Joshua House plans to sell the Tyrone Armory and expand programming to Altoona

For over 20 years, Joshua House has been focused on helping youth find purpose.  Today, we are announcing our plans to sell the Tyrone Armory and expand our programming to Altoona.  

We feel the need in this season to shift our efforts from running a facility back to program development.  As an organization, this is a necessary step for us in continuing our vision to reach the next generation, help them find their purpose and equip them to live it out. The Tyrone Armory is truly an amazing building and a hub for the community.  In preparing to sell it, we wanted to find someone who could carry out the vision for the Armory to continue to be a community hub (Currently, it is home to Horseshoe Volleyball Club and the Tyrone Fitness Center). 

It is our sincere joy to announce that Nathan and Tracy Verilla are purchasing the Tyrone Armory.  Both Nathan and Tracy were involved with Joshua House in the early days and have a heart for the people of Tyrone.  The Verillas are after the heartbeat of God for the next generation and will build upon what has been established at the Armory for the community.  

From left to right: Theron Glenny, Mizpah Glenny, Tracy Verilla, Nathan Verilla, Jim Kilmartin, Jessica Kilmartin

““For over 20 years, our aim has been to positively impact the lives of our youth and see them become world changers. We have provided camps, races, leagues, and many activities in hopes to be a catalyst for young people to connect with God and find purpose. When I started in 1998, I didn’t know what it would look like but it has been amazing to see how many people have been blessed. We’ve taken teens whitewater rafting, to Niagara Falls, to the Jersey Shore, inner city Baltimore, Detroit, Toronto, Guatemala, Belize, & Madagascar.  For me, it has been a privilege and a tremendous honor to serve the Tyrone community for all of these years. Now, I am excited for Nathan and Tracy Verilla to take over the reins of developing the Tyrone Armory as a Hub for the Tyrone community and region.”  - Jim Kilmartin, Founder of Joshua House”

Below are some questions we anticipate being asked.  For any additional questions, please contact Theron Glenny or Jim Kilmartin.  Their emails are theron@joshuahouse.com & jim@joshuahouse.com.

Won’t Joshua House need a building to operate? 

• For the amount of programming we had planned, Joshua House programming does not take up near the capacity of the Armory, which is why we had amazing renters like Horseshoe Volleyball Club, Centre Soccer Association and Tyrone Fitness.  

• When we do programming from now on, if we need indoor space, we will simply rent space at the location where we want to do the program. This way, we won’t be tied to operating and taking care of a specific building and can more fully focus on our mission.

Will Joshua House stop working in Tyrone?  

No.  We plan to continue offering programs in Tyrone, but not sure on what basis.  At a minimum, we want to continue the Tyrone Roller Hockey League and Cross-town Basketball League in the Armory, and we will be able to rent space from the new owners.  

It’s important to note that Jim and Jessica Kilmartin and the Joshua House team have always had a heart for this region so we believe that in future years, in addition to offering programs in Tyrone and Altoona, we will offer programs in other towns and cities. Our donor and volunteer base is very regional.  With Pastor Jim and Jess overseeing Center City Church and providing oversight to Joshua House, our donor base and volunteer base has significantly increased regionally as Center City Church has grown. 

Is Joshua House relocating to another town? 

We are not sure where our physical address will be, but we do know in addition to offering programming in Tyrone, we will begin to offer programs in Altoona. 

Is HoopsFest canceled this Summer? 

Unfortunately, yes. We were really hoping to have it this July to celebrate the 20th anniversary.  We plan to now hold the 20th anniversary of HoopsFest Summer of 2021.

Joshua House COVID-19 Update

Dear friend,

We hope you and your family are doing well and are staying safe during these unusual times. 

We are acutely aware of the fact that this pandemic may be impacting each one of us differently and with various levels of severity. As for Josha House, we are still dedicated to our mission of helping youth find purpose. While we have temporarily closed the Tyrone Armory and paused all programs to adhere to our state leaders’ decisions, we are thankful for the technology we have to continue building relationships with teenagers during this time.  

We know this is a complicated and somewhat confusing time. Here are a few things to remember: 

• This too will pass 

• God is God

• This presents another opportunity to be a light in darkness and share the Hope of Jesus 

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Amidst this pandemic, we would like to thank our donors and volunteers who provide support throughout the year. You are incredibly instrumental in helping us reach the next generation.  Without you, we would not be able to push through these times. Just as many businesses have been affected, our rental revenue has declined quickly since our facility cannot remain open. We know our God is good and will provide. We look forward to the day we can reopen and continue our programs to help youth walk their path to purpose to learn important skills that will help them live out everything God created them to be and do.

Although we have hit the ‘pause button’ on our programs, we believe our programs will be a vital source of life for our community and region once this pandemic passes.  You can learn about Joshua House’s ‘Path to Purpose’ and 2020 programs at www.JoshuaHouse.com.  

There’s a prayer (from Numbers 6:24-26) the Lord once gave to Moses that we are praying over you today…

“The Lord bless you and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you];

The Lord make His face shine upon you [with favor], and be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness];

The Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], and give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].” 

To our donors, volunteers, and the youth that we serve...if you are in need, we’re here to help. We’re here to pray with you, provide words of encouragement, and connect you to services available in our community. 

Sincerely,

The Joshua House team

Taking the Lead: Understanding Timing

When I was younger, I was ready to take on the world and wanted to do something great. I had zeal, excitement, and a lot of energy but I didn’t have a lot of understanding or wisdom. We must realize if we are to have authority in any area we must have the favor of God AND the favor of man on their lives. In fact, even Jesus himself kept “increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men,” (Luke 2:52).

King David is a great example of this principle. Samuel the prophet was instructed by God to anoint a man king from the house of Jesse. The Prophet went to Jesse’s house and commanded all of his sons to pass before him. When the last of seven sons stood before Samuel, the Prophet was bewildered, “are these all of your children?” Samuel inquired. “No, there remains yet the youngest, and he is tending the sheep,” Jesse replied. “Send and bring him to me,” Samuel insisted.

