Hey Parents,
Hope you're having a great week...here's some info about what's going on in our student ministry this week:
1. IGNITE is TONIGHT! We'll have some worship, play Look Up, Look Down, and close out our study series on the elements of the Easter story and how they play out through the whole of Scripture. Doors for The Attic open @ 5:45 PM...hope to see your students there!
2. This Sunday morning, we'll be talking about masturbation with our students. This is one of the most dreaded topics of discussion for parents, students....well just about everybody. So why are we talking about it?? That's easy...because it's something our students struggle with right now, or will struggle with in the upcoming years. Our girls will also be talking a little bit about how God designed the heart of a woman and will discuss the importance of guarding not only their bodies, but their hearts as well!
It should be an interesting morning...make sure to send you students Sunday morning!
3. Sunday nights, we have been having a great time in our "Recess" class. We've had some great discussion, talked through some tough issues and most importantly, we've lifted our kids up in prayer. I really want to encourage you as parents to come give it a try...we only have 2 more weeks together before the summer schedule hits, so come this Sunday night and hang out! We start up at 6:00 in The Attic....and you can drop your students off for their Bible studies as well!
We've been averaging about 15 girls on Sunday nights and 6 guys....and about 17 parents!!
4. This past week, our first Centrifuge deposit was due. If you forgot to pay or just missed out getting your student signed up, you can do so this week. Right now we have a group of about 25 going, but there are still plenty of spots available.
Also, we have folks in the church who are offering to sponsor any students who want to go to camp, but just can't afford it right not, so please don't let finances be a roadblock to your student coming to camp!
I hope you all have a great week...a thought for you as we close out today:
Forget About It
In the February issue of Scientific American Mind they had an article all about your memory and learning how to erase distractions. It challenges the idea that the brain is simply a "passive storage unit." The editors suggested that your mind "behaves like a seamstress who sews concepts from the threads of vital information while snipping away extraneous material."
According to the special report, "the best memory is not the one that holds the most data, but the one that can deftly distinguish between the pieces to keep and those to discard." The brain is evidently intricately designed to prioritize information. Without that ability our memories would be overloaded with so much negative, superfluous and competing content that we would ultimately shutdown or go insane.
The brain is amazing. What you can learn to forget or remember definitely helps you survive. It's the reason why-
You forget the details of walking in on your parents when they were....
A baby doesn't remember getting circumcised.
A wife is willing to give birth to another child.
Someone can love again after they have been deeply hurt.
People can start over after a natural disaster.
No one really remembers a politician's promises.
I'm thankful for my brain's ability to filter through so much irrelevant and negative information. The mind's skill to prioritize may be more critical than we realize.
How to stay focused on what is most important may be the most important thing you ever teach your kids. Life is really about sorting through and organizing countless experiences, relationships, and even extraneous material so that whatever is most critical is never forgotten. There are a number of ways we communicate what's important to our kids.
The questions we ask.
What we do with our time.
The stories we tell.
I wonder sometimes what our kid's brains will remember as the important stuff. I had a discussion with my parents a few weeks ago about things I remember growing up and things I don't. It's interesting how some of the things they reminded me of I had completely forgotten. I could make a list right now, but I suspect your brain would discard it pretty quickly. So, I will just give you one memory that I have never forgotten.
When I was eight, I heard my dad stand in front of a group of kids and explain how he became a Christian. It is a very vivid and clear memory even though it happened 26 years ago. For whatever reason, my brain logged it as critical data and it was permanently stamped into my memory. Since then, millions of pieces of information have been discarded, but not that one.
There's a book out called Sticky Faith written by Dr. Kara Powell. Over the past few years, her team has done countless interviews with teenagers. One of her leaders recently asked a group of teenagers individually if their parents had ever told them the story of how they became a Christian. They were surprised that not one teenager knew how or when their parents had started pursuing a relationship with God.
I happen to believe the spiritual dimension of a child's life is important. And although a lot of us are not sure how to talk about spiritual issues with our children, one simple way would just be to tell the story of how your faith started. I personally think it will be something your children will always remember.
