by Polly House

Women gather for worship at the first .Mom (pronounced Dot Mom) event from the LifeWay Women.

Melissa Wilson is an event coordinator with LifeWay Women and organizer of the .Mom (pronounced “Dot Mom”) event recently held in Birmingham, Ala. Wilson took time to answer some questions about how the event turned out.

Q. You had about 1,500 women at the event, many of them moms in their 20s and 30s. Did you design this conference specifically for them?

A. We wanted to have a conference for moms of all ages with children of all ages. It was incredible to see three generations from a family – all moms attending together. We offered speakers and conferences from young moms in their 20s all the way to some great grandmothers! Moms of all ages were represented.

Q. Why did you choose Angela Thomas, Angie Smith, Vicki Courtney and Priscilla Shirer for your platform speakers?

A. All of them have written Bible studies for LifeWay Women, so their names and work were familiar to the women who attended. All of the platform speakers are incredible Bible teachers, plus all of them are moms too.

Q. You had dozens of breakout conferences the women could choose to attend. Why so many?

A. We wanted to cover as many mom-related topics as possible. Our prayer had been for moms to walk away encouraged, energized and excited about being the mom God has called them to be.

Q. You surprised the conference attendees when you brought the Dugger family from Arkansas out on stage. Why did you bring them in?

A. They were in Birmingham working with Impact Alabama, helping to rebuild homes destroyed by the recent tornadoes. They happened to be staying at our hotel, and since LifeWay already has a relationship with them (program personalities at the LifeWay Kids conference), we asked them to stop by. We were thrilled when all of the family was able to show up and sing for us. Only Michelle, the mom, and the youngest baby were unable to be there since they were both sick.

Q. What will the next .Mom conference look like?

A. .Mom will be back in Birmingham at the Sheraton Sept. 21-22, 2012. We will have a different line up of main session speakers, but again we will have a wide assortment of breakout sessions for the moms to choose from.

share generously, treat with dignity, protect with mercy

Conversation Starters

How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers

• Teach your preschooler about giving by handing them a quarter or another sum of money to give in the offering plate. Explain that we give to God because He loves us and gives to us.

For School-Age

• Teach your elementary school child to give by helping her count out a tenth of her allowance and give it in an offering envelope. Tell her that God gives us 100% and only asks for 10% back in order to help others.

For Students

• With your teenager, establish a working budget based on allowance and any part-time job he has. Help him learn to contribute a tenth of all income. Be sure to lead by example, and be open to discussing your budget and your giving habits.

by Polly House

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jackie Kendall is a straight talker. She tells moms straight out, “Don’t let your daughter marry a Bozo!”

Kendall was one of the breakout conference leaders during the .Mom (pronounced Dot Mom) event, held Sept. 23-24 in Birmingham, Ala.

Speaking to a room full of women, Kendall didn’t hold back from telling them they have a great responsibility for keeping their girls safe from predatory guys.

“The greatest abuse is letting your [daughter] grow up thinking the world revolves around her,” she said. “The easiest way to make sure a girl is a Bozo-magnet is to teach her that everything is all about her.

“Is your girl growing in her love for Jesus?” Kendall asked. “Does she see that you are? Does she have a pattern of doing for others at home and at church?”

She cautioned that girls who aren’t helping other people are usually self-focused and will attract guys who are aware of this vulnerability.

“Do you know why older guys date younger girls?” she asked. “It’s because they are easier to seduce.”

She cautioned moms to step in if they see their freshman daughter dating a senior boy (in high school or college). “These guys see these younger girls as easy fruit. A girl will be all swooning and flattered that the older guy is interested in her, but you need to stop that relationship. He isn’t interested in her, just interested in using her.”

Kendall warned the women that in their roles as moms, Sunday school teachers, or any other where they are around girls regularly, they need to watch for signs of abuse in girls who are in relationships with guys.

“Remind them that sex will ruin a good relationship and sustain a bad one,” she said. “If you see a girl in a really bad, abusive (verbal, emotional or physical) relationship, there is sex involved. These precious girls get involved with these Bozo guys and get led around like dogs.”

She said girls need to be reminded that they need to require guys treat them with respect. “No sexual control before marriage means no sexual control after marriage. Fornication will lead to adultery.”

Kendall is author of several books, including Lady in Waiting: Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right; The Young Lady in Waiting: Developing the Heart of a Princess; and A Man Worth Waiting For: How to Avoid a Bozo.

“These girls have to know that waiting for Mr. Right is important,” she said. “What is worse than waiting? Wishing you had!”

For Children
Work with your child to put together a leaf collection. Collect 6-10 different leaves. Try to collect two leaves from each tree, one that has not turned its fall color yet and one that has. Identify each leaf and place it on a sheet of construction paper. Bind the collection together with string or put in a folder. Use the process to talk with your child about how the change takes place because God designed it that way.

For Students
Encourage your students to do an Internet search for “miracle stories.” Instruct them to look for stories that seem legit and those that seem to be fake. Discuss reasons why people believe or don’t believe present-day miracle stories. Talk about whether or not your students believe Jesus still does miracles.

