37 posts tagged “teens”

Tonight all of us youth leaders were left to run Canvas as Pastor Dan had the night off. He works so hard and makes such a BIG difference in teens lives, that I am so glad he was able to have a night off. So of course since Dan wasn't their i planned a really big messy game! haha, Dan knew about it, but i'm not sure how he would have reacted if he was actually there. We played "Snow Relay". Living in southern California these teens don't get to play in the snow like teens on the east coast. So i thought i would bring a little snow fun to Canvas with a bucket of paper confetti. The teens sat in circles and were each given a cup. They had to pass confetti over there head to each other to fill a bucket. This made for great fun since the confetti did not want to stay in the cups, but rather flouted away every time they poured it. The teens had a blast! After the game was over they all enjoyed a little snow fight. It was awesome to see them play like little kids again and have so much fun at youth group. The mess was so worth it!

After the game we had a guest worship leader and speaker. I think it was nice for the teens to see other people in the church interested in them and wanting to be a part of their lives. They know all of us leaders love them, but they need to know they are loved and appropriated by other church members and staff. So often youth groups are shoved aside by adults in the church and brushed off as not a "real" ministry that the teens feel separated from the church, and after high school never become a part of the church. So having others outside of Canvas come, serve and love the teens was a blessing!
When we were almost done for the evening three count them three teens were baptized! Now that is AWESOME. We have had four teens baptized in the past three weeks. God is working in this group, teens are bringing friends to youth group and teens want to be baptized or make new commitments to Christ. I am so blessed to be apart of what God is doing at Discovery church and Canvas!

Pastor Scot gave a great lesson on Temptation tonight, he also showed a really hard hitting video. Check it out by clicking here. 

The Battle Within week 3
Bottom Line: We are tempted to believe we know how God works and how we think we can work Him.

In the boxing world, sometimes things aren’t always what they seem. Sometimes the winner is known before anyone walks into the ring. Sometimes the outcome is pre-determined by a person who has manipulated things behind the scene. Sometimes a fighter takes a dive. Sometimes a boxer throws the fight. And if each one of us were completely honest, sometimes we try to work things as well in our fight with temptation. And who or what we are manipulating isn’t the temptation, it’s God.

Scripture References: Matthew 4:5-7; Psalm 91:12; Exodus 17:2-3

Question for the week: Are you cooperating with God or are you manipulating him?

Since having to say good bye to our old youth group, I haven't seen many of the kids. Most of them have moved away for school or work and go to school and lead very busy lives. However one of our old youth group kids attends youth group at Discovery with us now, and that has been a big blessing!

Today i got to have lunch with Kiersten, Matt, and Jessica. It was WONDERFUL. I have missed them so much and loved getting to hear all about their lives. So much has happened in just a few months and i so loved getting to catch up. I have had a few coffee dates one on one with several of the kids over the past few months. But it was so nice to go out with a group of them. I loved every moment of our time together and didn't want to leave In N Out. Just wished the time would last longer. However I know we will make time to get together soon. Hopefully more youth group alumni will be able to join us.

How do you know if you have touched teens lives? When they let you be apart of their lives even after they aren't in your youth group anymore. I love Youth Ministry!

Tonight was awesome, there was just something special happening tonight. I was standing in this room full of teenagers and we were singing songs of praise to God. When all of a sudden i stopped singing and just sat down and listened. I lost my breath, because as i just sat and listened I could hear ALL and i really mean all of the teens singing. It wasn't a group of teens mouthing the words, it was a group of believes pouring their hearts out to their Savior. I was in awe! Truly in awe of the Lord and what He was doing in this place. I have been in large groups of teens singing praises, but i had never seen so many hearts open to the Lord singing with every fiber of their being. It was truly an amazing moment. I only wish you could have been there to see and feel it. Almost indescribable.

After our Christ centered worship time we continued in our study on doubt. Here is what Dan taught on:

Bottom Line: Faith grows when you learn how to view doubt through both what you know and what you’ve been through.

So what do you do when a doubt is too big? How do you handle a doubt that you just can’t seem to move past? You look back. You draw on the things you do know, the things that God has shown you. The things you have learned about Him in the past, both through information and experience. And you hang on to those things you do know, even when you’re left with questions about the things you don’t. Once we are able to see what God has done and is doing through both our experience and our knowledge, we are better equipped to manage the doubt.

Scripture:
Psalms 13:1-2 & 5-6
Psalms 71:16-17

It was an amazing night and I had a great time with my small group we went about a half an hour of time while discussing this topic. It really hit home to my girls and they had a lot to say and ask. They are awesome. Each and every week I have just grown deeper and deeper in love with these teens and this awesome ministry!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever doubted God. Everyone got their hands up? That’s because it’s human nature to doubt. It’s just in us to ask questions and to reevaluate. A lot of times doubt gets a bad wrap because of its ability to make us negative, and because we think once we start to entertain it our entire system of belief will collapse. But doubt, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. When used in the proper way, doubt helps us formulate an authentic and personal faith. That’s why it’s important to learn to express our doubts to others and to deal with them in the context of Christian community, so that God can work with our doubts to help strengthen our faith.

