Retreating with JESUS

Why do I go on retreats? I go on retreats to build a stronger relationship with Jesus. It helps me to see that there is greater good in everybody. Retreats help me to have an impact on my friends and family. They also help me to make friends and encourage them, especially when it’s someone new. Picture yourself as that boy or girl who came to the retreat, but didn’t know anybody or what was going on. I would feel like a stranger. Even though sometimes it’s hard to greet new people because it might get awkward, it’s important to do more than just say “Hi!” We want to make them feel like they belong just like the way Jesus invites us to know Him better.



The most important reason is to hear the Message of Jesus being taught by an amazing Youth Pastor. I learn things like, right at this time and this moment Jesus is celebrating with you and is proud of the commitment you have made to yourself and Him. He is making us His disciples because He wants us to focus on following His path. The cool thing is that we can trust Him with our safety, guidance, and the providence we need. This is amazing because He has made each one of us uniquely so we can do different things. He has given us the ability to do them. He definitely did not make a mistake when He created you. He made us for a purpose that is understandable. We should not be ashamed to walk around and show our beautiful personality traits that He’s given us. He did all this for us because He loves us all.



We also do service projects at retreats and they help me realize that there is a bigger picture when you’re doing the work. The big picture is to glorify the one true King. I love the teamwork when everybody is willing to step up and participate. One of the things I see on everybody’s faces is their smiles. They’re saying, “Jesus, I am here to do the work you have asked me to do with a grateful attitude!” With more people the work is done easy and fast.



I go on retreats so I can tell my story. I also go to inspire the people around me. Jesus wants me to show my true identity to show I can do anything with His help. I just have to believe that I am in good hands. One last reason why I go is because I want to shine for God and others! So then they can shine the Light of Jesus everywhere they go. I know I can do this because with God all things are possible.        

----Rebekah Patterson, 9th Grade

Everyday Extraordinary

Everyday Extraordinary
My mom would tell you that she is not unique or different from lots of other moms. She would tell you that she just loves her family and wants to see us happy. Even though I have learned many times not to disagree with my mom, I am going to have to disagree with her on this point. It’s not the tasks that make her special; it is her relentless, persistent, day-in day-out commitment to doing those things that makes her so extraordinary.
                My mom had 3 boys, 3 BIG boys. Growing up we were about as rough and hungry as 3 boys can be. She stayed at home rather than work which was a financial sacrifice, but one that she wanted to make because she wanted to spend as much time with us as possible. She did so many things for us; here’s a small list of the amazing things she did as she raised us:  She cooked big dinners for big boys, went to thousands of games (and she doesn’t really enjoy sports), kept the house standing and looking good, picked us up from school, helped with homework (mom is the smartest, sorry pop), washed our stinky clothes, loved our stinky friends, knew where to find everything we lost, gave us hugs, asked how our day was, showed us a loving marriage, gave us an example of a confident woman, protected us from girls, laughed with us, laughed at us, loved our animals, and, oh yeah, she beat cancer like it was a dirty rug. That’s a special list, she is a special woman. With those things being said, here are the top 5 things my mom has always done for me:
1.       She prays for me. Every. Single. Day. You know how I know she does? She tells me all the things she prays for me and how God is going to do something. I have long joked that God answers my mom’s prayers first because when she prays something, it always seems to get done. I know that her prayers have brought more blessings on my life than I can count.
2.       She speaks Truth into my life. She seemingly knows the perfect Scripture for every situation because she reads her Bible every day. When I was 18 I was hanging out with a girl who my mom had a bad feeling about; one afternoon I walked into my bedroom to find a note card with a verse written on it. It said this, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion,” Proverbs 11:22. I couldn’t believe my mom would think this about a girl I liked. I was offended. I was also wrong. Like with most everything, she was right about the girl. Moms are smart like that.
3.       She believes in me. My mom has always told me that when she was pregnant with me, she would pray for me and God gave her a special feeling. In fact, she has told me since I was young that God made me to be a Pastor and she would list all the things she saw in me and made her believe so. If ever it were suggested to my mom that I would be something less than great, she would scoff at the notion because her boy is special. It’s that kind of confidence and support that makes me believe that God created me to do great things.
4.       She has always listened to me when I have things to say. There have been lots of times when I have said things she didn’t like to hear, and she still listened. She has always been safe to talk to because I know whether I’m saying something smart or stupid that she will respond with compassion, grace, and my best interest at heart.
5.       I think my mom did the hardest thing a mother can do. She let me go. She let me move away to live in a city 2 ½ hours away rather than 10 minutes away. It would have been easy to encourage me to stay close to home but she knew that if I stayed home, I would never reach the potential she so believes I have. It was hard but it needed to be done. Who better than a mom to take on that kind of task?
I love my mom very much. I haven’t always expressed that love to her very well. I mean, I am a boy and a lot of boys just don’t quite know the right way to say “I love you” or “Thank you” to mom. Many of you are moms who are in the midst of raising your children and, even if they don’t tell you this often enough, I want you to know something: your children love you more than they can express and God is so pleased with you. You might not think that your prayers are being answered, but they are. You might not think your kids hear what you’re saying, but they do. You might not think they care what you say about them, but they do. You might not think they want to talk to you, but they do. You might not want to let them go, but sometimes it’s what’s best. Keep doing those things that seem mundane and ordinary; because if you do those ordinary things consistently enough, they become extraordinary.

