FUSE Parent Connect.com

Cyber bullying

john — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:18:59 +0000

What’s up, Awesome Parents!!

Labor Day has come and gone, School is in full swing… welcome back to the Fuse Parent Connect!!

I recently saw a movie called “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” with my daughters. A few gross items of note, but a relatively well-done family movie. I saw this article that referenced the movie, and thought it would be good to share…

Check out this article from www.thrivingfamily.com on Cyber bullying.

Shifts in Your Teen’s Moods…

john — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:50:46 +0000

This question was recently asked on the Focus on the Family website:

Q: Our child used to be a ball of sunshine — compliant, obedient and pleasant — but her personality has changed significantly since she hit the teen years. She’s sullen, moody and secretive about insignificant things. What do you suggest we do?

Read the answer and the full article here.

Hope this helps! Love ya!

PJW

July Parent Connect Newsletter

john — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:34:13 +0000

What’s up, Awesome Parents??

Grab your e-copy of the Fuse Parent Connect Newsletter right here:

Fuse Parent Newsletter.July 2010

This is for all parents of Middle and High School Students, especially those at Celebration Church around the world!

PJW

Submerge 2010

john — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:32:29 +0000

It’s already time to register for camp!

Submerge is our annual FUSE Summer Youth Camp. This year we will be going to Camp Kulaqua near Gainesville. It’s 4 days of fun, friends, and fuego worship sessions!

Some of the cool activities include: Water park, Go Karts, Swimming at Hornsby Spring, Canoeing, Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, Shuffleboard, Soccer, etc.

Every night we will gather as one Youth Group from many campuses to worship and hear a great message.

When: August 8-11, 2010 Cost: $250 per student. Includes everything but snacks.

* THERE IS LIMITED SPACE: REGISTER EARLY!*

The Source of Self-Worth

john — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:36:48 +0000

by Alex McFarland (originally posted on www.thrivingfamily.com)

Dennis Smith was rushing to class at a Christian school, when he met one of his students lingering in the hallway.

“You’re going to be late for class.”

The student turned away, staring out a window. The young man was crying as he explained to Dennis, “The other guys say I’m not cool. They tell me that constantly.”

The final bell rang as they walked toward the classroom and Dennis gave the student a parting word of encouragement. Dennis recalls how he felt after the encounter. “My heart just ached for him. Feeling like he didn’t fit in was crushing this kid.”

As both a youth associate serving in the schools and as a parent, Dennis has seen firsthand the emotional and social struggles of young people. “Self-esteem is a huge issue,” he says. “The young man I met in the hallway was only 11 years old, but his buddies had berated him for not being willing to use profanity and for never having had a sexual experience.”

Whether they’re preteens or nearly adults, peers can compromise the otherwise healthy self-esteem of a young man.

And guys are not alone in this struggle with self-esteem. Madison is a ninth-grader who enjoys the support of an affirming family and a healthy church. But Madison says even Christian teen girls feel the pressure to appear beautiful and perfect in every way. “For girls my age, everything is about body image,” she says.

Beverly Odom is assistant director of a large student ministry in Georgia. She says, “Teen girls are constantly comparing themselves to each other and to images they see in the media. I often see the body obsession thing linger on into adulthood.”

Whether positive or negative, realistic or skewed, the views our kids form of themselves during adolescence stay with them for years. Their self-esteem influences mental acuity, emotional health and behavior. Beverly says, “The pressure on most kids today is just unbelievable. The quest to be accepted goes on 24/7. Even Christian teens can lose sight of all that they have in Christ and can be pressured to do things that, deep down, they know are wrong.”

How do we help teens arrive at a God-honoring, balanced sense of self? “The kids we’ve seen flourish are the ones who accurately understand who they are in Christ,” Beverly says. “They must draw their identity from Jesus. Parents should try and steer their kids away from allowing peer pressure, social posturing or the media to sour their perspective.”

Christian teens have clear and tangible reasons to feel OK about who they are. Their self-worth should be grounded on, and bolstered by, the following realities:

They are made in God’s image.
Jesus personally cares about them.
They’re worthy of unconditional love in your home.
They can find a haven of acceptance among other believers.
God has a plan for their life.

Although these truths can be a great source of encouragement, teens’ emotions don’t automatically “catch up” to the facts. Self-esteem issues often feed on irrationality. Teens must vigilantly pursue an honest view of themselves, their circumstances and the Lord. Feelings shouldn’t be allowed to trump the facts.

A healthy self-esteem isn’t grounded in one’s strengths or abilities. Of the five points listed above, none leads teens to find their value by comparing themselves to others. Somebody will always come along who is prettier, wealthier, smarter or more athletic. That’s inevitable.

Our teens’ self-esteem must come from their knowledge of who Jesus is and from the assurance of His love and care. Parents have the privilege of emphasizing these truths as they model acceptance, forgiveness and love. These truths provide lasting purpose and clear direction ⎯ even to those traversing the heady and often challenging years of adolescence.

—Alex McFarland has been ministering to youth and their parents for 20 years, and is author of the STAND series of devotional books for teens.

