Year of the Bible

On January 1, 2011, Bellevue students will join with the entire church in reading through the Bible chronologically in a year. How neat it will be for all of us to be reading the same passages every week and discussing what the Lord is teaching us individually and as a church family.

In order for all of us to be on the same reading plan, we will follow the plan of the NIV Chronological One Year Bible. We will be making these available at the Student E.R. for $10. A student journal is also available for $10, or you may buy both for $18.

It all begins in just a few weeks on January 1st!

Singing Christmas Tree

Girls, you are doing an incredible job in the Singing Christmas Tree this year! It is a joy to see you sing, worship, and present the gospel with smiles on your faces and joy in your hearts. May the Lord use these performances to draw more people to Him and to remind us all of the incredible gift God has given us - Jesus!

Let us worship and praise our God for his righteousness, love, faithfulness, and mercy!

"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalm 89:1 (The entire chapter of Psalm 89 speaks of God and how there is no one like Him...I encourage you to read the chapter!)

*If you haven't seen the Singing Christmas Tree yet this year, there are 4 more nights of performances (today through Wednesday). Just go to http://www.bellevue.org/ for more info.

Friday Favs

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust." Romans 13:14

Your flesh is simple. It desires devotion to anything other than God, but what does it mean to provide for lusts of the flesh? Provision is defined as providing for, making available, or supplying the needs of. To help us understand, think of it in this way... If you decided you would abstain from ice cream because of your obsession, would it be smart to go and sit in TCBY by yourself for an hour? Obviously you wouldn't do that, but when we hear the voice of God telling us to abstain from certain things because of your increasing devotion to this particular thing, why do we get as close as possible only to give in to temptation? Pay very close attention to your thoughts. The more you dwell on something the more likely you are to act on it. If you know you are not supposed to tear someone down verbally, is it helping to think those things? This is provision for your flesh. In order, thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become strongholds, and strongholds become idolatry (higher devotion for something other than God). How are your thoughts ultimately providing for the lust of your flesh?

~Jenny Clark

Becca's Closet

We are so excited to share this opportunity with you! Regan Perkins, a Senior in high school, is the President of the Memphis-Area chapter "Becca's Closet." "Becca's Closet" is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to providing formal dresses to high school girls wanting to attend their prom but not having the resources to purchase a dress. If you would like to donate accessories, dresses, or shoes, you can contact Regan at bobbieperkins31@yahoo.com. For more information on Becca's Closet, you can click here for the website. We will also have information sheets available this Sunday at the Student Events Registration. What a great way to get involved in helping our community!

WINTER CAMP!!!

It's just a few weeks away, and you don't want to miss it - Winter Camps 2010!

Sr High students will travel to Gatlinburg, TN, and Middle School students to For the Kingdom in Frayser, TN. Having been to both of these camps, I have to say they are both incredible and you will make such great memories! So grab a few of your friends and come hang out with us!

Go to http://www.bellevuestudents.org/ to register (all registration is online) and for more info. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Student Ministry Office: 347.5690.

Friday Favs: "My God"

My God

You make the mountains fall into the midst of the sea,

You make a river of peace flow over me,

You make the deaf hear and the mute speak,

You give joy to the sorrowful and strength to the weak,

You can rise up one man to bring life to a nation,

You love me freely without hesitation,

You heal every wound, touch every scar,

You erase our sin, and send it away so far,

My heart melts at the sound of your name,

I give my life only for your fame,

Joy at its fullest, your presence is the only way,

You always know exactly what to say,

Your greatness, O God, will forever endure,

Please, our heart and soul, to you allure.

~Jenny Clark

Thirst!

Sunday was our last meeting of the Fall semester for Thirst (we will pick back up in January). Each of the groups has learned so much these last 9 weeks, and we are so grateful for Meagan, Jenny, Christy, Nicole, Lindsey, and Jennie for teaching and leading! For our last meeting, we all gathered together to share what the Lord has taught us and encourage one another as we follow Christ. Our memory verse for this week is:

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25,26

May this be the testimony of our lives today!

We had a great time and can't wait to get together again in January! Be watching your mailbox and the blog for more info!

Radiant Newsletter: November Edition

The Fall edition of the Girls Ministry "Radiant" Newsletter is here!

