The best time spent all week...

I have the tremendous blessing of teaching a Sunday School class where I attend church. The class is also comprised of the age group I have a passion for ministering and teaching...that group of young adults either in college or just entering the work force.

In previous post, I've explained the reasons this demographic is so important to me, and God provided a means for me to serve where my heart happened to be. The teacher I followed a couple of years back set a tremendous precedence for this class with his diligent approach to helping students in the class click on that light bulb. Reach that a-ha moment of understanding.  His mentoring helped me develop the same diligent approach and also established the principle in me that God's word and preparation can make an eternal difference in the life of a young person struggling in their spiritual walk.  His influence, council and encouragement are every bit as vital today in that cause.

Because it seems to appeal to the age group, we don't used a fixed curriculum and planning publications. Each calendar quarter, we established a direction for the coming months of class. That may include a detailed look at a particular book in the Bible, person, or even a subject matter from an apologetics point of view. We've tackled world religions, women of the Bible, the Book of James and recently a closer look at the Twelve Disciples of Jesus.

While I often use outside sources to frame the context of our subject matter, the vast majority of my study comes in the Word. As I methodically prepare for each series and then each individual class, I can spend as much as 12 to 15 hours a week reading and referencing what the Bible says. Often that research will take me on a completely unexpected path of study, and I most always end up discovering a point or two that have failed to register in previous readings of the same Scriptures.

I absolutely love that about God's Word!

For the sake of focus, I try to stay away from studies or topics outside of my class preparation subject. On occasion, I have taken on a question or subject matter at the request of someone. A few months back, I participated with two other instructors in a series presented on Wednesday nights called Essentials. My segments included the basic biblical and historical facts concerning both Jesus and the Bible. While I was temporarily overwhelmed time-wise with research for both the series and my Sunday School class, the blessings were even more overwhelming, and quite frankly...have changed my life.

Not everyone is called to teach. I understand that God blesses with different gifts. But, we are all called to share, and that, in essence, is a form of teaching and requires study and research for each Christian. While you may never write a position article on the concepts of sola fide or free will, your understanding of the grace, mercy and love of God as presented in His Word are why He has you where He has you at this moment. Always be ready to share.     





Please do as I teach...not as I've done.

I don't think it's a secret I have a passion to minister to young people. To be honest, that's what really got me started into blogging a few years back. After fooling around with a website call Stick with Jesus for about a year, I realized that I was technically in over my head and stepped back to focus on a smaller, more localized scale.

God put me where He needed me. For about a year and a half, I've been teaching a college-aged Sunday School class at church. It's a group that extends past the 10 or so that attend regularly on Sunday mornings to a number around 25 that I maintain regular contact with each week. Perfect situation.

My passion for this group is born from a period of falling from the path at their very age in my own life. Sadly, that is the norm and not the exception. Statistic show that over 70% of young people will leave the church before the age of 23. That's an absolutely heartbreaking statistic for any Christian, but I know from personal experience just how devastating being in that statistic is for the young person who falls. Loneliness. Fear. Anxiety. Joylessness. It's all there. Worse yet...those states lead to depression, alcohol and drug use, promiscuity and denial.

I'm going to get real personal for just a minute. I cry for these 25 young people I feel God has charged me with...on a daily basis. I cry, pray, plead with Him to spare them pain, text, Facebook message, tweet, Heytell, call and pray some more. Daily. I constantly walk a fine line between being available and being intrusive. Concerned and not condescending. Loving and not judgmental.

I have my own teenager about to enter the statistical danger zone in a few short years. She's a great kid with a lousy sense of choice-making from time to time. Just like I was at her age. God has charged me as a father to provide a pious example to my family...to be a leader. But I know in my heart it will take more. My mother is a godly women who, without a doubt, spent countless hours praying for her black sheep. I'm very thankful for that fact, but I know it so often takes more.

Young people need mentors. Someone to take an active interest in their life for no other reason than the love of Jesus. Mom and dad love you because...well...they're mom and dad. But a person outside the family is a completely different component in helping keep up a young person's self-esteem and focus on the business of the Kingdom. The big picture stuff that truly matters on an eternal scale.

Naturally, I would love for my circle of influence to expand beyond a few dozen at a time, but that is not for me to decide. Maybe God has a single young person in His plan for me that through my efforts of shining His light...that young person comes to know Him much closer. To go on and make a difference for the Kingdom. The thought brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with a great joy.

