High School Graduation Class of 2023 | Special Event

Kootenai Church

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May 27, 2023

High School Graduation Class of 2023 | Special Event This stream is created with #PRISMLiveStudio

11:25: Your spirit gave the law, in kindness to us all, though we never kept it, you were true.
14:52: Lawmaker you have saved, lawbreakers from the grave, by your son our guilt has been removed.
15:02: Shines through your son, there is...
17:05: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the grand finale of high school years.
17:15: Tonight's special event, high school graduation. First up, we have
17:23: Amelia Taco Titan Black. Now, as much as I would love to do this intro,
17:40: I'm calling in some air support. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, let me introduce to you
17:55: Amelia Black, aka the Taco Titan. With a fierce appetite for victory, this relentless fighter knows no bounds when it comes to her culinary preferences.
18:05: If she were stranded on a desert island, you could bet your last dollar that Amelia would be feasting on tacos until the end of time.
18:12: And perhaps a little honey marfar sauce on the side. But don't be fooled by her love for tacos alone, for Amelia possesses a trait that has brought both triumph and turmoil to her journey.
18:23: This girl is as stubborn as a mule. Whether it's arguing with teachers, mom and dad, defending her opinions, or just being true to herself,
18:32: Amelia's unwavering determination has landed her in both trouble and triumph. She's a force to be reckoned with, on and off the graduation stage.
18:40: Now let's talk about Amelia's bravery, or rather her limits. She's a fearless warrior, but when it comes to creepy -crawlies, she draws the line.
18:48: You could offer her her fortune, fame, and everything in between, but no amount of britches can ever convince her to chow down on a spider.
18:57: However, if you ever stumble upon a pool filled with Jell -O, you can count on Amelia to take the plunge into its jiggly, wobbly goodness with goujedo.
19:06: With her love for tacos, her unyielding stubbornness, and a fearlessness that excludes arachnids but embraces
19:12: Jell -O, she's ready to conquer the world beyond high school. Give her a round of applause, everybody, for this young graduate who's about to make her mark one taco at a time.
19:20: Amelia Taco Titan Blast! Next up, we have
19:35: Ellie Harrytoes Cave. Ellie is not your average graduate, folks.
19:44: She's got a knack for spotting unpleasant -sounding words like seepage and moist.
19:52: Hey, she doesn't make the rules, she just tells them like it is. Now here's a fun fact about Ellie.
19:58: She completely dislikes Harrytoes, and guess what? That's why it makes for such a perfect nickname.
20:05: We all have our quirky preferences, and Ellie's aversion to those fuzzy toes takes the cake.
20:11: But let's not forget her cheesy side. She's got Justin Bieber's pop hit,
20:17: Baby, locked and loaded in her memory. Prepare yourselves for an unforgettable performance later tonight during refreshments.
20:25: Now here's the real kicker. Ellie has a love -hate relationship with mushy cooked vegetables.
20:32: Carrots and zucchini in particular get under her skin. She wishes she could love them, but alas, mushiness is a deal -breaker.
20:41: Perhaps it's because they're too moist, or there's too much seepage when trying to eat them with a fork, but who knows?
20:51: And if Ellie was invisible for a day, well, let's just say her mischievous side would come out to play.
20:57: Haunting her family would be at the top of her invisible to -do list. Watch out, loved ones.
21:03: Ellie's invisible antics are sure to keep you on your hairy toes. So let's give a thunderous round of applause to old
21:10: Hairy Toes, the graduate with a keen ear for unpleasant words, a cheesy anthem in her repertoire, and a hatred for mushy vegetables and a mischievous spirit.
21:21: Ellie Hairy, Hairy Toes Cake! Next up, we have the extraordinary graduation, and it is extraordinary, of Hannah Drive -Thru
21:40: Duco. Now picture this, folks. If Hannah were invisible for a day, she would wreak havoc on the unsuspecting world.
21:51: She'd play pranks at drive -thrus, leaving the generally overpaid workers confused, perhaps dazed, and scratching their heads.
21:58: Kind of like what happens when Joe Biden is asked, well, just about anything. And that's not all.
22:05: She'd set off metal detectors and alarm systems just for the sheer thrill of it. Invisible mischief at its finest.
22:13: Now let's talk about a hypothetical scenario that would send shivers down anyone's spine.
22:19: Picture this, an animal the size of an elephant, but not just any animal. According to Hannah, the scariest creature to reach that colossal size would be your family's evil house cat.
