We all need prayer. If you'd like someone to pray with you or disciple you, our new blog ministers would like to help (just click on their photos on the sidebar at left). From time to time I'll ask one of them to share. The first of these is Patti Blakely. She explains how she found the blog and how God subsequently touched her life. - sb
You've heard that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. I learned last week that God sometimes takes the opportunity to review your life and leave you still breathing.
A glitch on my laptop led to the most amazing and fullfilling week of my life. I was playing on Facebook and a blog page appeared out of nowhere. I began to read the entries and knew that I had a connection with this person named Seth Barnes. So I sent an email to him. 15 minutes later the phone rang and it was Seth. We talked for no more then 10 minutes and agreed to meet for lunch. Little did I know, but my whole life was about to change.
It began with an AIM project in nearby Gainesville. Toya, Cory, Kim were the leaders. Here's what happened and the two lessons I learned.
Lesson 1:
I had lost my dad seven months ago (November 7th, 2008) and the Lord shut me down, physically, mentally and emotionally. I could no longer work my high power job - I was given a severance package with love.
En route to AIM I asked God the question, "What do you want me to do and who do you want me to help?" The answer was, "Trust me today."
Seth met our bus on the way to the Boys and Girls Club and asked for three volunteers for a special assignment. I raised my hand. He told the story of Robert, a saint amongst us who was dying in the hospital. We were to meet him in a hour to pray with the family, in the same hospital and the same room where my dad had died. I was afraid, but with Seth, Floyd, and Liz by my side we went Robert's room. Instantly the Lord was at my side so that I could take all the lessons that I had learned and minister to Robert's wife and oldest daughter. I told them, "You are not alone and Robert is not ending his life, but beginning a new one."
What I learned:
Ask for support and God will be there even when you don't know that he is there. When he allows you to experience pain in your life, it is to learn a lesson that will enable you to help heal others.
Lesson 2
I was brought up to be the best at everything I do. Asking for help was a sign of weakness. Being a follower not a leader was a failure. Everything that I said or did was to impress the world and show I was tough.
We had a worship session Tuesday night with Seth and Jake. As Jake led the prayer for us, the Lord spoke to me thru him and laid my life out, faults and all. Who did I think I was fooling for all these years? Not the one who knows me best.
What I learned:
I might fool people around me, but God wanted an up close and personal relationship with me. I learned you cannot impress him, he was impressed with you from before you knew how to breath and called out your name in joy and love.
All of the corporate back-stabbing, dreams of over-achieving, saving the world, and awards, were nothing more than power plays and had no purpose in God's plan for me. They crowded my heart with nothing but negatives. I'm learning to love him as a Dad. To talk to him, to tell him the truth, to listen for his answers, and just be real.
I have met many new friends in Gainesville this week and will continue to share how wonderful a life video is when you accept the invitation from the one who truly loves you most and wants the best for you.
Having selected 30 photographers in the first phase of the photo contest, we've entered the portfolio phase. This is where you get to see the strength of a photographer's overall work. Each are submitting 20 pics. You can see the early submissions here. The photographers have another week or so to complete their portfolio.
Here's a sample portfolio:
November 2008, Burma, Villagers wave farewell as we pull away from their dock after delivering
some goods and playing with children.
November 2008, Burma, Prayer.
November 2008, Burma, Worship.
October 2008, Cambodia, An HIV+ orphan girl peers up at me as I hold her hand.
October 2008, Cambodia, World Racers Josh Bruce and Johnny Pratt (July '08
squad) have fun with kids in the ocean during our Race debrief.
October 2008, Cambodia, World Racers Lisa Smith and Kara Burrows play
"London Bridge is falling down" with orphan kids during our Vacation Bible School.
March 2009, Malawi, Carpenter Shinkango works on building one of 20 benches
he constructed for the church, paid for by Racer-raised funds from American supporters.
July 2008, Mexico, Kids surround their newborn twin siblings after we did a
kids program & gave out candy at their neighborhood church.
August 2008, Nicaragua, Pastor Jose prays over Itzel moments after she has been baptized.
August 2008, Nicaragua, Teenager Itzel rejoices as she comes out of the
water as a new creation! (Baptism by Missionary Tommy Gable)
February 2009, Swaziland, Young siblings hear us walking behind them on
their walk home through the farming community.
November 2008, Thailand, World Racers from E and F squads pray and praise in
public on a popular Thai island beach.
