May 2006

Hi All,

Where did April go? It has been a busy month and as it gets closer to summer, the faster it will seem to go. To be honest I am a little behind this month. This past weekend I took part in Chrysalis Flight #26 at the Altoona United Methodist Church. What a transforming weekend it was. There were about 70 teenagers there and it was neat to watch them grow in Christ. What is Chrysalis?
“That growth stage between caterpillars and butterflies is called a chrysalis. On the surface it may not look like much is happening, but the delicate chrysalis process changes the fuzzy caterpillar into an awesome butterfly with wings of intricate designs and intense colors. The chrysalis process symbolizes how Christ can transform you into something beyond your dreams. It happens when you grow beyond yourself, opening your life to Jesus’ power and love.

Chysalis is the name chosen for the youth version of The Walk to Emmaus, its parent movement, because it symbolizes the spiritual growth that is essential between adolescence and adulthood. That growth is as crucial for youth as the cocoon is for the caterpillar. It is that precious time of nurturing a person’s faith for discipleship.

This three-day spiritual renewal time provides an opportunity for you to learn more about faith, to experience Christian love and support, and to make new faith commitments. The point is to inspire, challenge and equip you for a closer friendship with Christ and for Christian action at home, church, school, and community.

Chrysalis lifts up a way for you to enjoy Christ’s friendship and love and to be Christ’s friend and partner in the world. The three days focus on God’s grace, your experience with Christ as friend, what it means to be the body of Christ, and giving love to a needy world.”
If I were you I would be probably be saying ok, but what happens on a Chrysalis flight? It is three days of worship, prayer, talks given by other teens and adults, fellowship, creative expression, games, singing, and discussion. The worship is like nothing that you have probably ever experienced. It is relevant and done in a style meant for teenagers. And the music, well it is high energy and fun. The theme song for Flight #26 was “Foreverandever, etc.” by the David Crowder Band. Because the guys and girls are split for most of the weekend I am not sure what they sang, but “Big House” by Audio Adrenaline was the song of choice for the guys. I almost forgot you get to eat and eat and eat. The food doesn’t stop until it is time to go home. There is always plenty to eat at mealtime and there is always plenty of snack food and pop in between meals.

Sound interesting? Chrysalis Flight #27 is September 2-4, 2006 and will be held in Waterloo, IA at Kimball Ave. United Methodist Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church. If you are a sophomore in high school to a sophomore in college and would like more information or want to go on the next flight, please let me know.

More than likely by the time that you are reading this the 30 Hour Famine and BOOM Sunday will have already taken place and if you missed it, you missed a lot of fun! Mothers’ Day is just around the corner … hint, hint. Make sure to remember your Mom on May 14th. I know she will appreciate it.

Because of Him,

Terry

Upcoming Meetings
May:

• Join us on the 3rd for movie night beginning at 5:15 PM for "Pride and Prejudice." This month's movie is about 140 minutes long so we should be done by 7:45 PM. This would be a great night to invite some friends, just let us know how many are coming so we can make sure that we have enough to eat (please be sure to bring $3 to help cover the cost of the meal). Are you part of another youth group? Have your youth leader get a hold of us; we would love to have you join us!
• The Crave is back and will be on the 10th from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. at Roosevelt Middle School. Parents, drop off will be at Roosevelt Middle School at 6 P.M. with pick-up at 8:30 P.M. (it may be later for pick-up if the event goes over schedule).
• On the 17th and the 31st we will worship and fellowship from 5:45 to 6:45 P.M.
• Confirmation meets on the 17th and the 31st from 6:45 – 7:45 P.M. On the 3rd the confirmation class will participate in movie night (see above for movie night details).

Events not scheduled yet will be announced as far in advance as possible so you can make plans to attend. The movie scheduled to be shown could change without warning due to availability.

Upcoming Concerts/Events
May
10th the Crave at Roosevelt Middle School
13th Hus Racing League. Youth working in the kitchen from 10 AM - 3 PM. Fundraiser
13th Chrysalis Hoot (Altoona United Methodist Church)
14th Mothers’ Day
24th Annual Hus Choir Concert - NO YOUTH GROUP
29th Memorial Day

Every Monday: Youth Prayer Time, 7PM at the old SW Target parking lot.
Every Thursday: High School Bible Study, 4 - 6 PM at the Panera Bread on Collins Rd.
Every Friday: Marion High School Bible Study, 7:30 - 8 AM.

Times subject to change.

A conversation with God
Hi God. It has been a long month for all of us Lord. All the homework, the tests, school activities, church, youth group, Sunday school and more. Be with us God so that we do not forget to spend time with you. We lift up Your name in praise as we thank you for helping us with that homework, the tests, school activities, church, youth group, Sunday school and so very much more. Lord, be with us as we end this school year and help us to make the right choices in all that we do.
Christ be in my life and in my living (place hands over chest)
Christ be in my heart and in my loving (hands over heart)
Christ be in my mouth and in my speaking (hands over mouth)
Christ be in my eyes and in my seeing (hands over eyes)
Christ be in my ears and in my hearing (hands over ears)
Christ be in my mind and in my thinking (hands on head)
In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.

ABC News: 2 Teens Charged in Attack at Texas Party

ABC News: 2 Teens Charged in Attack at Texas Party

Whether this is determined to also be a hate crime or not, what fuels such incredible anger in people?

Why were there no adults at supervising these kids?

Whether or not someone wants to believe it or not I think that alot of the problems that we are seeing in today's youth can be directly related to the thousands of images of sex and violence that they are exposed to every year. In a resource from Ron Luce (Aquire the Fire, Battle Cry) he tells us that MTV broadcasts 3000+ soft porn images every week. From the Associated Press, "Update 2:Viacom 2Q Results Rise On Cable, TV" on the Web at www.Forbes.com/07/22/04, 10:47 AM Ron uses this quote, "They made $6.84 billion off of you and your friends in on year alone." In this quote is he talking about how much the entertainment industry, Viacom specifically, made off teenagers. What reason do they have to stop?

We do not have cable TV in our home. At first the reason was money. We are not home enough to justify $40-$50 a month for cable. We still do not have cable but the reason is not so much money anymore, it is all the trash that is on TV.

What are you doing in your home?

Family Dinners: Much More Than A Meal - CBS News

Family Dinners: Much More Than A Meal - CBS News

I remember eating meals at the table when I was a kid. It was relaxing until Mom made my brother and I do the dishes, then it had a tendency to look like a boxing or wrestling match.

It amazes me how busy we have become. Last night we did sit down for dinner as a family before rushing off to other things. It definitely was better for us than some fast food place. I do not know about you, but when we eat at home you can almost guarantee that we will drink milk. If we go out it is pop. We usually have a salad at home too. The part I like about that is that I do not have special order it without tomatoes - I am free put what ever I want on it and amazingly enough we always have what I want.

The one thing that is not different whether we eat out or at home is that every meal begins by giving thanks to God for the blessings that he has given us.

As this article suggests, we just need to slow down. We have so many choices and like everyone else we try to get them all in. We need to retrain ourselves and train our kids to be picky about the extracurricular activities that we choose. Pick what is most important and let the rest go. Easy to say, hard to do but we have to try.

Scaring Kids Straight, Off Methadone - CBS News

Scaring Kids Straight, Off Methadone - CBS News

One way or another we need to keep kids off drugs. This reminds me of the "Scared Straight" series several years ago. It worked then and it works now, so why are we not seeing more of this?

180­­° Youth & Family Life Ministries Xanga Site

180­­° Youth & Family Life Ministries Xanga Site

180­­° Youth & Family Life Ministries is now live on xanga. Check us out!

FT.com - MySpace acts to calm teen safety fears

FT.com - MySpace acts to calm teen safety fears

This is refreshing to see that MySpace is taking the concerns of youth and parents to heart and doing something about it. I sincerely hope that they continue to do this and that it was not just a one time thing.

ABC News: 'Jesus Dynasty' Author Asks: Were There Two Messiahs?

ABC News: 'Jesus Dynasty' Author Asks: Were There Two Messiahs?

I find it interesting that there is so much being done to determine whether or not Jesus is real. You do not see this same intensity, if any, in trying to prove/disprove other religions.

ABC News: Did Jesus Ask Judas to Betray Him?

ABC News: Did Jesus Ask Judas to Betray Him?

Hmmm. I think I will just let this one simmer for awhile.

