Upside Down Parent Cue (Week Two)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

(Matthew 5:1-10)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

Week Two:  Inverted Reality

Last will be first. Give to receive. Lose to gain. People who mourn are blessed. All statements Jesus made, yet they seem so opposite from how our world functions and even how we are wired, don’t they? But the kingdom of God is upside down compared to the kingdoms we seek to establish. The life Christ calls us to counters every natural and selfish inclination we have, but His way, His kingdom, is far better than anything we could have in mind. And when we surrender to God’s kingdom, we begin to live this upside down life that somehow brings more fulfillment, more peace, more satisfaction than the reality we live in every day.   

 

Parent Cue
How is God’s kingdom the opposite of how the world operates?  Use this question to brainstorm together how this world works and how God's kingdom is different.  This question might be easier to talk about because it doesn't talk about the specifics of our lives.  They talk about the world in general terms. So if you've always skipped asking deeper questions with your student this is a great question to start with that could get the conversation going.  

Action Point
As we talk about God's Kingdom as an upside down kingdom, a great next step for you and your student would be to attend a showing of "58: The Film".  We are showing this film at Jacob's Well on Sunday, April 29th and on Wednesday, May 2nd.  thePULSE will show the film to the High Schoolers and theEDGE will show the film to the Middle Schoolers.  This will be a great discussion starter for you and your family to begin talking about how we can live in God's Kingdom.  Check it out at www.live58.org

Meet theEDGE Leaders (Tessa and Kristin)

Meet theEDGE Leaders is an opportunity for you as parents to get to know the other adults in your students lives. This week, meet Kristin and Tessa, two of our 6th grade girls small group leaders.

I grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, WI and started attending UWEC in 2007.  I graduated in December (wahoo!)  with a degree in Choral Music Education.  Currently I teach elementary music at Meadowview Elementary in Eau Claire.  I started following Christ in college and got involved with J-Well right away.  Next year I'm interning with Here's Life Inner City and am in the process of being placed in a city.  Ideally I will be helping churches to start after school programs in their urban neighborhoods and finding a way to incorporate music however I can.  I am excited (and a little scared) to start this new adventure!  P.S. Let me know if you would be interested in financially supporting me :)

    

I started serving at the EDGE this fall when I was student teaching at Delong Middle School.  I thought it would be a unique way to get to know my students and to share the gospel with them!  It's my hope that your students would have a real and meaningful walk with Jesus.  I believe that young people filled with the Spirit can shape their cultures for the sake of Christ, and revolutionize their generations others for the Glory of God.  It is a blessing to work with your students in small group and through leading worship!

A cool story from my time with the Edge is from when we were studying the 10 commandments.  Our group was discussing how we can honor our parents, and I was going home that weekend to talk to my parents about interning with Here's Life Inner City.  I'm the only believer in my immediate family, so I imagined a lot of really horrible worst-case scenarios!  I shared with our group that I wanted to honor my parents while still making it clear that I was going to do what the Lord was calling me to do.  Our middle school students proceeded to give ME advice on how to talk to my parents!  It was awesome!  It felt like a promise from God that it was all going to be ok.  God truly does use the weak to lead the strong.  So- be encouraged.  Even if your children don't act like they listen or know what is going on, they listen and file it away.  One day when they are mature enough, they will remember your advice.

Hello! I'm Tessa Maki, and I'm privileged to co-lead a wonderful group of 6th grade ladies with Kristin. By day I'm an eLearning Specialist (a.k.a. creator of online training) at RCU. By night I'm a reading, relaxing, non-cooking, strategy game playing wife to Ryan (my super awesome husband of 7.5 years). We live in Eau Claire with our pet bunny, Doozer. We have no kids of our own yet, so I figured I'd come hang out with yours one night a week.

I love serving at theEDGE because it's been a great opportunity for God to expand my comfort zone. (In the past I've been a behind the scenes kind of gal, usually serving in ways that involved stamps and licking envelopes.) I only joined up three months ago, but so far it's been a wonderful experience!

Watching the girls in our group develop friendships and grow in their faith has been quite amazing. Just this week I was blessed by their insight as a discussion about God's will conflicting with our own turned to the story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. They came up with this example all on their own and the conversation that followed showed how much they already understand at a young age. Thank you for letting us be a part of their journey!

Ask your student who their small group leaders are and what they think of them. Do you have any stories about how a small group leader has impacted your child's life? Share it in the comment section below.

Upside Down Parent Cue (Week One)

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done as earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

Series Overview

In the Upside Down series, we are going to look at something Jesus talked a lot about—the kingdom of God. Many of the people who heard His message firsthand thought that He was talking about a kingdom where Jesus would be in political power, and that their lives would be easier than their present circumstances under Roman rule. But Jesus was talking about something bigger than that—a kingdom where His desire for broken things to be restored is met. Jesus was talking about ushering in an upside down kingdom.

