Stay Strong!

TEENS STAND STRONG!

Sometimes we can doubt our faith, and finding just five minutes for God seems like impossible to do. 

 Sometimes devotions do not really seem like devotion, but homework. Have you ever wondered if God is really even there? Here's a few ways to keep your faith strong even when you feel a bit weak.

1. Remember that God is Always There And Will Never Leave You!

Even in the Darkest times, when you just don’t feel God cares, you need to remember that God is always there. He does not forget you. "True faith is developed even when you don’t feel God."

Deuteronomy 31:6 - " Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God."

2. Read a Devotional everyday!

This is really important to maintaining your faith. A daily devotional will keep you in God's Word and make  your prayer life. It will also keep you closer to God even when you are struggling in your faith.

Philippians 2:12-13 – “What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. ”

3. Do Something!

Many people become apathetic over time, because they do not feel connected to a church body. Some churches do not offer ways to connect. Yet, there are a lot of activities on campuses and in the community. You can even look into other ministries. The more connected you are to the body of Christ, the more likely it is that you will maintain your faith.

Romans 12:5 – “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

4. Talk to Someone!

If you feel separated from God, talk to your youth leader, a pastor, or even your parents. Talk through your issues and pray with them about your struggle. They can give you insight into how they have worked through their own struggles. Believe it or not, other people have been through this, and came out!!

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. ”

-Pastor Rob.

Why Great Ministry Leaders Need a Coach

Three reasons why ministry leaders need a coach and why coaching works.

Moses was a mess. He worked 10 to 12 hours a day. The people he led were frustrated. He teetered on the edge of burnout with no relief in sight. He felt separated and estranged from his wife and kids. He did not invest time in developing his skills — he rushed from task to task.
Sound familiar?
In my service to ministry leaders over the last decade, the No. 1 challenge they face is “getting it all done and keeping it all together.” Ministry leaders wear many hats — preach, lead teams, provide pastoral care, raise money, plan, relate to deacons, and deal with crises. By many people’s definition, ministry is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet.
With the task of “trying to get it all done,” ministry leaders often struggle to keep their lives together. They struggle with maintaining health and intimacy in their marriage and connecting with their children. They are overworked and undernourished.
While we are running the race to get everything done, we also miss opportunities to advance our skills, disciplines, and knowledge. We fail to expand our potential and, as a result, cap our growth.
This is where coaching can help. A coach will ensure you extract the mediocrity from your life and move toward greater excellence. A coach brings many benefits you cannot provide on your own. A coach can increase your courage to confront the areas of your life that need change — then help you change.
By taking a closer look at Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18, we can learn from their coaching experience. Ask yourself:

• How I can change my approach to ministry to lighten my load and increase my effectiveness?
• What action steps can I take to move away from mediocrity to greater excellence?

Moses had a mission from God to manage the Israelites, and it was a demanding job. People were complaining about their neighbors, living conditions, questions of the future, problems at home, at work — and on and on.
Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had insight that could greatly benefit Moses. This is the first reason why pastors need a coach and why coaching works.

Coaching Provides Outside Insight

Coaches can see what you cannot see. They have the power of observation working for them and you. As a coach observes your behavior and asks clarifying questions, solutions emerge. A coach sees ways to improve your performance and advance your skills and disciplines. A coach adds depth and greater discernment to decisions.
When you have a coach, you have an informed advocate investing experience and expertise in helping you think and act more effectively.
Imagine how empowering it would be to have a coach? You have someone who:

• understands ministry and its challenges.
• provides a safe place where you can discover solutions.
• provides accountability to help you grow your character and righteousness as well as implement your goals.
• brings fresh perspectives to expand your thinking.
• challenges your thinking to arrive at better decisions.

Jethro cared about his son-in-law, daughter, grand kids, and his people. He came to Moses not only to reunite his family but also improve his leadership. He came as a trusted adviser to help.
This is the second value of coaching and why it is so effective.

Coaching Provides a Trusted Adviser

Good coaches are trusted advisers who understand your background, behavior style, challenges, and opportunities. They get to know you, your family, your team, and your culture, so they can give you maximum value in the coaching relationship.
Jethro was a trusted adviser who displayed self-control and maturity in responding to his son-in-law. Perhaps Jethro was concerned that Moses might be neglecting his wife, kids, and his own emotional and spiritual health because he was so busy with his work. Jethro looked to see how Moses could change, improve his situation, and emerge a better husband, father, and leader.
Jethro did what good coaches do: He observed Moses in his active leadership role. The next day as Jethro observed Moses, he saw that Moses had not developed a team to help him carry the load.

