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
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
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
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
FBCG This Week: PURE SEX Edition!
Hey Parents,
Hope you're having a great week! Wanted to make you aware of some information about what's going on in our Student Ministry here at FBCG!
1. We have IGNITE Tonight!...Jeff Rush will be hanging out with our Middle School students and Coat will be hanging with our high schoolers....doors open @ 5:45 so encourage your student to come and hang out!
2. Do you remember your elementary school years??....c'mon think back....do you remember what your favorite part of the day was? If you were anywhere close to a normal kid, then your answer should be RECESS!! I mean who didn't love that part of the day where you got to ditch the books, ditch the teacher and run around outside with your friends right??
Well on Sunday nights from 6:00 -7:00 we're going to have some Recess time for you parents. Come hang out with Jeff, Kathy Decker, and Julie Buttrey for a time of fun, fellowship, and we'll do a little bit of talking about parenting and your students and lifting our families up in prayer! Come hang give it a try this week! We'll be meeting up in The Attic!
And don't forget that while we are meeting, our girls will be going through A Daughter's Worth & a study of James with Crystal and Lydia at the Kelly house, while our guys will be going through a Francis Chan study on Courage with Josh at Josh's house!
3. All of you should have gotten a letter in the mail this past week about our upcoming Pure Sex series that we'll be leading our students through during the month of March. Several of you have expressed encouragement and support for this series as we know it's something that all of our students face on a daily basis. However, some of you have, with good reason asked for a little more info and insight into what this series will actually cover and what will be discussed. I want to encourage you to join us Sunday night for our Recess time because we will spend a few minutes giving you the info you need and we'll answer any questions you might have on the series.
4. Wednesday night, March 7 is BIGNITE...we'll be having a "Just Dance" party with some fun with the XBOX 360 Kinnect system....gonna be good stuff!
5. On Sunday night, March 11 WINTERJAM is back in Nashville...this is one of our students favorite events each year and we'll be going again this year....Students pay $10 at the door for admission...we'll be leaving at 4 PM on that Sunday afternoon and should be home around 9 or 9:30....parents and families are welcome to join us in going...it's always a great time!
6. Summer camp is on the calendar! We'll be going to Centrifuge in Panama City Beach July 9 - 13. The camp is $296 and we are asking for a $50 "I'm Committing to Camp" Non-refundable deposit by Sunday, March 25th. You'll be getting some more information in the mail in the next few weeks about this trip, but let me just take a moment to encourage you to consider investing in your kids by sending them to camp this summer. I can speak for myself and say that Fuge Camps played a huge role in my spiritual journey and I believe it can play a huge role in the lives of your students as well! Sign-ups are live on the church website...visit the link below to sign your students up!
http://fbcgoodlettsville.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=50292&PID=914664
Have a great rest of the week and check out some thoughts below before you take off!
Jeff
Focus on This One Thing
So, let's do a quick survey:
If I asked you whether you would like your child or teen to display any of the following characteristics, what would you say?
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Goodness
Kindness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Let me rephrase that: Is there anyone who doesn't want to see theses in their kids? I mean come on, many of us pray for these things to be active in our student's life.
Why wouldn't you? Kids who exhibit these things become adults who make outstanding spouses, parents, employees, bosses, and citizens.
Now another list. Anyone interested in seeing these characteristics at work in our students' lives?
Outbursts of anger
Hostility
Quarreling
Jealousy
Envy
Drunkenness
Dissension
Exactly. None of us. In fact, it's a bit repulsive.
Your pray against these things, don't you?
As some of you are realizing, this list isn't arbitrary. In fact, it's pulled directly from the Bible (Galatians 5:19-23).
The two lists describe what happens when God is at work in us and when He is not.
What has bothered me about his for years is that sometimes my life can look more like the second list, and less like the first. What gives? I'm a Christian. Shouldn't' my life automatically default to the better virtues? Shouldn't some change ensue? How come when I pray, things don't change nearly as much as I want them to?
Well, I left one of the virtues off the list. In addition to the Holy Spirit bringing love, joy and more, He brings one other thing: self-control. (It's in verses 23.)
