Amelia Student Ministries - Amelia Church of Christ

In this new addition to the Youth Website, every month we will highlight the top five songs we feel are the highlights of current Christian Music. So without further ado, here are the “fab five” for April.

1) “Burning Bridges” by Seventh Day Slumber

This album is just phenomenal, let alone the song which drives it. This song is all about the life of lead singer Joseph Rojas and how he has been where you are at now and has experienced the pain life brings. The lead guitars and hook of the riff on the opening are enough to set this song apart at the top of the charts this month. You need to hear this one!

2) “Reclusion” by Anberlin

This song has a driving eighties keyboard arrangement complete with rocking guitar and bass. The drums compliment this tune along with the infectious vocals of lead man Stephen Christian. This song is about sin and how when you try to hide it and live in seclusion or like a recluse, you can’t. It’s too hard. God didn’t design it to be that way. Great song.

3) “Boomin’” by Tobymac

I used to be a huge dcTalk fan, so Toby is not hard for me to follow. I have liked most of his stuff ever since his first album, “Momentum”. This track off of “Portable Sounds” is very engaging and fun to sing. The beats as well as Toby’s masterful placement of vocals and rap makes this an unforgettable track for the ages. I loved it.

4) “Forgiven” by Relient K

I was never a huge Relient K fan until “mmHmm” which absolutely blew me away because I didn’t realize that it was Relient K when I heard it. I was never into the pop/ska sound, but Relient K actually made me like it. This new track from “Five Score & Seven Years Ago” is great. The song lyrics which talk about forgiveness being for everyone are awesome. If you haven’t heard this song, you need to check it out.

5) “Temptation Come My Way” by The Showdown

When I was growing up, I used to listen to Heavy Metal. It has been a long time since I heard “good” heavy metal. The Showdown just brings everything back from my childhood. This title track off their new album showcases the diverse style of this band as they sing about the pitfalls of temptation and how destructive of a tool it is for the devil. This band will be huge. It’s just a matter of time.

Well, I hope this gives you an avenue for one or two bands you may not have heard of. If that’s the case, head over to your local Christian bookstore and give them a listen. You’ll be impressed. I guarantee it. See you next month….

Hey Guys,

Here is your stupid video of the week.

You know, I have myself experienced these evil little thieves. They take stuff when you’re not looking and they work together so well that they seem to be organized. As they look for things and hide them in the ground or in trees, they try to gather as much as they can. They also have a tendency to be very afraid of humans but very protective of things that belong to them.

We as the church sometimes are very protective of things that we think are ours. We work hard to make a ministry what WE want it to be and then when someone comes looking for it, actively seeking it out, we close up and try to hide as if to say, “No, you can’t find us. We want this ministry to be just for us and not for anyone else.” Or, worse yet, we ridicule people who don’t seem to belong in our “ideal” church or group.

We have forgotten the basics of God. He is for everyone. He loves everyone and “does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2nd Peter 3:9)

So this week, don’t be an evil squirrel. Love your neighbor and invite them to experience the love of God with you.

Here’s your Stupid Video of the week:

I used to play this game as a child and over time I was finally able to beat it. It took me nowhere near 5 minutes to beat though. If I played it now, I could probably beat it in just under a half-hour but this guy decides he’s going to set the world record and beat the game in just over 5 minutes!

The really interesting thing to notice is how much of the game he misses. There are so many power-ups that he just skips right over as if they weren’t there. He doesn’t stop to collect everything in the game because he’s only concerned with one thing….get-r-done!

That’s kind of like our lives. We try to fly through things so fast sometimes that we miss life’s little power-ups along the way. Our lives are such a blur that we don’t stop and smell the roses sometimes.

When was the last time you went out on a clear night and looked at the stars? When was the last time you thanked God for being able to breathe oxygen? When was the last time you told someone, “I Love You.”

Take a minute and do one of those things right now. Yes, I’ll be here when you get back. Go, now

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Do you feel better? I hope so. Take some time and slow your life down and don’t forget to thank God for his blessings everyday.

What is the Best Question Ever?

We’re currently in the middle of a study through Andy Stanley’s book, “The Best Question Ever” and as we journey through the thought process of Andy Stanley as he takes a look back at his life, I am forced to look at my past and ask myself the Best Question Ever. Here it is, I’m going to spoil the book for you. The question is: What is the wise thing for me to do? In light of my current circumstances and situations, what is the wise thing for me to do? In light of my past, my present, my future, what is the wise thing for me to do?

The greatest mistake you’ve ever made in your life could’ve been avoided had you asked this question and then acted on the answer. I know mine could have. The more I read this book, the more I wanted to live by the advice it offered. The greatest thing is that it’s straight out of scripture.

Think about it this week. As you make decisions regarding your future, your present, your finances, your job, your schoolwork, your friends, your family.

Ask yourself, “What is the wise thing for me to do?”

And then go and act on the answer.

Hey guys. Stupid Video of the week is up!

Sometimes when we least expect it, life slaps us upside the head. We immediately turn and ask God, “What Was That For ??!!!???”

The problem is that we’re asking God what happened believing He allowed everything to occur as a result of our sinful behavior.

Our bonehead moves and decisions in life often lead to poor circumstances and consequences. I remember once I changed a grade on a report card I brought home and my parents found out about it. I was forced to apologize to my teacher and parents, but I blamed God. I thought that He hated me and was punishing me for my deception.

The Bible says in Proverbs 3:12, “For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” So immediately, we think that God is punishing us when we do wrong. Well, if that’s true, why doesn’t God punish people when they murder someone, or cheat, or steal, or lie? After all, if God loves everyone, why wouldn’t He punish us all? Because here’s the part we’ve missed.

God does not discipline us as a result of our wrongdoings, but rather as an expression of His love. He loves us so much that He disciplines us so that we can stay the course.

When I tell my son not to do something and he does it anyway, I have to discipline him so that he will learn from his mistakes. I don’t do it because I enjoy disciplining him, I do it so that he can go through life with as little hurt as possible. God does the same thing for us. He loves us so much that He wants us to enjoy life and go through it with as little hurt as possible.

So the next time life slaps you upside the head, thank God for His love and for His discipline. Because when you know God is disciplining you, you know that God is showing you that He loves you.