The confrontation

“The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father–in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?’ ” (Exodus 18:13,14, italics mine). (These are great coaching questions.)
“Moses answered him, ‘Because the people come to me to seek God’s will’ ” (verse 15). (Really?)
“Moses’ father–in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. (We need this honest feedback) You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone’ ” (verses 17,18). (Can you take this counsel?)
Jethro was bold and helped bring about a dynamic change in Moses’ leadership style. But he did not just confront, he did what great coaches do — he asked powerful questions that provided a practical path for Moses to resolve his problem.
This is coaching’s greatest benefit — helping the person being coached arrive at their own sound solution.

Coaching Produces Sound Solutions

Moses was a great leader, but he needed to change his approach. He needed the outside influence of a trusted advisor to help him see how to do things differently to get better results. Jethro gently guided Moses to a practical solution that resulted in change and advancement in his leadership style, family, and the people he led.
Fortunately for Moses, he welcomed the help of Jethro. He trusted his father-in-law. A coaching relationship based on trust provides freedom to explore thinking, evaluate situations, and strategize solutions.
People who utilize a coach say trust is what they appreciate about coaching. Coaching provides a consistent, safe environment that lets them explore possibilities with someone outside the context and challenges of their corporate culture.
Great leaders need a coach because they want:

• to achieve their calling.
• to advance their skills, disciplines, and knowledge.
• to remove inefficient or ineffective habits or practices that are undermining their leadership.
• to become people who enjoy life and loved ones.
• to know they are doing all they can to be the best they can.
• outside insight and an experienced, trusted adviser who can strategize with them so they can excel.

No matter what level of leader you are today, consider advancing your excellence. Here is an action plan:

Action plan

 Answer the following questions:

• How do I want to grow in my personal life?
• How do I want to grow in my leadership?
• What are my goals for the year?
• How does my team need to change to maximize our efforts?
• What obstacles are blocking my growth?

Final Thought

Ministry leaders focus on serving the people around them– which is their calling. But who’s focused on serving ministry leaders? Who’s caring for your soul and success in life? This is why coaching is so critical. A coach equips you to experience greater spiritual vitality and leadership success. So get a coach!

Excerpts taken from an article written by Greg Salciccioli

Happy Leap Day!!!

Today is a free day! It’s a bonus, a perk, an extra opportunity to live in a moment of time and space that won’t show up again for four more years. Okay, it’s really just February 29th…and it’s not much different than yesterday. But since today won’t happen again for a long time we are going to give you a little challenge for today. Actually it’s several challenges, that when tallied together, will totally 29….in honor of today.
Do 3 Random Acts of Kindness Today: 
 ~Buy a stranger a cup of coffee, offer to empty the trash in a co-workers office, point out the fact that your boss’ toupee looks exceptionally realistic.
Call 5 Folks Who Haven’t Heard From You In A While:  
~Call one of your parents, call an old friend from college, or call somebody whose birthday popped up on Facebook.
Pray For 10 People By Name:  
~It doesn’t need to be a long prayer, but mention 10 folks specifically in your quiet time today.
Make A List Of 7 Things You Love About Your Spouse:       
~Don’t read them to him or her, instead put them in your bible or journal and refer to the list the next time you are tempted to nit-pick about something dumb.
Meditate On Your 4 Favorite Bible Verses: 
~These are your favorites for a reason. Spend some time reminding yourself why.
Happy a great February 29th!

Awesome article by Rick Warren.

Rick Warren: Dealing with Difficult People

When asked what he considered the most valuable skill in employees, John D. Rockefeller once replied, "The ability to get along with people!"
One of the most important skills needed to succeed in ministry is knowing how to handle troublemakers. If you learn how to deal with difficult people early on, then you'll be able to pour more energy into ministry rather than needless conflicts.


Troublemakers come in all shapes:
THE SHERMAN TANK - will run over you if you let him.
THE MEGAPHONE - will talk your ear off.
THE BUBBLE BUSTER -deflates everyone's enthusiasm.
THE VOLCANO - has a temper like Mt. St. Helens.
THE CRY BABY - is a chronic complainer.
THE NIT PICKER - is the unpleasable perfectionist.
THE SPACE CADET - is on a different wavelength.