For years, I thought self-control was such an odd addition to the list. You could almost frame the list and hang it somewhere prominent if it wasn't for the word "self-control." That one is just so, practical or something.
But more recently, I realized that it might be the most important virtue of all. Why? Because if I have self-control, everything else is so much easier.
Self-control makes it easier to love. And to be gentle. And to keep peace. Being able to control yourself leads to fewer outbursts or anger, fewer quarrels and means you can stop drinking or not drink at all.
Omit self-control, and both lists start to look either impossible to attain or impossible to avoid. Add self-control, and the whole thing flips.
Which is maybe why one of the best things you can do for yourself, and your family, is to put more focus on the virtue of self-control.
What if every day you were more intentional about choosing to do something you didn't want to and showing your kids how to do the same? What if every time you prayed, you also prayed for the virtue of self-control? In your child's life, teen's life, and your life, it might just change more than you think!
Hope you're having a great week! Wanted to make you aware of some information about what's going on in our Student Ministry here at FBCG!
1. We have IGNITE Tonight!...Jeff Rush will be hanging out with our Middle School students and Coat will be hanging with our high schoolers....doors open @ 5:45 so encourage your student to come and hang out!
2. Do you remember your elementary school years??....c'mon think back....do you remember what your favorite part of the day was? If you were anywhere close to a normal kid, then your answer should be RECESS!! I mean who didn't love that part of the day where you got to ditch the books, ditch the teacher and run around outside with your friends right??
Well on Sunday nights from 6:00 -7:00 we're going to have some Recess time for you parents. Come hang out with Jeff, Kathy Decker, and Julie Buttrey for a time of fun, fellowship, and we'll do a little bit of talking about parenting and your students and lifting our families up in prayer! Come hang give it a try this week! We'll be meeting up in The Attic!
And don't forget that while we are meeting, our girls will be going through A Daughter's Worth & a study of James with Crystal and Lydia at the Kelly house, while our guys will be going through a Francis Chan study on Courage with Josh at Josh's house!
3. All of you should have gotten a letter in the mail this past week about our upcoming Pure Sex series that we'll be leading our students through during the month of March. Several of you have expressed encouragement and support for this series as we know it's something that all of our students face on a daily basis. However, some of you have, with good reason asked for a little more info and insight into what this series will actually cover and what will be discussed. I want to encourage you to join us Sunday night for our Recess time because we will spend a few minutes giving you the info you need and we'll answer any questions you might have on the series.
4. Wednesday night, March 7 is BIGNITE...we'll be having a "Just Dance" party with some fun with the XBOX 360 Kinnect system....gonna be good stuff!
5. On Sunday night, March 11 WINTERJAM is back in Nashville...this is one of our students favorite events each year and we'll be going again this year....Students pay $10 at the door for admission...we'll be leaving at 4 PM on that Sunday afternoon and should be home around 9 or 9:30....parents and families are welcome to join us in going...it's always a great time!
6. Summer camp is on the calendar! We'll be going to Centrifuge in Panama City Beach July 9 - 13. The camp is $296 and we are asking for a $50 "I'm Committing to Camp" Non-refundable deposit by Sunday, March 25th. You'll be getting some more information in the mail in the next few weeks about this trip, but let me just take a moment to encourage you to consider investing in your kids by sending them to camp this summer. I can speak for myself and say that Fuge Camps played a huge role in my spiritual journey and I believe it can play a huge role in the lives of your students as well! Sign-ups are live on the church website...visit the link below to sign your students up!
http://fbcgoodlettsville.com/templates/System/details.asp?id=50292&PID=914664
Have a great rest of the week and check out some thoughts below before you take off!
Jeff
Focus on This One Thing
So, let's do a quick survey:
If I asked you whether you would like your child or teen to display any of the following characteristics, what would you say?
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Goodness
Kindness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Let me rephrase that: Is there anyone who doesn't want to see theses in their kids? I mean come on, many of us pray for these things to be active in our student's life.
Why wouldn't you? Kids who exhibit these things become adults who make outstanding spouses, parents, employees, bosses, and citizens.
Now another list. Anyone interested in seeing these characteristics at work in our students' lives?
