A guest post from Kristen Baird, volunteer Young Life leader in Nashville, TN. Kristen also works for Thomas Nelson Publishing and is giving away 10 free books below!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever struggled to write a Young Life talk. All of us, right? If you haven’t had a hard time writing a talk, bringing the story to life, and driving the point home, then you haven’t given enough talks!
I have been a leader for 7 years and have given countless club talks to my friends, but I’m still not a pro. I struggle in my talk prep from time to time (actually every time if I’m really honest with you). We’re told in talk trainings that it’s important to bring the story to life for our high school friends. We want to describe what happened so well that our friends feel like they are actually there, right in the middle of this particular encounter with Jesus. This can be hard sometimes, as Scripture doesn’t always give us a whole lot of detail.
I’ve recently found a book that fills in the gaps, and really makes all the difference! I’ve used in my talk preps for the 2 talks I’ve done over the last semester. This book, titled Arms Open Wide, allows the reader to step into the stories and experience what it might have been like to really be there as Jesus was healing people, calming storms, feeding thousands and so much more.
Arms Open Wide takes all of our favorite talk material stories and tells them like just that…a story.The author takes the scripture passage and builds upon it, giving descriptions of the settings, the thoughts that the people involved may have been thinking, and a picture of what this story looked and felt like. This book has been invaluable to me, and I think every YoungLife team should get a few copies!
Some of the Bible stories included are:
· Jesus calming the storm
· Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead and healing the unclean woman
· Jesus feeding the 4,000
· Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery
· Jesus healing the paralytic at the pool
· Jesus healing the man whose friends brought him through the roof
· Jesus healing the demon-possessed man
· Jesus healing the man with leprosy
…and many more. Every Bible story I’ve ever used for a talk is in this book. It is the perfect resource for talk prep. In fact, I feel so strongly about it that I would like to give a few copies away so you can try it out for yourself!
I have 10 copies to give away…so enter now by leaving a comment below! 10 winners will be randomly selected.
To read a few chapters, follow this link.
Tell me I didnt just get "first post"? If so, I obviously should get a book.
ReplyDeleteAny help in bringing these encounters with Jesus to life is surely welcome. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great resource! Would love to use it and share it with my team!
ReplyDeleteNot only could I use this but this would be perfect for an area as well!
ReplyDeleteI would love a copy!
ReplyDeleteAlways on the hunt for new ways to have kids encounter Christ
ReplyDeleteUmm yes please!
ReplyDeleteWould love a copy. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Would love a copy!
ReplyDeleteI would love a copy too!! Thanks for sharing. I gave a club talk last night to middle school club. I always have to press hard into Jesus as I step outside my comfort zone. But He is always faithful to equip me with just what I need when I need it!! Looking forward to checking out your book!!
ReplyDeletePick me please!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing the info!
ReplyDeleteI would really enjoy a copy!
ReplyDelete#ythelnot try and win this book for our area.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! :] Thank you for sharing and I hope to win a copy!
ReplyDeleteWould love a copy for our area!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes please! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great resource to me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great resource!
ReplyDeleteI would love a copy!
ReplyDeleteI would really love a copy of this book! I was placed last year and I will be giving my first talk when school starts this fall, scary thought! I think having a copy of this book would help myself and my team at Har-Ber high school in NW Arkansas tremendously!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a copy of this book!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great topic! What I have learned over the last few years is that there are certain passages in Scripture that have become typical Young Life club talk passages. We bring them alive by what we have heard others share to us. What happens, however, is that these passages don't come alive for us anymore in our own time in the Word. If we find new ways to allow Jesus enter into those passages in the Gospels, we will be able to better paint a picture of those scriptures to our middle school, high school, college, friends with disabilities, and teenage mothers. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to read this!! :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome!!! Would love a copy! (:
ReplyDeleteI would love to share a copy with the Arroyo Grande High School Young Life team as the team leader! This could really help take our club talks to the next level. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteWould absolutely love this book and to be able to use it to share jesus with my friends in Goochland.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great resource! I'd love a copy for my leaders!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great resource to have when working with high school students. Would love a copy. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I'd love a copy to share with Leadership.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this information with us! I would love to read this!
ReplyDeleteWould love to share this book with our leadership teams!!
ReplyDeleteI'm always looking for great books to help enhance my understanding of the Gospel in order to better prepare myself to share the great news with kids! This book looks great and I would love to read it!
ReplyDeletethis would be a great resource to have for my team and our leadership training!
ReplyDelete