November 2008, Burma, Orphan girl praying.
November 2008, Burma, World Racer Zach Parish plays with orphan kids being
taken care of by Buddhists.
October 2008, Cambodia, An HIV+ orphan girl looks up when she is called to
come play with the group during our Vacation Bible School.
March 2009, Malawi, Kids from our neighborhood wave as we walk by on our way to church.
May 2009, Moldova, Pastor Vitalii (left) and teenager Sergio (right) kneel to pray during the
daily prayer meeting at the transitional home for teens run by Pastor Vitalii.
Romania, April 2009, Fourteen-year-old Aleksandra publicly confesses her faith in Christ as
she prepares to be baptized.
April 2009, Romania, A man raises his arms in triumph as he publicly confesses his faith in
Christ in preparation for water baptism.
February 2009, Swaziland, Maria breaks down as World Racers Jessie Miller
and Maithili Johnson pray over her after hearing her painful history and testimony.
So many people have helped me become the person I am. How about you? Who has contributed to your life? Have you really thanked them?
This story from Charles Plumb, a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam, may encourage you to to go back and make sure they understand the gratitude you feel.
After 75 combat missions, Plumb's plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied.
Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.
The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"
Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back, and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."
Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.
When sharing this story with an audience, Plumb concludes by asking them, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.
It's a great story and principle. Most of us can thank our moms for helping pack our chute - I know my mom did so much to launch me in life. And if you're fortunate enough to have a supportive spouse, that can make a huge difference as well. Karen has been a center tent-pole in my life. And there were key partners and mentors, some of whom I've written about before. So many of my successes would have never happened if others hadn't packed my chute.
Welcome to the re-launch of this blog. Behind the scenes, we've been organizing it for several weeks now.
Over the life of the blog, it has turned into more of a community. I regularly receive requests for help. In general, people are looking either for prayer, for counsel, or for discipleship. Thankfully, a number of our regular blog readers have stepped up and have reached out. I've come to the conclusion that it was time to better empower them in their areas of ministry. You can read about it in this blog.
I asked for volunteers to help. Here are the ones who have stepped up so far. I know and trust them all. I've screened them according to their gifting and call as ministers and followers of Jesus. I've asked them to send me their pictures and a short bio. If you know of people who need prayer, counsel, or discipleship, they are available - just click on "Send An Email" at left.
I'll continue to blog as I have in the past, though perhaps not as frequently, and sometimes augmented by one of our blog ministers listed below. We've divided them into two teams.
The values of this blog are authenticity, vulnerability, and caring. We try to follow Jesus' model in this. Together, we're dreaming of lives lived more openly, becoming more human as we aspire to the divine.
July - August Team
Patti Radzik
Help/Counsel
Patti R's passion is to help hurting people find healing and hope in the grace of Jesus Christ, and to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God" (Micah 6:8) in the process. My dream is to love, serve, and breathe life into the orphans in Swaziland, Africa and to see God raise them up to be world changers.
Mark Lucas
Help/Counsel
Mark lives with his wife Kathy and daughter Constance Joy in NC. He has been very active with Operations Rescue, inner city discipleship ministries, short term missions, and home model churches. Mark is an ordained associate minister and has planted a church and created a city-wide ministerial group in North Carolina. He is currently the Communications Director for Christian World Adoption. His family is seeing fulfillment of a long held dream of discipleship home. He envisions of a home that is to both prepare and launch believers to make disciples in unreached nations.
Butch Maltby
Prayer/Encouragement
Butch has learned that real lessons come from life and not a book--unless of course the "book" is the Bible. He had seasons of wandering in his life, has been preoccupied with the wrong things and only in recent years has found his way "home" through the patient nudges of Jesus and the support of faithful friends. He has four great kids and had the joy of going to Russia and Korea to adopt two of them when they were younger. He is currently a Senior Advisor to The Bethel Colony of Mercy which serves addicted men.
Kenny Sacht
Prayer/Encouragement
I live in Boise, Idaho with my beautiful bride and 6 children. I love watching the Holy Spirit show up in love and power as he changes hearts and minds. God is breaking my heart for the things that break his: the poor, widows, orphans, and needy throughout the world. Having coached for many years, I now lead athletic mission trips to the slums of Manila, The Philippines to disciple kids and help wipe tears on this side of heaven. I enjoy praying for the sick and the broken hearted as well as challenging, discipling, and encouraging others to think (and act) outside the traditional American church model as they grow in their kingdom walk with Jesus and others.