Outbursts of anger
Hostility
Quarreling
Jealousy
Envy
Drunkenness
Dissension
Exactly. None of us. In fact, it's a bit repulsive.
Your pray against these things, don't you?
As some of you are realizing, this list isn't arbitrary. In fact, it's pulled directly from the Bible (Galatians 5:19-23).
The two lists describe what happens when God is at work in us and when He is not.
What has bothered me about his for years is that sometimes my life can look more like the second list, and less like the first. What gives? I'm a Christian. Shouldn't' my life automatically default to the better virtues? Shouldn't some change ensue? How come when I pray, things don't change nearly as much as I want them to?
Well, I left one of the virtues off the list. In addition to the Holy Spirit bringing love, joy and more, He brings one other thing: self-control. (It's in verses 23.)
For years, I thought self-control was such an odd addition to the list. You could almost frame the list and hang it somewhere prominent if it wasn't for the word "self-control." That one is just so, practical or something.
But more recently, I realized that it might be the most important virtue of all. Why? Because if I have self-control, everything else is so much easier.
Self-control makes it easier to love. And to be gentle. And to keep peace. Being able to control yourself leads to fewer outbursts or anger, fewer quarrels and means you can stop drinking or not drink at all.
Omit self-control, and both lists start to look either impossible to attain or impossible to avoid. Add self-control, and the whole thing flips.
Which is maybe why one of the best things you can do for yourself, and your family, is to put more focus on the virtue of self-control.
What if every day you were more intentional about choosing to do something you didn't want to and showing your kids how to do the same? What if every time you prayed, you also prayed for the virtue of self-control? In your child's life, teen's life, and your life, it might just change more than you think!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Keep the GLO Glowing!!
Hey Parents,
I hope that your student was able to attend our GLO retreat this past weekend....it was a great time of worship, fun, fellowship and Bible study. We're confident that God is moving in the lives of our students and I want to encourage you to have them at IGNITE tomorrow night at 5:45. We'll be closing out our series called "Collide" with a strong word from God's Word about living a life that doesn't follow the status quo...it has the chance to be a powerful night for our students, so we hope you'll make it a point to have them there! Doors open @ 5:45 PM
That's not the only thing that we're excited about that's happening this week! Starting Sunday night at 6:00 PM we'll be launching a time for parent's that we're calling Recess. You guys remember Recess right? The favorite part of everybody's school day....the time where you got to put your pencils down, shut your brains off and just enjoy life and your friends. We'll that's what we'll be doing on Sunday nights (maybe without as much running as we did in elementary school!) This will be a time where we'll come together as parents and student leaders and have some fun and fellowship and maybe talk about dealing with teenagers a little bit. Kathy Decker and Julie Buttrey will be helping to amp the fun up so you know it's gonna be good (and maybe a little competitive)!
So drop your guys and girls off for their own Bible studies at 6:00 (Girls at the Kelly house, guys at Josh's house) and then meet us up in The Attic @ 6:00 for some fun!
While we've been challenging our students with the idea of collisions, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you guys today. Look forward to hanging out with you guys Sunday night!
Collision Stories
I like to think of myself as a pretty coordinated individual. I never have been called clumsy or klutzy, I've never broken a bone, or had any other type of major trauma.
However, I do know a thing or two about collision.
I'm the guy who always went across the middle on the football team where it always seemed a much bigger, much stronger, much meaner linebacker was waiting for me to arrive.
I'm the guy who tried the Michael Jackson spin and moonwalk to Thriller in my aunt's living room which resulted in my head meeting the corner of the coffee table.
I'm the guy who fish-tailed his 1978 Ford Truck around the curve the 1st week of driving to school my sophomore year trying to impress my friends I was giving a lift to.
Maybe nothing too major, but collisions none the less.
And while sometimes it's been painful or embarrassing, these collisions have taught me all kinds of lessons.
Like the person who hit the bumper of my car when I was a newly licensed driver. Someone at a traffic light thought the light had changed and hit the gas, giving my car a bump. That moment taught me to allow space at the stoplight and to make sure I knew what was going on around me.
But I've also had some collisions in my life that have had a great impact on me personally as well.
