How to help a friend in crisis

Sometimes, your friends and family members need help. In fact, turning to God and trusting Him with the storms in your life doesn't mutually exclude accepting help from other people. There will be times when God Himself will minister to you through other people. Similarly, God may use you to reach out to someone who needs His help in the storm he or she is facing.

When you do have the chance to help others facing tough times, use the following tips to help them turn to God:

1. Be available.
Don’t worry about what to say; often your presence is the best gift you can give. Be willing just to be there for the person in need.

2. Be willing to listen without judging.
Offer compassion and understanding. Whatever the reason for their trouble, people need to know that God can and will help.

3. Pray for and with them.
Help them call on God and His power for their needs. Your prayers don’t have to be fancy or elaborate. Just speak honestly and from your heart.

4. When you don’t have answers, offer to help them find resources they need.
Look for practical ways to help; show the person you’re ministering to where to find answers—certainly in Scripture and maybe with the help of your parents, pastor, or youth leader, a Christian hotline, website, or similar resource. You don’t have to be an expert to help, just one seeker helping another seeker turn to God in the storm.



A quote to remember:
“God is doing a greater work in us, and that can only come as we learn to trust Him no matter how dark the days and sleepless the nights. And it is only as we have been through the darkness with Him that what we know with our heads slides down into our hearts, and our hearts no longer demand answers. The why becomes unimportant when we believe that God can and will redeem the pain for our good and His glory . . . When I put the sovereignty of God beside His unfailing love, my heart can rest.”
—Verdell Davis

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Welcome to the last Friday of August!

(Where in the world has August gone? For a long month with no holidays, it sure does seem to have gone by quickly!)

Anyway, we digress. Let's get back to the business at hand. Which is basically discussing the best of the best news of the weird we discovered this week when we were checking out our favorite news sources. And remember: if this edition of "Snippets and Soundbites" isn't enough crazy for you, check out page 38 in this month's issue of ec (and every other month's issue of ec).

Ready to get started? Let's go!

Some jokes aren't a laughing matter.

In a summer in which several Massachusetts beaches have been closed after shark sightings, Jaws jokes don't make many locals laugh. (You have to know your audience, folks.) That's why a recent practical joke has the town of Somerset, Mass., a little up in arms. Here's the short version: on Wednesday night, about 50 people ended up at a cove in Somerset because someone had reported seeing a shark fin in the water. The police received several 911 calls about the sighting and sent officers to the scene. The responding officers quickly discovered the "shark" was simply a piece of Styrofoam cut into the shape of a shark's fin, wrapped in duct tape and weighted down. While the police don't know who played the joke, they aren't laughing. They said the fake call could have caused a problem if there had been a real emergency call at the same time. Moral of this story? Know your audience. And don't play jokes on the police. To learn more, go here.

The evidence doesn't lie. 

James Myers and his family were simply visiting the Wisconsin State Capitol as part of their family vacation. Wanting a family picture and photographic evidence of their trip, James set the self-timer on his camera and hustled into the shot with his wife and kids. The picture of the family is great, but it's more than a great picture. It's evidence. While Meyers was posing with his family, completely oblivious to what was happening behind him, a thief stole the family's bag, which of course contained Meyers' wallet and other important items. Thankfully, though, the family picture also captured the thief in the act of stealing the Meyers' bag. Meyers showed the photo to police, who recognized the man, and soon located him. . . still carrying the bag. On Tuesday, the suspect pleaded not guilty to misdeamenor theft. To learn more, read this.

Say what? 

It's one thing to get shot. It's a whole other thing to get shot, think it was fireworks and walk around with a bullet in your head for 5 years. Let that sink in. FIVE YEARS! But apparently that's just what happened to a 35-year-old man in Berlin, Germany. Apparently the man was celebrating New Year's Eve five years ago when he was hit with a .22 caliber bullet. At the time, he assumed he'd been hit by fireworks, then completely forgot about the whole thing. But about a year ago, he started getting bad headaches. Finally, he went to the doctor where the bullet was discovered. Doctors removed the bullet from between his skin and skull this week. To learn more and see the X-ray, go here.

