Space Sumo

Just a silly fun game that you can offer to play with your teenager…..I am just trying to help you look cool!! jeremy
http://www.eyegas.com/flashgames/spacesumodemo.html

Brian Owen is getting ordained!

This wednesday night at 6pm our very own Brian Owen is getting ordained! Feel free to come and support him!

Here is an opinion on an age-old question: Why do teenagers care so much about clothes?

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/nurtureshock/archive/2009/11/11/why-teens-care-so-much-about-clothes.aspx

Parents are the greatest influence in their teenager’s life…

When I tell parents of teenager’s that they are the greatest influence in their students life they are quite often shocked.  It’s so easy to think that the way teenagers treat their parents that they care very little about their parent’s opinion.  Christian research and secular research overwhelmingly prove that parents ARE THE GREATEST INFLUENCE IN THE LIFE OF THEIR STUDENT….here is the most recent example of this research:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Parents+remain+major+influence+maturing+adolescents+study+finds/2207979/story.html

Parents Face Peer Pressure Too!

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/columnists/tdamm/stories/DN-life–tyra_13brf.ART.State.Edition1.4b75582.html

TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR STEAK DINNER

We have FEED STEAK DINNER tickets left.  Will you please consider hanging out with us on Saturday Night?  THANKS TO OCHARLEY’S, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BUILD THE SCHOOL IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

To get your tickets contact brian@newvisiononline.net

Heart Connections and Spiritual Impact: Part III

On August 29, 2010…Dr. Richard Ross will be at our church again for our PARENT SUMMIT…He will be speaking in all of our morning services and hold training that afternoon specifically for parents of teenagers. DON’T MISS IT….Mark your calendars

more about "Heart Connections and Spiritual Impac…", posted with vodpod

Heart Connections and Spiritual Impact: Part II

Like I said….don’t miss this

more about "Heart Connections and Spiritual Impac…", posted with vodpod

Heart Connections and Spiritual Impact: Part I

Dr. Richard Ross came to our church a few months ago. I was so excited this week to see that he has released some online video of his content FOR FREE. Don’t miss this opportunity…sit down and watch this.

more about "Heart Connections and Spiritual Impac…", posted with vodpod

Question Night Announcement Video

Our students made a pretty funny announcement video this week…they spoofed the panel of our Question Night last Wednesday

more about "Question Night Announcement Video", posted with vodpod

Are you signed up for weekly parent emails….here is a sample

To the parents of teenagers who aren’t perfect at parenting but refuse to give up,

I am a runner.  I know what you are thinking, “WOW, you are pretty big to be a runner”.  I realize that there aren’t a lot of big runners.  Trust me, when I run a race I feel very out of place among the skinny gazelles with their special track shorts and gps watches.

I actually considered starting a club called THE BIG BOY RUNNING CLUB.  You have to be over 250 lbs. to get in.  I even went as far as coming up with a slogan.  Tell me what you think, “BIG BOY RUNNING CLUB….you may be faster than us but we are harder to kidnap!”  I think that would be a great T-Shirt!

I have learned, though, that running is for everyone.  No matter who you are or what your size all runners have one thing in common.  We love to push ourselves to the point where we feel like we can’t go anymore….and then run one more step.

It is so invigorating to overcome your doubt, fear, fatigue, and fears.  It empowers me every time.

Let’s rewind to last Saturday…I am running the FEED 5K and I am beginning the 3rd mile.  I am pretty sick that day so I am more tired than usual.  The desire to stop and walk the rest of the way in is sitting on my back like a 300 lb. gorilla.  With half a mile to go something amazing happened.

A group of our high school guys who long ago finished the race saw me struggling. They began to run with me and encourage me to keep going.  It started with just a few and then quickly became an entourage of support.  I was so out of breath I couldn’t talk.  I was also so overcome with emotion I had to hold in tears.  Those guys will never know what they did for me that day.

As we approached the finish line they formed a “flying V” like geese heading south for the winter.  They told me it would be more aero-dynamic.  We crossed the finish line together and all the pain was worth it.

I can’t think of a better picture of God’s desire to encourage you in your parenting journey.   I know there must be some of you today that are sucking wind because…

your teenager won’t stop yelling at you
no matter what you do, you can’t get them to take their grades seriously
no matter what you do, you feel like a failure as a parent
money is tight, and your teenager can’t understand that
every time you try to pray with your student they laugh at you or mock you
you are so tired at the end of the day it feels impossible to have the energy to parent
you have your own personal issues that are handicapping you from helping your student with theirs
you feel like you want to quit but you are scared to admit it

I think if God spoke out loud to you this morning He would say, “My Child you can take one more step. Better yet why don’t you let me pick you up and carry you the rest of the way?”

Actually God did say that in the book of Isaiah 40:30-31…let these words fall on you fresh this morning.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

If our student ministry doesn’t do anything else we want to be a tool of God to encourage you and help you finish strong.  So please send us your prayer requests and let us join you in setting your family at the feet of our Savior and watch HIM take over!  You can reply to this email with your prayer requests.

Here is our information for this week:

* FEED STEAK DINNER
* new ministry for middle school boys
* SAVE THE DATE
___________________________________________________________________________________________

FEED STEAK DINNER- THIS SATURDAY!!!!!

I am so excited about our FEED Steak Dinner this Saturday.  We still have a good number of tickets left.  I would STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to either attend or purchase a ticket for someone else to attend if you can’t make it.  It is this Saturday Night in our fellowship hall at 6:30 pm.  Holly Cormier will be in concert and O’Charleys has donated the food. 

That means that 100% of the money collected will go to FEED’s goal of building a school in La Represa Dominican Republic.

THE ONLY SAD PART of this event for me would be if we don’t sell every ticket so…..

Tickets are $20 a piece and I am hoping you will click this link and let Kellie Clem know you would like one: kellie@newvisiononline.net

____________________________________________________________________________________________

New Ministry for Middle School Boys

Alan Bentley is one of our counselors at the Integrity House.  He is offering an incredible opportunity for middle school guys.  If you are a parent of a middle school boy please check out the information below.

“For many middle school age boys, the physical, emotional, and mental transition from elementary to middle school, pre-adolescence to adolescence, can be very stressful. Oftentimes they feel as if their parent are all of a sudden unapproachable at a time when they need a safe place the most.

