Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study for June

The new YWAC Bible Study for June 2010 is now available online at http://www.wnac.org/. This study can be used as an individual or a group study. It is written specifically for teen girls ages 11-18. Check it out and share it with your friends and the young women at your church! Click on the image above to go directly to the study.

May's YWAC Bible Study Available Online Now!

Be sure to check out this month's Young Women Active for Christ study online!

April's YWAC Study Available Online Now!

The new Bible study for Young Women Active for Christ is now available on the WNAC website. April is Missions Emphasis Month, so the study this month is about missions. Check it out!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study

Visit http://www.wnac.org/ to download your copy of the Teen Bible Study for March.

Using examples from the life of David, this month's study looks at fear and doubt and how to defeat them so we can live lives full of God's power!

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

My second teen Bible study for WNAC is now available online. Go to http://www.wnac.org/ and click on the Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study link to download this month's study about dealing with disappointments.

Thanks for your prayers and support as I continue to write these studies each month.

NEW WNAC Bible Study for Teen Girls

A few months ago, I was contacted and asked to take the Women Nationally Active for Christ Bible Studies that we use in our meetings each month and adapt them for teen girls. This was a very exciting offer for me, and I was happy to accept.

The first of these monthly studies is now available on the WNAC website. Visit www.wnac.org/2010/01/new-bible-study-for-young-women-active-for-christ/ and check it out!

Thanks so much for your prayers and support as I continue this ministry.

Using Your Talents for God - Great Sports Role Models

On Wednesday night, I talked to the Junior Youth Group about using their talents for God. We read from Matthew 25:14-29 (the parable of the talents). During the lesson, we talked about famous people that have used their talents for God. Of course, since it was the night before the big game, we ended up talking about college football.

The group of kids that I teach is mostly boys, but all of them (girls included) love sports, so we end up talking about football, basketball and baseball a lot. You might think that talking about sports takes away from our lesson time, but I've actually been able to use some of their favorite players as examples in our lessons.

I am so thankful for all the great players that are not ashamed to share their faith!

Mark Ingram - University of Alabama - Running Back #22

Mark Ingram is one of the kids' favorite players. (With a room full of Bama fans, the conversation is bound to tun to Alabama Football and Mark Ingram at some point.) I usually begin their lesson each week by asking for prayer requests and praise items. Great games, another Bama win, and a Heisman Trophy were all part of that process (both prayer requests and praises).

I am so thankful that Mark Ingram is a good role model for these kids, because they watch his every move. They wear his jersey, they know his stats, and they join his fan groups on Facebook.

They love him because he's an Alabama player, because he's a winner and because they know he's a good guy.

One of my kids told me after he won the Heisman that before the program, Ingram went into a back room with Tim Tebow for prayer.

Colt McCoy - University of Texas - Quarterback #12

Another sports figure that my class loves is Colt McCoy. He was also a Heisman contender (and for the last month has been our biggest rival).

I felt sorry for him after the game last night when he was interviewed on the field after getting knocked out of the game with an injury. But what he said was a great lesson for my class (and for all of us). He said, "I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I'm standing on the Rock."

After a crushing loss, which I am sure frustrated and disappointed McCoy, he still gave God the glory. It would have been easy to say that after a win, but in the midst of defeat and disappointment... that's a great testimony of trusting in God.

Tim Tebow - University of Florida - Quarterback #15

Of course, I can't talk about great Christian role models in college football without talking about Tim Tebow. No matter how much I dislike Gator fooball (We stomped the Chomp! Roll Tide!), I can't help but to like Tim Tebow.

He has used his position as quarterback of the Florida Gators team to reach millions. He always gives God the glory for his accomplishments in interviews, and during each game he wears Bible verses on his eye-blacks.

One of the questions in our lesson on Wednesday night was, "Is there any talent that CAN NOT be used to glorify God?"

As the kids struggled to think of a talent that you couldn't use, I pointed out to them that most people wouldn't think of sports as a normal place for ministry. We talked about Tebow, and how after his games, whatever verse he had written on his eye-blacks that day instantly became one of the most searched phrases on Google. He has truly taken ministry through sports to a new level.

I am so glad that these great athletes remember that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father..." (James 1:17). And I am thankful that they use their gifts to bring glory to God.

What is your gift? What ability has God blessed you with? If He gave you a talent, He means for you to use it. How will you use your talents for God?