Week One:  Collision

When we’re talking about our lives, most of us wouldn’t think in terms of “kingdoms.” But the reality is that each one of us has one. We have some area of our lives where we rule and reign. A kingdom may be as vast as a school, team or group. Or it may be as small as your bedroom or your cell phone. There’s a place in your life where you are in complete control and really don’t care what anyone else thinks or wants. The problem is, when we live with only our kingdom in mind we often end up doing a lot more damage than good. But in Christ’s kingdom, His desire is for restoration and as difficult as it can sometimes be to allow His kingdom to reign, there is only room for one kingdom and one king.

 

Parent Cue
What are some of the characteristics of our Kingdoms where we are rulers? How do we try to control it instead of surrendering to God's Kingdom?  This exercise is meant for you and your child to share together not just for you to ask your child.  This may not come naturally or easily, but as you stumble through it together, keep in mind that your vulnerability is one of the most effective tools in furthering your child’s personal spiritual journey.

Action Point
As we talk about God's Kingdom as an upside down kingdom, a great next step for you and your student would be to attend a showing of "58: The Film".  We are showing this film at Jacob's Well on Sunday, April 29th and on Wednesday, May 2nd.  thePULSE will show the film to the High Schoolers and theEDGE will show the film to the Middle Schoolers.  This will be a great discussion starter for you and your family to begin talking about how we can live in God's Kingdom.  Check it out at www.live58.org

IMPORTANT: Appreciate theEDGE Leaders!!

There are close to 40 adults that serve at theEDGE as youth leaders.  They commit to serve, love, and care for your student as they walk with them on their journey.  These 40 people are the "other" adults in your student's life that are impacting your student's life as a mentor, leader, and friend.  We are approaching the last couple of months of this school year and I need your help to show them how much they matter as youth leaders.  Here's what you can do to help show your appreciation for our youth leaders.

1.  Send an Appreciation Card.  If you know your child's small group leaders, send them a card or email to thank them and tell them how much you appreciate them and all that they do to partner with you in helping your child take their next steps.  If you need an address or email address let Paul know.

2.  Share a Story or Message of Encouragement.  We are creating an appreciation video.  If you'd like to share a story or message with our leaders we are capturing stories on video before and after youth group this week from 6pm-6:30pm and from 8pm to 8:30pm in our video room (at the very end of the waterworks hallway).  If you can't make this taping and want to share your story or message let Paul know.

3.  Help Edit Video. If you can edit video, we are looking for people to edit the video footage that we have for this leadership appreciation video. 

4.  Help with the Leadership Appreciation Dinner.  If you are available on Monday, May 7th we are serving an appreciation dinner for our leaders and we need your help with setup, teardown, serving food, helping with childcare, and other stuff. 

 If you can help out with any of these ways to show your appreciation email Paul at paulbehnke@jacobswellec.org

If you missed our previous "Meet theEDGE Leaders" posts.  Then click on the following link to meet some of our awesome leaders.  Meet theEDGE Leaders

Lost in Translation Parent Cue (Week 3)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.  

Week Three:  Micah 6:8 Review

Almost two months ago, we studied Micah 6:8 and as a result we began raising money to buy soccer balls to send to Africa.  This became our Micah 6:8 Challenge (read more here).  Over the course of two weeks we raised almost $900.  Then we purchased soccer balls and sent them with Maddy, one of our 8th Graders (pictured center).  This week Maddie is going to share with us her experience in Ghana, and what our sacrifice meant for the kids there.  Here are a couple pictures from Maddy's trip.

Parent Cue

This week dialogue with your student about the following questions.

1. What is one sacrifice you've made that made a difference in someone's life?

2. What is one experience that you'll never forget and how did it change your life?

3.  Who is one person that you've met that you'll never forget and how did they change your life?

 

This exercise is meant for you and your child to share together not just for you to ask your child.  This may not come naturally or easily, but as you stumble through it together, keep in mind that your vulnerability is one of the most effective tools in furthering your child’s personal spiritual journey. 

Meet theEDGE Leaders (Joy and Jen)

Meet theEDGE Leaders is an opportunity for you as parents to get to know the other adults in your students lives. This week, meet Joy and Jen, two of our 8th grade girls small group leaders.

My name is Joy Gulotta.  Currently I work as a customer service representative for a continuing education company.  I have been coming to Jacob's Well for almost ten years and have been working with theEDGE for the past three years--I love both very much!  I recently became engaged to the man of my dreams and fellow youth leader, Jordan Hurlburt (bio here) and am currently working on planning my wedding for this fall.

I love the energy and sincerity of the students at theEDGE.  I also feel that middle school is a pivotal time for these students.  They are no longer children, but not yet adults.  They are beginning to discover who they are and how they fit into the world.  Its so important that they establish a strong foundation of who they are in Christ and decide who he is to them before they enter high school when peer pressure and conflicting religious views will hit them full force.  I am so privileged to be a part of this journey with them.