Exit Strategy: 5 Things you need to do before you leave home

This is it! You are finally headed off to college or into the “real world.” You have probably been preparing for this moment for years. You have worked really hard on your homework, research, GPA, applications, room assignments, class selection, and so much else. Consider yourself triumphant! One aspect you may not have thought about as much, though, is preparing yourself spiritually. That’s where this article, the last in our summer series on preparing to leave the nest, comes into play. Let us help you as you make plans and take action to go deeper in your relationship with God.  

If you are headed to a secular university, you need to understand all the struggles you will face and be willing and ready to stand strong. If you’re going to a Christian college, hopefully the environment will not be as worldly, however, there are still going to be all types of existing bad influences and pressures. If you’re going into the military or the workforce, it’s time for a reality check about the things you’re going to face. Never fear, though! There are things you can do to set yourself up for success.

1. Prepare your testimony.
Wherever you are—secular university, Christian college, or out in the “real world”—you will come in contact with people who are searching for Jesus. Be equipped to witness to them when the time is right and the Holy Spirit leads you. To prepare your testimony remember these three points:
1. Before
2. When
3. After 

First, talk about who you were and how your life was before you accepted Jesus as your Savior. Next, tell how Christ came into your life and saved you. Finally, talk about who you have become in Christ and what your life is like now. Those three are the backbone of a testimony. You can add more to make it personal and relatable, such as sharing significant points and spiritual milestones in your life where you could see God’s hand.

2. Set your standards.
Before you ever leave home is the best time to draw your line in the sand. If you wait until you are in the moment and confronted face-to-face with temptation, it will be much harder to make the right decision.  Make the firm choice to live out your life for God everywhere you go. You will be challenged with all types of temptation. Decide now how you will respond in a Christlike way when faced with drinking, smoking, drugs, dating, sex, pornography, cheating, gossiping, rule-breaking, and anything else that could compromise your beliefs.

3. Find someone to hold you accountable.
Whether it is an accountability partner, a mentor, or a friend, ask someone to help hold you to those standards. It is best to have a person you can meet with face-to-face. If you are planning on retaining an accountability relationship with someone long-distance, arrange a set time to talk on the phone. Once a week or every other week is a good period of time to schedule conversations. Choose someone you completely trust and with whom you can be honest.

4. Research local churches and on-campus religious groups.
Get involved early with the right people. Most of the people who made huge mistakes in college or during young adulthood blame it on the fact that they fell into the wrong crowd.
Find a nearby church with a college or young adult ministry. If you’re going into the military, talk to your recruiter and/or get in touch with a chaplain. Church is not only a great place to nurture your ­relationship with God but will also help you make friends. Plus, you can take your lost friends to church with you in the future. If you’re going to college, also keep in mind that the large majority of
colleges have Christian groups that meet on campus. Campus Crusade for Christ, Baptist Campus Ministries, and Christian fraternities/sororities are just a few examples.

5. Have a Bible study guide and journal ready.
No matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, a big change in your life has an effect on every relationship in your life, including your relationship with Christ. That’s why it’s so important to invest in that relationship even as everything around you is changing. Have a Bible study guide or book already with you and ready to go when you get to school, basic training, or your new town or job. If you don’t plan ahead for this, it may be difficult to carve out the time—and find the cash—once you get to college or your new situation.

And, yes, I know you’ve probably heard all about the benefits of journaling. But really, it cannot be understated. Journaling can be a vital part of your relationship with Christ and can be especially helpful when you’re in a new stage of life and feeling a little ill-equipped, lonely, or confused. If you don’t know what to write when you journal, here are some ideas: prayers, thoughts, quiet time revelations, notes from sermons or lessons, quotes, song lyrics, dreams, and goals.
Keeping track of your spiritual growth will remind you of God’s faithfulness in hard times. You might be overwhelmed with homework, books to read for class, stress and expectations of your job, or all of your new friends and experiences. The most important thing to remember is that even when life is crazy and insanely busy, you always need to make time to read your Bible and pray.

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

It's mid-August and many students (at least where we live) have started back to school. What's a better way to get the weekend (and a few days away from school) started than with some slightly off-kilter news stories we found in this week's news coverage?