With all of the stuff they will hear while they are living in your house, that one piece of information will probably stick in their brain. It did in mine. It's just a thought. What if you can act on it, before you forget it?
Have a great week,
Jeff
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
This Week @ FBCG: When Hormones Attack Edition
Hey Parents,
Just a couple of things for you this week:
1. IGNITE is TONIGHT....Doors for The Attic open @ 5:45 PM. Tonight we'll be playing a game called Clusters and we'll continue our look at the Easter story as it relates to the entire whole of Scripture and not just pull it out for a once-a-year story like we commonly do. Hope to see your students there tonight!
2. This coming Sunday morning, we'll be talking with students about the questions "How Far Is Too Far" as part of our Pure Sex series. I want you to know that we will be addressing this issue from a Biblical standpoint Sunday morning, but I highly encourage you to have a talk with your student about setting boundaries and ways that you can help them to avoid situations that will make sticking to those boundaries difficult. (I know that the thought of talking about this with your kids is not a pleasant thought!) We've had 2 great weeks of discussion so far, and we're looking forward to another one this Sunday!
3. Sunday night, our girls kick off a new Bible Study on the book of James at the Kelly house and the guys will continue their study on courage in the life of a Christian at Josh's house...both start @ 6 PM.
4. Recess, our parent time, will be in The Attic, Sunday night @ 6 PM....come hang out for some snacks, fun and some good conversation about raising students! Hope to see you there!
5. Sunday, a $50 deposit is due for those students who are going to Centrifuge with us this summer. There is still time to sign up and get your student registered. It will be a great week for them this summer, so make plans to send them with us! The trip is July 9-13 and the cost is $296. If you didn't get an information sheet in the mail, please let me know and we'll get one to you!
I hope everyone has a great finish to their week...a thought for you below to get you through to Sunday!
Preparing Your Kids for Life Online
Almost every parent I know worries about technology and their kids.
When should my child get a phone? Facebook? Be allowed to game? Get their own tablet or computer? How do I know what's really going on?
I think the natural default as parents is to think about imposing external limits. And external limits absolutely have a place. It's good to monitor content, set age limits, establish maximum screen times and more.
But three things in the last 5 years have changed how all of us - including our kids - interact with technology:
1. The rise of broadband. Can we just say you access a lot more with high speed connections, a lot more quickly, than on dial-up?
2. The emergence of mobile. Everyone has access, everywhere.
3. The influence of social networks. A big part of life has moved online, 24/7, and the pull is almost irresistible.
Five years ago, what your kids saw and did was so much easier to control externally. A family computer in a central location in the house with browser controls and parents nearby made it much easier to control where your kids went online. Limit screen time and voila, you had a policy.
Smartphones, tablets, netbooks and laptops require a completely different strategy. Most kids can be online all the time, wherever they go. And most of them are.
So what do you do?
I think one of the biggest shifts we can make as parents is to help our kids develop internal values that character brings, not just be guided by the external limits a parent imposes. Character, more than externally imposed limits, has the greatest potential to transform our children's lives online. The difference is important:
External limits say you avoid things because somebody's looking
Character says you avoid them because it's the right thing to do.
External limits restrict screen time because your dad imposed a schedule
Character limits your screen time because you realize there are other important things in life
External limits say you restrict your browsing because others won't let you go there
Character says you restrict your browsing because you won't let yourself go there.
Externally imposed limits never carry the power of internally imposed values, because eventually we all get to a place where no one else is looking. Every child grows up and moves out of the house. And if all they've had are externally enforced limits, it might be a long time before they realize that some things are simply not wise or good, even if they are permissible. And with handheld devices exploding, external limits don't work very well the moment your kids leave your sight.
It's our values that will carry the day when no one's looking. And with mobile, the times when no one's looking are far more frequent that when someone is.
Don't get me wrong, externally imposed limits have a place, especially when your kids are young's. They are critical. But our goal is to prepare our children for adulthood. Eventually it's up to them.
