April 2005     "...we must never forget the TRUE measure of success is found in loving God and loving others." Parents are constantly asking, “What can I do to make my teen a success?” Some will stop at nothing to make sure their teen is the best in all aspects of their life. Hundreds of dollars are spent on sports coaches and test prep courses to have the best advantage in life. While perfect SAT scores or the highest batting average are worthwhile goals, we must never forget the TRUE measure of success is found in loving God and loving others. Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) tells us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” How do we help our teens make loving God and loving people a primary measure of success? First, we must teach teens that God is in charge. Countless stories in the Bible and in our own lives show how God can grant success, regardless of how much experience or resources we have. Second, loving God and others should be YOUR measure for success. Who or what you praise and what you strive for will be the most important determining factors for how they define success. Third, loving God and loving people must be modeled in every area of your life. How often does your teen see you studying God’s word? How did you treat the last waiter who messed up your order? Teens will do what they see, not what they hear. Once our families can live out this standard of success, the other practical and more worldly tips for success are just icing on the cake. Hello From Pastor Tim I want to say thank you to all of the people involved in the recent Youth Rally. It was a big success. Two kids indicated that they prayed to accept Christ that night. Hallelujah!!! That's why we have rallies. Another thing that happens at the rallies is that we have a room for parents to talk and pray together for their kids. We are going to have one during the concert on the 24th as well. I'm excited because I'll get to spend some time with the parents due to the fact that I won't have to be on the stage all the time. Some of the feedback that I got from the parents was that it was nice to spend time with others in the church who were dealing with the same issues: kids beginning to drive, helping kids make the grade, etc. Most of all parents reported that they felt very positive about praying for the teens of this community with one another. Please join us on the 24th! Tim The YMCA did a study that asked parents how important these issues were in determining how successful their teen would be in life. Earning a lot money, is this…? 20% - Extremely important 54% - Somewhat important 22% - Not very important 3% - Not at all important 1% - No response (ymca.com) Status and position of your job, is this…? 37% - Extremely important 47% - Somewhat important 11% - Not very important 4% - Not at all important 1% - No response (ymca.com)

	Success is very important to teens today. There is so much pressure to define success in the wrong way. Here are some discussion questions to help your teen determine what true success is. 1. What makes a person successful by the world's standards? Why do you think success is defined this way? 2. Do you think the world's standard of success is good or bad? Why? When do these standards become a danger to teens and adults? 3. What makes a person successful by God's standards? How do you know this? Why is it so hard to follow through on God's definition of success? 4. Who would you say is the most successful person in your life? What in their life makes them that way?		Pray that: 1. God will help you as a parent to model a life that truly loves God and loves people. 2. God will give you wisdom and discernment when it comes to setting personal and family goals of "success." 3. God will teach your teen that while outward accomplishments are good, the true measure of success is how you treat others and relying on God to reach that outcome. 4. God will protect your teen when they fail, and that He will teach them through the tough times. 5. Your teen would develop healthy patterns now to help them reach the goals that God puts on their hearts. Parent Resources on the Internet I have redesigned the youth portion of the web site. www.fbcpeshtigo.com/Youth. The part I want to tell you about is the link for parents. It has all of the back issues of the Parent Link available. Just click on the topic and it will take you to that issue. I want to take this opportunity to re-tell you that I'm on your team as you seek to raise your sons and daughters to love Jesus. Both Jr. High and Sr. High are doing a series on Friendship in SS. Some parents feel threatened by the friends their kids choose. This is a very important topic for the kids as they face the daily pressures of finding, keeping and developing their friendships. I believe that this series is one that all of the teens should be a part of (and take notes on). Send your kid with something to write with and write on! Thanks for the work you do, the effort you give, and the struggle you put up with. Tim
	Did you know... * Parents overwhelmingly named relatives as the people they seek out first for advice about parenting, especially those who have raised successful children. (parenting.umn.edu) * A whopping 70 percent confessed that they have no clue about what goals they should set for their kids. (oprah.com) * A recent Gallup youth survey found that 67% of teens said, "My motivation comes from within." The other 32% said, "I need someone to motivate me." (gallup.com) * 25 percent of parents said that their primary goal was to create a teen who would stay out of trouble, and 5 percent said they had goals, but only vague ones like wanting their children to be happy. (oprah.com)

