Lovinggood FCA

You CAN change the world!

2011-05-06T12:01:00.003-04:00

It was so great to see all that orange in FCA today. Wow, I missed FCA last week because I was on the Savannah trip with a bunch of the 8th graders. It was good to be back!

This week we recognized soccer players, dancers, and gymnasts. Congratulations to you all for your achievements.

Lovinggood on the Lawn is finally here tonight!

Today was also the last day to donate to Relay for Life (but I suspect they will always welcome any direct contributions via the website or event participation). The website for Relay for Life is www.relayforlife.org. Congratulations to everyone participating in the event and to those who ran in the FCA 5k on April 30th!

I can't believe it but next week is the last FCA of this school year - Show up! It will be the final gathering with our 8th graders, so let's pack the house! Ouch, I am going to miss those 8th graders as they head off to high-school. Remember to watch at least one episode of Phineas and Ferb this week in preparation for next week's meeting.

Chip Paul from Burnt Hickory Baptist was the speaker this morning. His challenge to you all - Start Living the Life. Do not find yourself caught up in the EVENTS (FCA, Lovingggood on the Lawn, Wednesday night church, etc) and forget to live the life of a Christian.

I Thessalonians 1:8. Your lives echo the Master's words. YOU are the message and you are capable of turning this community upside down. You have the ability, the opportunity and you are called to live radically for Christ. Be sure you have not fallen into the lie that it can't be done. People try to make you believe that it can't be done....that you can't change the world for Christ.

In India they use elephants as workers. These enormous animals can carry trees and yet they are kept tied to a post by a small thin piece of twine on their right leg. From youth they have been schackled to a post and as they grow up, the actual schackle is no longer even necessary because the elephant doesn't think he is capable of breaking the twine. We fall into those same lies with regrds to our ability to change the world for Christ. Today is the day to break through the lie. It is time to get serious about living your life for Christ! We need to carry and echo the name of Christ with us.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Go victorious knowing Christ has already beat the world! He calls you to live it and carry His name. When you break that twine and carry His name, you will have the opportunity to change the world.

The Anthem - Jake Hamilton Song at the end of Today's FCA!

2011-05-06T11:58:00.002-04:00

The Anthem

I can hear the footsteps of my King
I can hear His heartbeat beckoning
In my darkness He has set me free
And now I hear the Spirit calling me

He's calling wake up child it's your turn to shine
You were born for such a time as this
He's calling wake up child it's your turn to shine
You were born for such a time as this
Such a time as this

And I can hear a holy rumbling
I've begun to preach another King
Loosing chains and breaking down the walls
I want to hear the Father when He calls

He's calling wake up child it's your turn to shine
You were born for such a time as this!
(x4)
Such a time as this

This is the anthem of our generation
Here we are God, shake our nation!
All we need is your love,
You captivate me!
(x4)

I am royalty, I have destiny,
I have been set free, I'm gonna shape history!
(x8)

I'm gonna change the world! (x7)

Life will trash your trophies

2011-04-15T18:10:00.002-04:00

Welcome back from Spring Break, FCA!

In the very near future, I will post pictures from Freedom Week. It was quite a spirit-filled week and deserves its own post. I hoped to have pictures recapping the week sooner, but will pull all that together soon! Now, about today: Sports recognition for the day: Softball and Equestrian. I think T-Mo deserves a round of applause for the colorful recognition of the two teams.

Cancer research - FCA is collecting $ for Relay for Life in a jar. $1 per person would make a difference in the research being done. For more information on Relay for Life, please visit their website at http://www.relayforlife.org/

Lovinggood on the Lawn is Friday,May 6, 2011 from 6:00 p.m.to about 10:30 p.m. Tech Crew applications for next year are due by next Friday, April 22, 2011! Don't be late. Today's speaker was Chad Conner - always a treat to hear. The message for today is that one must be very careful not to live for the things that are important to the world, but rather live for those things that are important to God. James Dobson is a well known spiritual leader. When he was younger, he was a complete tennis junkie. He played 5 to 6 hours a day. When he was in high school, he saw a trophy for the Best Player in the trophy case of Pasadena College. He made it his goal to see his name on that trophy and while in school there, he actually won the title twice. 20 - 25 years later, his best friend's son attended the same college. There was a great deal of demolition going on and as Will Spate walked through the athletic center, the old trophy case had been destroyed. He saw trophies being disposed up and in a trash can was the trophy with James Dobson's name on it. Will called and told his dad what he had seen. His dad told James. James response was "given enough time, life will trash your trophies".

Given enough time, it is absolutely true that life WILL trash your trophies. That is why we need to seek things that are more important than our life on earth. The things important to the world are NOT important to God. The things that matter to men are temporary, fleeting. Chasing those is like chasing the wind.

In Matthew 16, Christ speaks of those that focus on things of earthly importance. He tells the disciples that if anyone wants to come to Him, he must take up his cross and follow Him. Anyone who wants to gain life will lose their life. If you chase the things that matter to men, you lose out on Jesus.

Don't be mistaken though; If you have talents, you are directed to pursue those with excellence. God has given us each strengths and we are to pursue those for His glory, not our own. God has designed you for himself and to know Him.

Talk it Up!! March 18th

2011-03-24T06:24:00.000-04:00

3 Easy steps for “Talk It Up”
Keep it in your Agenda.
Find an FCA friend in homeroom, lunch, bus, and whenever else you have free time to talk.
Read the verse, answer the questions and keep “Talking It Up”

Next week is “Freedom Week”- FCA on the Daily!!

Friday, March 18
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

What’s one scripture Pastor Aaron read this morning that can be useful for your training in righteousness?
Share with someone how God has used a Bible verse or story to teach you.

Monday, March 21
Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

In what areas of your life are you trying to gain the approval of others?
In what areas are you trying to please God?

