In Honor of Justin Whitmire

Nick Perry and I joined thousands to honor Justin.  Proud to be an American!

Standing in honor of Justin Whitmire

I will bet minimum 2000 bikes

Proud to be an American

1000's of proud Americans

Nick far left with Patriot Riders

Nick with the men in charge

Awaiting gun salute

Making way to Justin Whitmire final resting place

What Makes Devoted Teens

PARENTS – They’re the number one influence in all areas of a teenager’s life, but especially with regards to faith. Having committed Christian parents enables a teenager to have a constant source of discipleship as well as a model of what the Christian life looks like on a daily basis. Find out why
ADULTSThe other members of a teenager’s church matter, whether they are “youth workers” or not. The support, advice, love and help they offer is essential to the faith development of a teenager. The more of these adults they have, the more likely they are devoted.

PRAYER – This goes way beyond simply praying before meals and bedtime. A relationship with poor communication will quickly sour. It’s the same with God. The more a student prays the more they are connected and committed to God.

SCRIPTURE – God has chosen to reveal Himself in His Word. In order to know Him you must know the Bible. This is more than just the who, what, when, where, why and how. A developing passion for God’s Word reflects a developing passion for God Himself.

VALUE – If a teenager doesn’t recognize a need for faith in their everyday life, then they will soon abandon that faith as emerging adults. Holding faith to be important is a very personal decision, yet seeing how valuable it is to others helps instill that same value in the life of a teenager.

BELIEFS – The less doubts a person possesses as teenager, the less doubts they will possess as an adult. This is true because this isn’t about blindly going along with whatever you’re told. This is about firmly knowing what you believe and how to back it up with why you believe it.

EXPERIENCES – God is a personal being who lovingly interacts with His people. The more a teenager personally experiences this divine interaction the more they come to love God and understand what it means to abide in Him for a lifetime.
via [Student Life]

CCYouth

This week we started a three-week study in Sunday School examining the topic of integrity. News headlines are filled with stories about noteworthy people who have failed to maintain personal integrity. But our teenagers don’t have to make choices that lead them down the wrong path; they can make a commitment to pursue, develop, and maintain personal integrity.

In this first week, our teenagers saw how Daniel 6:1-5 offers a roadmap for becoming people of integrity. We discovered that because of Daniel’s work ethic he was promoted and found favor with the king. We encouraged students to realize that they too can make choices and live with the same integrity that Daniel demonstrated. But it isn’t always easy to live with integrity; Daniel’s co-workers conspired against him and even attacked his faith.

During the week, as the opportunity arises, discuss with your teenager what it might have been like to have been Daniel. Here are some questions that could help launch your discussion:

• In what areas of your life do you struggle the most in maintaining your integrity?
• What are some ways you’ve grown in integrity? What choices or decisions or habits have helped you?
• What’s something you could start doing differently at your job, on a sports team, or at school that would communicate your integrity?

Talk with your teenager about how making a decision to be a person of integrity now will have a huge impact for a lifetime.

Also, just a couple of notes of things coming up with CCYouth:

1.    .e3 tonight at 7:30. – Help your student discern this is the place to be on Tuesday night as we seek to encourage and uplift your student. 

2.    February 17 – February 20 are the dates for our ski trip.  Be sure to put this on the calendar, cost is $177.57.  There should be some BIG news coming soon about the ski trip

3.    July 9 – 14 – Ccyouth high school (rising 9^th graders) will be going to Laguna Beach, Fl to the RYM conference (http://rymonline.org/page/senior-high-florida-conference-2012-week-2).  I will be sending out more information about this later this week.  Be looking for this info. 

4.    July 23-27 CCYouth middle school will be going to Ridge Haven Conference Center to the Calvary Presbytery Junior High Conference.  More information will follow regarding this also.

Exciting things happening at CCYouth!! Have a blessed week and if I can pray for you or your student please let me know.

True love

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

Let these words soak in. True love. WOW!  Never is a long time.  What a promise.

New Years Resolution

Not one for making many new years resolutions.  Asking God to help me build a better relationship with Him EVERYDAY.  So, mine is not a new year resolution, but rather a daily resolution.

• Rejoice Daily - Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
• Follow God Daily - I Timothy 4:7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
• Adore and Praise God Daily - Psalm 22:3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
  you are the one Israel praises.
• In the Word Daily - Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
  a light on my path.
• Love others Daily - I John 3:11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
• Yahweh reigns Daily - Psalm 146:10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the LORD.
• Trust Daily - Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
• Take my Daily bread - Luke 11:3 Give us each day our daily bread.

Thank You.

Zechariah 2:5 "And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst."

What a promise.  The Lord will protect and in the midst of His protection I can worship Him in His glory.