Live like it Counts!!

john — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:08:39 +0000

Project SOS is teaming up with Youth Quake Live to bring you a free performance of “Live Like It Counts” on June 4^th, 2010 at 7pm. The event is being held at New Covenant Ministries located conveniently off St. Johns Bluff.

This full length play deals with a wide variety of issues from dating abuse, healthy and unhealthy relationships, drugs, and sexting. The play has received outstanding responses from the over 15,000 students in the Greater Jacksonville community in addition to receiving national recognition from the National Clearinghouse on Families and Children.

Project SOS is a nonprofit youth development organization that helps teenagers focus on their goals instead of engaging in risky behaviors.

The Youth Quake Live Band will perform along with a message from Sean Yost.

Anything featuring Project SOS is going to a great resource for you and your teens. Please feel free to invite your friends, family and colleagues to this free event!!

Live Like It Counts Promotional Video

To learn more or to RSVP to this event on Facebook click here

PJW

Leading your teenagers to stay connected to God

john — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:01:58 +0000

A close relationship with God is both the core of our Christian life and our highest end as human beings. As we learn about God and develop intimacy with him, our faith morphs from a “practice” to a lifestyle. Worship and Bible study not only help us experience God, they strengthen us for life’s daily challenges.

When Group Magazine recently surveyed 20,000 Christian teenagers about their priorities, the top vote-getter was “praying and developing a relationship with God.” But many youth ministers were surprised by those survey results. “Kids’ actions communicate something different,” noted one youth minister. “They’re so busy…that it seems the first things to get dropped are the items listed as priorities.” Another wrote, “My teens struggle with prayer, and many tell me a relationship with God is hard, confusing, and at times not relevant.”

Taking time to “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10) is challenging in our always-on-the-go culture. Kids are surrounded by noise—and have a lot of noise in their hearts. Distractions, worries, fears, and hurts often make a relationship with God more difficult, but they also make it more important.

Kids look to their parents as examples of how to stay connected to God. If you’ve kept this relationship private, let your teenagers in on ways you stay in touch with God. Also share ways it has sustained you through life’s ups and downs, and assure your kids that the same will be true for them, too.

Check out this article, along with the rest of our June FUSE Parent Connect newsletter!

Fuse Beach Day!

john — Sun, 23 May 2010 18:46:42 +0000

What’s happening, Awesome Parents?!

Summer has arrived: ready or not!! To celebrate, we at Fuse always love to gather our Youth from our Regional Campuses to celebrate!

On Saturday, June 12th, we are getting together and hitting the beach! Everybody meet at your campus @ 10am for the bus to pick you up. All students will be returned to their campus @ 2:30pm.

This is a great time for our Youth to connect; to build some friendships that will carry on throughout the summer and into the new school year. It’s also a great opportunity to invite the neighbors. Maybe this is the stepping stone you’ve been waiting for, to get that friend to come to church!

For more info, check out www.fuseyouthevents.com; or contact Tiffany at tvail@celebration.org. See ya at the beach!!

Help kids take a stand against alcohol and drugs

john — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:24:45 +0000

With prom and graduation seasons here, teenagers may face more opportunities than usual to experiment with drinking and drug use. Kids turn to these substances not only to look cool and fit in with the crowd but also because they may help them feel good, ease their nerves, and make socializing easier.

Alcohol and drugs are addictive and harmful, as well as illegal. Using and abusing them can lead to everything from bad decisions to death. But there’s much more for Christian teenagers to consider when they’re faced with temptations of drugs and alcohol than just being “safe.”

In the Bible, Jesus instructs his followers to stay awake and alert in our everyday lives. He said Satan is stalking us like a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), and he wasn’t kidding. God instructs us to take up his armor (Ephesians 6:13-17) so we can stand firm and resist temptation. He also tells us to walk in the light (1 John 1:7). Nothing neutralizes our impact for God’s kingdom faster, broader, and deeper than shadow living. Whatever we do, we should train kids to live their lives in the light—away from the shadows that give Satan, God’s enemy, room to operate and leverage to sideline us.

So when you talk to your teenagers about the physical and legal reasons to steer clear of drugs and alcohol, remember to mention the spiritual reasons as well. Then stop talking and set an example by how you live. God knows about all the temptations we face and wants to be the first place we turn during difficulties.

- From Simply Youth Ministries

For additional resources, check out these links:

Familylife.com’s Teen Issues page

www.theantidrug.com

“Teaching Your Teen about Alcohol”, an article by Walt Mueller

We are praying for you and your families! Love ya! PJW

For Parents of High Schoolers: Collegeready.com!

john — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:59:50 +0000

College Ready is a new curriculum to help you and your High School Student prepare for the College Experience.

College Ready can help you make the most of your college years. This six part high impact video series is designed to help you understand the college maze; recognize the key areas you will need to succeed in, and craft a plan and personal vision for starting college right and finishing it well.

The format is designed for a small-group study, though it can also be helpful for individual families. My suggestion is to gather up a few friends with Junior/Senior students, and spend 6 weeks getting yourselves and your kids prepped for college!

For more, check out www.collegeready.com.

Pastor John Wyatt; Family Life Pastor; jwyatt@celebration.org