Tuesday, March 22
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

What’s the hardest thing for you about memorizing God’s Word?
Discuss some ways hiding God’s word in your heart could benefit your life (see Monday)?

Wednesday, March 23
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

When was a time you trusted in the Lord and not your own understanding? What happened?
Do you have a situation in your life right now where you need to put your full trust in God?

Thursday, March 24
Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Who, besides God, do people try to imitate? Why?
As we get ready for freedom week, discuss how amazing Jesus’s love is for us? How can you imitate His amazing love?

Being Job = Suffering

2011-03-22T15:44:00.003-04:00

Hey, Hey, Hey, It's FCA!

GREAT singing this past Friday. I can't think of a better way to finish out the meeting than singing a guitar and motion accompanied "Marvelous Light". I hope that sent you all off to your day feeling happy and like lifting your hands and spinning around.

Announcements - pardon me if I sound repetitive BUT, WE NEED SOFT DRINKS, PLEASE! If you were counting, there were no more than six of each type on the stage this past Friday.

Talk it Up prize incentive - Pastor Trey is so motivated for you to memorize the scriptures in the Talk it Up packet that he is donating itunes cards to the person(s) who can memorize and then stand on the stage to recite all five verses! Memorizing scripture keeps you spiritually prepared to deal with situations as they arise in your life. Let's see who will be on stage next week........I cannot figure out how to attach the Talk it Up document so it will be posted separately.

Friday's speaker was Aaron Landry, Worship Pastor of 5979 Ministries at Liberty Church. To learn more about Aaron and 5979, please visit www.5979.net .

Aaron spoke to us about the life and plights of Job. Job has his own book in the Bible which contains 42 chapters and covers approximately two weeks. That's a lot of book for a short period of time. Some books of the Bible cover hundreds of years in one chapter. This tells me that the story of Job is extremely important and full of lessons for us to learn through Job's story.

What we learn is that Job is a man of great influence - the most influential in all the East. His devotion to God is unquestioned. He has a wonderful life with many children, much land, many heads of cattle, etc. He is a very successful and godly man. The condensed version of his story is that Job was tested to the extreme. He lost his entire family, all of his land, all of his belongings, and everything that mattered to him within a very short period of time. He even became very ill, so ill that he was covered with pus filled sores that itched so greatly that he used broken pieces of glass to scratch and scrape them. In the midst of all this turmoil, his three closest friends came to be with him and to comfort him. Through it all, Job never turned his back on God.

Each one of us will suffer in our lives. Some of us will suffer more than others. All of us will need comfort at some point. Many of us will be called upon to provide comfort to those close to us. It is so important to choose the right person when you are in need of comfort. Seek out those that will keep you close to God and allow Him to teach you and work through you even in the midst of suffering.

We have spoken a great deal about God's plans for our lives. He has a plan for each one of us and He is growing us into the the people we will someday be and who will someday spend an eternity with Him. Following His path is crucial and seeking out those who will help keep you on the path is necessary.

How do you see Jesus?

2011-03-09T11:54:00.004-05:00

How is everyone today? Do you all have a 12-pack of Sprite, Coke, or Diet Coke ready to bring to FCA on Friday? As of this past Friday, we had a grand total of TWO 12-packs and I am pretty certain we will need more than that for Lovinggood on the Lawn!

Freedom Week is coming soon. There will be daily activities for FCA the week of March 28, 2011 - April 1, 2011. More information is forthcoming.

Sports Recognition on Friday, March 11, 2011: Swimmers and Lacrosse!!

Did you all get your TALK IT UP sheets? I am going to attempt to attach, but if my blogging skills are terribly tested, I will simply post AS a blog each week. Also, I am hoping to add some new links to area youth ministries on here in the new week or so to allow you to access more information from here.

And now for the weekly speaker's recap:

Kyle McHargue from Macland Baptist Church was the speaker on Friday. His talk was based on Mark 3:8 and as the title of the blog indicates, he spoke about how each of you see Jesus. HOW you see Him in your life is a pretty big factor in how you live your life. If you do not see him clearly, your actions may not be what HE wishes. The more accurately you see Jesus, the more He is visible in your life.

Kyle shared the story of the blind man being partially healed and how when that happened, he said he could see but frankly, the men looked a little more like trees than people. Jesus then healed him completely and he could see all things clearly. Jesus wants us all to clearly see who He is and to live our lives in a way that exemplifies Him. He wants us to truly know WHO He is. Jesus was and is far more interested in the type of followers He has than the sheer number of followers. HOW do they see Him? Kyle used the example of the Christmas Christians and how they may not see Jesus as clearly as those who continually seek Him.

Jesus asked the disciples how the people saw Him. They saw Him as many different people...a prophet, John the Baptist, even Elijah, and some truly did see Him as the Son of God. Many thought he was crazy. Many thought He was a liar. Many believed He was telling the truth. Each one of us has to decide how we feel about who Jesus is.

He then asked the disciples how each of them saw Him and who He was? Peter said He was the Christ. Even Peter saw Him as the fufillment of prophecy and did not truly grasp that He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world and not here to take over ruling the world.

Who you profess Jesus to be defines who you are and how you live your life. When you see Him as your Savior, you will see Him clearly and will live your life in a way that shows others who He is and that shows He spoke the truth and came to save us from our sins.

Hello, March

2011-03-02T12:07:00.003-05:00

Did everyone have a fantastic winter break? Didn't it feel more like SPRING break? It seems as though school is about to set free for summer with this fantastic weather we are having. Thankfully there are still something like 86 (actual)days until the school year is over. Plenty of time to study for the CRCT's! And, plenty of time to prepare for Freedom Week!

Please Don't forget to bring 12-packs of your grade level appropriate coca-cola product to FCA for Freedom Week!