Did Jesus Walk On Ice? - CBS News

Did Jesus Walk On Ice? - CBS News

No, Jesus walked on water. Pretty easy one to answer. I wonder if Professor Nof has ever walked on ice on a sidewalk let alone a patch floating on water in the middle of a storm.

Even though I wish he would put his time to better use, the people (mainly Christians) that are sending him hate mail/email need to get their attitudes in check. Do they really believe that Jesus would have us behave that way? I think not. Instead we should be praying that Professor Nof comes to know Christ.

And I thought the fish story was a fishy story...

One Heck Of A Fish Story - CBS News

One Heck Of A Fish Story - CBS News

I nearly choked on my coffee this morning when "The Early Show" on CBS aired the story that is linked above. Possible missing link was even used in the description of the story. Even though all they have are the head and a little bit more they have already created a model of what the "Tiktaalik roseae" looked like. Looks like a forerunner to the crocodile or an alligator to me. It seems like they just keep stretching and stretching to prove that evolution is real.

April 2006

Hi All,

There are two constants in the youth ministry at Hus Church. The first constant is what we say in the "Apostles' Creed":
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteh on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting. Amen.
*The word "catholic" refers not to the Roman Catholic Church, but to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second is that there is always change. In just the past few weeks we have made some significant changes with the youth group. Movie night is now on the first Wednesday of each month. This change has several benefits of which is that it will be easier to invite friends for pizza and a movie. At the same time we changed the way you do youth group on Wednesday nights. No longer will the youth have to try and will an hour with this or that. Sometimes "that" was characterized by the youth as boring lessons (we noticed when the kids started to fall asleep). Beginning on March 26th we started having a youth worship service. This was after months and months of trying to figure out how to do a youth worship service. Unfortunately I was trying to hard to do it 'big' instead of keeping it simple. So what does the youth service look like? We sing (as loud as we want) to CDs of different Christian artists with a short message (about 5 minutes) mixed in. Hopefully this is the way to go. If not, we will try something different. Change does not make us failures; it makes us smarter as we move forward.

In Luke 12:54-59 Jesus talks about change:
54Then he turned to the crowd: "When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, "Storm's coming'--and you're right. 55And when the wind comes out of the south, you say, "This'll be a hot one'--and you're right. 56Frauds! You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don't tell me you can't tell a change in the season, the God-season we're in right now. 57"You don't have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, 58the kind you'd use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you'd probably go to jail 59and pay every last penny of the fine. That's the kind of decision I'm asking you to make." (The Message)

If current trends continue only 4% of the current generation, the Millenials, will be Evangelical Christians. In just a few short years the Millenials will be our business owners, teachers, government leaders, etc. So, why should we care? Have you ever considered what it looks like to have only 4% Evangelical Christians? What does that look like? (from Ron Luce's book "BattleCry for a Generation.")
 Netherlands Legalized Euthanasia.
 Pastor arrested for preaching Biblical perspective on homosexuality.
 Scotland 14 years old consenting age
 Nudity in newspapers in England

In the new book "The Last Christian Generation," Josh McDowell opens the first chapter with:
"I realize the title of this book may be shocking. But the decision to call this The Last Christian Generation was not made lightly nor was it done for sensationalism. I sincerely believe unless something is done now to change the spiritual state of our young people--you will become the last Christian generation!"

George Barna notes that youth are searching for something spiritual. Great! But where are they getting their information? They are getting their worldview from TV, the radio. I looked at the latest Target ad in the Sunday paper and was shocked to see so many CDs for sale with the "Parental Advisory Explicit Content" label on them.

How well do we know our kids? Do you know what your kids are watching and listening to? Are they online and posting to Xanga, Facebook, or MySpace? What are they posting? Can you name any of their friends? What is their favorite color? Do your kids believe in God? Do they believe that Jesus rose from the dead?

Are all religions more or less alike and lead to heaven? I could go on and on. Because this is so important I am currently working on a youth culture workshop. If you are interested or want to help, please let me know. There is a lot that parents do not know and need to.

Because of Him,

Terry

Upcoming Meetings
April:
 Join us on the 5th for movie night beginning at 5:15 PM for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." This month's movie is about 140 minutes long so we should be done by 7:45 PM. This would be a great night to invite some friends, just let us know how many are coming so we can make sure that we have enough to eat (please be sure to bring $3 to help cover the cost of the meal). Are you part of another youth group? Have your youth leader get a hold of us; we would love to have you join us!
 On the 12th, 19th, and the 26th we will worship and fellowship from 5:45 to 6:45 P.M.
 Confirmation meets on the 12th, 19th, and the 26th from 6:45 – 7:45 P.M. On the 5th the confirmation class will participate in movie night (see above for movie night details).
Events not scheduled yet will be announced as far in advance as possible so you can make plans to attend.
The movie scheduled to be shown could change without warning due to availability.

Upcoming Concerts/Events
April
2nd Youth serving at the Sunday Evening Meal (1st Presbyterian Church) from 4 - 6 PM.
8th Hus Racing League. Youth working in the kitchen from 10 AM - 3 PM. Fundraiser
16th Youth serving Easter Sunrise Breakfast
21st - 23rd Chrysalis Flight #26 (Altoona United Methodist Church)
28th - 29th 30 Hour Famine
30th BOOM Sunday

Every Monday: Youth Prayer Time, 7PM at the old SW Target parking lot.
Every Thursday: High School Bible Study, 4 - 6 PM at the Panera Bread on Collins Rd.
Every Friday: Marion High School Bible Study, 7:30 - 8 AM.

Times subject to change.

A conversation with God
Hi God. Lord God, we need you. Each day may our words and actions be yours. Help us to be in Your Word, the Bible everyday. Lord be in our lives each and every day, through good and bad. Father we know that even in bad times you are with us and that it is through bad times that we draw closer to you.
Christ be in my life and in my living (place hands over chest)
Christ be in my heart and in my loving (hands over heart)
Christ be in my mouth and in my speaking (hands over mouth)
Christ be in my eyes and in my seeing (hands over eyes)
Christ be in my ears and in my hearing (hands over ears)
Christ be in my mind and in my thinking (hands on head)
In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.

"Christianity is not a religion; it is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ." Anonymous posting to a Christian mailing list.

March 2006

Hi All,

Through out the course of a month I have many ideas of what I should write about, funny thing is I never do write about them. Sometimes I will get them written down and sometimes not. Interestingly enough God usually has a different message that he wants me to send and this month is no different.

The latest chapter in the "Pure Excitement" study that we are doing with the middle school was called "Get Growing." It starts out comparing our faith to a roller coaster ride. Sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down. The first question, "What part of the roller coaster are you on right now? Are you climbing closer to the Lord, or do you feel you are waiting at the bottom?" I was not surprised at the response, complete silence. Most adults would give you the same response. What really got the discussion going is when the kids were asked what is the first commercial that comes to mind. This continued through a discussion of movies, television shows, music, and magazines. It was observed that most of us watch television everyday as well as listening to music, reading magazines etc. Then it was asked how often they read the Bible. The answers were as varied as the kids. From reading during Sunday school and confirmation to once every couple of weeks to not in a couple of years. That begged the most important question, why? "It is hard to understand." "It does not make sense." "Too many thines and thous." To illustrate this, let's look at one of the most well known verses in the Bible, John 3:16:
American Standard Version (ASV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Amplified Bible (AMP) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
English Standard Version (ESV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
King James Version (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
New King James Version (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
21st Century King James Version (KJ21) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
New International Version (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) "God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
New Life Version (NLV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God's Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.
New Living Translation (NLT) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
The Message (MSG) "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

Who knew there were so many versions of the Bible? Of just the King James Bible? There are lots more than this. It was not that long ago that the King James Version was considered by the majority to be the inspired word of God and that choosing a Bible was mainly about how it looked physically. What everyone needs to do is to find one that fits him or her the best. How to go about that can seem like a major undertaking. There are several resources available in doing this. If you have online access you can use a search site like Google and type in "choosing a Bible" and you will get several articles and websites that can help you. One of those is from Zondervan Church Source. Another option is to go to one of the local Christian bookstores and they will be glad to assist you. Want to compare several versions side by side? Go to BibleGateway.com and and you can compare up to 5 versions at a time. Another thing to remember is what you want to get out of a particular version. The Message and The Message Remix are wonderful for just sitting down and reading through like you would a book. Others versions have been adapted for reading through, others to be used as a devotional, to study, and some have been written with references on how to apply the Bible to your daily life. But wait, they are broken down even further. Is your choice for anyone, or is it more specific (i.e. for teens, men, women, children, etc.).

