Get Nosey

When children go online, they have direct and immediate access to friends, family, and complete strangers, which can put unsuspecting children at great risk. Children who meet and communicate with strangers online are easy prey for Internet predators. Predators have easy and anonymous access to children online where they can conceal their identity and roam without limit. Often, we have an image of sexual predators lurking around school playgrounds or hiding behind bushes scoping out their potential victims, but the reality is that today’s sexual predators search for victims while hiding behind a computer screen, taking advantage of the anonymity the Internet offers." Check out more from https://internetsafety101.org/

#getnosey

Parent resources on how to get nosey, visit… http://www.strongeralliance.com/getnosey

Internet Safety 101

This video is produced by Reflective Media Productions in cooperation with Redeemed Ministries.

I have to tweet that!

Technology can be a wonderful tool in our lives. But our constant reliance on and connection to our phones can have some negative effects on us as well. Research has shown excessive screen time can lead to increased health problems both physical and mental. It can keep us from forming and nurturing real, meaningful relationships with family, friends, and even co-workers.

Like Sarah, we can find ourselves feeling isolated and confused as to why and how that has become our reality. God created us to operate in community. That means face to face. Life on life interactions with people. It’s in community with family and friends that we learn healthy social engagement. We learn to articulate our feelings and even manage conflict appropriately.

If you’ve found yourself increasingly isolated due to excessive screen time here are some helpful suggestions:

• Don’t use your phone as your alarm clock. It makes it much too easy to swipe off and go right to checking your favorite social media site before you ever get out of bed.

• When spending time with friends or family, institute a “No Technology Time”. Use that time to actually talk to one another and engage on a deeper level.

• Set aside time to engage in physical activity. After all, it’s pretty hard to check Instagram while you’re playing basketball, going for a swim, or riding your bike.

• If you're a student, don’t use your cell phone to do homework. It makes it hard to ignore that text notification from your best friend.

• If you find yourself struggling with ongoing feelings of isolation consider seeing a qualified therapist to help you address those feelings.

Technology is wonderful, but let's give the people around us our full attention and show them that we value them by being fully present in the moments we share. There is a great big world filled with lots of wonderful people waiting to have real engagement with you just on the other side of your screen!

www.strongeralliance.com

Fear Not

Don’t you think it’s interesting that one of the most repeated commands in the Word of God is “Do not be afraid”? which by the way is NOT a suggestion…it’s a “command”.

Hi, my name is Ulises, and I play the very frightened Christian, running from Roman soldiers after Jesus’ crucifixion in the short film Fear Not. As believers we always talk about Good Friday, and how much our Lord suffered for us, and of course we celebrate Resurrection Sunday and all it implies for eternity…BUT we never talk about the day in between…the day of not knowing, uncertainty, betrayal, the silence, despair, FEAR. The day when no one remembered His teachings, no one remembered that He already said how it will all happen, that day where death and capture by Roman guards was all they could think about…and they hid, and ran, and stayed hushed in darkness, wondering “what now?”.

But it’s not just about Easter…you and I do the same thing all the time…our Father has promised He will deliver…think about it…more than once, we have seen His miracles unfold in our lives…yet, we stress, and we fret, and we don’t see how it could possibly work out, and we ask WHY, and we let our hearts we troubled…and we forget. In the case of our friend in the story, he didn’t know what was about to take place the next day. He had forgotten what Jesus said to them…and still, after watching his death, they all fled and disappeared, huddled up in their homes, hoping the guards would never find them, asking themselves “what just happened?”, “I gave up everything to follow this man for three years…and now what?”…desperate questions that would be answered the next day…but they didn’t know it. When the sun came up the next day they saw a miracle that no one had seen before, and no one has seen since. Resounding proof that He was and is and forever will be the true and only God.

The difference for you and I is that we DO know what happened the next day…what He did then, and what HE can still do today… But the enemy knows our weakness too, and we give in to his schemes, his lies and traps, and we doubt, and we question our mighty God, and go into isolation, and fear sets in…we forget God is on our side, and nothing can stand against us…

I pray that when you watch this short story you can identify with this man running for his life, and you can hear God’s voice encouraging you, letting you know He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Fear Not…for He is with you.

ruOK?

Suicide is real.
​Suicide does not discriminate.
Suicide affects more families of teens today than ever before.
We can stop this ... we need to BREAK THE SILENCE, remove the stigma,
and begin the necessary conversations ​about mental health, depression ... and suicide.

T O G E T H E R
we can make a difference

T O G E T H E R
we can save lives

Mom Skillz - Improvising

We Are Stronger - Movie

We Are Stronger - Going Deeper Leaders Guide

We Are Stronger - Going Deeper Workbook

The film We Are Stronger shows one warrior's struggle with his wounds, and how he found healing. This book will help you better understand combat trauma, and take you deeper into the processes God has created to bring you strength, stability, resourcefulness, and purpose.

Steps to Hope and Healing

1. Watch the movie We Are Stronger

2. Purchase the We Are Stronger Going Deeper Workbook

3. Join or start a We Are Stronger Going Deeper Small Group

Purchase We Are Stronger DVD and Going Deeper

Workbooks/Leader’s Guides at www.strongermovie.com

Join an online support groups at www.strongermovie.com