I got an email this week from Youth Leaders Doug Fields and Matt McGill about thankfulness. I really liked the article and wanted to share it with you.
For those of us in America, this is the week where we will devour massive amounts of food in the name of thankfulness. It’s easy to get caught up and distracted by planning, house cleaning, stressful travel, football games, overeating, avoiding certain family members, and shopping--all while pretending to enjoy Aunt Gurdy’s plumb-custard-quiche-ala-nasty. We’re going to explore EIGHT WAYS thankfulness and gratitude can transform our heart from the inside out.
THANKFULNESS RE-FOCUSES MY PERSPECTIVE
It’s easy to complain and point out problems, no one ever grumbles their way into a better attitude. Fortunately thankfulness can shift our focus to the blessings we’ve received from God. No matter how bad things get, in Jesus there is always reason to be thankful. It’s our responsibility to receive God’s gift and thank him.
THANKFULNESS INCREASES MY HUMILITY
Every blessing in our lives is a gift from God and not something we could have created or earned on our own. Everything belongs to God, and the only way we “have” something is because of his generosity. Because of the numerous blessings received, it’s easy for a feeling of entitlement to slowly creep into our lives and darken our hearts. Thankfulness turns on the light and recognizes God as the provider for our needs.
THANKFULNESS BUILDS MY FAITH
Gratitude recognizes the past work of God in our lives. When we remember God’s faithfulness, we position our hearts to trust him to provide for our future. God has given us everything we’ve needed, and he will continue to give us what we need. Developing the habit of being thankful also creates the capacity to trust God during the lean times.
THANKFULNESS CHANGES DISPAIR INTO JOY
There’s a lot of pain in this world and sometimes the ugliness is overwhelming and overpowering. Thankfulness doesn’t deny the evil, but it does open the door for joy to enter the scene. Lasting joy is a promise the world makes but can’t deliver, but when we remain in Christ, his joy is a gift for every believer.
THANKFULNESS RE-ORDERS MY PRIORITIES
It doesn’t take a busy holiday season for our priorities to get out of whack. As youth workers, most us have so much going on that it becomes really easy to major on the minors (issues) and slip into a selfish mode of living. A grateful heart is more open and aware of God’s work in our lives. Being thankful helps us understand what’s REALLY important in the grand scheme of things and moves us beyond the busyness of the moment.
THANKFULNESS CHALLENGES OUR WANTS
For both of us, the closer we grow to Jesus, the more we realize many of our “needs” are really about our “wants.” No, we’re not too excited to admit this, but this is a reality that we’ve become aware of in our spiritual journey. Thankfulness can turn our hearts into a fertile soil for contentment to grow into full bloom. Learning to be content in every situation is a measure of spiritual maturity. The power of “I WANT” is weakened in the light of “I’M THANKFUL.”
THANKFULNESS BREAKS THE SHACKLE OF ENVY
When our desires run wild and unchecked (and aren’t satisfied), the result is envy. Few things can rob one of peace like envy. When it gets really bad, envy also destroys community by morphing into jealousy. This happens when we lose our capacity to be excited for others. This is a particularly deep and dark pit of selfishness. When we’re trapped by envy and jealousy, the only way out is thankfulness for what we do have, and for what others have, too.
THANKFULNESS ENHANCES OUR COMPASSION
We have a lot, not just materially, but also spiritually. When we are thankful for the spiritual gifts we have in Christ, we can’t help but to have greater compassion for those who aren’t in God’s family.
For us, it’s abundantly clear that thankfulness is an essential habit for becoming more like Jesus. What about you? What does thankfulness create in your own heart?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wow! Look at all this stuff to look forward to!
Tell your friends, clear your schedules, mark your calendars! Our Geneva Middle School youth group is getting busy!
Have you checked out the list of upcoming events? Here's the rundown of opportunities to sign up for and look forward to.
Sunday, November 21 - Wallyball! we'll stop for lunch then head over to Body Rocks in Livonia to play wallyball (Indoor volleyball) You don't have to be good at this- believe me- you can have a good laugh watching me play! Wear comfy clothes and gym shoes. Cost is $5 per person, plus the cost of your lunch.
Tuesday, November 23 - We're going to the Presbytery of Detroit meeting to talk about our last summer's mission trip and to help lead worship with the other participants. Even if you didn't go on the mission trip last summer, you're welcome to come to this and support us. We're leaving church around 3:15 and we'll be back by 8:30.
Friday or Saturday, November 6/27 we'll ring bells for the Salvation Army. I haven't yet signed up for a time. If there's a specific day or time that DOES NOT work for you, please let me know.
Sunday, November 28, we'll be singing "Thankful" as the gathering song at the 11:00 service.
Saturday, December 4 - Cookie baking! We'll bake cookies at church, you bring dough (or already baked cookies for us to decorate) and we'll bake them up and/or decorate them to sell on Sunday for a youth group fundraiser.
Sunday, December 5 - Bake sale fundraiser at church after and between services. We will see the cookies we made on Saturday (and more if you want to bring some in) to raise funds for our summer 2011 mission trip. Even if you can't go on the mission trip, please support our group!
Sunday, December 12 - Mission Trip meeting after the 11:00 Service. If you are planning on joining us for the mission trip to Sault Ste Marie July 31-Aug 5 you must attend this meeting with your parents (or let me know before if you can't make it.)
Sunday, December 12 - (After the mission trip meeting) Parents go home, kids stay for lunch and Christmas TV show watching. Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Olive the Other Reindeer... We'll vote and watch a bunch of old Christmas TV show classics!
Wednesday, December 15 - Instead of LifeStream we'll be participating in a special Christmas celebration at church with dinner and crafts and entertainment by the youth! We'll talk more about this soon.