SSFWB in Cincinnati

I want to thank everyone that prayed for us while we were gone to the Free Will Baptist National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio last week. It was a week of revival for most of us - a chance to meet people from around the nation that share our faith and our passion for doing God's will and seeing His word carried to all nations.

Our group - ready to leave Tuscaloosa early Saturday morning

The Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati where most of the conference was held

Joe, Shelby, Aiden, Allee, Dylan and Jacob waiting for us to unload the bus and check into the hotel on Saturday afternoon

On our way to the Cincinnati Reds game on Sunday afternoon

The Great American Ballpark - Reds vs. Brewers

Jacob waiting for a home run ball

They let the kids run the bases after the game

Hunter and Caleb at the Great American Ballpark

Bible Tic-Tac-Toe Team: Caleb, Tiffany, Joseph, Hunter and Coach Tina

Bro. Tim and Bro. Adam helped the Tic-Tac-Toe Team study between matches

Hunter, Tiffany and Joseph between Tic-Tac-Toe games

Marissa during her competition

Jacob playing the bells during his competition

Dinner on Wednesday night before the service

Dylan and Tannah at dinner

Ice Cream!

Our kids did a great job in their competitions. Joseph tied for first place in the keyboard competition for grades 7-9. Jacob won first place in the pitched percussion competition for grades 1-3. Marissa competed in the vocal solo competition for grades 10-12.

Our Bible Tic-Tac-Toe team made it through four rounds before they were eliminated from the competition. They did a great job and are looking forward to competing again next year.

State Youth Competition

Today was the Free Will Baptist State Youth Competition. We met at First Free Will Baptist Church in Northport for the competition, which consisted of Bible Memorization, Music, Creative Arts, and Bible Games.



Our church was well represented! We began the day by watching our Bible Tic-Tac-Toe team. Bible Tic-Tac-Toe is a team competition for grades 7-9. The teams learn 500 Bible facts and quotes and study specific books of the Bible. They are then asked questions from their Bible facts and books of the Bible. During each turn, they get to pick a square in a game of tic-tac-toe. If they answer the question correctly, they win that square and the game continues until one team wins the board. Bible Tic-Tac-Toe usually plays for the best 2 out of 3 games.



Today, our team came in 2nd place and will get to go to Nationals in July to represent our church. They are a first year team and did a great job!


After Bible Tic-Tac-Toe, the music competition began. Sulphur Springs had three students representing us in the music competition: Marisa Ballard, Joseph Summerlin and Jacob Summerlin.


Marisa competed in the female vocal solo for grades 10-12. This is her first year to compete as well, and she placed first and will also represent us at Nationals.


Joseph competed in the piano competition for grades 7-9. He has competed for us at the state and national levels before, and as always, did an excellent job. He won first place and will represent us at Nationals in July.

Jacob competed in the piano competition for grades 1-3 and in the percussion competition for grades 1-3. He did well in both competitions and will go to Nationals to represent us in the percussion competition.

Our last team to compete was the Bible Millionaire team. Bible Millionaire is a team competition for grades 4-6. Each team must study their weekly Sunday School lessons, specific Bible Memorization material and a specific book of the Bible. At competition, they are asked multiple choice questions from that material. (The game is set up like "Who Wants to be a Millionaire.") The teams all compete at the same time and at the end of the game, the team with the most correct answers wins.

Our Bible Millionaire team is a first year team and we really weren't sure what to expect, but they did a great job and came in first place! However, we will not be able to attend the national competition and forfeited our title so that the other two participating teams could advance to Nationals.

This year's competition was great - we had a lot of churches and students participate in all categories. Please pray for these young people as they prepare to compete at the national level.

State Youth Competition at First FWB Northport TOMORROW!

Don't forget to come out to support our kids at the State Youth Competition tomorrow at First Free Will Baptist Church in Northport!

Competition starts at 9:00 a.m.

Sulphur Springs has a Bible Tic-tac-toe team, a Bible Millionaire team, and three students competing in the music competiton. Your support would be appreciated!

After competing at the state level, our kids will get opportunity to attend the National Youth Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio this July where they'll get to represent their churches and learn about God's Great and Precious Promises.

Please pray for all the kids that will be competing tomorrow - that they will all do their best, that they will remember that they are doing this for God's glory and that they will all get to and from the competition safely.

Thanks! :)