Youtube Video Of The Week!!!

This weeks youtube of the week is a bumper video we did for our stories weekend were students give their testimony. Usually we have someone speak, but at story weekend the students who share their story is the message.

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Youth Worker: A Response To Justin Bieber!!!!

This is really nothing new. I’ve seen this so many times where the young star comes out and caters to the parents of young fans by playing the role model part.  When it’s time to grow their career up they start with racy behavior.  Cathleen Falsani who is an award winning writer wrote a blog post to Justin Bieber concerning the recent video of him smoking weed.  I thought it was pretty thoughtful and insightful so I’m sharing it.  Read below and then head to her site for the rest.

“…Last year you reached a milestone when you turned 18. You are living in a liminal state, standing at the threshold between childhood and adulthood, still more boy than man.  Times of transition and change are difficult for anyone, never mind someone whose every move in public is chronicled by relentless paparazzi and other members of the media. You must be gentle with yourself as you navigate these new waters, but you also must be diligent to guard your heart and mind more now than ever.  Whether you’ve partaken of the “sacred herb” just once or burn more cabbage than Tommy Chong at a Furthur show is not the issue that most concerns me. Click here to READ the rest!

Do we talk at all about things like this knowing that our students are buying their music and going to their concerts? I would love to hear your thoughts on how you approach these types of things with your students!!

For Students: 4 Things to Think About!!

I would love for you to think about adding and/or reengaging these attributes into your life.  As a Christ follower we are called to live differently.  The world should look at us and see a difference. Not the type of difference that says we are better than them, but they should see the type of difference that says “I’m no different than you, and that I live for an eternal purpose not a temporal one”.  I strive to really make this list a part of my life everyday.

1. Be Kind – Ephsians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Just think about how your relationships would change if you would intentionally look for ways to show kindness.  Think about the lives you could change. Maybe it’s with the kid who sits alone at lunch or the kid who is mentally ill.  Being kind goes a long way for people who are not use to be being kind to them.
2. Forgive –  Colosians 3:13 Bear with each other andforgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Life is too short to waste any time being bitter about anything.  You can choose to be bitter or you can choose to forgive. It’s your choice.  Now, that doesn’t mean the hurt will go away over night, but once you take that step to forgive you begin the process of releasing the hurt and rejecting bitterness.
3. Be Honest – Proverbs 22:12 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful. This verse should not be a surprise to us.  No one likes being around a dishonest person.  I would rather have someone who will tell me the truth even if it may not be what I want to hear.  Real friends will tell you what you need to hear.  If your friends agreed with you 100% of the time, I would really question the authenticity of the relationship.  It gives me peace to know that I have friends who will be honest with me no matter what.
4. Be Thoughtful – Hebrews 10:24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things.  This is a trait that separates you from a lot of other people.  By nature, we are all about ourselves and what we can do to get ahead.  By nature, when we are thoughtful it’s in our best interest and not others.  If you feel like your life has been all about you, start being thoughtful.  Be thoughtful towards people you don’t know, and be thoughtful towards people who might not be expecting you to be thoughtful.  That’s where real change takes place.  A thoughtful deed can be as simple as opening the door for someone or bringing an extra water bottle to practice just in case someone is without.  Other acts can include making sure your words are lifting people up instead of tearing people down.

I could add a million more but I believe these 4 things are what we lack the most of and if we could be more intentional in these areas we could change lives in a practical way.  What I had to learn was that this is a day by day decision that we must make to apply these things to your life.  So think about adding and/or reengaging these attributes into your life this year day by day.

hope it helps

ac

YouTube Video Of The Week!!!

You’ve probably seen this one before.  It’s so well done that it will never get old.  Check it out!!

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For Students: Michaela Coon – Crazy or Stupid!!!

Student guest post #4 is from Michaela Coon, a Senior at Tesoro High School. Michaela is a part of my youth group and has a huge heart for people.  I asked her to share 6 ways in which she shares her faith at school.  Most people think the people who share their faith are either crazy or stupid.  Crazy because their approach is weird and stupid because you are putting yourself out there to be rejected. Michaela really gets you thinking with her list, so my prayer is that you will apply the things she talks about to your life. Check it out!!

