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NOVEMBER
ATE R B E L CE God’s ness l u f h Fait
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
GO DEEPER CULTIVATING A THANKFUL HEART
While great food, friends, family and football make for a wonderful day, taking time out of your fast-paced life to think through the many blessings and to express gratitude to God and to others will make the Thanksgiving holiday special. An attitude of gratitude, of course, shouldn't be a once-a-year deal, and hopefully cultivating a thankful heart goes beyond that one special Thursday in November for all of us. Still, it doesn't hurt to rev up our gratitude "engines" as we get closer to Thanksgiving Day. So, here is a simple 30-day plan for you and your family that can help do just that!
Thanksgiving Season 2011 Day #1 - Tuesday, 11/1 – Thanks for Family. As you interact with your family today, take an opportunity to say a simple thank you to each family member for one thing you are grateful for. It might be something a family member has done for you, or it might be for a character quality you see in their lives.
with us even in the worst circumstances. Thank God for His presence, comfort and strength that has helped you get through a rough season in your life, even if that season is now. Day #3 – Thursday 11/3 – E-Thanks. Express your thanks to someone in your life sending them a brief e-mail or text message. Or, get fancy and send them a free e-card that are offered on many websites. If you aren’t into technology, just give or send a hand-written note.
Day #4 - Friday, 11/4 – Thank God for Silence. Due to the fast pace of our lives these days, most of us have forgotten the gifts of silence and reflection. Take a few minutes sometime today, find a quiet spot and thank God for the gift of silence and solitude. Spend some time thinking of other things you are Day #2 - Wednesday, 11/2 – Thanks for the Pain? We all experience hard times, but God is grateful to God for.
Day #5 - Saturday, 11/5 – Thanksgiving Invitation. Find someone you are thankful for and invite them to your family’s Thanksgiving Day celebration. If you’re not going to be home for Thanksgiving Day, invite them over for coffee and pie sometime around the holiday. Day #6 - Sunday, 11/6 – Thank God for Today. The past is history. Tomorrow is uncertain. But, we have today. Thank God for giving us this day. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Day #7 – Monday, 11/7 – Thanks for Sharing Faith! Today, think of someone in your life who has helped you to know God better. Mail them a note, send them an email or tell them in person that you are thankful for their help and example of faith along the way.
Day #8 - Tuesday, 11/8 – Thanks for Freedom! Thank God for allowing us to live in a democracy where we are allowed to vote. Sure, we don’t live in a “perfect” country, but we can certainly be thankful for the many freedoms we enjoy that many countries don’t. Day #9 - Wednesday, 11/9 – Laughter Day. There’s just something about laughter that makes it easier for us to be grateful people. So, make today laughter day in your home. Tell funny stories, jokes, watch a good comedy together with your family and thank God that He gave us the gift of humor. Day #10 - Thursday, 11/10 – What I Like About You… Today, take a few minutes and make a list of the things you like about your immediate family members. Share your list with your family sometime during the day – and thank them for those things! Day #11 - Friday, 11/11 - Thank a Veteran Day. Regardless of your views on war, there is no doubt that in our country we are surrounded by brave men and women who have served their country with honor. Find a veteran today, and say thank you. If you know of a World War 2 veteran, call one up to say thanks. These WW2 veterans are dying at the rate of approximately 1,000 per day. So, take advantage of saying thank you to them while you still can! Day #12 - Saturday, 11/12 – Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Day. We all get so busy that we can ignore the wonders of life all around us – like the smell of coffee when we get up, or a friend who drops by to say hello. Today, take time to notice your surroundings and thank God for the things we often take for granted.
Day #16 - Wednesday, 11/16 – Thank You Call. Today, make a phone call to someone in your life whom you wish to thank for something they’ve done. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation, but a verbal expression of thanks often means a lot to the person you are thanking.
on the meaning attached to this day. Perhaps you can read one of the ‘Thanksgiving Proclamations’ that were written by our past Presidents, such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. They are easy to locate on the Internet. In fact, they are posted on HomeWord.com.
Day #17 - Thursday, 11/17 – Your Top 10. Today, make a list of 10 people you are thankful for. Call, email, or text one or more of them and tell them they are on your top 10 list!
Day #25 - Friday, 11/25 – Take a Trip Down Memory Lane. Take some time today with family to look at photos or videos from Thanksgiving celebrations from the past. As you remember Thanksgivings gone-by, thank God for the loved ones you’ve spent these holidays with.
