Forgiveness

Last week we talked about trust with the kids.  I did not post one for this but we discussed what trust looks like, how we lose it, and how we can gain it. We read the story of Abraham and how God called him to pick up his things and move.  What trust that took!  Then we gave each kid a whiteboard and had them draw a picture of a time when their trust was most broken.  Then we had them change the picture to an event that brought trust.
This week we targeted forgiveness.  What does forgiveness look like?  Is it forgive and forget?  When we forgive do we have to fully trust that person?  Can we still be sad and forgive someone?  Why do we have to forgive?  What does forgiveness do for us and for the other person?
We had such a deep discussion.  One answer to the question 'what does forgiveness do?' was, it shows Christ to others and displays His mercy for us.  When we forgive we are demonstrating Christ.  Wow!!  What is forgiveness? Mercy!  Just such deep thoughts on these questions!  After we discussed for a while, we showed this video!

We allowed the kids to discuss what they thought and interesting things they noticed about the movie.  They talked on undeserved forgiveness, on how is it possible (with God's help), and then someone pointed out how the killer did not forgive God which led to the whole event.

I thought this was the deepest that the group as a whole has gone!  We have some incredible kids at Family Life, that challenge my thinking every week!  Awesome!

We all need love!

One of the few things that we NEED and that we can't be without.  Without love, life is miserable and unbearable.  Love brings acceptance, joy, and meaning to life.  Yet this very thing brings pain and hurt.  When we love we become vulnerable and when we accept love we take great responsibility.  When we love we lay ourselves out there, putting our trust in the hands of an imperfect being.  We open our hearts, take off our armor and become open to wounds.  When we accept someone's love we carry this great responsibility of not breaking this trust.  We must put away our selfishness and look out for the needs of others above our own.
There is a cost to love and like we see in society, love is sexy until it cost something.  People are not willing to pay the cost it takes to love, because true love is not about us and calls us to die to self.  What a high price to pay.  But how quickly we forget, that Christ love cost everything.  It cost His life, and was not sexy at all.  He knew what was coming and laid down His life for us.  We are called to do this same thing, to lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters.  Sometimes it might cost us everything, and often it is not easy to give love, but may take a lot of work and requires killing our selfishness (which can be hard and painful). May we shift our sight on our maker, allowing Him to give us the strength that it requires to love.

Tower of Babel

Thursday night we talked about the tower of Babel and how God confused their language.  We had the kids read the story from the Bible and then talked about why God would do that.  We used this story to lead into discussion on communication.  We had the kids build a tower out of Jenga blocks, but some kids couldn't talk, some couldn't hear, some couldn't see, and some couldn't use their hands.  We discussed how important communication is and how sometimes we get frustrated with people when they have no idea what they did.  The focus was put on listening to others, and being willing to hear the other side of things.  When we can communicate effectively, we can accomplish so much!

Genesis 11

Leading People To Lead

I just love Focus Leadership Institute!  The people that work at the Institute are so intentional and caring, and have such a passion to see young people's lives changed!  It's exciting to see them at work from the outside looking in and to see the transformation that continues to take place!  They truly are transforming the lives of so many!  I wish everyone could experience this place, the community, and the Love that floes from the staff!  It transformed my life completely, and I see how it continues to transform lives.  So exciting!

This ain't so great!

Sometimes adventures don't seem so great.  We have those things that happen just the way we want and planned, and those get the title of being GREAT!  But what happens when things don't go as planned?  Are those then failures?  In life, it seems all too often that things don't go as we planned or desired.  Why is this?  Are we failing to communicate with God?  Are we not pouring out enough?  Or maybe it's not even us to begin with.  Maybe it's those around us not following God's will that will throw our plans off course?  I would say, too often we are not looking at the heart of God, but allowing Satan to tempt us with what we think we want, and not allowing God to fulfill our desires.  No matter where we are, God can make it a Great adventure, even if it's not what we plan.  And this is how we should see it, cause rarely will it go as planned!