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 Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:38 am
Hey guys, I need some help.
So I talked with my small group this week (it's now REALLY small, since all of my eighth grade students moved up to the high school group, *sigh*) about challenging one's self in faith. They all have homework: to come up with one thing they can do the challenge them to grow in their walk with Christ for two weeks. They need to do it everyday, and it doesn't need to be a huge time commitement.
I am trying to come up with something for myself, and some ideas for the girls outside of the obvious read bible/pray answers.
Anyone? mrgreen
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:33 pm
Wh-why am I answering this? Hokai...
Well, back when I was a Christian, in youth group, they challenged us to find something in every day life--be it a book or tele programme or... pets... Anything of that sort really. Something you like, yet something usually treated secularly... and to find something religious in it. This would obviously exclude things like The Passion of the Christ or other religious movies, an religious books or art.
After finding that, we had to give a presentation about that thing and what we found or thought of it.
I can't remember how but I found some kind of religio-moral gunk in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It was supposed to help us grow in faith (but look at me now--haw haw) because it asked us to take a moment outside of our regular non-church lives and think about/look for religion and such when we normally would not have.
Just an idea I'm throwing out there. Not sure if it works for ya or not.
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:35 pm
I dunno if this counts, but I like photography, and I feel that I can really appreciate what God has givin us better through the lense.
So... Try to get outside and just look at nature's extravagance and beauty?
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Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:57 pm
What about givinbg up TV for 2 weeks or pnly listening to Christian music? That's a good way to get away from the media so you can get clower to God.
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Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:17 pm
remusandsiriusrock What about givinbg up TV for 2 weeks or pnly listening to Christian music? That's a good way to get away from the media so you can get clower to God. I might suggest that as a torture method... No, though really, every child is different. Some might not watch much TV at all, and some might watch so much that quitting it for 2 weeks would be impossible--especially if their families watch TV. By the same note, they might not like Christian music, or, if they do, it might not have the same effect on them as it does those who feel closer to God through it.
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:57 pm
Actually, I chose to give up secular music for a bit. smile It's been nice, actually, since I've been listening to CDs I forgot I loved...
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:53 am
PirateEire remusandsiriusrock What about givinbg up TV for 2 weeks or pnly listening to Christian music? That's a good way to get away from the media so you can get clower to God. I might suggest that as a torture method... No, though really, every child is different. Some might not watch much TV at all, and some might watch so much that quitting it for 2 weeks would be impossible--especially if their families watch TV. By the same note, they might not like Christian music, or, if they do, it might not have the same effect on them as it does those who feel closer to God through it. 2 weeks? That's nothing; I did it for 30 days. No internet, either. And only Christian music. After the first few days, it gets alot easier.
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Must say...
Eek.
Just...
Eek.
Why should you have to give something up to help you grow? Should your faith not be absolute? Why should you have to do something to increase it? What are you trying to prove here? That you have faith? To whom, may I ask? To yourself? ... to 'god'? ... or your friends? Why should you change, simply to try and prove something you can't prove anyway.
Anyone can prove anything.
I can prove I'm a reverant Christian. I can prove I'm a goth-punk-flattop with a taste for small dogs.
But guess what.
That doesn't change who I am.
I am that I am. (Exodus 3:14)
See? Doesn't change that I don't believe any of the stuff that any of you do. Just shows that I know what I'm talking about.
So I say again.
Why give something up to prove your faith in something that may or may not be provable? (Long winded, I know... meh)
Only you can prove to yourself the extent of your faith.
With the woman I've chosen, I have absolute faith in. I trust her with my life. I don't need to prove that... we both know it. I don't need to do anything to show her that I love her... I just do.
It's the same sort of thing.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:43 am
Superior Jazz Must say...
Eek.
Just...
Eek.
Why should you have to give something up to help you grow? Should your faith not be absolute? Why should you have to do something to increase it? What are you trying to prove here? That you have faith? To whom, may I ask? To yourself? ... to 'god'? ... or your friends? Why should you change, simply to try and prove something you can't prove anyway.
Anyone can prove anything.
