What is A.C.T.S.?
Adventures in Odyssey, the beloved audio series from Focus on the Family, has encouraged kids toward
a stronger faith for 25 years. Whit, Connie, Eugene, and the other loveable characters from Odyssey
have shared countless adventures with kids across the world in the classic audio dramas, books, videos,
and devotionals, fulfilling the AIO promise to help kids discover, imagine, and grow.
This summer, Adventures in Odyssey is joining with Christian bookstores across the country (check the list HERE), inviting kids to participate in a Summer of Service.
They’re promoting the biblical message:
“When you serve,everybody wins,”
encouraging kids to serve their families, their communities, and their world. Whether it’s baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or putting together a care package for missionaries overseas, kids will discover that serving can be a blast!
Why serve?
Our culture puts an extravagant amount of energy into raising kids who will grow up to feel good about
themselves. In schools, clubs, homes, and even at church, adults have made a decided effort to bolster
children’s “self-esteem” –not by actually encouraging kids do something that’s worthwhile, but by
simply telling them they are important and valuable.Think for a moment about little league where no one gets struck out, or where everyone gets a trophy, and you know it's true!
At the turn of the century, researchers predicted that the next generation would respond to these
efforts of raising self-esteem by being filled with optimism and civic duty. Unfortunately, recent research
shows the opposite. Kids coming of age today are more self-centered, disrespectful of authority, and
depressed than ever before. Working in law enforcement, I can tell you 100% with no hesitation, that this is very true-parents have to make a VERY concerted effort to change what our culture is telling our kids they should be doing and feeling!
In a very real way, then, the best path toward building selfless, confident children is to help and
encourage them toward a growing and thriving faith in God. And that includes obedience to what God
teaches—not because it makes kids feel good, although it often does—but because they’re following
God’s instructions to love Him and serve others. That builds a faith they can count on and carry with
them into adulthood—which is the greatest gift any parent can bestow on their child. Our pastor brought this up only 2 weeks ago- that God wants us to serve others, and by doing so, we show how HE cares and helps, and we can bring people to faith. So this program came at a very appropriate time, especially with VBS upon us!
I went to a Catholic Prep High School and we were required to have 120 service hours for the school year. At the time, that seemed like a LOT, but in reality those hours went by pretty quickly, especially when we were working with kids! I'm surprised at how many schools have dropped this requirement. You would think it would be increased, as there are so many more charities and opportunities for service than we had.
How the A.C.T.S. challenge and contest works:
Kids who join A.C.T.S. can pick up a service log and collect fun character stickers for hours served at
participating bookstores throughout the summer, or download a serving log online at whitsend.org.
This week's call to service is to Serve Your Family- this could be helping a sibling with a project or everyday chores, helping more around the house, making a coupon book for help to give to Mom (in honor of Mother's Day yesterday), or even praying with a family member, in their time of need! Service has many different aspects, and if you are open to the possibilities, they WILL present themselves!
You can view a special video about serving, The Business of Busyness too!
Upcoming weeks of service are:
May 20- Serve Your Community- pick up garbage at the park or help at an event
May 27-Serve Your World- remember our fallen military and pray for those who still serve
June 2-Serve as a Family- donate items or time as a family to those in need
June 9-Serve Your Family- how can you help serve Dad as Father's Day nears?
I'll be updating you again in June with more weeks of Service and how we're doing!
CONTEST
At the end of the summer, kids can record and upload a short video, telling how they serve, and why they’d
like to become an Adventures in Odyssey Ambassador.
A hundred winners will get the brand new AIO Album, and after online voting, two grand prize winners
(one boy and one girl) will get to travel on an exciting Good-Goers Mission Based Adventure trip to
another country with a parent! The out-of-country destination will be announced on a live podcast
May 22—hosted by AIO actors Katie Leigh (Connie) and Chris Anthony (Chris)—which you can watch at
whitsend.org/acts. You don’t want to miss it!
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