Didn't you all love Mrs. Wilhoit's talk at the last FCA meeting? We are so very blessed to have her lead FCA. How very much she cares is so obvious. I hope you saw it, heard it, and felt it in her talk. Remember, we don't always choose our path. God has chosen one for us and it isn't always exactly what we pictured it would be, but if you will follow Him, He will bless you.

To learn and know His plan for your life, there are a few things that will help make it more clear to you:

Memorize scripture - fill your mind with scripture. Keep your mind prepared at all times for the attack of Satan. Keep your thoughts fixed on good things. When there is a decision to be made, the scriptures in your head will lead you to make the right choice.

Ask Him to show you - every time Mrs. Wilhoite asks God to SHOW her His will for FCA, He does it. It may not always be what she was expecting or hoping, but He is pretty clear with His directions/wishes if you will just listen!

Be still and know that He is God - take ten minutes for quiet time everyday to spend with God and learn what His will is for you.

John 10:27 says, My sheep hear my voice and I know I am Him and they follow me.

You will know His voice if you stay close to Him and listen for it.

Have a great week! See you all Friday morning.

The GPS Analogy

2011-02-16T09:06:00.002-05:00

Anyone who was in FCA last Friday knows the talk was about SEX but I wasn't sure that would make the greatest blog title!

Housekeeping First:

Lovinggood on the Lawn is May 6, 2011. There will be a meeting on Monday, March 7, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. in the Lovinggood Attendance/Guidance Conference Room for all volunteers. We are collecting canned soda donations for the event. As many as are donated will be how many are available for the event itself, so please donate! 6th graders - Sprite; 7th graders - Coke; 8th graders - Diet Coke.

Applications for FCA Leadership for the 2011/2012 school year are due by 9:15 a.m. Friday, February 18, 2011.

Talk it Up - fliers will be distributed every week with talking points for discussion throughout the day/week. Let's get talking.

How did you all like Mrs. Norris' talk on Friday? I thought it was fantastic.

When you become a Christian, God uploads his GPS map into you. The Holy Spirit becomes your navigation system while the Bible is your road map. He has a PLAN for your life and will provide you everything you need to follow it. There is not a situation you will face that can't be resolved by reading His Word. Reading the Bible brings you wisdom teaches you discernment.

God also gave you a brain to use and free will. When you choose to exercise your free will in a manner that is contrary to God's path, the Holy Spirit will be shouting "recalculating!" at you to help redirect you back to the chosen path. Meanwhile the devil is out to kill you, steal from you, and destroy you. Sounds like a battle is going on and it truly is. Satan will work very hard to pull you from God's path/plans for your life. Sex is one way people are tricked.

What you share with another person when you have sex is something that is intended for marriage and to be shared with only one person. Once you have that connection with another person, it doesn't end even if the relationship ends. That connection is permanent and bringing connections with others into a marriage can have devastating effects on a marriage.

You put yourself in a position to succeed or fail. The Holy Spirit gives you plenty of cues along the way to keep you on the right path, but ultimately you are the one who makes the choice and either reaps the benefit or pays the cost. Even at this age, you need to take responsibility for your actions and how they affect you and others (the way you dress, talk, act). Help yourself and others succeed! It is so important.

The Faith to Wait Pledge was offered to each of you who would like to commit to keeping sex as something you do only in marriage. It is a commitment only you can make.

Daniel Reyes, February 4th's FCA - Stay True and He will too

2011-02-08T08:55:00.003-05:00

I have to say right off that I wasn't in attendance on February 4th. And I am sad I missed it because not only is Daniel Reyes the parent of two Lovinggood students and an excellent speaker, he is ALSO an AGGIE FAN! Not often do I meet Aggies in Georgia. The Longhorns seem to be EVERYWHERE in this fantastic nation of ours and certainly in Georgia, but the Aggies.......well, a little harder to come by. Maybe the maroon fades into the scenery while the burnt orange of Texas sort of stands out so you can't really miss them. To Mr. Reyes, Gig 'em! To the rest of you, I hope you enjoyed his time with you and I am sorry I missed it.

So, with a little help from an 8th grader, I am going to recap the morning for the rest of you who missed it.

Do you ever get sidetracked? Not just from God - from anything? Things come at you all day everyday and they can be a distraction. Facebook....that's a good one. I am glad he brought it up! Facebook isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but as with anything else, if you allow it to distract you from that which you need to do or who you intend to be, it can be a bad thing.

We all need to put our faith in God and stay true to who He calls us to be without being distracted by others, by thoughts, by actions, or desires that are contrary to who God wants us to be. If you will keep Jesus as the object of your perfection and keep your eyes on Him, He will remain as the priority in your life. He will bring you joy. If you don't know God, can you really feel joy?

Being faithful doesn't always come easily. As with other things in your life (studying, working out, practicing an instrument, playing a sport), you need to put forth effort in order to do well at it. If you aren't putting effort into being faithful to God, gradually or rather suddenly things CAN fall apart. When this happens, remember, He will never let you go. He is always there for you and He loves you exactly as you are. Fix your eyes and focus on Him and things will be alright!

Have a great week. See you all on Friday.......

Intercessory Prayer Day at FCA

2011-01-21T18:16:00.002-05:00

Was today the first day they played the song, I've got the Power and everyone knew it was time to begin? Have I missed that every single week up until now?

Intercessory prayer day is one of my favorite FCA days. Today was especially moving and it seemed to fly by. It wasn't long enough together after so much time apart. Don't you wish we could add like a half hour more to FCA meetings? Sing the whole song.......sing some more songs.......I do love the extra singing and today's song choices had me a bit misty-eyed. Glad I was sitting in the back!

Thank you ALL for being so patient during the very brief technical difficulties. Mrs. Wilhoite was right though; the video WAS definitely worth it!

