Day6-Youth Students

Both of my boys are in the DAY6 student choir and I have to say this group of kids are amazing. From August until June they practice so much to go out on a choir tour to different places for a week and share their faith through worship, witnessing and working hard. I got the privilege to go a couple of years ago and it was a great trip and last year it seem really great with everything that happen in Washington but this year I was blown away with this group of kids and decidation and the fire I saw come back with them and the unity. They went this year to Cleveland TN to sleep on floors, eat bag lunches, paint houses or put new roofs on them and while they are doing that they are witnessing to the families and others around them, back to shower and eat dinner and then off to go sing at rescue mission places, retirement centers, Church's it is all day affair. Then back at the church at night they had student lead devotions and then they all had a chance to tell everybody what their God moment of the day was (trust me I couldn't get through these w/ out crying). Then when they got back I have been hearing all the kids talk about the trip, seeing their FB status messages and messages to each other, her girls in my Sunday school class saying they can't stand to sit at home and do nothing they want to go out and live that week everyday, seeing students changed by this trip it has been amazing.


We had a homecoming concert the Sunday they came back and they show pictures from the trip and I sat there with tears in my eyes seeing the glow on their faces and tell the hard work they were doing, the praying they were doing together and witnessing to where one group drew out an illustrations for a child to understand. Then when they sing they are just wonderful for youth choir, they bring the worship into a place. Sarabeth was honor for allher dedication to teaching this group of students. It was well deserve. Thanks go out to SB, Bucky and all the other leaders that help make Day6

Rachel one of the girls sum it all up and brought what it all meant.. Phil 2:1-5

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, If any comfort from His love, If any fellowship with the Spirit, If any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest , but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...

What if every day we look for God moments and we just jump into them. We don't have to go out of state or country we come in contact every day with people and there are people right under our eyes that need help... God uses this group of teenagers to teach me so often...

We have another group gone this week to Centrifuge at North Greenville College and the parents were invited come Thursday to share the Lord Supper with them and then after to hear about some of their God moments. Some that stood out to me was Stephanie Simon sharing the gospel when she was at a place they weren't suppose to afterwards hearing that about 8-9 of kids 9 and up coming up and wanting to know more. Also, another bible was giving away at this camp to a little boy that as soon as he got it he went and started reading it. Then kids telling what God is teaching them about their self about witnessing more, doing more, being more thankful, knowing we have a new sister in Christ that gave her life over on Tuesday night cause she wants Jesus in her life... Parents were able to share what we have been learning this summer and from hearing parents can't find their kids cause they are in their room doing a quiet time, off with the church somewhere and hearing former students say they know the works that this group can do, just on and on. Of course I didn't come out of there without tears.. NEVER stop praying, don't ever give up on a student or anybody cause in God's time He will bring all things to light for you and He will answer your prayers.

About the giving of the bible these are not only 2 trips that a bible was given away last year on choir tour another gave hers away, in WV last year at Powerplant another student did. On choir tour an adult gave her bible away that she had forever. Could you do that??? I hope that if that time ever came by that I will have no problem giving mine away. When you know these students are going on a trip if you want to get a pocket size bible and give to them to give away to somebody that doesn't have one, maybe even put a prayer in there for that person.

Get to know these kids and pray for them... By the way, they have been invited to come and sing at the ChoralFestival at First Baptist Spartanburg in August and SB has been ask to led a workshop for doing a student choir.. This is a great honor for both and speak volumes of what this group is..dedicated and ready to share their for the Lord.

Red White & Boom

Ok, I just realize when I went to upload pictures for my 4th of July post I had missed to other post so now I am out of order... Oh well...

Eric and I had never been to Red White & Boom and our friends Kim & Scott invited us to go their style which is go up to the top of the parking deck and watch the fireworks so we took off and went w/ them... It was fun even though I didn't have a chair (yeah wait until you see my chair it will be the little cooler, my husband got everything out of the car for me). I was surprise at all the people up on top of the parking deck there was even one group that had claim a corner and had a picnic table and the whole tail gate style going on.. Need to remember that for next year. Before we went we met up at Monterrey's for dinner and The Darwin's came and met us too. Ginger was not feeling good so they didn't go out to Red White & Boom but we took Jake w/ us and so he could see the fireworks. On the way home Brewster was close and we forgot about DQ so we just ran by Wendy's and got frosty and call it night... Can't wait until next year.. Thanks for the invite Kim, we always have a blast...

