Okay - you can write this to me if you'd rather - but really, the goal was to do this for the LORD, so it might be kind of fun to try to write this to Him (like you did the first time). Whichever way you choose, just try to be honest! Here are some things you might want to consider sharing with Him...you don't have to answer them all, but they're good subjects to think about:
A. How'd it go? What did you end up doing/trying?
B. Did things go the way you planned? Better? Worse? The same? Did God change your plan at all? Explain.
C. Do you think this had any positive outcomes at all? Any negative outcomes?
D. Will you keep trying to do this now that the test is over? Why or why not?
E. What would you try differently if you were going to do this test over? Why?
F. What do you think you really learned from doing/trying this? Are you glad you gave this a try? Why? Why not?
G. It's hard to know what is in our hearts, but as well as you can, what was your "heart" response before, during, and/or after you tried something? Explain. (possible attitudes/experiences of the heart can include dishonest, grateful, angry, frustrated, joyful, kind, humbled, fearful, worried, confident, believing, etc.)
H. You can write this part to me...would you recommend this type of test in the future? Why or why not? Are there any dangers or drawbacks in giving a "test" like this? What was "good" about this type of test? What could be "better?"
For my project I decided to do three things. First, I was going to try and not get into as many fights with my sister, and if I did, solve them rationally. Secondly, I was going to try and listen to my parents and not huff and puff about everything they want me to do. Lastly, I was going to get to bed earlier so that I could get up earlier and not be the reason my family was late to school. I was going to do this for one week, but it did not turn out that way in the end. At the beginning of the first week I tried really hard, I had to grit my teeth a lot. I was very proud of myself for a while, and them by the end of the week I realized that I wasn't trying as hard anymore. I got into a big fight with my sister, and it was pretty bad. Although there was not hitting involved. After I stormed into my room, though, I did think about everything again, and we both talked it through. I decided to do the project longer, so that I could continue to get better. For the past two weeks I have done a lot better and feeling good about it. For the second thing that I did, I believe that this was the most challenging. It took a lot of gritting my teeth, and trying really hard not to get angry. One scenerio was when my dad got really mad at me for not turning the lights off in my bathroom. The first time it was me, but the second, third, and fourth time, it was my other sisters. He kept saying how I always forgot, and I was getting annoyed because it wasn't me. I was proud though, when I said, very nicely, that my other sister had done it the past two times. For the last thing, this was the easiest to change. I just got off my ipad sooner, and made sure that I got plenty of sleep so that I could move faster in the morning. It took a lot of stress off me and my family. All in all I think that this project was a success and I will be continuing it for a very long time! God was always in the back of my mind, and I knew he was glad when I didn't lash out. I am actually very glad that this was assigned, and I think by doing this I am living the gospel.
ReplyDeleteMy plane was to be nicer to my sister. I thought maybe I would make her feel better and happier and thought it would make a difference in her life. I hope it did. Not only did it make her feel special it made me. I realized that just a hello or a hey could make someone's day. I could see once I said something nice or encouraging her face would be in shock or light up with joy. I noticed myself saying nice things to her without even thinking. Which I think changed how I respond or talk to others and I hope I continue to do that. Thank you God, I now have a different perspective of how I treat others and I think that will help me a lot in the future. I am happy with myself for choosing this test, because it changed the way I talk to others. I would recommend this test in the future, its not a test that you forget about in the future. This test will help you view things differently.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to take notes in church. In my plan I decided that I was going to get a special notebook and to take notes about the sermon each Sunday and then I would mark messages or verses in my bible or the notebook. These tabs would make it easy to reference these verses in the future. Over the last three weeks or so I have succeeded in my plan. I have a notebook where I record important details or strong passages that I can cling to in a time of need. I enjoyed taking notes during service too. Sometimes I would even write down song I heard in church and listen to them later that day. I also payed more attention during service because I wanted to get reliable notes and not scribbles on a page. Overall I think that my [lan was a success.
ReplyDeleteOK so I did it. I took my test, I accomplished my plan. What I did was I went and told the people that I was jealous of how I was feeling. And how did it go? Amazing. After I told these people what I had done, and why I was sorry, they immediately forgave me. They all supported me and showed love for me even through a time of struggle like that. Almost all of them had admitted that they too were jealous of someone. It really felt great knowing that other students had the same sin, and many of them do. After I did this, tears just came streaming down my face because I was so happy. I felt accomplished. I felt renewed, and I just felt like that was a really good first step in a better relationship with God, and with my best friends.
ReplyDeleteMy plan worked out well. I guess..... God didnt not change my plan in anyway. Over time I had to start reminding myself about the test. It started getting harder and harder to remember bc I have so much I have to do. I ended up help 80% of the people and I am proud that I at least did something. I wish I could have done better. I did something i n the glory of God so I am ok with knowing that much. Even though I didnt remember sometimes I still like this test. I think this is a good thing to keep up.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to talk to my parents about how I obsess over my grades and put them over God. It took a little while, but I eventually followed through with it. The first thing I did was pray. I prayed that God would show me how to do well in school but not let it consume my life. I also prayed that God would tell me how to communicate and give me the courage to talk with my parents about my grades. The second thing I did was talk to my mom. I talked to her about how I put my grade above God. I asked her what I could do differently. She said that she did not know exactly what to do but that she would do everything she could to help me. We talked a little more and came to the conclusion that I spend way too much time studying. I now have cut my studying time into a reasonable amount. I have a set bedtime meant to keep me from over studying. And finally I have a lot more energy from lots sleep and less stress.