I am going to try to recap the actual prayer topics for you, but first, the usual housekeeping. There is a 1 mile, 5k, 10k race at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church on February 5, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. The event is called Run for the Son and benefits their student ministry international trip. I am a runner and love running for a good cause, SO here is the link to the church and the one to active.com where you can register. If the links don't work, please copy the url into your browser. Hope to see you all there.

http://www.burnthickory.com/
http://www.active.com/running/powder-springs-ga/run-for-the-son-5k-and-10k-2011

Now, please bear with me as I try to hit the prayer topics! Ultimately, the goal is to take our prayer focus off of ourselves and put it on others.

Consecration - Ask the Lord to create a clean heart within you.

Ponder how you love God - we should be loving him with all of our heart, our soul, our strength, and our mind.

Keep God in your relationships - stay with your friends through the good and the bad.

Maintain healthy self confidence and allow God to hold you up.

Always act with respect for your family/siblings.

Spread the Word. We are all called to spread His word. Bring a friend to FCA and let them hear the Word there! You won't be sorry you did.

Next week is basketball player recognition....bring a basketball player with you and wear your jersey if you are on the team.

Have a great week, everyone and we will see you next week.

Please let's have FCA!!!

2011-01-18T21:25:00.002-05:00

Oh, wow! Has it been forever since we all met? Would love to hear if you all HATED or LOVED the week off. Cabin fever anyone?

I, for one, was very happy to see you all back in school today and to see a weather forecast that does NOT include snow or ice between now and Friday when we all meet again.

The last time you all met (BEFORE SNOW JAM 2011), I was not there, so I am sadly unable to post an update on that meeting.

I hope everyone is fired up, ready to go, and will bring a friend this Friday!

See you all there!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T18:14:00.002-05:00

Hey, hey, hey, it's FCA!

Happy New Year, everyone! The holidays are winding down and it is back to school we go......2011 promises to be a funtastic year with FCA bringing you more Friday morning fun, even better singing, familiar and new speakers, and the refreshing feeling of worship to start your day.

Bring a Friend to FCA! Let't pack the auditorium the rest of this school year!

Welcome back!

Affirmation Friday!

2010-12-03T11:31:00.004-05:00

I can't believe we only have one more FCA day in 2010. What a great fall it has been. You all have been so much fun each week. Thsi past Friday was especially fun, wasn't it?

Before we recap, let's cover the housekeeping items.......

Lovinggood has adopted a family for Christmas. If each child who attends FCA would donate even $1.00, this family's Christmas would be outstanding. December 10th is our last FCA of the year and it is also the last day the Adopt a Family jar will be there. Please find it in your heart to make this family's Christmas extra special this year.

The Prayer Box is always available for your prayer requests. These are confidential and you will have a team of FCA leaders praying for you.

Speaking of a team of FCA leaders, I think the FCA Tech Team and all the Student Staff Members need a special recognition for all they have done so far this year and will continue to do in 2011! I love seeing them all abuzz on Friday mornings!

Ok, so how many of you left the room Friday morning feeling more upbeat than usual? The energy in the room was crazy good! Wesley Pals with Celebrate Life International and his message truly filled the room with positive energy.

Wesley had everyone write affirmations (compliments!) on stickers placed on the other students' backs. Writing these was part of the exercise while reading what people wrote about you was the other. The point of both parts is that by saying positive things about someone, you feel all the good things that you see in that person and for those reading what others had to say about you, you feel happy, warmed, humbled by what they see in you.

What we can take from this little experiment is when you think postive, you will feel positive and then positive actions WILL FOLLOW! By controling or fixing our thoughts on positive things (pure, lovely, right), we resist the negativity around us and create a more positive outlook on life. Philippians 4:4 directs us to think on positive (again, pure, lovely, of good report) things. This is how God wants us to live!

Be Chist-like in how you treat people. Think of ways to compliment/affirm people every day. The challenge Wesley put forward was to deposit and invest in twenty people by noon. If everyone of you make it a habit to invest/deposit affirmations and positive feelings into twenty people around you every day, lives will be changed! You will be a new person and you will instill a positive spirit in those around you.

Happy Cold Weather Week!

See you all on the 10th

When life gets tough.......

2010-11-12T10:30:00.001-05:00

Wow! Another fantastic FCA meeting!

The singing was great. The game was a blast to watch. And the speaker was a gift.

Jim Michen, from McEachern Memorial United Methodist Church in Powder Springs, was so inspiring. In case you missed it, I will give you a little background on Jim.....you kind of have to know who he is to fully grasp the message he gave. Personally, I have never met him. I heard him speak for the first time on Friday, but he affected me and I hope his words touched some of you.

Mr. Michen played football earlier in his life and the coach told him that if got the ball, RUN. And if he was scared, RUN HARDER. He told us that when the time came, he was scared and he ran the other way! This happens in life. We are in a situation that we know we need to just push through, but what do we do? Not only do we run, we run the other way!

He also shared that we need to be focused on God's goals for us. Not our own. He set his goals, professionally and financially, and he saw them realized. He was proud of his accomplishments and that he achieved them on his own. 87 days later he was mugged and seriously injured. As a result of those injuries, all of his goals became undone. And after months, he realized that it was God who would have to get him through what he was facing. He could not do it alone. When life gets tough, God's strength is there for you.

He also talked of friends who were there for him. What does it take to be a truly great friend? We all know the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Kids often treat others like there is something wrong with them! Treat them like you want to be treated. And think of the gift of God's love and strength in your life. If you had a friend who had that gift and they never shared it with you, would you feel like they truly cared? So often we get caught up in the shallow aspects of life. Fashion, sports, activities - don't get me wrong! These are all great things, but the most important thing we can do for a friend is to share Christ with them.

And with that in mind, bring them to FCA!!!!! If you find it difficult to share Christ one on one with a friend, bring them to FCA and they will hear the message because of you!