When David finally arrived at the house, the Lord said to Samuel, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward,” (See 1Samuel 16:1-13). If you didn’t know the biblical account, you probably would assume that David became king that day. But the fact is David didn’t become king for fourteen long years! 

Finally King Saul died in battle and “the men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah,” (2 Samuel 2:4). And then seven years later, “all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel,” (2 Samuel 5:3). It’s important to note here that David was anointed to be king three different times; once by God (through Samuel), and twice by men.

The point that I’m trying to make here is that God may have called you to be in a specific area, but until the leaders in that metron (sphere of authority) recognize, invite, and empower you to have influence and authority, you are only a leader to yourself. And John Maxwell says, “He who leads and has no followers is only taking a walk.”

A Note from Derek Vaughn, Site Director - March 2020

Cross-Town season is approaching PLAYOFFS!  Week 5 is in the books and the teams are ready to go back at it next weekend.  If you are unaware of this basketball league, let me share with you the mission and purpose of it. 
   

Cross-Town Basketball League is a league we offer students in grades 7th through 12th who are not on a high school varsity team.  You would be amazed at how many youth love the game of basketball and want a chance to play on a level higher than street ball.  We bring in PIAA certified referees for these games to give the youth a real experience of how it is to play organized ball.  We draft players, host games on Fridays/Saturdays and hold practices on Wednesdays.  Basketball is a wonderful sport and a great way to connect with the youth which is why we created the league.
   

This league gives us the opportunity to connect with the youth and preach the gospel to them.  During our practices, we take time to see how the youth are doing.  The coaches will ask the players how school is going, how their week has been, what goals that want to accomplish.  We usually share random facts as well.  Facts like, ‘if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?”.  Personally, I would love to see Rome.  We spend time in growing relationships as teammates.  Getting to know one another aside from the desire to play ball.  We also have faith talks with the players. One of our coaches will share a part of their journey with Christ.  How they chose to accept Him into their life and chose to follow Him.  I am always amazed with the conversations we have with the players because every story is different.  Every coach has had a different walk to/with Christ and that makes the program special. 

The players are from many different walks of life that each story sheds a little light on theirs.  I have seen some youth completely transformed after participating in this league.  The practices hold the heart beat of this program.  The true purpose of its creation.  These practices continue during the duration of the season.
   

Please consider attending one of these games as we would love to see your face in the stands!   

Another date to mark on your calendar is Saturday, March 14th.  We will be hosting our Annual Saint Patricks Day 5k/10k Race.  With awards given to the top three men and women in each age bracket.  We also have a 50 yard dash for kids ages 10 and younger.  This 50 yard dash is free and the participants will receive chocolate gold coins for running it!  We also have a bag piper to welcome the runners before the race kicks off at 8:30 AM.  For more information and to register, please visit our website at joshuahouse.com!

What is your testimony?

If you are on a walk with Christ, you have a testimony. Often we only consider the start of our relationship with Him as our testimony. But it's an ongoing story, and we write a chapter each day. 

Too often, we focus on the bad moments that God turned around for us, and not the minor ways in which He talks to and interacts with us. 

But those little things are daily miracles. 

Do you notice them? Do you hear God when he speaks to you?

Those are excellent questions to ask yourself. And if you think that you don't hear God or that you don't know how to hear Him - that's where a church community and your pastors can help. 

For me personally, God often speaks to me when I am reading His Word, or completely lost in worship, or deep in prayer, or even working out at the gym (without distraction). 

When we eliminate distraction and seek Him, we often hear God with clarity. Sometimes it's a thought, a dream, or an idea to take action on. 

The thing is, God wants more of us. He wants to be able to speak with us and to be in a relationship. He wants relationship with us in the highs and the lows of life. Our testimony is formed through every season of life.

As humans, we tend to go to Christ most often when we need something. But He wants us to be His daily ambassador; to treat people as He would, to pray with and over His children, to serve Him by serving others. Maybe most importantly, He wants us to lead others back to Him.

So, as we gear up for a new year, let's reflect on how we serve God. 

Do we do it daily? 
Or, do we only turn to him in times of need? 

Regardless of the answer, you can write a new chapter in your testimony starting now. 

-Jim

A Note from Derek Vaughn, Site Director - December 2019

Let me start off by saying, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had the opportunity to spend it with family and friends!  This year, like every year, Joshua House has been blessed by all of the volunteers, donors, and those who attended our Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner.  We had a record breaking 525 meals served!  How incredible!  In case you were unaware, we host this event every year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  Be sure to mark it on your calendar for 2020 as we would LOVE to break bread with you, serve with you, and see how you are doing.

2019 Champs - Lakers

I am very excited to announce that our Cross-Town Basketball League will be starting up this month!  This program is one that we provide to students in 7th to 12th grades throughout the area who love the game of basketball and love to have fun.  Last year we had 4 teams and hope to expand on that this year.  If you have a child or grandchild that is interested, please sign them up because this league is a blast! Let me give you some important dates and then we will dive into the purpose of the league.

• Open Gym: December 28th from 5:30 to 7:30

• Open Gym: January 8th from 5:30 to 7:30

• Last Day of Registration: January 10th

• First Practice: January 15th from 5:30 to 7:30

• First Game: January 18th from 5:30 to 7:30

• League runs January to beginning of March

• Registration Fee: $25 per player

• Register on: www.joshuahouse.com/cross-town

Proverbs 3:6 states ‘In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.’  The wonderful thing about the league is that it gives us the opportunity to connect with youth in a sport they love and share our testimony of faith.  Last year I was able to lead a student to Christ and cannot tell you how thankful I am for that interaction and this league.