Like my Sunday school teacher in high school, Jim Buchanan. He impacted my life in a huge way. He made this kid feel like he was a wanted part of the world. It's why I looked forward to church and loved being around Jim and his family.
Or the time during college when I was lying in bed, pouring out my broken heart out to God and He brought both comfort and joy.
Or the time I met someone from another denomination who really loved God and I realized that my particular church didn't have a monopoly on Him.
There are many other collision stories, moments when God's truth collided with me, God's people crashed into me, God Himself showed up in my life in ways that I never saw coming - much like a middle linebacker or a coffee table that jumped into my path.
What about you?
What are the moments when God crashed into you?
What about the moments when His truth showed up somewhere you didn't expect and He showed you something about who He is? Was it in the face of one of your children, your spouse or a total stranger? Was it in a book, a movie? Maybe it was in a sunset or a walk on the beach or a hike in the mountains?
Take some time today to think about the ways God has collided with you, and you with Him. And how not only you collided, but you were changed.
Then do one more thing for me.....tell your students. Let your son or daughter hear about the collision from your own lips, let him or her into your story and get a glimpse of your collision stories.
And when he or she hears your stories about a God who collides with us, changes us, maybe they'll be intentional about colliding with God as well.
Have a great week,
Jeff
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
This Week @ FBCG: GLO Edition!
Parents,
Wow, we've got a busy week this week as our GLO weekend has arrived! But that's not all that we're excited about...a lot of stuff to tell you about this week!
1. Tonight is our Valentine's Day Girl's Night @ the Kelly House. All of our youth girls are invited to our house tonight from 6 - 9 PM to hang out with Crystal and Lydia and to have a great night of fellowship, fun and a chick flick! The students don't need to bring anything so drop them off and have some time for yourselves tonight!
2. IGNITE is going on tomorrow night...doors open in The Attic @ 5:45 PM so make sure your students are there!
3. GLO kicks off Thursday night! We are excited about what God has in store for our student ministry this weekend. Our focus this year is The Church and we'll be talking about what God intended when he created the church, how we as believers plug in and what a Christ-focused church looks like! Students will hear from Coat, Lyle, myself and Jake Gaines who is returning to FBCG for the weekend with Becca and baby Jovie! We'll also be lead by the Michael Reid Band in worship and we have assembled a great team of leaders to come in and invest in the students. This year we have the Brook's, Norman's, Nichols', Allen's, Meadows, and Bowman's homes serving as host homes so we're thankful for them!
Make sure you've signed your student up on the church website at fbcgoodlettsville.com/students and make sure they are here Thursday night at 7:00 to kick off a great weekend! Cost is $30 for church students and students can still sign up and can still bring an unchurched friend for free!!
4. Starting Sunday night, February 26th, we'll be starting a group called "Parent's Hour Out". Each Sunday night from 6:00 - 7:00 PM we'll invite all of our parents to come together for an hour of fellowship, fun, food and a little focus on our students. While our guys and girls will be in their own respective Bible studies during the hour, we'll have the "Fun Patrol" of Kathy Decker, Julie Buttrey and myself ready to lead parents during an hour of fun so come give it a try and you'll be glad you did!!
To close out, check out the thoughts below on increasing your child's self-esteem!
Want to Increase Your Child's Self-Esteem?
Wow, we've got a busy week this week as our GLO weekend has arrived! But that's not all that we're excited about...a lot of stuff to tell you about this week!
1. Tonight is our Valentine's Day Girl's Night @ the Kelly House. All of our youth girls are invited to our house tonight from 6 - 9 PM to hang out with Crystal and Lydia and to have a great night of fellowship, fun and a chick flick! The students don't need to bring anything so drop them off and have some time for yourselves tonight!
2. IGNITE is going on tomorrow night...doors open in The Attic @ 5:45 PM so make sure your students are there!
3. GLO kicks off Thursday night! We are excited about what God has in store for our student ministry this weekend. Our focus this year is The Church and we'll be talking about what God intended when he created the church, how we as believers plug in and what a Christ-focused church looks like! Students will hear from Coat, Lyle, myself and Jake Gaines who is returning to FBCG for the weekend with Becca and baby Jovie! We'll also be lead by the Michael Reid Band in worship and we have assembled a great team of leaders to come in and invest in the students. This year we have the Brook's, Norman's, Nichols', Allen's, Meadows, and Bowman's homes serving as host homes so we're thankful for them!