Here are three suggestions that can help you start the character conversation with your kids:
1. Describe the online world as a place with ample good and also some bad. If you're only negative about it, your kids won't trust your judgment. They realize there is tremendous good available online.
2. Talk honestly about the limits of externally imposed guidelines. Explain that they'll be in situations where its 100% up to them to decide what's right and wrong, and help them prepare for those moments.
3. Encourage feedback from them about their time alone online. Some kids naturally want parental input, some naturally resist it. Create a safe dialogue where they can come to you honestly about what they're struggling with. If you can refrain from judging them or lecturing them on the things they could have done differently, you'll find they are much more willing to talk to you.
This is not at all a comprehensive list; this is new territory for many parents. So feel free to let me know and suggestions or thought you have to help our students navigate the growing world of life online.
Jeff
Just a couple of things for you this week:
1. IGNITE is TONIGHT....Doors for The Attic open @ 5:45 PM. Tonight we'll be playing a game called Clusters and we'll continue our look at the Easter story as it relates to the entire whole of Scripture and not just pull it out for a once-a-year story like we commonly do. Hope to see your students there tonight!
2. This coming Sunday morning, we'll be talking with students about the questions "How Far Is Too Far" as part of our Pure Sex series. I want you to know that we will be addressing this issue from a Biblical standpoint Sunday morning, but I highly encourage you to have a talk with your student about setting boundaries and ways that you can help them to avoid situations that will make sticking to those boundaries difficult. (I know that the thought of talking about this with your kids is not a pleasant thought!) We've had 2 great weeks of discussion so far, and we're looking forward to another one this Sunday!
3. Sunday night, our girls kick off a new Bible Study on the book of James at the Kelly house and the guys will continue their study on courage in the life of a Christian at Josh's house...both start @ 6 PM.
4. Recess, our parent time, will be in The Attic, Sunday night @ 6 PM....come hang out for some snacks, fun and some good conversation about raising students! Hope to see you there!
5. Sunday, a $50 deposit is due for those students who are going to Centrifuge with us this summer. There is still time to sign up and get your student registered. It will be a great week for them this summer, so make plans to send them with us! The trip is July 9-13 and the cost is $296. If you didn't get an information sheet in the mail, please let me know and we'll get one to you!
I hope everyone has a great finish to their week...a thought for you below to get you through to Sunday!
Preparing Your Kids for Life Online
Almost every parent I know worries about technology and their kids.
When should my child get a phone? Facebook? Be allowed to game? Get their own tablet or computer? How do I know what's really going on?
I think the natural default as parents is to think about imposing external limits. And external limits absolutely have a place. It's good to monitor content, set age limits, establish maximum screen times and more.
But three things in the last 5 years have changed how all of us - including our kids - interact with technology:
1. The rise of broadband. Can we just say you access a lot more with high speed connections, a lot more quickly, than on dial-up?
2. The emergence of mobile. Everyone has access, everywhere.
3. The influence of social networks. A big part of life has moved online, 24/7, and the pull is almost irresistible.
Five years ago, what your kids saw and did was so much easier to control externally. A family computer in a central location in the house with browser controls and parents nearby made it much easier to control where your kids went online. Limit screen time and voila, you had a policy.
Smartphones, tablets, netbooks and laptops require a completely different strategy. Most kids can be online all the time, wherever they go. And most of them are.
So what do you do?
I think one of the biggest shifts we can make as parents is to help our kids develop internal values that character brings, not just be guided by the external limits a parent imposes. Character, more than externally imposed limits, has the greatest potential to transform our children's lives online. The difference is important:
External limits say you avoid things because somebody's looking
Character says you avoid them because it's the right thing to do.
External limits restrict screen time because your dad imposed a schedule
Character limits your screen time because you realize there are other important things in life
External limits say you restrict your browsing because others won't let you go there
Character says you restrict your browsing because you won't let yourself go there.
Externally imposed limits never carry the power of internally imposed values, because eventually we all get to a place where no one else is looking. Every child grows up and moves out of the house. And if all they've had are externally enforced limits, it might be a long time before they realize that some things are simply not wise or good, even if they are permissible. And with handheld devices exploding, external limits don't work very well the moment your kids leave your sight.