Until I hear otherwise for Him though, I'm going to treat each and every young person in my charge as potentially that one, single soul. Please remember our young people in your prayers today.  

So Father...let's do this Your way.

I posted on Kingdom Bloggers last December about taking over the college-aged Sunday School class at church. Although there was both excitement and anxiety about the new venture, I must report a little over 8 months later that the experience has been one of the greatest blessing God has ever given to me.

Each Sunday, our church's bulletin has a call for help to fill several open positions in different ministries. I can't begin to tell you how this breaks my heart. The church I attend has well over 300 members, but in typical fashion, it seems that there are a handful of people that do the work required by the church's called ministries. Even more heartbreaking is the fact I know we are in the norm and not the exception when it comes to this problem.

How can this be?

A little over a month ago, I requested to speak before worship services to the Sunday morning crowd. I shared my angst over the open teaching positions, but I also shared what a tremendous blessing it had been to work in the Sunday School ministry. I was honest about my anxieties and reluctance to take the class because of the time commitment then joked about my epiphany and realizing the awesome teacher I was replacing was also the Vice-President of a Fortune 500 company...how could I be any busier than him? I poured it out and poured it on strong. When finished, a sense of accomplishment came over me as I headed back to my drummer's throne tucked away behind the piano.

Those same positions are still open today...

We are truly creatures of habit, and attitude is as much habit as anything else about us. While it still bothers me to open the bulletin and continue to see the request for help going unanswered, God has helped me focused on what He has me doing. Each Sunday, I come to class prepared and ready to challenge a group of young adults who need to question and understand why it is they believe what they say they believe. I stay involved in their lives throughout the week. When they hurt or struggle, I pray for them and hurt with them. When the celebrate yet another milestone or accomplishment, I praise God for them and celebrate with them. I can't even type this paragraph without tearing up thinking about the awesome blessing each and every one in the class is to me personally.

Maybe that is a much more effect way to motivate others to get involved. I know not every person has a talent or aptitude to teach. I don't have the talent to sing or work in children's church either. Jesus teaches extensively about the Church being a body made up of different parts...each with a role to fill.

So, I will continue to keep on keeping on with what I have been called to do. I will do so with my very best effort and attitude. I will stay involved and interact with my students with love and compassion. I will share with others what a tremendous blessing and privilege it is to be a small part of the Body working for the Kingdom. I will reflect all credit and glory to the One who allows me said privilege.

And if by some chance that rubs off on somebody else and motivates them to pick up the slack...praise be to God!

A few of the gang with a picture message for an absent fellow classmate. The small red head in the back is a special guest...

We will always prevail as long as we never forget...

I'll try not to come across flippant or trite with how I personally feel about Memorial Day because after Easter and Christmas, it is the next most reverent day for me.

Several years ago when my teenager was still in that inquisitive phase, she was in my room looking at a shadow box that had been given to me with things from my time in the Marine Corps. My dog tags, first set of gold bars, jump wings and other badges along with the few ribbons and two medals I had earned. There was also a poster next to the box that displayed all of the United States Services medals and ribbons. She would look at a ribbon or medal then go to the poster and find it. I was folding clothes and watching, and she would turn and ask me how to pronounce words like expeditionary or exemplary always curious to how the words were defined in terms she could understand.

She studied for the better part of half an hour when the inevitable question was presented. The medals and ribbons on this particular poster are arranged by an order of importance or distinction with the Medal of Honor for each branch at the top. Being a very perceptive little girl, she noticed my personal decorations didn't make it to the top three lines of the poster.

Did you ever fight in a war daddy?

The concept of war and killing another human being over reasons of principles and politics is a little hard to grasp for a 7 year old. As delicate as possible, I explained that our country was at peace for the most part during my service with the exception of a few short military operation. She quickly connected a few dots.

Did people shoot at you? Did you shoot at other people? Do you know anybody who died in battle?

Her rapid fire delivery made it hard to keep up the gentle pace of explanation and avoidance of certain answers , so

I took a deep breath and told her that people in the military serve in order to keep her and everyone else in our country safe. If needed, they are ready to give their life in a fight to keep us safe... many have already and many would in years to come.