When I spoke to that youth, he conveyed to me uncontrollable feelings of rage and unforgiveness, feelings of destruction.  He asked how he could stop those feelings, and how he can overcome them.  He knew Jesus but never submitted his life to Him.  We spoke and prayed together.  He asked Christ to come into his life and into his heart.  That youth has never been the same since.  He is always eager to help, eager to learn.  I am very proud of that young man and who he is becoming.  He has been an example to me as to why Joshua House exists and why Cross-Town is such a cool thing to be a part of.

Not all stories of our attendees are like this, but, to me, that is ok.  Joshua House has been a safe haven to many youth who are struggling, have feelings of unforgiveness and need a place to feel accepted.  We have been here to give guidance and love, and without support from people like you, we would not be able to do this. So, thank you for supporting us and giving us the opportunity to have impact.  The Armory has truly become a place that a lot of youth call home.

Since this will be the final monthly update of the year, I would like to, on behalf of Joshua House, wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!  Make sure to spend some time with your loved ones and celebrate.  Celebrate the year in passing, the year ahead, and the birth of our Savior.  I admit, I sometimes get caught in the frills and thrills of Christmas with preparing for dinner and gifts and hosting friends and family from out of town, but I do not want to push the true meaning aside.  This year I will be sure to take the time to truly celebrate Jesus and all that He has done.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you and have a very Merry Christmas!!

-Derek

A Note from Derek Vaughn, Site Director - November 2019

Thanksgiving Day is so close! For us here at Joshua House that means a very busy and exciting time as we host our Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, November 26th. In case you have never heard of it, this dinner is provided to the community for FREE as a way for us to give back and to give thanks! We host this event at 926 Logan Ave, Tyrone (The Tyrone Armory) from 4:30 until 6:30 PM. Last year we were able to serve 400 meals and hope to serve even more for this year!

I absolutely love this season and this event! It gives us the opportunity to see what a wonderful heart our community has between those who donate food, donate their time to serve or cook and recognize what a blessing giving can be. We get to see old friends, make new ones and feed multiple families who may or may not otherwise enjoy a home cooked Thanksgiving Day meal. If you wish to volunteer or have items to donate please call me at (814) 684-2032.

Attention basketball enthusiasts in grade 7th to 12th! Our Cross-Town Basketball League registration is NOW OPEN! This league offers a chance for those who are not on the school varsity team to show off their skills or enjoy an upbeat and friendly competition in a sport we know well and love. We have three open gyms this year.

• December 18th

• December 28th

• January 8th.

All open gyms and practices are from 5:30 until 7:30 PM.

Registration must be completed by January 10th as coaches will be drafting their teams the day after.

Registration fees are $25 to help cover the cost of official refs, awards, and jerseys.

Practices will start on Wednesday, January 15th and will continue to be held on Wednesdays for the remainder of the season.

Games will be on Saturdays. We’ll announce game dates soon.

For more info and to register, go to our Cross-town page.

From all of us here at Joshua House, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

-Derek

An Opportunity To Be A Blessing

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This holiday is a fantastic opportunity to slow down and reflect on all of the blessings in your life. I encourage you to start a Thanksgiving list and write down everything for which you are thankful. I’ll get you started: God’s love for each of us, our amazing town, the renovation of the Armory, the kids that come to Joshua House, and HoopsFest! There you go, you are off and running. What else can you identify and thank God for in praise? Psalm 100:4 is a pattern that we should live our lives by, “Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”

Keeping in mind that for some people, the holidays are not pleasant, what can you do to bless your neighbors or people in your community? For the last 19 years we have provided a Thanksgiving dinner for the community, and it is such a joy seeing friends, family, and newcomers gather together. Last year we served 450 meals, and we expect to do so again this year.

Many times we focus only on ourselves and ask to be blessed, but we have an amazing opportunity to go be a blessing. Ask your pastor or a community leader how you can serve during these holidays, and then go step out of your comfort zone. It is truly amazing how much it will bless your heart when you intentionally reach out and bless someone else.

I want to encourage you today to go be a blessing!

Blessings, and see you soon!

Jim

A Note From Derek Vaughn, Tyrone Site Director - October 2019

FALL. IS. HERE! A little fact about myself, I love Fall! Football is in season, leaves are changing, the chill of the morning welcomes your day and all my favorite holidays are on its way. The most obvious, Thanksgiving!

I remember being a young boy and going to my grandparents house where all three floors of their home were filled with laughter, story telling, kids running around and the delicious smell of thanksgiving dinner in the air.

The Thanksgiving Dinner is a great way for teens to learn the value of serving others. Desert anyone?

Here at Joshua House we like to celebrate God’s faithfulness by hosting a community Thanksgiving dinner the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We have been so blessed to be able to provide this to our area year after year for free! Last year we served over 400 meals and are hoping to serve even more next month. This is all made possible because of our wonderful volunteers who dedicate their time to cook all of the turkeys, the stuffing, mashed potatoes, cookies and so on. I can smell the goodness! Can’t you? I cannot express enough how thankful I am for our volunteers and donors.

If you have never come to this event this note is my invitation to you to come break bread with us on November 26th at the Armory (926 Logan Ave). You’ll most likely see old friends, make new ones and have a delicious meal. For us, it’s a chance to give back and to share God’s love. It brings me such overwhelming joy to be a part of this and I am sure you will feel the same.

If you are interested in donating or volunteering we would LOVE to have you play a part. Please message our Facebook page or reach out to me directly.

I wanted to also give you a reminder about the Fall Classic - our beautiful 5K, 9 mile and Kids SuperHero costume 1 mile race. The Fall Classic is on Saturday, October 26th at Reservoir Park. You can register here.

God bless!

-Derek

What Is Your 'WHY'?

