This week at Bethlehem Youth:

Wednesday

4:45 PM Youth Band

5:30 PM Youth Choir Rehearsal

6:30 PM Youth Dinner

7 PM Youth Group.  This week we are going to talk about our call and commitment to the church in preparation for Sunday’s Celebration Sunday activities.

Friday

Rumors abound of tailgating for the Franklin game.  Email me for more details if interested.

Sunday

8:15 and 10:45 Worship services

9:30 Sunday School

6:30 PM Youth Handbells

Upcoming:

November 7-9- Harvest is happening.  Holler.

November 16- Bake Sale!

November 22- Servant Saturday 8 AM

November 23- Thanksgiving dinner and Turkey Bowl!

December 13- Youth Christmas Party.  Anyone got some ideas for this year’s shindig?

January 30-February 1- Senior High Warmth in Winter Event

TBD Middle School Retreat

YS STUDENT NEWSLETTER #365

October 27, 2008

Contents

1. Something for Your Heart
2. Forgettable Fact
3. Potent Quotables
4. Uh, That’s Funny?

===========our|sponsor===========

DON’T BUY THE LIE

"I’m going to call a psychic." "I want to cast a spell on my boyfriend." "Let’s have a seance tonight." Thousands of people make comments like this every day often thinking they’re just jokes and not knowing it’s all a big trap. TV and movies portray the supernatural as innocent, fun, even cool.

Don’t buy the lie. It’s not all fun and games.

This book shows you how to think for yourself, and not fall for these lies. You’ll learn how to discern what’s real and what’s not. With this book, you’ll be armed and ready to take on the lies that come your way.

Learn more about or purchase "Don’t Buy the Lie" here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=163

=================================

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

ARE GHOSTS REAL?

Ghosts are a big part of the increase of supernatural themes in movies, TV, and books. The most common worldview presented in stories about ghosts is that they are the spirits of people who died with unfinished business left on earth.

So, in The Sixth Sense, a little boy sees–and helps–dead people who need to fix something before they can leave to the great beyond. In Ghost, a popular movie from the early ’90s, Patrick Swayze sticks around to love and protect Demi Moore after he dies. Nicole Kidman’s The Others shows ghosts who don’t realize they’re the ones doing the haunting.

In the real world, evidence for ghosts is scarce. People who take them seriously talk about psychic energy and show photographs with strange lights or colors. But most of the real research suggests that living people tend to create ghosts, either out of fear, grief, or for profit.

For instance, the strangest ghost stories are rarely told by the people who believe they’ve experienced an encounter with a ghost–unless those people are getting paid. The tellers are almost always people who heard it secondhand.

In addition, people who claim to hear voices or see dead relatives almost always stop experiencing those things when they take antipsychotic medications. That suggests either that ghosts don’t like medication or that people who are having intense emotional and psychological problems are more likely to see things that aren’t there.

The Bible leaves little room for the existence of ghosts. It never, ever talks about the spirits of dead humans lingering here. Paul wrote that for Christians, to be away from the body is to be present with God (2 Corinthians 5:8). And the Bible describes very specific judgments for unbelievers–judgments that do not include becoming a haunting spirit on earth (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

WHAT’S UP WITH VAMPIRES AND WEREWOLVES?

Our current ideas about supernatural creatures called vampires and werewolves come primarily from entertainment sources: the original Dracula movies of the 1930s and dozens of sequels and adaptations since then; the books of Anne Rice; and the world created by the popular shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

According to the myth, a vampire is a demon who inhabits the body of a human. They need to drink blood to stay alive; they’re very strong; they can live forever; but they can be killed by sunlight, a stake through the heart, or being exposed to religious symbols like crosses or holy water. Oh, and they can turn other people into vampires if they want.

Werewolves are mythical creatures that appear human during the day, yet turn into ferocious and dangerous wolves when the moon is full. A person bitten by a werewolf will become one, and then he or she can only be killed while a wolf by a silver bullet. (They hate garlic, too.)

It’s possible that these monsters of movies, TV, and books got their start in the real world. According to a great book by James Watkins called Death and Beyond (Tyndale, 1993), researchers at the University of British Columbia have studied a rare disease called porphyria. Victims of this illness can’t produce heme, the red pigment in the blood’s hemoglobin.

