This is probably more for me than anyone else but I thought it would be fun to recap the crazy summer that it was!

Camp job - From mid-March through August I worked part-time as the Director of Cedar Canyon Camp (the Dakota District camp of the Wesleyan Church). I worked primarily on publicity, summer staff hiring, big picture financial stuff, and pitching in where needed to help the camp run. I learned a ton through this experience and definitely gained a newfound appreciaton for the rigors of running a camp! My longtime friend Richie Brannon moved out for the summer and worked as our staff supervisor. I'm confident that was the best decision of his life ;-)

Jury Duty - I sat on a 'grand theft by deception' case for three days. Despite the massive interruption to life, it was an enriching experience. I learned heaps about our legal system and learned that I do have it in me to find someone guilty when needed.

Softball - After winning the church league softball championship last year, we came out of the gate 0-5 this year! The good news is we turned it around and finished the season around .500. Come tournament time we had some folks missing and were demolished. It was a good season though.

Alex's Visit - Our church partners with a church in Mexico City, Mexico. Their pastor, Alex Sicilia, came up to Rapid City for a visit in early June. Brandon, Alex, and I had such an amazing time together! We hiked around in the hills, walked to the top of the Crazy Horse monument, sat in a B-1 bomber, climbed around in a mine, and had some great conversations through it all. His message at our church that Sunday was incredible! I have come to love Pastor Alex and his family as my own family. (Look at the bottom half of THIS page to see some great pictures.)

Premarital Counseling - Brooke and I squeezed in about a half dozen visits to a local Christian counselor. While we wouldn't say this experience was life-changing, it did usually lead to some good discussions afterwards. From what we hear from our friends, post-marital counseling is where it's at!

Mt. Rainier Trip - No doubt a highlight experience! Read HERE.

Parents Visit - My parent came out to the Black Hills for the third time since I've lived here. They hit it hard! They took in Devil's Tower, the Badlands, Wind Cave Nat'l Park, the Needles Highway, Bear Country, and a bunch more. They reminded me that this is a premiere destination in the US for active vacationers. I love my folks and love spending time with them! Memorable experiences were playing cards most nights and seeing my dad on the high ropes course...Ha! I also loved that they were there for the following...

Ordination - On June 24 I became an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church. Dr. Jerry Pence led the service and my father was able to pray for me and share some special words. It was a moving experience.

Roof the Church - This wouldn't seem like a highlight but it really was. It's quite a bonding experience to roof a 15,000 sq ft roof over the course of several days. We had some great talks up there ;-)

Tri-State Youth Camp - One of the highlights of my summer was being the camp speaker at the Tri-State District Youth Camp (OK, MO, & AR). There were about 160 students, and they were awesome! God did some amazing things and it was exciting to see over 20 people baptized on the last day!

Jr High Camp & Sr High Camp - Unlike most districts, Dakota District has two full weeks of youth camp. It's always a blast, and it's always moving. My favorite times are late night kicking back hanging with the students.

Baptism at the Lake - Brandon and I baptized seven people on a beautiful summer afternoon in July. We picked one of the most scenic spots in the Black Hills, on the beach of Lake Sheridan. We had about 75 people from our church out for a fun afternoon and baptism celebration. It really felt like community.

Road Trip to Michigan City, IN for Family Vacation - Brooke and I spent the week before we were married with my family. Our rental cottage there is starting to become a summer home for the Kinds. Just a short walk from a lovely Lake Michigan beach, it's hard to beat. But really everyone knows this week is about the little ones. I love spending time with my nieces and nephew!

Wedding - In a summer full of highlights, this one takes the cake so to speak. In the deepest sense it was a beautiful day! We felt loved by all as we bound our love together with one another. Read more HERE.

Honeymoon - We'll always remember this trip as a fantastic week! It will be the bar by which we measure future trips. Read more about it HERE.

Rapid City Wedding Reception - Brooke and I hosted our Rapid City reception at a local golf course pro shop. It was a lovely setting and it was a joy to celebrate with our South Dakota family.

Flight around the Black Hills - A friend here in the area, Ryan Koontz, is a pilot and offered to take me up in his father-in-law's plane. We cruised around the Black Hills for about 90 minutes. It was gorgeous! I even got to control the plane for about 15 minutes.

FUEL Youth Pastors Conference - A little too soon after getting married I traveled to Orlando for a training conference. The resort/hotel was astounding, the speaker (Efrem Smith) was phenomenal, and connecting with old friends is hard to beat. A neat perk was being able to lead a roundtable discussion on "Discipleship in Youth Ministry".