ReplyDeleteLord, I don't know how my plan helped my brothers. I was for sure that it would make a big difference that would show in their actions, but what I see is just brothers that aren't as mad at me all the time. They seem to want me there, and want me to talk with them and play with them, but I can't really tell if I made them ask the question "Who Am I?". Things didn't go as I planned, but it they didn't go badly. In the end, my brothers really did see that I could be a caring, loving person. My plan did morph a little bit in the process, though. Instead of leading a worship, I did something less extravagant but just as powerful. I prayed at family meals, I helped my brothers with devotion, and I tried to show kindness to all of my family members. Now granted, I didn't succeed all of the time, but for the most part I did follow my plan. If I were to do this test over, I would try to be more consistent. I didn't always feel that I was following my plan, and sometimes it felt like I didn't have a plan. But from doing this, I now understand a few things. Being the good guy doesn't bring punishment. It actually makes you feel that you did good, and you feel a different kind of joy. Before, my heart was really hoping to get this worship thing to work, but while I was working, I realized that extravagant things don't always make a project better. I realized that I could do small, simple things to make my brothers ask the who am I question, and that is just what I did. In the end, this project had more positive outcomes than I could have imagined. I saw my brothers and I fighting less, and I saw that my brothers weren't so bad when they felt loved.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to share the gospel and its true meaning with my friend who is just starting her walk with Christ. I told her Christianity is not a faith of good works, but Jesus giving us grace. It is by his works we are saved not our own. I think she understood the big picture of what I was saying. She did not look at me like I was crazy, but instead with curiosity and interest. This helped calm my nerves a lot. Again, she is new to christianity and therefore is still learning about it. But, I think I got the general message across. She had a few questions like, "Why did He die for us, wasn't there another way? He is all powerful right? So, we do not have to be good people? If he will always forgive us no matter what then can't we just do whatever we want?" I answered these questions with things like he was perfect, that is why he had to die for us sinners. We are technically not required to be good people to get salvation, but because He selflessly gave His life for us we should be so grateful that we do the same for others. I think that I helped her by giving her at least a little bit more clarity on the subject. I think that I was successful.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to connect ad reach out to a friend of mine. He moved to Texas years ago. The last time he visited was two years ago. Well I got his email and we had a great conversation. I am going to send him some Cardinals gear over thanksgiving break!
ReplyDeleteDear God,
ReplyDeleteFor the past few weeks I have been challenging myself to go to church on Sunday and worship You without being ashamed. When I went to church I listened to the words of the songs and sang them, I gave them meaning. I usually wouldn’t sing or pay much attention to the words but I found a whole new way to worship you. Eventually, I realized that I zone out in chapel as much as I do in church. My plan went from just fully worshiping You in church to doing the same in chapel and church. I found that when you actually pay attention, you can out apply a lot of what the pastor says to your life. Church isn’t so boring anymore. I will definitely keep challenging myself to stay focused in church because you can have many benefits from listening what God’s word says. I am really glad that I gave this a try because I have a new meaning for church now and even though it is hard I have been able to worship without being ashamed. My attitude toward church was bitter and I dreaded having to sit there for an hour with nothing to do. I found that worshiping God doesn’t have to be private through prayer, you can worship God in church and experience much joy.
My plan was to try to listen to the sermon and not just write down what the pastor is saying. I failed at doing it. I would go in and be like ok i am going to listen but i didnt. I am glad that i tried and I am going to try again.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was help me and my friends become actual Christians as apposed to lukewarm Christians. This totally backfired. Instead of stopping becoming lukewarm Christians, they just kept on going. They stopped texting me and talking to me and they talk about me behind my back. This was not the plan at all, but I'm going to have to get over it. If my friends can't change and become devoted Christians, then they are not the friends for me. I will still try to be friends with them, but they will not be my center of attention or my closest friends. I will be on the hunt for new friends. This my not be what I want to do, but it's what I need to do. The friends I spend most of my time with should be pointing me to God, not away from Him. I will do my best to make new friends. Friends I hope will help guide me in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to obey and respect my parents. So at first it was hard and it did not workout so well. But as the days went on, it got better and better. I would do what my parents said right then and there. This had a positive effect on my family. My parents could trust me more and give me more responsibility. Overall I think this was a huge success. Whenever I obeyed them, it felt good to listen to them and make them happy.
ReplyDeleteDear God,
ReplyDeleteI think that my overall result for option 1 was ok. It was hard to remember on my own what I was trying to do, that would make a difference in my life and in others. If I did this again I would keep a copy of my letter to God in my room to make me remember. Also I would tell my friends and family what I was doing so that they could keep me accountable. When I heard this idea of option 1 I really wanted to do it. I feel like I could have done a better job of worshiping you, but sometimes I would have to remind myself that I had to work on this and that even when I thought I was done I was really not. So I will try to continue this because I really think this was a good idea and the right thing to do even though it can be hard.