Gabe Landes
Discipleship
Heidi and I live in Dayton, Ohio, and have four young children. I was a pastor for 14 years before I started my own business in 2003. Two years ago I went through a crisis of faith when I asked myself if I was really, truly, a Christ-follower. Or was I just a "Jesus-believing, church-going, comfort-pursuing, nice guy pursuing the American dream?" That marked a turning point. Since that time, God has led me into His kingdom, something brand new to me. I'm still waking up, and have a passionate urgency to help others find the King and his kingdom.
Heidi Landes
Discipleship
My husband, Gabe and our four children, ages 7, 5, 3 and 1 live in Dayton, Ohio. I accepted Christ as a teenager and discovered a passion for serving kids in poverty around the world. I worked in several urban ministries with youth before becoming a stay at home mom. Over the past few years, God has slowly started to change my heart. Instead of being focused on what I can do for Him in my own strength, I am learning to follow His leading and rely on God's power. My greatest desire is to be so filled with God's love that I "leak Jesus" to everyone I meet.
September - October Team
Kathy Lucas
Help/Counsel
Walking out my faith did not begin until I was 22 years old. Then God gave me a deeper schooling while smuggling Bibles into Communist countries, meeting and hearing persecuted believers' stories firsthand. Life-changing! God did a necessary, purging work in me and I experienced a powerful filling of His Spirit. I felt God call me to the crying need for the Church in America to be discipled as Jesus did. Relational and missional. I long to see a "bridging of the gaps" between generations, each recognizing the need for the other, between all we "know" and what we live out, and bridging the gaps in the Body of Christ. We love to disciple up close, living together, ministering together, here and abroad.
Gina Fimbel
Prayer/Encouragement
Gina Fimbel lives in Wilmington, NC with her husband and twin boys. Her passion to follow Jesus grew exponentially when she lost her first son at six months old to a genetic disorder Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She has a desire to love and serve all of God's children, especially those who are homeless and orphaned. Gina worked at a homeless shelter for women and children and in foster care. She currently is a Guardian Ad Litem and has a Master of Social Work. Gina has an enthusiasm for helping others discover and grow in their love and service for God.
Teri Frana
Prayer/Encouragement
Teri is a believer that God is much more interested in our passion than our perfection. The Way of Jesus begins and ends with our passionate pursuit of Him. She is a wife and mother of three, and an avid student of the Word of Life. She is an author, teacher, and founder of, "There is More Ministries". There is more ministries because there is so much more to Jesus Christ. Check out her blog.
Megan Laird
Prayer/Encouragement
Megan loves connecting with people to ministries/ministry opportunities that just really fit that person. She is driven to mobilizing people into action and prayer. This includes connecting people with local opportunities and global calls to prayer and action. She views the new format to activate people within the blog community to go forth into the world, take our cross, and follow his example of discipleship, true community, and Kingdom Living.
Dean Cirelli
Prayer/Encouragement
Transitioning from traditional youth ministry in the local church, to residential child- care ministry has afforded me the opportunity to see the troubles and trials that many families endure on a daily basis. This, coupled with my own journey through a devastating divorce, and the restoration experienced through a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ has birthed within me empathy and compassion for hurting people and families. I'm excited about the possibilities for ministry to others that electronic media, and this blog in particular are creating.
Patti Blakley
Blog Edits & Admin
In January, God called out to me and said stop! He has shown me that my relationship with him needs to be up-close and personal. I needed to be just me ; the widget would no longer be the center of my world, He is. My passion is to help the youth of today discovering the role that they play in sending the word of God out to the world. I have been married to the love of my earthly life Stew for 25 years, we have 2 wonderful daughters, Jaime 27 and Sheryl 22. We live in Dacula, Ga.
Carol Chambers
Prayer & Blog Admin
Carol Chambers is English, married with one son and living to the east of London. Her passion for Jesus finds its most natural expression in music as a musician, worship leader, writer and arranger. She's spent time working on street outreach teams in the northwest and south of England and loves helping people look up and see Jesus. She has a degree in Drama, Music and Religious Studies and likes the way the creative arts can slip past prejudice and surprise a heart with the love of God.