Although some boys are introverted and prefer to do things alone, many other boys enjoy spending their time with other boys. Playing on athletic teams, being a member of boy scouts, and running with a gang are common experiences where boys learn to cooperate, relate, and bond with each other. Studies show that significant behavioral and relational improvements can be made when adolescent boys participate in interpersonal group therapy that includes the teaching of social skills. Because many of the problems adolescent boys face are a result of inefficient social skills, therapeutic groups can provide a safe environment for learning, testing, and refining new behaviors and coping skills.”

“Time Out Groups are facilitated by Alan Bentley, MMFT. Alan has had experience as a youth minister and middle school teacher before becoming a therapist. He has a heart for young people and believes that he is called to be a role model for whoever God brings across his path. Alan approaches counseling from a systemic viewpoint, focusing on the client’s circles of influence, believing that it is impossible to separate the individual from the system. Because of this, it is vital to discover how we relate and function within these systems.”

“Time Out Group meets on Mondays from 3:30 -5:00. Group is open to any adolescent boy in middle school, but will be limited to 8 participants. Time Out costs $45/session with some partial scholarships available. Please call for more information and to sign up.  www.forhopenow.org “
______________________________________________________________________________________________

SAVE THE DATE!

As you are planning 2010…please mark off these dates for your students to be a part of:

APRIL 9- BLITZ
JUNE 3-8- CAMP GOTCHA

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Don’t forget to check out our parent blog at www.gonewvision.com …..we put up lots of great content every week

Your friendly neighborhood youth minister,
jeremy

Michael Murray is AWESOME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Children’s Minister just surveyed our parents of children and gathered a list of:

MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR FAMILIES

I thought they were worth offering to our parents of teenagers!

THANKS MICHAEL

(the children’s ministry and the student ministry work hand in hand)

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS EMAIL IS RATHER LENGTHY SO YOU MAY WANT TO PRINT IT OUT OR READ IT WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT!

Here are some of the responses that were given by you as parents as to the ways you save money.  I hope this information will be helpful to many of us.

I believe we are to be stewards of God’s money and manage it well.  Part of how we do that is how we use the resources He has provided for us.

We recently had an email probelm so I do understand that some of you may have not gotten the previous email asking for those responses.  If that was you and you have things to add to this document, please send me those responses and I will send an additional email out.

Some of the ways the Murray’s (my family) saves money is the following:
* We use an envelope system for several things such as:  Christmas (also have a Christmas club in the bank), vacation, house payment (try to stay about a half a month ahead on the payment), savings (try to save about $100 a month), cell phone bill, special trips or purchases
* We pay cash or debit card for everything….we do not own our own credit card but do own a Shell gas card and pay it off monthly
* We try to balance grocery shopping with eating out (your ideas are going to help us even more)

Happy reading….responses are below!

WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

I have unplugged everything not needed.  If it has a light that glows it wastes electricity.  Ie coffee makers, tv’s, stereos, dvd players.  I have my entertainment system plugged into a power strip and it is turned off.  My cable and tv are plugged into another, it stays on.  Keep CH set on 68.  Do not use plug in wall heaters in the bathroom in the mornings.  Use hair dryers quickly.  Anything that produces heat uses a lot of power.  Keep the lights off if you are not in that room.



I collect the sale papers for the week and circle everything I need on them and then go to Wal-mart to do the shopping.  They honor all sale prices!  One-stop shopping saves on gas and time!



We use many coupons for groceries and other various things. I mainly use a website (www.southernsavers.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.southernsavers.com> ) to find these deals. She lists grocery stores and drug stores with sales and coupon matchups. She also lets people know of other random coupons and good deals. She has posted some deals, lately, on toys and video games (for those getting ready for Christmas). I have cut our grocery bill by about $200 a month using this kind of information!



groceries- I am an avid couponer. I rebate, shop sales, stockpile, price match, use competitors coupons

Favorite websites include: www.faithfulprovisions.com/ <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.faithfulprovisions.com/> , www.southersavers.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.southersavers.com/> , www.thethriftymama.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.thethriftymama.com/>



gas - We buy our gas at Kroger. I use my rewards credit card and get 5% back. I use it to add money to a gift card that gives 4% to my kids school, and I usually receive 10 cents off a gallon with my Kroger plus card.

I have a couple of tips.  I’m a big “coupon-er”.  Publix is usually a little pricier than other grocery stores, so I don’t shop there UNLESS, they have what I need on a buy one get one free sale.  If you combine that with coupons you can really save alot.  So for example if they have Lucky Charms cereal, normally $4 a box, now on sale buy one get one free, that makes it $2 a box, then if you have coupons for .50 cents off 1 box of Lucky Charms, you can use 2 of those, one for each box, and Publix doubles coupons, so now you are getting cereal for $1 per box instead of $4 per box.  Make sense?, or “cents”, ha!  Bad joke.

I know that Toot’s restaurant has free hot dog  fries with ice cream for kids and that is everyday.



I’m sure a lot of the moms already know this, but we take all of our kids outgrown clothes (up to about a size 10) to the Rocking Horse consignment shop at Northfield and Heritage Park Dr.  I had taken some of my daughter’s clothes in from last Fall that didnt fit her.  I checked back a month later and had almost $40 in store credit (or they will cut you a check).  I was able to then turn around and buy my daughter two pairs of pants, a 2 peice set, 6 tops/sweaters, a jacket, a coat and two pair of shoes for about $60….had stamped card for prior purchases made for 20% off and my $40 credit.  Plus the clothes that I got her are brand names like Gap, Children’s Place, etc and look like they were just bought new.  $60 for Fall/Winter clothes isnt too bad.  They also take like new books, toys and bedroom accessories for kids.

Another thing i like about their store is that you can sign up to “donate” and anything that they feel isnt in good enough shape to “sell” in the store, they donate to charity for needy children.  I just take everything and let them sort through what they want to sell or donate.  Saves me the trouble of taking the clothes to two different places and/or trying to sell them or find someone that needs them on my own.

Here are a few of my favorite tips.



Groceries:  Well, I think you already heard the low-down.  I buy 2 papers per family member (most every week).  I sort and stack all the like pages together, staple the coupon (over the picture area in case when I pull apart it tears a little) and cut all 12 at once.  I file them in a 3 ring binder with baseball card pages and watch for sales!