Amen
My plan was to renew my relationship with God even with my busy school/sports lifestyle. I started to pray and talk with God more often and realize his presence in my life. It's nice to know that no matter the situation God is taking care of me. Having a closer relationship with God I released an idol in my life, video games. I choose (with the help of God) to take a two week break from video games to prove to my self they weren't necessary. Being closer with God helped me to point out my own sin (other wise not know to me) and gave me the power to destroy it.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to write about God and how he is real and fold it up and put it in envelopes saying 'to whoever finds this' and leave them in public places such as stop signs and park benches. For me it was difficult to see if it 'worked' or not, because I couldn't just wait around all day to see who would pick it up and then watch their reaction. However on my way back from taping all the envelopes up I saw one that I had put on a car was gone! I truly believe that God put the right people there at the right times to pick it up and read it. I hope this brought some people to start questioning about what they believe and hopefully lead them to believing in God.
ReplyDeleteI had a change of my plan. My original was to invite pass out fliers to invite people to our church. But right around that time, our church had an official mission. To give gifts to children who's parents are in jail. I thought this will be a great thing to do. So went to a store, bought a book, and tucked a card into the gift packages.one important factor of being a Christian is giving to others. I believe the child will enjoy this gift. It will shine a light in a dark situation. Giving gifts to others will please God and spread his love for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was kinda confusing. A few years ago, I thought I didn't want to be as close of friends with my best friend. Every other person seemed to get a best friend every month, and I had been best friends with this person for a very long time. I never said anything, but I did stop hanging out and talking with her as much as I used to. Anyway, through this whole thing, which only lasted a month until I realized how stupid and selfish I was being, she never stopped being my best friend. Even though I basically tried to forget her, she forgave me, and afterword we continued our friendship like nothing had ever happened.
ReplyDeleteHer actions remind me of how God loves us and is there for us no matter how many times we sin against him.
I have another friend whom I'm really close with, and this year I noticed that she seamed like she was kinda debating her friendships, like I had a few years ago. My plan was to be her friend through it all just as my other friend had done to me.
I found that within about a month, her other friendships seemed to get rough. I stayed by her, and continued to be her friend despite how she had, purposefully or accidentally, treated me. Now, we are as close as we used to be, and I can tell she knows that I'll always be there for her. Knowing that you will always have one friend that will be there for you despite how much you screw up is an amazing feeling. So basically, my plan was to try to live the gospel by loving someone in the same way God loves us. This experience taught me how to be a great friend, and how I can resemble (not perfectly) God in my friendships.
My plan was to strengthen my relationship with God by reading my Bible, studying His word, asking questions, and listening in church. I believe my plan was a success. I did a variety of things that helped me to better understand my faith. I attended an FCA camp that was all about how to deal with problems and temptations in today's world. It not only gave me the chance to ask questions and get other students' opinions but also to get answers from people who really know God. I also learned how to be an athlete that honors God on and off the field. I really felt that God was reaching out to me in the last month. My church started a unit called "A Blueprint for Everything" where they answer questions that are commonly asked by Christians and non-Christians alike. One of the questions we dived into was whether or not we can trust the Bible. My pastor taught about how the translators would keep the word exactly the same when they copied it down. If they were off by the spacing of one letter they would throw away the whole document and start over. I reassured me that the Bible is a trustworthy source that really is from God. It's nice to know that no one tampered with the word. I also talked with my parents about all the questions I have about Christianity. They really helped me strengthen my trust in God by walking through those questions with me. I also received a Bible that is especially tailored to teenage athletes. I really feel comfortable when I read it because I understand what I'm reading and it relates to me. It has an immense amount of devotions in the back that have really helped me relate what the Bible is saying to my everyday life. It showed me verses and how I can live them out. I really believe that God stepped in to my plan and gave me opportunities that helped me grow in my faith. Things like the FCA camp and my church services that focused on questions were things that I didn't know about when I wrote out my plan. God put those things in my life so I could strengthen my relationship with him. This test had many positive outcomes in my life. I finally feel like I'm actually growing in my faith. For years I've been stuck in a state of frustration and doubt but now I am finally beginning to break free. The two things I learned from this test are that God cares about me and it's okay to ask questions. I originally thought that if I wanted to be a true Christian I could never ask questions or have doubts but in reality everyone has doubts and there are people out there who can help you overcome them. I learned that God really does hear me and care about me because I asked him to help me strengthen my relationship with Him and He put chances in my life for me to learn more about Him. I believe that through the whole experience I was excited and open-minded. I was ecstatic to finally work through my doubt instead of wallowing in it. Now I feel stronger and more comfortable in my faith. I will undoubtedly be continuing to dive into the wide world of Christianity with a God who truly loves me.