Click here or on the pic below to view pictures, event info, and inspiring stories from other teenage girls! If you have an idea or would like to contribute towards the Winter 2011 edition, please email Jennie at jmckay@bellevue.org. Thanks and happy reading!

Viernes Favoritos (Friday Favs)

It's amazing to think about how many different things in our culture have changed! Can you think of some things that have progressed over the years? Clothing, cell phones, cars, even roller skating...

Roller Skating 1910

Roller skating 2010

Redefining Beautiful

A group of high school girls from Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, TX are changing the way we define beauty. Each Tuesday they come to school without any makeup on, and wearing purple shirts that say "Redefining Beautiful; One Girl at a Time." They have been an inspiration to girls and women all across the country.

Click here for a video interviewing the girls on the Today Show.

What are your thoughts about the actions these girls are taking?

Friday Favs: Poetry

Change me, Lord

It seems like every girl has it better than me,
And my frustrations and my flaws are all I see.

Many times this verse I’ve read,
My strength is made perfect in weakness God said.

But I tell Him, I wanna be that, I wanna be this!
I wanna shine brighter, be the girl you can’t miss.!

I made you in my own perfect way,
So why is it I always hear you say,

Change me Lord to be like her,
When it’s you yourself I really prefer.

I may be the only one who sees your true beauty,
To make others see it isn’t your duty.

I know to you your flaws seem prominent.
But to me, they are gifts to you that I’ve lent.

But Lord can’t I live without all this stuff?
My child, my child, My grace is enough!

You don’t have to be accepted by everyone,
All that matters is if you’re found in the Son.

Trust me when He says I love you just the way you are,
You’re His joy and His crown, His bright shining star!

~Jenny Clark

October & November Calendar

Click on calendar to enlarge.

Friend Day!

"He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'...He brought him to Jesus." John 1:41-42

This past weekend my nephew was born, and it was such an exciting day! I became an Aunt to an incredibly adorable little guy. He was born Friday morning, and immediately I posted on Twitter and Facebook, and I told everyone I ran into about my new nephew. As I was telling everyone, I realized that when something exciting happens in our lives, we want to share with everyone! Think back to a time in your life when something exciting happened...didn't you want to share with your friends, family, and those close to you?

This made me think back to the most phenomenal event to ever take place in my life - when I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and surrendered my life to Him. Since then, my life has never been the same, and God continues to work in my life today. Just as I shared with everyone about my nephew, even more should I be sharing the incredible gift of Christ and the Gospel with everyone I meet.

Andrew brought his brother to Jesus, and Philip brought Nathaniel (John 1:41-45)...who will you bring to Jesus?

An incredible opportunity is coming up on November 7th, "Friend Day." It's called that, because we are to bring friends, family, and neighbors with us so they can hear about the One who changes lives, Jesus.

More details about Friend Day here: www.bellevuestudents.org. Click on the video.

~Jennie

Thirst: "Lord, I Want to Know You"

11th-12th grade girls in "Thirst" are going through Kay Arthur's "Lord I Want to Know You" which teaches about the character of God by studying His Biblical Names. For example, this week we are focusing on God Most High, El Elyon. This name designates God as the sovereign, ruler of the universe. This is the name Daniel uses when he is thanking God for interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him. It is the name Isaiah uses when quoting God to the Israelites in regards to their future. The same God Most High is in control of all people, circumstances, and happenings of today!

Memory Verse: "I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 57:2

Quote from Book:
"If God is not sovereign, if He is not in control, if all things are not under His dominion, then He is not the Most High, and you and I are either in the hands of fate (whatever that is), in the hands of man, or in the hands of the devil." - Kay Arthur

Thirst: "Lady In Waiting"

What 10th grade girls are learning this week in "Thirst" from their leader, Lindsey:

The tenth graders involved in “Thirst” are reading through “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. We are studying how to trust God with His perfect plan for our lives, including finding future mates. But, most importantly, we are learning how to become ladies who truly follow God in radical abandon to Him, seeking His will above our own. We have read about how to be a lady of diligence and a lady of faith. A look into the life of Ruth shows us how God is in control of our lives—every detail—and that we must choose to walk by faith and not by our own understanding or desires.

Memory verse: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Friday Favs: Just for Fun...

Remember...don't be hard-headed!

Have a great weekend!