It's our values that will carry the day when no one's looking. And with mobile, the times when no one's looking are far more frequent that when someone is.
Don't get me wrong, externally imposed limits have a place, especially when your kids are young's. They are critical. But our goal is to prepare our children for adulthood. Eventually it's up to them.
Here are three suggestions that can help you start the character conversation with your kids:
1. Describe the online world as a place with ample good and also some bad. If you're only negative about it, your kids won't trust your judgment. They realize there is tremendous good available online.
2. Talk honestly about the limits of externally imposed guidelines. Explain that they'll be in situations where its 100% up to them to decide what's right and wrong, and help them prepare for those moments.
3. Encourage feedback from them about their time alone online. Some kids naturally want parental input, some naturally resist it. Create a safe dialogue where they can come to you honestly about what they're struggling with. If you can refrain from judging them or lecturing them on the things they could have done differently, you'll find they are much more willing to talk to you.
This is not at all a comprehensive list; this is new territory for many parents. So feel free to let me know and suggestions or thought you have to help our students navigate the growing world of life online.
Jeff
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
This Week @ FBCG: Porn Edition
Hey Parents,
It's Spring Break week for most of our students, so hopefully you're finding some time to enjoy this beautiful weather with your students this week! A couple of things we want to make you aware of this week:
1. IGNITE is TONIGHT! We're gonna play a game called "Poop Deck" (not in anyway as gross or inappropriate as the name suggests!), have some trivia about one of everybody's favorite things.....bread!! Then we're take a look at the significance and symbolism that bread has throughout Scripture as we talk about God being our provision! Doors open @ 5:45! Hope to see your students there!
2. Sunday night, we'll be back to our regular schedule....Girls bible study at the Kelly house, guys Bible study at Josh's house, and of course "Recess" - our time for parents will be up in The Attic @ 6 PM. I really encourage you to come and give it a try....we had a good group of 20 our first week and we had some good time playing together, talking together and praying together!!
3. Last Sunday, we started our Pure Sex series in Sunday School and it was a great and powerful morning as we challenged our students to think about the idea of purity and what role it's going to play in their lives moving forward.
This week we're going to be tackling pornography and media messaging which is transforming our culture into a sex-driven monster. We'll be very frank about the truth behind porn and show the dangers that it can pose to our students as individuals and also to their future relationships.
Also, if you're a parent who is concerned about the effects of porn on your family, and honestly it's getting to the point where most of us should have at least a small amount of worry about this issue, I would like to suggest a resource to you. MANY of our young males are struggling with the temptation to find porn on computers, smartphones, gaming consoles, etc....The accessibility of porn is at a level unlike anything we've ever experienced. If this concerns you, check out the website x3watch.com. It's basically a set of software you can install on your computers and for $7 a month it monitors the websites and videos that are visited. It also allows for an accountability partner to be assigned to your computer....for example your child's website activity can be sent as a report to you as a parent, to a youth pastor, sunday school teacher, etc... This brings a new facet to this type of technology that makes it not just a policing software, but one with the ability to allow for students to have someone to hold them to what they're doing online. If you have any questions, please feel free to grab me and we can chat about this!
4. You should be getting a letter this week with information concerning Centrifuge 2012 at Panama City Beach. It includes the dates, info about track times, and also the payment schedule for deposits and balance payments over the next several months.
I hope you have a great week...and a thought for you below:
Is Technology Killing Your Family?
I kind of like technology. You might say I'm a bit addicted.
There are two people who live my house - me and my wife, (Crystal would say that our dog Aubie counts too, but I disagree!) Today, between the two of us we have 2 iPhones, a Macbook, an XBox360, a PS3, a Kindle, and a strong desire for an iPad. Throw our TV and Netflix and Hulu into the mix and it's a little ridiculous.
Or is it? It is the 21st Century after all. This scene gets played out all over North America. After dinner, your daughter is on Facebooking her friends. Your son is gaming, obsessively trying to get to the next level. You're on your laptop and your spouse is texting a friend while the two of you are watching TV.