ReplyDeleteDear God,
ReplyDeleteMy plan was for me to stop putting other people's opinions of me before You. It was a bad habit I had gotten into, and I saw this test as a perfect way for me to focus more on my relationship with You than whether or not people liked me. A couple of weeks ago, I spent the weekend on a youth group retreat in Illinois. It was something that I really dreaded going to at first not because of the church part, but because of the other girls in my group. I didn't have much in common with them, and I was constantly worrying about what they thought of me. During the retreat, my goal was to be more focused on the lessons involving my faith instead of being well-liked. Determined to accomplish my goal, I interacted in the group lessons which taught me a lot about my relationship with You. I used to be really scared of asking questions or participating because I thought other people would judge me, but I convinced myself to worry more about You than anyone else . I realized many things that I simply would have ignored if I hadn't put myself out there. Through participating, I also become very close with some of the girls in my group. A lot of good things came from putting You first, and this test was a good way for me to reflect on what my true focuses in life were. With this challenge in mind, I've also been trying to apply this principle to my life outside of church as well. Instead of worrying about being "popular", I've been trying really hard to focus on my faith. It's not an easy task, but I've been working hard through this challenge and hope to continue putting the focus on You.
I did not do this challenge to the extent that I wish I had. I did do a really good job of not gossiping for the first 2 weeks. As the month went on, I started to say little things. I noticed them and immediately I felt guilty. It was almost like I couldn't help but gossip! I wanted to stop, but it had become a really bad habit. I still gossip now, but much less, And when I do gossip, I recognize it and feel bad about it. I used to never feel this way. I still am struggling, but I am headed in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI also did confess to a couple people about what I said. I felt a lot better after letting the burden off my back. I still have a lot more confession to do though...
One thing I wish I had put on my plan was to not only stop gossiping, but to try to help others keep from gossip. Whenever I heard anybody gossiping, I didn't do anything! Hearing words like that about other people make me think, "How would I feel if somebody was saying awful things about me behind MY back?" I know how much words can hurt, especially when it is your own friends who are talking about you. Even though the test is over for the 8th graders, it's not over for me. I'm going to keep confessing, standing up for others, and not gossiping. It's going to be really hard, but with God on my side, I can do anything.
Dear God,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ideas for the plan. I know You wouldn’t give me something I couldn’t achieve, but I certainly haven’t I feel like have achieved to goals we set. In fact, I failed when it came to being nice to my outer circle friends. One moved away and I can’t help but feel it was my fault. She was struggling and I could have made her feel better with the note I made, but never delivered. She might have stayed and it might have made life here a little easier for her if she knew someone cared. I feel horrible thinking I could have done something to stop her from going. I may have failed with that friend, but I have been doing a good with being a good friend to my other outer circle friend. She seems to be into tricking me lately though, it’s kind of scary. Anyway, I’m going to try to keep in contact with my friend from far away. I want her to know she’s still loved down here, and that I haven’t forgotten her. I’m also going to keep being nice to my other outer circle friend. She really needs someone to be her friend with all these people bullying her. I remember another part of the plan was to be nice to my lovely sister Sydney. I have been doing better than normal, but I don’t think I have done the best I possibly can. I am going to keep trying to be nice to her even though the test is over. I think one day you’ll bring me and my sisters together and we will be unstoppable! I know it would be so much fun, we wouldn’t have to worry about bullying, or somebody hurting one of us because we would all have each-others backs. I love my sisters and if we acted like we love each other nothing could stop us or break our relationships. I want a strong bond with my sisters, because they are pretty awesome, and we’re supposed to act like Christian sisters. I want to start by being friends with them first, so please help us work on it. I think I heard You say: “It all starts with you and Me.” I know that means I have to get close to you if I want to get close to my sisters and I don’t mind that very much at all. After all, You’re fun to be around, and You have a strange sense of humor. Often times You make me want to say You’re not funny while I’m laughing. I hate to admit it, but when You mess with me it’s kind of funny. Anyway back to the subject! The plan we made for me hasn’t completely succeeded yet, but we’ll work on it, and have a good time doing it.
Love You,
97
Dear God,
ReplyDeleteMy plan worked. In math, I received a C on the test. I did not become that upset. Then, Mr. Beachy gave us the opportunity to retake the test. I am now studying for the make up test, and fully grasping the area. I did not over obsess about it, and a good thing came from it. It is amazing how God works. Next, I have realized that success in life is having God with you because God being with us gives us the wisdom to work through things etc. To continue, in bible, I have been attentive and reading the verses to learn not to skim. I now know what I am reading. All in all, this journey showed me that everything happens for a reason, what the true meaning of success is, and to not just skim over God's word.
Dear God,
ReplyDeleteI wrote a long list of my blessings so that when I became jealous I would take a step back and look at how you have given me an amazing life. I was on the verge of tears when writing my list. Ever since I wrote it I think of thing after thing to add. I feel like you have given me a better perspective of life. It's not about objects and riches, it is about my relationship with you and others because those are the things that last. You have given me family, friends, and so much more. I prayed and prayed about this "test" (I barely think of it as a test). I rarely feel answers from you but this time I feel like you were trying to show me a few certain pictures of how I can look at life. These answers from you are personal, so I am not going to share them, but I am very thankful. I feel like this test meant more to me than I ever expected. I didn't want this test to be about only me, and I believe it isn't. Because you are helping me deal with jealousy I think I will be kinder to others. I have already become more joyful for others when they are blessed, and I pray that you help me continue this attitude. The list of blessings is special because it will always be growing. I have decided to never let myself delete a blessing from the list, because even if I am no longer blessed by that specific thing, It was a blessing to have had the blessing. That may be confusing, but you always know what I am thinking. Thank you, I love you.
