some suggestions from the makers of the movie.

Today, I sent out three emails to area movie theaters letting them know I'd love to see the movie make it to their theaters.

2009-11-11T15:01:00.001-05:00

Terrific 2s: 2 Prayers

2009-11-10T14:09:00.002-05:00

The finale to the series.
Most nights where I'm home for bedtime, I put Katylynn to bed. Our pre-bedtime ritual consists of reading 2 or 3 of her current favorite books and then a couple of stories from her "Bible Book." After that, we pray together. She's learning to say prayers of Thanks... "Jesus, thanks for..." and she finishes it. Every night, I make it a point to pray two things for her.

God, allow Katylynn to see how much You love her.
God, teach Katylynn what it means to love You and to love others.

There is much more I pray over and for her on a regular basis, but these are the two prayers I want her to hear regularly, as well as what I believe to be the two most important things she could possibly grasp to expeirience the life her Heavenly Father desires for her to Grasp (see I John 4:17, Ephesians 3:14-19,& Matthew 22:37-40)

Baby Walk

2009-11-09T17:32:00.003-05:00

This weekend has some awesome stuff going on with Kids In Need.
5K.I.N. Saturday Morning.
Silent Auction for Baby Center kicks off Saturday at 5K.I.N. and online Sunday.
I'm preaching on the K.I.N. focus this Sunday morning.

Maybe the best kept secret in all this is Sunday Night's BABY WALK. It's a part of our 3-week Sunday Night series called ENGAGE LaRGe at NMC. Each week puts a focus on the Local, Regional, and Global aspects of NMC.

Baby Walk is a Global focus. My wife and several students have organized this experience where you will have the opportunity to walk through the live of 4 different babies associated with AGC Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya. This event will allow participants to better grasp the reality of the AIDS crises in Africa and the hope that the Baby Center is bringing. It puts a face and life to the crisis. I see it as an opportunity for individuals to travel to Kenya without leaving home.

If you're reading this, you should seriously consider blocking out 45 minutes of your Sunday Night sometime between 5:30-7:30 to GAIN awareness on a significant Kids In Need issue!

Terrific 2s: 19-24 Months

2009-11-09T17:14:00.003-05:00

I put caca in my mouth - Yup, you read that right. Somewhere along the way, Katylynn decided that her pacifier is called a ca-ca. This would be why she will not be making any trips to Latin America in the near future.
I go poopie on the potty, yay! - We bought her the potty to see if she would be interested. She was. She's far from there, but she's learning that there's a difference between her diaper and her "underwear" (a pull-up). During the day, if she has to go, she will begin to bounce and frantically say, "I got poopies." Fun times.

It's crazy to think that it's been two years to the date that I held my daughter for the first time. Happy Birthday to her, and looking forward to more great memories to come!

2009-11-08T10:07:00.001-05:00

one of the cooler pics i've ever been able to take.

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Terrific 2s: Losing Grandpa... A Repost

2009-11-07T19:33:00.002-05:00

Originally Posted Friday, Feb. 20, 2009

Grieving through a 15 Month Old's Eyes

(pic taken in Ludington, Michigan; April, 2008)

2 Stories:

Janelle briefly had Katylynn at the viewing (it was closed casket). There was a video with pictures of dad running. As Janelle was walking out, Katylynn pointed at the screen, then shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "Where's Grandpa?"
After everyone had left the graveside service, I took Katylynn with me to the grave site. I told her that we were saying goodbye to Grandpa and that he loved her very much. I bent down by the flowers, and she grabbed one. I told her she could put the flower on the casket by the others that were there. She did so. I asked her if she wanted to say goodbye to Grandpa. She waved goodbye.

Katylynn Ivy Prenkert (note her initials) will not remember either of these events, but I'm glad we will be able to share with her how much she loved her grandpa.

Terrific 2s: 12-18 Months

2009-11-07T13:11:00.003-05:00

Meeting Ninnie: Janelle and I admitedly become Disney freaks. I think as we were in the holding pattern to starting our family, our visits to the Disney World Resort allowed us time to recapture our childhood as well as dream of the family to come. Add in Katylynn's blossoming love for all things Minnie, our December trip to Orlando had a pretty special moment when we bumped into her at Hollywood Studios.
Last Christmas with Grandpa: She went sledding. She opened presents. She made Christmas cookies. She had a blast. We had no idea it would be the last one with him, but it was a great Christmas.