Day #18 - Friday, 11/18 – Prayer Path Day. Today, say a quick prayer of thanks for everyone who crosses your path – like the cashier at the Burger King, or the person delivering your morning paper. You get extra credit for saying thanks to these people, in person. Day #19 - Saturday, 11/19 – Experience the Moment! Too often, we focus more on what we need to do tomorrow or next week than we do on what’s happening today. Today, live in the present and be thankful for it – from raking the leaves to planning your Thanksgiving dinner. Day #20 - Sunday, 11/20 – Knowing Jesus. What can compare to knowing Jesus? I cannot explain to you how thankful I am that I have been blessed with the opportunity to know Jesus. The difference He’s made in my life – through knowing Him as Savior and Lord – cannot be measured. Today, give thanks for knowing the Savior! Day #21 - Monday, 11/21 – Thanksgiving Phone Call. Call, email or text a relative or friend who will be away from you on Thanksgiving Day. Thank them for their presence and influence in your life.
Day #13 - Sunday, 11/13 – Give Thanks for God’s Word. Offer up thanks to God today, for Day #22 - Tuesday, 11/22 – Food, Food, giving us the Scriptures. “Your word is a lamp to Food! As you begin to think about that great my feet and light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 Thanksgiving Day meal you’ll be eating in a couple days, take some time to thank God for Day #14 - Monday, 11/14 – Positive Thoughts food and His gracious provisions. Pray for Only! Okay, this one will take some work, but those who will go without this Thanksgiving strive today to think only positive thoughts Day. Do something for someone less fortunate about other people and the situations you find than you, if you are able. yourself in. Be upbeat and thankful. You’ll be amazed at how this improves your day – and Day #23 - Wednesday, 11/23 – The Blessing you’re likely to find how your positive attitude of Family and Friends. Tomorrow is T-Day! affects others as well! Make a brief list of why you are thankful for these people. Thank God by name for each Day #15 - Tuesday, 11/15 – Little Things person you will be spending tomorrow with. Make a Difference. We often ignore the little Tomorrow, tell each person why you are things in life that make life easier and better for thankful for them. us. Today, make a list of ‘little things’ that you appreciate. For example, my list will include Day #24 - Thursday, 11/24 – Thanksgiving indoor plumbing, refrigerators and my iPhone. Day. Enjoy your celebration! Take time to reflect
Day #26 - Saturday, 11/26 – Exercise! After the past few days, you’re probably in need of burning off some calories. Enjoy a walk, take a hike, or do whatever you can do and like to do. Thank God for your physical abilities. We might not be in the best physical condition, but we can still give thanks for the capabilities we do have! Day #27- Sunday, 11/27 – Heritage Sunday! Today, thank God for the long line of Christfollowers who have gone before us as well as those who share in and encourage our faith these days. Their faith and faithfulness to share it with us is a tremendous heritage! Day #28 - Monday, 11/28 – Thank God for Learning! Something often overlooked in our lives is that God created us with the ability to learn. So, whether you are in school now, are learning a new hobby, or have learned a lesson from a poor decision, thank God today for the capacity to learn. Day #29 - Tuesday, 11/29 – God’s Work in You. It’s not uncommon to overlook the difference God is making in your own life. Take a few moments to make a list of things you appreciate about yourself. Remember, God is at work in your life – so thank Him for it! “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 Day #30 - Wednesday, 11/30 – Thanks for the Service! Today, make a special effort to say thank you to anyone who provides you with a service. The barista at Starbucks, for example, might be pleasantly shocked when you tell him or her how great a job they’ve done preparing your pumpkin-spice latte.
NOVEMBER 2011 sunday
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GROWTH GROUP KICK OFF 9:30 am
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wednesday
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11 Men’s Conference
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Student Night Better Together Series 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Student Night Better Together Series 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Student Choir 4:30 pm
REVIVAL SERVICE with Special Guest: Dr. Johnny Hunt 7:00 pm
SR High Girls Night Out 6:00 pm
NO YOUNG LIFE
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14 Laney High FCA 6 pm - 8 pm LC Cafe
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18 Ladies Conference
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22 Thanksgiving Lord’s Supper Service 6:30 pm
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24 Happy
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Worship 8, 9:30, 11, & 6pm Growth Groups 9:30 am Student Choir 4:30 pm Student Baptism 6:00 pm Worship 8, 9:30, 11, & 6pm Growth Groups 9:30 Small Groups 11:00 am Student Choir 4:30 pm
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Worship 8, 9:30, 11, & 6pm Growth Groups 9:30 Small Groups 11:00 am Student Choir 4:30 pm
28 Laney High FCA 6 pm - 8 pm LC Cafe
Student Night Better Together Series 5:30 - 8:30 pm
NO STUDENT ACTIVITIES Thanksgiving Break
YoungLife 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thanksgiving
TOY DONATION DEADLINE
TOY DONATIONS New or Gently Used Toys Being collected until Wednesday, November 30th. Drop off your donations in the Life Center while on campus.