You've come to the right place! It's time for "Snippets and Soundbites." And remember: if this edition of the news of the weird isn't enough for you, check out page 38 in this month's (and every month's) issue of ec.

He lived where? 

Ever joked you wanted to live somewhere a little strange? Your favorite store? A coffee shop? The church basement? Well, it appears a New Jersey man lived unnoticed in the local library for two weeks. Last Friday night, the custodian noticed the man, 26-year-old Charles Jones Jr, peeking out of the basement window of the Ocean Township library in Monmouth County. He called the police, who discovered Jones in the library basement. Jones, who is homeless, told the officers he'd been living in the library for two weeks and no one had noticed. When they investigated, they found Jones' stash of books in the basement. He'd also taken food from the employee break room. Jones has been charged with burglary and theft, but was released on a criminal summons. To learn more, go here.

He's not dead . . . yet.

Michael Rosen of Salem, Mass., had a problem: he was charged with driving without a license and didn't want to face the charges. So what did he do? He tried to fake his death in order to get out of trouble. Yep, that's right. Rosen's plan needed a little work, though. He sent another man to court last week to file paperwork that said Rosen had died during the previous week. The judge presiding over Rosen's case then dropped the charges against him. But then, a probation officer got a little suspicious. He heard from a colleague in a nearby town that Rosen had checked in with a probation officer 4 days after he had reportedly died. The probation officer checked into the certificate Rosen's friend had filed in court saying he was dead and discovered it was full of spelling errors, incorrect info regarding Rosen's place of birth, lacked a raised seal, and was printed on the wrong kind of paper. Rosen, who is very much alive, has now been charged with forgery and counterfeiting—in addition to his original driving without a license charge. Read more here.

Hey, Mom!

In our last tale today, we have the story of a criminal who needed more pockets. Or at least somewhere to keep his cellphone safely on his body. The man apparently broke into an elementary school in Athens, Ga., on Monday. An alarm went off and police responded, just in time to see the man run through the cafeteria and out the back door. Police were unable to capture the man, but he had dropped his phone as he ran. So the officers simply picked up the phone, searched through the contacts, and called the number marked "Ma." The woman identified her son and the police instantly had a lead. If you'd like to know more, go here. 

Decluttering your life in 13 weeks (10 minutes at a time): weeks 1 & 2

I’m guessing that at some point in your life you’ve had a friend who’s been really, really organized. Not only does organization come naturally to that person, their room is always picked up, their clothes are clean and neat, and they know how to find something right away if you ask for it. If you’re like me, you think of these people primarily as miracle-workers, and maybe they make you feel bad, disorganized, sloppy and cluttered. After all, you see what could be, but you just don’t seem to be able to do it for yourself. The thought of getting your life in order seems overwhelming. You already know you won’t be able to do it perfectly. So really, why should you bother?

Well, first of all, the point of organization isn’t to be perfect. It’s to help you manage your life so there is less you have to think about. Getting a handle on your belongings will help you worry less when things are chaotic, stressful, and just plain weird. You’ll already have a system in place. And you know that as a teenager, your life has had a tendency to get progressively more complicated the older you get. So it’s a good idea to get a handle on what you have, and make it a habit now.

The other thing to know is that the vast majority of us own a whole lot of things we never use. They’re broken, forgotten, outdated, or otherwise unusable. If you watch organizing shows on TV, almost everyone says “I need to get organized.” But what they really need to say is “I need to get rid of the stuff that’s weighing me down.” That’s the point of this article—how to get rid of what you aren’t using anymore, because you’ll use the things you do have more effectively and have less junk to worry about.

For the next few months we’re going to look at your life in two areas, the stuff you own and the stuff you do. Before you get overwhelmed, know that I’m only going to give you 13 steps to get you started. Each step should take about 10 minutes. You can do what you want with them. You can do them all at once, or one week at a time. That’s up to you. This will require a fair bit of self-motivation on your part, and also some honesty, but just plow ahead as much as you can.

We’re going to do this two steps at a time. So work on these two things and in a couple weeks I’ll be back with more you can do to get the clutter out of your life!

Week 1: Talk to your parents. Tell them you’re thinking of getting rid of some of the stuff you don’t use anymore. You want to do your best to sell, give away, or donate those things. Is that OK with them? If it isn’t, ask them if you can have a couple of boxes to store the things you aren’t using in the basement or attic. But don’t go around throwing out stuff without talking to them first.

