National Convention!!!!! =D

Since NC is right around the corner and I leave for Virginia tomorrow, I thought I would share a little of what is running through my mind.

"Oh my. Is it already here?

Good grief! I am seriously so excited!

I will see all my ICC NATIONAL friends!!!!

Tournament is soon! #FRANTIC #RATHERSCARED

I will be fine, I know my topic and I know how to transfer between points.

Yes, but you don't know the competition up there, it could be really hard.

Well, I advanced at the first tournament ever at IGNITE 2013

OK, well, whatever, just so happy to be going!!"


This is what has been running through my mind every minute for the last 3 hours. Right now its 5:00 AM on the Sunday morning before International Convention!For all of those Top Talker students who are not going, well, we miss you and really wish you could be there!

This is the NC blog link: http://iccconvention.wordpress.com/
Click for graphics and stories about convention!

Our hashtag for convention is #truestoryicc.

Coming Soon: My homework video for ICC Convention in which I will ask and answer the question, "Why is ICC important to me?"

 

Yes, I believe in God, Rebecca St. James

Online Communication Certification? But, Why?!

  Editor Note: Rachel Kays, one of the Top Talker's student leaders, sent me this post about Online Communication Certification. Enjoy!

Hey everyone!

With the chapter year over, I’m sure all of you have been thinking, “What has Rachel been doing relating to ICC?” Because that’s exactly what you’re wondering about, that is exactly what I’ll be answering.

Right now I’m going through a training series called the Online Communication Certification (OCC). I bet you laughed there, didn’t you? After all, why would a millennial like me who uses Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram regularly need a certification to learn how to talk on them? That’s precisely why. We are trained to use manners in real life and to communicate with others in a very specific way. But who has trained us to do this online?

Have you ever looked at a Facebook status and asked yourself, “Why is that even on there? That seems kind of pointless.” Or have you logged onto Instagram and thought, “Does that person do anything else but take selfies?” My hope in taking the OCC is to help change this. I want to learn how to create meaningful statuses and truly communicate messages with my friends, family, and acquaintances. I would also like to learn more about how the platforms of social media can be used to influence my online community.

By practicing using various online platforms in a more effective way, I will become more acquainted with how to communicate online. This can include tweeting more often while also focusing my tweets on having a purpose. By practicing more, I will be able to communicate more effectively with others online.

Now, all of this talk about messages and purpose isn’t to say that we should avoid having fun on social media at all costs and stick to serious subjects. One of the purposes of social media includes having fun in your online community. But even fun without a purpose (like telling a joke that’s not funny) can have negative results.

Once I finish my certification, I hope to continue communicating with my audiences in a more effective and connective way through all social media platforms I use. I want to show that I still care about the other person, even online. Yes, there is another person on the other side of that computer, not a heartless robot.

The Online Communication Certification is available to those who have completed phase 2 of the Young Speakers’ Guild and are 13 years old. Social media does have a purpose and we can use it to make a difference, whether that difference is simply changing someone’s mood or starting a movement. I encourage you all to join me in this adventure and learn to effectively communicate online and make a difference through social media.

Hey everyone!

With the chapter year over, I’m sure all of you have been thinking, “What has Rachel been doing relating to ICC?” Because that’s exactly what you’re wondering about, that is exactly what I’ll be answering.

Right now I’m going through a training series called the Online Communication Certification (OCC). I bet you laughed there, didn’t you? After all, why would a millennial like me who uses Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram regularly need a certification to learn how to talk on them? That’s precisely why. We are trained to use manners in real life and to communicate with others in a very specific way. But who has trained us to do this online?

Have you ever looked at a Facebook status and asked yourself, “Why is that even on there? That seems kind of pointless.” Or have you logged onto Instagram and thought, “Does that person do anything else but take selfies?” My hope in taking the OCC is to help change this. I want to learn how to create meaningful statuses and truly communicate messages with my friends, family, and acquaintances. I would also like to learn more about how the platforms of social media can be used to influence my online community.

By practicing using various online platforms in a more effective way, I will become more acquainted with how to communicate online. This can include tweeting more often while also focusing my tweets on having a purpose. By practicing more, I will be able to communicate more effectively with others online.