The two main keys are 1.  Only buy when on sale and you have a coupon. 2. Stock pile!  ie. When you see toothpaste on sale for free after coupon, buy all you have coupons for.  Then you don’t have to buy toothpaste again for several months.  ( I haven’t had to buy toothpaste in over a year!)
I don’t pay more than .75 a box for cereal any more…I often can get it cheaper…or free!  It can take 2-3 months before you start seeing a big cut in your grocery budget.  It can take that long for sales to cycle through and you get many things stockpiled…making it where you don’t need to purchase them each week/month!  We went from averaging over $800 a month on groceries to $250 a month!  That’s for a family of six!  I shop Kroger, Publix (my two favorites), Walmart (sometimes, but hardly go any more!), CVS and Walgreens.  You can actually make money shopping at CVS and Walgreens!  I have taught many friends how to coupon shop efficiently and have thought about doing classes!  I have become passionate about saving on groceries.  It becomes a game!   And you would be very surprised and all the healthy and organic savings out there!  Coupons aren’t just for junk food!



Menu planning helps save money by using what you have on hand instead of running to the grocery for something quick for dinner and paying a fortune for the convenience!  I like to have many convenience items on hand, in the freezer. But they are items I’ve paid next to nothing for when I had a coupon and they were on sale.  And we all know when we run into the store for something quick…we almost  always come out with more that we went in for!



Utilities:

We also save on our utilities by doing several things:



1. Turn the hot water heater down at nights and certain times of the day when we don’t really need much hot water.  Ours is easy to get to, so it’s very convenient to leave it set to “warm” and just turn up when I know we will be doing several showers, laundry, dishes etc.  And when we leave on trips we turn it way down.



2.  We unplug everything we can when not in use.  When things are plugged in it is using electricity even if it isn’t on.  We keep our thermostat turned down a little cooler than most probably in the cold months, around 68, and wear long sleeves and socks.  We don’t leave irons, curling/straightening irons, etc. turned on.  Anything that heats or cools uses more electricity that other electronics.  There is lots of info on the net about how to save electricity by using timers on things like your garage door opener, media center, etc.  Some people have got their electricity down to around $30 a month!  We aren’t there yet, but our bill is considerably lower now.  And our gas bill (hot water heater) is always less than $15 a month.



3. Another tip that has saved us on our  electric bill,  as well as making our clothes last longer, is  I try to hang our clothes to dry.  If you don’t have a line outside (I don’t) you can get a hanging rack in your utility room and hang them on a hanger to dry.  You could also hang on the shower curtain in the bathroom.  This save your clothes from looking worn as fast and from shrinking.  As well as saves that electricity used to heat the dryer!



4.  We only use cable/ internet/ phone during intro offers and switch when the rate goes up.  We are actually doing away with our cable this month.  We didn’t have it for 13 years, only go it as part of the deal when we moved here…but now you can see most anything online! If it wasn’t for my job which requires unlimited long distance phone, we would be cutting that off as well and just use the cell.



Shopping for clothing requires more work for me, but I look for sales and always look for coupons online.  I try to take advantage of end of season sales and buy things that I know aren’t going to be out of style for the next year.   I really like Kohl’s when they have their sales as well as offering the Kohl’s Cash.

I know this will sound completely backwards than what you may think. However, I encourage you to give it a shot. I work a bunch and my husband is in Iraq. Needless to say I cook for 1 or 2 at most. My mother has always freaked out in stating eating out costs more than cooking at home. With a family of 4 this is true. In this very singular instance, I find it is cheaper to eat out. Why? Because I can get 1 meal and split it with my daughter, or eat it twice. Or if by myself, a Wendy’s baked potato costs $1.20 and is plenty. Keep in mind I drink plenty of water every day. I find if I cook, I have spent the same $10 (1 meal), then I spend money washing dishes to keep the left overs, along with extra trash bags for the additional trash. Not to mention time spent. Just a note for the single people…do not think it cheaper to always cook.

I use lots of coupons when it is cheaper to use a coupon on a brand name item, otherwise I use mainly the store brands.These are just as good and are usually cheaper.  I know that we will use toilet paper,baggies,washing powder(clothing detergent)toothpaste,shampoo etc so when I see them on sale really low, I go ahead and purchase them whether we need them at the time or not, I know we will use them eventually so I go ahead and buy them. I try to buy most of my stuff in bulk.  an 80 load box of clothing detergent lasts me almost 3 weeks, where as a 40 load box seems to be used in a week. I don’t understand how that can be, it just is.I take advantage alot of times on Krogers 10 for 10 items.  I also get the meat of the week.If chicken is for instance 39 cents a lb, well you guessed it, we will be eating chicken for the week. I also try to make things that will stretch.For instance: chilli,soups,spaghetti,cassaroles,gumbo,stews etc.I also try to do all my errands at the same time. Like if I have to goto walmart and I need something from Kroger, I go the same day when possible, rather than making multiple trips shopping and that helps my gas go further too.

I wanted to share something Janece and I have used for years whenever we travel.  We rent properties from a site called VRBO.com



We have used it numerous times.  We have rented nice 3BR condos in Orlando several times for $600 or less for an entire week.  They were 10 minutes from the entrance to Disney World.  We rented a 2BR condo on the beach in Australia for $100 a night.  We have rented beach houses, cabins,   condos all over the US for incredible deals.  VRBO stands for vacation rentals by owner so you are dealing directly with the owner.  We usually wait until the last minute to reserve a place.  You are then able to bargain with the owner if they do not have it rented.  We have always rented places for less than the advertised price on the website and the prices on the website are usually great to begin with.



Well, we are most effective with money when we are faithful to use the envelope/cash system.  For example, if I know I have $30.00 to spend, when the cash is gone it’s gone – I’m not tempted to use my debit card and go over budget b/c I’ve already withdrawn my husband’s entire paycheck and put all of the cash into the proper envelopes.  Does that make sense?

For groceries, I don’t have the time/make the time to clip coupons, so I do this:  I shop once every 2 weeks and hit 3 grocery stores.  I shop Kroger and Publix for their loss leaders only.  Then, I hit Wal-mart to get everything else.  It’s a little more time-consuming but I know I’m saving $ so it’s worth it to me.