Sunday, December 19 - Our middle school Christmas party! Fun fun fun! What more can I say? (after church)
Friday, December 24 - Christmas Eve! Traditionally, the middle school youth present the Christmas Drama during the 4:00 service. Rehearsal times TBD.
Wednesday, December 29 - Lock in at High Velocity Sports. We'll be joining middle schoolers from First Presbyterian Church in Plymouth and Calvary Baptist Church in canton to stay up all night! Starting around 9:00 PM and lasting until 7:00 AM. There will be games like soccer and dodgeball, and activities and movies and just plain fun. Bring a friend or two to this! We have a minimum number of people to secure this event so I need to know ASAP whether you are thinking about coming, whether you might bring a friend, or whether you know for sure you won't be attending. More information will be forthcoming. At this time the cost per person will be $15.
Whew! That's a lot of stuff to look forward to, sign up for and let me know about! I didn't even mention Sunday morning Breakfast Club or Wednesday night LifeStream!
Blessings to you and feeling blessed by you,
Nancy
Have you checked out the list of upcoming events? Here's the rundown of opportunities to sign up for and look forward to.
Sunday, November 21 - Wallyball! we'll stop for lunch then head over to Body Rocks in Livonia to play wallyball (Indoor volleyball) You don't have to be good at this- believe me- you can have a good laugh watching me play! Wear comfy clothes and gym shoes. Cost is $5 per person, plus the cost of your lunch.
Tuesday, November 23 - We're going to the Presbytery of Detroit meeting to talk about our last summer's mission trip and to help lead worship with the other participants. Even if you didn't go on the mission trip last summer, you're welcome to come to this and support us. We're leaving church around 3:15 and we'll be back by 8:30.
Friday or Saturday, November 6/27 we'll ring bells for the Salvation Army. I haven't yet signed up for a time. If there's a specific day or time that DOES NOT work for you, please let me know.
Sunday, November 28, we'll be singing "Thankful" as the gathering song at the 11:00 service.
Saturday, December 4 - Cookie baking! We'll bake cookies at church, you bring dough (or already baked cookies for us to decorate) and we'll bake them up and/or decorate them to sell on Sunday for a youth group fundraiser.
Sunday, December 5 - Bake sale fundraiser at church after and between services. We will see the cookies we made on Saturday (and more if you want to bring some in) to raise funds for our summer 2011 mission trip. Even if you can't go on the mission trip, please support our group!
Sunday, December 12 - Mission Trip meeting after the 11:00 Service. If you are planning on joining us for the mission trip to Sault Ste Marie July 31-Aug 5 you must attend this meeting with your parents (or let me know before if you can't make it.)
Sunday, December 12 - (After the mission trip meeting) Parents go home, kids stay for lunch and Christmas TV show watching. Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Olive the Other Reindeer... We'll vote and watch a bunch of old Christmas TV show classics!
Wednesday, December 15 - Instead of LifeStream we'll be participating in a special Christmas celebration at church with dinner and crafts and entertainment by the youth! We'll talk more about this soon.
Sunday, December 19 - Our middle school Christmas party! Fun fun fun! What more can I say? (after church)
Friday, December 24 - Christmas Eve! Traditionally, the middle school youth present the Christmas Drama during the 4:00 service. Rehearsal times TBD.
Wednesday, December 29 - Lock in at High Velocity Sports. We'll be joining middle schoolers from First Presbyterian Church in Plymouth and Calvary Baptist Church in canton to stay up all night! Starting around 9:00 PM and lasting until 7:00 AM. There will be games like soccer and dodgeball, and activities and movies and just plain fun. Bring a friend or two to this! We have a minimum number of people to secure this event so I need to know ASAP whether you are thinking about coming, whether you might bring a friend, or whether you know for sure you won't be attending. More information will be forthcoming. At this time the cost per person will be $15.
Whew! That's a lot of stuff to look forward to, sign up for and let me know about! I didn't even mention Sunday morning Breakfast Club or Wednesday night LifeStream!
Blessings to you and feeling blessed by you,
Nancy
Monday, November 1, 2010
Summer MIssion Trip 2011
Mission work can bring life change to youth, a community and the Church. Within a relatively short period of time, your own life and a stranger’s life can be powerfully changed through the desire to give to a community. Your presence during a mission trip speaks more than a thousand words through your simple love and willingness to serve.
While there are countless physical and spiritual needs in communities everywhere from across the country, from big cities to small towns and even close to home, we’ve chose to go to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan for our middle school mission trip this year. Week-long mission trips are a means to visualize needs in other communities and bring that recognition back to serve in your own home. After a week spent in service, you will leave transformed from the love, strength and resilience you find in those you meet. Mission trips are often more life changing and impacting for participants than those you came to serve!
Life-changing experiences happen on a short term mission trip. The week can give you new eyes with which to view your home, working as a vehicle for further change. Please consider joining me this summer, from July 31- August 5 as we work together to show Christ’s love in this Upper Peninsula community.
Mission trips change lives!
While there are countless physical and spiritual needs in communities everywhere from across the country, from big cities to small towns and even close to home, we’ve chose to go to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan for our middle school mission trip this year. Week-long mission trips are a means to visualize needs in other communities and bring that recognition back to serve in your own home. After a week spent in service, you will leave transformed from the love, strength and resilience you find in those you meet. Mission trips are often more life changing and impacting for participants than those you came to serve!
Life-changing experiences happen on a short term mission trip. The week can give you new eyes with which to view your home, working as a vehicle for further change. Please consider joining me this summer, from July 31- August 5 as we work together to show Christ’s love in this Upper Peninsula community.
Mission trips change lives!
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