Home again after a week away. As Amanda observed, Whimsy has some attachment disorders; he was beside himself to welcome us back.
Tonight before sleeping in my own bed, I called up a video made by two of my favorite World Racers, Ian Schumann and Marisa Banas. Whenever life's pain tempts me to drift in the direction of cynicism, all I have to do is check out a video like this one and my hope returns. The point of it is: You can make a difference.
More of us need to regain our grasp on the serious hope we've been given. And more 20-somethings need to go on the World Race and start believing in the Jesus in them.
I'm in Savannah, a city that oozes history out of every pore. What a perfect place to contemplate the inevitable passage of time. And what a day to spend thinking about it.
In a culture that prizes youth, that takes a wrecking ball to stadiums more than a generation old, in a country where cities like Phoenix and Reno sprout from the desert seemingly overnight, we do well to push the pause button from time to time and say, "Is this the best we can do?"
Those of you older than forty grew up with Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson as icons of what the Beach Boys called Endless Summer. Fawcett's poster graced many a dorm-room door during my junior year (1978) at Wheaton College. And while none of my crowd listened to Michael Jackson, we never tired of watching the permutations of his public persona.
Jackson's obsession with youth took our cultural dereliction to an obscene extreme. His example is a cautionary road sign along life's highway: "Here's where you may end up if youth becomes something you worship." The nips and tucks of plastic surgery intended to deny the aging process instead turn you into a ghoulish freak show. The Disneyesque delight in children and fantasy become the door through which abuse manifests.
While other cultures honor the elderly, prizing their wisdom and maturity, we shuttle them off to Florida or assisted living homes - out of sight, out of mind. And even those of us who sit on the sidelines observing the dysfunction of this way of life will give the culture its due. When I saw that my hair was starting to fall out, I bought a box of Rogaine (it did nothing for me). It's a slippery slope.
It's not morbid to consider how fleeting life is. "Teach me to number my days," says the Psalmist.*
And he adds later on, "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone."**
So, why do we who follow Jesus go to such extremes to preserve our youth? Why all the beauty magazines? OK, of course everyone appreciates beauty and yes, it needs to be celebrated. But we also need to consider where giving that value too high a priority in our lives gets us. God grant us the grace to wrestle with this issue before we find ourselves in some no man's land far from him.
It's a good time to look in the mirror and ask what else you see besides signs of the aging process. And if you have the courage to do it, let the rest of us know what you see.
I've been successful in building some things and people have speculated on the reason why.
In the interest of trying to impart to you something that will be useful, I'll dispense with the false humility that is customary when discussing such matters. Of course God is the author of all ideas and opportunities. But I'm not a
Calvinist or a determinist. We are stewards of what he gives us and he holds us accountable for our stewardship.
So, what is it? Some hypotheses:
Maybe it's a commitment to prayer and to try to follow God's leadership.
Maybe it flows from trying to follow Jesus' model of discipleship.
Maybe it's a willingness to take wild risks and lots of them.
Maybe it's an ability to build large networks.
Or maybe it's my commitment to build a nurturing culture in the workplace.
Or maybe it's the fact that my parents taught me to wait before I eat the marshmallow.
Frankly, I don't know - they're all important. But let's look at this last one. Perhaps the Galatians 5:22 fruit of the Spirit that seems most missing in young people today is self-control. Like the kids in the video below, we want to eat the marshmallow now. And as the accompanying study shows, 100% of kids who master this issue of self-discipline are successful later in life.
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, parents seem to really struggle in helping their children learn to delay gratification. "If it's good, get it now," seems to be the mantra. Get in debt, buy it, and enjoy it. My parents fought this pernicious philosophy tooth and nail. We kids had no choice in the matter - we learned discipline in the Barnes home.
How would you rate yourself? It's not too late to learn this principle. It's all a question of making the decision to resist the temptation to indulge now so you can have something better later. Set a goal, get some accountability, and commit to grow in this area. And check out the video, it's priceless.
Here are the winners of Round 1 of the photo contest. There are 32. The names were withheld from the judges, but now we can make them public. Because we struggled to decide on a few (and didn't hear back from a judge who went on vacation), we will probably post a few more before week's end. If, after reviewing the 3000+ entries, you'd like to suggest one that we missed, please give us the URL in the comments below. If enough of you agree, we'll post one or two "people's choice" candidates. Stay tuned for Round 2: The Portfolio Round (each winner below submits a 20 photo portfolio).
