What's Happenin @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

This week we have a special guest speaker.....Mr Steve Harmon.  Steve is the former youth pastor over at First Baptist.  He's a great guy that loves students.  He's here tonight to present a message we are sure your teen will enjoy.

Ask some follow up questions tonight to see what your teen gained from this time together.

 

Last Chance to get in on this FREE Money

This is THE FUNdraising event of the year and we need all students on deck and ready to go in order to pull this FUNdraiser off.  This one FUNdraiser could raise a ton of funds for future trips (eh hmm TCTC!!!).  It's going to be on Saturday October 25th (Moonshine festival weekend when all of Georgia's residents flock to Dawsonville) from 9 till noon.  Here's the catch, we HAVE to have at least 16 students registered to help.  To do so, register through the app or txt Nathan to get your spot saved. Come on everyone; it's FREE money.

What's Happeni' @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

Series Overview

When you were little, what did you dream about becoming? An astronaut? A ballerina? A professional wrestler? Whatever it was, chances are it was something that you felt was important. Something big.  That’s the thing about little kids— they dream big because no one has told them that they can’t do something yet. They literally have no limits.  But it’s different when we get older, isn’t it? In middle school and high school we start to see the areas we lack for the first time. We’re not the most popular or influential. We aren’t the most talented. And eventually we start to wonder if we can ever do or be anything significant. The big-dreaming days of our childhood feel long gone under the weight of our all-too-limiting reality. That’s exactly what happened in the life of a guy named Moses. With a tough past and not many real skills, he had no reason to believe that his life would be used do anything extraordinary. But after a few encounters with God, Moses’ perspective changed completely. He found that, with God, there is no limit to what you can do.

Week 3 (2014.10.15)

So much can happen in just one minute, one hour, or one day. Think about it. How many times have you watched a football game that came down to the last play in the last minute of the game? Have you ever been late to a movie and missed a crucial opening scene? Minutes can change everything! The truth is, time is valuable but we don’t always treat it that way. As students, it’s easy to feel like we have all the time in the world. And so we waste it—a lot of it. But what would you do if you knew your days were numbered? What would you change if you knew your time was limited? The truth is, our time is limited. We’ll never have more than we do right now. So, if we want to make wise decisions, to make the most of our time, we must learn to number our days.

Try This

Sometimes what we say and what the other person hears are two different things. Often, it’s hard to know if they could use a little extra encouragement or a little less pressure.  Try asking your student for feedback using the tool below. Chances are you and your student will have different answers. That’s okay! Don’t let it discourage you! Use it as a conversation starter. Afterward consider showing your student how you answered. No need to make it a formal meeting. And, this doesn’t mean that you have to give in when they say, “I want you to bug me less about my math grade”. It simply shows them that you care what they think and it gives you both a way to get on the same page as you move forward.

Use the section labeled “For the parent” to gauge where on the scale your parenting falls. Then cut along the dotted line and give the section labeled “For the student” to your student. Don’t ask them to complete it in front of you. Give them space to think about it and place they can leave it for you when they finish.

For the parent:

Draw a circle around the number you believe represents the level of pressure your student feels

Too few expectations                                                                             Too many expectations

Too little encouragement                                                                              Too much pressure.

1                2                3                 4                5                 6                 7                8                   9                10

cut along this line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the student:

Hey, as your parent, I want you to know that I’m doing the best I can to give you just enough encouragement without making you feel a ton of pressure. I want you to give me some feedback on how I’m doing in this area. Just circle a number and leave it _____________________ (location) so I can see how you feel.  Be honest. Thanks!

I feel no one                                                                                                     I feel too much is

expects much of me.                                                                                        expected of me.                                                

I could use some                                                                                            I can’t handle the

encouragement.                                                                                               pressure.

1                2                3                 4                5                 6                 7                8                   9                10

If you answer 1-5, what’s one way I can encourage you more?________________________________________________________________________

If you answer 6-10, what’s one way I can help you feel less pressured?____________________________________________________________________

 

 

Ya GOTTA Get in on this....

This is THE FUNdraising event of the year and we need all students on deck and ready to go in order to pull this FUNdraiser off.  This one FUNdraiser could raise a ton of funds for future trips (eh hmm TCTC!!!).  It's going to be on Saturday October 25th (Moonshine festival weekend when all of Georgia's residents flock to Dawsonville) from 9 till noon.  Here's the catch, we HAVE to have at least 16 students registered to help.  To do so, register through the app or txt Nathan to get your spot saved. Come on everyone; it's FREE money.