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
SLIPKNOT Background: This metal band formed in 1995 and has sold more than 14 million records worldwide. The band always wears matching suits, and each member wears a unique mask. Their music is heavy, dark, and full of profanity. The trailer for the rerelease of their second album, Iowa, shows someone hanging a severed goat head onto nails, with a pentagram as an underlay. What Slipknot Says: In an interview about his book, which tries to diminish how bad the deadly sins are, singer Corey Taylor says, “I ask more questions about how can we be better people toward each other than worrying about the planet or worrying about this or that…. There’s a bigger issue, and it’s why are we so ugly toward each other?
SEVENTH DAY SLUMBER Background: This rock band was independent for 11 years until signing with Tooth & Nail in 2007. Frontman Joseph Rojas has an incredible testimony of drug addiction, an overdose, and a conversion in the back of an ambulance as he cried out to God in what he thought was his last moment. Since then, the band has had a strong heart for disaffected, fringe, and abandoned teenagers. What Seventh Day Slumber Says: “There are things going on with Christian kids that no one wants to talk about because we’re supposed to be happy,” says singer Rojas. “We always paint Christ as the answer to hurting people and tough situations.”
SAINT’S ROW:3 Review:This sandbox-style game similar to Grand Theft Auto—finds players leading up a crime syndicate and fighting against rival gangs. One of the early-release videos shows a completely nude female character parachuting off a high-rise building. So it isn’t exactly family-friendly. The rating is still pending but will likely be M (mature)
THE MUPPETS Rating: PG Synopsis: Some Muppets super-fans reunite the gang for a telethon so they can save the Muppet Theater from a nefarious oilman who’s trying to tear it down. At first many were not sure teenagers would care about this movie— until movie exec’s heard how much they LOVED The Smurfs. So maybe the beloved Muppets are poised for a comeback, too.
TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PT.1 Rating: PG-13 Synopsis: Bella and Edward go to Rio for their honeymoon, and Bella soon becomes pregnant. The birth nearly kills Bella, and Edward has to decide whether to make her immortal. Although the “Twilight” books aren’t the hot commodities they once were, teenage girls still care deeply about Bella and her completely dysfunctional relationship with Edward. Blech.
IN THE LOOP... Not getting all the details of Northside’s Student Ministry events from your Student? Check below to find out more details of Upcoming Activities.
Current Student Teaching Series
STUDENT GROWTH GROUPS KICK OFF Beginning Sunday, November 6th Students will be plugging in to Growth Groups. What is the purpose of Growth Groups? It allows students to connect with their peers and to go deeper in their faith. Sunday’s have a lot to offer students - 3 worship services, Growth Groups during the 9:30 am hour in the Life Center - and service opportunities (nursery, preschool, hospitality) on campus during the morning worship schedule hours. Please Note - Northside Student Ministries 11:00 am small group hour will remain the same for now with the exception of the JR High Girls class.
Northside Student Night Doors Open Students are now collecting new and gently used toys for our upcoming Community Toy Sale. You can help!in two ways: (1) bring New or gently used toys to the drop off location in the Life Center or (2) donate funds for staffers to purchase new toys for less fortunate community children. Community Toy Sale Saturday, December 3rd 7:00 am - 11:30 pm
www.enorthside.org Visit Us Online Today
Shane Becton Northside Student Pastor sbecton@enorthside.org 910-599-2903
@ 5:30 pm
TOY SALE FUNDRAISER
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Ser vice Begins @ 6:45 pm
Doors Close
@ 8:30 pm
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NORTHSIDE STUDENTS 2501 North College Rd Wilmington, NC 28405 (910)791-6053 Contact our Student Ministry Office today to recieve a free Welcome Packet including an interactive Student Ministry CD.