Nick Derington.
San Juan streets. A local elderly woman begging for pocket change.
Sean Smith.
Care point in Swaziland. I took photo as the children were eating.
Sharon Woods.
Tanzania. Longito missions compound. There were over 200 underprivledged Maasai children praising and worshiping the Lord. (Maasai jump when they worship). That day these children received a meal, and had a time of worship and a Bible story.
Marissa Vignola.
AIM base in Swaziland, orphan boy crying.
Matthew Cramer.
Francis Gaskin Orphanage Home in Liberia, Moses shows who loves him.
Jacob Maentz.
Sapak Farm, Cebu, Philippines. A young child looks up while being served lunch at Sapak Farm.
Steph Connors.
El Doret, Kenya. Walking to a crusade.
Mandy Busby.
Canaan Malnutrition Clinic, Montrouis, Haiti. Malnutrition patient grasps hand of missionary clinic worker.
Loretta Wang.
Swaziland. An AIM participant sharing water with the children from her CamelBak.
Daina Norusis.
Gawad Kalinga village in Bacolod, Philippines. Sister caring for her younger sibling.
Jimmy McCarty.
Arroyo Palenque, Mexico. Excited girl meeting World Racers.
Stephen DeVries.
Free Clinic in Cap Hatien. Boy who had a terrible infection in a small village was picked up and taken to the free clinic in Cap Hatien to save his arm.
Tim Miller.
Calea Spre Cer Church: Rast, Romania. Gypsy kids praying during vacation bible school.
Becky Haverkos.
Kibera, Kenya. My husband, Dan, and I were on our honeymoon/mission trip with AIM. We were working with the students at the New Adventure School. In this picture, the girls have just won in soccer against the boys. The women laughing the forefront is their teacher. She was so proud of all of her students.
Stanley Leary.
Diane Zuma plays with water at well in Koudougou, Burkina Faso. There are two types of wells in this area: one which is open and not safe to drink from and this one which is deep and is covered and much safer to drink.
Deborah Berruti.
Cedarville, South Africa. A hungry child drinks soup given to her by Christians who run the Crossroads Children's Home.
Jennifer Mitchell.
Jerusalem. Playing with refugee orphans who fled Sudan. Many of their parents were killed when trying to cross the border. This picture shows the heartache that the children still feel, even on a fun and happy day, smiles sometimes escape them.
Darin Dueck.
Soto, Dominican Republic (Church service at Iglesia Cristiana de Soto). On bended knee with hands raised.
Lauren Morris.
Tando Dumps, Manila, Philippines. Beautiful dump-dwelling children finally smiling amidst the trash.
Katie Rowland.
Sihanoukville, Cambodia. World Racers Josh Bruce and Johnny Pratt have fun playing with local kids atthe beach during our Race debrief.
Natalie Montgomery.
Malawi, Africa. Women sing praises in the corn fields.
Blayne Kelly.
Manzini Carepoint, Swaziland. Noxolo is extremely curious about Daniels facial hair, she's not shy about it either!
Neil Bruinsma.
Maasai highlands in Kenya, All the men from the Oct 08 World Race team
on top of a mountain screaming to the Nations during MANistry.
Megan Hale.
Kibera, Kenya, children observing our mission team for the first time.
Steven Siwek.
Gale's Point, Belize walking to the beach, missionary teen takes her newfound friends out for a relaxing sunset swim.
Sarah Shreves.
Awer IDP Camp Gulu Uganda, curious little boy reaches out to my friend Amy.
Paul Turner.
Mozambique. Taken during a pastor's meeting. Many walked for days to attend and were excited to be there.
John Fracker.
Baptism in Romania, Gypsy Village Easter
Service April 2009. Just as he washed away the old man and rose new you
can see the drops rolls from his face and peace set in!
Allison Johnson.
Freetown, Sierra Leone. They asked for change but got so much more. A lesson about Christ on the beach.
James Milling.
Yemen. My friend and I went out to pray on the coast that day for the all the lost people in that land.
Ryan Stewart.
Near Palenque, Mexico. World Racer Jon Hiebert just after being baptized.
Drew Nelson.
June 2008, the orphanage Casa de la Esperanza in Mexico, playing on the merry-go-round.
