DNOW! D NOW! D-NOW! Disciple Now! No matter how you write it...It's HERE!!! This is a very exciting week in the Pecoraro family. I have been living and breathing Disciple Now for several weeks and therefore, so has my family. D NOW is one of my favorite events with the youth at our church. Every year, we get to come up with a fun and exciting theme and then we (my family, myself, and my good friend Rashel) get to brainstorm idea after idea in order to plan just the right activities to make the weekend come alive. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! This year is extra special to me because some of the events of this weekend are things that I have wanted to do for several years, but they just haven't materialized until this year....It makes me happy:)
Some people wonder why I would put so much effort into an event like DNOW. My reasons are simple. I want the Lord to speak to us and I want us to hear and understand what He is saying. I also want to help attach a memory to DNOW through the decorations or activities that will stay with the youth forever. I realized many years ago that, even though God speaks to me all the time, there are certain markers in my mind of the times when God has shown me something big. It may have been through a camp or a Bible study or just about anything. Usually, if I remember it well, it's because it has a special or unusual memory attached to it and when I think of that memory, I think of what God taught me. God may call one of the youth into the mission field this weekend...when they look back and remember what God showed them, just maybe it will be a more vivid memory because of the unusual way that the youth room looked or the exciting game we played or the people we ministered to. I'm not trying to say that God needs my gimmicks or ideas, but since He gave me this overactive imagination, I might as well be using it for His glory. Anyway, it makes sense to me...
I used to always have a rule that my children who are involved in a certain event aren't allowed to help me with that event. That way, all of the plans and decorations are a surprise to them along with everyone else. This year though, my son Hunter, and my daughter Mackenna, have been working alongside of me and helping me to get everything done instead of waiting for the surprise. What a huge blessing they are to me! If it weren't for them, so much of the decorating would not get done. In the beginning, I wanted them to experience the surprise along with everyone else, but then I realized; I have shown my children year after year how much I love decorating and now they enjoy it with me. I get to share something I love with them and they get the joy of knowing they have created something very special for others to enjoy. How exciting is that? I love my children, I love my husband, and I love our youth group at the church. I sure hope they will all love DNOW as much as I do, but more importantly, I pray that God will show them something and speak to them in a way that they will always remember.
1 comment:
That is how I felt about planning Awana nights. I wanted instill in the children a concept of church being the most fun thing they did each week. Learning about God should be fun. Christians have the joy of the Lord and we should be the most fun people on earth.
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