Try Higher

Nucleus

Trevor — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:02:01 +0000

Ask yourself this question: What will hold my semester together?

Sure you may start off with balance in mind, but will it last? ‎Will your first things remain first? Will you keep your priorities in order?

On Monday, I played a game ‎with a group of freshmen. We stood in a circle so that we could toss a tennis ball back and forth to ‎learn each others’ names. The idea was that each person would catch the ball once and then throw it to another person. The goal was to learn the name of the person you threw it to. After completing the first round, ‎we decided to go again (throwing it to the same person as before). After we finished, we did it again but this time even faster. By now, we had learned the other person’s name ‎fairly well. For the sake of efficiency, we decided to go one last time. So I started us off by tossing the ‎tennis ball to my new friend, but before he could throw it to the new person he had met, I threw ‎another ball. And then another ball. And another. And another. Before you knew, it we had 14 ‎different balls, of all sizes, chaotically flying threw the room.

The principle we learned? Life has the ‎tendency to go from order to disorder (basic principle of physics). The lessons learned? You’ve got to ‎have a plan. You’ve got to stay focused. You’ve got to be a team player. You’ve got to communicate ‎well. You’ve got to know your chief priority. You’ve got to have a nucleus.

As you start this semester, ‎what will keep you focused when the complexity rises? What will help you live above your ‎circumstances and stress? What will hold your relationships together? In the Old Testament, when ‎Daniel started his new program, he was determined not to defile himself. His integrity was the ‎nucleus that held his life together. Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but ‎the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” If you will choose to walk by the Spirit and in the ‎integrity of Scripture this semester, watch as God guides you on the path He has chosen for your life. A ‎path of simple trust and intense determination to live out your potential. ‎

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What I Learned from Harvard

Nicole — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:29:42 +0000

This summer we went to Boston to attend a conference and did a little sight-seeing while there of ‎the area. With more than 80 colleges in the Boston area, including MIT and Northeastern ‎University, Boston has the feel of a college town. We liked the way the history and architecture of ‎our country’s past fit as the backdrop to young people studying at coffee shops and carrying their ‎musical instruments to class. It was Ivy-League Harvard though that I really had my heart set on ‎seeing.‎

As we joined the campus walking tour through Harvard Yard, it felt somewhat surreal to be ‎standing on the same ground where such great men and women before us had stood. United States ‎presidents, Nobel laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners. Inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs. ‎Authors, musicians, and philanthropists. George Washington even housed his troops during the ‎Revolutionary War in the freshman dorms that line the quad! ‎

Our tour guide was a sophomore there at Harvard, so she was well-versed when it came to ‎pointing out the historical facts and sharing funny anecdotes. She told us about the normal class ‎load, what freshmen are required to take, and how advising is set up. She explained the Harvard ‎‎”house system” that organizes upperclassmen into communal living quarters. We filed past the ‎library and took pictures by the John Harvard statue. She pointed out the law school and the ‎science building, talked about the medical school. We essentially learned the way Harvard works.‎

But perhaps the most important lesson I learned from Harvard was this: it was just a school. It ‎seems nearly every kid and every other movie idolizes someday attending Harvard or Yale or some ‎other Ivy-League school. Of course it would be a great opportunity and the education you’d ‎receive would be phenomenal. But what I learned was that the education you or I receive at a ‎state school or a community college can be just as good of an education. Thanks to the world of ‎technology, we all have access to the research and writings of top scholars and intellectuals. We ‎can read and learn from the experts. At the same time, Ivy-league graduates disperse to teach at ‎these same state schools and community colleges. At the state university I attended in Arkansas, I ‎had professors who were graduates from Harvard, Columbia, and Brown. I realized that the ‎education you come away with from college is equal to the effort you put into it. God places you ‎in whatever institution of higher learning that He wants you in, and He calls you to live a life of ‎excellence wherever you are. What do you think?‎

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Communicate and Connect: Part 2

Nicole — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:32:39 +0000

According to John Maxwell, learning to not only communicate, but connect with people will help ‎you be more effective in all areas of your life. In his book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, ‎Maxwell says that connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that ‎increases your influence with them. Not just effectively communicating to get your point across, ‎but genuinely connecting with someone to both know and be known. Listen to what he says here: ‎‎”Whenever you can help other people to understand that you genuinely care about them, you open ‎the door to connection, communication, and interaction. You begin to create a relationship. And ‎from that moment on, you have the potential to create something beneficial for both you and ‎them, because good relationships usually lead to good things: ideas, growth, partnerships, and ‎more. People live better when they care about one another.”‎