What's Happenin @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

Series Overview

When you were little, what did you dream about becoming? An astronaut? A ballerina? A professional wrestler? Whatever it was, chances are it was something that you felt was important. Something big.  That’s the thing about little kids— they dream big because no one has told them that they can’t do something yet. They literally have no limits.  But it’s different when we get older, isn’t it? In middle school and high school we start to see the areas we lack for the first time. We’re not the most popular or influential. We aren’t the most talented. And eventually we start to wonder if we can ever do or be anything significant. The big-dreaming days of our childhood feel long gone under the weight of our all-too-limiting reality. That’s exactly what happened in the life of a guy named Moses. With a tough past and not many real skills, he had no reason to believe that his life would be used do anything extraordinary. But after a few encounters with God, Moses’ perspective changed completely. He found that, with God, there is no limit to what you can do.

Week 2 (2014.10.08)

Do you ever feel like everyone expects too much of you? Like the pressure of it all is just too much and it makes you feel like you shouldn’t even try? Or maybe you feel like no one expects much of you. No one pushes you or believes in you. Either way, facing the expectations of others can feel paralyzing. And, in that way, we have a lot in common with Moses. God had given him a task that felt way outside the limits of his ability, way outside of anything he could do on his own. Moses felt underprepared and overwhelmed. He was ready to quit. But in his most anxious and fear-filled moment, God said something to Moses—one phrase—that changed the way he saw himself and everything around him. And it has the power to do the same for us!

Just for you Mom or Dad...

Think About This: Do you ever wonder if you’re that parent? You know the one. The imaginary bar determining your success as a parent is always just out of reach. Or maybe you worry about over-parenting. You know you should probably back off a little bit—but you can’t help but always push, expect, encourage the best from your student. The truth is, parents usually are not satisfied with how they’re parenting—whether that is too much, too little, or a strange combination of both. And, every student is different—so it’s hard to gauge whether we are pushing them to succeed or pushing them to the brink of a breakdown. At some point or another, most of us wonder whether we expect too much or too little.  

Research seems to suggest that, knowingly or unknowingly, most of us err on the side of too much pressure.  In the Pew Research article, Parental Pressure on Students, authors Richard Wike and Juliana Horowitz ask, Have American parents become too pushy about their kids’ education? Many experts seem to think so, judging from several new books by journalists and psychologists that bemoan the growing pressure students feel to do well in school. But at least one group of non-experts — the American public — begs to differ. According to a Pew Global Attitudes survey, most Americans think parents are not pushing their children hard enough.

In other words, while most of us think we aren’t expecting enough out of our students, researchers and experts feel our expectations may be a little too high. So what exactly are we supposed to do?

Visit tomorrow but live in today. Especially with high school students, it’s easy to let most of our conversations drift toward what happens next. Decisions about classes, study habits, dating, and extra-curriculars lure us towards focusing on the future. And sure, college is coming, but our student isn’t there yet. For them, it can be overwhelming to feel like they have to have all of the answers about what’s next while still juggling the expectations they feel today. That doesn’t mean we should never talk about future goals, but don’t let it take up all of your conversational space. Be present in their present.

Believe the best —and say so. Sometimes our students will win in a certain situation and sometimes they’ll lose. Sometimes their choices will make us proud and other times they’ll make us cringe. Most students have a tendency to confuse our feelings about their actions with our feelings about them. But in every situation, communicate your belief in your student. Their performance, their behavior, their attitudes don’t diminish their value. They’re significant. Valuable. Worthwhile. Don’t ever miss a chance to tell them so. Consider making an extra effort to communicate that you believe good things about them regardless of how they perform at school or on the athletic field. Try saying something like this, “I wish you hadn’t cheated on your test and there will definitely be some consequences, but I don’t believe this is in your character. I know you’re an honest person and next time I really think you’ll study harder to make the grade.”

 

Intentional Interaction

• Do you feel like other people expect too much out of you or too little?
• Do expectations make you want to try harder or stop trying altogether? Why?
• How would that be different if you were confident that God is with you?