The most important thing about the Bible should always be that you are reading it on a regular basis. There are several reading plans available to help you with this. If you need help with any part of this process, let us know, would love to help you out. God's message to me this month is to work to help the youth find out more about this process and to find a Bible that they can understand and that is interesting.

Because of Him,

Terry

A conversation with God
Hi God. We often forget that we are Christians every day, not just on Sunday. Lord help us to be Christians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One way You help us is through reading Your Word, the Bible everyday. Another is through a prayer that is called the Christ Prayer which I will close this prayer with:
Christ be in my life and in my living (place hands over chest)
Christ be in my heart and in my loving (hands over heart)
Christ be in my mouth and in my speaking (hands over mouth)
Christ be in my eyes and in my seeing (hands over eyes)
Christ be in my ears and in my hearing (hands over ears)
Christ be in my mind and in my thinking (hands on head)
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

February 2006

Hi All,

The following is from the annual report for 2005. It is about where we have been and where we are headed for 2006. Let's see where we have been since January 2005.

1) Sunday Evening Meals Program. On the first Sunday of every other month you can find members of Hus Church Youth Group at the First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids helping to serve dinner to the hungry in our community. Volunteers from our congregation, other churches, youth groups, and civic organizations also help with the Sunday Evening Meals Program. Beginning at 4 PM and going until 6 PM, about 8 to 10 volunteers help setup, serve, and then clean up. This has been a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and to help those that are in need.
2) Painted the Youth room - 01.29.2005
3) Items purchased and donated for the Youth room. There are now two sofas, two chairs, two lamps, a love seat, and a futon. A microwave, mini-refrigerator, stereo, TV, and DVD/VHS player.
4) Bake sale at the Pancake Breakfast - 03.12.2005.
5) Served Easter breakfast - 03.27.2005.
6) We took the youth to several Christian concerts in 2005. Welcome to Diversity concert - 05.04.2005. Relient K concert - 11.10.2005. Casting Crowns concert - 12.03.2005. Onefest - 12.28-29.2005 (A 24 hour Christian concert featuring local and national Christian artists.)
7) Terry attended "The Core" training at the Ankeny Presbyterian Church - 04.23.2005. What is "The Core?" "The Core" is a half-day training for youth pastors and volunteers developed and facilitated by Youth Specialties. There were three sessions in the 2005 version: (1) Rethinking the American Teenager (2) Responding to the Unique Needs of Girls and Guys (3) Reclaiming the American Teenager
8) Terry gets hired full-time on 08.15.2005.
9) Youth helped paint in preparation for Rotational Sunday school on 09.03.2005. 10) The second and third Wednesdays of each month have been given specific designations. Mission night is the 2nd Wednesday and movie night is the 3rd Wednesday. 1
11) Doug Page started Parent's Night Out with the first one on 10.07.2005. Parent's Night Out was held on the first and third Fridays of each month through the end of the year. We are currently evaluating the program and will be reintroducing it in 2006.
12) On October 4th Terry got plugged in to the Youth Pastor Roundtable and the Youth Ministry Fellowship. The Fellowship is a time to network with others involved in youth ministry as well as community organizations that work with youth. It is a time of sharing of ideas, programs, lessons, etc. Fellowship meets on the first Tuesday of each month over lunch at New Covenant Bible Church. The Roundtable is smaller than Fellowship and is designed as a prayer group whose members focus on youth ministry as a whole in Cedar Rapids. It is a time of training, prayer, and planning for the crave. The crave is a quarterly community youth worship service. The first one is planned for February 15th at the Salvation Army gymnasium (this will replace youth group and confirmation on these nights). The Roundtable meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Salvation Army beginning at 8 AM. Training has included: Going through the 2005 "The Core" training materials. A day long seminar on 12.03.2005. Pastor Ron Connerly of New Beginnings Church led the training called "The Vision of the Leader" by Bruce Wilkinson (Best-selling Author of "The Prayer of Jabez.")
13) Marion High School Bible Study with 23 youth began on 10.28.2005. They are going through a 10 week LifeGuide® Bible Study on Friendship
14) Bible study for High School youth began at Panera Bread. We are currently on our third study, which is a 12 week LifeGuide® Bible Study called "Job, Wrestling with God." Two prior studies were done. Both are from "Discipleship Journal" which is a publication of "The Navigators." The first one was "Invitation to Oneness. The Trinity provides a model for unity." The second was "Everyday Life in the Body."
15) Leaf raking - 10.29.2005 and 11.05.2005
16) First B.O.O.M. Service - 10.30.2005
17) Other fundraising done in 2005: "God's Creation" calendar sales (we still have a few left) and bottle & can redemption.
18) Planning for the 2006 Youth Summer Mission trip began. We will be going through Group Workcamps (a division of Group Publishing which published the Faithweaver Sunday School curriculum that we have used in previous years.) to Kingston, TN and participating in their "Week of Hope."
19) Hus Die-cast racing is coming to Hus Church on 02.11.2005. Planning began in the fall and continued through the end of the year. Some of us have grown up racing the die-cast cars on the old orange track of yesteryear, and now, we carry on that tradition on the new orange and black tracks, bringing our children and the community's children into the fold. What better way to spend a Saturday than with new friends and family sending these wonderful cars we've all enjoyed through the years speeding down a track, yelling for them to go a little bit faster and pull ahead of the competition.
20) Planning for the 30 Hour Famine with other churches for tentative April dates. A planning letter is being sent out in January 2006.

What does this mean for 2006? It means that there is a lot to do and we cannot and will not grow without help from the congregation. I know that you are already busy with work, family, and other activities. So, what can you do? As much or as little as you feel called to do. How much time is this going to take? As much or as little as you feel called to spend. We would rather have 20 people helping when they are able for short periods of time than to have 4 people doing it all and getting burnt out. Here are some of the things that we are going to need help with in 2006:
 Hus Racing League – Die-cast racing on 2nd Saturday of every month from February to November. This does not require a commitment for every race day, just when you are able.
 Lunch devotional leader, race officials, help in the kitchen (preparing/serving snacks and lunch-proceeds are for the Youth fund), check-in table, prize table, merchandise table, etc.
 World Vision 30 Hour Famine – this will be a lock-in on a Friday evening and all day Saturday.
 Chaperones, activity leaders, help in the Prayer room, etc.
 Summer Mission Trip Chaperones – this will be one of the few events that will require a commitment to a week of service as we are going out of state.
 Concert chaperones.
 Fundraising coordinators – Depending on what the fundraiser is, this could require one or more people.
 Middle school youth group leader(s) – this will require at least a year of commitment and if the kids like you it will be longer.
Please check the Hus Church Ministry Guide for more opportunities with the Youth and Family Team as well as the other ministry teams. Whether young or old, we are all called by God to ministry. Noah was 600 years old when the ark was completed and the floods came. Abram was 75 years old when:
1The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3 NIV)
Joseph was but a young man, not more than 17, when he was sold into slavery and God began to use him in Egypt. Jesus started his ministry at 30. I was 37 when God called me to minister to the youth of Hus Church. Age is not relevant, as God will have you serve in whatever way he needs whether it is a few hours every now and then or a long-term commitment to a particular activity. To God be the glory!

Because of Him,


Terry Van Wyk
Youth and Family Life Minister

Let’s begin our journey to communicate to the emerging generations by listening—listening to generations that need to hear, understand, and respond to some Good News. It’s a generation Jesus invites to “come.” It’s a generation to which Jesus commands us to “go.”
- Walt Mueller, President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

January 2006

Hi All,
The calendar for 2006 is getting fuller every day, which is absolutely wonderful with one exception, we need help. That sounds odd doesn’t it? If I had just been told that, my first thought would be "that is why we pay Terry." And that is true, I was hired to take care of the Youth and Family Life Ministry. That got me to thinking about a passage in Exodus:
13The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"
15Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." 17Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. 18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him.20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. 27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country. (Exodus 18:13-27 NIV)

In this passage Jethro sees his son-in-law trying to do the work himself. Because of how Moses was handling things he was working from very early in the morning until late at night. I know working that much is not good on a family life because I am a recovering workaholic. Jethro then told Moses he needed help. Moses got the help he needed and now we need to get the help we need for the Youth and Family Life team. We cannot and will not grow without the added help.