1. Be aware and Intentional.- Knowing the needs of your high school is the best way to communicate your faith.  Ask for God’s eyes to look beyond just walking from class to class.  Make it a goal to be selfless and personal in the way you talk to your peers.
2. Know you have influence.- Whether you believe it or not, you have influence.  People are watching how you live.  This is a great responsibility but a great privilege as well.  However, there is a difference between this knowledge and the way you exert yourself.  Oswald Chambers writes, “In the Christian life, godly influence is never conscious of itself.  If we are conscious of our influence, it ceases to have the genuine loveliness, which is characteristic of the touch of Jesus.  We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.”
3. “Preach the Gospel, use words if necessary.”- When someone is filled with the Holy Spirit, His overflowing love is beyond undeniable.  The way you constantly love is a direct testament to Jesus. It is the little things that count.  For example, what if sticky-noting your campus with encouragement changed your school? A favorite quote of mine is by Mother Teresa:  “Let no one come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”
4. Build Relationships.- I cannot stress this enough.  Building trust in someone’s life and creating networks is critical.  When someone values your opinion, they will listen and retain.   Be willing to break barriers!
5. Be BOLD. Shine your light.- What if you added in something positive in a gossip-filled conversation?  What if you readily forgave? Be uncommon. Care uncommonly.  During finals week, I passed out little notes with Bible verses and everyone loved them, even non-Christians!  It was a little scary, knowing others’ beliefs, but Jesus totally worked in their hearts!  Expect Him to come through.
6. Love, love, and love even more!

hope it helps

A Desicion We Have To Make Everyday!!!

Had great opportunity to share this video in our weekend service.  The main point was that if we follow the voice of Christ, we effect others and ourselves for the better.  Check it out!!

I can only image what would’ve of happened that day if I would’ve listened and followed the voice of Christ.  When we follow the voice of Christ it’s always in the best interest of everyone.  Because the  saving/healing/restoring/loving/forgiving/affirming/etc… affects of you following Christ are infinite.  We just have to trust him and lean on his track record, which points to the fact that we can become a gift to this world when we choose to follow Christ.

hope it helps

ac

Youtube Videos of the Week!!!

So you are probably asking yourself these video’s have nothing to do with youth ministry, and you are right.  But, creativity has a lot to do with youth ministry.  I’m giving you a glimpse into my creative process.  Some people like to steer away from others in their process, I do just the opposite.  I look to others for inspiration.  Watching others think out of the box helps me do the same in my area of creativity.  So here are a few of the videos I’ve watched to challenge my creativity this week.

hope it helps

ac

For Students: Kayla Johnston – Five Learnings From High School!!

Student guest post #3 is from Kayla Johnston, a former member of my youth group. She is a freshman in college at APU.  I asked her to share some learning’s from high school. Check it out!!

Be All In – Looking back, I always tell people that my biggest regret was never getting involved in anything at my high school. I wish I had pushed myself to be a bigger part of my school, whether it was running for a position in ASB or starting a club with my friends. I see now that there were so many missed opportunities that I could have taken advantage of that would have allowed to make more friends or leave a lasting impression on my high school.

I thought that going to weekend services, small group, and events was enough to consider myself “involved” in my high school church ministry, but I wish I had taken more time out of my schedule to become a bigger part of the ministry. I regret never volunteering in the children’s ministry or junior high departments because I feel like I had so much I could have contributed to younger people but I was held back by the business of my high school schedule. I never fully took advantage of the many ministries that my high school ministry had to offer!

Care More  – There were only two teachers throughout all of my high school years that I distinctly remember having good conversations with and being closer with than any of my other teachers. I was always the girl who wanted to get my work done, leave class right away, and go see my friends rather than stick around and ask how my teacher’s day was going. As a student, you have such a great opportunity to reach out to your teachers, and most people don’t even realize it. I wish I had taken the time to get to know more of my teachers throughout high school.