22:32: Yes, you heard that right. A feline with the strength and magnitude of an elephant. Time to reconsider that litter box.
22:41: In the words of infomercial icon Ron Popeil, but wait, there's more.
22:47: If Hannah had a warning label, it would read, caution will spontaneously combust if asked to make a quick decision.
22:54: Oh, the pressure of choices. But that's not all. Hannah's distractibility has gotten her into some trouble along the way.
23:02: She's a master of getting sidetracked. With her mind wandering in a million different directions, you never know where she might end up.
23:11: Huh. Kind of like what happens to Joe Biden. Congratulations, Hannah, and may your future be filled with laughter, epic pranks, and maybe a few moments of focused decision making.
23:25: Give it up for Hannah Drive -Thru Duco. Now, last and certainly not least, let's give it up for the one, the only, and by the only,
23:46: I mean the only guy graduating tonight, Nathan's famous McOwen. This graduate has a taste for unique experience and a mind full of curiosity.
24:02: Nathan, the elevator enthusiast, knows exactly what song he would choose, if ever stuck in one, none other than The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel.
24:14: Imagine him, folks, riding up and down in that elevator, serenading the walls with his rendition of this timeless classic.
24:22: Perhaps it would be preferred if he did this instead in the cone of silence. I'll let you be the judge.
24:27: We'll have two performances now during refreshments. But hold on tight, my friends, because Nathan has a recommendation that's bound to raise some eyebrows.
24:37: He believes that everyone should try eating a hot dog sideways at least once.
24:43: Yeah, you heard that right. Forget the traditional way of devouring a hot dog. Nathan's got a whole new perspective.
24:51: Who knew a simple change in eating orientation could bring so much excitement? We should believe him, though.
24:57: After all, they've named the hot dog company after him. Nathan's famous. Now let's dive into Nathan's imaginative mind.
25:04: If he could be any person alive or dead for a day, he would choose Methuselah. Why, you ask?
25:10: Well, to experience firsthand what it truly feels like to be a senior. And let's not forget
25:17: Nathan's fascinating take on time travel. If he had a time machine, he'd venture back to the pre -flood world, driven by a thirst for answers.
25:25: How tall were people? Did they have hairy toes? How far had humanity spread from Eden?
25:31: And what did they do for hobbies? I'm guessing they never experienced eating a hot dog sideways, the pure joy of Taco Tuesday, or even had any drive -thrus or drive -ins, regardless of what you may have seen on the
25:43: Flintstones. But congratulations, Nathan, and may your future be filled with exciting experiences, unorthodox food adventures, and maybe even a trip back in time.
25:53: Give it up for Nathan's famous McElwain! This concludes the introduction of our graduates, and is brought to you in part by the amazing
26:15: CHAT GPT, who knows more about these graduates than have probably ever cared to know.
26:21: And a special appearance by Sergeant Noah Black of the 170th Airborne Unit.
26:27: Let's give him a hand! Would you all please stand as we sing
27:09: Christ's Our Hope in Life and Death. What is our hope in life and death?
27:24: Christ alone, Christ alone What is our only confidence?
27:33: That our souls to Him belong Who holds our days within His hand
27:42: What comes apart from His command And what will keep us to the end?
27:51: The love of Christ in which we stand
27:57: Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal
28:06: Oh, sing hallelujah Now and ever we confess
28:14: Christ our hope in life and death What truth can calm the troubled soul?
28:29: God is good, God is good Where is His grace and goodness known?
28:38: In our great Redeemer's blood Who holds our faith when fears arise
28:45: Who stands above the stormy trial Who sends the waves that bring us nigh
28:54: Unto the shore, the rock of Christ Oh, sing hallelujah
29:05: Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah
29:13: Now and ever we confess Christ our hope in life and death
29:26: Unto the grave what will we sing? Christ He lives,
29:33: Christ He lives And what reward will heaven bring?