What can I do?
As much or as little as you feel called to do.
How much time is this going to take? I’m already busy with work, family, and other activities.
As much or as little as you feel called to spend.
We would rather have 20 people helping when they are able for short periods of time than to have 4 people doing it all and getting burnt out. Here are some of the things that we are going to need help with in 2006:

• Hus Racing League – Die-cast racing on 2nd Saturday of every month from February to November. This does not require a commitment for every race day, just when you are able.
• Lunch devotional leader, race officials, help in the kitchen (preparing/serving snacks and lunch-proceeds are for the Youth fund), check-in table, prize table, merchandise table, etc.
• World Vision 30 Hour Famine – this will be a lock-in on a Friday evening and all day Saturday.
• Chaperones, activity leaders, help in the Prayer room, etc.
• Summer Mission Trip – this will be one of the few events that will require a commitment to a week of service as we are going out of state.
• Concert chaperones.
• Fundraising coordinators – Depending on what the fundraiser is, they will require 1 or more people.
• Middle school youth group leader(s) – this will require at least a year of commitment and if the kids like you it will be longer.

Please check the Hus Church Ministry Guide for more opportunities with the Youth and Family Team as well as the other teams. Whether young or old, we are all called by God to ministry. Noah was 600 years old when the ark was completed and the floods came. Abram was 75 years old when:
1The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3 NIV)
Joseph was but a young man, not more than 17, when he was sold into slavery and God began to use him in Egypt. Jesus started his ministry at 30. I was 37 when God called me to minister to the youth of Hus Church. Age is not relevant, as God will have you serve in whatever way he needs whether it is a few hours every now and then or a long-term commitment to a particular activity. To God be the glory!

I leave you this month with the chorus to the popular Casting Crowns song, "If We Are the Body":

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

Because of Him,

Terry and Diane


A conversation with God
Hi God. We just celebrated the birth of Your Son, Jesus. What a wonderful gift you gave us. It is the best one that anyone has ever given to us or ever will. God, we have a lot of opportunities here at Hus Church for service and we need your help in guiding people to where you want them to serve. This congregation has so many wonderful gifts, please help us to use those to Your glory. We thank you for Hus Church and all of the members (our spiritual family). In Jesus’ name, Amen.

December 2005

Hi All,
Recently Diane and I experienced something unlike anything we had ever seen before. We took a group of the older youth and some of their friends to the Relient K concert in Des Moines. We had both heard of a mosh pit but that is where our knowledge ended. Imagine hundreds or even thousands of teenagers standing around. Now everyone push towards the stage. It is like a grain of sand trying to go from top of an hourglass to the bottom. Crowd surfing and stage diving are the next thing that you will see. By now many of you may be asking what this has to do with God. A lot. The majority of the kids that were at this concert likely do not go to church or have a relationship with Jesus. That is exactly the crowd that the bands that played at this concert wanted. They are using their music to reach a lost generation. For the parents out there that are wondering the group did take their name from the old Chrysler K car. A quote from their website gives a little more insight in the group:
‘As for the messages behind such sparse pre-production sessions, Thiessen turned to the basic root of his personality, a combination of satire and seriousness that runs the gamut between relationships, geography, faith and the weather. "It’s my personality to be cheesy and tell dumb jokes," he admits. "For the last four of five years, I’ve taken all the puns I think of on a daily basis and plant them in a song. Besides that tone, this record also has personal ties. There’s a lot about making mistakes, failing, how amazing grace is and picking yourself back up."
"We’re not trying to hide anything with the songs on this record, just to get what we feel out there," Thiessen summarizes. "We’ve also found it to be the hardest thing in the world to say ‘Jesus’ in a song and not be cheesy, so we definitely have our own way of singing about spirituality. But in the end that’s who we are and what we believe in. We hope between that and the music, it connects with someone out there."’
That would explain the names of their songs, "Chapstick, Chapped Lips And Things Like Chemistry" and "Life After Death And Taxes (Failure II)" as well as many others. Like many of the Christian artists today this group is reaching out in a way that is relevant to their audience.
Next year we are partnering with other youth groups in the area to help fight world hunger. How? By participating in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. In 2005 World Vision had a goal of feeding and caring for 37,500 children. How have they done so far?
Current status: $11,614,701
Number of children fed and cared for: 32,263
What is the 30 Hour Famine (from the 30 Hour Famine website: www.30hourfamine.org)?
The 30 Hour Famine puts hands and feet to your desire to help students live a life of Christian compassion.
It will unite youth group members like never before. And the impact will last long after the Famine event is over. It can be the spark that fires up a person for a lifetime of reaching out to neighbors in need, whether they're across the street - or around the globe.
How does the Famine work?
It's really quite simple. First of all, the materials are provided, free of charge, by World Vision. Before your "Famine Date" (February 24-25, 2006 is the next National Famine Date, but your group can hold yours anytime) youth group members raise money through donors and sponsors to help the millions of starving and hurting children in some of the world's poorest countries, offering them a hope they could not otherwise have. The groups then go 30 hours without food, so that they can have a real taste of what hunger is like. During this time they engage in different activities, from community service projects to volunteer work to study, depending on how each group plans their own event. Afterwards the money raised is sent in to World Vision, and we put it to work in areas like Kenya, Sudan, and here in the United States.
What does it take to help a hungry child?
Only $30 a month, just $1 a day, will feed and care for a child. Your group members can start by asking twelve people they know to donate $30 - that's one person for each month of the year. When they've done that, they will have raised $360, enough money to feed and provide necessary care to a child for a whole year.
This year, thousands of groups in more than 21 countries - more than 1 million teens - will unite with one goal in mind: to help children living in some of the most deplorable conditions on earth.
Countless lives will be impacted and saved. So get on board now. This can be the single most effective event you're a part of all year to make a difference in peoples' lives. And this means both in your community, and around the globe. Shake things up, and join the winnable war to save kids lives.
If you are interested in helping with the Famine, the 2006 Summer Youth Mission trip, or anything that the youth group is doing, let us know, as we would love your help. We have been gearing up over the past few months and next year will be packed with worship, events, and fellowship.

Because of Him,

Terry and Diane

A conversation with God
Hi God. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and we have so much to thank you for. Thank you for our families, our homes, our schools, our friends, and so many other things. Thank you for letting us live in the United States where we are free worship you along with so many other freedoms. Lord, work in this great country and help us to help it be a country that believes in You. We also thank you for Hus Church and all of it members (our spiritual family). In Jesus name, Amen.

"4 Because of thirst the infant's tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them." Lamentations 4:4 NIV

November 2005 supplement: Self-Injury

Part 1: Self-Injury Part One: What Is Cutting All About?
By Jose Cano, Counselor, Teen Mania's Honor Academy
April 14, 2005

I'm Fine
I bleed away my problems
I scratch them all away
My problems drip away from me
And slither down the drain

My problems are dissolved in crimson
My scarlet poison makes them die
A piece of metal shatters them
And through my veins the pieces fly

These scars upon my skin
Tell tales of secret pain
But come and listen to them
Of the truth I'm not ashamed

My problems are hidden from you
I hide them oh so well
What's wrong? I tell you nothing
'Cause you can't save me from this hell

I know, it's stupid that I can only get everything out like that. Whatever.

Introduction to Self-Injury
Somewhere today, there is a young girl locked in her bedroom, her eyes swelled up with tears, struggling to express with words the turmoil she really feels deep down inside. In a bathroom stall, a young man is hovered with hate and anger, overwhelmed with the constant reminder of his unbearable pain and looks for a way to get it out.

In a classroom setting, you see her gazing at the teacher as if she is listening, but no one knows her mind is a thousand miles away, lost in her despair. You see them smiling in public, but in private they are showered in disgrace. They may be active enough to seem involved in the world, portraying they are “living life”, but their soul is scarred, detached, dripping with blood, slowly vanishing away.
In desperation, they wish someone could just read their mind, peak behind the door of their soul and see what is really going on, but no one seems to notice, no one seems to care that their road is headed down the fiery storm. “If only I had someone that would understand what I’m going through,” they may say. But, their secret is so devastating and shameful they can’t even fathom confessing what it is they do behind closed doors. They fear people calling them “crazy,” “stupid,” “weird,” or “suicidal.”