What’s your WHY? Every leader has a ’why’, something that drives them, something that motivates them, something that moves them. I have run 4 marathons in my life and each time I hit a wall where I was tempted to give up and walk off of the course. A marathon is 26.2 miles if run perfectly along the tangent but often it is longer because of making wider turns or running around people. During my first marathon, I hit the wall at mile 20 and didn’t know if I could go on as my legs cramped terribly. I realized I did not train adequately for the speed I was running at that distance but I resolved deep inside of me I would not quit and I would finish.

Those next 6.2 miles were painful, miserable, and dare I say comical (I can elaborate if you ever want to hear about it more). You see, I had a ‘why’ behind my first marathon. Yes, it was the pride of finishing and getting that Runner of Steel medal but it was more about running on behalf of Joshua House. I was representing the organization and vision of Joshua House and that kept me going as each mile I dedicated to something or someone within this amazing organization. My ‘why’ was the young man who decided not to commit suicide but is now a dad, a family man, and business owner. My ‘why’ was the young girl that was forgotten about and never given a chance who later traveled to Guatemala and Belize to minister to kids in the Ghettos and orphanages and now has a family and is a supervisor in her place of work. My why was for my kids to see that with hard work and determination you can accomplish some crazy exciting feats.

Your ‘why’ will change at times in your life and that is ok. Vision is always developing and adjusting but what should never change is your values. When you walk with God, it is an amazing journey and He has put a ‘why’ deep inside of you. Today I pray that you step back to look and listen to what that ‘why’ is so that it can and will drive you to pursue the very things that God has created you to fulfill. You were made on purpose for a purpose and your ‘why’ is what helps you push through those dark times because it is what helps you focus on keeping the main thing, the main thing.

Keep Focusing on Him,
Jim Kilmartin, Founder

In the Absence of Leadership, Lead!

Edmund Burke, an Irish Orator stated, The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This quote has rocked my life for a long time and has driven me to want to stand up and make a difference. It was 21 years ago that I heard God call me back to my hometown, and there He broke my heart for the youth in our communities. Just the other day, I was asked to speak at a high school class, and I recalled to them why I started Joshua House. The reason was simple; there was a void, an absence, a lack of direction, and hope for the younger generations! There was a real need to reach out to these kids and inspire them with a message of hope, purpose, and destiny.

Life is different 21 years later, but the message of hope and purpose is still very relevant. We see too many young people’s lives swept away by addiction, suicide, and depression. Our heart is to create more than just a refuge for the kids to retreat to but to provide a community of support to empower them to overcome obstacles and generational cycles that have held them back. Joshua in the Bible could have looked at the giants in the promised land or the fortified wall at Jericho and retreated in despair. Instead, he was known to be of a different spirit, the spirit of an overcomer. At Joshua House, we want to educate and encourage young men and women that will be world changers.

We are looking for more people that have the heart to help inspire young Joshuas. We have many activities and programs, consider getting involved and leading with us to impact a generation for the Kingdom of God!

A Note From Derek Vaughn, Tyrone Site Director - September 2019

It has been an excellent summer for myself and Joshua House! As some of you may know this has been my first year as Site Director and I cannot express enough how grateful I am to be a part of this organization, to carry out our purpose in helping the community and our youth.

We had quite a summer! Here are some highlights:

• For our 19th year of HoopsFest, we had over 200 teams, representing 10 different states (not to mention surviving the high heat index!). Be on the look out for HoopsFest 20th year plans!

• Took a group of 50 teenagers to Compassion Commission in Baltimore. We helped clean up throughout the city, minister to people and build a home for a vet.

• We started a new program called ‘Above the Rim’ which was held on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month led my local basketball legend, Drew Shubik who played D1 college ball and a year of pro ball oversees. We had at least 12 teens come each time where we played basketball, ate pizza together and Drew would share powerful messages.

• This was the first year for a new event called ’SportsFest’ held at Lakemont Park in Altoona. This event had three three-on-three tournaments - basketball, volleyball and dek hockey. Though a smaller event than HoopsFest, it was a blessing to be able to give Blair County another opportunity to relate sports to faith and have it as an avenue of outreach.

Our 2019 Compassion Commission Crew

I can't tell you how excited I am that school is back in session! That means our AfterSchool program has begun. The Summer is a busy time for many so seeing some kids who were off the grid during the Summer is great. Our attendance is strong and we're looking to build off of last year with implementing an incentive program, creating volunteer opportunities, scheduled speaker nights and much more. This program was created for the purpose providing a safe place where our youth can come and feel welcomed, wanted and given direction in life.

Also, be sure to sign up for the Fall Classic coming up on October 26th. It's a favorite in the area because the beautiful Fall scenery at Tyrone's Reservoir Park and for the yummy food at the end. Pumpkin muffins...oh yeah!

-Derek

Press Release - Announcing SportsFEST

Joshua House announces 1st annual SportsFest to be held in Altoona PA - August 3, 2019

Altoona, PA | July 1st, 2019 – The goal of this event is to increase awareness and raise funds to support, the Joshua House Community Center and its growth into surrounding communities of Central PA, while providing high quality and competitive athletic tournament for youth and adults in the region.

SportsFest will premiere in Altoona, PA, on August 3, 2019, as Joshua House celebrates the 19th consecutive year hosting its marquis event, HoopsFest, which is the largest 3-on3 basketball tournament in the northeast run by the organization out of Tyrone, PA.

SportsFest, will expand on the foundation built with HoopsFest and launch a sister event, introducing an all-new sports related line up that will include dek hockey and volleyball tournaments for both youth and adult teams at the newly renovated Lakemont Park, in Altoona. A 3-on-3 Volleyball Tournament will have divisions for 16U Boys/Girls, 18U Boys/Girls, Women’s Competitive and Men’s Competitive. A 3-on-3 Dek Hockey Tournament has 10U, 14U, 18U and Adult Rec Adult Competitive divisions. 3- on-3 basketball will be open to 12U Boys/Girls, 14U Boys/Girls, 16U Boys/Girls, 18U Boys/Girls, Women’s Open, Men’s Rec, and Men’s Competitive teams. The cost to register a team is $100 per tournament, per event.