Trick:  Buy as many Sunday papers as the number in you family.  Clip the coupons and follow the www.thegrocerygame.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.thegrocerygame.com> and stockpile all the items on sale that you have coupons for. there are other free sites for coupon help too. The Seilhamer’s went six months without paying  ONE cent on toilet paper.  I have not paid for Crest toothpaste in 10 months its free with coupons!



There is no telling how much money I have saved over the last 11 years from going to consignment sales here in Rutherford county.   All of the clothes that I have purchased from the sales are like brand new for about 1/3 of the cost of new clothing.  Some of my favorites are Sugar Babies in Smyrna and Love Muffins here in Murfreesboro.

I suggest two websites…. www.southernsavers.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.southernsavers.com> (she came and spoke at our church a couple months ago). She gives great advice on saving money on groceries, etc…. also you can get restaurant gift certificates very cheap at www.restaurant.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.restaurant.com>



There is a pretty good-sized coupon movement in our church.  I’ve been couponing now for almost 2 years and save a bundle on groceries and personal care items.  In a nutshell, the idea is that you stock up on items when they are on sale + you use coupons to go with the item.  Then, you know that you’ve purchased it at the “rock bottom” price.  When you need something, you “shop” from your stockpile at home instead of running to the store.  Some really great websites to check out are: www.thegrocerygame.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.thegrocerygame.com> and www.southernsavers.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.southernsavers.com> .

I also save money by purchasing generic brands and shopping for basics at Aldi.  Investing in a deep freezer is also a great idea as it lets you store and keep larger quantities of things when they go on sale.

Plan your meals before you go to the grocery store and buy only what you need for those meals.

(1)  Shop sales and buy store brands when possible. Limit snack foods and “fast”  type foods. Eat at home. (probably not the most popular answer!) When you do go out to eat, find places where kids truly eat free. Some restaurants have specials during the week- eat out then instead of on the weekends.

2)       Limit gas guzzling by planning errand running and try to do multiple things in one trip.

3)       We keep our thermostat at 67 in the winter and 80 in the summer.

4)       Turn off lights when leaving a room and only light the room you are in.

5)       Try to shop for clothes out of season when they go on sale. Shop 2nd hand and garage sales. Swap with friends. Only buy what you need.

6)       Don’t go to the stores just to “look”. You will end up spending more than you think!

7)       Prepare a monthly budget so you know where your pennies are going. (try to) Live on less than you make.

8)       Leave your credit card at home (if you have one). We speak from experience!

9)       Plan “cheap” family fun. We go hiking or biking at the state parks and pack a picnic lunch. We have family movie or game night at home. We have even had game competitions with cheap prizes. Younger kids like this and teenagers aren’t there anyway! J If we want to go somewhere that costs, we buy a family pass. It usually pays for itself in two visits and we have something to do on the fly all year without last minute expense. We always pack a picnic lunch/dinner and snacks when we go away on trips- keeps us from buying 7 meals at the restaurant.

10)   We learn to do many things ourselves to avoid paying for services- hair cuts, oil changes and minor repairs and improvements to the house and cars etc. (don’t mean to step on toes here- we are just ultra cheap and have learned to live on very little



We were lucky and started saving before the recession hit. However, even now that we are okay financially, we are always looking for the best deal. Some of what we have done is implement the Dave Ramsey Plan by paying cash for everything. Both of our daughters even have commission money (also know as chore money) and know that 10% of that goes to church, 20% of it goes in their banking account, and the rest is to save for things they want. We don’t buy them anything that is not a need, and both know the difference between a true need and a want. I also went on-line to Kroger.com and registered my Kroger card to load coupons from on-line. I clip coupons from the Sunday papers, and also from couponmom.com. I have found a GREAT website as far as being as frugal as we can get (the website is HillbillyHousewife.com). It has wonderful tips and recipes on how to live frugally. Also on Restaurants.com you can get gift cards for cheaper. For example this week it was 80% off for the gift cards (so you could get a $25 gift card for $2). That is a deal that we stock up on. For Military families, Lowe’s gives a 10% discount on anything that you purchase in their store with an ID, Zaxby’s also gives a military discount with an ID, and I believe Chili’s does this as well. That is just some of how we have saved money during this time. Hope this helps.



SUMMARY OF WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT FROM ABOVE COMMENTS

(www.southernsavers.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.southernsavers.com> )

www.faithfulprovisions.com/ <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.faithfulprovisions.com/>

www.thethriftymama.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.thethriftymama.com/>

www.VRBO.com <http://www.vrbo.com/>

www.thegrocerygame.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.thegrocerygame.com>

www.restaurant.com <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.restaurant.com>



FREE KIDS MEAL STUFF AT RESTAURANTS

Chick fil A discounted kid’s meal on Tuesday nights…..I think $1.49….adults allowed to order them too I believe

Baskin Robbins on Tuesday nights has kid’s scoops for $1.00 each

Dairy Queen has $.99 kid’s meals on Tuesday nights

Logan’s has kid’s meals for $2.99 each from 3-6pm (all day on Mon – Wed)

Applebee’s has free kid’s meals on Tuesday or Wed nights (not sure if one or the other or both….got two different nights from two different parents)

Kids eat free on Mondays at the Shoneys on Church st

Kids eat the buffet free on Tuesdays at the Pizza Hut on Mercury Blvd



Restaurants:  Kids eat free hot dogs, ice cream at Toot’s any day of the week.  Go to their website and print off sheets for kids to color to get free chicken baskets, mac and cheese, shrimp basket, etc.  Just go to web site to see specials.  Also, Tuesdays at Toot’s you can get a $2.99 (cheese) hamburger, free kids meal and if you drink water you come out very cheap.



McAlisters has kids eat free on Tuesday and Thursday.



Logan’s has kids eat for $2.99 with purchase of adult meals (all day on Mon-Wed)  (adult meals are 2 for $13.99)



Otter’s – 99 cent Kids meals on Wednesday nights (I know that church meal, but we typically eat here to save $)

Steak and Shake-kids eat free with 2 adult meals



Birthday Freebies

Meals:

Captain D’s

Moe’s

Red Robin

Denny’s

Sonic

Burger King (I couldn’t figure out how to do this one online, but they have forms in the store.)