July 4th Gaffney Style

Eric & I were trying to decided what to do for the 4th and my wonderful good friend Ginger invited us to her parnets house. Well, as we do every year at Christmas I told her that I didn't want to bust up in her family dinners and like every year at Christmas she reminds me if she didn't want us to be there and they would not invite us... But I was still unsure but my phone rang one night and the only reason why I answer it was cause the boys were at camp and I didn't know maybe they had borrow somebody phone to call home.. but no it was Mrs. Waters... Ginger's mamma... Inviting us to their 4th of July festives... I couldn't tell her no so we happily accept and went.. I even try to make 2 new reciepes Cornbread Salad and a Strawberry Shortcake dessert in a truffle bowl... We spent that morning over at my friend Kim house hanging out in her pool while they were at the beach and then that afternoon the Darwin's came and got us and we went to Gaffney... Now if you remember this is not the time to be around Gaffney cause they had a killer on the loose and Ginger's mom lives within 3 miles of all the kilings so at first I was uneasy but there was so many people there and cops around I didn't think he was coming to the Water's house.. We had tons of good food, great fellowship, lots of laugther (esp when Eric slip fell down the path to the zip line), good times w/ friends of all the ages.. We ate, some of the men played horse shoes, the kids rode around on the golf-cart (or as Tyler says go-cart) w/ Ginger cousin they went and saw the goats and feed them she let them "drive",then we headed to Ginger's brother that has pretty cool woods had a nice path to a zip line the kids went and rode on, then hung out his gargage and Ginger even got up on the stage and dance for us..lol, while some played air hockey. Then we went back to her moms and while we clean up the kids do the pop cap things out in the drive way... It was a fun time and we are glad that we went. We love the Darwin's and Water's family, they have became like family to us... Not sure if we will every get invited over for food again after the MOUNDS of food that Eric ate that night.. Maybe a visit but not sure about food..lol..

Whoa, my toes hurt BAD!!!!

Well, my devotion this morning really step all over my toes or should I say my whole feet and not just little baby steps but big elephant steps... After I read this I thought of myself and how true this was and but how much I want to be like in Nehemiah and read His word for a quarter of day and then worship Him for another quarter. Why, can't I? Well probably cause I am on Facebook, watching TV, reading my Karen Kingsbury books or smut magazine (yes, I am guilty I read InTouch, US Weekly and People BUT I am better than I use to be I use to buy all 3 every week and now I might get 1 every so often more so when I travel than anything else).. Our computer has been down for the past week (the reason for no posting of the West Virgina trip or July 4th)and I have read entire Karen Kingsbury book, cleaned the house and kept it clean (all except the bedrooms)and flip channel after channel cause there is only so much Micheal Jackson that you can watch (one hour was enough for me).. So instead of doing all of that this would be the perfect time to get into the habit of reading my Faithbook, I am sure there are alot of good postings in there. After you read this let me know if this also step all over your toes.. Maybe we could start reading our Faithbook and post on Facebook our favorite verse, what we learn, what we are reading, whatever jumps out or you want to share...I pray for my days to also include networking w/ God cause He is BFF. My post today will be going to read Psalm 119


Faith Book
8 Jul 2009
Susanne Scheppmann

"They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God." Nehemiah 9:3 (NIV)

A new addiction slipped into my life recently - Facebook. Internet social networking slid in quietly and unobtrusively. Each day I found myself reading and posting a bit more. I learned how to create my visual bookshelf, so my "friends" could check out what I was reading. I linked my blog. My time seeped into Facebook like grains of sand slide through the hourglass.

My addiction soon took a turn for the worst. I began to put off my personal quiet time with God until after I had Facebooked. Sadly, scripture seemed boring next to my friend s' postings. Strangely, the mundane posts intrigued me. I had fallen under the spell of social networking.

Then one day, I dragged myself away from my laptop. I had Bible study that night and needed to finish my lesson. The lesson pointed us to the book of Nehemiah. I read, "They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God." (Nehemiah 9:3, NIV).

Yikes! They read God's Word for a quarter of the day, then spent another quarter of the day in confession and worshiping? These words haunted me the rest of the afternoon. When was the last time I spent that much time with God? How much time did I spend on the Internet? I felt a deep conviction about my Facebook addiction.

I determined that day to read my Bible, my FaithBook, before I turned on my computer each day. I would network with God, before networking with my friends. When I made this decision, I saw scripture jump back to life. God's Word spoke to me with a freshness that seemed as if He had just posted it Himself.

The addiction stopped. Oh, I still enjoy Facebook and other social networks, but I have learned to keep them in proper perspective. Psalm 119:59-60 sums up my new intent: "I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands" (NLT).

Will you join me in the commitment to spending time in God's Word before time spent on Facebook?

Dear Lord, I recognize that I spend too much time on the computer. Forgive my inattention to Your Word. Help me each day to place You first in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Listen to Today's Radio Show for more about spending time with God.

Pierced by the Word by John Piper

Birds in My Mustard Tree: How to Grow Your Faith by Susanne Scheppmann

For more from Susanne, visit her blog as well as her resource page

Application Steps:
Today, take notice of how much time you spend on the computer for personal enjoyment. Decide to make your quiet time with God a priority. Read Psalm 119 and then ponder the benefits of time spent in God's Word.

Reflections:
Do I put off my quiet time with God in lieu of "social networking?"

Am I willing to commit more time to reading the Bible?

How can I begin to keep my life in a healthy balance?

Power Verses:
Exodus 24:7, "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, 'We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.'" (NIV)

Romans 10:17, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is hear d through the word of Christ." (NIV)

Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (NIV)

© 2009 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.