I can prove I'm a reverant Christian. I can prove I'm a goth-punk-flattop with a taste for small dogs.
But guess what.
That doesn't change who I am.
I am that I am. (Exodus 3:14)
See? Doesn't change that I don't believe any of the stuff that any of you do. Just shows that I know what I'm talking about.
So I say again.
Why give something up to prove your faith in something that may or may not be provable? (Long winded, I know... meh)
Only you can prove to yourself the extent of your faith.
With the woman I've chosen, I have absolute faith in. I trust her with my life. I don't need to prove that... we both know it. I don't need to do anything to show her that I love her... I just do.
It's the same sort of thing. It's like exercise. We can all walk to the other side of the room (respectively). Some of us can run a mile in under 6 minutes. But yet you still see people trying to run just that little bit faster to get a time just a little bit shorter. Plus it helps keep things from getting bland, for me at least. And it helps you learn things about yourself, helps you grow by experiencing new things. My faith isn't perfect. I don't think it ever will be. But I can always strive to get closer to perfection.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:10 pm
It's not a matter of changing who you are so much as making an effort to learn something new about God and your relationship with him by changing how you act. It's pretty eye opening to change your behavior in an even minor way and see how it affects how you live.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:06 pm
Superior Jazz Must say...
Eek.
Just...
Eek.
Why should you have to give something up to help you grow? Should your faith not be absolute? Why should you have to do something to increase it? What are you trying to prove here? That you have faith? To whom, may I ask? To yourself? ... to 'god'? ... or your friends? Why should you change, simply to try and prove something you can't prove anyway. why do Buddhist monks take vows of chastity? why do Muslims pray towards Mecca several times a day? why do Jews abstain from eating pork? why do Hindus take such great cares to not offend a cow? it's called "devotion", or "sacrifice". i can't speak for the others, but i know that it does help you grow. you know, the whole "attachment to things of this world" deal. cliche, yeah, but i can't think of any other phrase for it. basically the point of abstaining from TV or internet or whathaveyou is so that the time that would normally be spent doing those things is instead towards God. like Draycore said, it's like exercise.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:52 am
remusandsiriusrock PirateEire remusandsiriusrock What about givinbg up TV for 2 weeks or pnly listening to Christian music? That's a good way to get away from the media so you can get clower to God. I might suggest that as a torture method... No, though really, every child is different. Some might not watch much TV at all, and some might watch so much that quitting it for 2 weeks would be impossible--especially if their families watch TV. By the same note, they might not like Christian music, or, if they do, it might not have the same effect on them as it does those who feel closer to God through it. 2 weeks? That's nothing; I did it for 30 days. No internet, either. And only Christian music. After the first few days, it gets alot easier. Ooh... I would so die. I guess it's a good thing I'm not a Christian. blaugh
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:56 pm
PirateEire remusandsiriusrock PirateEire remusandsiriusrock What about givinbg up TV for 2 weeks or pnly listening to Christian music? That's a good way to get away from the media so you can get clower to God. I might suggest that as a torture method... No, though really, every child is different. Some might not watch much TV at all, and some might watch so much that quitting it for 2 weeks would be impossible--especially if their families watch TV. By the same note, they might not like Christian music, or, if they do, it might not have the same effect on them as it does those who feel closer to God through it. 2 weeks? That's nothing; I did it for 30 days. No internet, either. And only Christian music. After the first few days, it gets alot easier. Ooh... I would so die. I guess it's a good thing I'm not a Christian. blaugh I think it could be really beneficial to my emotional health to give up the internet for a while...but....yeah. not going to happen.
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:25 pm
I know that my faith faltered when I got my first computer. I no longer had time to read the Bible and pray everyday. Now I struggle with my faith. I can't remember the last time I actually sat down and studied the Word. Last time I prayed? Recently but only because I wanted something. Sad, hey? I think challenging yourself on a daily basis is a fantabulous idea. I think I will begin today! I am going to get off the computer an hour earlier and read my Bible and pray! Redicate my life to God and strive to be more pleasing in HIS eyes and not the worlds.
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