Jaime Gillett Story & Baptism from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

De-Sailly Otieno Story and Baptism from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

Jenny Coleman Story and Baptism from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

Brandon Williams Baptism & Testimony from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

Michael Kemsley from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

On her sixteenth birthday, her father writes these words:

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. From now on you’ll be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey.”

Anne Hathaway’s journey to the Academy Awards notwithstanding, the Prince’s counsel is royally good.

Almost every girl dreams of becoming a princess and nearly every boy hopes to be a superhero. We all want to be part of a bigger story, something that matters. To do that doesn’t mean we need to be royalty or part of the Justice League, but it might require that we find some heroic qualities in our everyday lives.

That’s why I like the advice above. As a parent or a leader, this attitude is something that we need to cultivate in the hearts of our kids. Everything in their future is somewhat unpredictable. There will be moments they are uncertain about their choices, friends, health, and finances. Living can just be scary sometimes. We’re not asking our kids to never be afraid. We need to hand them a belief that fear can be conquered, and that the key to living is pushing through the difficult moments with courage to do the right thing, or in some cases to simply keep moving.

Like I said, we don’t have to be royalty to understand this. On the other hand, it doesn’t hurt either! Consider King David, who wrote this about courage in the face of fear: “When I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). He had plenty of reasons to be afraid. He wrote those words on the run, during the in-between time of strumming in Saul’s court and running from Saul’s spear. He wasn’t running to safety. He was running to trouble. To Gath. The Gath of Goliath. Whatever the opposite of a welcoming party is, that’s what awaited David.

In the midst of giants, he prayed this prayer to God: “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

David found courage in some unlikely places. In a few small stones. In a few loyal followers. In a faith in God that was stronger than any spear, stone or sword.

That’s why I think David was kind of like Batman. (Stay with me here….) Have you ever noticed that Batman doesn’t have any real superpowers? He’s got creativity, a fancy batsuit and that really cool car. He also has a courageous compassion for others.

David didn’t have the Batmobile, or any superpowers, but he had what mattered. He was just an ordinary person, who had the courage to trust his extraordinary God on the road between who he was and who he knew God wanted him to be.

What experiences have your kids faced where you have been able to clearly communicate the idea of courage in the face of fear?

For some practical ideas on teaching courage, our virtue of the month, watch the video below:

VIRTUE VIDEO: COURAGE (March 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

by Reggie Joiner from www.orangeparents.org

I wish I could come to every single one of you who has volunteered in 2010, and give you a bear hug and a huge sloppy kiss. You make Southpoint happen! Everyone who walks into our environments, whether it be UpStreet, Waumba Land, Main Service or InsideOut is immediately impressed by what you have done. Your hard work in creating the environments sets them up to listen attentively to the message of the gospel of Jesus that is life changing! (I refer you to our previous blog to hear and see again some of the great things God has done in people’s lives).

I spoke to a lady who came for the first time two Sundays back and returned this last week and she said that she and her 20 year old son walked in to our Sunday morning environment for the first time and both began crying… there was just something about the environment that touched their hearts and gave them a sense of God and his love as soon as they walked in.

A long time before the band begins and a long long time before the sermon starts, new people have already had their hearts affected by what you do!! You may think you only do a little job, but it is huge and the end result is eternal! I especially want to commend the ROAD CREW for all the hard work and early Sunday mornings. You rock!!

I love you all. I hope you have great celebrations with your family over Christmas and New Year and I look forward to a rewarding 2011 with you all.

Love John

Uniqueness is learning more about others so you can know more about yourself.

At UpStreet, we believe that when you take the time to get to know someone – really understand what makes that person unique – you actually start to discover what makes you unique, too! And as a child begins to understand just how unique we all are, he starts down a path of discovering his own niche or significance in the world. Here are just a few ways you can help your child learn more about the people around him and even discover his own uniqueness in the process!

• Make a unique Peanut Butter & Cheese sandwich for lunch;
• Look in a mirror with your child and write down all the differences you see;
• Help your child construct a list of things he wants to do in his life;
• Share unique tricks or talents with your family;
• Go on a scavenger hunt to find even more unique things God made.

We hope this will help you as the parent connect with your child in a fun way to discuss virtues, like Uniqueness, that will ultimately play a significant part in your child growing into the person God made him to be.

Photo by Reggie Joiner

But enough about bugs. Think about our species for just a minute. The more you learn about the different talents and strengths of those around you, the more you will understand that we live side by side with people who are very different. Take a look at your spouse or your children. There are a lot of contrasting personalities living under the same roof. That’s why this month, UpStreet will focus on Uniqueness. We hope parents and kids will take a closer look at the people around them. By looking at the strengths of others and noticing their unique attributes, we can also learn more about ourselves.

The point is, we have a Creator who creates with variety. He creates us uniquely, and then connects us to others so we can be a part of a master plan. The reason this is important to you as a parent is because your homes are filled with kids looking for significance. They are looking for how they fit in. This speaks to the primary issues that will be critical to their maturity. It affects their identity, autonomy, and sense of belonging. Understanding that every kid is as different as an individual fingerprint or snowflake will keep you flexible in your parenting style. Let’s take some time this month and celebrate differences.

So…why do you think its important for your child to believe that God uniquely created them and those around them? We think it changes the way they see everyone, and even themselves.

Don’t forget to watch this month’s virtue video on Uniqueness.

VIRTUE VIDEO: Uniqueness (November 2010) from Orange on Vimeo.

One of our goals at Southpoint Church is not only to partner with you as parents to reach the next generation but also to raise a generation that is growing in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

So we created Parent Connection. At Parent Connection you will find download links that will give you the tools to talk to your children around the topic they are currently busy with in their environment. These tools are designed to highlight what your kids are learning each week and empower you to continue the conversation at home.

We know that no one has more influence on your child than you do, and it’s our hope that this site will be one more opportunity to partner with you in packing your child’s suitcase for adulthood by teaching them about faith and character. We want you to be informed so that you can talk about it all week at home!

To hear Reggie Joiner’s, the founder of ReThink Group who visited Southpoint Church recently, message on the Think Orange Strategy, click here and scroll down to ‘Reggie Joiner Talks Orange’. For additional thoughts on “Thinking Orange”, go to http://www.orangeparents.org/