Love,
Your Servant
My plan was that I would pay more attention and write notes during church. This also helps me strengthen my relationship with God. I prayed that God would give me the courage to do this and he did. I payed a lot more attention to the service and I wrote down some notes so I can go back to them in the future. I am very thankful that God gave me the courage to do this. I hope to continue this in the future.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was that over Thanksgiving break, I would confess my sins to the lord and to my parents. I would say that it didn’t go quite as I had expected. I had half expected to be punished and grounded for a long time. That didn’t happen. My parents were quite forgiving and told me that they would help me start over. Confessing my sins to the Lord was a lot harder though. After I did it, I felt guilty and disgusted with myself, but after a while, I felt relieved and free. My plan was a success.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to write anonymous letters of encouragement to my socially-struggling friend (goes to a different school). I ended up chickening out because I thought that he would figure out it was me writing it and our friendship would become extremely awkward. Thus, it didn't have a positive or negative outcome. I think that if I had to redo the test I would just hang out with him whenever I had some time.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to help my brother relationship with God. I would say my plan did not go as planned. He had a concussion then he was better for about a week. Then unfortunately he got another concussion! And he still won’t be completely better for another four weeks. Yes I think God changed my completely because I was not able to fully complete it. Although I think there was many positive outcomes and negative. Positive would be that he now realizes how lucky he is to be able to do things others may not. Negative would be that he still acts like a stuck up little kid who has everyone do everything for him. Of course I will try to accomplish this someday because where he is in his life with God is very important to me. I think I learned that not everything will always go your way and that God will help guide you to the right path. My attitude before I tried this I thought that it would be easy but hard at the same time. Now that I didn’t get to complete this before I turned my response in I’m kind of frustrated. I wish he didn’t have a concussion so I could have at least a five minute conversation with him. Yes I would recommend this test in the future because it really is a good thing to try to grow in your faith. Even if some student don’t take it seriously that’s their own fault and people who did take it seriously probably got something big in life out it.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIt went well, I ended reaching out to be friends with him and it was very successful. Things went somewhat the way they were planned. Earlier in the week I was nervous because my uncle told me he was not going to come to our house for Thanksgiving. My uncle explained to me that he did not want to come because their was going to be a lot of people at our house, and a ton of people triggered anxiety attacks with my cousin. Yet, I called him up and convinced him to come, so other than that God did not really change my plan. I believe that no negative outcomes were created, yet only about one positive outcome was created. The positive outcome was that I got to know my cousin better. I will try to keep calling my cousin, and try to stay in touch with him after seeing him. Yet, that is going to be hard because we live so far away. If I was going to do the test over one thing I would do differently is try to stay more patient with him. Their were very few occasions were I was starting to get frustrated with him. I stayed calm, yet next time I would not like to get frustrated at all. What I really learned from doing this is how lucky I am that God blessed me without a mental issue because I saw how hard it was for him. I am glad I gave this a try because it gave me a chance to make friends with someone I have known for so long. Like I said before I was sometimes frustrated when my cousin said something hurtful to me, or something prideful about himself. Yet, I had to stay patient with myself in order to be friendly and out reaching towards him. I would recommend this test in the future because it helps you step out of the comfort zone and actually try something that matters to you, or another person.
My new plan was to be with and acknowledge my brother over thanksgiving break, but to also do fun things with him and not ignore him because of all of the distractions and company we have over. I ended up spending a lot of time with him and having fun while doing so. I think that it all went like it was supposed to because I got what I had originally desired from it which was to develop a closer relationship with my younger brother. When I was nice and lenient with him it made everything go smoother. It also brought us closer together and we spent time together even with all of the people that were distracting us from what we really wanted to accomplish. The negatives of doing this plan was not being able to spend all of the time with our family from out of town because we see them rarely. When we spent time together it took away from the time that we had from our relatives even though I was fine with it either way and I am glad that I spent more time with him. After this test I hope that we can still spend more time together because it has brought us closer together and we have evolved a more personal relationship with each other. When this is over I do not want it to fade away, but I want it to stay a stronger bond between us.
ReplyDeleteI went to Washington, Illinois for Thanksgiving. The city of Washington was hit tremendously by a tornado. I thought that this would be a great opportunity to tell them about Jesus because the city of Washington lost many things and I could tell them that Jesus could help them through this situation. From this, I could lead it to Jesus and tell my grandma about Him. I did exactly this and told my grandma about Jesus and it turned out that she already knew and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. But before that, I thought she was not saved. After talking to her, she made me realize that she was saved. I will continue to try to tell others about Jesus.