Make sure you've signed your student up on the church website at fbcgoodlettsville.com/students and make sure they are here Thursday night at 7:00 to kick off a great weekend! Cost is $30 for church students and students can still sign up and can still bring an unchurched friend for free!!
4. Starting Sunday night, February 26th, we'll be starting a group called "Parent's Hour Out". Each Sunday night from 6:00 - 7:00 PM we'll invite all of our parents to come together for an hour of fellowship, fun, food and a little focus on our students. While our guys and girls will be in their own respective Bible studies during the hour, we'll have the "Fun Patrol" of Kathy Decker, Julie Buttrey and myself ready to lead parents during an hour of fun so come give it a try and you'll be glad you did!!
To close out, check out the thoughts below on increasing your child's self-esteem!
Want to Increase Your Child's Self-Esteem?
What parent doesn’t? I’ve not yet met a parent who’s said, “I hope to instill such a low sense of self-esteem in my kids that they struggle with self worth for the rest of their lives.”
Despite our best intentions, self-esteem issues arise in almost all of us. Why?
It’s not for lack of trying. Many of us offer endless streams of encouraging words to our kids. We pretty much hand out awards for everything from potty training to putting away their crayons to not skipping class in high school. We enroll them in non-competitive sports where every one’s a winner no matter how many goals get scored. In some circles, everything we tell our kids is designed to encourage them, even when maybe they shouldn’t be encouraged.
But self-esteem continues to be evasive, with a generation or two of kids who vacillate between unrealistically high view of themselves and a crushingly low self-esteem. Sometimes in the same child. Sometimes in the same child on the same day.
I want to make a strange connection: What if self-control and self-esteem are linked? What if the child who develops self-control also ends up developing self-respect?
Think about it. When do you feel best about yourself? I personally feel much better about myself when I:
Keep my word.
Eat healthy.
Work out.
Prioritize devotional time with God.
Treat people with kindness, even when I feel like doing otherwise.
Show up prepared and on time.
Exceed expectations.
Take responsibility rather than blame others.
What links every single one of these things is a very difficult-to-master virtue: self-control. When I practice self-control in all areas of my life (resisting impulses, making myself do things I don’t want to do, prioritizing my time and energy), my self-respect grows. By contrast, when I fail in areas like this, my self-respect and self-esteem suffers; I can get into an endless stream of self-defeating talk that’s hard to get out of. Until I practice more self-control.
See the link? Self-control and self-respect are perhaps a little more tied together than we might initially think.
As a result, if you want to grow a healthy self-esteem in your child, you might want to help them develop a healthy sense of self-control.
Ironically, one of the best ways to develop self-esteem might not be to try to directly instill self-esteem at all, but instead to work on self-control. Better self-esteem, surprisingly, may follow.
Have a great Tuesday,
Jeff
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
This Week @ FBCG
Hey Parents,
Believe it or not today is the last day of January....the first month of 2012 has already come and gone!! I hope you and your family have gotten 2012 off to a great start! I wanted to let you know about a few things coming up this week:
BIGNITE is Tomorrow Night!
Tomorrow night, Wednesday Feb. 1st we'll be hanging out up in The Attic for some BIGNITE fun! The doors are open at 5:45 and we'll have some Chick-Fil-A for the students and we'll also be playing some Worst Case Scenario/Disney Survival Trivia! Students will be grouped together into teams to test their knowledge and should be a good time for everybody! Make sure your students are there!
FBCG @ The Movies
Friday night, February 3rd we'll meet at Regal Cinemas at Indian Lake in Hendersonville at 7:00 to see "Big Miracle"....think Free Willy trapped in ice and you get the idea of the plot. The movie starts at 7:20. Students will need money for a ticket and refreshments if they choose....feel free to bring the whole family!
Valentine Girls
On Tuesday night, Feb. 14th, Crystal and Lydia will be hosting all the youth girls at the Kelly's house for a girls night of fun and fellowship on Valentine's Day. They'll do some fondue and make desserts and have a "girl's night". There will be no cost to the girls. Times will be announced in the next few days.