Now, all of this talk about messages and purpose isn’t to say that we should avoid having fun on social media at all costs and stick to serious subjects. One of the purposes of social media includes having fun in your online community. But even fun without a purpose (like telling a joke that’s not funny) can have negative results.

Once I finish my certification, I hope to continue communicating with my audiences in a more effective and connective way through all social media platforms I use. I want to show that I still care about the other person, even online. Yes, there is another person on the other side of that computer, not a heartless robot.

The Online Communication Certification is available to those who have completed phase 2 of the Young Speakers’ Guild and are 13 years old. Social media does have a purpose and we can use it to make a difference, whether that difference is simply changing someone’s mood or starting a movement. I encourage you all to join me in this adventure and learn to effectively communicate online and make a difference through social media.

 Rachel Kays
Chapter Top Talkers
Chapter Chair
ASLC Member

A Dependency on the Father

A Dependency on the Father

In John 7 and 8, Jesus continuously refers back to His Father as being the one who teaches Him, and gives Him life. Jesus is taught by and is dependent on the Father. He also gives glory to the Father for helping Him and speaking through Him. If my goal is to be like Jesus in everything, then I need to be constantly depending on the Father for everything.

1. Jesus is taught by the Father 
2. Jesus gives glory to the Father 
3. Jesus is dependent on the Father for everything

My father is a constant encouragement to me. He is always trying to help me learn something. I believe that our heavenly father is just the same way. He is always trying to help us learn more about Him. Jesus said that His Father taught Him and spoke through Him.   It is my goal to be always taught by the Father and to speak His will. 

To give glory to the Father is to attribute everything that you do to the Father's name. Jesus never says, " I did this, or This was my doing only." He praised the Father for helping Him to be who He is.  My goal is to bring God glory, by always praising Him for who He is.

 To be dependent on the Father is to constantly turn to Him for help. I wish I could say I am perfect at this, but sadly, I always fail. God is teaching me to lean upon him and let Him be my guide. I am learning to pray over other believers when they need a verbal prayer. Sometimes verbally praying over someone can show them that you really care.

All praise to the Lamb who sits on the throne!
Hannah N

Words, by Hawk Nelson

I found this song recently. It is so true.

Words can make you:
feel like a prisoner
feel set free
a criminal
a king


Do you want your words to be truth? I should hope so. The words a communicator says needs to point the world back to HIM. Our words need to share the gospel of God through speaking.

This past week, I had the opportunity to pray over a lot of girls and guys who were struggling to stay with the LORD. Some were having family problems, and some were just struggling with insecurity. Using your words to pray over some one can make a world of a difference. This week, try to use your words wisely.

Challenge:

YSG students:
Write a list of 10 words or sentences that are encouraging to young people today.

BPS:
Look up Ephesians 4:15 and write it out and memorize it

Love you all!
Have a great week!
Hannah N

Life is LIKE.... a Fire Part 2

Writer's Note: This picture can be found at: bouffeebambini.blogspot.com
(I just googled be on fire, and that was one of the images that came up!)

Can a young adult make a difference?

YES.

How?

Today I am going to lead you through the lives of two important people from history. Ester and Johann Sebastian Bach. They both have qualities that many children or young adults share in the world around us today.

Ester:

Background: The king's queen had been thrown out for not obeying him. The king lived in Susa, a city in Mesopotamia. After a few years, the king's attendants told him that they would like to bring all of the suitable young virgins to the palace. They would be treated to a 1 year of beauty treatments and after that the king would choose which one he wanted to be his queen.

Now to Ester:

Who she was:

• She had no mother or father. Her parents were dead.
• She was unsure of her power.
• She was scared to do big things.

• She did not want to do anything, she wanted to keep herself safe. 

Who she was with God's help:

• a young girl with a BIG God.

   

Ester saved a country. By the way, this country was God's Holy people. 

Ester asked the king for a banquet with him and his chief adviser. After the banquet, the king promised to giver her whatever she wanted. She asked for another banquet. At the next banquet she told the king of his adviser, Haman's plan to kill the Jews.  She told him that she was a Jew. The king had Haman hanged.
God took her doubt and used it to glorify His name. How amazing is that.  God used her, a young girl, who was less than 20 years old to save His people. 

