Welcome to this week’s online youth group lesson. To catch up on previous lessons, click here.
A quick reminder/update: There will be NO youth group next week (June 23) as our family is tied up with a work-related project.
We’ll kick things off this week with a fun video called “Dad Joke Support Group” as a fun look ahead to Father’s Day this coming weekend.
In terms of prayer, we should pray for fathers/dads/father figures ahead of Father’s Day. As the video concludes, being a father isn’t a joke, and there is a lot of pressures that can take a father away from being a godly role model within their homes. Please pray for a “Father’s Day Revival” for dads to make it a priority to get back to church and inspire their children to walk in God’s path for them.
Please continue to pray for the Keister/Kuhns/Bowersox/Inch/Smith family as they continue to grieve the loss of Ashlynn so suddenly last week. Also, for Kelly who has continued to get worsening seizures.
Please be praying for Pastor Paul after a heart scare on Sunday afternoon and for upcoming transitions within our church — that God moves through those situations and uses our church for great things locally.
Please continue to pray for those who are traveling this summer, for those in changing work situations (which involves many of our teens) and those who are newly driving (or soon will be). What a time of transition for so many of our young people!
We also want to keep our summer camp opportunities (youth and family) in prayer as preparations are made and final decisions are decided … that God works in every aspect of that.
Finally, please pray for Vacation Bible School, which runs next weekend (July 25-27) on Friday night, Saturday all day and Sunday morning. More details on VBS (including registration) can be found here. Please spread the word so our church can impact others for God.
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Heading into the upcoming Father’s Day weekend, there are a lot of ways to honor your father (both your on-earth dad and heavenly Father). God commands us to honor our parents, even if we don’t always agree with them. For many, Father’s Day may involve a cookout or camping trip or other activity that lines up with an activity that your dad enjoys the most.
My dad passed away eight years ago, and he is definitely missed. He loved hunting and fishing and being outdoors. There are many memories of him in those activities, but one that will especially stand out to me was him tagging along on a golfing trip with me on a Par 3 course in White Deer.
Dad had no clue about the game of golfing, but he insisted in going, and I appreciated that. At the time, I enjoyed the sport quite a bit, and he did his best to keep up, mainly because he wanted to spend time with me. He had no idea what the different clubs were for, and wound up selecting a 5-Wood (a driver … a club designed to hit the ball straight and far, which is great for teeing off, but not for shorter shots and putting) and using that same club the entire time we were on the course.
He actually did better than I expected, but we still had many adventures wondering off course trying to find his golf ball.
That outing stuck with me today while pulling together this lesson. Golf is a weird sport, an individual activity where you may be playing against someone else, but really you are playing against yourself. Everyone has a bad shot here and there — those who are able to bounce back and keep moving forward without dwelling on that mistake are the ones who are successful.
It reminds me of Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV):
” … one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
The apostle Paul is giving advice to the Philippian church, and really it is cool advice for so many things we face today.
Like most people, I am my own worst critic. When I make a mistake, I can struggle with moving forward. It is very valuable to learn from our mistakes, but it sometimes doesn’t take much for us to cross a line and become paralyzed by our past miscues, as well.
In the game of golf, those who obsess about a poor shot usually find themselves over-thinking each shot on the next hole. The frustration builds and before long, you’re ready to give up. What’s the point?
Thankfully, God has a plan of salvation for us … we are not products of our sinful past, but made new in Him. That’s the message in this powerful song we have used over and over again in youth group … one that speaks well to young people who feel they are too broken to have value:
If you find yourself struggling in a rut of past mistakes, it is time to improve your golf game, so to speak, let go of that bad shot that wound up ways off God’s course and mindfully return to the fairway.
Please let Michelle or I know how we can pray for you and help you on that journey. As recent events in our church have painfully reminded us … time on earth may be very short and unpredictable. We strive for every one of our teens to reconnect with God, make things right so you can be ready no matter what ponds, sand traps and other hazards may come up in your path.
Feel free to contact us via email (zaktansky@gmail.com) or phone (570-847-2718) if you need to chat.