I have the privilege of working with the same small group of girls from 6th grade all the way through eighth grade this year.  This year a new girl started coming to theEDGE and joined our small group.  At first she was very quiet and distant.  However, as the year has progressed it has been so encouraging and exciting to watch her make connections with the other girls in the group and open up.  At first her parents were encouraging her to come, but now its clear that she genuinely enjoys being at theEDGE! All I can say is, "Praise God!"

 

Hi! I'm Jen.  Wife to one Chris VanDyke (bio here)and mother to four little VanDykes: Summer Alanna, Ezra and Micah.  First and foremost I am a daughter of Christ and so excited to follow Him as He stretches and strengthens me.  I homeschool our four children; enjoy biking, hiking, and camping in God's amazing creation.  I love to read and enjoy seeking creative ways to simplify my life.

  

I really enjoy serving your children at theEDGE because God has given me a burden for this generation of young who are growing up in such a fast changing environment.  I also LOVE their energy and all the joy and challenges they can bring.  

 

I get to see the fruit of parents who pass on their passion for Jesus in these kids.  I love that!  I am so encouraged by youth that are willing to engage in God's Word - its inspiring!  Thank you parents for stepping beside your children to "fight the good fight and hold on to faith" (1 Timothy 1:18-19).

 

Ask your student who their small group leaders are and what they think of them. Do you have any stories about how a small group leader has impacted your child's life? Share it in the comment section below.

Lost in Translation Parent Cue (Week 2)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.  

Week One:  Save Me

What do you think of when you think of the word salvation?  Salvation is a church word, whose meaning has been "Lost in Translation".  This week we'll take a look at the first time the word was used in the bible and how it was used.  Then we'll take a look at how Salvation is more than just a "get-out-of-hell-free" card, its about how we live our lives.

Parent Cue
This week students will reflect upon their salvation and how they live their life based on their understanding.  Students will spend time reflecting on the following statements.

I have never made a decision about following Jesus! 

Tell God that you need Him, believe He died on the cross and rose again for you, and want to accept His gift of being in heaven with Him one day.  Commit to follow Him daily!

I only use my relationship with God as a "Get-out-of-Hell -free" card. Tell God you want to commit to live your everyday life for Him knowing that He has things for you here and now.

I believe these things about Jesus AND follow Him daily.  Thank God for your salvation.  Tell Him what He means to you and thank Him for what He is doing and will do in your life.

Your cue this week is to spend some time reflecting upon these questions and engaging in conversation first with God, and then with your student about these questions.  This exercise is meant for you and your child to share together not just for you to ask your child.  This may not come naturally or easily, but as you stumble through it together, keep in mind that your vulnerability is one of the most effective tools in furthering your child’s personal spiritual journey. 

 

For more information about this topic, listen to last week's message at Jacob's Well called "The Whole Story."  Click the link to listen!  http://www.jacobswellec.org/#/message-resources

If you or your student have made a real commitment not only to be saved, but to follow Jesus for the rest of your life then Baptism might be your next step.  If you're interested in getting baptized fill out the inquiry form here:  http://www.jacobswellec.org/#/i-want-to/get-baptized

Meet theEDGE Leaders (Anna and Morgan)

Meet theEDGE Leaders is an opportunity for you as parents to get to know the other adults in your students lives. This week, meet Anna and Morgan, two of our 7th grade girls small group leaders.

Hello, this is Morgan.  This is my second year here at theEDGE and I love every  minute of it.  I am currently a sophomore at UWEC.  I am majoring in Elementary Education and Special Education.  I am originally from a small town in southern Wisconsin called Waupun.  I am the oldest of 3 children and I love being with my family.  One random fact about me is that I am terrified of birds.

I love serving at theEDGE becasue of the kids and being able to share the Word of God with them.  I look forward to coming every Wednesday to see the kids and get away from college life for a while.  The 7th grade girls I work with are wonderful and so is my co-leader.  I feel that by being at theEDGE, the children impact my life as much as I impact theirs.  theEDGE is changing lives and it is great to be a part of it.

Hello there friends! My name is Anna and I am a third year nursing student at CVTC.  I hail from Minneapolis, MN.  I have a fascination with penguins and puppies.  I'm getting married this July to a handsome fella named Eric (you met him here) and we enjoy cooking delicious foods and playing cribbage together.  I also love my wonderful family and Cheetos.

I love serving at theEDGE because I am surrounded by awesome people looking to serve God every time I walk through the doors.  The 7th grade girls I get to hang out with every Wednesday are crazy and full of life and they keep me on my toes! I love my 7th grade girls!  Oh! And I have the most wonderful teaching partner! She's always able to help and encourage both me and the girls.

Hey parents, your kids are great!  At times during our small groups we get off track and our girls sometimes drive us up the wall but we've seen their prayer life grow so much this year and its inspiring to listen to them open up and be vulnerable every week.  Thanks for sending us your kids!

Ask your student who their small group leaders are and what they think of them. Do you have any stories about how a small group leader has impacted your child's life? Share it in the comment section below.