29:40: Everlasting life with Him There we will rise to meet the
29:47: Lord Then sin and death will be destroyed And we will feast in endless joy
29:56: With Christ as ours forevermore Oh, sing hallelujah
30:06: Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah
30:15: Now and ever we confess Christ our hope in life and death
30:24: Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal
30:32: Oh, sing hallelujah Now and ever we confess
30:39: Christ our hope in life and death Now and ever we confess
30:46: Christ our hope in life and death Great is
31:13: Thy faithfulness O God my Father There is no shadow of turning with Thee Thou changest not
31:31: Thy compassions they fail not As Thou hast been
31:39: Thou forever will be Great is
31:45: Thy faithfulness Morning by morning
31:55: New mercies I see All I have needed
32:03: Thy hand has provided Great is
32:09: Thy faithfulness Good unto me
32:17: Summer and winter and Springtime and harvest
32:24: Sun, moon, and stars In their courses above Joined with all nature
32:36: In manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness
32:44: Mercy and love Great is
32:50: Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness
32:56: Morning by morning New mercies
33:01: I see All I have needed
33:07: Thy hand has provided Great is
33:13: Thy faithfulness Good unto me
33:20: Pardon for sin And the peace that endureth
33:28: Thine own dear presence To cheer and to guide
33:35: Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow
33:43: Blessings all mine With ten thousand beside Great is
33:52: Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness
33:58: Morning by morning New mercies
34:04: I see All I have needed
34:09: Thy hand has provided Great is
34:15: Thy faithfulness Good unto me
34:23: You may be seated. All right, today marks quite a transition for you guys.
34:49: The marking of the end of a lot of work and the beginning of a lot more work.
34:56: I remember how it was when I graduated from high school. I thought that the worst of my life was behind me and that everything ahead of me was rainbows and roses and puppies and unicorns and lollipops and those were good times, weren't they everybody?
35:10: You remember that? You're 18, the world's ahead of you and you think the most difficult thing I've ever had to endure 12 years of that insufferable experience is now behind me and all that is ahead of me is good and fun and enjoyment.
35:27: Yeah. Now listen, by this point in your life the world has told you tens of thousands of lies.
35:35: You are inundated by lies constantly and always in media, in academia, in culture, in pop culture in music, in arts, in entertainment in literature, in the news media from the
35:48: White House, from the Congress everybody is always lying all of the time. In fact, my operating assumption is that assume you're being lied to and you're probably going to be okay.
35:57: They have lied to us about the meaning of life they've lied to us about what is real they've lied to us about the nature of reality the nature of truth, the nature of humanity the nature of human sexuality they've lied to us about everything and you have heard tens of thousands of lies by the time you get to this point and that's not going to stop.
36:17: Now, right now is not the time that you would expect many of you would expect that I would start on my typical rant where I remind you that one of the lies that you've been told is how great you are and how your generation is the best generation that's ever graced the face of the planet and that you are going to be responsible for leading us into the great
36:35: American utopia that is to come you're going to heal the planet the sea levels will stop rising and all the problems are going to be solved and everything's going to be fantastic because of you guys and your generation.
36:45: I'm not going to mention any of that I'm not going to go off on how that is not true you're not all that in a bag of chips you're not the greatest generation that's ever lived most of you will probably live and die and be forgotten
36:56: I'm not going to mention any of that instead, tonight I would like to do something far more positive and uplifting from Scripture so,
37:04: I want to share with you a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes Amelia, that was for your sake it's not the book of Ecclesiastes it's from 1
37:14: Timothy chapter 4 this is Paul's advice to young Timothy now he was young in the sense that he was older than you but he was not as old as me so he was younger than me but I would consider him young, you would consider him old 1
37:25: Timothy chapter 4, verses 6 -10 in pointing out these things to the brethren you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following but have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women on the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness for bodily discipline is only of little profit but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come it is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance for it is for this we labor and strive because we have fixed our hope on the living
37:59: God who is the savior of all men especially of believers now in that passage,
38:05: Paul is writing to a young pastor of a church he had left Timothy and Ephesus to deal with some false teachers who had crept into the church and some men who had made shipwreck of the faith and were leading other people astray and Paul knew that Timothy was in for some difficult times he was in for some very challenging days ahead of him and he is giving
38:22: Timothy some advice to strengthen him give him the right perspective he is giving him instructions on how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God he says that in 1
38:30: Timothy 3 and in chapter 4 he is giving a list of advice to a young minister and we could probably draw out 10 or 12 items of advice from 1
38:40: Timothy 4 and even maybe just from those words that I just read to you but I want to focus on 3 things 3 things that you must do or 3 attributes you must have 3 disciplines you must cultivate if you are to be a good servant of Christ Jesus and that is what