The challenge this poses is simple. Everyone is connecting with someone - just not with the people in the room.
So, who's to blame? It's easy to finger technology for creating a relational disconnect. According to a recent study, only 35 percent of tweens and teens feel emotionally close to their dads, and only 59 percent feel emotionally close to their moms.
We can pretend that life was simpler back in the day before WiFi left no room unconnected. When you're struggling to have a conversation with your kids, and between the Wii and YouTube you can't get a word in edge-wise, it's natural to think technology has killed your family.
I'm not sure it's that simple. Here's a question to wrestle with: What if technology isn't good or evil, but simply reveals and amplifies what's already there?
There may indeed be a relational disconnect, but many of us grew up in a home where the primary activity we shared decades ago was watching TV. (Ironically, that' still the number one activity parents and teens engage in together today.) And more than a few of us grew up in homes where relationship was hard to come by. Many children of the sixties, seventies and eighties had parents who worked long hours, moms who were busy with friends, distracted by book clubs or endless housework, or dads who came home only to disappear to the golf course or to the garage to tinker all night. Distraction and disconnection aren't new.
Maybe technology is simply revealing and amplifying a problem that's been with us for a while.
Which is why I'm so glad you're reading this blog this week: relationships within families are worth fighting for and technology doesn't have to kill your family. In fact, technology gives us incredible opportunities and the potential for unprecedented connectedness. But like all things, it needs to be managed so it becomes a servant of what matters most - our relationship with God and each other.
Something else to think about: there's a reasonable likelihood technology is here to stay. So, our families need to learn how to manage it well.
Start this week by asking this question.....If all the technology in your home was removed tomorrow, what would be left of your relationships with your family?
I realize that can be a tough question, but tough questions can lead us to great places relationally. Especially if, like me, you like technology.
So, if the power went out and the WiFi and cable went down, what would be left of the relationships in your home?
See ya tonight or Sunday!
Jeff
It's Spring Break week for most of our students, so hopefully you're finding some time to enjoy this beautiful weather with your students this week! A couple of things we want to make you aware of this week:
1. IGNITE is TONIGHT! We're gonna play a game called "Poop Deck" (not in anyway as gross or inappropriate as the name suggests!), have some trivia about one of everybody's favorite things.....bread!! Then we're take a look at the significance and symbolism that bread has throughout Scripture as we talk about God being our provision! Doors open @ 5:45! Hope to see your students there!
2. Sunday night, we'll be back to our regular schedule....Girls bible study at the Kelly house, guys Bible study at Josh's house, and of course "Recess" - our time for parents will be up in The Attic @ 6 PM. I really encourage you to come and give it a try....we had a good group of 20 our first week and we had some good time playing together, talking together and praying together!!
3. Last Sunday, we started our Pure Sex series in Sunday School and it was a great and powerful morning as we challenged our students to think about the idea of purity and what role it's going to play in their lives moving forward.
This week we're going to be tackling pornography and media messaging which is transforming our culture into a sex-driven monster. We'll be very frank about the truth behind porn and show the dangers that it can pose to our students as individuals and also to their future relationships.
Also, if you're a parent who is concerned about the effects of porn on your family, and honestly it's getting to the point where most of us should have at least a small amount of worry about this issue, I would like to suggest a resource to you. MANY of our young males are struggling with the temptation to find porn on computers, smartphones, gaming consoles, etc....The accessibility of porn is at a level unlike anything we've ever experienced. If this concerns you, check out the website x3watch.com. It's basically a set of software you can install on your computers and for $7 a month it monitors the websites and videos that are visited. It also allows for an accountability partner to be assigned to your computer....for example your child's website activity can be sent as a report to you as a parent, to a youth pastor, sunday school teacher, etc... This brings a new facet to this type of technology that makes it not just a policing software, but one with the ability to allow for students to have someone to hold them to what they're doing online. If you have any questions, please feel free to grab me and we can chat about this!
4. You should be getting a letter this week with information concerning Centrifuge 2012 at Panama City Beach. It includes the dates, info about track times, and also the payment schedule for deposits and balance payments over the next several months.
