Know the Truth

Too often kids are confused by all the information that is thrown at them. Sometimes that information is good… other times, not so much. It is vital that, as adults and followers of Christ, we have the answers to questions that they ask. Many times, though, adults don’t even know the answers or where to look for them. I see this problem a lot and thought that I would address it for my Action Research Project in my M.Ed. program.

My literature review is going, but far from a final draft at this point. The research question that I came up with for this paper is: How does students’ K-12 experiences in public education affect their attitudes and beliefs on creation and what they are taught in church? There is a lot of information and I am working on how to put it all into my paper. Somehow what to cut out is the hardest thing to figure out. But the 15 pages will be together before too long.

For those that don’t know, I get to do my project for my church and even implement it in one of the Sunday School classrooms. The lessons encourage the kids to think about the truth of God’s word and to take what it says very seriously. From the surveys that I received back from both adults and students I can tell that others also believe that there is a need for such a curriculum. Many people said that it’s important how the universe began, that kids are often confused by what they are taught in school versus church, and that the church could do a better job preparing the youth.

I am praying that God will use me and this curriculum to influence the kids in an awesome way. This is really more than just a grade, but it is my desire to instill in the students a love for the Word and discovering the truth and treasures that it holds.

God's Team

Last weekend I went to an awesome concert with Sonsofday. :) It was actually a youth event in Creswell, though, and they also had Jordan Kent there to speak. I had never heard him before, and what he had to say to the kids was pretty cool. The best part is that while he was talking about a passage God gave me a vision that helped me to understand better a rather interesting concept: predestination. The verses he spoke about are:

Ephesians 1:11-14 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.

There is a lot that can be (and has been) said about predestination, but I really love how God revealed it to me. The way I saw it might have been because Jordan was comparing faith to football, but this is the vision God gave me. It's like He's a team captain and He chooses each and every one of us to be on His team. He's so happy as He points to each of us as His pick! We, in turn, have the choice to join His team or reject the offer. We can gladly join, run in for a high-five, and prepare for victory; or we can choose to play for the opposing team being full of unhealthy competition and negative things. There is so much that comes from this analogy that the Lord gave me. He blessed me with this great way to look at things.

So please, accept God's offer to play, and when you do, don't sit on the sidelines and watch... PLAY. Participate in the excitement of being on the WINNING team.

God's Team!