	This page is designed to inform and educate parents and is not meant to endorse any product, music or movie. Our prayer is that you will make informed decisions on what your student listens to, wears and sees.
	Souljahz consists of siblings Joshu’a, Je’kob, and Rachael Washington who opted to pursue musical careers in light of basketball scholarships and award winning dancing. They established themselves on the Southern California music scene by appearing at local churches. They released a CD early on and their music was on MTV and the ASCAP compilation The Ear. Their music is said to have “an uncompromised message of hard-won hope and high ideals.” “’The Fault is History’ paints an honest portrait of today's world even as it celebrates the faith, hope and love that can transform that world.” thesouljahz.com According to about.com the following trends are best left in 2004... *Trucker Hats: Don't be a fashion victum? *Jelly Bags: No one wants to see what's in your bag anymore. *Script Tees: Tees with sayings/logos are last year. This year it's about you, not what your shirt says. *Dirty Jeans: But destroyed is in!		Albums: "O" - 2/2005 Background: Omarion first made his mark as the lead singer of R&B's multi-platinum quartet B2K. He was born and raised in California and joined B2K at the age of 15. The group's debut album contained several #1 hits and launched them into the spotlight. "The group captured cross over appeal, an entire generation of loyal fans and even a coveted co-headlining slot on the infamous 'Scream' Tours." After a rough split, Omarion went solo and took much of that popularity with him. His debut album, "O", sold over 182,000 copies the first week and landed the number one spot on the Billboard charts. Omarion's other accomplishments include TV and movie appearances and an autobiography. (sonicnet.com) Potential Controversy: "O" is full of sexual innuendos using both slang and direct terms ("O", "Touch", "Take it Off" to name a few of these songs). The album also contains over 12 uses of foul language. Parent/Teen Q&A: Omarion says, "Caring people don't watch out for other people enough. We need to be there for each other." Q: Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? What specific ways do you "watch out" for your friends or family?
	Romantic comedy to old-school horror...make sure you know what your teens are watching. TITLE RATING RED FLAGS GENRE STARRING Sahara PG-13 For action violence Action/Adventure Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, Steven Zahn The Amityville Horror R For violence and terror, sexuality, language, and brief drug use Horror/Suspense Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Philip Baker Hall A Lot Like Love PG-13 For sexual content, nudity, and language Drama/Romance Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peete

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday           1 Pastor Tim tries to convince himself that the phone call from the girl from High School was an April Fools joke but is unsuccessful. 2 Cafe night from 7:00 - 9:00 PM 3 Work Camp Meeting During Food Fun and Fellowship at the Church. Video Ministry Meets after FFF-3:30. 4 Due to the contents of the phone call with the girl from high school, Pastor Tim stops taking care of his personal hygiene. 5   6 Small Groups at Church the Selness' and in Pound. 7   8   9 Youth Leadership Training 9 AM - 12 PM. Lunch Provided. 10   11 Pastor Tim can't stand the smell of himself, takes a bath and recovers from depression. 12 Youth Council Meeting. 13 Small Groups at Church the Selness' and in Pound. 14   15   16 Cafe night from 7:00 - 9:00 PM 17   18   19   20 Small Groups at Church the Selness' and in Pound. 21   22   23   24 Concert with Spoken, Staple, Kids in the Way and Last Tuesday. 6-9pm. 25   26   27 Small Groups at Church the Selness' and in Pound. 28   29   30

Gail is going to be needing the names of all of the Seniors that are graduating for our graduation day. mail@fbcpeshtigo.com