They believe some early sufferers tried to alleviate their symptoms by drinking blood. In addition, without that substance in their blood, these people are painfully sensitive to light. Sunlight causes sores that deform their hands; the skin of the face gets thin and tight, causing the teeth to stick out. And the body tries to protect itself with increased (wolf-like?) hair growth.

Finally, people with this disease are also violently allergic to garlic. It’s possible that the legends grew out of a real-world illness.

The Bible, of course, teaches that demons are very real and that they can, in fact, possess unbelievers, making them violent and giving them supernatural strength. However, the Bible doesn’t ever talk about these people living unnaturally long lives.

**

Taken from "Don’t Buy the Lie" by Mark Matlock, copyright 2004 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=163

2. FORGETTABLE FACT

C3PO is the first character to speak in Star Wars (Episode IV).

3. POTENT QUOTABLES

"When creativity and passion come in and clean things out, you are able to care about more than yourself."
~ Zach Hunter

4. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: How do you fix a Jack-O-Lantern?

A: Use a pumpkin patch.

This week at Bethlehem Youth:
Wednesday
4:45 PM Youth Praise Band
5:30 PM Youth Choir Rehearsal
6:30 PM Snack Supper. (Thanks to the McQuiddy family for this week’s snack supper!)
7 PM Youth Group

Sunday
8:15 and 11 AM Worship services
9:30 AM Middle School and High School Sunday School classes

Upcoming:
One weekend this fall is going to be amazing. It will be filled with great opportunities to hang out, be with friends and grow in faith. There will be high ropes, low ropes and a lit whiffle ball field. We will be able to worship, share, laugh and play together. It all adds up to a fantastic weekend. Harvest is coming. November 7-9, 2008. Cost is $140 with a $50 deposit before October 1st and $150 there after. Are you coming?

YS STUDENT NEWSLETTER #355
August 18, 2008
Contents
Something for Your Heart
Surf Report
Forgettable Fact
Potent Quotables
Uh, That’s Funny?
===========our|sponsor===========

IT’S THE GOSPEL OF JOHN…WITH A TWIST

A devotional like you’ve never seen (or heard) before, "The Script" will bring you into a spoken word version of the Gospel of John on CD-ROM and take you through creative and soul-searching activities to take God’s Word to heart.
Learn more about or purchase "The Script" here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=426

=================================
1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
DAY 5–JOHN THE BAPTIST: FADE TO BLACK
MOOD: CALM
JOHN 3:23-36
23 John was up the river in Aenon holdin’ classes close to Salim where the water was high, baptizing the masses. Multitudes of souls took this passage despite the traffic ’cause it stayed congested…
24 (back before John got arrested).
25 And just at that time a controversy started to brew between John’s Taliban & certain established Jews on the practice of baptism–does it really make one pure? But this was just a contentious ploy for sure to lure John’s men into debate, and some of his disciples took the bait.
26 Agitated at these religious ingrates, they approached John and said, "Sensei, you recall the other day at the Jordan the one who came to you & you proclaimed him the Lord? Well, now he’s starting to draw numbers in abundance; it’s getting redundant. If he keeps blowin’ up like this, we’re headed for sunset, and we don’t feel we’re done yet."
27 John sensed panic & calmed their hysteria. "I’m tellin’ ya– there’s really no need to worry here; and if he’s blowing up like you say he is, then right in the middle of God’s will is where we are & besides, no man of his own clout stands superior. If he’s a cut above the rest, I suggest he’s heaven blessed.
28 "You all can attest that I never said I was all that! ‘Just the forerunner for the number-one Son o’ wonders.’
29 "The one who gets to vow out the nuptials: See, that’s the groom, but the best man is just happy to be in the same room & see true love bloom. In this my joy is full–just to see him jump that broom.
30 "His decibels have to be raised to the max, till volume is full blast. But I’ve got to fade to black.
31 "He who’s from the throne is in a league of his own; can’t compare the spiritual against the flesh & the bone. It’s phantasm deeper than I could imagine or fathom ’cause we descended from Adam, so there’s no crossing the chasm.
32 "But now then the holy Skywalker is talking, testifying what he’s seen and heard–but man objects his words, treatin’ his verbs like a tabloid plot.
33 "But he who sees his thesis and receives it has set his faith on lock that God is real–signed & sealed…is you feelin’ me?
34 "God’s emissary speaks his King’s tongue in fluency–fluently w/o truancy or impunity is the Spirit measured out on him w/ all gratuity.
35 "You must see its mad affinity in the Trinity; and the Father’s ordered all things to the Son–it’s the dynasty of divinity.
36 "No amenities to this absolute truth: Believeth on the Son & it’s done–death can’t touch you. But such of you fools who refute & refuse his rules won’t see the life of God, but the side that is cruel: You lose."
SAY WHAT?
John 3:25–The word "taliban"undoubtedly evokes many negative connotations, but did you know its original meaning in Arabic is "student" or "students"? This shouldn’t surprise you; many words in the English language first meant for good also have been twisted around for negative purposes–so make sure you take regular peeks into the dictionary so you know the history behind the words you speak! In this verse, the context is "students"–those followers of John the Baptist who’d soon be introduced to the greatest Teacher ever.
DEVOTIONAL
"It was never about you." All that you do is for his purpose. Good performers know how to make a memorable entrance onstage. The greatest performers, however, also know how to make a good exit. They can sense when it’s time to step off the stage, even if it’s while the crowd is crying out for more. John the Baptist recognizes his own curtain call is approaching after he introduces Jesus. The words he was no doubt born to shout–"Behold the Lamb of God!"–also mean, "It’s my time to go now." John captures it when says, "He [Jesus] must increase, and I must decrease." John’s able to let go of the spotlight because he’s made peace with the full picture, realizing it was never really about him–but we’re all here to do what we do and then move on. I’m sure John, at the end of his life, could look back and smile, saying, "I had only one chance–and I lived out loud with all of my heart, and I have no regrets."
FADE TO BLACK
- Can you identify anything in your life that might stop you from living with no regrets?
- When it’s your time to fade to black, what type of memories would you like to leave?
- In which areas in your life do you sense that you must decrease and God must increase?
BREATHE OUT: REMIX IT
Write out John 3:27-30 in your own words. Describe three different emotions you can imagine John experiencing as he comes to this conclusion that it’s his time to "fade to black." Then journal about a time when you’ve felt those same emotions.
**
Taken from "The Script" by Fred Lynch, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=426

