Adolescence: A Season of Pressure
On the outside, most young people seem happy-go-lucky, but inside each adolescent is a complex network of potentially explosive pressures. Adolescents with a strong parental and social support system are the least likely to experience the painful effects of the pressures they face. When parents become aware of the typical sources of pressure that kids face, they are better able to provide their kids encouragement and support. Here are five common pressures adolescents face:
1. The Pressure to be Perfect.
Teens repeatedly talk about their parents wanting them to be perfect, particularly in in the areas of behavior and school. No kid is perfect and when they fall short of their parents’ expectations, they feel more pressure.
2. The Pressure to Succeed.
Middle School Madness Night Wed Sept 20
Middle School Madness Night!!!
5:30pm – Pizza and Door Prizes
6pm – Small Group Competitions
7pm – Small Group Trivia
7:30pm Dismiss
Parent Cue Road Signs Series
Have you thought about the path your family is taking? What direction would you like to REALLY GO, but don’t seem to know how? Proverbs helps us take our intentions and give direction to the destination by first “pondering the path.”
Proverbs Chapter 4
25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
FAMILY EXPERIENCE
What kind of family do you want to be? What shared experiences do you want to have? What kind of legacy do you want to leave? This month, think about one goal, one destination, you want to reach as a family. Maybe you want to become more environmentally conscious. Maybe you want to serve others. Maybe you want to feel closer to each other. When you decide on your destination, then you can make a road map for getting there. Here are just a few questions to help you start planning your journey.
- What is your biggest obstacle in taking the first step? Everyone has some reason why you can’t do something. Find out what that big fear or reason is, and determine what is the best way to push through that roadblock.
- Is there something you need to stop doing in order to free up time to get to your chosen destination? For example, if you want to grow closer as a family, what time do you need to carve out of your schedule to spend time together on a consistent basis?
- Are there tools or materials you need in order to equip you for the path? For example, if you want to become more environmentally conscious, do you need to clean up the garage to setup a recycling center? Do you need to find a drop-off center for recyclable items near your home? Do you need to make a trip to your local home improvement store to make your home more “green”?
- What organizations can you contact or information can you research to help you prepare? As a family, if your goal is to start eating healthier, can you all take a cooking class to learn how to prepare more nutritious meals? Is there information you can find online about the nutritional information of foods at your favorite restaurants?
- What kind of mile markers and guardrails can you setup to make sure you stay on course for the long run? There will be times when things get too hard or when the family gets off track, so beforehand, develop a plan to keep everyone accountable and help get things back on course.
Are YOUR FEET BEAUTIFUL?
When I was in High School, something happened. At some point in my many High School adventures I slashed my left foot, right between the big toe and the second toe. At the time, it must not have been major, because I don’t really remember what I did and didn’t even apply any medication to it. I just left it to heal on it’s own. Needless to say, this place on my foot eventually developed into a cyst that looked like I was creating my own little skin foothill to say the least. Days turned to months, months turned into years, and I learned to live with this little bump on my left foot, but NEVER liked to show it off. The great thing about socks and shoes in our society is that I didn’t have to really worry about anything until summer time rolled around. Oh yea… Summer! You know the time where you go barefoot and wear your flip flops or chacos or sandals and SHOW OFF YOUR FEET. You get the picture. I didn’t think my feet were up to par and really never thought my feet could ever be BEAUTIFUL. (Hey, I’m a guy, so don’t just tell me to go get a pedicure and be done, girls. I am sure that if I did consider something like a pedicure, that the lady person would have taken one look at my feet and bursted out in some sort of horrible scream, like the wicked witch of the East did in the Wizard of Oz.)
In a world of feet and stinkiness, I realize that maybe there are some of you out there with me. You don’t like your feet. They stink. They are ugly in some way, and most of all, they CANNOT be BEAUTIFUL. Lets face it, if there were some chart out there on the interwebs, the value for feet in this world would probably be really low compared to the value for, let’s just say, your eyes.
In conclusion, I realized that my feet were not beautiful and many others did not really have a high value for feet as well.
This is a problem. When Paul starts talking in Romans about feet. He uses the word beautiful in the same sentence as feet. So when he talks all about feet, I naturally reject whatever he is about to say. It’s like I just skim over Romans 10:15 and get to the next part.
HOWEVER, all my life, I have been missing something that Paul has been saying about the whole foot thing.
Here is what he says…
And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:15 ESV
I had to get over the foot stuff and really look deeper into what Paul was saying. He was pointing out something that makes total sense, to put BEAUTIFUL and FEET in the same sentence.
You see, wayyyyyy back in the day, When armies went to battle, those who remained at home waited anxiously to hear of the outcome, because often their destiny was tied to the success or failure of the armies. But they didn’t have telecommunication systems that could rush news instantly from the battlefront back to the local community. So messages were carried by runners.
Here is the main point – It’s not about FEET it’s about GOOD NEWS
IN FACT, in the ancient world it was customary, in some places, that if the messenger brought bad news, he was punished with death. If it was bad news, then, he would be burdened by the news that he was carrying, and fearful of what treatment he might expect. As each city posted lookouts to watch the approaching runners, it became almost a science whereby the lookout could determine whether the messenger was bringing good news or bad news, just by his feet.