Then spend a few minutes getting used to the idea of getting rid of what you don’t or can’t use anymore. Remember that your stuff won’t miraculously improve in condition. What’s broken will probably stay broken. You’re going to have to be a little less emotional and a little more ruthless about getting rid of stuff.

Week 2: Clean up your junk in the bathroom. You’re going to trash stuff in here, not give it away, because you shouldn’t share personal items. Get a music playlist you like going and take 10 minutes to go through your toiletries. Sort through everything you use on a daily basis and throw out what is no good anymore. Don’t forget to look under the sink and in the shower. Throw out empty bottles. If it’s something you’re going to replace, take a picture of the bottle before you toss it.

Guys: junk your old razors, shaving cream, cologne, hair stuff, or deodorant you don’t use any more, wash your comb in the sink with hand soap, and replace your toothbrush.

Girls: get rid of makeup you don’t wear anymore and anything that’s broken, smelly, has separated, changed form, or doesn’t look right to you. Wash your makeup and hair brushes in the sink with hand soap. Clean the icky crud off your flatiron with a wet paper towel (make sure it’s unplugged!). Get rid of dirty or broken hair accessories. Replace your toothbrush.

Now look around the bathroom...hopefully you can tell a difference! And try to get in the habit of keeping your stuff picked up and put-together, or at least wipe the counter off after you get ready. Your parents will love you...we promise. :)

How to help the new kid

When the bell rings and classes begin this fall, there's sure to be a few new students at the school. We've got some ideas for how you can reach out to them and help make a difficult transition a tiny bit easier.

If you meet the new kid…

1. Invite him or her to eat with you. The most ­awkward time for a new student is lunch. Lunch can be quite lonely for him or her, since everyone tends to eat in their established groups and it’s hard for a new student to figure out how to break in. Simply inviting the new kid to eat with you can make all the difference in his or her day.

2. Introduce yourself. “Hi, my name is __________. What’s yours?” These few words can go a long way for someone who is longing to be known.

3. Pay him or her a compliment. “Nice shoes” or “I like your glasses” may not seem like a big deal, but ­compliments are a sure-fire way to make someone feel accepted and noticed.

4. Offer to help. Does someone look lost? Point him or her in the right direction. Ask if he or she is going your way to his or her next class and walk with that person. If you learn that the two of you share an interest, invite him or her to your practice or club meeting.

5. Ask about his or her old school. A student who has just changed schools is experiencing a major adjustment. He or she is most likely missing old friends and des­perately wanting someone to talk to about it. Giving a new student a chance to share stories about the past eases the ­transition for him or her.
Plan a group outing and invite the new kid. Even if you and the new kid don’t become best friends, he or she may hit it off with someone else in your group. It’s an easy act of reaching out that could be a lifeline for someone who is lonely.

If you've been at the same school for awhile, don’t just assume someone else will reach out. Getting out of your comfort zone a little can make a huge impact on someone else's life.

And if you’re the new kid? Take a deep breath, and remember that your new school is just an opportunity—for meeting new people, for trying new things, and for finding your niche. 

Adapted from Gretchen Williams, "Starting Over," ec magazine, August 2010, p. 6-7.

What to do if you're the new kid

School is back in session for most of you. And we know that nothing is quite as terrifying as being the new kid. So if you're new to your school, we've got some helpful tips to get you through those first few awkward days.

If you are the new kid….

Ask questions. If you are new on campus, you will have a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for ­directions or about school rules. Knowing you don’t have all the answers shows maturity, and it makes others feel good to be an “expert.”

Find common ground. Friendships often begin by sharing something in common with another person. It could be as simple as sitting next to them every day ­during third period or having a passion for skateboarding or ­photography.

Join a club or team. Check out the clubs that are available at your new school. Is there a sport that you were involved in at your old school, or would you like to try ­auditioning for the school play? Sure, you don’t know anyone there yet, but after the first practice, you will.

Attend school events. So you may not be a “school spirit” kind of person, but school events are a great way to feel like a part of your community. Even if you show up with a sibling or a parent, you may run into other students and feel more a part of things. Pay attention to morning announcements so you know what’s going on each week.