I hope you have a great week...and a thought for you below:
Is Technology Killing Your Family?
I kind of like technology. You might say I'm a bit addicted.
There are two people who live my house - me and my wife, (Crystal would say that our dog Aubie counts too, but I disagree!) Today, between the two of us we have 2 iPhones, a Macbook, an XBox360, a PS3, a Kindle, and a strong desire for an iPad. Throw our TV and Netflix and Hulu into the mix and it's a little ridiculous.
Or is it? It is the 21st Century after all. This scene gets played out all over North America. After dinner, your daughter is on Facebooking her friends. Your son is gaming, obsessively trying to get to the next level. You're on your laptop and your spouse is texting a friend while the two of you are watching TV.
The challenge this poses is simple. Everyone is connecting with someone - just not with the people in the room.
So, who's to blame? It's easy to finger technology for creating a relational disconnect. According to a recent study, only 35 percent of tweens and teens feel emotionally close to their dads, and only 59 percent feel emotionally close to their moms.
We can pretend that life was simpler back in the day before WiFi left no room unconnected. When you're struggling to have a conversation with your kids, and between the Wii and YouTube you can't get a word in edge-wise, it's natural to think technology has killed your family.
I'm not sure it's that simple. Here's a question to wrestle with: What if technology isn't good or evil, but simply reveals and amplifies what's already there?
There may indeed be a relational disconnect, but many of us grew up in a home where the primary activity we shared decades ago was watching TV. (Ironically, that' still the number one activity parents and teens engage in together today.) And more than a few of us grew up in homes where relationship was hard to come by. Many children of the sixties, seventies and eighties had parents who worked long hours, moms who were busy with friends, distracted by book clubs or endless housework, or dads who came home only to disappear to the golf course or to the garage to tinker all night. Distraction and disconnection aren't new.
Maybe technology is simply revealing and amplifying a problem that's been with us for a while.
Which is why I'm so glad you're reading this blog this week: relationships within families are worth fighting for and technology doesn't have to kill your family. In fact, technology gives us incredible opportunities and the potential for unprecedented connectedness. But like all things, it needs to be managed so it becomes a servant of what matters most - our relationship with God and each other.
Something else to think about: there's a reasonable likelihood technology is here to stay. So, our families need to learn how to manage it well.
Start this week by asking this question.....If all the technology in your home was removed tomorrow, what would be left of your relationships with your family?
I realize that can be a tough question, but tough questions can lead us to great places relationally. Especially if, like me, you like technology.
So, if the power went out and the WiFi and cable went down, what would be left of the relationships in your home?
See ya tonight or Sunday!
Jeff
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
FBCG This Week: Winter Jam Edition!
Hey Parents,
I hope today's blog post is finding you in the middle of a wonderful week! Now, to give you guys some important info about things this week!
1. BIGNITE is TONIGHT!! We'll be having some Domino's and playing some Just Dance on the XBOX Kinnect tonight...should be a good time! We'd love to see ya so feel free to drop in! Doors to The Attic open @ 5:45!
2. Starting this Sunday morning, we'll begin a 5 week series called Pure Sex....hopefully each of you received some information concerning this series last week in the mail. This week we'll be discussing the topic of "What is Purity" and if it's still possible in this day and age. As always, if you have any questions or would like to see a copy of any information that we are covering, please let me know! We feel this is a very important series and so we hope you do to and will make it a point to send your students each week!
3. This Sunday night, March 11th is the Winter Jam concert at Bridgestone Arena. This is always a great time and our students always look forward to this event each year. We'll be leaving Sunday afternoon at 4:30 PM from the church and we'll return sometimes between 9:00 - 9:30 PM. The cost for this event is $10 which students pay at the door. Parents are welcome to join us if you need to get your concert fix too!
4. Due to Winter Jam, our girls and guys Bible studies will take this Sunday night off and meet back again on the 18th. Also our parents fellowship time, "Recess" will also take this week off while the students are at the concert.