Terrific 2s: Months 7-12

2009-11-06T23:18:00.002-05:00

Bedtime: More nights than not, bedtime was my job. We began reading books together, and then I would simply hold her, sing and rock. Sometimes she would fight it, but eventually she would give in and lay her head on my shoulder. In those moments when the breathing became deeper and deeper, I would often think, "There's no better place to be than where I am right now."
Stay-at-home Dad: In the Fall of '08, Janelle would work Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays she'd spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa. On Thursday, it was my baby girl and me. Stroller Walks, trips to the park, and shopping trips were common and fun. We were really worried if we were making a wise choice when Janelle went back to work. Looking back on it now, I'm so happy she got nearly every Tuesday from September '08 to February '09 with my dad, and then Thursdays with me. I'm confident the bonding that happened in those times will pay huge dividends in the future.

Terrific 2s: 2-6 months

2009-11-06T11:05:00.002-05:00

Cry Language: Someone told us that if you paid attention to your child's cries, you could tell what he/she wanted. The "I'm tired" cry sounds a little different from the "I'm hungry" cry which sounds different from the "I need changed" cry which sounds different from the "I'm hurt cry." As we tested this out, we felt like "Naaaaa" seemed to coincide with hungry and "Whaaaaa" went pretty close to nap and bed time.
Whether or not it was accurate, it helped us keep in mind that she wasn't just crying to cry. She wasn't colicky, and may have just had a sweet cry, but it rarely got on our nerves.
An Internal Change: A lot changed the way that I did ministry, the way I worked, and the way I viewed things. I think it was an internal change that has had some major external effects. I'll call it "daddy eyes." Holding that little girl, realizing that it was Janelle and my responsibility to love, care, and provide for her. Knowing that I can't control everything that happens to her, but I can control how I'm going to respond to it began to mess with me. I can't look at gals in our youth group the same way. Recognizing that's somebody's daughter makes a move toward compassion over simply pushing toward conversion. Not totally sure how to explain it all, but it was in months 2-6 she changed me... big time!

Silent Auction Deadline this Sunday!

2009-11-06T09:04:00.003-05:00

We're doing a Silent Auction to help Kids In Need. All items donated will be auctioned both at NMC and online November 14-22. All proceeds go to the AGC Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya.

At this point, here's some of the big dollar items we have donated:

Big Screen TV
Hand Crafted End Table
Recliner
Brett Favre autographed mini-helmet
Peyton Manning Autographed picture (framed)
4 outdoor fire pits
PS 2 with DDR pads and game
Ipod

There's some pretty cool stories behind some of the items above. There's some other items that may not be "high dollar" but are very cool stories of students giving sacrificially of the talents and treasures.

If you're interested in donating something, items can be turned into the Student Ministries office this Sunday!

The Terrific 2s: Home and rolling

2009-11-06T07:47:00.003-05:00

Bottles and Diapers: Saturday, November 10, we arrived home around 11:00 p.m. As I look back at it now, it feels like what commenced was 2 months of bottle feedings and diaper changes. It was during that time I gave Katylynn the nickname "Poops McGee." As I think back on it, I remember a lot of joy and peace in our home as well. God's faithfulness was so tangible in those early days as we were (and still are) seeing the most unlikely answer to a 6 1/2 year long prayer.
Dad Holding Her: It wasn't as big a deal at the time, but it's a huge memory I carry with me now. The Sunday after we brought her home, my parents came over for lunch and met their Granddaughter. After lunch, my dad sat on the couch and held his granddaughter for the first time. The mental photo of a proud and loving grandpa looking down at his baby granddaughter is etched in my brain now. On I'll carry with me.

Terrific 2s: The Hospital

2009-11-05T13:11:00.002-05:00

The First time I held her: She was asleep in her little plastic crib when we arrived. Candy (birth grandmother) took her out and handed her to Janelle. After a few minutes (at 9:38, give or take 30 seconds) Janelle handed her to me and I held my daughter for the first time. Until that moment, holding newborns absolutely freaked me out. It was always awkward. I was afraid I would drop the tiny fragile thing I was holding onto. In that moment, I couldn't think of anything more natural. She seemed just as tiny and fragile as any other newborn I held, but this time she was my tiny and fragile.
The Handoff: We were in a hospital room next to Emily's. A little before 6:00 p.m., Emily rolled the tiny baby in on her bassinet, picked her up, handed her to Janelle, and through tears said, "Here is your daughter." Emily and Candy walked out of the room. I walked over and put my arm around Janelle, put a hand on Katylynn, and tearfully let the moment sit.