2. SURF REPORT
~ DCLA2009: Check out this amazing event for students.
http://dcla2009.com/
~ Young Writers Society: Chat, Blog, Create, and Write!
http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/

3. FORGETTABLE FACT
The Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the Pacific Ocean.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence. a belief in God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake."
~ Martin Luther
"Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials. Hold on! hold fast! hold out! Patience is genius."
~ Georges L.L. de Buffon

5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
Teacher: Can someone give me a sentence using the word "archaic" in it?
Student: We can’t have "archaic" and eat it too.

So, guess what?  We are having youth after all this Wednesday!  Due to several things, the retreat for the church staff to be postponed until a later day, so I want to take advantage of being in town and have youth one last time before summer ends!  Come this week and be a part of a video I want to make for visitors and new members called “What you need to know about Bethlehem Youth.”  It will be a very relaxed time, hanging out, shooting the video and talking about some ideas for the coming year.  So, if you can make it, we would love to have you.

Next week, no youth.  Take the time to get settled in with the school year while I am on vacation for a week in the land of a thousand lakes.  We will meet back together on Sunday, August 17 @ 5:30 PM.  We will have a ton of information about the fall events, opportunities to sign-up for things and some light snacks.  At 6 PM that night, a drumming group called Sheltered Reality will be here and are going to do an awesome experience with us that night.  It should be a great way to kick off the fall.  Then on August 20, our regular Wednesday night schedule gets rolling!

This week at Bethlehem Youth:

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

7 PM Youth Group: Here is what you should know about Bethlehem Youth

Sunday

8:15 and 10:45 Sunday School

YS STUDENT NEWSLETTER #353

August 4 , 2008

Contents

1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Uh, That’s Funny?

===========our|sponsor===========

WHAT KIND OF LEADER CAN YOU BE?

You can get a handle on these and other crucial questions by wrapping your brain around "Leadership 101." It focuses on the nuts and bolts of solid Christian leadership (prayer, service, communication, conflict management, mentoring, etc.) but also goes deep into the soul of leadership.

Learn more about or purchase "Leadership 101" here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=188

=================================

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

CHARACTER VERSUS SKILLS

There are those who say leadership is about your character or who you are, while others say leadership is defined by your skills or what you do.