GLO Sign-Ups
We have our GLO weekend sign-ups ready to go on the church website. Please log on and get your students and their friends registered. GLO weekend is February 16-19 and $30 covers all their weekend activities! We are excited that we have made it possible to allow our students to bring their unchurched friends for free and students can get them signed up online as well. You can follow the link below to the website to get registered.
http://fbcgoodlettsville.com/glo2012
Hope you all have a great week! Here's a thought for you as you finish out this Tuesday! It's a great article by Kendra Fleming about Pitching Fits!
Pitching a Fit
Believe it or not today is the last day of January....the first month of 2012 has already come and gone!! I hope you and your family have gotten 2012 off to a great start! I wanted to let you know about a few things coming up this week:
BIGNITE is Tomorrow Night!
Tomorrow night, Wednesday Feb. 1st we'll be hanging out up in The Attic for some BIGNITE fun! The doors are open at 5:45 and we'll have some Chick-Fil-A for the students and we'll also be playing some Worst Case Scenario/Disney Survival Trivia! Students will be grouped together into teams to test their knowledge and should be a good time for everybody! Make sure your students are there!
FBCG @ The Movies
Friday night, February 3rd we'll meet at Regal Cinemas at Indian Lake in Hendersonville at 7:00 to see "Big Miracle"....think Free Willy trapped in ice and you get the idea of the plot. The movie starts at 7:20. Students will need money for a ticket and refreshments if they choose....feel free to bring the whole family!
Valentine Girls
On Tuesday night, Feb. 14th, Crystal and Lydia will be hosting all the youth girls at the Kelly's house for a girls night of fun and fellowship on Valentine's Day. They'll do some fondue and make desserts and have a "girl's night". There will be no cost to the girls. Times will be announced in the next few days.
GLO Sign-Ups
We have our GLO weekend sign-ups ready to go on the church website. Please log on and get your students and their friends registered. GLO weekend is February 16-19 and $30 covers all their weekend activities! We are excited that we have made it possible to allow our students to bring their unchurched friends for free and students can get them signed up online as well. You can follow the link below to the website to get registered.
http://fbcgoodlettsville.com/glo2012
Hope you all have a great week! Here's a thought for you as you finish out this Tuesday! It's a great article by Kendra Fleming about Pitching Fits!
Pitching a Fit
Confession: Sometimes I watch the show Hoarders. It totally freaks me out and yet I watch. I don’t know if it inspires me to clean my house or I just like freaking out over a house filled with cats. Anyway, the other day I was watching it and a 40–year-old woman threw a total, out of control tantrum, complete with yelling and screaming and stomping of feet.
Now here’s the thing. I’m around two-year-olds a lot. And when a two-year-old throws a tantrum it’s not pleasant, but I will admit sometimes it looks so silly that I smile a little bit. Especially since it’s not my child. When you’re two, it’s expected that there will be an occasional melt down. No real harm done.
But when a 40-year-old woman pitches a great big ‘ol fit. It ain’t cute. Somewhere along the line she didn’t learn how to resolve conflict in a healthy way. She didn’t learn to communicate effectively when she was upset. She didn’t learn self-control.
When you’re two and you pitch a fit, you can’t cause too much damage. When you’re two and you throw yourself on the floor you don’t have too far to fall. When you’re so mad at your mommy that you want to call her names, the worst you can do is “stinky face.”
But when you’re 40 and you throw yourself on the floor, or you throw anything for that matter, someone is going to get hurt. And your words, when unleashed in anger can cause damage to those around you that can never be undone.
Self-control really matters. And the best place to begin strengthening that muscle is when you are a kid. It’s so much harder when you’re 40—and so much more ugly.
When your child is two, you can expect a lack of self-control. It’s who they are. They are immature. While understanding that it’s appropriate for their age you’ve got to start guiding them toward self-control. One of the best things you can do with a young child is to make sure that they DO NOT get what they want when throwing a fit. If they want attention, ignore them. If they want a candy bar at the grocery store and melt into a screaming puddle, leave the store.