Here are five principles of connecting he uses to explain its importance:‎
– Connecting increases your influence in every situation (whether it’s one-on-one, in a ‎group, or with an audience, everyone desires genuine and honest connection)‎
– Connecting is all about others (connecting begins when the other person feels valued)‎
– Connecting goes beyond words (people connect visually, intellectually, emotionally, and ‎verbally – pay attention to all four)‎
– Connecting always requires energy (connecting requires effort – take initiative, prepare ‎to clarify, practice patience, give selflessly, and recharge your stamina)‎
– Connecting is more skill than natural talent (relationships – who you know, insight – ‎what you know, success – what you have done, ability – what you can do, sacrifice – how ‎you have lived)‎

Intrigued? I wrote last time about the importance of communication and developing the skill of ‎connecting. Whether you’re meeting a new friend for coffee or giving a speech in class, you will be ‎attempting to communicate and connect with others. What can you do to improve?‎
> Connectors connect on common ground (be available, listen, ask questions, think of ‎others, be open, care about others, be humble, be adaptable)‎
> Connectors do the difficult work of keeping it simple‎

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Communicate and Connect: Part 1

Nicole — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:31:09 +0000

You’ve purchased your new notebooks and pens, laptops and jump drives, books and study guides. ‎You feel ready to start a new semester. You’ve prepared your schedule and your supplies, but how ‎have you prepared yourself? ‎

In his new book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, leadership expert John Maxwell says that the ‎ability to communicate and connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your ‎potential. To be successful, you must work with others. And to do that at your absolute best, you ‎must learn to connect. Take a minute to think about all the new people you will come in contact ‎with this semester. New students in class, new professors, new roommates, new coworkers, new ‎lab partners, new tutors, new advisors…you get the picture. What an opportunity to share and to ‎serve!‎

And to improve your skills. According to the Harvard Business Review, “The number one criteria for ‎advancement and promotion for professionals is an ability to communicate effectively.” A pretty ‎powerful skill, but one few are effective at. Need an example? Presidential historian Robert Dallek ‎says that successful Presidents exhibit five qualities that enable them to achieve things that others ‎don’t: vision, pragmatism, consensus building, charisma, and trustworthiness. Listen to what ‎leadership and communication consultant John Baldoni has to say about that: “Four of these ‎factors depend heavily upon the ability to communicate on multiple levels. Presidents, like all ‎leaders, need to be able to describe where they are going (vision), persuade people to come along ‎with them (consensus), connect on a personal level (charisma), and demonstrate credibility, i.e., do ‎what they say they will do (trust). Even pragmatism depends on communication…So in a very real ‎sense, leadership effectiveness, both for presidents and for anyone else in a position of authority, ‎depends to a high degree upon good communication skills.”‎

As Christians, remember that God has called us to be the spiritual leaders in this world. We are the ‎salt and the light. Others look to us, whether they or we realize it or not, to set the tone and ‎shoulder the responsibility of setting the bar. Remember too that this applies to all areas of your ‎life. Not just in your girls’ bible study or your guys’ prayer breakfast. When you’re giving your ‎presentations in class, sharing notes in study group, or socializing with your friends, you’re ‎demonstrating both your communication skills and you’re leadership skills. President Gerald Ford ‎once remarked, “If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write ‎and [learning] to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to ‎communicate effectively.” Take some time to reflect and evaluate this week. How are your ‎communication skills? How is your spiritual leadership? To learn more about how to improve both, ‎stay tuned to learn what steps John Maxwell recommends: “To lead others, you must be able to ‎communicate well, and connecting is key.”‎

Maxwell, John. Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently. ‎Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010. ‎