As a tear formed in my eye thinking about a few friends I had lost in service to their country, I saw tears also welling in her eyes and looked away as not to embarrass her. I put my arm around her and explained the extraordinary circumstances necessary for the medals on the top row, and that I served with SGTMAJ Allan Kellogg in Hawaii who was one of the few people alive that wore that medal.

I took the opportunity to explain why it's important to show respect to the American flag and what the flag represents. She reminded me she had been witness that past winter when I left my broadcasting table during a basketball pre-game following the National Anthem, walked to the opposite side of the gym and addressed a certain young man who had talked on his cell phone during the entire song...while sitting down. She now finally understood the applause from the people in the immediate section when I was finished saying what I had to say. The lesson was taking root, and I explained that during that time the National Anthem is being played and I'm looking at our nation's flag...I always remember the price that has been paid so that I can do the things I do...in freedom.

Today, I close with heartfelt praise and gratitude first to God for giving me the opportunity to teach these lessons to my children. May we never forget those who have died on our behalf...starting with Jesus. I also thank Him for those who didn't get that same opportunity because their service to others was far greater than their service to self.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

RECESS IS OVER!

I was reading a blog about school and teachers.  It was pretty good, you might like it. You can find it here.  It got me to thinking about school. I am way too old by most everyone’s standards to be in school. I’ve blogged a lot about it and told everyone that I had been accepted to another academic program. If you haven’t seen that blog, you can find it here.

I’ve discovered in recent years that I am a nerd. I like school. I like books. I like learning. I have an incredible curiosity. I once said I was a bit like Johnny Five from the movie Short Circuit – need input, need input. 

You'll be sorry if you don't watch the video.

I don’t remember being driven for grades or learning when I was child. I was okay in school; didn’t win any honors though.  In High School, I was told I wouldn’t make good material for college. In college they suggested I go to beauty school because I was creative.  I have cut my husband’s hair for the last 25 years or more, so maybe they were right about that.

My worst teacher was a Miss O’Rourke at PS 105 in Brooklyn. She was mean. She was the personification of mean. Her goal was to make every child in her 6^th grade class cry in front of the class at least once. She succeeded. She told us we were stupid. She told us we thought we were smart but we weren’t. She never touched us physically, but her “tongue lashings” were brutal. I think I still have some scars from my lashings.

The two best teachers I had were in Sunday School. Both were untrained teachers as far as academics. Both were young.  One was single. One married with children for whom I babysat.

Fran was from the south. I don’t know how she ever ended up in Brooklyn, but there she was, young, single, attractive. She had a bit of a southern accent as I recall. We didn’t have Sunday School in the summer and when spring would be in full bloom, the Sunday School class was usually empty. Most of the families had summer places in Long Island. We didn’t. All my life, Sunday after Sunday I would be alone in Sunday School class as my peers went to the Island for sun and fun. Most of the teachers would combine their class with someone else if there was only one person.

I don’t know why she did differently. It was both awkward and wonderful. Fran would sit next to me on the pew – we didn’t have separate rooms for Sunday School we simply spread out over the sanctuary. She taught only me, just me alone on that pew. What I remember most about Fran was her devotion to one child, me. She also made us memorize New Testament passages to tell people about salvation. To this day, most of the passages I have memorized in the NT are because of her.

The other one, the married one, was my Sunday School teacher when I was in the 6^th grade. The same year I had Miss O’Rourke. Helen was evidently on some sort of deeper spiritual quest. She did odd things like go to Full Gospel Businessmen’s Breakfasts. She was neither a businessperson nor a man. She was just hungry for more of God. She really wasn’t full gospel either, she had been Lutheran.

Her zeal was contagious. She took a couple of 6^th grade girls with her on the subway to a Full Gospel Businessmen’s breakfast. I think back now and I think – how strange? Something happened at the meeting. She led me into a fuller expression of the Holy Spirit for the first time. 

What’s the point?

A walk down memory lane with Joyce?

That’s nice for me, and maybe interesting for you but what’s the point?

The point is that we are all teachers. We all impact someone else. We all have the potential to teach someone else something that can change his or her life. I heard someone say a while back that we should all begin to look at our spheres – you know those circles we travel in, the people we know… for the purpose of teaching or mentoring.
 

What do you do well that you can teach someone else? 

What do you have to offer that can change a child’s life? or an adults? 

or an older person? we are never too old to learn!

Someone taught you -- Who can you teach about Jesus?