Tonight we started a new series on Doubt. Who among us don't have doubt? And i know that it's something most teenagers deal with. I am super excited to see what Pastor Dan will be teaching and how this will effect the teens. We started out the night with a fun game of "Human Knots" The kids loved it and all the teams except for one was able to undo their knot. In the end everyone had a great time, even if it was hard.

I really enjoyed talking with my small group about doubt and the struggles they have in their lives. This series is coming at such a good time in their lives, if they can over come their doubt and fully rely on God as a teenager, it will be a great beginning to their lives. It felt like we didn't have enough time to talk about all that we needed to and I am so glad that we will be doing this series for a few weeks, because i know my girls need it. Please pray for our youth group as we go through this series, let them see How Great our God is and how much He wants to be in their lives.

Tonight was Discovery Church's High School Ministries (Canvas) Open House. We had youth group as usual, however the parents got to be included and see how we run our Wednesday Nights.  It was beyond awesome to meet the parents and make connections. To both Daniel and I all these kids are new and so are their parents, so i loved the opportunity to meet their parents now and start building relationships not only with the teens but their parents as well. The best surprise of the night was Russell Wood a teen from our old youth group came with his mom and sister to check out our youth group. He wants and needs a place to fellowship with teens and learn more about Jesus. I was so excited to see him there and I am hoping that he will call Canvas home!

After greeting parents i started our game for the night, "Are you smarter then your teenager?" it was my version of the Newlywed Game, just based on the parent child relationship. The game idea came from Pastor Dan and working with him on it was great. The parents got really into it and had a great time, however in the end shockingly the teens knew more about their parents then their parents knew about them. But there was one awesome father daughter team that just rocked it and knew a lot about each other, you rock Tim and Emma!
After games we had some great worship and then Dan spoke to the teens and their parents and gave a powerful lesson on Deuteronomy 6. After the evenings events were over i had the great blessing of being able to talk to a group of parents. It was amazing! The night went great and I really feel more a part of Canvas each and every week i am there. And now knowing the parents just gives me more connections and a foundation in our new home church. Please pray for these teens and their parents. In today's world there is so much stacked against them. It is my prayer that as a youth leader that i can partner with these parents to help them raise amazing Christ honoring teens.

Do everything without complaining or arguing,so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:14-18

Canvas was AWESOME tonight! This group of teens are on fire and ready to learn more, be more and shine like stars for Christ. I am in awe of what God is doing at this youth group. Six months ago there were about 15 to 20 teens now we are averaging 40 to 50 on Wednesday nights! God is bringing teens to Discovery church and they are coming back to hear the word of God. That just takes my breath away! Also there are a handful of kids who meet before youth group just to pray for what will happen that night. No one told them to do it, leaders aren't even invited. They came up with it on their own and spend 30 minutes in prayer before we meet. I just can't get over these kids and how much they want to honor God. And i am so excited to be a part of all of it. Praise God for this group and the honor of getting to know these amazing kids.

Tonight i lead games again, I really hope i get to keep doing this. The kids have so much fun and I love getting to do it! We played "I've Never" with a new twist. We set up chairs in a huge circle, however there was one less chair then there were people. The person in the center would say something they had never done. And then anyone who had done that thing had to get up and find a new chair. The person left with out a chair had to pop a balloon with a task inside and then complete it. The best one was "Sing I'm a Little Tea Pot, with all the motions". The entire room sang with the kid and it made for a hilarious and great moment. At the end of the game the kids wanted to keep playing. This one is so a keeper for another time.

After games we enjoy worship and then a message from Pastor Dan on Philippians 2:15. He challenged all of us to shine for Christ in this dark world. And talked about how it's hard sometimes when you feel like no one can see, but Christ will use you no matter what the situation. The messages that Dan has been preaching seem to be really sinking in with the kids, not to mention how i feel like they are all speaking to me. I left Canvas tonight thinking about how i just can't wait until next week. It is so awesome to be excited and on fire about Student Ministries again. Satan you did not win, God is using me in this place and His kingdom is growing! AMEN! 

 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Today Daniel, Kiersten, Matt, Aimee, Erica and Jason and I cheered on seven of our youth group kids as they graduated from high school. This was the one of first graduation I have ever been to where i knew more then one person graduating. Not to mention I have met a lot of the kids friends so there were many to cheer for. It was an honor again to be invited to their graduation, each student received 5 tickets and somehow between all of them they were able to get both Daniel and I a ticket. I am blessed and so proud of these kids!

