Why We Care So Much About Our Youth
We all know that our youth are the leaders of tomorrow. But there’s so much more to it than that. The world is changing at greater speeds now than ever before. Have we dealt them a fair hand from the deck of life, or are we really foolish enough to think that the issues that our youth face are all their fault? We can’t provide dysfunctional homes and expect them to just “be OK!” We adults have to clean up our acts and then help
them clean up theirs.
My parents used to say…Read More
I.M.A.G.I.N.E
Check out our I.M.A.G.I.N.E curriculum written by Peggi Merkey and Melvin Adams~World-Class former Harlem Globetrotter.
We use this with students in grades 3-college! This is a nine month course for students with an introduction and final wrap up!
I: stands for Identity
M: stands for Mindset
A: stands for Attitude
G: stands for Goals
I: stands for Imagine
N: stands for Never Give Up
E: stands for Excel and Get Excited!
The authors have found it so important to…Read More
ANTI-BULLYING & SUICIDE INITIATIVE | AUSTIN LANIER
Our Anti-Bullying & Suicide Initiative WILL HELP YOU RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT HAPPENS.
No one really likes to talk about Suicide or Bullying, but it is very necessary to address them so that more of us can learn how to handle them when they come our way. It may be a student, friend, child, relative, parent or spouse suffering. So many things can trigger suicidal thoughts and we may even see the “red flags”, but we need to know the best way to handle them BEFORE they happen. Prevention is of utmost importance and the worst thing is when it becomes trendy, or students in schools see it as an acceptable way out of…Read More
FATHERLESS CHILDREN
How church men hurt fatherless kids by not being involved in their lives. (Watching sports incessantly, or tv) Can you not give one day or night to a fatherless kid?
These men show up to be mentors to under-served youth weekly. Imagine the fights, unwanted pregnancies, childhood trauma, crimes and other social problems we positively intervene in that will never go rewarded or reported. Maybe these men have prevented school shootings? You’ll never know but when tragedies happen to our youth I can’t help but think of how important it is to be proactive with at-risk youth. Get involved and do something about what you see happening. Yes we should mourn with those who mourn. I’m sending prayers out for the families in Uvalde. We should also check our lives to see if they count for more then just complaining and grumbling but not impacting another young persons life for the better. Jesus loves youth and demanded the disciples not to keep them from him. Are you seeking to be involved with youth from hard places? If so, join a team of mentors such as these men. The youth are waiting and the need is more than any one church or ministry can handle, nevertheless we have to start somewhere. Let’s do this.
HOW THE CHURCH HURTS CHILDREN WHEN THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEM
Little Benjamin -Benny (7 years old) spent the night with a church friend. They had fun until Sunday morning before church. That’s when the dad of his friend asked the boys if they wanted to watch a movie in the treehouse in the backyard. They played in it during the weekend, but never got to watch a movie in it.
So they climbed up with pillows, blankets and a sleeping bag. Once they were up in the treehouse and they were enjoying the movie, Benny felt a hand touching areas that his mom had told him once that no stranger should touch him there. Doctors sometimes have permission, if there’s a problem down there.
He was frozen and didn’t know what to do. He thought of different things, but sadly remained frozen. When they got to church, he ran to his mom, holding back the tears trying to thaw out but not look conspicuous.
His mom, with help, figured out what to do. The outcome was not good though because the “yes men leaders” sided with the pedophile.
Sweet Benny was left to pick up the broken pieces of his life.
Do we even have working Trauma Help for this more than terrible thing that happens to our children? Now the first thing happened, and the second (not being believed) might even be more damaging.
Our culture NEVER really reveals how excruciatingly damaging sexual abuse is to children.
Will Benny end hating the church?
Will he be able to truly love our good good father?
Those of us who know Benny need to assure him that we believe him and that we want him to get deep healing.
Many times when those two things are not present, little Benny ends up messed up, depressed, a victim, non-working, deadbeat Dad, drug addicted and a problem to society.
Those of us who know need to help him soon so he can be the opposite of those traits above.