“The athletic tournaments and fundraising for Joshua House are designed to support our goals to equip our youth. We accomplish this by supporting them as they build lives based on faith. The goals include mentoring them to create strong relationships, develop positive self- awareness, entrepreneurial spirit, and servant leadership. This year we are focusing both HoopsFest and SportsFest on “breakthroughs” for all involved with the events.” said founder Jim Kilmartin, who goes on to say, “It is such an honor to be able to host people from all over our community in successful sports tournaments. As always, we could not bring these quality programs to the area without the sponsors who help to make these events exciting and successful fundraisers.

As this is SportsFest's inaugural event in the Altoona area, we are actively seeking sponsors and volunteers, as well as teams and participants. We are excited to bring this to Altoona and the new Lakemont Park! Like with the success of our HoopsFest events, we strive to provide a quality event for many years to come."

About Joshua House

Joshua House’s Mission is to Help Youth Find Purpose by providing a community that offers after-school mentors and a sense of belonging, along with programs that support these efforts.

The Vision is to see generations of young people living out all that God created them to be and do. Joshua House began on the belief that every person has a 'promised land.’ Just as the biblical character, Joshua led the Israelites into their promised land, we help youth understand their promised land, their purpose in life. Joshua House is a place where people find their purpose in Jesus Christ through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that the presence of God changes lives, we seek to be a catalyst in bringing this generation into God’s life-changing presence.

HoopsFest and the newly formed SportsFest launched as programs that enhance and support the Joshua House mission. For more information on becoming a sponsor, volunteering or attending SportsFest, please contact Brittany Solomon at brittany@joshuahouse.com.

Media inquiries, please contact angiey@yazogroup.com

Values - The Foundational Walls Of Your Family Culture

Creating Your Family Culture - Part 2

 

By Theron Glenny

Inside (& outside) the Tyrone Armory, you truly get the sense the building is immovable.  The castle-like structure was constructed in the early 1900s with large stones that provide a strong foundation to hold large steel beams that you can see visually from the inside.  Every time I give someone a tour of the Armory, they typically make the statement, ‘Wow! They sure don’t make them like this anymore’.  They are referring to the strength and robustness of the steel beams.  They are truly impressive!  And, if you haven’t seen them, you should stop by and take a look. 

Inside of the Armory. Notice the stone walls and steel beams.

The reason why the steel beams can exist is because of the strength of the Armory’s foundation - the stone walls.  The foundation is steady, strong and dependable.  In our last article, I wrote about creating your family culture.   Just like the construction of the Armory’s walls, culture doesn’t happen overnight.  It takes significant time, effort and focus to build something strong enough to hold the weight of your family’s purpose.  Culture is an environment that is formed from the collective actions (& behaviors) of a family over time. 

This article should help you build your family’s culture so your family grows healthy and accomplishes everything God designed it to.  Culture is an environment you create that will build identity and character, but begins with a set of values.  Values are like the stones in the Armory’s walls.  They provide a foundation that shapes your character and reflects your culture.  Values are designed to influence your decisions, behaviors and actions.  Think about it, all great companies and sports teams built a culture that shaped the character of the team because of the values it lived by.  When a team embraces the core values it defines, it begins to build momentum to accomplish its mission.   

Here are some examples of values:

• Take responsibility for our actions

• Love each other unconditionally

• Forgive each other quickly

• Be un-offendable (one of my favorites!)

• Be humble and operate with an underdog mentality

• Be honest with each other even when it’s tough

• Serve others with joy

• Work with excellence, for it honors God and inspires people

Do you see how these values can powerfully influence your daily home and work environment?  

They are like the bumper lanes at the bowling alley.  They keep you in the right lane so you accomplish your goal, which is striking the pins.  Without shared values like the ones above, it’s impossible to stay in the lane with others in your family or on your team.  Culture is strongest when shared values are defined, agreed upon and lived out. 

If you haven’t defined your family values, please take time to do so. They’ll unify your family and set you on a course to create a powerful family culture that can last generations.  

Note: I listed a lot of examples above, but you do not have to have a ton of core values.  Actually, the more you have the harder it is to fully embrace them because a larger list of ten or more values prohibits your family members from actually remembering them.  Four to six is a healthy amount of values. 

We started Arrow Warriors to give parents resources to help them raise up their children to prepare them for life. Psalms 127:4 says “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” We believe children are a blessing from the Lord. Every kid was created on purpose for a purpose. Our job as a parent, like a warrior with their bow and quiver of arrows, is to aim our children and release them to hit their targets.

Click the Arrow Warrior image to get more parenting resources.

Creating Your Family Culture

By Theron Glenny

One year I bought my Dad an apple tree for Father’s Day.  My long-term plan was to buy a fruit tree every year on Father’s Day and eventually, he would have a small orchard for his grandkids to pick fruit from.  Great idea right?  I thought so too, but one problem.  I didn’t realize how much work it takes to steward the growth of an apple tree.  I literally thought I could just plant the tree in the ground and let it grow fruit. Wrong!  Did you know that it takes four years for a fruit tree to produce fruit?  I can assure you this fact was a surprise to me.  It was also a huge surprise to me how much tender-loving care a fruit tree needs to grow.  

Sadly, the orchard never materialized as all the trees I had bought died.  Weeds grew up all around them, gypsy moths and other bugs took over and deer browsed on the branches.  Those trees didn’t have a prayer because I didn’t plan well enough to take care of them so they could grow.  

I tell you this story because as my kids get older I’m finding more and more that my wife and I have to be very intentional about their growth.  Where I messed up the most with the fruit trees was cultivating the right environment for them to grow.  Smart fruit tree farmers know that you have to clear all the weeds and kill them off so they do not come back.  You also have to put fencing up so deer and other animals don’t eat the tree. In addition, you have to water the tree regularly and not solely depend on rainfall.  There are other dynamics as well but you likely get the picture.  I didn’t create the environment needed to foster development and growth.  