What should you do with these types?
Jesus had to deal with a lot of difficult people. Here are FOUR methods he modeled through his life:
1. Realize you can't please everybody (John 5:30). Even God can't do that! One wants rain while the other demands sunshine.
2. Refuse to play their game (Matt. 22:18). Learn to say no to unrealistic expectations. Confront them by "telling the truth in love."
3. Never retaliate (Matt. 5:38-39). It only lowers you to their level.
4. Pray for them (Matt. 5:44). It will help both of you. Let God handle them.
Make this Bible verse your goal this week, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Rom. 12:18 NIV)
______________________________________________
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright 2005 Pastors.com, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Through My Eyes By Tim Tebow

  Since I first started playing high school football, a lot has been written about me. Some true, some not so true. Some positive, some not so positive. And some of it claiming to even know my mind-set and motivation.


It's not always the easiest thing to be the center of so much spilled ink. You read glowing things, and it doesn't feel deserved. You read things that are critical, and it cuts you to the bone. It's because of both those extremes of others' opinions that I felt it the natural thing to do to tell my story, written from my perspective. It also seemed like the right thing to do—perhaps in many instances to simply set the record straight—sharing my story as I see it, as I remember it, including my actual mind-set and motivation. Sharing it all—what is true and actually happened. Some of it positive, and some perhaps, still, not so positive. That's the nature of truth. But all of it is my story.

Through my eyes.

  In addition, the sheer amount that has been written about me also seems to indicate that, for whatever reason, a great number of people have a significant interest in me. In some respects that is very flattering. I'd guess that any one of us would be flattered by that level of interest. However, my parents always told me, from an early age, that we all have the ability to influence others, whether through our words or actions, or both. They always added that, besides possessing the ability, we also have the responsibility to use it in a positive, encouraging, and uplifting way—a platform. Who knows? Maybe my platform will be the same in five years; maybe not. One thing I'm confident of is that the Lord already knows the answer to that, and He has a plan for it all. That is something I've learned to have the utmost assurance of and faith in—His daily, weekly, monthly, total and eternal plan for our lives.

Therefore I have learned that, though God is in control of the big picture, I am responsible for how I use my platform, whatever its size—at this moment in time—to influence others. Or whatever my age. Or wherever I am, or no matter what is going on in my life at any time. I have a platform that He can use for His good purposes and perhaps even the good of others—today.

We all know of people who thought they could do it (whatever "it" is) tomorrow. We have all procrastinated in such a way, and often to our personal regret. It happens time and again, putting off things that we convince ourselves might be better, more meaningful, more appropriate for another time. So often that better time either never comes or really isn't better or more appropriate after all. And then, sadly, the window of opportunity—to do something great—closes. Here's something else that I haven't always grasped but which in the last few years I have come to understand in my own life, and which now burns in my heart for others to also recognize and realize: we all have stories to share. We all have life experiences that can bless the lives of others. Whoever we are. Wherever we find ourselves. Whatever we are involved in, no matter our age or station in life. Stories that, when shared with others, can make a positive difference in the world.

As I tell my story, I hope that you will see that its true focus is on God and on those eternal values that He holds before us as beacons and benchmarks, to help us live lives of abundance that will ultimately glorify Him, while also lifting and bettering the lives of His children everywhere.

What it all boils down to is that if there's one kid who keeps pushing to attain his dreams, or...
if there's one dad who accepts the saving grace of Christ and changes his whole family, or...
if there's one person who sees my mistakes, realizes that we all fall short, and keeps pressing on, or...
if there's someone who agrees that Christians don't have to be weak, either in mind, body, or soul, then undertaking this project was the right thing to do, regardless of what the world thinks is the "right time" to write a memoir.

  God challenges us to change the world. And to accomplish this, He asks us to change it one life at a time.

I appreciate that you are taking this journey alongside me, and I pray that as we take this journey together, you will feel the Lord's presence along the way and that you will let Him cover you with His grace and power.

I also pray that in this journey you and I may discover that not only our lives but the lives of others are better because they were touched by something we have shared together.

Through my eyes.