ReplyDeleteBreak.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to share the gospel with my grandpa. At first I was planning on sharing with my uncle, but I thought I wasn't going to see him over thanksgiving break so I decided on my grandpa instead. I ended up finding out that I was going to see both my grandpa and my uncle over break. On thanksgiving day I was to see my uncle and the day after I was to see my grandpa. The day before thanksgiving my cousins and I went to my grandmas (and uncles) house to prepare for thanksgiving. They told me that they wanted to share the gospel with our uncle who didn't know Jesus. My plan was only to share with my grandpa but when they said that to me, I knew we had to do something with my uncle. My uncle isn't the type of person that really loves his family. So he wouldn't listen to me if I tried to talk to him. So my cousins and I decided to print out Bible verses that we find off the internet and secretly put it in his bedroom on thanksgiving day. So that's exactly what we did. I printed out the exact same Bible verses and put it in my grandpa's suitcase the day he was leaving. I'm glad I did what I did but I think that there is more to be done. I know that someday I need to actually talk to both of them but I was too afraid. I hope that someday I will have the nerve to speak to them and save the both of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat I ended up doing was paying more attention in church and not being distracted by other things in the world. I think this experience showed me how I should live my life for Christ. I also think this had all positive things come out of what I tried. I think I will try my hardest to keep doing this test for a long time because of the impact it had on others around me.
ReplyDeleteMy experience went pretty good actually. I had to tread on very thin ice but I think I made some sort of a difference. I ended up sharing some scripture with him and he was very open to it so that was good. God I think gave me wisdom because I had to be careful about what I said to him because I could have definitely said something that would have started some crazy drama but I didn't. I was trying to help my cousin find the Lord in a new way. This will hopeful end positively because now he has someone to go to in need. I don't think I can really do this again or I don't see how it can be applicable to my situation anymore. I learned that somebody can find the Lord with just a small push in the right direction. Before I tried this I was really nervous, during it I was trying to say all the right things, and afterwards I was really glad I did it. This was a nice way of doing a test, and you should definitely do it next year. It's a good experience, but it can be risky in some cases. I would absolutely do it again
ReplyDeleteDear God,
ReplyDeleteI chose this type of test because I think I can really make a difference in this dark world. It is very hard to this for Him and not for a grade. A, I am very competitive and really want to get a good grade in this class. And B, My parents always expect me to get a good grade and excel, and I always try to. LORD, I really need you to help me, give me the wisdom and the words to say when I try to convert my family to christianity. My plan is to call my extended family up and say if we could talk about something serious. Then I will say that being a christian is the best decision I have ever made. Then hopefully he will ask questions, but if not I will say all of the blessings and grace the you make your mercy new every morning. Also how you had his only beloved son die on a cross for the punishment we so rightfully deserved. But, out of your grace and mercy we are saved, and only by that we are saved. Some of my fears and hesitations are that I will chicken out and have no idea what to do. Another one is, that I will have no idea what to say, or how to say it. So LORD please help me with the words to speak and what to do about it. The thing I would love that you could change in my heart is that I can speak to people about Christ without chickening out the last minute. LORD, all I want to do is to grow the Christian church even more so that the people who would be suffering will not be anymore because they are in your hands. LORD I will just ask that if you could be right there with me and put your words in my mouth so that the please you. LORD, I know I fail over and over again daily and I don't always repent for them and I want to try and do my best to convert more people to Christianity. The reason I want to do this is that I know what life was like before being a Christian and I was always wondering and hoping, but not really knowing where to focus my hope in. Then I found the LORD, and I could put my trust and hope in him so he could take my worries and put my burdens on the LORD and he would lift them up. All I want to do is have other people experience the great relief that I had when I really met the LORD.
What happened was I called my family member and I said that if we could talk about something serious. Then I told them that becoming a Christian was the best decision I have ever made and how the LORD has helped me in every single tough time in my life. They sounded a little hesitant and so was I that was one of the best, but scary experiences I have ever had. Then they said that they would think about it and that they would maybe get back to me. Overall it was a great experience that I really needed to have.
My original plan was not successful, because my grandpa didn't end up coming to our house for Thanksgiving. So I decided instead I'd send him an email on Thanksgiving day. I sent him an email saying happy thanksgiving and I told him how greatful I am for my God and for him. I also told him how thankful I was that God put him in my life and things like that. I was really scared what he was going to say back. I got an email from him shortly after saying happy thanksgiving. I guess it was pretty successful. I wasn't really even expecting a reply at all. I knew there wouldn't be much of a change, but it felt good to tell him that. I even decided to send texts to some of my friends telling them how thankful I am that God put them in my life. It feels really good to remind people I'm there for them.