Zaxby’s



Ice Cream or Treats:

Baskin Robbins

Coldstone Creamery

Reeves Sain

Marble Slab



(many are listed here http://www.freebirthdaytreats.com/kids.aspx <https://mail.newvisiononline.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.freebirthdaytreats.com/kids.aspx> )

The website also lists some we don’t have here but if you travel much it might be worth your time to register for it. For Example California Pizza Kitchen sends a coupon with no expiration date on it so you could sign your kids up and eat there on vacation.



Other tips:

·        Some places offer kids the same deal as adults. For Example my son loves the dessert at Chili’s and they give him a free one on his birthday.

·        Make sure you are signed up for the Toys R Us kids birthday club too for coupons



Free During the week



Cathay – M-W

Applebee’s – T

Pizza Hut-T I think

McAlister’s T and Th



Kids Nights Not Free But Discounted

Fazoli’s

Chick-Fil-A – T $1.79

Dairy Queen

Captain D’s

Zaxby’s (Rutherford) 99cents M

Steak N Shake



Also be sure to sign up for the summer reading program at the library. You always get several free kids meals when you meet your reading goals.

Here is what I have for discounts and free meals at local restaurants
and I have verified that these are still correct.

Shoney’s – kids 4  under eat free from bar any night of the week

Sir Pizza – kids 5  under eat free from buffet, 10  under 1/2 price,
on Mondays and Wednesdays

Applebee’s (Rutherford Blvd) – 2 kids 10  under eat free with each
paying adult on Tuesdays

Zaxby’s – 2 kids meals $1.99 each for each paying adult (drive thru
also)

McAlister’s Deli – kids 12  under eat free on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Captain D’s – kids 12  under eat free, dine in only

THE PINK TOILET

As part of our FEED campaign the PINK TOILET is making its rounds to the houses in Murfreesboro and Smyrna. Watch this video that our students made to learn more!

more about "THE PINK TOILET", posted with vodpod

The FEED 5K WINNERS!

Thanks to all who came out and made our FEED 5K a great success!  We raised $6,600 for FEED from the RACE….if you still have donations to turn in, please do that as soon as possible!

Here are our top 3 runners- CONGRATULATIONS!

FIRST PLACE- HAYDEN TUNE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECOND PLACE-Nick Schneider

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIRD PLACE- Justin Cunningham

Feed 5K Details and Directions

As you may know we are having our Second Annual Feed 5K this Saturday. I wanted to make sure you knew all the details.

Race is going to take place at The Gateway Island Greenway. Directions from church are as follows: Turn Left out of church parking lot, take left at first red light onto Gateway Blvd. Turn left onto Garrison Drive. Gateway Park and parking on right in Surgery Center lot.

Registration begins at 9:00 am and the race will begin around 9:15 am. Participates need to bring either $30 registration fee or their filled out and competed sponsor forms. The race should be finished around 10:15 am.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at brian@newvisiononline.net

Yes I will be putting up my Christmas Tree very soon!

The first of November means it is time for the Holiday Season.  Here is what you need to know about our schedule in November and December:

November 4- Go Worship- David and Goliath Night

November 7- FEED 5k (come and participate)

November 8- GO COACH MEETING- 11:15 am in room 304/306

November 11- Go Worship- Question Night- Students can text in questions and a panel, including our pastor, will respond

November 18- Go Worship- Thanksgiving and Praise Night

November 21- Feed Steak Dinner at New Vision

November 25- No Go Worship- Thanksgiving Break

November 29- No Student Groups- One Day Revival at New Vision

December 2- Go Worship- Christmas Party!

December 13- GO COACH CHRISTMAS PARTY- 11:15 am in room 304/306

December 20- No Student Groups- Christmas Break

December 27- No Student Groups- Christmas Break

December 9, 16, 23, and 30- No Go Worship- Christmas Break

January 6- GO WORSHIP RETURNS- On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

Please add these dates to your calendar! If you have any questions let me know!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Youth Minister,

jeremy

All You Ever Need To Know About FEED Events!

Dear Parents of Teenagers,

Exciting things are happening in our student ministry this November and December. I wanted to updated you on all the details for Feed. There are four main components to Feed that you should be aware of for the next two months.

About Feed:

We are FIFTEEN students who believe that we are not too young to change the world. Last year we changed lives when we built wells in Southern Africa. Last year we made a difference when we helped firmly establish a Murfreesboro food bank. This year will be no different. We are finally realizing how much a group of students can do. We will no longer let the world pass by us as we hear stories of “how bad things are getting”. We will join together. We will make a difference.
How? Well here is the plan:
First: raise $100,000 in order to build a school in La Represa, Dominican Republic.
Second: Collect 12 tons of food for Greenhouse Ministries. Tall order? Yes. Will we do it? Watch us!

Feed Run/Walk:

Run or walk in the 5K on Saturday, November 7, 9:00 am at the Gateway Greenway off Medical Center Parkway. You can walk/run this event yourself or sponsor a teenager for every mile they complete. If you would like to participate in the run/walk yourself than you can pay a $30 registration fee, this fee includes a Feed 09 T-Shirt.

If you teenager wishes to participate they can also either be sponsored or pay the registration fee.

Steak Dinner:

We will be having our first annual Feed Steak Dinner on Saturday, November 21st at 6:30 pm at New Vision Baptist Church. You can purchase a ticket for $20 each by responding to this email. Proceeds will go to funding the building of the school in La Reprisa, Dominican Republic.

T-Shirts:

You can also purchase a Feed 09 t-shirt at any time for $15 from the Student Ministry.

Food Drive:

We will once again be hosting a food drive to benefit Greenhouse Ministries in Mufreesboro, TN. Last year we donated over 6 tons of food to help the homeless and needy in Rutherford County. You can pick up bags on November 15,22,29 at New Vision Baptist. We are asking that you pass them out to your neighbors, co-workers, family, etc and on Saturday, December 12 bring your filled bags to the church for delivery to Greenhouse.   

(We have created a sponsor form that your teenager can use to sell tickets, t-shirts and get sponsors. They can pick up this form from the Student Ministry Desk on Sunday morning in Room 303)

As always if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. It’s an honor to be able to minister to your teenager.