Friday, November 19th is Pick up a Friend for FCA day! Bring someone with you that wouldn't otherwise be able to attend!

Have a great week.

Cans of Hope Results!

2010-11-11T12:50:00.003-05:00

Hey Hey it's FCA!

On Friday, November 4, 2010, AS PROMISED, the results of Cans of Hope were announced! This year, Lovinggood Middle School accepted the 'Cans of Hope' challenge in a BIG way with over 2500 cans being donated.

As suspected, the 7th graders who led the competition throughout the month were the champion grade level. The entire grade was awarded FREE SEATING at lunch on Monday, November 7th.

Ms. Mowry was the top homeroom collector and was rewarded with a free 1/2 day! A big thank you to Mrs. Wilhoit for sitting in for Ms. Mowry while she enjoys her 1/2 day off.

The great participation made the outreach project lots of fun! Congratulations on a job well done!

The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Cheerleaders were all recognized and performed cheers for the crowd.

The lesson once again focused on relationships and having the courage to stand up for Christ and to share Him with your friends. November's focus is on relationships with others and how a close relationship with Christ will overflow into your friendships. Having that close relationship will make you want to share Him! so, Pick up a Friend for FCA this month! Let's pack the house.

I Can Only Imagine

2010-11-02T20:17:00.004-04:00

If you missed FCA on Friday, you really missed out. What a GREAT MORNING!!!

Friday was Football Player Recognition Day. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teams were all recognized. Congratulations on your seasons, especially the still undefeated 8th graders!

Friday, November 5th is Cheerleader Recognition Day!
Friday, November 19th is Tennis Team Recognition Day!

The Cans for Hope Food Drive continues with the final tallies and winners being announced next Friday, November 5th. As of Friday, there were more than 1500 cans donated and the 7th Graders were still in the lead! Let's see if the 6th graders catch up or if the 8th graders kicked it into high gear and made a late impact!

Quick Reminder: Pit Crew is every Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. and everyone is welcome to attend.

Ok, let's get to the REALLY good stuff! Did you all LOVE the opening interpretive dance/skit/performance? What a powerful message relayed through such an awesome song. The song, I Can Only Imagine, carefully and deliberately encourages, almost forces you to truly imagine being in God's presence, before Him, in all of His glory. With the help of some very talented performers, we were each able to imagine it even more fully.

After we were all awed into silence by the music, Andy Fillingin from Roswell Street Baptist spoke about relationships. He spoke about how God invites you into a personal relationship with Him that will eclipse all other relationships. He asked if you have ever had someone in your life and you just want to be with them....all the time. Never tired of spending time with them. A relationship with Christ is like that but so much more. One day in His presence is greater than thousands elsewhere. When you are walking in a relationship with Christ, you won't want to leave that place, not even for a moment and you will stay through danger, ridicule, pressure, etc. Your heart will burn to be with Him.

Come back next week and bring a friend! November will focus on Relationships and Friendships.

The Golden Rule

2010-10-18T07:49:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone who worshipped with us on Friday morning. The chilly weather seemed to have added an extra dose of pep to the group!

Has anyone noticed our Seventh Graders seem to win a large percentage of the grade level competitions in FCA? With a continued strong lead in the Cans for Hope drive, it was no surprise to have their grade representative achieve victory in Friday's Oreo Cookie Challenge by almost effortlessly managing to get the Oreo from his forehead into his mouth using only facial expression changes/movements. Nicely done!

The Cans for Hope Drive continues (and 8th graders, let's get it going on!) through the end of the month. The Big Winners will be announced on Friday, November 5, 2010.

Nate Turner from West Cobb Church spoke on the age old, but always relevant, Golden Rule. Nate's message went beyond the simple, do unto others....it touched on the words we use with and about each other. Have you ever noticed a friend poking fun at what someone else is wearing, doing, saying, making that person look like less because somehow we think this makes us look better? Making fun of our friends and peers is hurtful and it only makes us look bad. Let's find ways to build up our friends and peers. Let's speak to and about them in a way that makes us all more.

THANK YOU to all the kids who participated in the JDRF walk in Piedmont Park on Saturday to honor our very own Shelby Crouse. For more information on juvenile diabetes and how you can help, please visit www.jdrf.org

Join us this Friday for another great morning together, and please also join us in the auditorium on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. for the New Believers' Meeting. This special event* is open to all who are interested in finding out more about how to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

*Pit Crew will be combined with the New Believers' meeting.

Hey, Hey, it's FCA

2010-10-10T12:44:00.006-04:00

Wow! Can you believe the first nine weeks of school are already over?

Thank you to every one of you who have been joining us for FCA on Friday mornings. The worship and the speakers have been awesome and we know it will keep getting better. It has been great to see so many of you fired up for God and having a great time.

In case you missed it, on Friday, October 1st, God's Warriors were there to show the strength God has given them. Their strength was evidenced in some crazy physical feats, but also in the testimonies shared by the guys. Fifty-six students accepted Christ as their Savior during God's Warriors' visit. It was a powerful morning at Lovinggood.

October 1st was also the kick-off of the FCA sponsored Cans for Hope Food Drive. FCA is partnering with Refuge West Church in this incredible event. The grades are competing to see who will bring in the most food. The winning grade will be announced on November 5, 2010 and will receive free lunchroom seating! As of this past Friday, Seventh Grade is clearly in the lead! Bring your cans (in a bag, please!) and place them in the bins in front of FCA on Friday mornings or in your respective grade hallway during the week. Most needed items include: spaghetti sauce, tuna, green beans, corn, peas, soups, Chef Boyardee meals, Syrup, Peanut Butter, and Fruit Cocktail. Thank you to those of you who have contributed! You ARE making a difference!

