Courageous Movie:  Honor Begins at Home.  Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.
            While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.  When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?
            Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Riveted moviegoers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.

Father/Daughter First Date:  Fathers are encouraged to bring their daughters on a very special "first date", discussing the biblical idea of purity as well as modeling the love and respect that is required in a God-honoring relationship. A First Date nightmight include dressing up, presenting flowers to his daughter, bringing her out for a fancy dinner, setting the standard for behavioral expecations, and presenting her with a *Purity Ring.

• Setting The Standard:  This is a time for the father to express his deep love for his daughter while modeling for her the standard of behavior for any potential suiter (holding doors for her, pulling our her chair and seating her at the table, opening the car door, etc.).
• Reinforcing Value:  A First Date is a wonderful way for a father to validate his daughter's worth to him.  When dad takes time out of his busy schedule to spend with his daughter, she is esteemed as valuable in his eyes. Further, it provides a special opportunity for the father to express her value as a daughter of her Heavenly Father.
• Making Memories:  A First Date will serve as a wonderful memory of the special bond that exists between a father and his daughter and will serve as a continual foundation for mutual love and communication.

*There are several options for purity rings on the market. Moreover, there are many possible applications for the giving of the purity ring.  For example, a father might ask his daughter to trust him to guide her in her romantic pursuits, pray with her, and might incorporate her purity ring into her wedding ceremony some day (when he gives her away, he might take back the ring, etc.).   
 

Parents' Daily Prayer Guide for our Hope Church Family
 
Monday:
Ask the Lord to completely surround your children with emotional, physical, and spiritual protection.
 
Tuesday:
Pray that the Lord will strengthen your children's faith and will fill them with a passionate desire to want to seek and know Him, His word, and His will.
 
Wednesday:
Ask the Lord to give your children godly wisdom in choosing their friends and peers and to give them strength and courage to boldly take a stand for what is right.
 
Thursday:
Pray that the Lord would renew your children's mind, helping them to remain pure in their thoughts and deeds.
 
Friday:
Ask the Lord to extend his blessing over the activities of your children, both academic and extracurricular, giving them alertness and clarity of mind.  Pray also for encouragement in their defeats and humility in their victories.
 
Saturday:
Pray that your children will be sensitive and compassionate to the needs of others, and that the Lord will help them act in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
 
Sunday:
Pray for, and seek blessings for those who are in authority over your children, asking the Lord to give them wisdom and understanding as they instruct your children.

Growing Kids God's Way: Reaching the Heart of Your Child With a God-Centered Purpose

This series has gained national and international recognition for its highly practical approach and common sense application for today's parents.  The Ezzos offer biblically based solutions that work.  Growing Kids God's Way is the core curriculum of the Ezzo's presentation.  Here the emphasis is on reaching the heart of children with the virtues and values that flow out of the character of Christ.  The Ezzo's unique discipleship approach produces morally responsible childre who are kind, courteous, respectful, confident, sensitive to others, obedient to parents and whose lives are a compelling testimony of the Christian faith.  The teaching is immensly practical and life changing.

The Growing Kid's God's Way DVD is available for parents to borrow - see Pastor Mike for a copy.

Reaching the Heart of Your Teen: Building Realtionships to Last a Lifetime

The is the fifth book of a six-part series that has gained national and international recognition for its immensly sensible approach to parenting teens.  Reaching the Heart of Your Teen speaks to the issues: Why do teens rebel against their parents and family values?  Is it due to hormones, a primal desire to stake out their own domain, a struggle for personal identity, or is it simply a neutral and predictable process of growth and development?  The Ezzos look at the many factors that make living with a teenage either a blessing of a curse.  From a biblical perspective, this series brings hope to families challenged by the pressure of living with an adolescent and encouragement to those who are fearful about the teen yrears.  How you get to the pace of relational harmony and stay there is presented in this series.

The Reaching the Heart of Your Teen DVD is available to borrow - see Pastor Mike to sign it out.

Modesty Heart Check for Daughters
  
Start with a Heart Check…  

“How does a woman discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the center of attention? The answer starts in the intent of the heart. A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshipping God? Or is it to call attention to herself and flaunt her beauty? Or worse, to attempt to lure men sexually? A woman who focuses on worshipping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance.” John MacArthur [emphasis added]

What statement do my clothes make about my heart? In choosing what clothes to wear today, whose attention do I desire and whose approval do I crave? Am I seeking to please God or impress others? Is what I wear consistent with biblical values of modesty, self-control and respectable apparel, or does my dress reveal an inordinate identification and fascination with sinful cultural values?  Who am I trying to identify with through my dress? Is the Word of God my standard or is the latest fashion? Have I asked other godly individuals to evaluate my wardrobe? Does my clothing reveal an allegiance to the gospel or is there any contradiction between my profession of faith and my practice of godliness?
Before you leave the house, do a modesty check. (What are some things you should look for as you stand in front of your mirror?)

From the top…

When I am wearing a loose-fitting blouse or scoop-neck, can I see anything when I lean over? If so, I need to remember to place my hand against my neckline when I bend down. If I am wearing a button-down top, I need to turn sideways and move around to see if there are any gaping holes that expose my chest. If there are, I’ve got to grab the sewing box and pin between the buttons. The same check is needed if I am wearing a sleeveless shirt. When I move around, can I see my bra? If I do, I need the pins again. Am I wearing a spaghetti-strap, halter, or sheer blouse? Not even pins will fix this problem! Most guys find these a hindrance in their struggle with lust. It’s time to go back to the closet. Can I see the lace or seam of my bra through my shirt? In this case, seamless bras are a better option. More key questions: Does my shirt reveal any part of my cleavage? Does my midriff show when I raise my hands above my head? Is my shirt just plain too tight? If the answer to any one of these questions is yes, then I need to change my outfit.

Moving on down…

Does my midriff (or underwear) show when I bend over or lift my hands? If so, is it because my skirt or my pants are too low? Either my shirt needs to be longer or I need to find a skirt or pants that sit higher. I also have to turn around to see if what I’m wearing is too tight around my back side, or if the outline of my underwear shows. If so, I know what I have to do! And as for shorts – I can’t just check them standing up. I need to see how much they reveal when I sit down. If I see too much leg, I need a longer pair. The “sit-down” check applies to my skirt or dress as well. And I must remember to keep my skirt pulled down and my knees together when I’m seated. And speaking of skirts, watch out for those slits! Does it reveal too much when I walk? Pins are also helpful here. Before I leave, I need to give my skirt a sunlight check. Is it see-through? If so, I need a slip. Finally, I must remember to do this modesty check with my shoes on. High-heels make my dress or skirt appear shorter. And don’t forget – this applies to formal wear as well. A note on swimwear: It’s not easy but you can still strive to be modest at the pool or beach. Look for one-piece bathing suits that aren’t cut high on the leg and don’t have low necklines.
 
Modesty Check © 2002 Sovereign Grace Ministries
Republished in Girl Talk: Mother-Daughter Conversations on Biblical Womanhood
by Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre (Crossway Books)
 

Internet Site Monitoring

Sites such as www.x3watch.com/ and others provide free monitoring of internet sites visited.  Parents can place this software on their child's computer and receive regular notifications of the sites their child has visited.  This helpful service provides additional accountability between parents and students and is one more tool to prevent sexual temptation.