Don’t let their lack of self-control benefit them in any way. Easier said than done when your little darling turns into a fire-breathing monster, right?
As your kids get older, begin teaching them how to push that pause button, take a deep breath and make a better decision. So, when you see it building in them, and you see them about to blow a gasket, call a time out. Teach them how to recognize how they’re feeling, take a deep breath, gather themselves and choose their actions instead of letting their actions take over and choose for them.
By the time your kids are heading to their teen years your hope is that they are practicing a lot more self-control. Your goal is that they are able to think through the consequences of their lack of control and make better choices. They’re still learning. Mistakes will be made. But you should see a lot of progress from when they were two!
Teaching your kids to have self-control starts when they are young. It’s an important job. And even though you and I both still struggle with aspects of self-control, I hope I don’t ever see you or any of your kids pitchin’ a fit on an episode of Hoarders!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
This Week at FBCG
Hey Parents,
Wanted to give you some info on a few events coming up this week:
Wanted to give you some info on a few events coming up this week:
This Saturday we have several things going on...our guys will be playing some Laser Adventure while our girls head to Sips and Strokes to get their paint on. Both events are $25 which is more than we usually like to charge but we couldn't get around it this time, but as always don't let finances keep your student from coming. Send them anyway and we'll take care of it no problem! Both groups will meet at church at 10:00 AM and will be back at 1:30 PM. We also have a shower for Josh and Lydia at the FLC from 2:00 - 4:00...they are registered at Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Dillard's
Next Monday night, Jan 24th will be our first Man Movie Monday of the year....we'll be going to see Red Tails in Hendersonville and grabbing some grub at BWW before hand....time will be announced by Sunday! We'd love to have both students and dads join us for a man night!
In February, we'll be having our GLO weekend on Feb 16-19. The cost this year will be $30 and the best part is that your kids can bring their UNCHURCHED and LOST friends for FREE! If your student wants to bring a friend to GLO and that student is actively involved in another church, we are asking them to pay the $30 attendance fee. If you have any questions let me know, but online sign-ups will be up on the website by the end of this week!
Also, a thought for all of us on self-control.
Please Take Self-Control Seriously
There’s a strange-sounding passage written by an ancient writer thousands of years ago that says, “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self control.”
The principle is sobering. If we are not careful, our homes can become like broken down cities that are vulnerable to a variety of dangerous elements that threaten the physical safety of those who live there. There are two things about self-control that are important for parents to remember:
1. The lack of self-control sets up your children for a shaky future.
Experts link the lack of self control to addiction, bad health, debt, procastination, eating disorders, and more. Duke University researches did a study following 1,000 children for 30 years, examining the effect of early self-control on health, wealth and public safety. The study implied that those with lower self-control experienced negative outcomes in all three areas, with greater rates of health issues like sexually transmitted infections, substance dependence, financial problems, and crime.
These results show that self-control can have a deep influence on a wide range of activities. In other words, the lack of self-control breaks down walls of protection and exposes you to things that can destroy your future.
2. Self-control can actually be learned.
One of the myths parents buy into is that you can’t teach self-control because it’s a part of how a child’s personality is wired. Most counselors agree that anyone can learn self-control. It’s not easy…it has to be intentionally and continually developed. But just like you would use your skill to build a wall back in places that are broken, you can build more self-control into your home.
You can affect how your kids learn self control when you
- implement the right structure and schedule.
- pursue moderation in how you eat, play video games, watch TV, use your computer.
- establish a system for homework and chores.
- instill healthy financial habits of giving and saving.
- create values in how you speak to each other and express frustrations.
Experts tend to agree that developing self-control is as much of a physical discipline as it is mental gymnastics. The problem is that it means we have to first be willing to make it personal. We have to confront areas in our lives where we lack self-control so we can be a better model to our kids.
This is where it hits home: it is easier to ignore the issue of self-control than it is to do something about it. This month, look for ways to build self-control into your own life and the lives of your children. You wouldn’t neglect fallen walls in your house or a damaged roof…be at least as attentive to the habits that are going to determine your kids’ futures.
If you have any questions please let me know! Have a great Tuesday!
Jeff
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