Besides the food drive, FCA leaders and speakers have issued a few personal challenges to you all this year. Colossians 1:11 is this year's foundation and we hope every one of you will memorize this verse. Taking a risk for your peers is another of the issued challenges - step out of your comfort zone and talk to someone about Christ. Invite them to FCA! If you can get them there, we promise to make the experience memorable!

Have a great week, everyone!

Freedom Week

2009-03-27T14:22:00.002-04:00

Hey, Hey, it’s FCA:

March 30th kicks off our 3rd annual FREEDOM WEEK!
You don’t want to miss out on the fun.

Monday: WORSHIP SERVICE- 8 a.m. in the theater
Tuesday: BREAKFAST ON US- 8 a.m. in the cafeteria
Wednesday: PRAYER WALK- 7:45 a.m. at the flagpole [Wear appropriate shoes]
Thursday: GAME DAY & ILLUSIONIST- 8 a.m. in the theater
Friday: REGULAR FCA- 8 a.m. in the theater with Andy Smith in the house

Come join the fun in the Son!

Here In America

2009-03-09T10:34:00.002-04:00

This song has a great message. Give it a listen when you have a minute. It will be worth your time. Click here to listen. It should play in Windows Media Player with no trouble.

Love is in the Air...

2009-02-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

Today at FCA our theme was love.

We played love songs to Jesus, played a fun game and had an incredible message from Chad Cannon of West Cobb Baptist Church. Chad gave us three points to think about. First, middle school is a great time to observe the opposite sex and see how they treat others. Use that time to collect information and search for those who honor others with their words and actions. Second, all things are permissible, but all things are not beneficial. Chad challenged you to make sure your dress, language and treatment of others didn’t cause them to stumble in their Christian walk. Finally, he reminded us not to be unequally yoked (not like scrambled eggs or fried)- don’t tie yourself to another who isn’t a believer. Put these things into practice and life will be a lot easier for you.

Next week is our intercessory prayer day. Come prepared to go after the things of God as a group. You’ll be blessed. Also, remember, Chad challenged you to bring 125 bottles of water for Lovinggood on the Lawn before he could. We’re going to hold him to his challenge. We’re counting our water next week and we’re going to email him the total and see if he can meet the challenge.

Enjoy your three day weekend and we’ll see you on Thursday at Pit Crew.

FCA Benefit Ride

2009-01-27T11:37:00.003-05:00

FCA is hosting a benefit ride on Saturday, May 9th. The ride will begin at Keller-Williams Realty on Dallas Highway and end at Harrison High School. There will be a full day of food, entertainment, prizes and fellowship. God's Warriors will be making an appearance and there is even a raffle for a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

All proceeds from the event will benefit FCA. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well. Registration will begin at 8:30am on the day of the event. Pre-registration will begin on February 1st. For more information, click here.

This should be an awesome event for those who ride and even those who don't!

Lovinggood on the Lawn...

2009-01-26T14:36:00.001-05:00

It’s about that time and we need your help to make this year the best yet. We are collecting bottled water for the event. Please bring a case of bottled water to FCA on Friday. We want to see which grade level has the biggest turn out.

This Friday we’ll have our very on T-Mo in the house. You never know what he’ll come up with, so don’t miss it!

February 6th Jesse Stewart (Mr. Cali’s brother-in-law) will be in the house.

Nic Vujicic video clip

2008-12-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

Hey, gang. I watched the video below and felt the need to share it with you all. Life is hard sometimes. Things don't always seem fair and sometimes it looks like God has forgotten you, but He hasn't. Take a few minutes and watch the video and be blessed! You never know how God is going to use your circumstances. He wastes NOTHING!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MslbhDZoniY

The ELF Olympics Are Coming...

2008-11-24T11:54:00.006-05:00

December is coming and we are SO excited about the things we have planned for FCA to help us celebrate Christmas. We have the ELF Olympics that we’ll be kicking off on December 5th. It will involve some creative games where students will be eating a variety of interesting things. If you’d like to participate please download the form, print it, fill it out and bring it with you to FCA on Friday, December 5th. We must have a completed form for all students who wish to participate.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Walking it out for Jesus

2008-11-16T14:34:00.006-05:00

We are SO blessed at Lovinggood to have had some wonderful speakers at FCA this year. This past Friday we had two great speakers, Bria Everett and James Morgan. Bria brought a strong message about materialism and letting other things become a God to you and knocking Jesus out of His rightful place in your life. Then James followed up with a message about being an example for Jesus in all things.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” Bria and James demonstrated this on Friday. Each and every one of you has a sphere of influence. Are you using it for the Kingdom?

T-SHIRT Design Winner: Congratulations to Austin Creech for his design for the “Living It Out at Lovinggood” t-shirt design contest (design #1). We will get the design sent to the graphics artist and hopefully have the t-shirts available to you soon.

Don’t Forget:
1) Pit Crew: Every Thursday, 8 a.m. Mrs. Castleberry’s room
2) FCA next week: Intercessory Prayer Day: come and join us as we pray for our school and community.

That Just Happened...

2008-11-03T13:49:00.005-05:00

Andrew Fillingim from Roswell Street Baptist Church was our speaker Friday. He had an awesome message about walking with the Lord. He told us if we will give ourselves totally to Jesus, then we will be able to say “That just happened!” and share stories of the great things of God.

“Living it out at Lovinggood” t-shirt designs were due this past Friday. The student leadership will review the designs and present the top 3 for FCA students to vote on.

“Operation Christmas Child” shoeboxes are due Friday, November 7th or 14th. Please help us provide Christmas for children around the world. Pick up your brochure from Mrs. Barry in the attendance office today.

Next week, our speaker will be Scott Maxwell from First Baptist Powder Springs. Come and learn what the Lord has to say to us through Scott.

