Summer is upon us. No school, but still so much to do…
Sleeping
Playing video games
Sleeping
Watching TV
Sleeping
Sports
Sleeping
Traveling
Sleeping
Camps
Sleeping
Don’t forget Youth Group!
Have fun and grow in your faith.
Here’s what we have planned:
Zoom Bible Study – Sundays at 7pm (starting June 13th) Each week we’ll meet to talk about God’s Word and how it matters to us today. It will be fun and a chance to dig into the Bible and grow in our faith. Since a bunch of our kids away for the Summer, we’re doing this online.
Zoom Game Nights – Sundays at 7pm “But you just said the Bible Studies are Sunday at 7pm!” you say. True, but so are game nights. In addition to some fun short games on Bible Study nights, some Sundays will be mostly just for playing games, with a little bit of Bible stuff mixed in.
In-Person Youth Activities For those who are still in town, we’ll also be doing some in-person youth activities starting with…
Arcade – There’s a place in New Port Richey with a bunch of old-school arcade games and pinball machines. It’s gonna be awesome!
Laser Tag – It’s lasers. Do I need to say more?
We’re also in touch with some of the other Lutheran youth groups in the Tampa area and will join with them with some of their activities.
The times/dates of these in-person activities are still to be set, but we’ll let you know when we have the date set.
Bible Treasure Hunt!
Each week we’ll begin the Zoom Bible Study or Game Night with a Bible Scavenger Treasure Hunt. It will be fun, there will be prizes, and at the end of the Summer, there will be a big Treasure!
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
How do you respond to someone when they need something?
What if it inconveniences you?
I saw a video the other day on Facebook. A mother of a 4-month-old was taking a class at Baylor University. At the last minute, her babysitter canceled on her. In desperation, Katy Humphrey did the only thing she could think of…she took her baby, Millie, to class with her.
What would the professor do?
He had several options…
I’m sure children aren’t supposed to be brought to class, so he could have told her, “rules are rules,” and asked her to leave.
He could have even gotten upset with her and berated her for interrupting his class like that.
He also could have just ignored it and went on with his class hoping the baby wouldn’t be too disruptive.
He did none of those things.
Instead, when the baby started fussing (as babies do), he walked over and pick up Millie gently in his arms and soothed her, and then continued to hold Millie while going on with his lecture for the class. He did this for the rest of the class.
“I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation.”
Dr. Darryn Willoughby said.
“Taking care of others in a time of need…even in not a time a need…just loving and caring about others, that’s God’s purpose.”
Dr. Darryn Willoughby showed Katy and Millie love.
He didn’t see himself as the most significant person in that classroom that day, but rather, in humility, he counted Katy and Millie as more significant and set aside his own interests for theirs.
Jesus did this for us.
He had every right to cast us out, to condemn us for our sins. Instead, He humbled Himself and gave Himself as a sacrifice for us. He loved us. No greater love has anyone shown than what Jesus showed us on the cross.
That’s how much Jesus loves you.
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for not treating us as we deserve. Thank you for humbling Yourself and dying for us to save us. Help me humbly treat others as more significant and look out for their interests over my own.
Amen
PS – You can watch the video about Katy, Millie, and Dr. Willoughby here. (Man, that guys arms are huge! …almost as big as his heart.)