NFL Pick 'em: Week 9

2009-11-05T12:58:00.004-05:00

Week 8 didn't have an impressive showing by any of the participants. I've been consistently picking with average to above average results in comparison to others. Craig is still riding a huge lead based on his early season, almost voodooish success.

Week 9's picks:

Washington at Atlanta
Arizona at Chicago - The Bears had a big win last week, but it was against a terrible team. The O-line is pathetic, and the Defense is average. Arizona Offense will win this game.
Baltimore at Cincinnati - I'm done doubting the Bengals. I've always liked Carson Palmer. I'm glad to see him back and healthy.
Houston at Indianapolis - This will be a good game. Houston is #2 in the division. They look good. They always play well against Indy. In the end, I say Indy will be the only remaining undefeated at the close of the week.
Miami at New England - This is painful to choose. I'll be happy if I'm wrong. Miami did go nuts on NE with the Wildcat last year, but the Patriots are clicking and Brady looks healthy. All I'm asking is that Miami beats up the Pats a little bit as we head into next week.
Green Bay at Tampa Bay - The battle of the Bays. Well, at least two teams with "Bay" in their name are playing. Not going to be much of a battle.
Kansas City at Jacksonville - Out on a limb on this one. I say LJs benching will spark KC and Cassell will be clicking.
Carolina at New Orleans - Carolina is better than their record. This is the upset special, by far.
Detroit at Seattle
Tennessee at San Francisco
San Diego at NY Giants - Giants are overdue for a win. San Diego is struggling.
Dallas at Philadelphia - Miles Austin has arrived.
Pittsburgh at Denver - Denver, it was fun while it lasted.

The Terrific 2s: Pre-Birth

2009-11-05T10:40:00.005-05:00

I'll be highlighting 2 memories/stories throughout the 2 years Katylynn entered our life.

Before Katylynn was born.

Fort Wayne Restaurant: We met a17 year old girl named Emily and her mom Candy. It was the first of two meetings prior to Katylynn's birth. Walking into the restaurant, I was tempted to treat it like an "interview" where we needed to sell ourselves to this gal and her mother. At the same time, Janelle and I both knew that we simply had to bring ourselves, share our story, get to know them, and see what God wanted to do.
I had a lot of questions about what we were doing. The whole possibility of this adoption came to us so quickly and the birth was nearly 2 months away. We walked into that restaurant unsure if we were going to pursue it. We walked out certain that we needed to go through the application process. With what could only be God's direction, we had made our choice.
The Phone Call: It was October 23, just 5 days after the tornado had touched down in Nappanee. I had a nasty flu bug that just wasn't going away. I had hugged the porcelein 20 minutes prior to the phone ringing. I heard Janelle:
"Hello"
(pause)
"O, Hi Gina"
I knew this was it, we were about to receive the news. Gina is the adoption coordinator we worked with. In the midst of exhaustion from disaster relief work and a sickness that I was about to hear news that would change everything for us from that point forward. Janelle screamed with delight, ran back to the bedroom and said, "Derry, we're going to have a baby!"
My less than enthusiastic post-puky response was "That's great!" My internal joy was unmatched!

The Terrific 2s: Quick Hits

2009-11-04T11:26:00.005-05:00

First 2 words (not sure which was first):

Daddy
Ball

Current 2 favorite words:

Mine
No (fantastic)

2 Phrases she uses that make me laugh every time she says them:

"I got the jumpies."
"I got poopies."

2 Favorite TV shows:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Handy Manny
Honorable Mention - Special Agent Oso (Drives Janelle nuts, so she doesn't watch it much)

The 2 Books I have read to her the most:

Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?
Guess How Much I love You?

2 Favorite Stuffed Animals:

Ninnie (big Minnie Doll... not to be confused with her other two Minnie dolls "Baby Ninnie" and "Little Ninnie")
Bubby (Quite possibly the ugliest pink Easter Bunny doll I've ever seen).