38:53: Paul says in pointing out these things to the brethren you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus and then he gives them a list of things that he is to be mindful of so here are the 3 things number 1 to be nourished on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine
39:06: Paul says that you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus constantly nourished on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine second, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness he says bodily discipline is of little profit but godliness is profitable much more profitable because it holds benefit not just for this life but also for the life to come and third, fix your hope on the living
39:24: God those are the 3 things be nourished on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness and fix your hope on the living
39:33: God I will give you all 3 of those Paul says that Timothy, if he is to be a good servant of Christ Jesus must be constantly nourished on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine now these 2 things go together they are not the same thing because somebody can take in words of the faith can take in scripture somebody can teach scripture and yet their doctrine can be completely wonky so there are 2 essentials here not only that you be nourished on the words of the faith that is scripture itself what is given to us in this faith once for all delivered to the saints you be nourished on these words but also on sound doctrine so you as a young adult from this point forward if you have not yet you must have a disciplined regimen of reading and taking in scripture meditating upon scripture studying scripture learning scripture and conforming your life to the truth of God's word you must be constantly nourished on this book do not allow yourself to become malnourished in the truth it will be a lifetime discipline of you taking in truth taking in the word of God and appropriating that into your life and never give that up never lay it aside never make excuses make that a focus and a priority and not just that but sound doctrine
40:40: Paul says to Timothy sound doctrine which you have been following Timothy had already been following sound doctrine and this rings especially true in Ephesus remember that was a church that was full of people or full of teachers who had led the people astray and gotten them off on all kinds of rabbit trails into false doctrine and made shipwreck of the faith
40:58: Paul says in chapter 1 so he says a good minister is one who not only takes in the words of the truth but also is nourished on sound doctrine meaning that your diet must consist not just of the word of God but your diet must consist of good sound teaching on the word of God keep that in mind and do not allow your soul to be led astray by podcasts and false teachers and charlatans and hucksters and any old quizzling who steps into a pulpit and thinks that he can teach
41:28: God's word you must be nourished on not just the words of the faith but sound doctrine as well which means that you should not ever move to a city for a job without knowing that there is a church there you move to a city for a church then you find a job and not just a church but a church that will accurately and faithfully teach and preach and honor
41:50: God's word at all times and if you will not do that you will be malnourished in the truth and you do not want to be malnourished in the truth you move into an area and you think
42:00: I'll just get the job and then I'll go looking for a church and you're going to find out that solid churches where that is done are very rare now it would be my preference that none of you would ever leave this church but in the event that you do in the event that you do your number one priority moving anywhere else is to find a place where there is sound doctrine and the words of the faith are constantly preached and taught accurately second,
42:20: Paul says to Timothy you must discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness and he says in verse 6 constantly nourish on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine that you have been following but have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women and that's not a slight against old women unless you are an old woman who constantly gives ear to and circulates worldly fables in which case that she who has ears to hear let her hear but he says on the other hand discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness for bodily discipline is of little profit but godliness is profitable for all things
42:54: Paul doesn't say bodily discipline is of no profit there is profit in bodily discipline in exercise, etc.
43:00: there's profit in that but that profit holds true for this world not necessarily for the world to come because if you're in Christ you're going to get a glorified body and it's going to have nothing to do with how you treated your body in this world so there is some measure of benefit to physical discipline you understand this as a good servant of Christ Jesus you have to be disciplined but spiritual discipline,
43:20: Paul says that's where it's at because spiritual discipline holds the promise not just for this life there's fruit in this life to spiritual discipline but also for the life to come meaning that bodily discipline that doesn't translate into the world that's to come there's no rewards there but spiritual disciplines that you adopt in this life habits that you form spiritual habits spiritual disciplines the constantly being nourished on the faith the denying yourself the serving of others the giving of your time, talents, and treasure to the
43:48: Lord's work the exercise of your spiritual gift and service to the body of Christ those kinds of spiritual disciplines the spiritual discipline of mortifying sin and putting to death the deeds of your body and turning and becoming slaves of righteousness those kinds of spiritual disciplines produce fruit not just in this life abundant fruit in this life but also for the life that is to come that's where you reap the rewards so constantly nourish on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness and third, fix your hope on the living