ReplyDeleteI put the letter in the mailbox today and I didn't sign my name at the bottom. I wrote about how the only way to get to Heaven is through Jesus and knowing that we are sinners. I also shared with him the verse Matthew 25:31-46, the one we talked about in class. After, I wrote how good deeds will not get you to Heaven. It took me a while to write it because it was hard to pick out what I should include. All in all, it was a great experience and I really stepped out of my box and did something I normally would never do. God gave me a tremendous amount courage to share his word. I am really glad I reached out to him because I have a broken family and It's nice to know that I tried my best to make at least one of my family members a believer. I will try to incorporate sharing the gospel in my every day life and this was a great starting point.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to spend more time with my dad. Over the break every single day I spent with my dad. We also discussed dad and daughter days so we could build a better relationship with each other. I think this is a good idea for a fresh new start. Having a better relationship not only benefits me but also him because he gets to be with his baby girl as she grows up
ReplyDeleteWill I did my plan and it felt great. I told them about the gospel, and specifically about how Jesus gave us his gift of perfection, wail we gave him our sin or imperfection. I am still worried that they going to think that am a geek or something crazy, but all I know is that it was worth it because I did all for God. And that is what I want to tell everyone who did this, it was all for God not for the grade. That is a huge idol not only at WCA, but at all schools around us. So do everything for. Everything should be worship. Remember that.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful my plan went very well. I was so nervous i almost baled but I didnt. It was so hard standing up in front of my whole thanksgiving table with all of my family. Even though my grandparents didnt know exactly that that was for them. It was interesting because after my little speech that iworked hard on, my grandma spoke up. And this is the grandma that i was really talking to. She had said for all of us to go around the table and say something we were thankful for. I was just in shock. I had said yes but it had taken me a little to take in what she had just said. Sometimes i think about why she had said that? she is never thankful for what she has and always seems to put it out on other people like me and my family. I was so Glad that I gave my speech to them. Im so confident that it had actually done something. I know that nobody is perfect including them and I really have to except that. But I truly am tired of it I thank God every second for him and for what he does in my life. I am so thankful to have him in help me through these hard times.
ReplyDeleteIt went decently. I ended up trying to play games my family wanted to play which (I am sure you already know) is no small task. I also prayed for one of my friends at church who i was not sure was the biggest christian. I was kind of scared to pray for my half christian. friend but i first prayed to you and it really helped. I learned he may have been a little closer to God as he ended up praying for me after and that touched me so that was cool but he said he was glad I asked so that felt very redemptive. I heard there is a project type thing at my church and I am going to see if i can join, after all it is just like 15 minutes every Sunday. I was pretty happy with how the overall conversation went but I always feel like my prayers are lacking but in the Bible class you said the holy spirit transforms your words into the perfect prayer so that made me feel better about it. I obviously felt touched that he prayed for me but I felt good praying for him as well I cant exactly describe it. I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to. A danger is people can easily cheat. I was actually tempted to just fake a story but i thought this is a Bible class I can not do that it just shows how sinful we are otherwise i like that we were allowed to choose and that it was in fact something different
ReplyDeleteA. How'd it go? What did you end up doing/trying?
ReplyDeleteFor my project, i decided to get to know my grandfather better and help him stop smoking. He has done it all of his life, and he/we can see the effects of it. I wanted to show him how God wants us to keep care of our bodies that he so carefully crafted for us.
B. Did things go the way you planned? Better? Worse? The same? Did God change your plan at all? Explain.
Things went as expected. I emailed/called and talked with him. I had other family members also chip in and help me/him
C. Do you think this had any positive outcomes at all? Any negative outcomes?
I can see that hopefully that his overall health will get better. God helped me with my comunication skills to be able to persuade and help my grandfather.
D. Will you keep trying to do this now that the test is over? Why or why not?
Yes! Such small, simple things can have a major impact in a persons life.
E. What would you try differently if you were going to do this test over? Why?
I would try to be more hands on personally with the project so i can see what my work did and how to better improve my bond with God.
F. What do you think you really learned from doing/trying this? Are you glad you gave this a try? Why? Why not?
Beautiful things come from the toughest situations. I am very glad i choose what i choose. It helped my grow in many aspects of my life.
G. It's hard to know what is in our hearts, but as well as you can, what was your "heart" response before, during, and/or after you tried something? Explain. (possible attitudes/experiences of the heart can include dishonest, grateful, angry, frustrated, joyful, kind, humbled, fearful, worried, confident, believing, etc.)
At first i was not grateful for the situations brought by this test, but now looking back at all the work i did to get to this point, i am rather happy and humbled.
H. You can write this part to me...would you recommend this type of test in the future? Why or why not? Are there any dangers or drawbacks in giving a "test" like this? What was "good" about this type of test? What could be "better?"
Great hands on test. I loved how you have it and i believe it is perfect. Gives you room to be creative and still learn valuable lessons.
Ive been going to church off and on it hasnt been a consistant thing really and when i do go I dont normally pay attention because i dont wear my ADD medisin to church or im messing around with my sisters. I think that the way i noramaly and alot of other people is that “ive gone to sunday school since i was three, i go to youth group i went to a privite christen preschool and a privite christen elementy school and now a privite christen middle and high school, ive learned it all theres nothing you can tell me that i havent already heard.” Well i was wrong need to stop finds exsuses about why im not going church consitenly. Every weekend we go to my farm, im pretty sure we could find a church out there to start going too. And when i do go to church i stare at the sealing or the floor completely unaware of whats going because thats me without my medision, once i even fell asleep. im going to to fix this by going to my regular church for 3 consitent weeks and take my patch and sit as far away from my sister as i can, and really just take some notes and pay attention the the storys the pastor tells real meaning not just the funny parts of it. I need to stop thinking at that i know all i can know because i dont about God there are always new ways to look at things and get other peoples view on christ and the biblical speaking. so I planned on talking to my aunt after thanksgiving dinner but it went terribly wrong she left.