People who defend the first perspective point out the importance of integrity, charisma, and other internal characteristics. They say who you are affects what you do. A perfect example is Mother Teresa. She’s remembered as one of the most respected and influential women of the twentieth century solely based on her ability to live out her personal convictions. Did she possess a strong, commanding persona? Did she influence people with her charm and charisma? Not at all! She was a quiet, soft-spoken little woman who was ordinary on the outside. Nevertheless, she influenced thousands to minister to the poor and dying of Calcutta and places like it around the world. The strength of her character made her an incredible leader.

On the other side, there are many who believe the quality of one’s leadership is determined by one’s leadership skills. This is where powers of communication, persuasion, knowledge, and experience come in. Former President Bill Clinton is a great example of one who is seen as a great leader because of his skills. He is said to be an incredible listener, remarkably skilled at remembering detail, persuasive, and highly intelligent. He attained the highest position of leadership in the world, mostly due to his skills in the area of leadership, yet spurred a national debate on the importance of a leader’s character. Many people thought Clinton’s private moral failures were irrelevant to his position as the leader of this country–essentially that his heart attitude wasn’t important. Those people contend that Clinton was elected for his skill, not his heart. Others believe his character was totally relevant to his ability to command respect as a leader. So who is right? I believe the answer is found in a verse that will be foundational to your study of leadership: "And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skillful hands he led them" (Psalm 78:72).

For years the secular leadership community has argued about the values of skill and character. Volumes have been written in dozens and dozens of leadership books expounding on the importance of one or the other. But the greatest manual on leadership was written thousands of years ago, and it contains about every answer to about every question you could ever ask about the topic! The Bible contains at least 170 direct references to leading and many more stories that illustrate leadership–both good and bad examples. So how does God’s Word define leadership? According to Psalm 78:72, good leadership requires both integrity of heart and skill, in equal measure. What comes to mind when you think of the word "integrity?" Most of us leap to words such as "honesty" or phrases such as "man of his word." Those are good definitions, but integrity literally means "to integrate" or bring many parts together.

Having integrity of heart means bringing together all the parts of who you are. It means having one "self"–being the same person whether you are alone or in a crowd, at school or with your family. As you will discover in the next few chapters, there are many parts to your self.

News Flash: You have a distinct, unique personality and temperament. You have a unique pathway in which you relate to God. Your experiences and influences have uniquely shaped you. You have physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual parts of your self. Understanding these things and bringing them into unity is key to having what we call integrity of heart.

David had integrity of heart. I want integrity of heart–and I believe you do, too. The journey takes effort, perseverance, and much courage; but as David’s life shows us, the results are very much worth the effort.

SKILLFUL HANDS

In our quest to grow in very important heart issues, it’s also important to recognize the necessity of basic leadership skills. Throughout his lifetime David’s leadership was challenged by his skills in five major areas: listening, communicating, managing conflict, learning from failure, and raising up other leaders. Many godly leaders have suffered through unnecessary failures of leadership due to poor skills, especially in these key areas. There are, of course, many other skills that leaders must develop as well, but I’m convinced that mastery of the "big five" is absolutely essential for any leader’s true success.

HEART TO HANDS

It’s no accident that in Psalm 78:72 "heart "comes before "skill". The Hebrew word "leb "(pronounced "lave") means "heart." The literal translation is "the source of man." A person’s "leb" is the source of her passions, knowledge, and character. It’s kind of like the spring that feeds the river that runs into the oceans. If you pollute the spring, then all the water flowing out of it will also be polluted. Are you familiar with Proverbs 4:23? "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do" (NLT). Even the most skilled leader will be ineffective–or worse, destructive–when the heart is allowed to turn from God. Adolf Hitler was a powerfully influential leader who changed the history of the world, but his evil heart determined the course of his leadership. Can you imagine how many people’s lives would be radically different today if Hitler had led with integrity of heart?

What other characteristics or skills should a good leader possess?

Here you will find a list of words that describe some characteristics of a good leader. Identify whether the word describes an attribute of the heart, the hands (a skill), or both, and then rate yourself on how much you possess that particular trait.