44:16: God Paul says in verse 10 for it is for this we labor and strive because we have fixed our hope on the living
44:23: God who is the Savior of all men especially of believers now he's talking there about fixing our hope in a salvific sense which is why he says
44:29: God is the Savior of all men especially of believers and when he says God is the Savior of all men especially of believers he's not suggesting that salvation is ultimately going to come to all men but simply that God as the one who is
44:41: Savior is presented to all men he is the Savior offered to all men and those men who will not embrace his salvation but instead respond to him in intenitance and rebellion will themselves suffer damnation but it is especially that is in a spiritual sense that God is the
44:58: Savior of believers so there is a sense in which God delivers all men from the eternal judgment of their sin that they are due right now for their rebellion against him he suspends that execution of justice he is delivering them temporarily from that but for the believers we he is the deliverer the
45:17: Savior of believers in a special sense namely that because of the work of Christ in bearing the wrath for our sin on the cross
45:26: God is able to forgive fully and freely all who place their trust in Christ and Christ alone who upon whom
45:35: God has poured out all of his wrath for their sin so that on the day of judgment when we stand in the presence of God we stand forgiven and completely clothed in his righteousness not because of any work that we have done but because of the work of another the
45:48: Lord Jesus Christ who came into this world to pay the price for sin died on a cross doing so suffering fully the wrath of God for all who will believe then he was buried and he rose again the third day and listen he is coming again as the
46:01: Old Testament scripture says to judge the living and the dead and so our responsibility your responsibility is to make your own calling and election sure by seeing to it that you have repented of your sin and placed your faith in Jesus Christ because there is only one sacrifice for sin and only one name given among men under heaven by which we must be saved and that's
46:21: Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone so Paul says it is for this reason that we are nourished on the faith and sound doctrine we discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness because we have fixed our hope for salvation on one person and one work and one thing only and that is the
46:37: Lord Jesus Christ and he commands you this day if you have not yet to repent and to turn to Christ for God loved the world this much that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have life everlasting he is the savior of all men in a temporal sense but especially of believers so those are the three things are you constantly nourished on the words of the faith and the sound doctrine which you have been following are you disciplining yourself for the purpose of godliness and have you fixed your hope on the living
47:07: God who is the savior especially of believers it is my prayer that that will describe you for and that you will not squander the life that God has put ahead of you let's pray our father we thank you for your gracious righteousness your gracious goodness and the love that you have shown us in Jesus Christ it is my prayer that any who are here who have never trusted
47:30: Christ for salvation may see in him the only hope and savior for their sin lest they suffer your wrath for all of eternity it is my prayer that these four graduates know you that they trust you that they love you and that they serve you with their whole lives and fulfill their highest calling which is to live for your glory and for your sake that they may receive the reward on the last day so I pray that you would strengthen them strengthen them to this end and for this purpose and that you would be honored and glorified through them and through their lives in all of their decisions as they seek to be nourished on the truth and sound doctrine disciplining themselves for the purpose of godliness and fixing their hope on you the only true and living
48:11: God and our savior we thank you for these things in Christ's name amen well a couple of days ago your aunt and uncle came to deliver a fifth wheel ah there we go a couple of days ago your aunt and uncle came to deliver a fifth wheel for us and I was fretting a little bit am
49:01: I not holding it close enough there we go okay fretting a little bit about the fact that I was told we had to fill ten minutes of time
49:10: I was thankful that there was six minutes of video that we will do so I have to fill four more minutes with talking
49:19: Wayne hi Wayne give credit for this uncle Wayne there he told me about Mr.
49:26: Rogers Mr. Rogers would sometimes take a minute and he would encourage people to take a minute and think about all the people that have loved you and have been instrumental in your life and so well
50:11: I have my timer set for four minutes so for four minutes I would like for all of you to think about those who have been influential in your life and those who have loved you so I'm going to start it right make sure
50:24: I find not the seven minute timer four minutes alright here we go ready that's only 15 seconds that's a long time
50:45: I don't think I'm going to do that so since last year's graduation ceremony
50:50: I have been stressed out about what in the world am I going to say to you well there's one verse that just comes into my mind every single time
51:00: I think of it and it's third John four I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth and that I can say
51:09: I have no greater joy than you walking in truth I had no ideas so I just thought well in my daily reading
51:49: I'll see if I find something and so I was in Proverbs 25 on the 25th and I read it great stuff but nothing stood out then
51:59: I was in first Corinthians 11 now that talks about men and women in church and head covering shaving your head and then goes into the
52:08: Lord's table and I just didn't think that was fitting unless you're going to shave your head no?