Environment and culture are synonymous.  What culture are you creating at your home to foster your family's growth?  

Are you clearing the weeds out?  What are the weeds? What currently sucks life out of your family?  Is your culture positive?  What tv shows do you have on?  What music do you listen to?  In the evening, do you just turn on the tv and watch shows all night or do you try to have real conversations with your family?  What is your bed time routine with your kids?  What is your morning routine?  How do you talk to each other?  How do you pray together?  What words do you declare over each other? 

I’m tossing out a ton of questions because they are too important to overlook.  They all speak to the kind of culture you are building at your home.  Research has increasingly shown the culture of a company cannot be ignored.  Sujan Patel writes, "Companies often take a passive approach to culture. They figure it's not something they can control - or that they need to control. If they leave it alone, it'll all work itself out.”  

Doesn’t this sound like my approach to fruit trees - plant them, leave them alone and they’ll grow?  Basically, ‘It’ll all work itself out’.  I see this applying to parenting too.  Sometimes as parents, we take a passive approach to our family culture because we don’t think it’s something we can influence.  If we embrace a passive mentality to building culture, we make a huge mistake.

I like what Patel writes and I’m going to spin a few of his points on culture so they speak to us as parents.  

1. Culture builds identity - Every family has an identity. What is yours? What is your family known for? What do you want your family to be known for? And, what type of culture can you create as a parent that will produce the identity you desire?

2. Culture increases the loyalty bond of a family - When a family has a culture that includes a set of values it operates by, it forms an unshakable bond the family shares. What are the values you and your family want to establish in your home?

3. Culture attracts - As humans, we are attracted to clarity. Why do we love watching movies? Because movies have clear stories that capture our imagination. Clarifying your culture will attract your family and in the toughest of times, when confusion seems to be all around you, your culture and it’s values will stand as lighthouses showing your family the way to live together.

Our home culture is something we as parents can influence and must influence.  Don’t be passive about building culture.  Please don’t put it on the shelf for a rainy day.  It’s too important.  As parents, we have to create the right environment for our family to grow and prosper.  It starts with us being intentional.  

#cleartheweeds

We started Arrow Warriors to give parents resources to help them raise up their children to prepare them for life. Psalms 127:4 says “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” We believe children are a blessing from the Lord. Every kid was created on purpose for a purpose. Our job as a parent, like a warrior with their bow and quiver of arrows, is to aim our children and release them to hit their targets.

Click the Arrow Warrior image to get more parenting resources.

How To Hit Your Targets This Year - Part 4 of 4

BY THERON GLENNY

Over the last four articles, we have been helping you formulate a plan for the new year that includes a set of goals you feel confident and excited about. Here’s a brief recap of each of those articles: 

• Wrap up the previous year and then capture on paper the dreams you have for the new year.   To wrap up the previous year, look back and write down what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what you’d do differently last year. You’ll learn a ton by doing this.  Then, since the new year is a fresh start where dreams often come alive again, write down a list of things you want to see happen in the new year.  
• Identify your Areas of Life (AOLs). Segmenting the areas of your life is foundational so it’s easier to know where to put your goals.  That way we are not putting a list of work/career goals on the same list with family goals. Having one comprehensive list of goals is confusing and overwhelming.  Our brains need to be able to segment and place where things fit.  We need swim lanes.  Understanding our swim lanes/AOLs help keep us focused on our goals. 
• Downsize your list of dreams/goals so they are manageable.  When your goal list is too big, it becomes overwhelming, causing you to lose faith that your goals can be accomplished. When it’s too big, it’s also hard to know what to focus on each day. Just pick one or two goals to put in each AOL.  This may be hard for you to scale down your list, but it is absolutely necessary.  If you don’t, your list will be a junk drawer of cluttered wishes.  
• Put your list of goals in a place where you see them every day and talk to other regularly about them. As humans, we forget quickly at times.  Putting your goals up in places you frequent will decrease the odds of forgetting about the inspiration you put on paper.  Also, schedule reoccurring times with others to review your goals.  Whether it’s with your spouse, a couple of friends, or mentors, it should be people you trust and that you can receive feedback from without getting offended.  Remember, you have goals you feel passionate about accomplishing.  If you don’t look at them or talk about your progress regularly, then you risk not remembering ‘why’ you set them and you’ll get burnout and frustrated and end up not accomplishing them.

Now that you have your plan for the year on paper, the next step is to understand the reality of what those goals represent in time, effort and resources.  It’s always wise to 'count the cost' by understanding the time, effort and resources you’ll spend on accomplishing what God has put in your heart to do.  

In Luke 14:28, Jesus said "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.”  Counting the cost is a reality check.  It’s a gut check.  I’m not advocating that you need to do an in-depth analysis on what each goal will require, but rather, having a general idea in mind so you understand what you are committing yourself to.  Without understanding what is required of you to accomplish what’s on your list, you subscribe to naivety unintentionally.  

Once you ‘count the cost’ then it’s time to take the final step before it’s time to take action - commit them to God.  Why should you commit your plans to the Lord?  Because you’ll need His guidance along the way.  

Here are two scripture verses that will serve you well: 

• Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. - Proverbs 16:3
• Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.  - Psalm 37:5

Committing your works/ways to the Lord are committing to accomplish your goals with His help.  Set aside some time to pray.  Get with God alone and be honest with Him.  If you are like me, you know that you need His help.  Personally, there’s no way I can accomplish what’s on my list without His help.  Let’s commit to Him our plans and trust that He will give us what’s needed to bring the plans to pass.  

We hope these articles help make this year the best yet for you.  Please reach out if you have any questions or if we can help in any way.  We are cheering for you!  With God’s help, you can do it!  Philippians 4:13 says “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength.” 