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Get Plugged In

Nicole — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:39:54 +0000

With summer winding down, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming semester. Are you ready for a fresh start? A new opportunity? Getting involved during college is essential to making the most of your time on campus. With all the changes and new experiences, you need a group of ‎people that you can connect with and learn from. If you’re getting ready to start college this fall or if you’re already here and just want to find somewhere to get plugged in, ‎consider looking into some campus ministries. Though there are many choices, we’re passing along a ‎few to get you started in your search. Even if your campus doesn’t have a branch of the particular ministry ‎you’d like to join, don’t get discouraged. Consider starting a branch on your campus yourself; most ‎campuses offer easy ways to create new Student Organizations, and most campus ministries offer ideas on ‎their websites about how to partner with them and get started on your campus. Many of these campus ‎ministries also offer internship opportunities as well as yearly conferences and weekly Bible studies on ‎campus. A campus ministry is a great way to connect, grow, and lead, but remember that the group is ‎relatively homogenous (a bunch of college students). If you’ll go a step further by staying involved with a ‎local church, you’ll stay balanced and have the chance to learn from people of wisdom and experience as well. ‎You’ll also find that most churches will go out of their way to help you and to help you use your spiritual gifts and ‎talents if you’re willing to get involved.

Chi Alpha Campus Ministries (XA) was begun on the campus of Southwest Missouri State University in ‎Springfield, Missouri. It’s an outreach of the Assemblies of God and is located on over 200 campuses ‎throughout the United States and the world. Chi Alpha hosts various informal gatherings on campus with ‎music and studies as well as ministries to connect with international students, mission opportunities, and ‎community outreach. They also host an annual SALT conference over Christmas break and an annual ‎Reach the U training session for mission teams of new staff and student leaders.‎
http://www.chialpha.com/‎

Student Mobilization (STUMO) in a nonprofit ministry begun by Steve and Carol Shadrach to reach ‎and mobilize college students to action. STUMO is supported by a number of different denominations, ‎but it is not affiliated with any one particular church or denomination. STUMO targets campuses in the ‎South Central United States to engage students at the spiritual level. They hold an annual Kaleo Summer ‎Project, a 9-week discipleship experience, and a Christmas Conference to love and challenge students to ‎become laborers for Christ.‎
http://www.stumo.org/‎

International Students, Inc. (ISI) is a ministry devoted to sharing Christ’s love with international ‎students and equipping them for effective service in cooperation with local churches and others. ISI offers ‎volunteer opportunities for college students (and families and individuals) to become Friendship Partners ‎with international students, including them in typical American experiences. They also network prayer ‎intercessors to pray for international student ministries. ‎
http://www.isionline.org/‎

BCMLife is a network of Baptist collegiate ministries from across North America, and Baptist ‎Collegiate Ministry (BCM) is the Southern Baptist program of campus-based collegiate ministry. Some ‎states use different names: Baptist Student Union (BSU), Baptist Student Ministries (BSM), and Christian ‎Challenge. BCM is currently on 389 campuses. BCM hosts group studies and gathering places on campus, ‎provide resources for students, and offer mission opportunities from local to international.‎
http://www.arkansasbcm.org/‎
http://www.bcmlife.net/‎

Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) was first founded on the UCLA campus by Dr. Bill Bright. Today it is ‎a network of movements on 1,029 campuses in the United States and in the world. Cru works to increase ‎evangelistic exposure on campuses, equip students to share their faith and disciple others on campus and ‎in their communities, and plant new ministries to reach lost students. Cru is known for its campus ‎gatherings, winter conferences, spring break outreaches, summer training projects, and resources, such as ‎Dr. Bright’s The Four Spiritual Laws, their many websites (www.everystudent.com), and their “Freshman ‎Survival Kits.” Cru also has specific ministries for international students, Greek students, ethnic students, ‎and student athletes. ‎
http://www.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/‎

Campus Outreach (CO) is a ministry that began on the Samford campus in Birmingham, Alabama; ‎today it is active on 65 campuses worldwide. Staff work in partnership with local churches but maintain a ‎non-denominational profile on campus. Campus Outreach is committed to living out the Great ‎Commission by building relationships on campus and discipling students to mature in their relationship ‎with Christ. Campus Outreach also hosts campus meetings and offers retreats, an annual Christmas ‎conference, and summer beach projects to teach students how to study the Bible and share the Gospel.‎
http://www.campusoutreach.org

