Best & Worst Jobs in 2014

Our High School class is spending the month of November looking at the future. There are a number of decisions that teenagers need to make in regards to their future – what school to attend, what major to declare, what career to pursue, along with many other choices both big and small. We will explore some Biblical principles that God provides to help us in making these decisions.

One of our discussion topics is on career – what kind of work do I want to do for a large portion of my adult life? I started looking around at what the best and worst jobs are. I ran across this infographic on CareerCast.com.  A big part of where they were ranked was based on income, but thought it was interesting to get a feel for what career fields are currently trending well.

So, what about you?  What criteria did you use as your determined your career?  What was important to you as you were looking for a job?  Might be interesting for our high school students to hear.

Another Great Week of Camp

I spent last week at Butler Springs Christian Camp leading the Basketball 2 week (for students going into 5-8 grades). This was my 10th summer leading this particular week. Some of the things have changed – like those who serve on faculty and of course those who attend.  The facilities and grounds continue to be upgraded, but there are a number of things that stay the same.

One of the highlights of the week was the number of students who responded to the invitation to become a follower of Jesus. Since we spend about 5 days together, we offer a formal invitation at the end of the week and encourage the students to be in conversations with their family leaders about what it means to follow Jesus.  I knew a handful of our campers were doing that, but didn’t expect 16 students to come forward.  We had 11 baptisms take place before we left the camp and several were planning to be baptized at home churches.

One of our high school students baptized a girl from her camp family.  One grandpa who served during the week had the privilege of baptizing his granddaughter.  It was a great way to end the week.

Another highlight was the faculty with which I served.  Several of my faculty members have been doing camp as long (or longer) than I have.  Many of us have served multiple summers together and they are such a benefit to the week.  One of the couples who serve with me didn’t have kids when we first worked together.  Now they have four kids and their two older boys were part of the week.  Some of the faculty are teens who used to be campers a few years ago and have now come back to serve.  I’m so grateful for the time and energy they give to the students throughout the week.

I think this year more than ever the hearts of our adults were touched by the campers we got to know.  There were a few students who came from some difficult backgrounds.  While we didn’t know a lot about what home was like, we saw enough to know that these students needed love, compassion and attention paid to them.  I’m so grateful for the adults who came alongside those students, encouraged them, became a friend to them and showed them the love of Jesus.  Even when our patience was tested, our faculty continued to lovingly serve.

I know that God was working before our week of camp ever started and He is working now.  He simply gives us the opportunity to come alongside what He is doing and for five days interact with the campers He brings.  I’m thankful for that chance.

 

Refuse to Drown

In the epilogue of his book, the author made this powerful observation and statement: “At some point in the process, my eyes were opened to an incredible truth: we can’t do this thing called life alone.” As Tim Kreider shares his painful and powerful story of walking through the incarceration of his son, he underscores the importance of involving and inviting other people into our lives.

When I received Refuse to Drown I already knew the premise of the book – that the author’s son was involved in a murder and the father had to make some difficult choices that would have lasting impact on his son. Knowing the backdrop of the book did not diminish the power of Kreider’s story. Walking with him through the facts of the murder, the emotional struggles of his son, Alec, the discovery of his son’s involvement in the crime, how it impacted both himself and his other children and the heartbreaking choices he had to make, I was drawn into his narrative. As a parent, I found myself hoping for some twist in the story, some unforeseen change that would redirect how the story would end. Unfortunately, that didn’t take place.

What Refuse to Drown does is underscore what Kreider shared in his epilogue – we can’t do this life alone. Alec’s story is a stirring reminder that we need to allow other people into our lives, even when it is difficult and uncomfortable. It was encouraging through the book to see how various people – both friends and strangers – spoke into Tim Kreider’s life and offered the support and assistance he needed.

This book is a compelling read, but especially for those who may be going through a dark season in life. It is a stark reminder that the decisions we make in private eventually become public and that we aren’t alone in our struggles. If you or someone you know is struggling, Refuse to Drown is a helpful reminder that we can’t live this life alone.

7 Men review

7 Men gives a brief look into the lives of seven men who influenced the people of their time period and whose impact still endures today. Most readers will recognize the names of the men in this book, but probably don’t know a lot about each man’s story. The men featured in the book are George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paull II and Chuck Colson.

Obviously each man is recognizable for something they accomplished – George Washington for being the first President of the US, Eric Liddell for refusing to run in his strongest Olympic event because it was held on Sunday, Jackie Robinson for breaking the color barrier in baseball. What 7 Men focuses on are the circumstances leading up to or following those well-known events. The author highlights the decisions and choices that were made that lead up to those notable accomplishments and what occurred afterward. For example, most of the chapter on Eric Liddell discusses the direction of his life following his Olympic experience. Most people know about his gold medal. Many probably don’t know what he did when the games were over.