Brian Owen

GREAT WORD ON PARENTING TEENAGERS

Mark Matlock is quickly becoming a great voice for Kingdom Parenting…

Go here to get a taste of encouragement as a parent of a teenager

http://www.dts.edu/media/play/?MediaItemID=d1b1dc93-be77-4c5f-8b48-3c2be6bf152c

 

QOTD (Quote of the Day)

“Depression is nothing but frozen anger”

Rick Warren

PARENTING POINTS…

Mark Matlock offers some interesting articles on parenting teenagers.  WARNING…you will be linking to sites where I do not control content so surf at your own risk and know that I do not necessarily agree with all opinions expressed!

QOTD (Quote of the Day)

“You will succeed in what you emphasize”

Dr. Roy Fish

NEW OFFICES!

We are finally back at the church in our new offices! Brian and I decided to give you guys a tour….enjoy! jeremy

more about "NEW OFFICES!", posted with vodpod

Want help sharing Scripture with your teenager?

I want to direct you to some “behind the scene” posts from our youth worker blog.  Recently I offered them a tool that I thought would be useful to parents.  Follow this link to get it!

http://goyouthworkers.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/use-this-with-your-teenagers/

jeremy

How do American teenagers feel about God?

This information is from a book I am reading…

* More than four out of five teenagers report belief in God

* About two-thirds of teens say they believe in God as a personal being involved in the lives of people today

* “Teenagers say: I believe in God (87%) I don’t believe in God, but I do believe in a universal spirit of higher power (11%) and I don’t believe in either (1%)

* 71% of American teens say they feel very close or somewhat close to God

* Only 1 in 20 religious teens reported dealing with many doubts about their faith in the previous year

As I look at this information it helps me to understand that teenagers in general are comfortable with their belief in God and are most likely comfortable discussing God with others.

I have an experiment for you.  If you do it, please report how it goes by commenting on this post.  You can use code names if you want to protect your or your teenager’s identity.

HERE IT IS: Ask your teenager the question, “What has God been teaching you lately?”

I look forward to hearing what happens!

jeremy

brady’s sermon

I can’t get this thought from brady’s sermon out of my head…”A church defined by love and armed with truth is the hope of the nations” GREAT!

Media

Parents I wanted to post an interesting quote I found and posted on the student blog.

“Advertising has a very influential yet deceptive voice. Because media come in so many forms, the voice is everywhere, suggesting lifestyles, promising belonging, and disorienting its listeners. Somehow in the middle of this din, we are supposed to discern how to be faithful Christians.”

Parents I would love to hear your response to this. You think its true? Does the media influence you personally? What do you think are ways in which we can help our teenagers understand and combat the influence of the media?

-Brian

3 thoughts on Gossip you can offer your teenager

The small-group study guide Guy Talk, Girl Talk contains a chapter on gossip called “Can You Keep a Secret?” Use the insights from this excerpt to overcome a destructive habit.

 

Gossip isn’t only a modern-day problem. It was occurring in the early church, too. So many people have been hurt by gossip. But Scripture offers advice and hope for silencing this sin. For example, Proverbs 20:19 tells us how to choose friends, saying the quality of a friendship will be determined by how much a person talks. And Matthew 5:23-26 instructs us about the correct way to handle conflict. Instead of gossiping, we should go directly to the person and work out our problem. Here are three Bible-based tips for learning to keep a secret:

 

1. Realize the root of gossip is about your character. The very act of gossip goes deeper than the surface; it describes the heart of the person sharing it. When we share secrets that friends have confided in us or talk about what we “heard,” it’s often because we know that attention will be diverted away from us. We need to examine our hearts before anyone will be able to keep a secret.

 

2. Understand that gossip always leads to pain. Gossip never…EVER…leads to good, even when it comes in the form of a prayer request! Whether the pain is minor or deep, gossip hurts those it’s about and those who are spreading it.

 

3. Acknowledge that great friendships can come out of making a commitment to stay gossip-free. Finding a friend you can trust is one of the best joys in life. We all need close friends, and close friendships can develop only in the safety of knowing that what you share in private will stay private.

5 Thoughts on Cussing…

If parents set themselves up as verbal morality police, they’ll reap frustration. So go after a deeper change by conveying the impact of language.

 

1.    Scripture takes a stand. There isn’t much gray area. God makes it clear that obscenity has no place coming out of the mouth of a Christ-follower. (See Ephesians 5:4.)

 

2.    Unconditional love is impossible with foul language. Cursing does nothing to communicate grace.

 

3.    Obscenities are a fake alternative to real power (and real humor). Challenge kids to true maturity. Any numskull can get a laugh using profanity to shock.

 

4.    Cursing undermines integrity. A word that’s acceptable only in limited company or location shouldn’t be used at all.

 

5.    Foul language speaks poorly of you. Consider your impression of kids who cuss. They usually seem rude and uneducated.

 

Clean language is the ultimate rebellion. The world notices and respects people who refrain from using profanity.

Cussing?!

As profanity and gossip run rampant, that kind of language is losing its stigma among young people.

 

• In an AP-Ipsos poll, young people acknowledge swearing in conversations at least a few times per week. Eight percent of respondents say they use the “f-word” several times a day.

 

• When Gallup researchers asked 13- to 17-year-olds to rank a long list of “serious behaviors,” kids considered “using profanity in public” to be the least serious offense of all.

 

• Researcher Robin Dunbar found that as much as 65% of people’s everyday conversations could be defined as gossip.

(apa.org)

Flash Back, Flash Forward

One technique I use with parents of teenagers who are dealing with the vast mood swings of adolescence is to ask them to flash back, and flash forward.

Flash Back- Spend time remembering them when they were cute, little, and had all the potential in the world! Remember what you hoped, dreamed, and prayed for and re-commit to continue the journey you began.  Going back to the beginning and looking at baby pictures and such can replace the current negative images and help bring some perspective.

Flash Forward- Imagine your teenager as a 35 year old parent and spouse. What kind of person do you want them to be? Working with teenagers is a whole lot about refusing to see them where they are, but rather dreaming of and praying for what they will be in the future.

Here is a video to help with the flash back!

