ILTI graduation
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
Congratulations to the 2008 International Literacy Training Institute graduates!
They studied hard for five weeks and now are continuing to pursue the avenues of ministry God has for them.
Archive for July, 2008
Sovereign Grace Teen Camp
Sunday, July 27th, 2008Last week, I had the privilege of working as a counselor at Sovereign Grace Teen Camp hosted at Beth-Eden Bible Camp in Missouri. It was a new experience, and a blessing from the Lord to be able to participate. The other experienced counselors welcomed me wholeheartedly. Working with the young people was a great delight.
The group from Grace Bible Church in Tulsa. I enjoyed getting to know the girls who rode with me during the 7-hour drive.
The campers enjoyed dressing up for the Hawaiian Theme Night 
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There was a counselor devotion and prayer time early every morning
My prayer group met for a few minutes each day after the girls' cabin devotion.
Pastor Dean Olive preached powerfully. I appreciated that he spoke to the teens as adults, and didn't water down the Word of God. He took us through the book of Jonah, and I hope to post my sermon notes soon.
The music during the week was special. I hope to post words to some songs that readers of this blog may be able to sing to known tunes.
I attended the Group Session for the 13-year olds on the last day that it was held.
The activities included volleyball.
One highlight of my week was helping with Bible Trivia.
Songs:
Independence Day
Saturday, July 5th, 2008Yesterday, we celebrated Independence Day with our friends at LEI. Click the second picture below to see more photos taken by none other than our excellent photographer, Peter!
two photographers
click for album
LEI Website Complete!
Saturday, July 5th, 2008After months upon months of hard work and collaboration with others, Paul Stefan has launched the new LEI website. No doubt he will continue working to improve the website, but what we can see now is certainly cause for congratulations. Good job, Paul Stefan!
Do Hard Things
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity.
1 Timothy 4:12
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Last Saturday, we attended the Do Hard Things conference in Dallas. The Rebelution – A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations – is an organization started by two homeschooled brothers. Alex and Brett Harris, 19-yr. old twins, proved to be excellent communicators during all the talks they presented. Their father, Gregg Harris was an encouragement via cassettes and publications to my parents when they were learning about homeschooling in the 1980s, and gave an excellent presentation on our sin nature which culminated in attendees rejoicing that the Lord saved some people at the conference. Below the photos is a list of notes from the conference.
Brett, Gregg, and Alex Harris during one of many book-giveaways during the conference.
Alex speaking
Gregg Harris speaking
Alex and Brett Harris spent the breaks speaking with conference attendees.
Browsing Book Tables
Do Hard Things for sale
Paul Stefan and Ana Marie speaking with a friend
Daddy reading in a new resource added to our library
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The first use of the term "teenager" was in 1941 in Reader's Digest.
The current ceiling of expectation SHOULD be the floor.
God has high expectations for ALL, regardless of age or any other factor.
What is expected is accomplished.
Culture expects us to survive but not to thrive.
Have you reached your limits or just fulfilled the basics?
Until we get past our own strength, we won't need to rely on God's.
You don't get anything without effort.
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Do Hard Things looks like:
1) getting serious about fighting sin in your own life
2) battling discouragement and complacency
You will always face either of these temptations
Do what's hard for you.
3) doing more than is expected
Vikings had the strength to win their battles because they rowed themselves to battle
Strength is built up, not inherited.
4) getting over fear of failure
All effort, even failed, produces muscle.
"When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either." Leo Burnett
5) different for each person
Men and women have different hard things to do.
6) doing small things for the most part
Obey Him in private because it's for Him.
7) your best life, which is not the same as easy
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried." – G.K. Chesterton
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heart = wanter
What we want in our heart defines who we are.We do have freedom of choice, but our choices are limited by our nature. A sinful nature is only capable of choosing how to offend God next.
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Companions:
1) not just alone
2 Tim. 2:22
Eccl. 4:12
Pro. 27:17
2) not just with peers
Pro. 13:20
1 Cor. 15:33
Eph. 6:1-3
Pro. 20:21-There can be a beneficial alliance between older and younger – strength + wisdom.
3) not just with people
books, movies, internet etc.
Choose wisely what you read, watch, and listen to.
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Practical applications:
1) have a hero
inspiration and assistance
gain their experience by reading their biographies
2) make friends with dead people (authors)
read books that have stood the test of time
read great books, not just good ones
3) take advantage of the Rebelution
visit the website
find companions (ie. the Rebelution forum)
4) find the secret rebelutionaries by being an obvious rebelutionary
spread the message by your life
light a fire under others by your example
5) ask older Christians "What do you wish you had known when you were my age?"
6) seek God
the ultimate Companion
know Him to live for Him
7) change something
just being excited doesn't change anything
structural(real support), not behavioral(emotion) change
sin and weight(not necessarily sin) both keep you from something
you can't change something in your life until you change something
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You can do hard things because CHRIST did the ultimate hard thing.
You owe Him your life.
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