Going To Quebec

Next week Barb and I will be heading to Quebec with a team of leaders from our BC District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. One of our District's missional priorities is the province of Quebec.

During our time in Quebec we will be involved in some vision and planning meetings for our own BC District. In addition we will be spending time with Gary Conners. (Mission Canada -Quebec & Francophone Coordinator) We will be connecting with some of the leadership of French Canada, mostly around Montreal and Quebec City. On the Sunday, Barb and I will be ministering in La Salle at the Assemblée du Plein Évangile where I will be speaking in the morning service.

We are excited about this oppportunity and would ask that you our CPC family pray for us and our District Leadership team. We go with an open heart and desire to learn more about what God is doing among our friends in the province of Quebec.

Below is a video greeting from Gary Conners.



Blessings
Pastor Dave & Barb

Your Children & Influences

(The following article was written by Pastor Mike Bidell as a summary of a Family Builders Desert Night we had here at CPC. Part of the vision of our church is encouraging and helping equip parents in their important role.)

Recently a number of parents from CPC and our community had the privilege of sharing some desserts together and hear Terry & Anne Lindberg speak on the subject of “Your Children & Influences”. Their sharing as well as the Question & Answer time were helpful and inspiring and the desserts definitely didn’t disappoint!

Have you ever wondered about what's wise to allow as influences for your children? Have you ever worried about sheltering your kids too much? Or exposing them to too much? Where do we draw the line? Ever wondered what to do when your child becomes friends with a negative influence?

All are great questions and were the reason we asked Terry and Anne to speak on this subject.
They took some time in the session to teach on some ways to help our children become wise and discerning about influences around them.

1. Teach discernment to yourself as a parent first
* “Monkey see, monkey do” - children helplessly follow the example of their parents
* It is very difficult to promote a standard for your children but live below it yourself. Your child will always see through this.
* Are there any influences you’re allowing into your life or home that you wouldn’t want influencing your children?
* Read what Ephesians 5.3-5 -- do you think God is a cosmic kill-joy, or does this scripture say what it does because he cares for us and wants the best for us?

2. Communicate! - from your heart and open to theirs
* Communication is always most effective when you have a sincere heart to heart connection with your child. Build a bridge to your child’s heart and protect the connection you have.
* Be ready to explain why your values lead you to decide why or why not they can watch or do certain things
* Be honest and share from your heart. Allow them to see and hear that your primary motive for them is LOVE. Also communicate that you trust them and believe the best about them and desire the best for them.
* Explain things in a way they understand. Take time to think about how you will help them see your point of view.
* Teach them the eventual outcomes and consequences of negative influences.
* Ask them how they feel and what they think. It is important for your child to feel you care about what they have to say and are open to hearing their heart.
* Read Psalm 101.3 & 1 Corinthians 6.12 – these are good passages from God’s word that help us decide and communicate what influences we allow.
* Keep communication lines open with your child. They need to know that if they have ANY questions or have done something wrong they can come talk with you. If you have established a heart connection with your child and they trust you they will communicate openly with you.

3. Focus on positive influences
* Invest time and energy into things that are good for your children and bring out the best in them
* Encourage close friendships with those who are a good influence and build your child up
* Teach your children to be ‘face-to-face’ social first and esteem it above social media (facebook, online chatting, etc)
* Encourage your children to love people – to be ‘others-centered’ rather than slipping easily into the trap of being self-centered
* What things would you say bring out the best in your children?
* How can you allow for more influence like that in their lives?

4. Limit media access
* Current studies are continuing to prove that the less time spent in front of the tv (video games, movies, time on internet, etc.) the better
* The more a child is exposed to television the less their attention span and less their IQ are while behavioural challenges increase
* Have you ever found it easy to allow the tv to become a ‘babysitter’?
* What could you do to encourage creativity in your child?

5. Monitor what’s going on
* Keep your tv and computers in common areas in the home. It’s not that you don’t trust your children, it’s is just a wise move.
* If you notice behavioural changes in your children begin to ask yourself if you have noticed any attitude changes in their life. What may have influenced an attitude change? Return to the place of heart-to-heart connection with your child and have an open conversation with them motivated by your LOVE for them.

Over time you want your child to become wise and discerning. You want to trust them and empower them to make the best choices for their lives.

May God continue to bless you as you raise your precious children with love for the glory of God!

Pastor Mike Bidell
-Family Builders Ministry of CPC

My Wife Has Some Great Ideas

My wife has some great ideas. Let me share one with you. Each week when Barb goes grocery shopping, she has developed the habit of thinking about those who are less fortunate. As she is putting things in her grocery cart she asks herself the question: What is one or two things that our family needs that someone less fortunate might need as well?

Instead of buying just for us she will buy extra. For example, this week we may need a box of cereal and tomato soup. She will put an extra box of cereal in the cart and a few cans of soup. When she gets home, we have a place in our entry closet where she will put these items and after 3 or 4 weeks she will bring them with her to church and put them in the grocery cart in our CPC foyer.

Right now the shelves in our Food Bank Pantry at CPC are almost empty. This Sunday, Mothers Day would be a great week to bring some non-perishable grocery items and at the same time help others. If Barb's idea could be multiplied by 100 CPC households, it would make a huge difference. Think about it.

'A generous person will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.' Proverbs 22:9

Thank you to Bekah Davis for helping oversee this ministry.

God Bless You
Pastor Dave

PS. Another one of Barb's great ideas happened when she married me. 34 years ago this Saturday, May 8th. Happy Anniversary Barb, Love Dave