Avoid negative self-talk. Our thoughts have a lot of power to influence our emotions and behavior, for good or bad. See if you are getting caught up in these negative thought patterns:
Put-downs: “I’m not as pretty as those other girls.”
Overgeneralizing: “I’ll never make any friends.”
Mind-reading: “They think I’m weird.”

The more you believe these negative thoughts, the less confidence you will have, and the harder it will be to attract others to you. Try focusing on the positive. For instance, can you name three things you like about yourself?

Remember that you’re not alone. You may think you are alone, but you aren’t. There is someone out there who likes what you like—be it basketball or beatboxing, poetry or video games.
Just give it some time.

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Here in Nashville, metro students have just started the school year. We figure many of you have too—or will very soon. So what's a better way to end the first week back in school than with a few random stories we found in this week's news?

Nothing! So let's get the show on the road!

They found what?

Did your grandma ever tell you that old wive's tale that if you swallowed a watermelon seed, a watermelon would grow in your stomach? While that joke is always good for a few courtesy laughs, it's not true. Or is it? Recently a Massachusetts man had been suffering from poor health that seemed to just be getting worse and worse. He had emphysema, but had recently started having severe coughing spells. Then came the bad news: doctors noticed a mass in his lungs after doing some X-rays. Ron Sveden and his family feared the worst: cancer. Doctors decided the best plan of action was to get inside Sveden's lungs and find out what was going on. Minutes into the surgery, though, it became clear that Sveden's problem wasn't a tumor; it was a pea. Yes, a pea, growing in the moist, dark environment of his lungs. Doctors cleared away the sprout, drained fluid that had collected, and took action to restore the lung's capacity. A couple months later, Sveden is feeling fine. His doctors figure he simply inhaled the pea at some point. To learn more, go here.

It's too hot. 

If your weather has been anything like ours these last few weeks, you've probably been saying that phrase a lot. We know we have. But for two North Carolina men that phrase has taken on a whole new meaning. The two men work together at the Carolinas Medical Center laundry facility in the Charlotte, N.C. area. Apparently, at some point yesterday, one of the men noticed an item was jammed in the industrial dryer. So he went into the huge dryer to retrieve the item. But once he got in there, he was overcome by the intense heat. The second employee went in after him, but also fell victim to the heat. A third employee called 911. Firefighters responded and it took them about 30 minutes to free the two men. The men were taken to the hospital and treated; they're expected to be just fine. And we doubt they'll be hanging out in industrial dryers anytime soon! To learn more, read this story.

I do, but the charges still stand. 

Franklin Barndt had to face a judge last Friday on drug charges. He and his lawyer attempted to have evidence in the cocaine case against him dismissed, but the judge didn't agree. So, Barndt was sentenced to a 3-year mandatory minimum sentence. Then, the truly out-of-the-ordinary thing happened. In the same courtroom in which he'd just sentenced Barndt, the same judge officiated the marriage of Barndt and his girlfriend. She wore a gray suit; he wore his orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs. Barndt's attorney,Gary Asteak takes full credit for the idea. The judge said he'd never gotten such a request before, but commented "we're a full-service court." To read more, go here.

And if today's edition of "Snippets and Soundbites" wasn't enough news of the strange for you, please check out page 38 in this month's (and every month's) issue of ec.

5 Tips for starting the school year off R.I.G.H.T

With many students heading back to class this week, we thought a few ideas of how to focus this year might be a good idea. So if you want to get the year off to a good start, we've got this advice:

R: Rest and recreation
Get enough of both. Many teens simply don't get enough sleep—or anywhere close to the 8-9 hours doctors say you should. Set a bed time and stick to it (as much as possible, we know there will be some exceptions). Move your phone off your bedside table or turn it off or on silent before you go to bed. It may be tempting to text all night, but you'll feel it the morning. Make it a point to exercise, too. But don't be so concerned with your schedule that you never take time to have some fun. Enjoy your friends, family, and have some fun! Life shouldn't be all about work and homework and expectations!