2 Favorite Foods:

Grapes.
White Cheese.

The Ordinary turning into Extraordinary or Being Faithful in the Little Things

2009-11-04T10:50:00.006-05:00

As we continue to move forward in our Kids In Need focus, it's been exciting to see where God is taking it. . As we've researched issues both at home and abroad, we've been moved by the injustices and needs facing kids. We want to do something. We're just a bunch of ordinary people desiring to see the extraordinary take place. The trick? You see, the issue of Kids In Need is so ridiculously overwhelming that we've had trouble coming up with a game plan for those whose hearts have been grabbed, we want to save every kid. We want to...

end world hunger
stop abortions
get basic health care to those who need
pay for kids to go to school
see every orphan off the streets and with a family
stop the trafficking to become prostitutes, slaves, or soldiers.

That's our ideal. That's the extraordinary we dream about. But the realist in each of us reminds us that we cannot do this. There's also a part of us that says, "I don't even know where to start."

I love how we're wrestling through this all, and I love the lessons I'm seeing us learn. Two blog posts I read this morning are evidence of this happening. They're worth a read.

Katherine Berkey is the heart and soul behind the upcoming 5K.I.N. Learn from her as she shares what she is learning in her post Extraordinary... I think not.

Geoff Cocanower is tearing it up as our in-residence Intern this year. Read some of his reflections in his post The Little things Matter!

The Terrific 2s: A Series

2009-11-03T16:51:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, November 8 an amazing little girl will celebrate her 2nd Birthday. In the spirit of the 33s series I did leading into B-day #33, I will be sharing "The terrific 2s". Highlighting 2 stories, pictures, people, moments or memories of the most amazing gift Janelle and I could ask for...

Two Sundays I'm Excited About

2009-11-03T14:22:00.002-05:00

This Sunday: First off, my daughter turns 2. More on that later. Second, as a part of our UNDER FIRE Series, we are focusing in on what it means to be spiritual multipliers for the sake of the kingdom. Pastor Dave will be highlighting the story of a lady that started volunteering at NMC Senior High as a Bethel Student, and has had a profound impact on many young gals. Many of those young gals have gone on to impact others who have impacted others. Her name was Janelle Lister. Her name is now Janelle Prenkert. It's a Sunday you won't want to miss.

Next Sunday: I'm in the box, and it's all about Kids In Need. Some students will be helping me with the message. I'm excited about the entire weekend and the amount of students who will be giving sacrificially of their time, talents and treasures to seriously address Kids In Need at home and around the world.

Youtubesday: Had a Bad Day

2009-11-03T10:35:00.001-05:00

Cue Daniel Powter...

My Little Elephant

2009-10-30T08:20:00.008-04:00

One of the things Katylynn's birth mother talked to us about was how much she loved dressing up for Halloween and going Trick or Treating.

My mom is an amazing seamstress who has made some pretty awesome costumes for my nephews including eeyore, Bob the Builder, Mickey Mouse, Batman & Robin, and (this year) Calvin and Hobbes.

Last year, Katylynn was Minnie Mouse. She didn't go Trick or Treating, but she wore the outfit for her birthday party as well as when we went to Disney in December:
This year, it was time for Katylynn's first Trick or Treating experience. As we thought about her costume for this year, many ideas were thrown out. We decided to go with something in honor of the first animal noise she learned:

She got down saying "Trick or Treat." She didn't quite get down that you only take one candy when they offer you some. She captured the heart of several people as we stopped at their door. She also earned some extra candy at a couple stops by making her elephant noise (pursing her lips and blowing). She had a ton of fun.

We may have had even more fun than she did.

As we do this, we honor two amazing ladies who have been instrumental in Katylynn's life.

*This is what I call my "Where the Wild Things Are" picture.

NFL Pick 'em: Week 8

2009-10-28T23:34:00.002-04:00

Houston at Buffalo
Cleveland at Chicago
Seattle at Dallas
St. Louis at Detroit
Denver at Baltimore
San Francisco at Indianapolis
Miami at NY Jets
NY Giants at Philadelphia
Jacksonville at Tennessee
Oakland at San Diego
Carolina at Arizona
Minnesota at Green Bay
Atlanta at New Orleans

So, to review, I believe...
... the three undefeateds will stay undefeated.
... St Louis will get their first win in the "who cares" matchup of the week.
... the Titans will stay defeated.
... "Brett's revenge" will feel a little incomplete as he splits with his old team.