To go deeper into history and the intentionality of Paul, there was the legend of Pheidippides. (Yell out that name and see what reaction you get!!!) This was a soldier that ran from the battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. He ran so fast and so hard that as he delivered the momentous message “Niki!” (“victory”), he collapsed on the spot and died. You might have guessed it. That is why we use the word “Marathon” for that long run thing people do. In fact, Pheidippides was honored by a 24.85 mile run from Marathon Bridge to Olympic Stadium in Athens during the first modern Olympic games held in 1896 in Greece.
Like Pheidippides, if the messenger was bringing good news of victory, his feet would be flying and he would be kicking up a lot of dust. There would be an exuberance and an enthusiasm in his running form, as he approached the walls of the city. Hence the phrase, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
You See, It’s not about FEET it’s about GOOD NEWS
So when you are grossed out by stinky feet or huge cysts growing on them, remember that Beautiful Feet are ones of Victory. Oh, and by the way, I eventually got a wife, and told her about the cyst, and she made me better by taking me to the skin Dr. and getting it removed on the operation table in the office, as my two young kids ate their Cheerios and watched their Daddy wrench in pain. I love my wife!
How about you right now? Do you have Victorious or Defeated feet when it comes to your walk with Jesus?
Wherever your feet go, do they gladly bring the Good News of Jesus Christ?
OR do they bring other news and drag behind you?
How can your pursuit of Christ be like Pheidippides?
Do you want to go run a Marathon now? (Me Neither)
How do you prepare for the storm?
Alert!!! Alert!!! The storm is coming!
In the midst of Hurricane Harvey, we rush to fill up our cars with fuel, we rush to fill up our grocery baskets with dry goods, and we rush to batten down the hatches as winds rage and rains fall.
In the midst of all this rushing around, I was brought back to the imagery that Jesus portrayed in Matthew chapter 7.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24-27 ESV
How can we THINK TWICE about all this chaos to prepare for the storm?
The truth is that the rushing winds, the falling rains, and the flood waters impact us all, the wise and the foolish.
However, the wise have been practicing Godly Wisdom, building on the foundation of the words of Jesus, and taking those truths into their daily lives.
We have already seen devestation as the eye of the storm has navigated from the coast to the southern Texas region. Those who decided to prepare a firm foundation still take a hit, but remain useful and even a shelter for others that were pummeled by the storm.
Father, help us to see your vision and walk in your wisdom, so that when the storms come, we can be a witness and shelter to others for your Glory.
Gawvi and Music Bible Studies
ABOUT THE ARTIST – GAWVI
Interlinc Provides great insight into current music and Christian influence for youth leaders all over the nation.
Here is a post about GAWVI
Who Sounds Like Who
Justin Bieber Drake Chainsmokers
Sitting at the keys in a theater in downtown Miami, GAWVI, the producer, DJ, and Dove Award winning songwriter crystallizes his reasons for doing creative work to just a few words: “My passion is to motivate and inspire, to urge people to tap into the potential inside them.” He’s playing a few notes, enjoying the lull of a quiet venue before it fills with thousands of screaming fans and supporters. Truth is, it wasn’t always like this. He wasn’t always rocking packed out shows, but he did know it would someday be his reality. Some might call it confidence in one’s ability, but GAWVI understands it as having a firm grasp on the greater purpose for which he was created.
Gabriel Alberto Azucena (born September 23, 1988), who goes by the stage name Gawvi, formerly G-Styles, is an American Christian hip hop artist and music producer for Reach Records. His career commenced in 2008, doing production work for Lecrae and Trip Lee, who continue to be his most consistent collaborators. In early 2016, he was officially signed to Reach Records.
He started his music production career in 2008, most notably working with Lecrae and Trip Lee. His career led to him acquiring a recording contract with Reach Records as both an artist and in-house record producer. He won a GMA Dove Award at the 46th GMA Dove Awards in the category of Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year, for his production work on Anomaly by Lecrae. In 2016, Gawvi released 2 EP’s: Lost In Hue and Holding Hue.
After years of maneuvering behind the scenes and masterminding a host of albums and Billboard charting singles, GAWVI is set to venture out as a solo artist. Energized by his travels and his experiences as a husband and new father, he’s ready to add to his story via a batch of genre-defying material. “I’m excited to share this new music with the world,” he says. “My first solo album is going to be like nothing we’ve ever released under the Reach imprint. We’re about to really surprise people.” GAWVI is embracing the moment while also looking toward tomorrow. “The future is now,” he says as someone calls to him from backstage. Indeed, the future is now
How to Read a Kid’s Mind at Any Phase
Check out more articles on the Parent Cue Blog Here
“Read their mind” is just our way of saying, a parent should seek to understand what’s changing mentally and physically about their kids. Kids and teenagers don’t think like adults. So it’s the role of a parent is to translate what you want in a way they can understand. When you know how they think—they will hear what you say and know what to do.
Preschoolers think like an artist.