**

Taken from "Leadership 101" by Denise VanEck, copyright 2005 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=188

2. SURF REPORT

~ Survey: Our friends at Zondervan want to know what you think about young adult fiction. Take this survey to help them out.
http://www.surveysoftware.net/hostzv/amish.htm

~ PlanetWisdom Discussion Forum: Talk about stuff that matters
http://cafe.planetwisdom.com/tc/v312/ikonboard.cgi

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

It was illegal to sell E.T. dolls in France because there is a law against selling dolls without human faces.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

"Heaven must be in me before I can be in heaven."
~ Charles Stanford

"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
~ Saint Augustine

5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: What kinds of horses go out after dark?
A: Nightmares

So, guess what?  We are having youth after all this Wednesday!  Due to several things, the retreat for the church staff to be postponed until a later day, so I want to take advantage of being in town and have youth one last time before summer ends!  Come this week and be a part of a video I want to make for visitors and new members called “What you need to know about Bethlehem Youth.”  It will be a very relaxed time, hanging out, shooting the video and talking about some ideas for the coming year.  So, if you can make it, we would love to have you.

Next week, no youth.  Take the time to get settled in with the school year while I am on vacation for a week in the land of a thousand lakes.  We will meet back together on Sunday, August 17 @ 5:30 PM.  We will have a ton of information about the fall events, opportunities to sign-up for things and some light snacks.  At 6 PM that night, a drumming group called Sheltered Reality will be here and are going to do an awesome experience with us that night.  It should be a great way to kick off the fall.  Then on August 20, our regular Wednesday night schedule gets rolling!

This week at Bethlehem Youth:

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

7 PM Youth Group: Here is what you should know about Bethlehem Youth

Sunday

8:15 and 10:45 Sunday School

YS STUDENT NEWSLETTER #353

August 4 , 2008

Contents

1. Something for Your Heart
2. Surf Report
3. Forgettable Fact
4. Potent Quotables
5. Uh, That’s Funny?

===========our|sponsor===========

WHAT KIND OF LEADER CAN YOU BE?

You can get a handle on these and other crucial questions by wrapping your brain around "Leadership 101." It focuses on the nuts and bolts of solid Christian leadership (prayer, service, communication, conflict management, mentoring, etc.) but also goes deep into the soul of leadership.

Learn more about or purchase "Leadership 101" here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=188

=================================

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

CHARACTER VERSUS SKILLS

There are those who say leadership is about your character or who you are, while others say leadership is defined by your skills or what you do.

People who defend the first perspective point out the importance of integrity, charisma, and other internal characteristics. They say who you are affects what you do. A perfect example is Mother Teresa. She’s remembered as one of the most respected and influential women of the twentieth century solely based on her ability to live out her personal convictions. Did she possess a strong, commanding persona? Did she influence people with her charm and charisma? Not at all! She was a quiet, soft-spoken little woman who was ordinary on the outside. Nevertheless, she influenced thousands to minister to the poor and dying of Calcutta and places like it around the world. The strength of her character made her an incredible leader.

On the other side, there are many who believe the quality of one’s leadership is determined by one’s leadership skills. This is where powers of communication, persuasion, knowledge, and experience come in. Former President Bill Clinton is a great example of one who is seen as a great leader because of his skills. He is said to be an incredible listener, remarkably skilled at remembering detail, persuasive, and highly intelligent. He attained the highest position of leadership in the world, mostly due to his skills in the area of leadership, yet spurred a national debate on the importance of a leader’s character. Many people thought Clinton’s private moral failures were irrelevant to his position as the leader of this country–essentially that his heart attitude wasn’t important. Those people contend that Clinton was elected for his skill, not his heart. Others believe his character was totally relevant to his ability to command respect as a leader. So who is right? I believe the answer is found in a verse that will be foundational to your study of leadership: "And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skillful hands he led them" (Psalm 78:72).

For years the secular leadership community has argued about the values of skill and character. Volumes have been written in dozens and dozens of leadership books expounding on the importance of one or the other. But the greatest manual on leadership was written thousands of years ago, and it contains about every answer to about every question you could ever ask about the topic! The Bible contains at least 170 direct references to leading and many more stories that illustrate leadership–both good and bad examples. So how does God’s Word define leadership? According to Psalm 78:72, good leadership requires both integrity of heart and skill, in equal measure. What comes to mind when you think of the word "integrity?" Most of us leap to words such as "honesty" or phrases such as "man of his word." Those are good definitions, but integrity literally means "to integrate" or bring many parts together.

Having integrity of heart means bringing together all the parts of who you are. It means having one "self"–being the same person whether you are alone or in a crowd, at school or with your family. As you will discover in the next few chapters, there are many parts to your self.