If you could see inside their soul, you would be surprised with what you’d find: confusion, torment, loneliness, numbness, hopelessness, hate, anger, and the list goes on. You would see them agonizing over the inability to express the insurmountable pain they hold within. The emotional pain is so excruciating they are desperately seeking a means to escape, even if just for a minute. Something quick to alleviate the broken and shattered heart is what they are looking for, something to help them express their pain.
They wake up and walk out of habit, but their soul has fallen asleep and slowly dies away, not knowing how to “wake up” again. Some have forgotten what it was like to “feel” emotional. Some force themselves to “feel” something stronger, more powerful, and perhaps more painful, than the throbbing grief they feel in the depths of their heart. The day of remembering the use of their emotions is long gone.

The memory of “What I was” is now overshadowed by the nightmare of “What I am.” The dream and inspiration of “What I will be” is now seemingly destroyed by a dreaded mental whisper of “What I’ve become.” The constant reminder of their ‘failings’ feed the inner voice that leaps to staggering profusions of sounds calling them names that demean the “self” and torture the mind. Every day they wake up hoping things will be different, but hope is often not there to greet them.
It is a vicious cycle of spiritual, emotional, and physical abuse the enemy has used to leave the victim so mentally defeated that they feel there’s only one way to cope with this insurmountable emotional ache. And, many of them find their relief through the destruction of their own bodies. It is called “Self-Injury,” but it is better known among its targeted population of teens as “cutting.”

It is an epidemic that seems to be hitting our teens in record highs and sweeping across our nation and even perhaps across the world in an intensifying way. It is a phenomenon that many parents, grandparents or guardians of children do not even know it exists because it happens behind closed doors and the scars often go unseen. Their own children may actually be “cutters” themselves and they don’t even now it. Even those adults that do discover it taking place among their teenagers find themselves at a loss with how to deal with it.
This alarming behavior encapsulates the heart and soul of the young person’s state of despair and leads them down a path of destruction, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.

Since the beginning of time, man has tried to find different ways to cope with the struggles and challenges of life. Even tracing back a few years, looking at our nation’s history we see the generation of the 1930’s begin to struggle with alcoholism. Later, in the 1970’s the issue of drug addiction came on the scene. In the 1980’s, treatments for food and gambling addictions came into play. In the 90’s to the present, sexual addictions have become a stronghold in the lives of many, even in the body of Christ.

Among teens, one of the most prevalent issues being discovered during this era of time is that of “cutting”. Thus, the aim of this booklet is to help explain what “cutting” is all about, indicate some of the triggers that cause it, and what we can do to help someone who is in bondage to this activity. This informative review will not focus on any acts of self-injury that are inflicted for reasons of sexual pleasure, tattooing, or conscious suicidal intentions. Only that of cutting for the sake of relieving emotional pain will be mostly discussed.

Defining Self-Injury
Whenever we talk about “self-Injury” we are describing the person that inflicts physical pain upon oneself for the purpose of relieving or lessening the amount of emotional pain or stress one may be experiencing at a given point in time. It is a coping mechanism the young person has incorporated as a way of life in order to survive the emotional pain levels that may seem unbearable to them.
These injuries are usually done in private, are self-inflicted, not involving the assistance or control of anyone else. The seriousness of the injuries will vary anywhere from heavily scratching of the skin to marks and lesions causing tissue damage severe enough to leave permanent scarring. It is my belief the act is addictive and progressive. One may start with giving into the desire of heavy scratching, but eventually the ‘high’ felt during the scratching period will no longer satisfy the desire. Thus, some other form of self-injury will start taking form. Eventually, the person may find themselves cutting their bodies more consecutively, and in more harmful ways.

Methods of Cutting
There are different ways the individual will satisfy the need to self-injure. The most common practice is “cutting” with the use of razor blades, broken glass, or even writing utensils. Anything that is sharp in nature could end up in the hands of a “cutter” to serve this purpose. Although cutting has been found to be the most common type of self-injury, other actions such as burning and head banging can follow suit. Other methods include self-punching, biting, skin picking or carving, interference with wound healing (re-opening wounds), hair pulling, or needle sticking, but not only limited to these.

This behavior often occurs sporadically and repetitively. Oftentimes, it develops an “addictive” cycle and becomes an overwhelming preoccupation for some people. Both in clinical studies and informal surveys, it was found that the most popular areas of the body to inflict the injuries were wrists, arms, and inner thighs.

Who Self-Injures and Commonalities Found
Expressing Emotions: The difference between Men and Women
“Cutting” behavior seems to be found more commonly among women, partly because men are more likely to express strong feelings such as anger outwardly and tend to display their aggression towards other people or inanimate objects.
According to one study, it was noted that the majority of injurers were female because women are not socialized to express violence externally (Miller, 1994). When confronted with the vast rage many self-injurers feel, women tend to vent on themselves. They tend to turn the hurt and pain inward upon themselves. While men tend to react the opposite and act out, women act out by acting in.
Perhaps another reason fewer men are cutters may be that men are socialized in a way that makes repressing feelings the norm. Linehan’s (1993) theory that self-harm results in part from chronic invalidation, from always being told that your feelings are bad and wrong or inappropriate, could explain the gender disparity in self-injury; men are generally brought up to hold emotion in. But, since emotion needs to be expressed some how, the men that do injure themselves tend express their pain through roughness, aggression, or hitting objects or themselves.
Studies have shown that many people who self-injure have a history of sexual or physical abuse, but this is not always the case as we know it. There are many different backgrounds and life-stories from others that come from broken homes, alcoholic environments, emotionally absent parents, etc.

Common Personality Characteristics Found in Self-Injurers
 Lack ability to express emotions verbally (have a tendency to “stuff” their problems).
 Lack ability to handle intense feelings (“intense feelings” overwhelm them and only leads them to confusion—“I don’t know what to do!”—and isolation, especially if they lack communication skills).
 Perfectionism (they feel pressure to live high standards, which often times are unrealistic an unobtainable, so they continue to feel like they are “failing” and will try harder to no avail).
 Tend to experience severe mood swings (one day they are “happy”, other days “extremely low”).
 A dislike for themselves and their bodies. (Do not like what they see in the mirror. No matter how good they are, they continue to pick out their flaws)

Common Misconceptions
Due to the complexity of this behavior, many may think that the person that is cutting is acting upon suicidal tendencies. It is often difficult to understand the “why?” someone would cut. Suicide is not the end goal of cutting. Although they are closely related, they are very different in nature. This behavior is not practiced by the individual with the intent to commit suicide or bring about sexual pleasure, but for a means of tension/emotional relief. One important thing to note is that self-inflicting injuries, such as those practiced as part of spiritual rituals or body markings (tattooing) are usually not considered self injury.

Each person has their own motivations and mix of self injury and suicidal feelings. The difference between self-injury and suicide comes to a distinction in the reasoning behind the behavior. The person that practices “cutting” is trying to alleviate themselves from the internal emotional pain they are experiencing, while those that attempt “suicide” are trying to “end” all their feelings.

Most researchers recognize that the self-injurer does not intend to die as a result of his cutting behavior. But, although self-injurious behavior is not suicidal in intent, it can easily lead to suicidal ideation or even death, when a self-harmer goes too far, accidentally.
Other misconceptions of cutting include that of it being a way to “get attention,” “they are crazy or have gone mad,” or that they are a “danger to others.” But, again, for those that seriously struggle with the addiction of cutting, this activity provides them with a means to cope with their great internal pain, and has little to do with attention seeking.

They are not a danger to others, since their actions of anger and hurt are inflicted upon themselves. And they are not going “crazy” or “mad,” they just don’t know or have not learned other ways to express their conflict. The important thing is to help them ease their pain, rather than trying to label their behavior.

Reasons Why People Turn To Cutting
Studies are bringing forth evidence concluding that self-injurers, when faced with strong emotion or overwhelming situations, tend to choose to harm themselves because it brings them a rapid sense of release from tension and anxiety. The person seeks to find immediate relief from their emotional pain by exposing themselves to external pain. The self-injurer may feel a release of the emotional agony, but even if he/she feels guilty or angry afterward, it won’t be an oppressive, pushing, demanding tension-filled feeling like it was before. Malon and Berardi (1987) believe that the person struggling with self-injury “is at high risk to injure but not kill himself or herself…but produces tension relief”. They continue to say that those at risk are those with an inability to cope with increased psychological/physiological tension in a healthy manner, feelings of depression, rejection, self-hatred, guilt, and a member of a dysfunctional family, to name a few.