Great Commission Ministries (GCM) was founded to mobilize staff to plant churches on college ‎campuses in the U.S. It has now expanded to include urban, mission, and international churches as well. ‎GCM is currently on 44 campuses and in 23 countries, creating church communities, promoting grass ‎roots evangelism, and seeking to incorporate students into the starting of a church-based campus ministry. ‎GCM holds IGNITE conferences around the country as well as a summer Leadership Training program.‎
http://www.gcmweb.org/‎

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IV) is an evangelical campus mission serving on more than 550 ‎college and university campuses worldwide. IV has a rich tradition of campus witness, thoughtful ‎discipleship, and a concern for world missions. Capping off its missions emphasis, IV hosts the Urbana ‎missions conference every third year which focuses on critical global issues and missions opportunities. IV ‎is also well known for its publications (Intervarsity Press). ‎
http://www.intervarsity.org/‎

Navigators (Navs) is an interdenominational nonprofit that is dedicated to helping people navigate their ‎lives spiritually. Navigators is known for its spiritual depth, Scripture study and memorization, and one-on-‎one student interaction and small groups on campus. Their publication branch (Navpress) produces Bible ‎study materials, and they hold yearly conferences and retreats to build lifelong laborers for Christ.‎
http://www.navigators.org/us/‎

Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) is the collegiate ministry arm of the Presbyterian Church of ‎America, found on 90 campuses nationwide. Their staff is seminary trained to effectively teach the great ‎doctrines of the Bible to students, and they work to build a community on the college campus that reaches ‎students of divergent beliefs and doubts to equip them to serve Christ. RUF also offers large group ‎meetings on campus, small group bible studies, one-on-one meetings, and fall, winter, and summer ‎conference, many of which include mission trips.‎
http://www.ruf.org/‎

http://www.boundless.org/regulars/list_guy/a0000859.html
Blog re-posted from http://tryhigher.com/?p=366

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God Will Fulfill His Plan

Trevor — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:06:02 +0000

God will fulfill his excellent plan for your life. Job said to God, “I know that you can do all ‎things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2, ESV). ‎Think of His plan for your life as a river. A river has a continual source that keeps it moving ‎forward. If something gets in the way, the river just winds around or over or under it. God’s ‎excellent plan for your life is unstoppable.

God has a good plan, and He compels us by love to ‎choose His plan and His path. Josh McDowell says when we Consider the Choice, Compare ‎it to God, and Commit to His Way, then we can Count on His protection and provision. When ‎we do this, we go from making good decisions to great decisions to excellent decisions. So that ‎He can fulfill His excellent plan for our lives, He prompts us to make excellent choices. If our ‎choices are the building blocks of our lives, then making excellent choices will cause us to live ‎lives of excellence.

Listen to how Oswald Chambers puts it, “If I obey Jesus Christ, the ‎redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of ‎obedience is the reality of Almighty God. As soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny.” ‎‎(My Utmost for His Highest, November 2nd). Frustrated with where you are in life? ‎Disappointed? Anxious? Then remember that God has an excellent plan for your life, and that, ‎without a doubt, He will fulfill his plan for you. Keep in mind it was Paul, a man with a past and ‎the chief of sinners, who said, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will ‎bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). And keep in mind that ‎God has the final say on everything, good and bad in our lives: “And we know that for those ‎who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his ‎purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).‎

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God Has An Excellent Plan

Trevor — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:05:42 +0000

God has an excellent plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for ‎you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ‎Today, remind yourself that God has an excellent plan for your life. Take a moment to say it out ‎loud, “God has an excellent plan for my life.” There’s something about speaking truth orally that ‎aligns our thoughts with His perspective. God loves you enough to “declare” his good plans for ‎your life. Plans for wholeness and good. Plans of hope. He wants what is best for us, and He’s ‎willing to do what it takes to help us fulfill His purpose.