I: Intake
What you choose to put into your mind will come out in your life. That's the truth. So consider carefully the things you're allowing into your mind, whether it's music, books, images, gossip, or people. Learn to evaluate the things you allow into your mind based on God's standards. Ask questions. Was authority respected or not? What's the view of sex? Did that magazine, book, movie, or music make you feel inferior? When you have answers, see how they line up with the standards and truths presented in the Bible.

G: Goals
Now is the time to set some goals—both spiritually and personally—for this year. Think about what you want to happen in your life socially this year. Is there someone you want to be a better friend to? Do you want to run for class office or join a club? Spiritually, what would you like to see happen in your life? Who in your circle do you want to see trust Christ? Do you need to get involved in a small group Bible study or ask an older Christian to mentor or disciple you? Think about it, then write some goals down. Sometimes, that small act encourages us to make choices that will help us accomplish our goals.

H: Healthy Self Image
Here's the deal: you aren't perfect. But you are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator who cares for you deeply. And most of the time, we don't remember that truth. It's true you may not always like the person you see in the mirror and, yes, on really important days, a zit might just appear. But that's just life. Learn to take the good with the bad and ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you: loved and valued. You're not ugly, someone no one wants to know, or too far gone for God to reach you and/or care about you. Stop worrying about weight, looks, and hating the qualities that make you special. Focus on seeing yourself the way God does and read the Bible to reinforce what you know is true.

T: Time Management
Yes, we talk about time management EVERY year. But only because it's important and you're always telling us you have too much to do and too little time. We can't tell you what not to do, but we can give you a few ideas on how to better manage the time you have. First, figure out how you spend your time. If you need to, take a few days and evaluate. You can even make a chart of how you spend your time if that helps you visualize. All we want you to recognize is where you may be wasting time. Are there areas in which you could make better choices? Is the reason you don't have enough time to do you homework because you're talking on the phone or Internet or playing video games? While we're all behind building friendships and having fun, don't do all of that at the expense of your homework or duties. Do your homework first, then have fun. You have to figure out what your priorities are then give them priority in your life. Get a planner and write big assignments and test dates in it—or use the calendar on your computer or other device. Keep your books, homework, and other school stuff in a certain location so you're not trying to find your assignment minutes before you have to leave for school. Make some effort, some plans, and be a little more organized this year. It might just save you some time!


Adapted from "Start the School Year off RIGHT" by Rachel Lovingood in ec magazine, August 2008, p. 54-55.

Last-minute road trips

Yes, school is almost back in session. It's time to make the  most of those last few moments of freedom before your school schedule takes precedence!

Here are a few ideas ec writer Brandy Campbell shared with us in the August issue:

Rockin’ the rollercoaster
There’s probably an amusement park nearby, at least within a few hours’ drive. Take a road trip with your friends (and probably some adults) and spend the day riding rides and gorging on lemonade slushies and cotton candy.

And so it’s not just an endless day of rides, try to come up with a creative game you can play with your friends. See who can get the most pictures taken with characters at the park. Or come up with a scavenger hunt to play in-between rides! Also, don’t forget to check the park’s website to see if they have coupons or discounted days, especially this late in the summer.

Wild kingdom
Maybe rollercoasters and junk food aren’t your thing. If so, take an afternoon to check out the closest zoos and aquariums in your area. There’s a good chance you haven’t been to one since you were a kid, and a lot has changed since then. Many have interactive exhibits where you can see animals up-close. You might even be able to touch a snake *shudder* or feed a giraffe.

Museums
Hear me out: museums are not just for nerds. Let me prove my point. There are some really cool museums out there. So maybe staring at art all day isn’t your thing. See if you can find a nature and science museum. These types of museums often have state-of-the art exhibits that allow you to learn a ton—without having to take a test afterward!

Many science museums also have incredible IMAX® theaters you can check out! Or, you can do the “living museum” thing instead. Many historical sites across the country allow you to “live out” history at unique exhibits that transport you back in time. You can cook over an open fire, just like the pioneers. Well, except for the fact that you’ll probably use your GPS to get there!

Get outside
 Perhaps you want to spend the last few days of summer enjoying the great outdoors. Check out what your local parks have to offer. Many have Frisbee golf courses or even small water parks. You could just pack a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon hanging out, playing on the playground, and throwing the football. Also check to see if there are any ­botanical gardens close-by. They’re a fun, inexpensive way to see beautiful ­flowers—without having to pull a single weed!

