Daystar

David Thomas featured in The Tennessean & USA Today

Check out our Director of Boys' counseling quoted in two recent articles.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/C4/20130430/NEWS07/304300065/frank-page-rick-warren-churches-shed-light-on-suicide

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/30/churches-shed-light-mental-illness/2123017/

May 2013 Thank You!

Twenty years ago, I walked into the Daystar office for the first time, which was then housed in an office building in Green Hills next to the old Burger King, which is now the Well Coffee shop.  I had an interview that day with Melissa, who had roller bladed to work that particular day.

I was a student at Vanderbilt interviewing for a graduate internship placement.  I had heard that Larry Crabb, an author who was much of the reason I was pursuing a career in counseling, said that Melissa was the best adolescent counselor in the country.  I couldn't imagine what a privilege it would be to learn from such a wise woman.

During our interview, Melissa talked to me about Daystar's model of counseling.  She explained ideas such as "one life touching another," "soften, shape, strengthen," and told me about groups and camps (even before there was such a thing as Camp Hopetown).  The more she talked, the more teary I became.  I remember thinking, "I can't believe a place like this exists"...that encompassed all I had longed—actually—felt called to do and get to be in the lives of kids. 

Twenty years later, I'm still here.  Rumor has it that Melissa only took me on because I could play the guitar.  Whatever the reason, I'm beyond grateful.  It has been a privilege.  Every.  Single.  Day.  To sit with children, teenagers and families...to learn from the tremendous counselors who have come before me and continue to work alongside me...and, of course, to get to be a part of this incredible vision that God gave such a wise woman named Melissa.

One of my favorite stories I tell at every parenting seminar is of a little girl who said "I don't go to Daystar for counseling.  I just go to talk about my problems."  I have my own version of her thought.  I don't go to Daystar to counsel...or to work.  I go to get to be a part of something so much bigger than me...a place where I thought maybe I could make a difference those twenty years ago.  But, a place, I have learned has made a much bigger difference in me.  I know Jesus and hope and God's constant redemption because of a counseling ministry called Daystar.  And, because of the continuous graciousness of folks like you.  Thank you for being a part of this ministry.  I am privileged to serve with you.

Sissy Goff and The Daystar Staff

An April Thank You!

"Do you think now that play practice is over you'd like to go back to group?"

"Yes."  Her answer was immediate.

"I can say anything to them and I'm not worried about what they're going to think."

"Honey, I think that's what is called a safe place."

A mom told us about this conversation she had with her high school daughter this week.  A safe place...that is at the heart of what we are about at Daystar, who we believe we are called to be.  A safe place for every child...every teenager...every family who walks through our doors.

Larry Crabb, in his book, The Safest Place on Earth, says "I believe that the Holy Spirit has graciously placed resources in every Christian that, when released from one person and received into another, can promote substantial healing and change."  At Daystar, our belief is that healing can come at the hands of a counselor, a high school senior, or even a second grader in a group counseling session with another who simply says, "I'm so sorry you're sad."

Healing and change.  It's what we're about in our yellow house.  And it's what you are continuing to help facilitate by giving to the ongoing work of Daystar.  Thank you for your commitment to our ministry.  Thank you for your belief in God's power children, teens, adults and dogs to bring healing to the hearts of hurting families.  They, and we, are deeply grateful.

A March Thank You

"I don't listen."

"I don't like myself."

"I'm too harsh."

The little girl who wrote these words on a piece of paper was in 2^nd grade.  She felt like the "bad one" in her family.  She told her counselor that, whenever she got sad, she would go to her room just to think.

"What do you think about?"

"How bad I am."

"I want you to write out the kinds of thoughts you have when you're in your room on this piece of paper."

And these were the words she wrote.

"I don't listen."

"I don't like myself."

"I'm too harsh."

This little girl, as you already know, is not the "bad one" in her family.  She makes mistakes, as do we all.  She is in counseling because she gets so down and worries her mom when she does so.

After talking through her feelings for several minutes, the counselor leaned toward the little girl and in a quiet voice said, "Do you know who loves you more than you could ever imagine and thinks you're really wonderful all of the time?"

The little girl smiled really big and said, "You..."

Obviously, the counselor was not intending for the little girl to think it was her.  But, her response was a swift, "Absolutely."  And then she followed by telling her how very much Jesus loves her and delights in her and believes she is a great gift, to Him and to her family.

It is a tremendous honor to get to remind children and teenagers every day of how much Jesus loves them.  And how much we do, too, in the process.  We are so grateful for your care for these families, too, and your willingness to partner with us to offer love and hope to so many girls like this one.

A February Thank You!

Dear Daystar Friends,

I have the privilege to introduce myself and share with you my own Daystar story.  A story that began over 12 years ago on Sissy's couch in her counseling office and continues today as I have the honor to serve as the new Director of Development. 