Why Is It So Addictive
What does the person experience when they practice “cutting” that makes it so addictive?
 Helps them express their emotional pain because they can’t seem to find the right words or have an inability to express their feelings through words.
 It’s a means to escaping numbness (many of those who self-injure say they do it in order to feel something, to know that they're still alive because they sometimes feel like walking “zombies,” breathing, but with no feelings).
 They find it helpful to ease tension.
 Provides momentary escape from emptiness, depression, and feelings of unreality.
 Helps them get their mind off of the reality that is causing extreme irritability or emotional agony and escape into their own world
 Feelings of relief: When intense feelings build, self-injurers are overwhelmed and are unable to cope. By causing pain, they reduce the level of emotional and physiological arousal to a more bearable one.
 Gives a feeling of euphoria (feeling very happy)
 If they see themselves as a “bad” person, then they may “cut” to confirm the way they feel inside or confirm what negative statements others have said about them. They continue to relive the abusive patterns. (I.e. if they were abused as children and were always told they were “bad,” they may grow up believing it and now act out through “cutting” to punish themselves whenever they do something “bad.”)
 They find a release and relief of their suppressed anger/rage (many self-injurers have enormous amounts of rage within. Afraid to express it outwardly, they injure themselves as a way of venting these feelings.
 Obtaining or maintaining influence over the behavior of others.
 Makes them feel a sense of control over their body where nobody else has say.
 Because of insecurity or low self-esteem, the individual may become dependent on the behavior that made them feel “different” or “unique” from everyone else.
 It helps them cope with feelings of alienation or rejection.

Self-Injury: Part 2
Jose Cano, Counselor, Teen Mania's Honor Academy
June 08, 2005

1. One must acknowledge Christ as our primary source of help through:
Prayer
Word Study and Meditation
(See “Who You Are in Christ” References)
Church Fellowship

2. One must decide to Change their way of coping.
Unless God does a miracle, it would be unrealistic to expect the person to change their habit from one day to the next. God is well able and powerful enough to do so if he wants to, but there are times where he chooses to take a person through the process of change. One thing is certain according to Romans 6:18, he has set us free. The problem is we have allowed the circumstances of our environment (problems) to take control of our minds and we begin to live life through our feelings, instead of the spirit God has put in us. But, it is not unrealistic to say that one CAN change.

3. One must decide to be honest with someone trustworthy.
Talk to them and set accountability. If you go to someone and talk about the urge, it will help you reduce the distress you may be experiencing at the moment. Therefore, begin to build a network of godly friends that you can be honest with. They will support you during the difficult times. Above all, know that God is always there for you.

4. One must set up Accountability.
As you are building your network of friends, you will need to help them help you by instructing them on what you expect from them and how they can be of support to you. If you only want them to lend a listening ear to help you process what you are thinking and feeling, then you will have to let them know. If you want them to ask you specific questions when they see you, then tell them what questions you want them to ask. If you want them to pray for you, simply request it. If in the beginning of your new decision to walk in freedom you need someone to be with you during the moments of temptation, you will need to let them know in advance so they can know what to expect and how to help.

(But remember, this is a battle only you can fight and win with the help of Christ. We can have friends that will help us with emotional support, but you should not place all your dependency on them. Your full dependency should be on Christ alone. The body of Christ is available for us to pray with, confide in, and fellowship with, but remind yourself they are not your Savior, Jesus is. They are there to support and help you through this difficult time in life.)

5. One must put new skills into Practice
In the past, whenever you felt the overwhelming sense of life’s problems, you may have dealt with them through cutting. But, if you want to stop hurting yourself, it will be vital for you to start practicing new coping skills to overcome the urge to injure yourself.

Below is a list of suggestions that might help you to overcome that urge. Please be advised that not all of these suggestions will be helpful to everyone, as not all battles will be the same. So, what is helpful to one person may not necessarily be helpful to someone else.

Review the options with your accountability partner or support team and discuss which ones are helpful to you. As you go through the list and you identify that one of the suggestions actually tempts you rather than help you, then do NOT use that suggestion. Keep in mind that these are only suggestions. Ask the Lord to help you through this process and ask him for supernatural wisdom to help you come up with your own new practices that will help you overcome during temptations. The more you say no to the desires of the flesh, the more you will be satisfied with life through the spirit of God living in you.

During times of Temptation:
Go after your memory verse and read it. It’s time to meditate.
Practice deep breathing (inhale a big breath, and exhale ten times).
Try relaxation techniques by tensing up your body muscles for 8 seconds, then relaxing them for 15. Repeat the exercise in group rotations (legs, arms, upper body). You gain the most of this technique when you incorporate it with your scripture meditation.
Call a friend, your therapist or a crisis line for help.
Try not be alone when you are fighting an urge (visit a friend, go shopping, etc.).
Take a hot bath to help you relax.
Listen to music that you enjoy or relaxes you.
Go for a walk (leave any objects behind).
Write in a journal. (Express your anger, anxiety, stress, etc. Explore for your trigger points. Ask the Lord to reveal to you what is causing you to be tempted to bring harm to yourself.)
Exercise for at least 20 minutes (run, fast-walk, aerobic or anaerobic exercises).
Avoid temptation (i.e. avoiding the area where cutting objects are kept, etc.).

If the temptation is coming at you due to emotional conflict with someone, challenge yourself to approach them in a healthy way making your own feelings known instead of keeping them inside. Ask if they have time to talk and let them know what troubled you and how things can improve.
Yell into a pillow how you feel, but follow up with scriptures from the “Who you are in Christ” list to speak to your inner-man. Remember, we are not to be ruled by our feelings, we must rule our feelings with the Word of Truth.
Go outside and practice breathing technique (10 big breaths, inhale/exhale).
Take up a sport (a form of exercise can help you release tension, etc.).
Work with paint, clay, play-doh, etc. and try to make a sculpture of the tension you are experiencing. It can help you put your words together and give you some idea of what might be the cause of the underlying pain. Once revealed to you, surrender them to the Lord and go the His Word for the truth.
Draw a picture of what or who is making you angry, then pray over that situation and begin to walk towards forgiveness.
Instead of harming yourself, remind yourself that you are God’s temple and He esteems you, therefore you deserve to treat yourself and your body with love and respect. (Speak God’s Word over yourself!)
Go to church for worship or fellowship with others.
Break the object that you use to self-injure as a way to show that you have control over it and it does not have control over you.

If you find unforgiveness or hidden anger towards someone that hurt you a great deal, try writing a letter to the person(s) and express how they made you feel and how they affected your life, but that you choose to forgive them. These letters do not have to be in perfect form and you do not have to cover your hurt, but express it in writing. You do not have to give these letters to the people, but it is a great way to release the feelings that you have been carrying within. After you write the letters, you can decide then what to do with them. Some people find destroying the letters help (i.e. tear them up, throw them in a lake, bury the letter, burn it, etc.). But, it is important that before you destroy it, you go before the Lord in prayer and present the letter(s) to him as an act of surrendering all unforgiveness to him and declaring your new choice to forgive, daily.
Do some household chores (i.e. cleaning, work on the yard, wash your car or someone else’s, etc.) to get your mind off of the urges till the waves of temptation goes away. Remind yourself that the moment is like a wave, it will come, but it will also pass. Just hold on through the temptation.
Do some cooking or baking (be creative with it, invite some friends over and fellowship).
Recite a poem, prayer or anything else familiar that comforts you, multiple times.
Write down all your positive points and why you do not deserve to be hurt. Remind yourself what the Word of God says about you (see Scripture reference sheet).

Write in your journal why you want to hurt yourself and if you have hurt yourself, write down what caused it to happen so in the future you can prevent it from happening again. (Remember, find out what your triggers points are. Where and how does the enemy trick you into falling? What thoughts or mental whispers do you hear during these times of temptation? Write them down and you’ll begin to see the strategy the enemy uses against you.)

Scripture meditation. Memorize the Word of God (see scripture hand-out).
Allow yourself to cry. Getting the tears out can promote healing. It allows the inside to release, as opposed to self-abuse. Picture your "hurts" pouring out as you cry before the Lord.
Take a shower.

Sing a song or write out what you are feeling as a prayer to God. Let the words just come out of you. The book of Psalms has plenty of examples.
Make a list of reasons why you are going to stop cutting. Every time you get the urge, read the list to remind yourself why you shouldn't. Also remember to put on that list that you do not deserve to hurt yourself. You are important, significant, and you do not deserve to be hurt.

Sometimes, even when you try your new skills, it may still feel like you are not advancing. These moments of desperation are understandable and not uncommon. But you must remember that God is faithful to His Word and that you must continue to stand up and try again, no matter what. The key is to immediately stand up after a “fall” and try again. They temptations will come and go. The more you deny the temptation, the easier it will become to say “no” because the stronger you are becoming in saying “yes” to your freedom and your new way of life.