52:14: ok good then we don't need to talk about that so at one last place in my
52:19: Old Testament reading I was in the last two chapters of Ezekiel now those deal with the future millennium kingdom and you're not
52:27: Jewish so I don't think the borders of Israel probably apply thankfully right after Ezekiel is
52:34: Daniel and there's no better illustration I can think of of a child walking in truth than the book of Daniel where you have four men four young young men that were brought into Babylon and they were called to be trained and so they were brought the king's delicacies before them and they were trained in the ways of Babylon first Daniel says in Daniel 1 7 through 8 to them the chief of the eunuchs gave names he gave
53:02: Daniel the name Belteshazzar to Hananiah Shadrach to Meshach and to Azariah Abednego but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies as the story progresses you see that they didn't compromise with the king's delicacies you see that Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were willing to be thrown into a fiery furnace because they would not compromise the truth you see that 60 years later and I love that it's over 60 years later
53:40: Daniel still would not compromise the truth when being threatened to be thrown into a lion's den and that's my desire for you is that you would be one who would always walk in truth and that we would be always in joy because of what you do and so I want to conclude with Proverbs 23 23 for the class of 23 buy the truth and do not sell it we love you we're proud of you continue to walk in truth and seek his face you've been the one holding my life
58:14: God you have never left my side even after all this time after all this time you've shown me the heart of a father again and again now from this mountain
58:40: I hold my hands high to the God of my victory the hope of my life
58:47: I stand in the wonder of all that you've done for the years every tear that I've cried you have been faithful all this time you've been the one holding my life
59:11: God you have never even after all this after all this time you've shown me the heart of a father again and again
59:24: I stand in the wonder of all that you've done for the years every tear that I've all through the years every tear that I've cried you have been faithful all this time you've been the one holding my life
01:00:05: God you have never left my side even after all this after all this time you've shown me the heart of a father again and again you've been the one holding my life
01:00:35: God you have never you've shown me the heart of a father I misread the directions
01:01:11: I thought we could take up to ten minutes not had to take up to ten minutes so I'm going to let you out early this evening but I just wanted to take a minute to talk about Ellie good it's been a great year it's been a very busy year between work and school and then on top of that you decided you're going to try out for swim team and basketball and then you still did youth group and what's a
01:01:53: Friday night thing adventure club so I haven't seen her much this year it's good to see you again but I we are just so proud of you you when you try something you put your whole heart into it we're proud of you through the magic of our educational system she's been home schooled throughout but the last two years she's been enrolled in dual credit so not only is she getting the high school diploma but within a semester ish of associates degree communications so we're very proud of you don't know what
01:02:39: God's future is for you but I'm excited to see because throughout all the things that you do with sports or school or club what's most important to you this is
01:02:54: Lord and sharing him the rest of the time
01:03:03: I will relinquish to the gentleman lady from the standpoint for the next child but thank you all the church has been so supportive and we appreciate each one of you and all you mean to us the opportunities you give for the youth not only to be taught but to teach that's vitally important so thank you congratulations and thank you being here with you to share wonderful Although Noah, whoever coordinated that, no,
01:09:42: I did not know about that. Quite the surprise, so thank you for that. That was very special. First of all,
01:09:49: Rich and I are very thankful to be up here standing with Amelia tonight. We do wanna say thank you to all of our friends and family and church family.
01:09:59: All of you have played a role in our life and Amelia's life. We've really appreciated the youth ministry and the girls'
01:10:09: Bible studies here at KCC. They've just been very invaluable and they've spurred on a lot of good conversations at home and we are thankful for that influence for Amelia.
01:10:22: Also, I wanna mention my mother -in -law, Amy. She lives in Tennessee now and I know she's watching this, but I wanna recognize her.
01:10:32: Early on, when we started homeschool, they were with us and she was very instrumental in helping me.
01:10:39: She actually did a lot of the homeschooling for me with the kids and just assisted me tremendously and I'm just forever grateful for her influence in our life and our homeschool.
01:10:54: Amelia, your dad and I are extremely proud to be standing here with you today and we are pleased to present to you your high school diploma.
01:11:03: You have had a unique journey that has not been without its challenges, whether it was through mastering all those words on those spelling tests through the years, adjusting to the changes of living in a new state, working through a new curriculum, or just the challenges in your everyday life.
01:11:21: Through the various challenges along the way, we have watched you persevere and work through them, sometimes with some feistiness and stubbornness, well mentioned earlier tonight.
01:11:34: However, we are most proud that you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and that you can call him your savior.
01:11:42: And it's been a joy to our hearts to watch you grow in your faith and through some of the most difficult circumstances, choose to trust in God's sovereignty over your life.
01:11:53: I have loved walking into your room and seeing you on your bed with your Bible open, studying God's word.
01:11:59: This is going to be the most important education you will ever receive. The next chapter of life may cause some anxiousness to you as you begin finding your way.
01:12:11: However, as you continue to study God's word and grow closer to him, you can rest in his plan for you.
01:12:18: As we now conclude the last years of your formal education, we can truly say it's been a pleasure and a joy to watch you grow into the young woman you are becoming.