So regardless of what you are facing, ‎always keep in mind that God has an excellent plan for you. Confused about your major? Not ‎sure where God wants you to work? Not sure where He wants you to go to college? (Or if He ‎wants you to go to college?) Feeling overwhelmed with guilt? Feeling a sense of hopelessness? ‎Then remind yourself that God has an excellent plan for your life. He wants you to enjoy your ‎relationship with Him. He wants to motivate and inspire you. He wants to use you to help others. ‎He wants to guide you in the details of your life. So today be like the psalmist and “…cry ‎out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2) ‎

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The Case for Christ

Nicole — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:14:07 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AT_bMuFBfs
‎

Lee Strobel was an ordinary college student. He studied journalism at the University of Missouri ‎before going on to Yale Law School and then The Chicago Tribune, where he was an award-winning ‎professional journalist for fourteen years. It was during this time in his life that his wife became ‎friends with a Christian woman and came to know Christ. Lee was an instant skeptic and set out ‎on a two-year mission to prove her wrong. He systemically investigated the claims of Christianity, ‎conducting interviews with the country’s top scholars, posing tough questions to challenge the ‎historical evidence of Christ, and scouring the research on archeology, ancient history, and world ‎religions. What he found surprised even him. Faith and evidence weren’t mutually exclusive. ‎

Now, recognized as one of the top Christian apologists, Lee has written a number of best-selling ‎books, including the well-known The Case for Christ, which retraces his journey to faith, its follow-‎up book The Case for Faith, and The Case for a Creator. Read what he had to say in an interview with ‎Focus on the Family:‎

You came to Christ by studying the evidence with an open mind. But what led you to ‎embrace atheism prior to that?‎
I had learned Darwinism, which explained away the need for a creator, and I took a course from a ‎skeptic on the New Testament. To be honest, in most cases like mine where there are intellectual ‎barriers there are moral issues below that—a desire not to be held accountable for our lifestyle. In ‎the ’60s the sexual revolution was in full swing. It was a wild time. The country was in turmoil in ‎terms of its values, with things being in transition and everyone questioning authority. Individual ‎freedom was the highest value. All of that was a backdrop to my search for reasons not to believe. ‎What I needed most was an adult willing to spend time with me, listen to me and walk me down a ‎path towards spiritual discovery. James 5:20 says, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his ‎way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” If I’d had someone back then ‎reach out to me, I think I would have responded. ‎

Today we live in a nonlinear, point-and-click, mix-and-match media world. Do you see ‎young people applying that same buffet-style mentality to their spirituality?‎
That’s syncretism, and it’s growing exponentially. You have people like Oprah Winfrey who feed it ‎by endorsing all kinds of spiritual systems that are in conflict with each other, but she doesn’t quite ‎see that in her own mind. And we are seeing kids who paste things together, picking and choosing ‎which aspects of Jesus they like and which they don’t. It creates all kinds of pictures of Him that ‎are in conflict with who Jesus revealed Himself to be. Relativism feeds that. People not anchored ‎to any one particular truth feel much more free to pick and choose what they want to believe. It’s ‎as if they’re in a grocery store and only put into the basket things they want. They walk away with ‎a belief system that may bear no resemblance to reality, but it fits their own personal preferences ‎and tastes.‎

How do you see entertainment contributing to the confusion?
Pop culture—fed by the Internet, best-selling books, TV documentaries and so forth—has been ‎injecting extreme skepticism into the culture at large in the last few years. There’s a proliferation of ‎theories about Jesus which conflict with what the Bible teaches. They’re defended with great ‎ferocity, yet lack any historical basis. We’re at a time in our culture, and I think the door was ‎opened largely by The Da Vinci Code, when publishers realize they can make money attacking ‎Christianity. We’re being influenced by a new breed of militant atheism.‎

Spiritually, what are teens encountering when they step onto a college campus these ‎days?
There are three times as many atheists and agnostics among college professors as in the population ‎at large. There’s a lot of skepticism and what Christian students feel are attacks on their faith. A ‎lot of these college kids go away to school and call Mom and Dad to say, “I’ve decided I don’t ‎believe this stuff anymore.”
‎
Which is why we need to equip them now. And yet following Jesus involves more than just ‎head knowledge.
That’s right. It’s a willingness to submit to God’s authority and leadership in our lives at a ‎profound level. Part of being born again is seeing our values, philosophy, worldview, attitudes, ‎relationships and priorities change over time. John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received Him, to all ‎who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” Believe plus receive ‎equals become. Becoming a Christian isn’t just being in general agreement with some Christian ‎doctrine. It’s receiving forgiveness, Christ’s leadership of our lives and the Holy Spirit as our guide ‎and transforming agent. That’s where the real adventure is.‎

Still not convinced or know someone else who isn’t? Check out Lee Strobel’s website (leestrobel.com) for more information about Lee’s books and for ‎free video clips from leading experts on Christianity about defining and defending the Christian ‎faith. ‎Do your own research and seek out the truth for yourself.