This story is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Johann Sebastian Bach:

Image found at: www.baroquemusic.org 

Who He Was:

• Bach's parents died at age 10
• a musician and a servant to courts and schools
• a great composer 
• During the last few years of his life, he became blind. 
• Bach married twice and had at least 20 children.

Who He Was with God:

• one of the greatest composers of all time
• He composed organ, orchestral and choral works
•  a deeply religious man

• devoted to his family.
• Bach signed all of his works, S.D.G. which stands for Soli Deo Gloria, which means to the glory of God.

God used his pieces for his work. They glorify His name.

Challenge:
YSG:
Look up some more about Bach. Try to find 3 facts about him that I did not cover. OR read Ester 1-5 and list 5 things that happened. Email your facts or list to toptalkers@gmail.com

BPS:
Consider this question: What did Bach and Ester have in common?You can look at the blog post to find your answer. =D Answer it and then email your answers to toptalkers@gmail.com

Are you on Fire yet? Hope to see you living for God during the next few weeks!

In Christ,
Hannah Newbold
Media Historian

P.S. Can't wait to see you all at chapter on Thursday! Love you! 'Nite

Life is LIKE......a FIRE Part 1

Hey Everyone!

Writer's Note:
Life is like a fire. My inner science geek tells me that fire takes lots of things to work. (uno momento (one moment) while I google this....my inner science geek wasn't getting anywhere.) AHA! About.com tells me that  

"Fire is the result of a chemical reaction, called combustion. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are produced. Flames consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen. Fire emits heat and light. In order for combustion and fire to occur, three things must be present: fuel, oxygen and energy (usually in the form of heat)."

Fuel:
If you are shooting for a goal....or running a triathlon, or doing your homework, you have to have fuel. Physical Fuel consists of food, water, anything that keeps you going. Spiritual Food is the WORD of GOD. Recently, my life has been crazy. A few weeks ago, it was even more crazy. I quickly realized that you get very stressed out when you are not fueled. You have to take care of your spiritual and physical needs before you can accomplish other things. This can include going for a walk, eating a healthy snack, having a quiet time, or doing other causes to help your body work right. In other words......

Take Care of Yourself!

 
Writer's Note:
Now that you all left the computer.....went for a walk, talked to our Lord and ate a snack, I feel ready to continue....because I'm sure you all wrote down my last note....(ahem--ahem.....)

Oxygen:
We all need oxygen to survive. Oxygen is what keeps you alive. In other words oxygen is your goal, your dreams, your hopes. It's what keeps you alive when you are tired and weary. Jesus tells us to redeem the time we have, because the days are evil.

** make sure your goals are in line with God's plan...in other words pray about God's will!

 Let's Review!

Fuel--take care of your self

Oxygen--set goals to achieve maximum potential

 

 Coming up next! Energy!

Energy: 
The quote at the top of this post was saying that energy usually comes in the form of heat. Heat in our world could be pressure. Pressure. No one likes pressure. But, pressure can be good or bad. There is pressure to do bad things and pressure to be helpful and obedient. Follow the good pressure. How do you know which is good and which is bad? In all cases, the good pressure comes from God. Follow His will. 

Summary:
 Fire will only survive if it has three things...fuel, oxygen and energy. In our world, these could be taking care of yourself, goals and pressure. These are not the only things that fuel, oxygen and energy could stand for though. 

Challenge:
YSG:
If you can think of some other things that could fit into that metaphor of fuel, oxygen and energy, email the leaders at toptalkers15@gmail.com

If you need help, email us anyway! Ask for help! We want you to succeed!

If you complete the challenge, you will receive a special prize at chapter! Have fun thinking!

BPS:
Draw a picture and/or write a short 2-3 sentence story about a time when you camped over a fire and what you thought about the fire. Give it to your parents and ask them to email it to toptalkers15@gmail.com.

To be a Fire or to not be a Fire! 

Is that a question?! 

--Hamlet, Shakespeare

(actual quote is to be or not to be, that is the question.)

Have a wonderful week and see you all at chapter meeting!

Hannah Newbold