Give The Gift of SAFE WATER For My Birthday!
1 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on 11/30/10 at 11:17 PM.
I'm celebrating my 33rd Birthday today! For my big day I'm asking for something unusual. If you're considering giving me something of monetary value would you give me WATER please? There is a SAFE WATER crisis.
Scores of lives are at stake.
So I'm partnering with Water Missions International to solve this problem and I want YOUR help.
Labels: Personal, Social Justice
- Had a great Thanksgiving.
- Enjoyed lots of eats over at a friend's home. We had TONS of food.
- We fried a turkey which turned out to be one of the highlights for me. It was excellent.
- Went to Christmastown at Busch Gardens on Saturday. Had the best time.
- A friend dared me to get on stage and dance while a man was playing the bagpipes. Next thing you know, I was on stage. =)
- Said farewell to our pastor on Sunday. He has accepted another position as the director for an association, which is a great fit for him.
- I've been watching TD Jakes' sermons for the last few weeks. Love hearing him speak.
- Have you checked out the ChurchLeaders Youth Channel? We've just put the finishing touches on the content of our weekly newsletter.
- Hurry and sign-up [here] to receive your copy of the newsletter and get a free ebook!
- I just a text message to our students using Simply Text. I love Simply Text.
- My friends at the Simply Youth Min. Conference told me that seats are going quicker than last year! You best register soon [here].
- Watched the Civil Forum live from Saddleback this evening with former President, George W. Bush. I want to read his new memoir, Decision Points.
- My birthday is coming up Wednesday. Can't believe I'm turning 33.
- My latest article is up at ChurchLeaders.com.
- It. cannot. be. winter. yet. Pleasssse, tell me winter is not already here.
- Headed down to SC later this week to coordinate a retreat for youth pastors.
- Recently brought my good friend EJ Swanson to town to speak to our students on a retreat. Not only did he bless us while here but he is continuing to do so. . .
- Just the other day he sent me a package with notes of encouragement for a number of students he invested in while with us.
- Had mexican food earlier with some students. Good times.
- Are we connected on Facebook?
- Don't miss the Manic Monday Minute. Get the feed [here].
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
Are Students More Stressed Now Than During Great Depression?
1 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on at 9:18 AM.
Next time your grandparents bust out that “walked to school uphill in the snow” line, you can let them know that your generation has its problems too—and there’s a growing body of research to back that up.
A study led by researchers at five different universities nationwide have concluded that youth today are more stressed than students their same age who were studied during the The Great Depression.
Of the nearly 80,000 students surveyed, five times as many students surpassed thresholds in one or more behavioral health categories, compared with those in the 1930's. Researchers noticed considerable increases in many different categories but higher scores were noted in areas dealing with anxiety and depression.
"It's another piece of the puzzle -- that yes, this does seem to be a problem, that there are more young people who report anxiety and depression," Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and the study's lead author, told USA Today. "The next question is: What do we do about it?'"
Twenge previously documented the influence of pop culture pressures on young people's mental health in her book "Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled — and More Miserable Than Ever Before."
Some experts say such high expectations for today's teenagers are a recipe for disappointment. Meanwhile, they also note some well-meaning but overprotective parents have left their children with very few real-world coping skills, whether that means doing their own budget or confronting teachers or professors on their own.
Sarah Ann Slater, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Miami, says she feels pressure to be financially successful. "The unrealistic feelings that are ingrained in us from a young age — that we need to have massive amounts of money to be considered a success — not only lead us to a higher likelihood of feeling inadequate, anxious or depressed, but also make us think that the only value in getting an education is to make a lot of money, which is the wrong way to look at it," says Slater.
"I don't remember it being this hard," said a mother from northern New Jersey, whose 15-year-old daughter is currently being treated for depression. She asked not to be identified to respect her daughter's privacy.
"We all wanted to be popular, but there wasn't this emphasis on being perfect and being super skinny," she said. "In addition, it's 'How much do your parents make?'
"I'd like to think that's not relevant, but I can't imagine that doesn't play a role."
MSNBC conducted a poll following the release of this research regarding the expectations put on today's youth. Over 70% of the people who voted said that, yes, there were external pressures to be wealthy, look perfect, and be successful. What do you think?
Source: USA Today
Labels: Research
I also love a good comedian... and Steve Harvey is hilarious. Watch Harvey in this video as he hosts The Family Feud.
RSS Subscribers: there is video [here]
Labels: Straight Up Funny, Videos
"The study suggests that, in and of itself, gaming does not appear to be dangerous to kids," said study author Rani Desai, an associate professor of psychiatry and public health at the Yale University School of Medicine. "We found virtually no association between gaming and negative health behaviors, particularly in boys." "However, a small but not insignificant proportion of kids find themselves unable to control their gaming," she said. "That's cause for concern because that inability is associated with a lot of other problem behaviors."
In the study the "problem gamers" are characterized by three things: trying and failing to decrease the number of hours they play, feeling an uncontrollable urge to play, and experiencing stress or tension that only video games could relieve. Desai noted, "Frequency is not a determining factor in the study. While problem gamers may in fact spend more hours at play, the hallmark of problem gaming is the inability to resist the impulse."
Of the teens surveyed, 76 percent of boys and over 29 percent of girls reported playing video games. 61 percent reported gaming less than seven hours a week, while about 11 percent reported spending 20 or more hours a week gaming.
Boys that reported playing video games also reported having a higher grade point average in school and were more likely to not smoke and say no to drugs. Desai concludes, "the fact that gaming in boys is linked to healthier behaviors may mean that, for boys it's normal to play video games." For girl gamers, those who play were found more likely to get in fights or cause trouble at school. "This finding may not suggest that gaming leads to aggression but that more aggressive girls are attracted to gaming," Desai said.
The full study was published November 15th in the online edition of Pediatrics.
Labels: Issues, Research, Youth Pastors
RSS Subscribers: there is video [here]
Labels: Straight Up Funny, Video, Youth Pastors
Who Are the Leading Youth Ministry Voices Today?
24 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on 11/4/10 at 1:27 PM.
Labels: Issues, Leadership, mentoring, Youth Pastors
ChurchLeaders.com needs your help. We value your opinion as a fellow church leader, so we're asking you to take a few moments out of your time to give us some feedback through a little survey we've put together. For taking our survey you'll have a chance to win a FREE Kindle!Hurry and click [here] to participate in the survey. The winner will be announced next Thursday, November 11th.
Labels: Leadership, Resources, Technology, Youth Pastors