How To Hit Your Targets This Year - Goal Setting Part 3 of 4

Learn From My Failures: How To Hit Your Targets This Year - Goal Setting Part 3 of 4

By Theron Glenny

Here at Joshua House, we are passionate about helping people find purpose and live their purpose out.  Your life is like an arrow.  It’s got a flight and it’s meant to hit targets. In the last two articles, we have helped you take your dreams and goals for the new year and create a manageable list you can realistically pursue and accomplish.  We did this by…

• helping you identify the areas of your life (AOLs) in the season you are in, and…
• encouraging you to only choose one or two goals to put under each of your AOLs

Many make the mistake of having too many goals, which can become overwhelming very fast.   Now that you have a solid list of AOLs and goals to target, your focus is pointed.  

This next tip I’m about to give you is crucial.  For me, it was a missing ingredient in helping me accomplish my goals.  For years, I've identified my AOLs and been selective with goals by only choosing one or two goals for each area of my life.  I learned this next tip from my job selling sales engagement software to sales and marketing leaders in mid-market to enterprise level companies.  Every sales person has a quota they are trying to hit.  They have a revenue number they are going after.  It’s their goal.  Their yearly goal is broken down into monthly goals.  Every sales person knows their number very well.  Why?  Because they are responsible to hit it in order for the company to grow and because every week, they meet with their leaders to discuss where they are in relation to their goal.  

My point in telling you this is that a sales person’s goals and where they stand in relation to their goals are viewed by more than just themselves.  Their colleagues, manager and senior leaders know. Everyone has visibility.  Because there is visibility, there is accountability.  Without visibility and accountability, you run the risk of not focusing on goals you spent a ton of time identifying.  

Here’s what works for me, put your list of goals in a place where you see them every day.  For you, maybe it’s on your refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, or on your desk at work.  If you can, put them in multiple places.  Put them where you have to look at them.  The point is for your goals not to get lost or forgotten causing you not to remember the inspiration you had at the beginning of the year.  

The second recommendation is to schedule re-occuring times with others to review your goals.  Whether it’s with your spouse, a couple of friends, or mentors, it should be people you trust and that you can receive feedback from without getting offended.  Proverbs 15:22 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed."  Remember, you have goals you feel passionate about accomplishing.  If you don’t look at them or talk about your progress regularly, then you risk not remembering ‘why’ you set them and you’ll get burnout and frustrated and end up not accomplishing them.  Author Jon Gordon says, “ people don’t experience burnout because of what they do, but because they forget why they do it.”    

Pro tip: If your goals are important to you and your family, utilize your calendar to block time off to regularly work towards your goals.  My philosophy is, if it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t get done.  Block time off.  Schedule it.  In your brain, blocking time off on your calendar gives you permission to work on your goals.  It will help you prioritize your schedule to work on what matters most to you.

How to hit your targets this year - Goal Setting Part 2 of 4

Learn From My Failures: How To Hit Your Targets This Year - Goal Setting Part 2 of 4

By Theron Glenny

Growing up, when we needed a rubber band, battery, screw or nail, there was one place to look, the junk drawer. Do you have a junk drawer?  Maybe you even have a cabinet where you throw your clutter. It’s likely the place where you stuff items when a visitor comes. We have one too.  Everyone does.  They are very useful at times.  The problem with junk drawers and cabinets is when you really want to find something, good luck!  They’re a mess.  Stuff is everywhere so it’s hard to find what you need when you need it.  

In the last couple articles, we’ve been discussing dreams and goals for the new year.  In our last article, I shared the importance of segmenting the areas of your life so it’s easier to know where to put your goals.  Having one comprehensive list of goals is confusing and overwhelming.  Our brains need to be able to segment and place where things fit.  We need swim lanes.  Understanding our swim lanes help keep us focused on our goals. I call these swim lanes, 'areas of life'.  In every season of life, we have areas of life (AOLs).  Some examples of AOLs could be your family, career, volunteer work, hobby, etc. Failure to identify AOLs will cause confusion about the main focuses you have in the season you are in.  

Now that you have your areas of life defined, take your list of dreams and goals for the new year and put them under the right AOLs.  This helps your brain see where they fit.  Many times, we make a goal list and it’s so big and unorganized that its like a junk drawer.  In the past I’ve made the mistake of having too big of a list.  When your goal list is too big, it becomes overwhelming, causing you to lose faith that your goals can be accomplished. When it’s too big, it’s also hard to know what to focus on each day. 

Don’t go overboard with goals or there will be too many and you will get overwhelmed.  The result will be frustration and dissatisfaction because you didn’t accomplish it. I’ve been there.  I’ve made this mistake way too many times.  

Here’s the secret.  Just pick one or two goals to put in each AOL.  This may be hard for you to scale down your list, but it is absolutely necessary.  If you don’t, your list will be a junk drawer of cluttered wishes.  

Pro tip: If you are unsure of what to focus on for the year and there are multiple projects you desire to go after, consider writing a 1-page business plan on each one defining each project, it’s scope, why you want to do it, what it will accomplish in it’s impact to others, financial commitments, etc…and then present each plan to some close friends/advisors to get their opinion.  I’ve done this and it really helped me clarify what I’m to focus on.  This allowed me to take a list of dozens of possible goals for the year down to 4-5 that I can be laser focused on.

In the next article, I’ll share with you a secret in how to keep momentum to accomplish your goals this year.  Hint:  It’s where you put them and who sees them.

How to hit your targets this year - Goal Setting Part 1 of 4

Learn From My Failures: How To Hit Your Targets This Year - Goal Setting Part 1 of 4

By: Theron Glenny

 

Here at Joshua House, we are passionate about helping people find purpose and live their purpose out.  Your life is like an arrow.  It’s got a flight and it’s meant to hit targets. What targets do you want to hit this year?   In our last article, How to prepare your family for a new year, we left you with a list of questions to ask yourselves to help you think about your new year.  The questions were designed to tap into your heart and get you dreaming and thinking of what could be this year.  

