Coffee Talk with Christie

We gave ourselves a BIG PEP TALK. =) We encouraged each other in doing what we know is right and what we all feel passionate about doing, with regards to loving our students.

I took the TIME to work on a TIME CHART to give us a better idea of how much time during an average week and month that we (the church) actually spend impacting our students.

I am counting the times we see them at any church service, or any youth event. I think this exercise has helped me see the bigger picture. It's not that we're NOT TRYING to impact our students in positive ways toward Jesus Christ. It's just that everyone and everything else (home-life, school-life in some cases work-life) take the majority of our student's availability. 

This is not an excuse for not seeing a bigger difference in the lives of our students, but this did help me put some things into perspective.

7 days a week x 24 hours in a day = 168 hours

168 hours in a week x approximately 4 weeks in a month = approximately 672 hours in a month

Breaking this down by week:

Sunday's = approximately 5 hours

Wednesday evening's = approximately 2 hours

Friday evening events = approximately 3 hours (we don't have these every week but every other week)

Sunday evening service approximately 1 time a month with youth choir practice = approximately 3 hours

Despite what you see above, I really am trying to keep this very simple. 0:-D

On an average week, we see the students for approximately 8 hours. Remember, there are 169 hours in a week. We're seeing our students about 5% of THEIR time.

On an average monthly basis, we see the students approximately 45 hours. This is nearly 7% of THEIR time, each month.

You guys know where this is going, don't you? 

As if YOU have TONS of free time... I know, none of us do, and yet, I feel passionate about imploring you as I have felt implored by recent discussions with some of you, to buckle down, dig my feet in, and really grow as a mentor to these students. 

I am convinced that more time with our students = greater impact on the lives of our students.

Not sure how you all feel about this, and would love your feedback. Some of you are probably saying, "Wait a minute! What happened to the pep talk?" LOL

I have been trying to wrap my brain around discussions I have had recently and wanted to find an answer to some of the questions I've been presented with and have struggled internally with for some time now.

Spending T.I.M.E. with students makes a difference.

Think Influential Meaningful Experiences. Never give up!

Luke 8:5-11 says, "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up WITH it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God."

According the above parable, written in Luke, we see that EVEN THE THORNS sprang up when the "seed" was sown. When I think of the word "thorns" with this being a parable, (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning), I am thinking of that "thorn" in Paul's flesh. We all have those don't we? Your thorn could be, dare I say, a PERSON who just tends to drag you down and choke out your faith every now and then. That's what Paul's thorn was - a person.

Get this. EVEN THE "THORNS" in our lives can GROW from the SEED that is THE WORD OF GOD.

Keep sharing The Word. 

Thorns or not, fruit will be brought forth when God's Word is shared. Find the "good ground". Don't hesitate, however, just because you think the ground is "too stony or too full of thorns." Growth WILL HAPPEN in Jesus' Name.

Be encouraged.