Tag-Archive for » Influence «
Yesterday we spent 16 straight hours with 58 teenagers. It was delightful! We went to art galleries and museums, had pizza and tacos, watched movies and took in a planetarium.
Why you may ask?
Well we have worked and ministered with young people for over 25 years. We have spoken to over 1 million of them along with their leaders and parents. We have done this in 60 countries spanning various ethnic, religious and income settings. Some might say by now we should be experts, but there are no more experts . . . only explorers. Of which we are only two!
Yesterday we lived life with them. We did not lead or follow, we were just were part of their journey . . . creating moments. We asked questions and listened to their unprocessed answers. We shared stories, concerns, passions and questions. One thing was confirmed to us again. This next generation is an ungraspable people group.
We do not mean that in a bad way or in a manner of “why try to do anything”. This age group is fascinating; they are touchable and distant, honest and self-protective, real and artificial, caring and provocative, predicable and unpredictable, united and divided, complex and simple.
This Next Generation includes 2 billion under the age of 25 people. Around the globe many of them saw the same movie this weekend, downloaded the same song, talked about the same hero, and played the same sport. Many of them struggled with self-identity, their parents and peer acceptance. They hold various beliefs so close and so far from their daily lives.
Family and faith are no longer at their core, (and we are not saying who left who), but they live for compassion and community. Whoever accepts them, hears their heart and creates a better tomorrow will lead them forward.
We want to have MOMENTS with them! There is so much potential there.
Today was SIMPLE communication day, and the day for the imagiNations 2nd talk. They all did very well, and improved from last week. They put a lot of effort into the talks that reflected them and what they find interesting! 
Lisa inspired us that we can dance by discovering our “3 M”s”: Motives, Music, & Moves. She had us all dancing free style & a hip hop she created.
Roland swept us off our feet with whistles, short Uruguayan light blue shorts, and enlarged wallet dress shirt and great smells . . . telling us we should play soccer because of the benefits.
Facundo let us know we could enjoy photography by taking the 3 pictures: 1. Picture of LOOK, 2. Picture of DOCUMENTATION, and 3. PICTURE OF MEMORIES.
Giovana gave the talk that WILL change the rhythm of me in this coming week. She informed us that we all have a “biological clock”, an internal clock called our “Circadian Rhythm”. This rhythm is regulated by daylight. Our nervous system takes the daylight, through our eyes, into our brain, to the pineal gland which secretes melatonin, the sleeping hormone. Basically, if we are able to adjust our EATING and EXERCISE to the natural rhythm of our body, we can enjoy an healthier lifestyle.
So the basics of this cycle (what our body is predisposed to do best) is:
* between the hours of noon and 8pm should be our time to eat (before or after that it should be only fruit or low carbohydrates. That is when we should let our bodies take in and digest food.
* from 8pm to 4am is the time for our bodies to extract the nutrients that we have eaten. It is the sleeping time.
* from 4am to noon is when the body is gathering wastes and preparing for removal. When our bodies are in the right rhythm, we will generally have elimination at the same time daily.
* between 4pm and 6pm is the best time for us to exercise. Our muscles are more flexible, our reaction time is quicker, our blood pressure is lower, and our strength is at it’s peak.
So, I have taken the challenge to try to adjust to the Circadian Rhythm of my body. Let’s see how it goes, Giovana, thanks for the challenge!
This morning we focused on making our communication SIMPLE using a Sand Dial as our focus point. We worked on the Subject and Issue that we are focusing on. This is the first of the building blocks we have presented as one of the “tools in their pocket” to equip the imagiNations students for their future in communication opportunities.
For lunch they were exposed to the Marlette Jr. / Sr High School students. It was another great time of introductions. We had a warm reception by the students, as we walked from table to table introducing Giovana, Facundo and Roland from Uruguay and Lisa from Germany. Many of the students remember previous imagiNations students and were excited for a new group today. There are already great connections with some of the teens that these guys have made in less than a week. They only arrived one week ago tomorrow.
This afternoon they planned out the Sunday morning service they will be in charge of at a local church here in town. They have both the worship and the message of the service. It will take a bit more prep time, but good to already have the opportunity.
Today we began the bonding process of getting to know our Journey of what brought us together to this point. We shared our hearts, where we have been, what we have been involved in, and how God made a way to bring us all together.
imagiNations ARTISTree 09 is a 6 week course from Oct 1 to Nov 15, 2009 in Marlette, MI . . . based out of our home! It is a mentoring based conneXellence training focused on NEXT GENERATIONAL ministry and the ARTS.
For this journey together we have:
Dan & Suzie Potter . . . also known as . .. DUZIE (facilators)
Lisa Bruder – from Germany
Giovana Chaves – from Uruguay
Facundo Luzardo – from Uruguay
Roland Reimer – from Uruguay
Our orientation today included sharing our journeys, prayer, worship, eating, and ended with a car tour of Marlette (because of the rain). We popped into various stores and businesses to “show off” the group, let them meet “real Marlettians” and get the feel of our community. We ended at Clarks for ice cream, even though it was a cold & wet day.
We are excited at how well we connected today, and thankful to God for the group He has put together. Our prayer is that we will be able to give and receive (all of us) during this season God has put us together!
Steve Ellis (pictured here on the left) has only been playing guitar now for 4 weeks. He has really fallen in love with playing it, and finds it really relaxing, especially after a long day. He is our insurance man.
This week as we were preparing for worship for Sunday morning in our church, we realized that we had me able to lead with my guitar, Dan on the bongos, Todd on the drums, and Sherryl on the piano, and other singers, but no back up guitar. Steve has been doing so well picking up new songs and rhythms, that he was up to the challenge.
During our Thursday lesson this week, I presented him with 5 new songs, that’s right 5 new songs. He knew all the chords (except A) and mostly knew the songs, and I felt he was up to the challenge. I thought I would try him out with the songs. Amazingly he was able to play along. I gave him the challenge to practice them all and just play the ones he felt comfortable with.
He showed up this morning before the service for our practice with his stool to sit on and a smile on his face. He said he was ready with 3 of them. After practice, Dan encouraged him to just go for them all, and turn his volume down on the ones he wasn’t as comfortable with.
He did a great job. I am so excited to be a part of the lives of the 6 guitar students I have presently. I have 3 more already to start up in September when we are back from Europe. It is wonderful to share this gift of playing the guitar and influence others to worship God in this way too!
Since I come from a large family of 8 kids, it was very special for me to be able to spend the night at my grandparent’s house . . . just me. My grandfather, Ralph used to work midnights before he retired, so he was still on that shift (of staying up all night and sleeping in the first part of the day). That gave me special time with my grandmother (my mother’s mom). We were like best friends hanging out together. I called her “FLO-BABY” (Her real name was Florence).
She had closets and spare bedrooms full of piles of fun. We colored, tried on old clothing, ate applesauce and marshmello cream on toast, and had lots of quality time together. She was always thinking of others and what she could save or give to them.
“FLO-BABY” had a deep faith in Jesus, that was evident and encouraged me to love Jesus too.
Paul noticed that Timothy had a great influence from his grandmother too. ”I have been reminded of your sincere faith,which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Tim. 1:5)
Think about it . . . What has been passed on to you from your grandparents, parents, or friend? Who has a sincere faith, that got passed on to you? Who are you passing the influence and faith onto?