7 Men provided an honest look at the lives of these men. The author shared both their successes and their shortcomings. It was a good read that might prompt the reader to investigate more information about these men than what these shorter biographies provide.

Guardrails

We are in the middle of a series in our High School class about making wise decisions. It is based on Andy Stanley’s book The Best Question Ever that I read recently.

Usually in the month of February, we talk about guy/girl relationships, dating, etc. This book provides some insight and principles that helps adults and students in making decisions about various areas of life, including dating relationships.

Talking specifically about moral purity, Stanley talks about the importance of “pre-deciding.”  Before getting into a situation where we may compromise in the realm of purity, we need to pre-decide what we are going to do and not do.

We are going to talk about the guard rails we need to put in place regarding moral purity. Knowing that guard rails are set-up to keep a driver from ending up in a dangerous place, we need to establish guard rails that will help us see the danger coming.

It is so true that times of failure in our moral purity bring the deepest regrets.  In The Best Question ever Stanley writes this: “In time you may find you are able to laugh about wasted money and poor time management.  But when it comes to moral failure, time doesn’t help.  Nobody ever laughs about an affair, divorce, addiction or abuse.”  How true it is that no matter what stage in life we find ourselves, guard rails are helpful.

The Best Question Ever – a review

Andy Stanley is one of my favorite authors and speakers. He communicates in an engaging way, both in the spoken and written word, and is also very practical. He continues that in his book The Best Question Ever.

In this offering, Stanley explores what he calls a new approach to decision-making. His premise is that rather than look to make the right decision, we should look to make the wise decision. He states it like this: “In light of your past experience, your current circumstance, and your future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do.”  Rather than just look at a decision and see if there is anything wrong with it, we should see what is wise.

In The Best Question Ever Stanley applies this question to decisions regarding our time, our money and our relationships.  In all these areas, making wise decisions is vital because they can have lasting impact on our own lives and those around us.

I like how Stanley emphasizes the importance of making wise choices on page 125 of the book:  “None of us plan – or intend – to get into trouble.  The problem is, we don’t have a plan not to.  Adopting the Best Question Ever enables us to plan not to.”

Everyone wants to make good decisions.  In this book, Stanley gives some good insight from God’s Word on how to go about making good decisions and part of it is seeing that we are not as unique as we think we are.  When faced with a decision, we can convince ourselves that we are the exception to the rule.  We can go down a certain path because we can handle it, we are smarter or it simply won’t happen to us like it does to other people.  On page 111, he puts on paper what many people think:  “Nobody has ever felt this way before. No one has to deal with what I have to deal with.  I can handle it.  I’m not live everybody else…”

Stanley speaks directly to our need to see that we aren’t unique, that we do need wisdom outside of our ourselves, that wisdom seeks advice from others and God wants to help us make those wise decisions.

The Best Question Ever would be a good resource for high school and college students and young adults.  While more mature adults would benefit from this book, many of the decisions to which he refers are being made by those in the young adult period of their lives.  This would be a good tool for pastors and leaders in student ministry to work through in a small group setting.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Dwight Talks About The Teen Brain

If you are a fan of “The Office,” you know Dwight as the over-achieving, position seeking employee.  Dwight, whose real name is Rainn Wilson, just launched a new YouTube channel which will “explore what it means to be human.”

In the video below, he talks about the teenage brain, why teens act the way they do and puts an emphasis on the fact that teenagers’ brains are still developing.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of research come out about this very topic and this video does a good job helping both adults and teens recognize that teen brains are still growing and developing and that impacts decisions they make.  A particularly good statement was made at the end of the video regarding teen brain development and how they respond to certain events:

“The severity of feeling is sometimes out of line with the reality of the problem.”

I think it is good information for those who work with teens and is a good reminder that students, and their brains, are a work in progress.

* * Please note there is some crass language in the video.  Just a FYI on that.

I saw this posted on Life in Student Ministry website.  You can go there to not only watch the video, but follow some links that to the resources referred to in the video.

Some good stuff here.

Defining Decisions…Daily Decisions

While listening to a podcast on the way into the office, I was reminded of a great principle.  At times in our lives we make defining decisions, decisions that change the direction of our lives.  But it is in the daily decisions we make after that defining decision that make the difference.  Or put another way, we make a few major decisions throughout our lives.  It is how we manage those major decisions that make the difference.

I have seen many students and adults (myself included) make defining decisions: I’m committing to this. I’m changing this, I’m starting this, I’m stopping that.  While there is power in the major decisions, if I don’t manage those decisions in the days that follow, the decision doesn’t lead to change.

How many times have I decided to read my Bible more, pray more, spend less, give more, share more?  Maybe I hear a great speaker or am motivated by a cool experience, but if I don’t change my daily decisions, my defining decision becomes a memory of what I wish I would have done.

I know I need God’s help to manage those daily decisions that will then help guide me into that defining decision.