The Bible tells us that we must resist the devil and he will flee! But, as you may already know, it seems the devil will try to come back and try to tempt you again later. It’s during these times of temptations that the fight may feel overwhelming. Don’t give up! Run to God, share with your support system, and continue to put on the “new man” and try again. You will overcome because you already are an over-comer through Jesus Christ. Remember, God’s help and grace is there to help you overcome your greatest temptation.

Now, it’s also important to take advantage of these moments to focus on what pain your heart is feeling. The following questions may be of help for you as you begin to allow the Lord to search your heart and identify the root of the problem. Take time to answer them honestly to yourself. No one has to see your answers unless you want to discuss them with someone for feedback. Do not allow the “urge” to control you, before you explore the urge. Answer the following questions to help you investigate what is going on internally.

Is there a deeper root you are trying to deal with? It’s important for you to think about what your urge to hurt yourself is "saying" about your feelings and your life. This will give you clues about problems you need to face and work on. Eventually, it will be most beneficial for you to find a friend you can trust and share your deep thoughts with them about this internal struggle and what root lies behind it. You can also seek out the help of a professional counselor to help you process these questions.

Starting with the Basics
Have I put my “new skills” into practice faithfully?
Why do I feel I need to hurt myself? What has brought me to this point?
Have I been here before? What did I do to deal with it? How did I feel then?
What have I done to ease this discomfort so far? What else can I do that won't hurt me?
What word(s) would I use to describe the feeling(s) I am experiencing right now?
What do I tell myself or what do I hear my mind telling me during these times of struggle?
What am I trying to say through my wounds?
What does the pain I inflict on the outside say about the pain I feel in the inside?
How do I feel about myself right now?
How will I feel when I am hurting myself? (satisfied, angry, pleasure, guilty, etc.)
How will I feel after I hurt myself? (satisfied, angry, pleasure, guilty, etc.) Was it worth it?
How will I feel tomorrow morning? (satisfied, angry, pleasure, guilty, etc.)
How can I avoid this stressor or deal with it better in the future?
Do I really need to hurt myself or is there something different I could have done to deal with my emotional pain?
How close or distant do I feel God before I hurt myself?
How close or distant do I feel God after I hurt myself?
What do I think Jesus feels about me hurting myself?
What does he want me to remember during my times of temptation?
How will I feel if I don’t resist the temptation?
How will I feel if I actually overcome this wave of temptation?

Self-Injury Part 3: For Those Desiring to Help
What can you do to help someone dealing with self-injury
June 20, 2005

The decision to stop “Cutting” is not an easy one to make for the person that has fallen dependent upon it. Yet, in order for them to be successful, the decision needs to come from the person that struggles with it. The individual has to own the personal decision in order for change to start taking place. There is hope and a new way of living but the individual has to declare his/her own right to walk in freedom.

As this decision is made, it is beneficial for the individual to set him/herself up to win. It will be a good idea to establish new boundaries and set guidelines to help the young person when they face temptations that will want to lead them to old behavior.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4 to “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires” and to “be made new in the attitude of your minds.” It is up to us to make a personal decision to leave the old habits behind and start practicing new ones. We are responsible to renew our minds, according to Romans 12:2. We must put aside the old nature and start living in our new nature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

In Him there is hope, life, and a new beginning. Therefore, it is vital to prepare our mind for action through His Word, but we also need to practice new habits. For this reason, the following proposed checklist has been put together to help such individuals prepare for the journey towards freedom. The person seeking freedom from cutting can ask themselves the following statements and use them as guidelines to ensure that a plan has been put in place. The better the plan of action is, the better equipped the person will be to face and stand up against the storms of life.

Review the following questions and use it to help you or the person struggling to put something together that would work best for them. It is a means to give you an idea of what a plan should look like and perhaps spark personal creativity to adjust your plan according to your specific needs.

Start by taking sometime to seriously think about what you want to achieve. Go before the Lord in prayer and ask him to search your heart. Psalms 139:23 says “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” There are many unanswered questions that tend to drive us to confusion and hopelessness. But, the truth is, we have Christ, the hope of glory to help us through these difficult times.

As you seek the Lord through prayer, ask him to help you see what the future would look like for you if you overcame this habit? How would you feel about yourself if you didn’t act out anymore? How would you see yourself different? What would be the benefits of you walking in your freedom? Pay attention to what God’s Word says about you and all the questions you ask Him (review the scripture sheet provided). God desires for you to live a life of purpose, joy, fulfillment, and peace. Things will not always be perfect, but you can rely on God to give you His strength and face any storm in life. If you choose to believe this, then you are ready to formulate a plan.

A plan is established when you want to improve or change something about yourself because you choose to believe there is something better to obtain. So, ask yourself, “What plan do I have in place for myself?” “If I am going to overcome this, what needs to change in my life?” “What things do I need to do?”, “Who do I want to bring into my support system to help me through this?”, “How will I be strengthening my inner-man in order to be able to control my emotions?” Next, write it out on a piece of paper and point out specifics, avoiding general statements, such as, “When I’m tempted, I will call someone”. Your plan will be more successful and strategic if you were to say, “When I’m tempted, I will call Lisa at the following telephone numbers…” Use the following questions to help secure a solid plan.

Securing a Plan of Action
 Have I made a personal decision to stop hurting myself?
 Have I chosen to surrender my desires to “cut” to the Lord and allow Him to help me through this process?
 Have I told at least two other people that I am going to stop hurting myself and have asked them to hold me accountable? (I will consider them my accountability group.)
 Have I discussed with my accountability group what I need and expect from them as I walk through this journey? Are they aware of what they need to do, say, act, or hold me accountable to, whenever I am being tempted?
 Have I established how many times I will meet or “check in” with my support system (accountability partner[s]) during my journey?
 Have I made a decision to confess and not hide my temptations and/or sins to God and my accountability group? (James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed”)
 When being tempted, have I decided to seek out help beforehand while I still have spiritual strength and not wait until it’s too late when I am weak?
 Clean House: Have I collected all my “cutting” objects and have disposed of them myself or have given them to my accountability support system?
 Have I built or started working on building a solid emotional support system of friends, family, and/or professionals that I can use if I feel like hurting myself?
 Do I have at least two people in my life that I can call or visit if I ever want to hurt myself? I have their home or cell phone numbers handy?
 Have I put together a list of at least ten things I can do to wait out the wave of temptation instead of hurting myself?
 Do I have a list of places to go if I need to have to leave my house in order to not hurt myself?
 Have I thought of not putting myself in situations that will cause me to be tempted to cutting? If so, what are my boundaries?
 Am I committed to being honest and open about my feelings with my accountability group and not withhold the truth from them?
 As an exercise to work on expressing my feelings, will I journal (i.e. twice a week) how and what I “felt” that particular day, then, identify if that “feeling” helped me stay strong in my walk or if it tempted me to hurt myself? Will I practice sharing my “feelings” with my support system?
 Am I willing to feel uncomfortable, frustrated, and angry but approach it with God’s word and accept His Truth? (See “Who I Am In Christ” Scripture list)
 Have I made a decision to not “quit” but to persevere no matter how tough it may get because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?
 Have I committed to not call myself “bad” names or “label” myself with negative thoughts, especially when I make mistakes? Instead, I will confess, declare, and accept the truth of God over me through His Word. (Use scripture sheet.)
 Do I commit to declare and accept my FREEDOM in Christ, no matter how long it takes me to walk in it? Will I make a decision to be patient with myself, as Christ is patient with me?
 Will I devote sometime to take care of myself, enjoy walks, practice favorite hobbies, listen to music, read spiritual books, journal, etc. as I need it to relax?
 Have I accept the fact that I am not perfect, but my faith is being perfected through Christ?
 Have I committed to daily put effort in acknowledging God as my supreme help for the day through prayer, bible reading, meditation & memorization of scripture, worship, or devotional readings?


In Conclusion
For those of you that know of a loved one that is struggling or you suspect is struggling with “cutting,” first of all, thank you for taking the time to trying to understand what this is all about. I know it can be confusing, as well as frightening when one does not fully comprehend this behavior. But, keep in mind that this behavior is nothing new. It has only been more silently kept because of the guilt and shame it carries.
Therefore, if someone comes to you, it is important that you do not overreact to their confession in a way that will intensify their assumptions of being “rejected.” They are people deeply hurting that may not know how to deal with their presenting life problems.