ReplyDeleteWell, with my experience I did't feel the connection. I can sing every word, and clap along, but I didn't feel the connection. That connection where you can feel God touch your heart.So as for right now I don't understand why, but I wont give up I will try again, and hopefully I will find a different.
ReplyDeleteMy plan didn't exactly unfold the way I was hoping for, but I still was able to connect with my uncle for a short time. I found out that my uncle is attending church and that he does believe in God. I think the only thing were he is wrong is him believing that good deeds can get you to heaven. Even though I didn't actually tell him that good deeds don't get you into heaven, I was able to see the things that he struggled with, and the things he understands about God. The good that I got out of this assignment was learning what knowledge my uncle knows about God so that in the future it will be a lot simpler to tell the real gospel to him.
ReplyDeleteMy plan did not go as smoothly as I expected it to, but near the end of my experience I feel like I really helped my grandmother become a stronger christian.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to help strenthgen my grandmothers faith in God. It was much harder than I was anticipating it to be. At first my grandmother would not listen to me and my family but instead chose to change the topic. Near the end of the break she really started to listen and I believe the Holy Spitit was truly working in her heart.
I will definetly keep talking to her whenever my family and I visit her or when she visits us.
What I really took away from this, even though I have heard it a million times, is that what no matter how strong someone's relationship with God looks like, we should always be trying to uplift and strenghten people's relationship with God.
My plan was to reach out to my neighbor, and show her a different perspective on God and church. When I took her to youth group, she seemed to really enjoy it. The topic that the pastor talked about that night was about how we need God. He went through the prayer if you wanted to ask God in your heart. We he was done praying, he asked anyone who asked God in their heart for the first time to look up at him. I don't know whether she "looked up" or not, but I was so excited that she heard the message. I think that she enjoyed the whole experience and hopefully she will want to come again.
ReplyDeleteA. how did it go? what did i end up trying? It went really well. We ended up talking about the book of Luke because that is what my mom was most fimiliar with. She told me that the story of Luke is about Jesus life as a human on Earth.
ReplyDeleteB. Did things go the way you planned? Better or worse? Did God change your plan? It was fun listening to my mom explain to me the story of Jesus in her words. I learned from her what God went through when he tried to spred the message of God on Earth and how he was treated by those who opposed him and his message. In Luke, Jesus took a great interest in people and their relationships. I want to see myself being more interested in the people who are less fortunate then me.
C. Did you think this had any positive outcomes at all or negative? Mostly positive, I really enjoyed talking to my mom and listening to her talk about the Gospels and learning about Jesus and how he had compassion for the poor and sick. And especially how he wanted us to model our lives after him. I did not find any negative messages from my mom or the gospel reading that we went over. Some of them were hard to understand, but my mom helped me break them down and simplifly them and relate them to ordianary life.
D. Will you keep trying to do this now that the test is over? Yes, I am going to make an effort at Sunday mass to listen to the gospel and try to understand it. If I have questions, I know that I can come to either of my parents and have an open discussion about it.
E. What would you try differently if you did the test over? I think I would have made myself more familiar with the Gospels so that I could understand better what my mom was trying to teach me about Jesus life. The story's are hard to follow. My mom had to break down the messages so I could understand them. I learned in previous religion classes the basic message about man and sin. However reading the actual gospel is really hard!
F. It is hard to know what is in our hearts before, durning, and after you tried something? I would have to answer greatful and confident, I am grateful about the time I shared with my mom interviewing her and talking about the gospels. She knows a lot and wants me to learn and make my life better by living my life by jesus examples of suffering, and compassion for the weak.
G. Would you recommend this type of test in the future? What are the drawbacks to giving a test like this? What was good about this test? I enjoyed this test. I think it was fun to interview my mom and learn for her in her own words and not out of a text book. I asked the questions to her. I did not have to memorize a bunch of information either. She gave me something to think about when we are in mass. She wants me to follow along in the readings and the gospels and we are going to talk about them after church. So I would say that this was better than a normal test that I have to memorize information and try to take a written test over it. Also, she wants me to apply the reading and gospel to
My plan was to take my aunt to church. She did end up coming to church with me on the 1st of December. I couldn't really tell if she liked it or not. My sister did bring it up a couple nights later and she said she loved it. I also didn't get to sit in the service with her because I was working in the nursery. I do plan on inviting her again with me very soon. Overall, I thought it went pretty well though, and she seemed interested in maybe going again.
ReplyDeleteMy plan was to work on stop lying. Honesty has been making my life so much better. I have learned that telling the truth is so much easier and I don't get in as much trouble. From me being honest me and my mom's relationship has become better.....we grown a closer bond. I really believe that I will keep this good deed up and never go back to my old ways of lying.
ReplyDeleteMr. Scott thank you so much for coming up with this challenge for us. Without this test I most likely would have still been set lying all the time. Now that I've done it I've changed.
I'm thinking about starting my own personal challenge for myself because there are other thing I need to work on. This was a great opportunity that helped me become a better person.