K.I.N. - Two Big Events

2009-10-28T11:54:00.004-04:00

AN ESTIMATED 1000,000 ROMANIAN KIDS ARE INSTITUTIONALIZED IN ORPHANGES. EVERY YEAR, 1 MILLION+ LEGAL ABORTIONS ARE PERFORMED IN THE UNITED STATES. 1 EVERY 30 SECONDS.

This event is the vision and dream of an NMC student and is being organized by NMC Students. The 5K Run/ 1 Mile walk is an effort spread awareness and raise financial support for two ministries that are seeking to make a difference for the sake of Kids In Need… one locally and one globally.

Reason Enough to Act (RETA) is an organization that fights the growth of abortion rates, by counseling individuals to be great parents and alternatives to abortion.

Romania Orphanage - Pastor Corneliu from Maranatha Baptist Church in Romania is someone NMC has partnered with. Pastor Corneliu works closely with a government run orphanage to provide hope and love of Christ to those without parents.

Cost: $15 by 10/31/09; $20 after until race day.
No shirt guaranteed if registering after 10/31.
Register at NMC or online by visiting www.helpingkidsinneed.com/events/5kin.

EVERY YEAR 2.1 MILLION KIDS ARE ORPHANED BY AIDS. 1 EVERY 15 SECONDS.

This student organized event is an opportunity for the church body to come alongside the AGC Baby Center in Ngata, Kenya. Items will be auctioned off Silent style with all proceeds going to Abigail’s Fund (providing the necessary funding to house and care for orphans at the Baby Center).

Opportunities to get involved:

DONATE: Donate valuable items (autographed memorabilia, electronic equipment, antiques) or create something (photography, art, wood working) that can be a part of the auction.
Donation deadline is Sunday, Nov. 8. Items can be dropped off at the Student Ministries office (located just inside Entrance G). Check out some ideas at www.rwandanight.com

BID: Take part in bidding on the items that have been placed in the auction both live at NMC and online at www.helpingkidsinneed.com from Saturday, Nov. 14 through Sunday, Nov. 22.

Still Want a Shirt?

2009-10-28T11:47:00.002-04:00

Did you not order a shirt, but still want one?
We have a limitted supply of both t-shirts available.
They are $15 each and all proceeds go to help our adoption.
Call, email, text, facebook either Janelle and I and we can hook you up.

Light Switches and Closing Doors

2009-10-27T16:07:00.003-04:00

I don't know if there is a technical term for it, but my daughter is in what I'll call the "light switch and door" phase. She will stand next to the light switch and say, "Up, Daddy." I pick her up, and she flips the light switch up and down, up and down, watching the light turn off and on, off and on. She loves to watch the room light up when she flips the switch. The door adventures work a little different. If a door is open, she loves to push or pull it shut. Once the door is shut, there is a level of frustration that sets in with her. She struggles to reach the knob and she hasn't figured out how to turn it to get it back open.

From a spiritual sense, the tween and teen years (5th-12th Grade) are very much a "light switch and door" phase. It is a time to see students' spiritual light bulb switch from religion to an authentic relationship with Christ. When the light turns on, it's exciting to see. These years also serve as a point where students are faced with opportunities, choices, and temptations that often result in them spiritually closing the door. It is a heartbreaking experience to see this happen, but it is also extremely exciting to watch as students work through the steps to figure out how to turn the door knob in order to open it back up.

What we're doing at NMC Student Ministries is seeking to create "light bulb" moments or opportunities to "open the door" in the lives of 5th-12th students.

Wednesday Nights filled with biblical teaching, age appropriate worship, and opportunities for CHANGE.
Sunday Morning Youth Classes where students can begin to GROW.
Small Groups/ Workshops that help students CONNECT with each other and caring adults.
An initiative where students are seeking to ENGAGE the issue of Kids In Need both at home and around the world.
Continual challenge to students to be spiritual reproducers as they MULTIPLY!

It's worth the efforts. God is on the move in and through students! Thank you for allowing us to provide a space where the door can be opened and the light can be switched on!