After I finished my junior year of High School, I went to Windy Gap (a Young Life camp just outside of Asheville) as a leader with some inner city kids for the week.  There were more than enough leaders with my group, most of which I did not know.  After the first day, I made myself physically ill because I just wanted to go home.  I was not familiar with my surroundings and the people I was with.  Unfortunately I did not stick it out and my brother came to get me.

These are two (out of many) very memorable times in my life when I became homesick.  When I hear the topic of “homesickness”, I think of myself.  I often felt there was something wrong with me because I was homesick so much.  I was embarrassed but I couldn’t help feeling that way.  I never thought I’d say this, but I am thankful for those times because I know somewhat how kids feel when they come to camp for the first time.  Those experiences have helped shape me into the person I am today.

If I had a child I was sending to camp for the first time, I would do a couple things to help prepare my child to be away from home.  I would have my child stay the night or possibly two nights at a friend’s house on a semi-regular basis.  This will allow them to have “nighttime” experiences away from their parents.  It will allow them to make decisions on their own and build confidence.  I would also help them become familiar with camp surroundings.  You may not physically be able to see camp before you come, but looking at pictures from previous summers, watching videos, and looking at the daily schedule may help.  You may even know another family in your area that has been to camp that can help you become familiar with the program.

While my child is at camp, I would consider writing a letter or sending an e-mail after the first few days of the session not after the first day.  When I was in Virginia at my Grandmother’s house, I loved receiving letters from my brothers and talking to my mom on the phone.  But each time it would make me realize that I wasn’t at home and it provoked the homesickness.  When communicating to your child, emphasize the positives about camp and let them know that you are proud of them.  Try not to focus on things that are happening at home or on pets.

Homesickness is not an abnormal thing and children shouldn’t be embarrassed by those feelings.  Our staff are trained in how to handle homesickness and do their best to make sure campers have the time of their life.  If you have any further questions about homesickness at camp, please give us a call at 1-800-968-1630.

Sharon Aylestock

Assistant Director, Camp Crestridge

Peter’s vision teaching that God does not show favoritism, here between Jews and Gentiles

Family Connection

For Preschoolers

Find books that present different individuals from various cultures. Read aloud to him, pointing out how God created everyone, no matter where they were born. Help him understand that all people are God’s special creation.

For School-Age

Discuss the children in your elementary-age child’s class or grade. Ask her about her understanding of their heritage and culture. If needed, spend time with your child’s teacher learning about the variety of cultures represented in her class. Help your child by finding Web sites and books that teach about the cultures of individuals in her everyday world.

For Students

Discuss current events with your teenager. As issues of different cultures come forth, spend time researching and discussing the background and back stories of the people involved. Attempt to develop an understanding of those involved in order to grasp the event and their response from their perspectives.

For Preschoolers
Who do you know that tells people about Jesus? Who tells you about Jesus?
Who can you tell about Jesus?

For Children
Do your friends at school ever talk about God? What do they say about Him?
Do you ever talk to your friends about what you believe? Why or why not?

For Students
Talk to your teenager about their friends.  Ask, “Who would be on your list of people you would like to meet Jesus?”
Do you think people learn better if they are told something or if they are shown something? How do you apply this to “telling” people about Jesus?

I bet many of you didn’t know that at Camp Ridgecrest, there used to be a swimming pool down in Apache Circle.  It was there in the 30’s… made from concrete block, and fed by a stream… I’m sure the water was nice and warm!

Probably one of the biggest changes that I have seen in my 35+ years at camp is the need for a summer camp experience for our young folks.  Back when I first started here, in the mid 70’s, most kids still got out and played in the neighborhood, many rode their bikes to school, and “Pong” (one of the first TV video games) didn’t keep too many kids inside.

Now, with many more safety concerns, video games, iPhones, and a plethora of movie and television channel choices, it seems that young people rarely get outside.  And with Facebook and chat, there is much less face-to-face social interaction.  Camp can give your child the outdoor experience that they need, as well as face-to-face time with their peers.  For camps like ours that don’t allow electronics or cellphones, parents are relieved, and campers find that they can live for two or more weeks without checking Facebook every five minutes or so.

So as your write that check this year for camp tuition, and wonder if you could be spending your money in a better way, just remember that you are providing your children with experiences that they can’t get anywhere else… time in the outdoors, away from “civilization” and all that entails, and the chance to spend time with friends from all over the country in a Christian community with incredible college age students as their role models.  What better way could you spend your money… or they spend their time?  We look forward to them being with us this summer!

Ron Springs
Director, Ridgecrest Summer Camps

Sanctity of Human Life Lesson; God values us, has a plan for us, is with us

Conversation Starters

How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together:

For Preschoolers

• Have you ever done something that made one of your friends say they didn’t want to be your friend anymore? How did that make you feel?

• Do you know that God loves you no matter what? How does THAT make you feel?

For School-Age

• [If you have a pet] What are all the things we have to do to take care of our pet? Why do we do them?

• What are some ways God takes care of animals in nature? Do you know that people are much more important to God than animals are?

For Students

• Psalm 139:16 says, “All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.” What does that tell you about your future? About how God cares for the unborn?