Smithouser, Bob. “A Conversation with Lee Strobel.” Focus on the Family. January 2008.‎
http://www.pluggedin.com/familyroom/articles/2008/aconversationwithleestrobel.aspx ‎
http://www.familychristian.com/books/strobel.asp

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Recession-Proof

Nicole — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:28:03 +0000

In a recent report from Georgetown University called “Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and ‎Education Requirements Through 2018,” researchers looked at the effect of the current economic ‎recession on education and the job market. They concluded that some form of postsecondary ‎education (this includes college, on-the-job training, military training, apprenticeships, formal ‎employer-provided education programs, and a variety of other programs) is your best umbrella in ‎an economic storm. Read what they had to say:‎
‎”Postsecondary education carries with it one more important advantage in today’s ‎economy: protection. Workers with college degrees had the lowest unemployment rates ‎over the past three years, thus receiving the best possible shelter from the Great Recession ‎of 2007. They also have the best prospects for getting hired in the recovery.”‎

A college education, of course, doesn’t make you immune from the impact of a depressed economy ‎‎(ultimately when it rains long enough and hard enough, everyone gets a little wet), but it does put ‎you ahead in the recovery. We’ll likely face a number of economic recessions in our lifetime, but ‎look at the stats in support of furthering your education:‎
> Since 1983, earnings of high school dropouts have fallen by 2%.‎
> Earnings of high school graduates have increased by 13%.‎
> Earnings of people with some college or an Associate’s degree have increased by 15%.‎
> Earnings of people with Bachelor’s degrees have increased by 34%.‎
> Earnings of people with graduate degrees have increased by 55%.‎
> The range in lifetime earnings by educational attainment is greatest between high school ‎dropouts and professional degrees – a range of $1,198,000 to $4,650,000, or a difference of ‎‎$3,452,000.‎
These researchers predict that there will be a need for increased postsecondary education and ‎training to fill 21st-century jobs (because of technological advancements, etc.) and that we will ‎under-produce postsecondary graduates by approximately 3 million by 2018.‎

It can be easy to get worked up about choosing the right career, getting a good job, and preparing ‎for the future. But we should always remember that God is our ultimate provider, and He fights for ‎us. We already are recession-proof. The world is ripe and ready for us to be out there, shining our ‎light in the career field. Ask God to show you the path he has for you. All good things are from ‎Him, and He will supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19). Then work hard at whatever ‎opportunities He gives you. Don’t listen to the advice of the world, but pursue the plans He’s ‎given you. If postsecondary education is for you, He’ll help you make it happen.‎

You can read more from the report about the current educational demand by occupation and job ‎forecast through 2018 at http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf.‎

Carnevale, Anthony P., Nicole Smith, and Jeff Strohl. “Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and ‎Education Requirements through 2018.” Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. ‎June 2010. ‎

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Life Without Limits

Nicole — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:23:56 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DcqPzO26os
‎

Last week, one of the most watched videos on youtube was a Hyundai commercial for the World ‎Cup featuring Nick Vujicic. Ever heard of him? We read about Nick some time ago and were ‎inspired by his incredible attitude and the obstacles he’s overcome to share the hope of Jesus ‎Christ around the world. With no medical explanation or warning, Nick was born without arms or ‎legs. Throughout his childhood, not only did Nick deal with the typical challenges of school and ‎adolescence, but also depression and loneliness. He couldn’t understand why he was so different ‎than the other kids. Did God even have a purpose for his life? ‎

At age 19, Nick began sharing his testimony about how God had changed his life and given him a ‎future and a hope. He encouraged others to see there is a purpose in each of our struggles and that ‎our attitude toward those challenges along with our faith and trust in the Lord can be the keys to ‎overcoming the challenges we face. Now at 27, Nick is the president of the international non-‎profit Life Without Limbs and also has his own motivational speaking company Attitude Is ‎Altitude. He travels around the world sharing his story and the hope of Christ with millions of ‎people: “If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will ‎certainly use any willing heart!” What great motivation! How can you use the setbacks in your life ‎to reach others?‎

‎”Failure is not important. How you overcome it is.”‎

Learn more about Nick Vujicic at www.lifewithoutlimbs.org. ‎

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