Be a listener, as that is what they need the most at first. Yes, hearing how someone hurt themselves in this manner can be shocking and disturbing to you, but do not let your personal emotions make them feel “less than” for not knowing what else to do. Try to keep seeing the person in pain behind the injuries. The most precious thing you can offer them is a real extension of Christ’s love in the midst of their struggle. Let them know you do not see them as “weird” or “abnormal”, but rather as a real person with real hurting emotions. Let your friend know you understand that self-injury has become a means in which to help him/her cope with their internal pain. He/She is not "bad" or "mad" for doing it. They just simply need assurance that things can get better and that there are other means in which they can deal with life problems without hurting themselves.

You could invite them to talk about their feelings by using some of the questions noted above to help them think through the process and understand why they “cut.” Is it anger? are they depressed? Do they feel no one cares about them? Do they feel they are “bad” people? Where is God? At first, they may not have many answers to your questions because they’ve never thought about it. Be encouraged, progress is taking place if they are opening up to you and if you are listening to them. They are opening a doorway to their heart.

Be very careful to walk with care and sensitivity, and mostly, walk in the love of Christ. If you feel comfortable and if the situation is proper and you are allowed to do follow up, then you may consider letting them know that you are willing to listen some more and invite them to youth group, church, prayer gatherings, etc. and you can talk some more afterwards. Help them through the process as much as you can. And, be willing to discuss with the young person a referral to a Christian professional if you feel more help is needed in the support system. Explain that you are not giving up on them and/or “passing them on” to someone else. Rather, you want to help them with establishing and building a solid support system to join you in the effort of securing their freedom from cutting.

Keep in mind that walking through this journey may be a “process” for some and not an overnight recovery, necessarily. We do not limit Christ’s power to such, but if Christ chooses to take them through a process instead, then we are to be there for them to be his extension of love and patience. Help them stay strong and never give up as God never gives up on us. Pray with them, encourage them, praise them, support them, speak life into them, for he already took our sorrow, pain, and punishment to the cross and he has set us “free.” Above all and through it all, let them see Christ in you, the hope of glory!


Who Am I in Christ Scriptures
 I am born again…through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23)
 I am a child of God (John 1:12)
 I am saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)
 I am loved by God and he gave his one and only Son for me (John 3:16)
 I am a new creation in Christ; the old has gone and the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 I have peace with God (Romans 5:1)
 The Holy Spirit lives in me (1 Corinthians 3:16)
 I have access to God's wisdom (James 1:5)
 I am helped by God (Hebrews 4:16)
 I am reconciled to God (Romans 5:11)
 I am not condemned by God (Romans 8:1)
 I am justified (Romans 5:1)
 I have Christ's righteousness (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
 I am Christ's ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20)
 I am completely forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
 I am tenderly loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3)
 I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
 I am a temple in which God dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16)
 I am blameless and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22)
 I am the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)
 I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)
 I am a branch on Christ's vine (John 15:1,5)
 I am Christ's friend (John 15:5)
 I am chosen by Christ to bear fruit (John 15:16)
 I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him (Romans 8:17)
 I am united to the Lord, one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17)
 I am a member of Christ's body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
 I am a saint (Ephesians 1:1)
 I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
 I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12)
 I am a child of the light (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
 I am holy, and I share in God's heavenly calling (Hebrews 3:1)
 I am sanctified (Hebrews 2:11)
 I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5)
 I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession and created to sing his praises (1 Peter 2:9-10)
 I am firmly rooted and built up in Christ (Colossians 2:7)
 I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
 I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)
 I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
 I have been rescued from Satan's domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13)
 I have been made complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)
 I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
 I have been given great and precious promises by God (2 Peter 1:4)
 My needs are met by God (Philippians 4:19)
 I am a prince (princess) in God's kingdom (John 1:12; 1 Timothy 6:15)
 I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
 I have been adopted as God's child (Ephesians 1:5)
 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)
 I am assured that all things are working together for good (Romans 8:28)
 I am free from any condemning charges against me (Romans 8:31f)
 I cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35f)
 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)
 I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected (Philippians 1:6)
 I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
 I am a personal witness of Christ's (Acts 1:8)
 I am God's coworker (2 Corinthians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 3:9)
 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 2:6)
 I am God's workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
 I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength I need (Philippians 4:13)



References/Bibliography
www.self-injury.org
http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html
www.users.zetnet.co.uk/BCSW/leaflets/womensa.htm
“Mirror, Mirror” by Colleen Thompson (1996)
“The Final Freedom” by Doug Weiss (1998)
“Hypnosis With Self-Cutters” article by Malon and Berardi (1987)

Read youth culture news, youth ministry articles, and join the fight for America’s young people at http://www.battlecry.com

November 2005

Hi All,

While the newsletters are usually designed for the youth, there are times like this month where I feel led to talk to the parents. I would encourage everyone to read this, it is that important. Over the past month I have come to realize that being a teenager today is very different than when I was one. I think that I already knew this, but it has finally sunk in. If you asked most adults they would say that teens have the same troubles today as they always have. That is a very broad statement. It implies that teenagers 100, 200, or more years ago went through the same things.

Puberty Adulthood (as defined by culture) Duration
Pre-1900 14.5 16 1.5
1900-1970 13 18 5
Today 11.7 Mid-20’s 15+

Resource: Youth Specialties the Core 2005

In just over 100 years time the age at which kids reach puberty has gone down from 14.5 to 11.7 years of age, nearly a 3 year change. In that same time the age at which our culture defines someone as having reached adulthood has gone from 16 to mid-20’s, a change of nearly 10 years. Because of this our culture has created a whole new period in our lives typically called adolescence. What happened? We quit teaching our kids what they needed to learn. I do realize that I just painted with a really broad stroke and that not all parents do this to their kids.

I have to admit, I am learning a lot about this, especially from the Thursday afternoon high school Bible study. For example, did you know that teachers are grading papers in purple so they do not hurt anyone’s self-esteem? How about the fact that in sports for younger kids, scores are no longer being kept that way there are no winners or losers and everyone’s self-esteem is maintained. At what point are these kids going to learn how to deal with rejection? If a child never learns to deal with rejection it most likely will not take much for them to get depressed. Once depressed what is to stop them from trying to relieve that pain? Nothing, in fact many kids are now “cutting.” What is that? It is a form of self-injury that kids are using in an effort to escape the pain they are in. There is a wonderful 3-part article on Battle Cry.com. The following is just an excerpt from this article:
Methods of Cutting
There are different ways the individual will satisfy the need to self-injure. The most common practice is “cutting” with the use of razor blades, broken glass, or even writing utensils. Anything that is sharp in nature could end up in the hands of a “cutter” to serve this purpose. Although cutting has been found to be the most common type of self-injury, other actions such as burning and head banging can follow suit. Other methods include self-punching, biting, skin picking or carving, interference with wound healing (re-opening wounds), hair pulling, or needle sticking, but not only limited to these.

This behavior often occurs sporadically and repetitively. Oftentimes, it develops an “addictive” cycle and becomes an overwhelming preoccupation for some people. Both in clinical studies and informal surveys, it was found that the most popular areas of the body to inflict the injuries were wrists, arms, and inner thighs.
Read youth culture news, youth ministry articles, and join the fight for America’s young people at http://www.battlecry.com
To understand it more fully please go to the Battle Cry.com website and read the entire article. If you do not have access to the Internet or if you would like a printed copy, let me know and I will get it to you.

Does that sound like anyone you know? Maybe, maybe not. After you read the article you may think of one or more kids that could be having this trouble. This is a critical time in the lives of the youth everywhere and we, as adults need to recognize what is going on and do something about it.

Because of Him,

Terry and Diane

A conversation with God
Hi. As I was about to begin I realized that someone who is reading this may be ready to give their life to you, so my conversation with you is for them. God, I want so much to be free of my sin, to no longer feel the pain that I feel. I know that you sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and that even if I were to be the only person to every know and understand, You would have still sent Him. I know that I may stumble and fall, but I know You will pick me up and that by Your grace I am forgiven. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

If you just had this conversation with God, please share this with a Christian friend or pastor. If are not already attending a church it is our desire for you to find a local church where you can worship and grow in your faith.

We would love to hear about your decision to accept and follow Jesus. Please contact us at one of the following:
Hus Church, 2808 Schaeffer Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-363-0067
huschurch@huschurch.org

“9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:9-13 NIV