5. Speaking of "Recess"....I just wanted to let you all know that we had a great group of 20 folks Sunday night to kick off our Parents time!! It was awesome! We played some Taboo where the ladies beat the guys by 1 point (thanks Mike!), ate some sweets provided by Julie and Kathy and had a good time sharing about our students. The most important thing that happened Sunday night was when we all went to the Lord in prayer for our kids....and we look forward to getting together to do it next Sunday, March 18th. If you couldn't make it this last week, make plans to join us on the 18th...it's gonna be good.
6. Sign-ups for summer camp, Centrifuge at Panama City Beach from July 9-13 are open on the website. The Cost for the trip is $296 and we need a "Hold My Spot for Camp" deposit of $50 by Sunday, March 25th. Just head over to fbcgoodlettsville.com/students to get your students signed up!
Another good and busy week here in our Student Ministry so make sure to have your students be a part of it! I pray for safe travel and good weather to all our families who will be heading out for a little down time during Spring Break! Check out a few thoughts below, and always if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns please give us some feedback!
A Story Worth Telling
Sometimes we don't like the stories that we're unwittingly written into. At other times, we realize that it may not be the story we imagined, but it's our story and we're going to find a way to live that story to its greatest potential.
Rick and Abbie Smith are examples of the "it's our story and we're going to live it well" idea.
When their son, Noah, was born with Down Syndrome, the Smiths realized they had a choice to make. That choice, to make a surprising story a better story from themselves and others, is being catalogued in Rick's blog, Noahsdad.com.
Rick and Abbie want to change attitudes about children born with Down Syndrome, a condition that occurs when the body has an extra chromosome. That one chromosome makes a difference, but the bigger difference comes from the people who aren't exactly sure how to respond or react to those who have it.
Noahsdad.com is working to change that. Change comes when stories are told, and Rick realized that Noah's story could be told in one-minute video segments and thoughtful blog posts from a father smitten with his infant son.
In one of his recent posts, Rick wrote about "3 Things Our One-Year-Old Son Wants You to Know About the Power of Story." What we can learn from this one-year-old applies to every area of our life where story is important, which is to say it's important for every area of our life.
Here are the three things:
1) Your story is powerful
2) Stories remove the veil of fear from people's lives.
3) Hidden behind the veil of fear is hope.
"Your story has power," Rick says. "Tell your story. Trust me. You may think no one is listening. You may think that no one cares. You may think your story doesn't have any impact. You may think you don't even have a story to tell. Guess what....you are wrong."
Rick's right. Many of us somehow know we have a story to tell. Some of us might even realize we have a great story to tell. But when a story has an edge of greatness about it, we might feel overwhelmed in trying to tell it. Rick's telling an amazing, overwhelming story one minute at a time. He captures one moment one day, another moment the next day. When those moments are woven together, the story's being told in its grand magnitude.
The Smith's story is being heard. Just a couple of weeks ago, Rick praised a recent Target ad's positive treatment of kids with Down Syndrome on his blog and it went viral. It has gotten coverage from news agencies and networks around the world, and in just the last couple of weeks alone, millions have been introduced to Noah's story.
As a parent, you've got a director's chair view of the stories your children are living, and no one knows their stories better than you do. Take a cue from Rick and Abbie Smith. Help your kids interpret their story to realize that they are important, that they are loved, that they have a place, and that they have a powerful narrative to share with the rest of the world.
Have a great Wednesday!
Jeff
I hope today's blog post is finding you in the middle of a wonderful week! Now, to give you guys some important info about things this week!
1. BIGNITE is TONIGHT!! We'll be having some Domino's and playing some Just Dance on the XBOX Kinnect tonight...should be a good time! We'd love to see ya so feel free to drop in! Doors to The Attic open @ 5:45!
2. Starting this Sunday morning, we'll begin a 5 week series called Pure Sex....hopefully each of you received some information concerning this series last week in the mail. This week we'll be discussing the topic of "What is Purity" and if it's still possible in this day and age. As always, if you have any questions or would like to see a copy of any information that we are covering, please let me know! We feel this is a very important series and so we hope you do to and will make it a point to send your students each week!