I pretty much lost my voice from screaming for each of my kids. Several of whom I have known for four plus years. And to see them grow up and become adults is amazing. After the graduation was over we all got together and I was able to take some photo's of them. They were all so happy to be done with high school and to be embarking on the next chapter of their lives. I felt so special to just be a part of their evening.
Jessica, Mackenzie, Sarah, Elyse, Andrew, Meaghan, and Danny, I am so proud of you! You have brighten my life and made my work in the youth group easy. You have each told me that I have changed your life, however it is you who have changed mine. I have grown to love each of you like siblings and I hope and pray that I get to stay a part of each of your lives for many years to come!

Romans 12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

We had a great group tonight twelve kids! We started out with a game of "Catch Phrase". It had been a while since we had this large of a group, with finals, prom and graduation preparation. It felt good to have almost everyone there. Tonight was our first night in the series "Set A part for Christ". I will be teaching on what it means to live your life for Christ. That it's much more then just a one time commitment, it's a lifestyle. Here are the four topics we talked about tonight:

Consider your motives.

Take a hard look at the decisions you’re making and ask yourself honestly what motives lie behind them. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to grow in all the ways Jesus wants to transform you, even when that means sacrificing your own agenda? Or are you trying to tack on some Christian morality to a self-indulgent life?

Consider who Jesus is to you.

Yes, He’s your Savior. But do you view Him as a casual buddy with whom you check in once in a while? Or do you see Him as your true love -- Someone you pursue with absolute passion?

Don’t settle for less than the best.

There’s much more to being a Christian than saying the salvation prayer and then fitting Jesus into your life. Jesus wants to be more than just a part of your life; He wants to be your whole life. Instead of trying to fit Jesus into your lifestyle, build your life completely around your relationship with Him. Don’t be content to be a mediocre Christian, slipping Jesus into your life whenever it’s convenient. Decide every day to abandon yourself completely to Jesus, inviting Him to transform every part of your life.

What if I mess up?

Isn't that one of the scariest thoughts? What if I screw up? What if I look stupid? What if I disappoint someone? Christ is never done with you! Hear that, feel that, know that! We are all human, sinners who WILL FAIL! WE can't get this right on our own. If you try to change your life on your own, or try to “fix” things on your own, you will get far. We need Christ to come along side and carry us through this struggle with our self. We nee to admit that we are a sinner in need of a Savior.

The kids all brought note books and took tons of notes. I was surprised at how ready they were to hear this lesson. I really felt Jesus with us tonight. The kids had good input and really hard hitting questions. Yet they were all very open to making changes in their lives. They are really at a place in their lives to grow, and that is a neat thing to watch. After the lesson we had some time of reflection and commitment. I made a "Commitment Wall" in which each week they will take time to commit to changing one thing in their life. The purpose of the wall is to give words to actions and to keep each other accountable. It is my hope that at the end of summer they will see how much God has changed their lives in two months, imagine what He can do with a life time! God is amazing and is really changing hearts and lives! I am super excited to teach this series and to see what God has in store for these kids!

(I had no idea that this Sunday night would be our last time together in the Youth Center, that we have so dearly loved. None of the kids or myself were given the opportunity to say goodbye or have closure. Five years of ministry, love and sacrifice were taken away only a few short days after this youth group. I will cherish the memory of our last meeting and the fun we had together and the last lesson I got to teach in that room. It was a wonderful night that was spent in worship, and study of a Great and mighty God. It is so sad that others thought it best to remove this youth group from the church. Daniel and I's goal was to show Christ's Love to teens no matter what the cost. And to have all of it taken away from us has been heart breaking. No matter the circumstance I know that God is not finished with these teens yet and that He will do mighty things with their lives. PLEASE pray for us and our kids, that this situation will only bring them closer to the Lord and that we will all see a greater meaning in all this.)

Tonight i took Jessica, Sarah and Nikki to support Aimee as she received three awards at her high school. This was a big deal for Aimee because two of the awards were scholarships for college and she had worked hard to earn them. Tons of parents, family and friends piled into a very crowded gym to show love and support two their teenagers. I felt so blessed to even be a part of such an event. In so many was my youth group kids feel like younger siblings and there is no way i would miss out on important events in their lives. My heart sprung with joy when they called Aimee's name for a $500 scholarship. I was so proud of the hard work she had put into school and yet kept a very active life full of friends, youth group and family.

After the award ceremony was over we headed over to Starbucks to have coffee and spend time together. Tonight was a blessing and my heart is full of praise for my Lord for bringing Aimee into my life. And for letting me know such an amazing girl for the past five years. I look forward to our fun summer together, but am dreading saying goodbye to Aimee as she leaves for college in Nevada in August. She brings so much sparkle into my life, i just don't know what i will do with out it.