In this article, we focus on how to take those dreams and act on them. Before we get into ‘how', you have to know first, that I have hated goal setting for years.  Hate is a strong word I know, but is very appropriate for how I felt towards goals.  Why is it that people who teach goal setting make it seem so easy?  This drives me nuts.  Why the sour taste?  In the past, I have rarely hit or completed goals I've set.  If you are like me, you also hate the feeling of losing and not being successful.    

This article, the first in a series of four, is a labor of love because I’m sharing with you my failures and how my failures can help you…

1. Not make the same mistakes I did, causing you not to succeed
2. Turn the dreams God puts in your heart into goals you can target and ultimately hit. 

I personally love dreaming and getting ideas that God gives me out onto paper.  The challenge that many people never overcome is vetting the ideas, turning them into goals and then executing them.  I’ve struggled with this as well. This is not an easy thing.  But, today, let me give you a starting place.  If you haven’t already go back to our last article and spend some time answering the questions we give.  It will help you tremendously with what I’m about to share. 

Failure #1 - Not identifying your areas of life. 

Having one comprehensive list of goals is confusing and overwhelming.  Our brains need to be able to segment and place where things fit.  We need swim lanes.  Understanding our swim lanes help keep us focused on our goals. I call these swim lanes, 'areas of life'.  In every season of life, we have areas of life (AOLs).  Failure to identify AOLs will cause confusion about the main focuses you have in the season you are in.  

For me, my AOLs right now are: 

1. Family (includes my marriage, parenting, finances, and personal stuff)
2. Work (my occupation) - normally with your occupation, you’ll have a set of goals you and your company leadership set together. 
3. Ministry/Community service - for me, this is my work with Joshua House and our church. 

Everything I do in life falls in one of these three buckets.  Yours may be similar or different.  

For a teenager, it could be: 

1. Personal
2. Family
3. School
4. Sports

Again, these are just examples.  Now it’s time to identify yours.  What are your areas of life?  Take a few minutes to identify your areas of life and write them down.

Next, take a look at the your answers to the questions we asked in our last article and see if you can put your answers (your dreams/ideas/wishes/goals) into your AOLs.  Where do they fit?  Put them in the correct swim lane. Here’s an example:

1. Family (includes my marriage, parenting, finances, and personal stuff)

• Go to the gym 3x/week
• Take family on vacation in July
• Save $____
• Read 5 new books

2. Work (your occupation)

• Generate $_____ revenue for company
• Develop new product line ______.  

3. Ministry/Community service - for me, this is my work with Joshua House and our church. 

• Give $_____ to ________.
• Volunteer 10 hrs/mth every month @ _______. 

In the next three articles in this series, we’ll help you take what you’ve identified and give you specific tips (learned from my failures) to help you accomplish your goals.  

How to Prepare Your Family for a New Year

By Theron and Mizpah Glenny

The beginning of the year is always one of our favorite times.  There’s a newness about it…a fresh start, a new beginning.  Dreams come alive again.  Our wheels start spinning again as the potential of what could be floods into our brains.  We get that sparkle in our eyes and smile on our face.  As we enter into this new year, it’s important to capture these sparks so you can identify which sparks to grind.  

In this article, we want to share the process we use to put a bow on the previous year by wrapping it up properly so we have legs to leap into the next year.  We share the questions we not only ask ourselves, but also our kids.  It allows them to think deeply and journal their answers, which make beautiful memories to remember years from now. 

Please note, we strongly encourage you to set aside 1-2 hours to do this.  We’ve learned that if something is really important to us, we schedule it on the calendar so our brains know the time is set aside.  So, reserve some time for yourself and your family.  The clarity you’ll get doing the exercise will make the pain of blocking the time off well worth it. 

Before you start thinking about the new year, first look back on the previous year and write down what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what you’d do differently.  Here are some questions you and your kids can ask yourselves:

• What were your favorite moments?

• What brought you the most satisfaction?

• What did you learn last year?

• What new friendship did you start? And why do you enjoy being friends with them?

• What was your favorite book you read?

• What was something hard you faced? Did you overcome it and if so, how?

• What scripture or piece of advice really helped you?

• Would you change anything or do anything different?

Once you answer these questions, you should feel good about moving on to start thinking about this new year, but be sure to take the time as a family to share.  Don’t feel pressure to share everything as there may be things you don’t want to share, but it’s important to share some things in order for you and your kids to connect to the story God wrote in you as a family the previous year. 

Now, time to think about the new year!  Here are some questions to ask yourselves (and be sure to write down your answers):

• What do you want to accomplish, and why?

• What are some fun things you want to do?

• What person(s) do you want to be closer to?

• How will you serve others this year?

• What are some things you’d like to learn this year? Are there areas of your life you want to grow and mature in?

• What book(s) are you going to read?

• What mentors will you seek counsel from? Another way to ask this is, who do you want to learn from this year?

• What could hold you back from accomplishing what you wrote above? …and, how will you overcome the fear with God’s help?

As mentioned before, be open to sharing your answers with each other.  Knowing what is in each person's heart to do in the new year provides another connection point and an opportunity to encourage each other.

In the next article, we’ll focus on helping you overcome fears and limitations.  We believe this year is a year of ’no limits’ and want to equip you and your family to be all that God wants you to be this new year.  

Please reach out to us and let us know how the above questions helped you and your kids prepare for an amazing new year.  We want to hear some stories.  

The article above also appeared in the Tyrone Daily Herald. 

We started Arrow Warriors to give parents resources to help them raise up their children to prepare them for life. Psalms 127:4 says “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” We believe children are a blessing from the Lord. Every kid was created on purpose for a purpose. Our job as a parent, like a warrior with their bow and quiver of arrows, is to aim our children and release them to hit their targets.

Click the Arrow Warrior image to get more parenting resources.