Excerpted from Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow, with Nathan Whitaker. Copyright © 2011 by Timothy R. Tebow. Used with permission of HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

A Story about Valentine's Day

We all love romance, a good story.  Remember the first time you saw a Disney movie?  A kiss, true love.  Mushy stuff.  Here is a story of how Valentine’s Day got started:

  The early church was a persecuted church.  The Romans had a slew of gods that they worshipped in the Pantheon.  They even worshipped the emperor.  The Christians, of course, refused to obey this practice.  All they had to say once a year was that Caesar was lord and their lives would be set.  But they only said Jesus is Lord so it cost them their lives.  Over three hundred years this went on until around 300 AD Constantine rose to power.  Back then the term “atheist” was what you called a Christian.  Today, it is those who don’t believe in God.  The term “Martyr” is given to who is persecuted and killed for what they believe in.  The Christians were martyrs.  Over the course of time, these Christian Martyrs went to their death praying for forgiveness for their persecutors.  This was having a great impact on all of Rome. 

 In ancient Rome, February 14^th was a holiday to honor Juno, the queen of the Roman gods.  She was called the goddess of women and of marriage.  The next day, the 15^th, started the feast of Lupercalia.  On the eve before Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on little slips of paper and put in a jar.  The young men would draw a girl’s name from that jar and they would be paired for the whole festival.  Sometimes for the whole year!  It was often that they would fall in love and marry.  Hence, the tradition of valentines. 

 Emperor Claudius II, or Claudius the Cruel, was having a hard time getting soldiers to join in his many bloody campaigns, and he thought the reason was that men didn’t want to leave their loves, or families.  So, Claudius cancelled marriages and engagements in Rome.  He had also outlawed Christianity, so he could be worshipped as a god.  A Christian bishop named Valentine who came from a town called Interamna, less than70 miles from Rome, thought these decrees were wrong, so he invited the young couples to come and see him.  He secretly performed marriage ceremonies for these couples.

 Well, word got out, and Valentine was brought before the emperor.  After seeing that Valentine was convicted to his cause, Claudius tried to get him to renounce Christianity, and serve him.  In exchange for that, he would pardon him and make him powerful and give him privileges that only Claudius could. Bishop Valentine held to his faith, and because of this was sentenced to be executed – 3 times!  To be beaten, stoned and decapitated!  Many young couples came to the jail to visit Valentine as he waited for his executions.  They threw flowers and notes up to his window.  One of these was a young blind girl – the daughter of his jailer.  Her name was Asterious.  Valentine prayed for Asterious’ healing and God answered his prayer.  She got her sight!  After the miracle, they fell in love.  On the day of Valentine’s executions, Valentine wrote Asterious a not thanking her for her love, loyalty and friendship.  He signed it: “Love, from your Valentine.”  To this day, this message is the motto of our Valentine’s Day celebrations.  So, Valentine was beaten, stoned and decapitated because he wouldn’t renounce Christ and believed in the sacred institution of marriage and love on February 14, 270 AD.

This story reminds me of another story of a martyr we all know.  Jesus.  In John 3:16, one of the most popular verses, we read that “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only  Son, so that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life.”  God loves you so much; He went through several executions for you.  He was beaten, bruised, ripped, and stabbed.  He was pierced, and torn, and killed all for you. Thank you, Lord.  That we may never forget. 

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Pastor Rob.

Doing stuff together

Hebrews chapter 10, verse 25 I believe, 
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
 Church is more than having a weekly meeting. It includes doing stuff together. Being part of God’s family is about being connected in friendships. Besides needing a group of friends with whom we can spend a lot of time, doing everyday stuff together is just plain fun.  At our church, it is a given.  I have had people come up to me and ask why we do so much together, don't we ever get tired of each other's company - but we are more than just friends, folks.  We are a family of believers serving a loving God who commanded us to do life together just as He did with His disciples and those who would listen.  

  Pouring our lives into other individuals is probably the greatest calling each and every one of us is called to.  Sure, it is tough sometimes not to just stay home and "veg out" in front of the television and watch the world go by, but to actually get up off your couch and go out and pour life into another individual or group is full of rewards in itself.  

  Randy Frazee, senior minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas., and author of The Connecting Church, stated: 

“For most of the last decade of the twentieth century, two television shows, Seinfeld and Friends, consistently received the top awards from the People’s Choice Awards…What both shows have in common is a small group of friends that go in and out of each other’s lives and apartments spontaneously more times in a half hour than most ‘real’ Americans experience in a year. Seinfeld even promoted itself as a show ‘about nothing.’ Why would busy Americans watch a show about nothing? Because it wasn't about nothing—it was about a group of great friends spending lots of spontaneous time together, talking about everyday stuff and loving every minute of it.”

  Tomorrow night at 6pm our church is meeting at the Clinton Comm Center for a night of just that...and bowling.  Hope to see you there!  Let's spur one another on and have a great time doing it!

~Pastor Rob.