Join Adventures in
Odyssey this summer to discover how fun it can be to serve others!
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, 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!
How the A.C.T.S. (A
Call to Service) 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. 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!
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.
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.
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.
There is a free AIO service episode available on mp3 download here.
They have also provided a great list of ideas for kids to serve here as a free download.
My children love to help our neighbors and at Thanksgiving we had the pleasure to take Thanksgiving meals to elderly shut ins and my children loved this opportunity! I believe the elderly enjoyed the visiting as well. We where the last ones to get back to the church but that didn't matter to us!
My children love to help our neighbors and at Thanksgiving we had the pleasure to take Thanksgiving meals to elderly shut ins and my children loved this opportunity! I believe the elderly enjoyed the visiting as well. We where the last ones to get back to the church but that didn't matter to us!

Thanks for sharing this
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful and informative post. I agree with your views that faith in God and selfless service to others are key to growing children's self-esteem. Thanks for the share - Mary
ReplyDelete