Thirst: "Crazy Love"

A look into what the 9th grade girls are learning in "Thirst" this week from their leader, Nicole:

One of the main things we have talked about is a question that Francis Chan ("Crazy Love") asks and that is, " What do you think would be the FIRST thing out of your mouth the moment you saw God?" We have talked about how we want this question to transform the way that we pray. Far too often we find ourselves trapped in the hurried," God thank you for this day...this food....God please help ME do this, ME, ME, ME...." When you think about the fact that you are coming into the presence of the JESUS of the Bible who is seated on a throne in heaven as Revelation describes, our hurried, unintentional, "check it off the list of things to do" prayers seem as though perhaps they are not really prayers at all. We should learn to pray as though Someone is LISTENING - because so often we find ourselves not in a conversation, but in a hurried rambling of thoughts, not even truly focused on the Lord.

Memory verse: Psalm 63:3 " Oh God, You are my God; I shall seek you earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

A quote from "Crazy Love" this week: " ...it doesn't matter what place you find yourself right now.Your part is to bring Him glory...The point of your life is to point to Him."

"Thirst": One Girl Can Change the World

A glimpse into what the 8th grade girls are learning in "Thirst" this week:
We are learning (from Ch. 2 in "One Girl Can Change the World") about how God has created our passions for His purpose and how to find out what that is! Also, how to develop your passion into being used for the body of Christ.

Our memory verse: Psalm 63:2 "Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary, to see Thy power and Thy glory."
(8th grade girls are memorizing Psalm 63 this semester.)

A quote from this week's chapter: Never doubt that a community of thoughtful, committed women, filled with the power and Love of God, using gifts they have identified and developed, and pursuing passions planted in them by God, that these women can change the world.

"Thirst": Essentials of Prayer

"Thirst" is our Girls' Discipleship that meets on Sunday afternoons (Middle School @ 4pm & High School @ 5pm). Each grade meets separately, with a leader, for a time of accountability, prayer, scripture memorization, and study of God's Word. I wanted to share a bit of what our 7th grade girls are studying this week, and it comes from E. M. Bound's book called "Essentials of Prayer." They are learning how to pray, how to keep a prayer journal, how Jesus prayed, and of course we are praying together! A few tidbits about prayer and our memory verse for this week:

For the Christian, prayer is a relationship - and a way of life.

The praying Christian, as the soldier, fights a life-and-death struggle...littleness, half-heartedness, weakness, and laziness are all absent.

The largest results in praying come to him who gives himself, all of himself, all that belongs to himself, to God.

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

Matt. 22:37

Friday Favs: Galatians 3

What God promised Abraham, that through him all the nations would be blessed, has become ours through Jesus. What is that blessing? Galatians 3 describes to us the blessing of the promise of the Spirit and of salvation. The promise of salvation to all nations was given to Abraham and his “seed”, but who is his seed? JESUS. (vs. 6) What does that mean for you? Every promise and every hope and expectation of salvation is found in Jesus, not through living by the law according to verse 18. NO amount of spiritual activity is enough. If it were enough, then it was pointless for Jesus to die for YOU. Nothing you do could ever be worthy of receiving the blessing and promise of salvation from our God! (verses 13-14) Salvation is free through faith in Jesus! (vs. 9) What are you trusting in to save you? Galatians 3:29- And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise... SALVATION!

Read for yourself! : Galatians 3:1-29
Galatians 2:21
Philippians 3:8-9

~Jenny Clark

Mother & Daughter Reception Pics!

Pics from last night's Mother & Daughter Reception! We had a wonderful time with each of you! If you would like a copy of the "Prayers for Your Daughter" bookmark or the 30 Day Prayer Guide, please email jmckay@bellevue.org and we will mail one to you. :)

Playing a fun game...how well do you know your mom? How well do you know your daughter?

A few of the girls from the Girls Council (girls leadership team of 11th & 12th grade girls) that welcomed, served, and helped out in so many ways! Thanks girls!

Jenny C. & Christy P. - couldn't have done it without these 2 ladies! They are incredible!

"Thirst" Girls Discipleship

Girls 7th-12th Grade

Begins this Sunday, September 19th

7th & 8th Grade @ 4pm

9th-12th Grade @ 5pm

Where: Upper Room

What to Bring: Bible & $12 for your book

What: A time of mentoring, accountability, study of God's Word, fellowship with girls your age, scripture memorization, and of course something to quench your "thirst!"

"O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for You..." Ps. 63:1

Friday Favs