News Flash: You have a distinct, unique personality and temperament. You have a unique pathway in which you relate to God. Your experiences and influences have uniquely shaped you. You have physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual parts of your self. Understanding these things and bringing them into unity is key to having what we call integrity of heart.

David had integrity of heart. I want integrity of heart–and I believe you do, too. The journey takes effort, perseverance, and much courage; but as David’s life shows us, the results are very much worth the effort.

SKILLFUL HANDS

In our quest to grow in very important heart issues, it’s also important to recognize the necessity of basic leadership skills. Throughout his lifetime David’s leadership was challenged by his skills in five major areas: listening, communicating, managing conflict, learning from failure, and raising up other leaders. Many godly leaders have suffered through unnecessary failures of leadership due to poor skills, especially in these key areas. There are, of course, many other skills that leaders must develop as well, but I’m convinced that mastery of the "big five" is absolutely essential for any leader’s true success.

HEART TO HANDS

It’s no accident that in Psalm 78:72 "heart "comes before "skill". The Hebrew word "leb "(pronounced "lave") means "heart." The literal translation is "the source of man." A person’s "leb" is the source of her passions, knowledge, and character. It’s kind of like the spring that feeds the river that runs into the oceans. If you pollute the spring, then all the water flowing out of it will also be polluted. Are you familiar with Proverbs 4:23? "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do" (NLT). Even the most skilled leader will be ineffective–or worse, destructive–when the heart is allowed to turn from God. Adolf Hitler was a powerfully influential leader who changed the history of the world, but his evil heart determined the course of his leadership. Can you imagine how many people’s lives would be radically different today if Hitler had led with integrity of heart?

What other characteristics or skills should a good leader possess?

Here you will find a list of words that describe some characteristics of a good leader. Identify whether the word describes an attribute of the heart, the hands (a skill), or both, and then rate yourself on how much you possess that particular trait.

**

Taken from "Leadership 101" by Denise VanEck, copyright 2005 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=188

2. SURF REPORT

~ Survey: Our friends at Zondervan want to know what you think about young adult fiction. Take this survey to help them out.
http://www.surveysoftware.net/hostzv/amish.htm

~ PlanetWisdom Discussion Forum: Talk about stuff that matters
http://cafe.planetwisdom.com/tc/v312/ikonboard.cgi

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

It was illegal to sell E.T. dolls in France because there is a law against selling dolls without human faces.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

"Heaven must be in me before I can be in heaven."
~ Charles Stanford

"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
~ Saint Augustine

5. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?

Q: What kinds of horses go out after dark?
A: Nightmares

“Blessed Be Your Name” by Matt Redman
 

This morning marks the end of Youth Choir Tour 2008.  My prayer is that it has been a fantastic trip full of God-sized moments that will thrust us forward as a group and as individual followers of Jesus.  I hope it is marked by funny videos, great pictures and amazing experiences that are like none we have had thus far.  That being said, the reality is that we are going back into the “real world” today. 

I am thankful this morning that we will all get to share in worship.  I hope that some of you are sharing your encounters with God this morning with the congregation.  We all need to be reminded of the times when “the worlds’ all as it should be.”  Because we will all have times when life is hard again.  Listen to what Matt Redman wrote about what some people have said to him about today’s song:

“´I think we’ve received more personal testimony feedback from this song than any other. I have come across some of the harshest life circumstances I’ve heard of as people have emailed in their stories of how they’ve chosen to worship our amazing God even in some of the hardest times of life. More than anything, this reminds me of how much pain there is in the world, and about how important it is to be real, honest and true (yet always remaining reverent) in the worshipping church.´ 

Basically, this song comes from the book of Job, where Job, who has lost everything, decides that God is worthy of his praise whether life is good and easy or when it is not.  Job undergoes an immense time of trial, watching his wealth go away, his children die, his body become sore and diseased.  And at the very bottom point for Job, his choice isn’t to curse God.  His choice is to bless God and his name.  Oh, that we could have faith like Job!

We have the same choice in our own lives as we come to the end of this time spent together.  Will we focus on continuing to praise God, even though we aren’t on tour?  Will our song still be his to use here in Franklin just like it was elsewhere?  Will our lives still be his to guide?  Will our hope still be found in the God who gives and takes away?  My prayer is that it will as we all continue to say “Blessed Be Your Name.” 

´The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.´

Everyone needs compassion  Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour The hope of nations

Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing For the glory of the risen King