How kids learn?

I came across this article again on how kids learn a couple of years ago and pulled it up again this week. The author suggests that kids learn:

by listening
by seeing
with their bodies

It's been fun to watch my kids this week and figure out which of these is their primary style and which are secondary. What's more, I am excited to incorporate these three styles of learning as a part of my teaching practice, as I get ready to teach the Minor Prophets this fall.

1st game

Yesterday I took my oldest son to his first Broncos game. When you turn 7, you get to go to your first game, but it's only preseason. When I was 7 I went to my first game and it was against the Green Bay Packers, the same team Noah saw play last night! How cool is that? We had a great time at the tailgate. Noah ate tons of calories and we threw the football for an hour and a half. It was also a special night because my dad was there. Noah is the third generation in our family that will be loving the orange and blue! When we got to our seats we had a great time eating BBQ sunflower seeds and talking. At one point the cheerleaders were dancing and as we were watching them he tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Dad, I don't like it when they shake their hips like that." In two years it's Josiah's turn.

Trust in the Life of David

I am finding that right now in my life I am clinging to the word trust. David has been a great encouragement to me this past week and Brennan Manning's prayer is food for my soul.

“When I am most afraid, I put my trust in you, in God whose word I praise, in God I put my trust, fearing nothing; what can men do to me?” - Psalm 56:3-4

“My trust in God never wavers” - Psalm 26:1

“He rescued me, since he loves me” - Psalm 18:19

“But I for my part rely on your love, O Lord” - Psalm 13:5

“Put your trust in Yahweh, be strong, let your heart be bold, put your trust in Yahweh” - Psalm 27:14

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust” - Psalm 40:4

“I mean to thank you constantly for doing what you did, and put my trust in your name, that is so full of kindness, in the presence of those who love you” - Psalm 52:9

"I, for my part, like an olive tree growing in the house of God, put my trust in God’s love for ever and ever” - Psalm 52:8


Prayer of Trust

“Abba, into your hands I entrust my body, mind, and spirit and this entire day – morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whatever you want of me, I want of me, falling into you and trusting in you in the midst of my life. Into your heart I trust my heart, feeble, distracted, insecure, uncertain. Abba, unto you I abandon myself in Jesus our Lord. Amen.” - Brennan Manning

Start with time

As I come upon a new fall season I am going through my leadership file to refocus and get ready for what I believe is going to be an amazing year in our student ministry!

I came across this quote from Peter Drucker, "Effective leaders don't start with their tasks, but with TIME!"

For me, that means that Monday mornings are going to be about organizing my time for the week. I am going to take a half day once a month to look towards the month, quarter and year ahead.

1st Grade

Today we dropped Noah off for his first day of school in 1st grade! Time is flying by! Here's the gang before we loaded up the minivan to head out! It's a new transition for us as he will be going to school all day! Julie and I are excited to have more time with Josiah and Adah over the next two years before Josiah hits 1st grade!

Staff Planning

Today our full-time pastoral and program staff are heading up to Fairplay, CO for our annual staff planning getaway. I love going on these getaways. I am excited to see what God is going to do with our time as we plan for the up and coming school year! Since we are still looking for a new senior pastor that means we get Jerry for another season and it looks like he's going to be preaching through the Gospel of John!

Prayer - Battering-Ram Style

“We shall find every attribute of God Most High to be, as it were, a great battering-ram, with which we may open the gates of heaven.” C. H. Spurgeon

The Bounties of God Isa 64:4 “For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear, neither has

the eye seen a God besides Thee, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him.”

The Faithfulness of God Deut 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;”

The Foreknowledge of God Rom 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren; ”

The Grace of God Rom 5:21 “…even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”

The Goodness of God Ps 25:8 “Good and upright is the Lord…”

The Holiness of God Rev 15:4 “Who, will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before…”

The Immutability of God Mal 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”

The Justice of God Ps 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne...”

The Knowledge of God Ps 147:5 “His understanding is infinite”

The Love of God Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Loving-Kindness of God Ps 36:7 “How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings.”

The Mercy of God Ps 119:156 “Great are Thy mercies, O Lord…”

T he Omnipresence of God Ps 139: “Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence?”

The Power of God Ps 62:11 “…power belongs to God”

The Solitariness of God Ex 15:11 “Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?”

The Sovereignty of God Is 46:10 “For I am God, and there is none other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”

The Wisdom of God Rom 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! ”

The Wrath of God Rom 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men…”

HT: Robert Hill

Central Motivation ?'s

I am wrestling with these four questions surrounding what my central motivation is for leading our student ministry this up and coming school year.

1. How do I want to operate with others? (By myself? With others? As the boss? How?)
2. What do I want to work with? (Numbers? Things? People? Ideas? Words?)
3. What abilities recur? (Evaluation? Persuasion? Writing? Studying? Organization?)
4. What is the thing I seem to get out of the achievements? (Excelling? Building and developing? Acquiring things? Gaining a response?)