01:12:27: And we are grateful that we've had the opportunity to homeschool you. Always remember that God is good.
01:12:35: He is faithful and he will hold you fast to the very end. We have just a few scriptures we just wanted to share with you.
01:12:42: Colossians 3, one and two. Therefore, if you've been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
01:12:52: Set your mind on the things above and not on the things that are on the earth. And Colossians 2, verses six and seven.
01:13:00: Therefore, as you've received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in your faith just as you were instructed and overflowing with gratitude.
01:13:13: We love you very much. We're very proud of you. Congratulations. ♪
01:13:41: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪
01:13:58: Yeah, put it in a big brown sail right round the seven oceans ♪ ♪
01:14:16: I'll be straight into the deep blue seas ♪ ♪
01:14:22: She's as sweet as triple -O honey ♪ ♪
01:14:29: Says an angel of the first degree ♪
01:14:42: It's like honey, baby, from the deep You can't stop us on the road to freedom
01:14:56: You can't keep us, cause our eyes can see Men within sight, men in granite
01:15:09: Nights in armor, bent on chivalry She's as sweet as triple
01:15:20: O honey She's an angel of the first degree
01:15:27: She's an angel She's as sweet as triple
01:15:33: O honey Just like honey, baby, from the deep
01:16:35: You can't stop us on the road to freedom
01:16:44: You can't keep us, cause our eyes can see Men within sight, men in granite
01:16:56: Nights in armor, bent on chivalry She's as sweet as triple
01:17:07: O honey She's an angel of the first degree
01:17:13: She's an angel She's as sweet as triple
01:17:20: O honey She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:18:13: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:18:19: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:18:37: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:19:07: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:19:32: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright, she's alright
01:19:53: She's alright, she's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright She's alright, she's alright And he said, well,
01:19:58: Dad, it's got a lake, and it's got a ski mountain, and it's really far north, and we should check it out.
01:20:06: So one thing that I've learned about Nathan and my wife is that if Nathan makes a suggestion, it's not a small thing.
01:20:18: Nathan has thought it through, and Nathan has a good reason for telling you about it.
01:20:23: So, we came here around 2017. It's actually a pretty nice place.
01:20:29: And it took us a few years, but come 2020, we moved here.
01:20:35: And we appeared in your church, and you welcomed us, and you welcomed our sons, and you became family to us.
01:20:46: So, I just want to share a short scripture,
01:20:55: Proverbs 14, 26. It says, in the fear of the
01:21:01: Lord, one has strong confidence in his children, and his children will have a refuge.
01:21:14: So, Nathan, keep your confidence. That suggestion you made became our life.
01:21:29: I'm going to get there. And his children will have refuge. We were just talking about this today.
01:21:36: Nathan, as you are preparing to leave home, you're not leaving. You will always have a home here and in our family, which is as far as I can get.
01:21:59: So, the beginning song in our slideshow starts with all the cliches about how fast kids grow up are true.
01:22:08: I woke up this morning eye to eye with you. Well, we know that that wasn't this morning for us.
01:22:18: But as you have grown physically, and also as a person, it has been my very deep privilege to be your mother and teacher,
01:22:26: Nathan. And I think that events like this are wonderful because it gives us a chance to do what
01:22:33: Psalm 78 says, which is to recount the deeds of the Lord. In our homeschool, the
01:22:39: Lord has been compassionate and gracious and faithful. Both of us came as sinners day after day, and the
01:22:49: Lord met us. He instructed us. In our weariness, He gave us strength, and in our ignorance,
01:22:56: He gave us wisdom. At every turn, the Lord was faithful to us because our
01:23:03: God is faithful. Psalm 78 says that we will not hide from our children the wonders that He has done.
01:23:12: And a pastor early in your homeschool education said that a God -centered education teaches us to kneel, not only to learn to read.
01:23:23: And that has been the focus of our homeschool. We have seen every subject of study as an opportunity to be instructed by the
01:23:32: Lord. As Isaiah 28 says, that the
01:23:37: Lord instructs in even practical things, how to scatter dill, how to sow cumin, and how to put wheat into rows.
01:23:47: And so the farmer is rightly instructed, for his God instructs him, for his
01:23:52: God is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. So in every subject of study, we came under the instruction of the
01:24:00: Lord. And as your mom and teacher, I recounted to you what God has done in the lives of people as recorded in the
01:24:07: Bible, and in our own lives, and also in math, and in science, and in literature.