(No matter what the last days of summer hold for you, make sure you make the most of it. The one thing you don’t want to do is start back to school with a whole list of things you wish you had done during your time off. Instead, make that list now and mark a ton of stuff off before heading back to the classroom. You won’t regret it!) 

Brandy Campbell, "Last-minute road trips" ec magazine, August 2010, p. 8

Friday Snippets and Soundbites

Welcome to the first Friday of August. While you may be going back to school soon, there's still no reason not to enjoy every day! Well, especially Fridays, since that's when we post all the random news you want to hear.

Ready for some strange tales, not-so-smart criminals, and all things weird? Let's go! And if today's edition isn't enough weirdness for you, check out page 38 of this month's (and every month's) issue of ec!

Robbery gone bad. (Also, don't mess with Grandma!)
Last week, Derrick Gauthreaux was arrested in Louisiana for attempted burglary. But that's not the reason we're telling you this story. Gauthreaux was arrested last week while he was passed out at the scene of the crime. Apparently, he had been released from a New Orleans jail around midnight on Thursday, and around 10:30 a.m. the next morning, he attempted to break into an 82-year-old woman's home. Scared and recovering from a broken leg, the woman called 911 and reported someone was trying to break in. (She also assured the operator that she was armed with a crow bar and would be OK.) Police rushed to the scene where they arrested Gauthreaux, who had apparently simply passed out while trying to break in to the mobile home. After his arrest, he was taken to the hospital to be checked out, then booked into jail on one count of attempted burglary. Police also say that he had been cited earlier in the night for having an open alcoholic drink. To learn more about the case, go here.

Being switched at birth? Not so bad.
Dimas Aliprandi of Brazil always felt a little out-of-place in his family. "There was something different," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "I had blonde hair and blue eyes and my sisters had dark hair and eyes . . . something did not add up." When he was 14, Aliprandi saw a TV show about babies switched at birth due to mistakes at the hospital and asked his parents for a DNA test, but it was too expensive. But Aliprandi never forgot and paid for a DNA test on his own in 2008, when he was 24. The results? Aliprandi wasn't the biological son of the people he'd always called Mom and Dad. At first, his parents didn't believe the results, then agreed to help the young man search for his biological parents. That search led them to Elton Plaster, born at the same hospital on the same day. But instead of causing a terrible upset and family upheaval, the discovery instead pushed the two men to join their families and lives. Since Plaster and Aliprandi both wanted to stay connected to the families they'd known for 25 years, the men decided to "expand their families." About a year ago, Aliprandi and the parents who raised him, accepted the Plasters' offer to move to their 35-acre farm. It's located about 30 miles away from where Aliprandi grew up. Now both sets of parents and both sons live and work on the same farm."It's not everyone who can say he has two fathers and two mothers living together with him," Aliprandi said in the Associated Press interview. To read more about the interesting tale, go here.

Say what?
Remember kindergarten? Where you learned about sharing, ABC's, and being nice to other people? Apparently, some people haven't quite learned all those lessons. We say that because this week two Southern California mothers were charged with misdemeanors stemming from a fight they got into during a kindergarten graduation. Police say the women were arguing in a field near the June ceremony at an elementary school. When the fight got physical, several men also got involved and the incident turned into a brawl that forced school officials to place the school on lockdown until police sorted things out. The two women were charged with interference with peaceful conduct at a school (and therefore could face up to six months in jail) and unlawful acts committed on school grounds this week (which calls for 90 days in jail if convicted). To learn more, go here.

And just for fun, watch this video of an amazing basketball shot.

Monthly Poll!

Calling all ec readers! It's time for your monthly poll (as featured in Snippets & Soundbites on page 38). We want to know something about you . . .