Live it Out at Lovinggood

2008-10-19T20:05:00.000-04:00

What are you doing in the halls of Lovinggood? That was the question our speaker posed to the students this week at FCA. The challenge was to walk out your faith; don’t just spout out your faith. You never know when and where you are making an impact. Live it out at Lovinggood.

Our PTSA is sponsoring a food drive for Cobb Family Council. Let’s support them with canned goods to help needy families in our community. Times are hard and money is tight and anything we can give will bless others.

Operation Christmas Child will be in full swing this week. Make sure you get your flyer to participate. They should be going home with you no later than Friday. Check with your homeroom teacher if you do not get a flyer. We will be collecting the completed shoe boxes on October 31st, November 7th and November 14th. Make a difference in a child’s life.

T-Shirt Design Contest

2008-10-10T22:53:00.002-04:00

Participants have until Friday, October 31st to create a design for consideration for the 2008-2009 FCA T-shirt contest. All designs must contain the phrase “Living it out at Lovinggood” somewhere on the shirt. A scripture of your choice needs to be on the design as well. We ask that all designs be in color. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Norris at snorris91@aol.com.

We Choose to Stand

2008-10-10T22:52:00.001-04:00

FCA this morning was amazing. We had 34 people accept Christ! We also challenged all of the students, teachers and parents to take a stand against bullying, gossip, disrespect, and any other behaviors that bring physical or emotional harm to others. Those who accepted the challenge to stand against those things came down front to pray. EVERY SINGLE CHAIR WAS EMPTY! It was powerful. Now, if everyone will walk it out, Lovinggood Middle School will be changed forever!

October 3rd Meeting Update

2008-10-05T15:01:00.000-04:00

It was a sad day at Lovinggood Middle School on Friday, when we are learned of the tragic death of Matthew Redd. Matthew was an 8th grader who loved learning. He was an outstanding student and a kind person to all. He leaves behind his parents, Tina and Michael Redd, and his sister, Caroline Redd (a 6th grader at Lovinggood).

It is during times like these that our faith is put to the test. The Lord promises us over and over in His Word that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We pray that the Redd family would experience this as they go through this difficult time. We also ask that the peace that surpasses all understanding would engulf the them and all of those who are near and dear to them.

This Friday, we will have a special FCA meeting to honor the memory of Michael Redd. We will have FCA staff and parents there to minister to any and all who need it. We will also take some time to write notes to the Redd family to encourage them and let them know that they are being covered in prayer.

Get Out of the Pit and Come Join the Crew!

2008-09-28T20:49:00.002-04:00

Pit Crew comes together every Thursday morning at 8 a.m. in Mrs. Castleberry’s room for a time of teaching and prayer…and sometimes donuts. Bring your Bible and come and see what God is saying to your generation.

Celebrate Good Times

2008-09-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

Well, we didn’t have 550, but we did have 458 students, parents, and teachers join us for FCA this morning as God’s Warriors demonstrated mighty strength and shared about their mighty God. We saw weight lifting, student lifting and Davis lifting. We saw men bend rebar in the shape of a pretzel, frying pans in the shape of a fruit roll up and rip a phone book in two and create confetti for our celebration. We joined all of heaven when we celebrated today because 125 students accepted Christ this morning. It was an incredible time at FCA. And it just keeps getting better and better.

Next week, we will have FCA staff member, Maranda Webb in the house. Maranda spent this past year serving as a missionary in China. You donây™t want to miss all God has put on her heart to share with you.

Can You Say "Yuck"!

2008-09-19T11:27:00.004-04:00

Today was Fear Factor, Lovinggood style. It was beyond gross. Our students ate prunes, Spam, cocktail onions, jalapenos, sardines and pickled pigs feet. Ivy from 8th grade and Kermit from 7th grade have FULL BRAGGING RIGHTS for a year. They are the only two who held out to the bitter end. Way to go gang!

Chad Cannon brought an amazing message. He talked to you about our mouth and what comes out of it. How do your words impact others? Do they set you apart in a good way? Do others notice? Chad challenged you to focus on Psalm 19:14, which says, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Whatever you feed your heart through your eyes and ears will eventually come out of your mouth. If this is an area that you struggle with, pray and ask God to help you. He desires to have a relationship with you where you come to Him.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR…….Wednesday is See You at the Pole. We will meet at the flag pole at 8 a.m. to pray for our school, community and country. Come make a difference!

God’s Warriors are in the house!!!!!!!!!! You don’t want to miss it. Last year, it was not only the talk of the school, but it was the talk of the community. We had 529 students, parents and teachers attend. We have been challenged to break our own record. So, what do you say Lovinggood? Can you arise to the occasion? Grab a friend, grab a parent, grab the paper boy, and bring them to FCA.

And Then There Were More...

2008-09-14T11:30:00.010-04:00

...317 students to be exact. We are continuing to grow. Keep inviting your friends to FCA. God is on the move at Lovinggood and you want to be a part of it. We had two students accept Christ today. The Kingdom of God is growing!!!

Our leaders provided a great introduction to Cory Hallett’s message with their skit. Way to go, ladies!!! Cory reminded everyone of the importance of surrounding yourself with other believers to encourage you to stay strong in your faith and to challenge you to take a stand among your peers for who may be wavering. The Bible actually calls us to sharpen one another in Proverbs 27:17 when it tells us “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Take a good look at those around you. Are the encouraging you to do the right thing or are they challenging you to do things you know you shouldn’t be involved with?

Don’t forget that Pit Crew meets EVERY Thursday morning in Mrs. Castleberry’s room at 8 a.m. This is a great place to meet with like minded people and strengthen your faith walk.

Next Friday, we have a Lovinggood favorite, Chad Cannon from West Cobb Baptist. You never quite know what to expect with Chad, but you can ALWAYS expect fun and laughter. Don’t miss what he has to say to us this time around.

