Research into Resources
Recently I read Henri Nouwen’s Finding My Way Home: Pathways to Life and the Spirit
But there’s more. We see reality through God’s eyes for a purpose: “…to discern the ways to live.”
Learning to see with the eyes of God so we may more faithfully live in our families, neighborhoods, and world. That’s a good meditation to end the week with.
This week Ypulse posted an interview with psychologist Russ Federman, coauthor of Facing Bipolar: The Young Adult’s Guide to Dealing With Bipolar Disorder
The interview also includes a list of web-based resources, which I’m reposting here as a resource to you, particularly if you know kids and families who struggle with bipolar disorder or symptoms:
BipolarYoungAdult.com – Website with about the book “Facing Bipolar” as well as strong resource information about bipolar disorder
- National Institute of Mental Health- Bipolar Disorder Booklet – Comprehensive (downloadable) booklet on bipolar disorder.
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance- national organization with comprehensive information, links, media information and membership options for those with bipolar disorder
- K12 Academics – Bipolar Disorder- A national organization with topics pertinent to education, including important medical/psychological issues. The site provides excellent information about bipolar disorder
- Pendulum.org- A national nonprofit resource for bipolar disorder information, support and education
- Mayo Clinic Bipolar Information- A nationally recognized provider of medical services with a website providing thorough and reputable information about bipolar disorder
- Healthy Place – Bipolar Information- A thorough and informative educational and support website devoted to bipolar disorder
- HelpGuide.com – Bipolar Self-help and Support- A nonprofit organization devoted to providing education, health and support to individuals and families facing mental health issues. Excellent information provided about bipolar disorder
- TeensHealth.org – Bipolar Information- A website devoted to physical and mental health-related issues for teenagers. Excellent information provided about bipolar disorder
- MedLine Plus – Bipolar Disorder- A website with thorough information about bipolar disorder sponsored by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.
- Bipolar Hope- An informational website for the hard copy magazine – Bipolar Hope – a nicely done monthly magazine publication for those with bipolar disorder
- Depressed Teens- An education and advocacy group through the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
It’s not secret that research is part of our DNA here at FYI. One of the research methods we utilize is the “best practices” approach, where we attempt to identify what’s most effective in the field (in a particular area, like short-term missions) and identify transferrable practices that can be adapted across ministry contexts.
The folks from Luther Seminary completed a youth ministry best-practices study called “Exemplary Youth Ministry” in 2003 that they are beginning to roll out to youth workers, and if you like research you’ll be interested in the reports they’ve made available as well as their blog where various posts help break down and summarize the findings. There are some pretty thoughtful insights there to stir up conversations with your team.
I felt like the proud mama (or proud bigger sister) of the kids (who are now adults) who showed up at the youth group reunion this past weekend for folks involved with the youth ministry in the 80’s and 90’s from San Diego First Assembly of God.
Seriously, I am so proud of them. In the midst of all the focus we give at FYI to kids who struggle in their transition to college, it was great to see kids who had transitioned to college well and who were serving the Lord.
And I mean serving the Lord. So many of them are active in ministry – volunteering, as well as serving part-time and full-time in their churches. And those who have marketplace careers are clearly integrating their faith with their job.
It was a good reminder to me of the importance of encouraging kids to prayerfully consider entering ministry. One youth pastor told me recently, “When I was a high school student, our youth pastor encouraged us to consider full-time ministry all the time. Half of my high school small group is in ministry. As I look at the students I lead, they hardly ever end up in ministry.” I doubt he’s alone in that.
Not that ministry is the end-all, be-all. Not at all. But as we sense God’s leading – let me be more personal: as I sense God’s leading – I’m going to start raising the possibility of ministry with kids who are potentially on that path. Like I posted yesterday, conversations matter and I want to make this more part of my conversations with kids.
Wow. I had such a great time at the reunion of youth group kids from the 80’s and 90’s at my old church, San Diego First Assembly of God. I’d guess over 100 people were there (if you count the little kids- and boy, there were a lot of little kids) and probably 50-60 of them were actual youth group members from “back in the day”. A few highlights, in no particular order:
-It felt strange to drive up to the building of the youth center. It was my second home for years and I hadn’t been there in ten years.
-From the slide show, I gathered that I wore a lot of teal and hot pink in the 80s and early 90s. I wasn’t alone in that, but I was one of the leading teal-wearers.
-We females had big hair.
-Kids’ personalities, now that they are adults, by and large have stayed the same.
-Kids remember the conversations we have with them. Time after time, someone came up to me and recounted a conversation I had had with them that was meaningful. Sometimes I didn’t remember the conversation at first, but clearly the youth group kid did.
-Kids need a safe “space”. While we all agreed that the youth group was the people, not the building, several youth group kids still said that they loved having a safe “place” to come to. People are at the heart of that place, but physical location matters also.