 

more about “Flash Back, Flash Forward“, posted with vodpod

Join the Conversation…Funny Questions

Here are some of the funny questions that teenagers asked that I couldn’t resist sharing…

1. Why won’t you let me watch “Scrubs”?

2. Can I have a debit card?

3. Do Brown Cows make Chocolate Milk?

4.  Why do I have a dog?

5. Why do you think teenagers need to drive cheap, crappy cars?

6. Do you like chicken?

7.  Do you like biscuits?

8.  Do you like chicken biscuits?

I love teenagers!

Join the Conversation Part 5

A few months ago I asked our teenagers to make a list of questions they would like to ask their parents.  I told them to ask the kind of questions you would ask if you know you wouldn’t get in trouble for asking it.  Will you please leave a comment with some answers to the question so that I can give them back to the students. THANKS!

Why do you want to read my text messages?

Join the Conversation Part 4

A few months ago I asked our teenagers to make a list of questions they would like to ask their parents.  I told them to ask the kind of questions you would ask if you know you wouldn’t get in trouble for asking it.  Will you please leave a comment with some answers to the question so that I can give them back to the students. THANKS!

Why do you care what my grades are in school?

Join the Conversation Part 3

A few months ago I asked our teenagers to make a list of questions they would like to ask their parents.  I told them to ask the kind of questions you would ask if you know you wouldn’t get in trouble for asking it.  Will you please leave a comment with some answers to the question so that I can give them back to the students. THANKS!

(From a female student) Why can’t I spend the night with my best guy friends at their house?

Join the Conversation Part 2

A few months ago I asked our teenagers to make a list of questions they would like to ask their parents.  I told them to ask the kind of questions you would ask if you know you wouldn’t get in trouble for asking it.  Will you please leave a comment with some answers to the question so that I can give them back to the students. THANKS!

Why don’t you ever leave me alone?

Join the Conversation…

A few months ago I asked our teenagers to make a list of questions they would like to ask their parents.  I told them to ask the kind of questions you would ask if you know you wouldn’t get in trouble for asking it.  Will you please leave a comment with some answers to the question so that I can give them back to the students. THANKS!

What kind of problems did you face as a teenager?

How do I get the 30 day experiment book?

I am so excited to hear so many of you interested in getting the book that I described in the parent email. Dr. Richard Ross created this tool to help teenagers and parents build or re-build their relationship.  Here are some links for you to follow so that you can order the book.  I highly recommend you buying it, doing it, and letting me know how it goes!

http://www.lifeway.com/e6/shop/?id=0633099333

or you can try….

http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Hearts-Parents-Teenagers-Toward/dp/0633099333/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253113283&sr=8-1

 

 

Would you like to be a chaperone at BLITZ?

Attention Parents and Student Ministry Workers!
 
Interested in helping us reach Non-Christian students throughout Rutherford County?

We have created a new event this year called Blitz! The purpose of Blitz is for our students to invite as many of their lost friends as possible.  We are working hard to create not only a night of crazy, long, exciting fun, but we are also presenting the gospel in a very different and unique way. We are hoping for a lot of students will show up for Blitz.

What that means is we will need a lot of adult supervision for the night! In everything we do we want to create an environment that is safe for our students. That means we need YOU!  If you are interested in helping, please contact Richelle Davis at Rikki321@aol.com. You can also find Richelle on Sunday mornings at our Student Information Desk during our Middle School Hour in room 303.  

She will be overseeing registration the night of Blitz as well as coordinating our volunteers. We realize some of you just might not make it all night, but maybe you can tag team with someone.  We can schedule you for the first half of the night or the second half, or even just an hour or two.  Just let us know how you can help.
  

BLITZ VIRAL VIDEO

In an effort to promote Blitz we have created a viral video….please forward the link

WWW.BLITZTHEBORO.COM

to everyone in your address book to help get the word out!

Would you like to know more about Dr. Richard Ross?

   You can check out his website  www.richardaross.com

   If your family is participating in the 30 day challenge, please leave a comment and let us know how it is going…

  

When you feel like a failure as a parent…

http://legacyblog.org/2009/07/16/when-you-feel-like-a-failure-as-a-parent/

what a great day with dr. richard ross

Today Dr. Richard Ross spoke to our teenagers and parents. Here are some highlights.

6 ways to connect with the heart of your teenager

1. Courageously address schedules
When we aren’t together enough minutes to build a relationship we must re-evaluate our schedule. The world we love in will make us fight for our family time!

2. Forgive Your Teenagers
Most families hurt each other so badly the relationship can’t thrive or grow. The “jesus way” answer to that is forgiveness.

3. Ask for their Forgiveness
See #2

4. Discipline with Consequences rather than Outbursts
In response to this one of our students said “I would rather be shot then be screamed at the way my parents scream at me”

5. Use words to encourage and build up
You can’t out-source spiritual training. You can out-source soccer training but youth ministers can’t do spiritually for your student what God created the parent to do! The words of parents are more powerful in the life of a student than any other human.

6. Love Unconditionally
Never back away from offering discipline but also never stop loving.

Breakfast Annoucement Video

I know many of you don’t get to see all we do on Wednesday nights. Part of what we do is really silly and this is one way we accomplish it. Hope you enjoy. -Brian

more about "Breakfast Annoucement Video on Vimeo", posted with vodpod

Teaching Healthy Sexuality to Your Kids

Article by Jim Burns on www.youthministry.com

Click here for the article:

http://www.youthministry.com/?q=node/5557

jeremy

Are High School Sports Interfering with Teens Growing Deep?

This is a great question.  There are a lot of pretty passionate opinions on both sides.  Feel free to join the conversation by commenting on our blog!

Here is the article..http://www.youthministry.com/?q=node/17880

jeremy

Think Social Networking is a Fad?

Think again….

http://www.collidemagazine.com/blog/index.php/1233/video-social-media-revolution

jeremy

Helping Hurting Students

Megan Hutchinson runs the “Life Hurts, God Heals” at Saddleback Church…here is a link to an interview with great information

http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/2009/08/megan-hutchinson-interview/

DR. RICHARD ROSS PARENTING SEMINAR

DR. RICHARD ROSS PARENTING SEMINAR

OK…all you parents out there who tell me you just wish that you could sit and talk to a parenting of teenagers expert….I am bringing in the best one I know!  I am serious when I say there are only 120 seats for this amazing event.  Please register now so you can get a spot.  It is going to fill up!