Care Even More – My little brother and I only went to high school together for one year, but I wish it had not gone by so fast! I miss driving him to school in the morning and seeing him around campus throughout the day. Whether it is a younger sibling or just a younger student who you are close with, try to take time out of your week to spend time with them! Bring them lunch or meet with them after school to do homework. You have such a huge impact on younger students and I wish I had realized how much I loved going to school with my little brother.

Take Risks On Relationships – All of my best friends that I had grown up with went to different high schools. I had a lot of friends at my school, but never a group of people that I would consider my best, closest friends.  I wish I had taken the time to get to know more people on a deeper level at school rather than only spending time with them during the school day. I always hear people talk about their “high school friends” and I realize that I will probably never stay friends with kids from high school because I never gave them a chance to be close to me. Even if you have a great group of friends outside of school, like I did, take the time to seek out deeper relationships at school, too!

HS Relationships – I’ve learned from the experiences of others in this area and took their advice, If you’re going to date in high school, date someone that does NOT go to your school!  Of course, there are relationships that work out great that way, but it is important to have time apart, make separate friends, and live a portion of your own life away from the person you are dating.  Don’t date at the same school and you won’t have to deal with stupid arguments over why my boyfriend chose the prettiest girl in class to be his lab partner or why I walked to class with another boy. Dating is a big deal and should not be taken lightly. Of course, not dating at all in high school will save you from a lot of stress and arguments as well!

For Student: One Huge Mistake I Made In High School!!!

Student guest post #2 is from Taylor Jacobs, a former member of my youth group. He is a Sophomore at the University of Washington.  I asked him to share one mistake he made while he was in high school that affected him in college. Check it out!!

I found that during high school, I had made my community my god, instead of allowing God to shape my community.  When I was taken out of my community, my relationship with God suffered because I had let my community define how I interacted with God, instead of letting God define my community.  I had fallen into the trap that many of us do. I had elevated a gift from the creator above the creator. When we start making the gifts of God an end, instead of a mean, we miss out. Because the true end is life in Jesus Christ.  I was abusing the gifts that God had given me because I didn’t understand who I was in Christ or God’s gift of community. I had to realize that Jesus cares so much about me, he has given me gifts so that I am pointed to Him! Nothing God gives lacks purpose.  If He has given it to you it must be for a purpose.

We must view our relationships through the eyes of Jesus. Because He is in perfect union with God, and He is the living Word of God and every time we choose to follow his way we win.

There is a good example in Scripture of idolizing things that are of God, but incomplete.  All of Colossians 2 pleads with people to find their identity in Christ alone. Read the passage.  Our identity must always be rooted in the “soma (body, reality, fullness)” of Jesus Christ, and never in the good things that God gives us. In order for community to be for you what God intended, you must make Christ the facilitator of community in your life. Within Christ alone lies the fullness of life!

As high schoolers, it is very easy take community and idolize it without even realizing it, even within a church community! We start allowing our community to replace our daily relationship with Christ, we stop reading about him, talking to him and ultimately we stop listening to him. Then, when you are taken out of that community, you feel like you are not loved or accepted by God anymore because there is no perceptible(capable of being perceived by the senses or the mind) acceptance, encouragement, or praise! But the truth is you must look to Christ for those things and not your community.  Learn from my mistake and keep the gifts God gives you in their proper place.

For Students: Youtube Video of the Week!!!

Check this video out.  It’s about God’s grace…..If you know someone who struggles with this share this post!!  Here’s a little back story to the skit.. Jesus knew he was going to be captured and crucified.  When he told the disciples what would happen to him, one of them named Peter said “no, we will not let that happen, we will fight for you.  Jesus said to him “before the rooster crows you will have denied even knowing me three times.  Peter says “no, I would never do that”.  So Peter does exactly what Jesus told him he would do.  He denied to know Jesus three times to the people who had recognized him as a follower of Christ.  This is where the skit ties in.
hope it helps

ac