3. This Sunday night, March 11th is the Winter Jam concert at Bridgestone Arena. This is always a great time and our students always look forward to this event each year. We'll be leaving Sunday afternoon at 4:30 PM from the church and we'll return sometimes between 9:00 - 9:30 PM. The cost for this event is $10 which students pay at the door. Parents are welcome to join us if you need to get your concert fix too!
4. Due to Winter Jam, our girls and guys Bible studies will take this Sunday night off and meet back again on the 18th. Also our parents fellowship time, "Recess" will also take this week off while the students are at the concert.
5. Speaking of "Recess"....I just wanted to let you all know that we had a great group of 20 folks Sunday night to kick off our Parents time!! It was awesome! We played some Taboo where the ladies beat the guys by 1 point (thanks Mike!), ate some sweets provided by Julie and Kathy and had a good time sharing about our students. The most important thing that happened Sunday night was when we all went to the Lord in prayer for our kids....and we look forward to getting together to do it next Sunday, March 18th. If you couldn't make it this last week, make plans to join us on the 18th...it's gonna be good.
6. Sign-ups for summer camp, Centrifuge at Panama City Beach from July 9-13 are open on the website. The Cost for the trip is $296 and we need a "Hold My Spot for Camp" deposit of $50 by Sunday, March 25th. Just head over to fbcgoodlettsville.com/students to get your students signed up!
Another good and busy week here in our Student Ministry so make sure to have your students be a part of it! I pray for safe travel and good weather to all our families who will be heading out for a little down time during Spring Break! Check out a few thoughts below, and always if you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns please give us some feedback!
A Story Worth Telling
Sometimes we don't like the stories that we're unwittingly written into. At other times, we realize that it may not be the story we imagined, but it's our story and we're going to find a way to live that story to its greatest potential.
Rick and Abbie Smith are examples of the "it's our story and we're going to live it well" idea.
When their son, Noah, was born with Down Syndrome, the Smiths realized they had a choice to make. That choice, to make a surprising story a better story from themselves and others, is being catalogued in Rick's blog, Noahsdad.com.
Rick and Abbie want to change attitudes about children born with Down Syndrome, a condition that occurs when the body has an extra chromosome. That one chromosome makes a difference, but the bigger difference comes from the people who aren't exactly sure how to respond or react to those who have it.
Noahsdad.com is working to change that. Change comes when stories are told, and Rick realized that Noah's story could be told in one-minute video segments and thoughtful blog posts from a father smitten with his infant son.
In one of his recent posts, Rick wrote about "3 Things Our One-Year-Old Son Wants You to Know About the Power of Story." What we can learn from this one-year-old applies to every area of our life where story is important, which is to say it's important for every area of our life.
Here are the three things:
1) Your story is powerful
2) Stories remove the veil of fear from people's lives.
3) Hidden behind the veil of fear is hope.
"Your story has power," Rick says. "Tell your story. Trust me. You may think no one is listening. You may think that no one cares. You may think your story doesn't have any impact. You may think you don't even have a story to tell. Guess what....you are wrong."
Rick's right. Many of us somehow know we have a story to tell. Some of us might even realize we have a great story to tell. But when a story has an edge of greatness about it, we might feel overwhelmed in trying to tell it. Rick's telling an amazing, overwhelming story one minute at a time. He captures one moment one day, another moment the next day. When those moments are woven together, the story's being told in its grand magnitude.
The Smith's story is being heard. Just a couple of weeks ago, Rick praised a recent Target ad's positive treatment of kids with Down Syndrome on his blog and it went viral. It has gotten coverage from news agencies and networks around the world, and in just the last couple of weeks alone, millions have been introduced to Noah's story.
As a parent, you've got a director's chair view of the stories your children are living, and no one knows their stories better than you do. Take a cue from Rick and Abbie Smith. Help your kids interpret their story to realize that they are important, that they are loved, that they have a place, and that they have a powerful narrative to share with the rest of the world.
Have a great Wednesday!
Jeff
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