-Patrick Frost, Middle School Pastor

Wristbands & Witnessing

At the beginning of the school year we did something new for our students and teachers. We wanted them to approach their classrooms, peers, teammates, and anybody with whom they came in contact at school with the mindset of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. For the teachers, this presented a unique challenge due to laws prohibiting them from bringing up the subject of religion in schools. However, if a student asks them a question about their faith, they are definitely allowed to answer it. So, with the help of some stylish wristbands, some of teachers have been able to find plenty of opportunities to share their belief in Christ.
Middle school students love wristbands. You know those rubber bracelets that have the little sayings on them? They were made most famous by Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong campaign but they caught on as great tools for advertisement for other companies as well. Teenagers love them. Some students have been seen wearing ten at one time. TEN! Seeing how popular they are, we made some for the middle school group that said “Fusion@First” and “Carpe Diem Dei” (“Seize the Day for God”). Turns out, not only middle school students liked to wear them but so did Josh Thorp and Brian Blair, a couple of leaders in Fusion. Josh is a middle school math teacher and Brian is finishing his student teaching also hoping to be a middle school math teacher. They have each found opportunities to share their faith because of their wristbands. Students are so curious about what they say and what they mean that they are always asking about them.
For Josh and Brian, this is their opportunity to tell students that they volunteer in a middle school youth group at the church they attend. Often times this leads to more questions and deeper conversations all led by the students. Because of these conversations, we have seen many students come to Fusion from the schools where these men teach. Once they are at Fusion, we have the freedom to share the love of Jesus Christ with them and a few have become consistent members of our group. It took a bit of creativity to find the answer, but leave it to teachers to be creative.
I once had a math teacher who was trying to teach me long division. I asked her why I couldn’t just plug it into my calculator to find the answer. She took the opportunity to teach me a lesson about long division and about life. She said that in math there are multiple ways to get an answer and rarely is the easiest way the most rewarding. There are lessons to be learned by observing the process and by doing things the right way. The same can be said for sharing Christ’s love. Rarely is the easiest way the most rewarding. God bless our teachers who do things the right way, whether it’s teaching long-division or sharing the Gospel.
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SOUND THE TRUMPET:  ASSEMBLING THE TROOPS FOR PRAYER
The Bible says that we are stronger together.  That is nowhere more true than when it comes to prayer.  When we unite together in prayer God uniquely responds because He loves unity (Ps. 133:1-2).  So for the next seven weeks we are inviting you to unite in prayer.  On our website will be our own Prayer Wall.  We will be collecting your prayers and celebrations of God’s answers.  You can visit the prayer wall daily as a family or at the office and join our entire family as we Sound the Trumpet and assemble the troops for prayer.
How do you get your prayer or praise to us?  prayer@fbcsalem.org or text to 62953 (put sfb in the message and then your request).

 First Baptist Website: www.fbcsalem.org

Go to SFB prayer wall

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http://fbcsalem.blogspot.com/