WRITING THAT'S REAL, RAW AND RELEVANT FOR YOUNG ADULTS

AND THE WINNER IS ...

02/07/2013

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Fight. Dream. Hope. Love. Les Miserables
I love award show season. I ogled over George Clooney during the Golden Globes, because; well, because I do every year. I’m counting down until Sunday night so I can glue myself to the Grammy’s. And don’t even get me started on the Oscars, but I do hope Les Mis sweeps.
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One of the stunning gowns nominated for Best Costume Design at this year's Academy Awards.
Every year it seems like there are more and more award shows rewarding everything from Best Costume Design at the Academy Awards to Outstanding Performance Under Pressure for an athlete at the Espys.

In our house we give The Goat.

Although not quite as glamorous as a golden statue of a phonograph or a little bald man, The Goat is coveted and treasured in our home. We don’t select special outfits or write speeches in hopes of earning The Goat. Instead, we just try to be good people. And some days that’s easier than others.
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A goat stuffed animal serves as the nightly award at our house.
Each night the recipient of The Goat from the previous night, sneaks into someone else’s room and places The Goat on the winner du jour’s pillow. Whoever is in possession of The Goat can award The Goat to whomever they want for any reason at all. There are no criteria. But, in the past The Goat has been awarded for listening to someone when they’ve been upset. It’s been snuck onto the pillowcase of someone who did somebody else’s chores. Some days The Goat appears in the bed of the person who had the hardest day, who cried and screamed (either literally or figuratively) but needs to be reminded how special they are.

We all love to be recognized for our accomplishments. Whether that’s running the fastest mile at our school or at the Olympics, writing a moving song or a powerful essay, or sometimes just making someone smile.
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You don't have to give someone a golden phonograph to make them feel like a rock star.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. Matthew 5:12

And we all have the ability to reward others for jobs well done. It doesn’t have to be a crystal statue. It can be a cookie (especially if it’s chocolate chip) or a text or a hug. Just something to let someone else know they’re special.

Who can you make feel like a superstar today?
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COURAGEOUS TEENS

09/06/2012

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Book cover of Courageous Teens by Michael Catt and Amy Parker
“We were made to be courageous,” The Casting Crowns belt out in their song. But what does it mean  - to be courageous?

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines courage as mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty

My lovely friend, Amy Parker, co-authored the new book, Courageous Teens (click on the picture to order) with Michael Catt. In the book they delve into not only what it means to be courageous, but also how to attain that courage. I had the pleasure of interviewing them about the challenge to be courageous.

Laura: Courageous Teens focuses on people in the Bible who displayed great courage when it would have been easier to play it safe. Which one of these characters do you most identify with or are most inspired by? Why?

Michael: I think Daniel, especially when thinking of teenagers and the next generation. They are the future of the church, our future leaders, pastors, and missionaries. We need a generation of Daniels if we are going to take back the culture.

Amy: Esther is such a powerful, inspiring role model for women. Here is an orphaned girl who is able to influence an entire kingdom, to save her people, simply because she was brave enough to stand in courage. When I’m faced with a difficult situation, I can hear Mordecai telling Esther, “Maybe you were chosen for such a time as this.”

Laura: In what areas of life do you think teens need to be courageous?

Michael: There is little difference between teens and their parents—it’s the “fear of man” which is “a snare.” Peer pressure, what others think, is it cool, are all subtle forces that cause us to cave in.

Amy: Wow. In every area! We don’t realize it when we’re young, but so many decisions made in our teen years shape the rest of our lives. That’s why it is vital to train and educate teens and young adults to make courageous decisions now. From this point forward, they must learn it’s okay—encouraged, actually!—to make choices that dare to go against the grain of popular society.

Laura: But that can be so difficult. How do you advise teens to stay strong and be brave when it seems like everything is against them?

Michael: Read the Word, get their examples from people that God marked out as Courageous.
    
Amy: In Courageous Teens, we help readers start small, to make one courageous decision today. While Michael and I hope the content will help teens think more courageously in general, we also put that courage to work. After every chapter, we give readers a prompt that helps them decide one thing they can do to apply that chapter’s principle to their lives. Right then and there. By the end of the book, they will have done at least ten courageous actions. Actions become habits. Habits form behavior. Before you know it, you’ve got a whole society of courageous teens, standing strong together, making a better world for us all. “Courage is contagious.”

Laura: The book is divided into four sections; Courageous Faith, Courageous Leadership, Courageous Priorities and Courageous Influence. Which one do you think is most important?

Michael: I don’t know if one is more important than the other. I rather think it’s about the flow. You have to have faith if you are going to be a leader. Leaders set priorities, and those who have faith, lead. Leaders set priorities and are influencers.

Amy: I think they all work hand-in-hand, but you’ve got to start with courageous faith. It has to start within you. From there, you’ll build your priorities and lead and influence others. Each part strengthens the other.

Laura: Where do you find courage?

Michael: From The Word of God, from the indwelling Holy Spirit and from reading the biographies of great men.

Amy: This book was just as much a reminder for me as it is for anyone who reads it. It’s a daily quest. I know that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18 HCSB). And I know where to find that perfect love. But I have to seek it. Every day. Every day I’m faced with something new, something that scares me, and I have to look perfect love in the face before I have the courage to stand up and step over my fears. I remind myself who and what I’m fighting for. I’m not doing this for me. And I’m not doing this alone.

Joshua 1:9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

What one thing can you do today to be Courageous?

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SUPERHEROES

03/16/2012

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The Amazing Spider-Man
Who commands crowds so large, there’s standing room only?

Many people came to the house where he was staying so they could hear him speak. The house was so crowded that there was no room left anywhere. Mark 2

When George Clooney was filming The Ides of March on our college campus, students and townspeople huddled around his trailers in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Hollywood heartthrob. When Dave Matthews played at our University’s arena, the show was sold out in less than an hour, not a single seat left in the house. When our hockey team plays, despite their sleeping bags and overnight vigils, many students are turned away before getting limited, coveted tickets to the games.

“Which do you think is easier to do; heal this man so he can walk again or forgive his sins? But I will show you that I do have the power to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man. “Stand up! Pick up your stretcher and walk!” The man got up at once, picked up his stretcher and walked out in front of the crowd. Mark 2

Who saves people today?

In our childhood imaginations there were Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman who always saved the innocent, locked the bad guys up and restored order to Gotham City or Metropolis. These guys weren’t just heroes, they were SUPER heroes. But they weren’t real.

In reality, we do have people who save lives; doctors, nurses, fire fighters, policemen, EMT’s, soldiers -- who save human kind from tragedy from danger – sometimes they help the lame walk. Often, they save lives. They are heroes. Real life heroes.

They can save our lives. But they cannot save our souls.

“How can this man say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Only God can forgive sins. Mark 2

Only Jesus can do that. He is the ultimate Superhero – saving the innocent, saving us, banishing Satan so he is powerless and restoring order to His people – restoring order to us, when we ask.

Who would you camp out to get a chance to see? Who is your hero?

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