GOD’S WARRIORS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!! Last year, we rose to the occasion and had 529 students attend FCA for God’s Warriors. They have asked if Lovinggood has what it takes to break our own record. Well? Have you got the gusto to make it happen? Could we see 550? Start getting the word out. Friday, September 26th there will be warriors in the house….God’s Warriors.

See You at the Pole

2008-09-05T11:24:00.006-04:00

See You at the Pole: Wednesday, September 24th @ 8:00am

While the prophet Samuel was young, he lived in the Temple under the spiritual guidance of Eli. One night God called Samuel’s name, but he thought it was Eli. After this happened several times, Eli realized the truth and told Samuel to go back to bed and if he heard the voice again to respond by saying . . .

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!” 1 Samuel 3:9b God did call and Samuel listened. This began a relationship with God that went on throughout Samuel’s life. In fact, in verse 19, it says, “The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his [God’s] words fall to the ground.”

At another point as Samuel was an old man, he addressed Israel: “I have been your leader from my youth until this day. Here I stand.” The people agreed that Samuel had led them with integrity and honor all his years, but it began when he was young.

It all started for Samuel when he made a connection with God at an early age. And he chose to continue to connect with Him daily throughout his life. It’s tough being a Christian student today, isn’t it? You have to make a lot of choices about who you are—and who you’re not. You have to try and follow God in a world that misunderstands Christianity and tolerates its principles less and less all the time.

What if, like Samuel you:
—made a connection with God as a young person?
—declared, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”?
—never let any of God’s words “fall to the ground” in your own life?

See You at the Pole is a great place to connect with God, connect with other believers, and connect with your campus in the name of Christ. SYATP connects believers together at the beginning of the school year, so you can stand strong together throughout the year. See You at the Pole is all about prayer. It's about you coming toget her and laying aside all the labels and groups for one day, to simply connect with God in prayer and connect with fellow Christians in unity around the flag pole—whether jocks, preps, geeks, Methodists, Baptists, Catholics, sophomores, or seniors. So are you ready to connect? Are you ready to say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening?

JOIN your generation Wednesday, September 24, at 8:00am. GATHER at your school flagpole. PRAY for your school, friends, families, and world. CONNECT. Listen as He speaks to you.

SEE YOU AT THE POLE!

Wow! Week One = 300 Students

2008-09-05T10:56:00.008-04:00

Can anyone say “WOW!” We had 300 students at FCA this morning. How awesome is that?!?! Just think… if we start with 300 where we might end with this year. Dream BIG, because we serve a BIG God. Last year we started off FCA with 200 students. Let’s keep the momentum going. We don’t want anyone left behind.

Remember, NIV 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." Just like Michael Phelps, we’re going for the gold because we’re going for God! You have to be intentional if you are ever going to achieve your goal in any arena of life. In your walk with Jesus, you have got to spend time with Him; talking with Him through prayer and listening to Him through reading His Word. If you don’t have a Bible, let us know and we’ll get you one. It’s hard to play by the rules if you don’t know the plays and it’s hard to know the plays if you don’t have a playbook (aka. The Bible).

Come to Pit Crew on Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. (in Mrs. Castleberry’s FACS room) and learn how to pray and join others as we pray for our school, our teachers and staff, and our students. Watch how your prayers tenders the heart of God and bring about action.

Invite your friends and neighbors for next week to hear what God has to say to you through Cory Hallett. Cory is the Director of Student Ministries at Riverstone Church in Kennesaw. The meeting will be Friday, September 12th at 8:00am. Don’t miss it!

Welcome to Lovinggood FCA 2008

2008-09-03T21:15:00.002-04:00

Welcome to our new blog site. We have an exciting year planned for FCA at Lovinggood Middle School. Our first meeting is this Friday, September 5th at 8:00am. Bring a friend if you can and don't be late.

To help drop off run smoothly, parents should follow the directions of the staff. Stay in line until you've exited the parking lot. Tell students to be prepared to exit the cars as fast as possible. If parents need to speak to students or give them items, they should park and not hold up traffic. Parents should drive down as far as possible to allow students to unload. Students should unload between the two pedestrian walks which are located between the Media Center patio and the front doors. Do not drop students off at the street or on the curved portion of the drive. Do not pull around cars unless directed to do so. Please be patient. Many students attend FCA and everyone wants to get to their next destination.

Looking forward to a great year!!

FCA - Vision, Mission & Values

2008-09-03T21:11:00.001-04:00

The FCA Vision
To see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of athletes and coaches.

The FCA Mission
To present to athletes and coaches and all whom they influence the challenge and adventure of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving Him in their relationships and in the fellowship of the church.

The FCA Values
Our relationships will demonstrate steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence.

Integrity
We will demonstrate Christ-like wholeness, privately and publicly.
Serving
We will model Jesus’ example of serving.
Teamwork
We will express our unity in Christ in all our relationships.
Excellence
We will honor and glorify God in all we do.

FCA at Lovinggood

2008-09-03T21:09:00.001-04:00

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is touching millions of lives…one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is the largest Christian sports organization in America. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.

FCA at Lovinggood sponsors many activities throughout the year. FCA is school based yet student and community focused. In the past, Lovinggood FCA has helped locally by holding food drives and gift card drives to help those families in need at Lovinggood as well as the local food banks. We've also reached out internationally through participating in Operation Christmas Child. In 2006 / 2007, we were also able to use funds raised at Lovinggood on the Lawn to purchase 6 new benches for our school, provide a financial contribution to Hillgrove’s FCA program, and purchase supplies for the start up of FCA this year. Additionally, we stocked the guidance counselors’ offices with school supplies for needy students at Lovinggood. Last year, Lovinggood FCA donated funds for beautification of the school to go towards having the school logo painted and a mural in the media center. We believe that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and we attempt to walk that out through our ministry at Lovinggood.