“How Do I Raise This Teenager?” Seminar
On Sunday, September 13, we will have a unique parenting seminar with Dr. Richard Ross (founder of True Love Waits). Dr. Ross will walk us through a workbook called 30 Days: Turning the Hearts of Parents and Teenagers Toward Each Other. We’ll meet in Room 303 from 12:30-2:30 pm. Cost is $10 per person, which includes lunch (for the family) and a workbook.  During the seminar, we’ll have childcare for your little ones and a fellowship at the pavilion for your teens. Class size is limited to 120 parents.

If you have any questions about this event contact our student ministry associate, Steve Davis mailto:steved@newvisiononline.net

YOU CAN REGISTER RIGHT NOW by following this link:
http://www.newvisiononline.net/templates/System/details.asp?id=28514=182738 <http://www.newvisiononline.net/templates/System/details.asp?id=28514&PID=182738>
 <http://www.newvisiononline.net/templates/System/details.asp?id=28514&PID=182738> 

BLITZ REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

We are praying for 500 teenagers to attend our BLITZ event!  If you would like to register your teenager then follow this link

http://www.newvisiononline.net/templates/System/details.asp?id=28514&PID=182738

Don’t know what BLITZ is?

BLITZ REGISTRATION HAS BEGUN!

On September 25th we will have an all-night party.  Students will enjoy an evangelistic rally and then get on buses that will rotate every 1 1/2 hours through many fun destinations.  Whether they are bowling, skating, jumping on inflatables, or hanging out at MTSU Rec Center your student will have a lot of good clean fun!  The students will be divided in groups by grades so middle and high school students will be separated for most of the night.

The cost is $25 for the speaker (Marquis Laughlin, www.actsoftheword.com <http://www.actsoftheword.com> ), concert from SinceForever, transportation, food, activities, and all kinds of surprises!

Five Love Languages of Teenagers

I am reviewing the book by Dr. Gary Chapman, “Five Love Languages of Teenagers”.  I wanted to offer some truth from his chapter on RESPONDING WHEN YOUR TEENAGER FAILS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some highlights:

* I loved when he quoted child psychologist John Rosemond. “Good parenting is doing the right thing when the child does the wrong thing.”

* He described two different ways teenagers fail:  1) Failure to Meet Parents Expectations 2) Moral Failure

* Here are his thoughts to “Bringing Redemption to Your Teenager’s Failure”

1. Don’t Blame Yourself

2. Don’t Preach to the Teenager

3. Don’t Try to Fix It

4. Give your Teenager Unconditional Love

5.  Listen to the Teenager with Empathy

6. Give the Teenager Support

7.  Give Teenager Guidance

Have a great day, jeremy

I love it when I find new sites on parenting teenagers!

Since I have never parented a teenager, the best ministry I can offer parents is to connect them to great resources.  Here are two more encouraging sites to bookmark and use to get equipped for the task of parenting that God has called you to….jeremy

http://www.realworldparents.com/

http://www.planetwisdom.com

5 ways to get respect from your teenager…

1.  Give Respect- No matter how crazed, moody, or angry your teenager is when they relate to you, you have a choice in how you respond.  Your response teaches them how to properly respond.  In most cases when a parent matches the volume of screaming and amount of emotion of their teenager they have done nothing but throw fuel on a fire.

2.  Let your Teenager see you read the Bible- You should position yourself in such a way that on a daily basis your teenager can see you study the Scripture.  For those of you who would say, “Isn’t that showing off?” I would respond by saying it’s not showing off but it is living out 1 Corinthians 11:1

3.  Let your Teenager hear you pray for them- How many grown men have you seen be moved to tears when remembering their mother?  What is the thing that they quite often say when honoring her?  She always prayed for me.  My question is what would it do for a teenager who hears his father and mother pray for him.  (By the way, just because they act like they don’t care or don’t like it should not be a proper reason to not do it)

4.  Ask Your Teenager for Advice- If I haven’t lost you already then you have to think that I am crazy now!  There is nothing in this world that makes a teenager show respect more than when you treat them like an adult.  What would happen if you let your teenager in on a decision you are trying to make and asked what they would do?  What would happen?  What would it hurt?  

5.  Make sure your Actions match your Words-  A teenager can spot a fake a mile away.  The old saying, “Do as I say not as I do” does not work with teenagers.  Please remember that there will come a day in the life of your teenager where they will stop and look for an example to follow as they live their life.  That day may come a year from now, 5 years from now, or 10 years from now.  The key for you as a parent is to live in such a way that on that day they will remember your imperfect yet consistent example and follow it.

Your friendly neighborhood youth minister,

jeremy

 

More wisdom from Rick Warren…

I wanted to share another convicting word from Rick Warren that I read on Twitter…

My def.success=Having those who know me best respect me most.”Its a great heritage to have an honest father”Pr20:7(LB)

Come back for the next post “5 ways to get respect from your teenagers”…

Good question about silver ring thing…

I love that so many of you are asking good questions about silver ring thing.  Here is a question and answer that I would like to offer for those of you who may share interest in this.

QUESTION FROM PARENT:

Hey Jeremy!  I tried to find the info I’m looking for on the SRT website, but couldn’t find it.  I want to encourage some neighborhood teens to come on Wed. night. A couple of these kids have not made the best sexual decisions in the past and I’m not wanting for them to go on Wed night and come home feeling guilty. I know my daughter went to a program somewhat like this a couple of months or so ago at our church and said it was very encouraging to all teens, even if bad decisions have been made in their past. I just wanted to make sure that the SRT on Wed would be the same in that area.

Thank you so much for your time!

ANSWER:

Here is a response to your question from the people at Silver Ring Thing…

5)      What about students who are already sexually active?

All of us have messed up or made mistakes in one way or another.  At a SRT Live Event, we address this question in the Second Virginity message which speaks directly to the issues and problems that sexually active students have encountered. We recognize the fact that many students who attend the SRT are, or have been, sexually active and they need to know it is possible to start over. We speak plainly on the forgiveness and love Jesus Christ offers to change your future.  The answer is YES YOU CAN START OVER and, in fact, for this reason many students attend our program.

I hope this helps! jeremy 

KEEP THE QUESTIONS COMING AND KEEP TALKING TO OTHER PARENTS ABOUT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

In case you would like to check it out…here is a FAQ from silver ring thing…