-Deep relationships make community unbreakable. By the end of our 3 hours together, I literally felt like I was going to see these people at youth group on Wednesday night. We haven’t seen each other for 15 years (in some cases) but we easily re-connected.
-I am so proud of these former youth group kids. More on that tomorrow…
I am so excited about where I’m going tomorrow. I’m going back to my home church, San Diego First Assembly of God, where I served as one of the youth pastors in the late 80s and throughout the 90s. The “kids” from that era (who are now grown-ups with their own kids) have organized a “Reunion” for us all.
They are cleverly structuring it like how we used to do youth group – reuniting the worship team, the guy who used to do announcements, some crowdbreakers, and then the three youth pastors from that era (including me) will all share for 5-10 minutes each. Plus lots of time before and after for hanging out and catching up. We’ve been doing a lot of that through Facebook but I can’t wait to do it in person.
Relationships are so important and while I haven’t been the best at keeping in touch with old youth group kids, I keep grinning as I think about tomorrow’s reunion. I’m so proud of these students and we have so so so many shared memories. I imagine I’ll have something to share about the reunion in next week’s blog…
Last week, our nine year-old son started talking about American Idol. We don’t watch “A.I.” so I asked how he knew so much about it. He said his friends at school watch it and talk about it. I asked him if he wanted to start watching it. He replied, “Not really, but every once in a while I wish I could talk with my friends about it.” But ever the optimist, my son added, “But I can talk with them about other stuff…like sports” (did I mention he was a nine year-old boy?).
Yesterday, Brad Griffin, one of my fantastic FYI coworkers, passed along some related research conducted in New Zealand about screen time and its effects on peer and parental relationships. I know some parents let their kids watch certain TV shows and play certain video games so that they can talk with their friends about it. According to this research, even taking this into account, kids who have more screen time have lower quality relationships with peers and parents.
I’m not “anti” TV or gaming, but I’m certainly not a big fan of either. A small amount (i.e., a bit of “A.I.” here and there) is fine, but this research is important for leaders and parents to keep in mind.
I was on a panel this past weekend with Chuck Bomar, who leads CollegeLeader.org. Chuck and I have taught together before and I have great respect.
I love what Chuck said in answer to one question about helping students find mentors. Even though he’s been at a large megachurch, he never found a mentoring “program” effective. Instead, he’d simply get to know kids, and get to know adults in the church,and see if he could organically match a kid with an adult based on what he knew was going on in both people’s lives.
Sometimes mentoring programs work but often they feel forced and fizzle because the kids and adults and randomly assigned and it’s not natural. I love Chuck’s more organic approach.
This past weekend I spoke at the Group Simply Youth Ministry Conference about our College Transition Project research. One of the highlights when I speak is interacting with leaders (or parents) who ask good questions and have great ideas.
One youth worker raised his hand to talk about how when his kids come to him for advice, he first encourages them to look in Scripture for their own answers. He does it so consistently that his students now know that before they even come to him, they need to do their own homework and look into Scripture themselves.
One of the themes in our research is that youth group graduates don’t know how to depend on the Lord and are often overly dependent upon their youth worker (the youth worker who is no longer around after graduation). I love how this youth worker is helping kids dive into Scripture themselves.
This past weekend I had a fantastic time at the Group Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Chicago. I learned an eye-opening lesson at a Chicago pizza place (yum yum) on my way to the hotel.
I was eating by myself and couldn’t help but overhear the conversation of the couple sitting at the table next to me. Or rather, lack of conversation. The husband was on his cell phone the entire time they were waiting for their food, and while he had some cute interactions with his young child at the table once the food actually arrived, on the family’s way out of the restaurant, he spoke to his wife in a sharp tone of voice — a more sharp tone of voice than I think my husband has ever used with me.
Two hours later, I was walking through the conference exhibit hall and guess who was one of the exhibitors. Yup, pizza place guy.
I don’t always talk to my children or husband in the tone of voice I wish, so I’m not trying to pass judgment. But I guess I’m extra aware these days that you never know who’s watching. I want to do my best to be the mom, wife, and leader I really want to be both in public and private. And I’m so glad God’s grace covers those times when I fall short (which happens on a regular basis).
It reminds me of the disappointment a high school guy shared with me when he went surfing with his youth pastor and his youth pastor ignored someone who was homeless and begging for money because he was in a hurry to get to the waves. This happened a week after this youth pastor had challenged his students to show kindness to folks who are homeless. The kid wasn’t mad — just disappointed.
It’s hard to be a leader. May God give us grace to be the followers of Jesus He wants us to be. And may we experience God’s grace when we aren’t.
Recently I read Henri Nouwen’s Finding My Way Home: Pathways to Life and the Spirit