01:24:14: And I did this so that you may know that the Lord is God, and to tell your children, and so that your children will tell their children.
01:24:24: And with the end that you will set your hope in God, not forget the works of God, and to obey his commands.
01:24:32: And that has been my prayer for you, and my charge to you again tonight, to set your hope in God, to not forget the works of God, and to obey his commands.
01:24:42: As you move into the next season of life, Nathan, go in confidence, kneeling before the
01:24:48: Lord, knowing that as Philippians 2 says, that you're to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
01:24:55: For it is God who is at work in you, to will and to work to his good pleasure. But you're not doing this on your own.
01:25:02: As Ephesians 2 10 says, you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that you should walk in them.
01:25:11: And so your life does not belong to you. Seek wonderful things in his word, and remember to set your hope in God, don't forget the works of God, and obey his commands.
01:25:22: These are the old roads that the second song in our slideshow talks about. And so it is with great thankfulness to the
01:25:30: Lord, Nathan, that we present this diploma to you tonight. Thank you.
01:25:36: Thank you. Thank you. ♪
01:26:01: All the cliches about how fast kids grow are true ♪ ♪
01:26:07: I woke up this morning eye to eye with you ♪ ♪
01:26:15: Love songs and that it just couldn't explain the whole ♪ ♪
01:26:21: Of all your becoming body and soul ♪ ♪
01:26:29: Your heart goes out I can hear your song ♪ ♪
01:26:35: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:26:42: There's no cliche when I hear your song ♪ ♪
01:26:49: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:26:58: Any cliches about living this life are true ♪ ♪
01:27:17: The path is warm but for us it's new ♪ ♪
01:27:28: We're marching our missteps with mercy ♪ ♪
01:27:38: Your heart goes out I can hear your song ♪ ♪
01:27:46: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:27:52: There's no cliche when I hear your song ♪ ♪
01:28:00: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:28:35: It's all been said but don't be afraid ♪ ♪
01:28:41: To throw back your head and sing anyway ♪ ♪
01:28:47: Your heart goes out I can hear your song ♪ ♪
01:28:54: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:29:01: There's no cliche when I hear your song ♪ ♪
01:29:08: Your signal is getting stronger ♪ ♪ Your signal is getting strong ♪ ♪
01:29:17: All the cliches about how much I love you are true ♪ ♪
01:29:22: As big as the sky and up to the moon as well ♪ ♪
01:29:33: Infinity plus one ♪ ♪ Look at you boy,
01:29:51: I can see the road that lies ahead ♪ ♪ I can see the love and the sorrow ♪ ♪
01:30:04: Light fields of joy, dark nights away ♪ ♪
01:30:11: In a stormy bed, I wanna go with you but I can't follow ♪ ♪
01:30:20: So keep to the old road, keep to the old roads ♪ ♪
01:30:28: And you'll find your way ♪ ♪ Your first kiss, your first crush ♪ ♪
01:30:43: The first time you know you're not enough ♪ ♪ The first time there's no one there to hold you ♪ ♪
01:30:56: The first time you pack it all up ♪ ♪ And drive along across America ♪ ♪
01:31:05: Please remember the words that I told you ♪ ♪
01:31:12: Keep to the old roads, keep to the old roads ♪ ♪
01:31:20: And you'll find your way, you'll find your way ♪
01:31:43: I think it's appropriate that we end this celebration with prayer. Heavenly Father, we just come before you with grateful hearts.
01:31:52: We're just so blessed to experience the changes of life and from having our children grow and turn into adults and eventually have families of their own.
01:32:06: We're just so grateful for the blessings of life that you give us. Lord, I'm thankful for these godly parents that have raised such wonderful children that they're turning into adults now,
01:32:18: Lord, but just for parents that train their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We're just so grateful for that.
01:32:27: Wow. Lord, thank you so much for this time.
01:32:33: And I just pray, Lord, that we would keep these graduates in our prayers and our thoughts, that you would guard them,
01:32:41: Lord, from the evil one, that you would keep them sober and vigilant in this next stage of their lives and that they would trust in you, that they'd trust in your word.
01:32:51: I just pray, Lord, that you would just bless them with wisdom and sound judgment. And most importantly,
01:32:59: Lord, that they bring glory to you with the lives that they choose to live and that they'd keep their hearts fixed and centered on your word.
01:33:06: So we thank you, Lord, for them. We just thank you for this joyous time of celebration. And in Jesus' precious name we pray, amen.
01:33:16: I present to you the graduating class of 2023. Congratulations.