Congratulations to the winners! Now they'll begin to compile their portfolios for you to view (instructions will be emailed today). We'll be framing and selling the top photos signed by the photographers. They will keep all proceeds from photo sales. I think it'd make a wonderful gift.
We're proud to announce the Round One Winners of AIM's Missions Photo Contest. We're posting an initial group of winners today and will post the rest tomorrow. Our panel of judges selected 30 photos (from 30 unique photographers). The semi-finalists will now put together a 20-picture portfolio that will be available for public viewing.
Stay tuned to the blog, and we'll show you how to check out the online portfolios that our qualifying photographers are building. On July 15, we will selected the finalists. And on August 1, we will select the winners; including a prize for the people's choice (where you get to vote).
Neil Bruinsma.
Maasai highlands in Kenya, All the men from the Oct 08 World Race team
on top of a mountain screaming to the Nations during MANistry.
Megan Hale.
Kibera, Kenya, children observing our mission team for the first time.
Steven Siwek.
Gale's Point, Belize walking to the beach, missionary teen takes her newfound friends out for a relaxing sunset swim.
Sarah Shreves.
Awer IDP Camp Gulu Uganda, curious little boy reaches out to my friend Amy.
Paul Turner.
Mozambique. Taken during a pastor's meeting. Many walked for days to attend and were excited to be there.
John Fracker.
Baptism in Romania, Gypsy Village Easter Service April 2009. Just as he washed away the old man and rose new you can see the drops rolls from his face and peace set in!
Allison Johnson.
Freetown, Sierra Leone. They asked for change but got so much more. A lesson about Christ on the beach.
James Milling.
Yemen. My friend and I went out to pray on the coast that day for the all the lost people in that land.
As I've traveled the world, I'm amazed at how few good fathers there are. In many parts of subSahara Africa, they are not even around. In countries like Moldova and Russia, it's normal for them to be drunks. In Cambodia, many sell their children into the sex trade. In America we do OK on a relative basis, but too many fathers are absent or are raising little narcissists. Around the world the lack of fathering is appalling.
That's why when, on my trip last week to Minnesota, I see good ones like Dwight Buller, father of nine children, I want to celebrate them. Dwight puts his children to work on the family farm. They understand the importance of God, family, and personal responsibility. He and his wife Peggy have raised their kids to have a kingdom worldview that includes mission trips. Dwight understands the importance of hard work and strong values. And his children are growing up healthy and secure.
A study by the journal Child Development underscores how important dads like Dwight are. It shows that good fathers make a big difference, citing the specific area of sexual behavior.
An MSNBC article summarizes the study:
When it comes to preventing risky teen sex, there may be no better deterrent than a doting dad.
Teenagers
whose fathers are more involved in their lives are less likely to
engage in risky sexual activities such as unprotected intercourse,
according to a new study.
The
more attentive the dad - and the more he knows about his teenage
child's friends - the bigger the impact on the teen's sexual behavior,
the researchers found. While an involved mother can also help stave off
a teen's sexual activity, dads have twice the influence.
Why is it that good dads make this kind of difference? Did you have a good and did he make this kind of difference in your life? I'm interested in your thoughts and stories (I'll even post your Dad's pic if you send it to me).
You've heard that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. I learned last week that God sometimes takes the opportunity to review your life and leave you still breathing. 
So many people have helped me become the person I am. How about you? Who has contributed to your life? Have you really thanked them? 
I'm in Savannah, a city that oozes history out of every pore. What a perfect place to contemplate the inevitable passage of time. And what a day to spend thinking about it. 
While other cultures honor the elderly, prizing their wisdom and maturity, we shuttle them off to Florida or assisted living homes - out of sight, out of mind. And even those of us who sit on the sidelines observing the dysfunction of this way of life will give the culture its due. When I saw that my hair was starting to fall out, I bought a box of Rogaine (it did nothing for me). It's a slippery slope.
As I've traveled the world, I'm amazed at how few good fathers there are. In many parts of subSahara Africa, they are not even around. In countries like Moldova and Russia, it's normal for them to be drunks. In Cambodia, many sell their children into the sex trade. In America we do OK on a relative basis, but too many fathers are absent or are raising little narcissists. Around the world the lack of fathering is appalling.
The
more attentive the dad - and the more he knows about his teenage
child's friends - the bigger the impact on the teen's sexual behavior,
the researchers found. While an involved mother can also help stave off
a teen's sexual activity, dads have twice the influence.