Artists experience the world through activities that stimulate the five senses. Preschoolers blend reality with imagination and learn through participation. A baby’s brain has more neurons than at any other time in life, and those neurons are forming two million synapses every second. In this phase, they are mildly aware of everything in their environment, and they take it all in at an unfathomable pace. Preschoolers learn experientially, through their senses, from someone who responds to them. In their world, there is no real distinction between what is real and what is imaginary. Like artists, they learn best when they can make it with their hands. This is why movement, music, and art are critical for learning in this phase.
Elementary-age kids think like a scientist.
Scientists understand the world through concrete evidence they can test repeatedly. Elementary-age kids discover how things work through repetition and clear application. Brain research suggests that during the elementary years (ages 4-10 or 11), kids learn information quickly and easily. But just because kids in this phase are eager to learn, it doesn’t mean they learn like adults. They’re still mostly concrete thinkers. They need repetition and clear application. Like a scientist, they learn best when they can observe something in their present environment. The more frequently a new concept can be connected to everyday experience, the better.
Middle schoolers think like an engineer.
Engineers solve problems by connecting concepts so they work together. Middle schoolers personalize abstract concepts by connecting ideas. Like their physical bodies, there is a “growth spurt” in the brain of a middle schooler. The brain overproduces neurons and synapses similar to the growing brain of a toddler. This period of rapid growth accounts for a middle schooler’s ability to think more abstractly, to understand multiple perspectives, and to think critically about themselves and others. It also means that instructions need to be simple and clear if you hope to be heard. Like an engineer, they learn best when they personalize an idea by connecting pieces of information. That’s why puzzles, patterns, and codes can be helpful for learning in this phase.
High schoolers think like a philosopher.
Philosophers seek to understand what is unseen and what cannot be measured. High schoolers want to discover meaning and learn best by processing out loud. A high schooler loses approximately one percent of the gray matter of their brain every year through a process called “pruning.” Pruning allows the brain to prioritize information to become flexible and efficient. With this new efficiency comes an increase in analytical thinking. But, the limbic system (risk-taking) is developing at a faster rate than the prefrontal cortex (regulating behavior). So risk and personal experience still govern behavior. Like a philosopher, they learn best through open debate, multiple perspectives, and applied reasoning. That’s why self-expression and community are essential for learning in this phase.
Just remember, when you understand the way a kid’s mind is changing, you stand a far better chance of identifying clues that help you know what they are thinking, conveying a message they can understand and laying a foundation for learning in the future.
New Resources from The Phase Project
If you want more on parenting through each phase of a kids life, we have some exciting new resources for you coming in July! We have developed a series of 18 guides to help you navigate each year you have with your kids to give help you discover what’s changing about your kid over the next 52 weeks, six things your kid needs most, and four conversations to have in each phase.
Can God Use Someone Just Like Us?
Artists: The Chainsmokers, Coldplay
Song: Something Just Like This
Album: Memories…Do Not Open
By: Brandon Best, Brandon.Best@oakwoodnb.com
Oakwood Church – New Braunfels, TX
Theme: Superheroes and Humanity
Teaching Point: God Can Use Someone Just Like Us
Opening Questions:
Have you ever thought about what your life would be like with Super Powers? With all the movies on the big screen and all the legends in the storybooks, what movie or story do you see yourself in? How would your life change if you woke up the next day and had some sort of Superhuman traits that you never had before? What would your super motto be? Who would you want to team up with? Where would you live? What would you wear?
SWITCH UP… What if you only had those powers for ONE DAY? How do you think you would react the NEXT DAY??? Would you be happy to be someone JUST LIKE YOU, or wish you could be back on the Superhero list?
Discussion
There is no doubt that Chris Martin’s smooth voice and the Chainsmokers’ approach to EDM music strike a thoughtful question about humanity and the supernatural. The lyrics begin with a grand view of a universe filled with myths, legends and modern day imaginations of beings that display supernatural powers.
While all these stories speak of super strength, strong fists, and great power, the song leads us to a reality check. When we step away from the stories, we realize we do not make the cut. We would love to have a life filled with powers beyond our humanity, but the truth is that the normal human being is not on any Superhuman list.
This is not the first time a writer has considered a vast universe with great awe and power, and has concluded that humanity plays a small roll.
Consider Psalm 8:3-5 (ESV)
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
The Psalm Writer looks at the heavens, the work of the Creator, and realizes a powerful thought. God is mindful of SOMEONE JUST LIKE US. We are the small, the normal, the frail, the fearful, the Unpowerful in many ways.
However, God is mindful of US. He places us on a list with powerful, “heavenly beings,” and cares about our normal, everyday lives. The truth is that we may not be on any Superhuman list, but we are on HIS list, and He thinks about US.
Conclusion
The Song writers point to a simple thought that ignores the wishes of superpowers and calls for a normal, attainable relationship. We can conclude that God has a plan in our everyday relationships as well.
The truth is, God Can Use Someone Just Like US
Read 1 John 4:12 (ESV)
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
His superpower is the POWERFUL LOVE we share with one another in our small, normal, frail, fearful, and UNpowerful, HUMAN lives. He wants to display His power in our humanity and use Someone Just Like Us.
Parent Resources 