Thoughts on the August issue

Life hurts. I can write that, because while life is good at the moment, I’ve lived through hurt that I sometimes still don’t understand. When my grandmother died three years ago, the grief almost swallowed me whole. When my twin brother got married, I was happy for him, but I was a little depressed that I was still single. There was a dark valley in my journey of faith that I didn’t think I’d ever climb out of and a crippling fear that God had simply had enough of me. A friend declared he was an atheist. Someone I really liked and trusted turned out not to be the person I thought he was. My other grandmother began to suffer from dementia that basically robbed me of the woman I’d known and loved. And that was just in the last three years. Life isn’t perfect, and, sometimes, it just hurts.

But what I can tell you about all of those hurtful moments and all of the times storms have hit my life is this: God never left me. In my darkest moments, when life has hurt the most, I’ve had the overwhelming feeling that God was with me, that He loved me, that He would never let go of me. When the bottom has dropped out of my life, I know that it has been God who has stopped my free fall and steadied me. Now, when the storms come, I wait for Jesus to take control of the storm in my life. Because He’s there. Because He cares. Because He has never left me alone to handle life’s hurts all by myself. Because He can handle the storms when I simply cannot.

That’s the truth I want you to take to heart as you read this month’s issue of ec. We’re not guaranteed an easy life as Christians; in fact, Jesus declared that we would face trouble in this world—but then He reminded us that He had overcome that trouble. (See John 16:33.) Get to know that Jesus, the One who walks with you through your pain and understands it because He once lived here. Think about that truth as you read Jennifer Denning’s cover story, “Faith, Interrupted” on page 33. Let it wash over you as you read this month’s devotions. Let it challenge you as you read Julie Partin’s story about the things you need to do to prepare spiritually before you leave your parents’ home (p. 52).

When you close this issue of ec, it’s my prayer that because of something you’ve read on the pages of this magazine, you’ve come into an even deeper relationship with Christ—a relationship that is so strong, deep, and personal that when life’s storms hit, you simply cling to Him. Life hurts and storms are going to come, but you’re not alone in them. God is good through it all.

August Daily Bible Readings

Hi, ec readers! A new month has begun, and we know just how to celebrate a month in which there are no holidays: by sharing your daily Bible reading assignments with you today. WHOO HOO! (In my mind, at least, that's how you respond.)

We hope you're getting a lot out of studying Scripture. Feel free to leave us a comment and share any interesting things you've learned as you've studied the Bible.

Without further ado . . .

Sunday, August 1: Psalms 13–18; Acts 20:17-38
Monday, August 2: Psalms 19–24; Acts 21:1-25
Tuesday, August 3: Psalms 25–30; Acts 21:26–22:5
Wednesday, August 4: Psalms 31–36; Acts 22:6-30
Thursday, August 5: Psalms 37–42; Acts 23
Friday, August 6:Psalms 43–48; Acts 24
Saturday, August 7: Psalms 49-53; Acts 25

Sunday, August 8: Psalms 54–58; Acts 26
Monday, August 9: Psalms 59–63; Acts 27:1-19
Tuesday, August 10: Psalms 64–68; Acts 27:20-44
Wednesday, August 11: Psalms 69–72; Acts 28
Thursday, August 12: Psalms 73–77; Romans 1:1-17
Friday, August 13: Psalms 78–82; Romans 1:18-32
Saturday, August 14: Psalms 83-86; Romans 2

Sunday, August 15: Psalms 87–91; Romans 3
Monday, August 16: Psalms 92–96; Romans 4
Tuesday, August 17: Psalms 97–101; Romans 5
Wednesday, August 18: Psalms 102–105; Romans 6
Thursday, August 19: Psalms 106–110; Romans 7
Friday, August 20: Psalms 111–118; Romans 8:1-17
Saturday, August 21: Psalms 119:1-88; Romans 8:18-39

Sunday, August 22: Psalms 119:89-176; Romans 9
Monday, August 23: Psalms 120–125; Romans 10
Tuesday, August 24: Psalms 126–132; Romans 11
Wednesday, August 25: Psalms 133–138; Romans 12
Thursday, August 26: Psalms 139–144; Romans 13
Friday, August 27: Psalms 145–150; Romans 14
Saturday, August 28: Proverbs 1–3; Romans 15

Sunday, August 29: Proverbs 4–6; Romans 16
Monday, August 30: Proverbs 7–8; 1 Corinthians 1
Tuesday, August 31: Proverbs 9–11; 1 Corinthians 2