My parents divorced 12 years ago when I was in 8^th grade, and my mom quickly scheduled appointments for me and my sisters at Daystar- this is the first in a long list of things I will thank my mom for for the rest of my life.  I will never forget the first time we came to Daystar.  It was dark and cold outside and counseling was the last thing on our middle school & high school minds.  We went to the old Daystar offices in Green Hills and when we walked inside you could immediately feel the warmth.  It may not have been the adorable yellow house we have today, but it was the same smell of spice tea, sweet dogs and smiling faces that greeted us and put us at ease.  These are some of my favorite things about working here...the familiarity and tradition that make people feel like they are at home even years later. 

I have been in several different roles at Daystar.  I went from individual counseling to group counseling to camper to camp leader to volunteer to development.  But the role where I learned the most was in group counseling.  I was surrounded by incredible girls who came from different walks of life, and who opened my eyes to see things I had never seen before. They showed me pain, redemption, love, comfort, joy and most importantly gave me hope when my perfect world was falling apart.  It wasn't until I left Nashville for college that it actually hit me...not all cities have a Daystar! And I quickly realized how much I missed it and how easily I could take it for granted.

It is an honor to work here every day.  This unique place helps people in unique ways.  I had no idea when I started coming here in 2001 the journey God intended for me at Daystar would lead to this position, but I am extremely blessed and thankful for the relationships and challenges that come with it.  It is a privilege for me to help offer hope to our community... the same hope that was offered to me 12 years ago.

Thank you for your support and for allowing us to continue to offer hope to all of the families at Daystar, past, present & future.

Gratefully,

Catherine Tuck

Daystar in NFocus Magazine!

Check out our spread on another wonderful Evening in December!

http://nfocusmagazine.com/portfolio/evening-december-daystar-counseling

January 2013 Thank you!

"See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." 

Isaiah 43:19

Happy New Year from all of us at Daystar!  We are excited around our offices about groups getting started and Camp Hopetown applications getting underway.  We are grateful to be a ministry where we continue to get to watch God do new things...in the lives of each and every family who walks through our doors.  It is his good purpose to make ways in deserts and streams in wastelands...and to offer hope.  Our prayer is that 2013 will be a year full of hope...for the over 1200 families involved in our ministry and for you.  We are grateful for your partnership and investment in our little yellow house.  Stop by some time and see us.  We'd love to see you and to show you the many new things we have the privilege to watch Him do at Daystar.

Presidents' Day- WE STILL HAVE GROUPS TONIGHT!

We hope you have enjoyed your days off school & work! All scheduled groups will still meet this afternoon and evening.

Looking forward to seeing you!

An Evening in December Thank You!

1. A new star blazed forth where there had never been a star before, and the air was filled with the bright wings of angels, the night sky came alive with the glittering armies of God, and a great hymn of victory rose up from them—Glory to God in the highest."                                                                                                                           -Frederick Buechner

The darkness was shattered like glass...

A new star blazed forth...

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." 

                                                                                    John 1:5 

Darkness does not overcome.  Ever.  But that is a hard truth to remember when your light has gone out, which is where each child...each family that walks through our doors has recently found themselves.  They may be wandering in the darkness of depression... loneliness... anxiety... grief...hopelessness.  But whatever darkness they are in, we can promise you it feels engulfing.

But the darkness does not overcome.

Through individual and group counseling, Camp Hopetown, and parenting classes, we seek to offer hope to hurting children and families.  We, at Daystar, get to be a reminder of light...of the living light that shatters all of our darkness like glass.  He is the reason Daystar exists...and the reason we celebrate this Christmas season, this Evening in December with you. 

Thank you for being a reminder, too.  Thank you for helping to restore hope to children and families throughout our community.  We are honored to stand with you in the light.

Written by a former Daystar kid

It's good to be home. That's what I keep thinking as I prepare to ride in my third Bike Thing in eighteen years. That, and I hope this one doesn't end in me laying on the ground refusing to go on a mere mile or two from the finish line.

Daystar and I have been supporting each other for eighteen years. I wouldn't have imagined at thirteen years old that this place would become a beacon light through the decades of my life. I came to Daystar as a child needing a place to be honest about pains and disappointments and what I found was a group of people who would usher me into and through my tormented teens, ease me into young adulthood and celebrate with me through graduations, career choices and marriage.

My husband and I left Nashville for several years after we were married to pursue our careers and just last year returned home. One of the most amazing things about being back is being surrounded by people who really know me. Not the version of myself I've been fine-tuning for most of my life, but the raw, unedited version. Not the charming, polished, perfect me, but the stubborn, joyful, confused me.

And now into the next era of my life, I'll be a mother in a couple short months. Some nights I lie in bed and all I can pray is, Dear God, PLEASE do not let me ruin this kid's life. How am I going to give my child what she needs while still juggling marriage, career, friendships, health and home? Surely I am going to fail. Surely I am going to be exposed for the fraud that I am.

Daystar didn't fix me; it did something so much greater. Daystar put people in my life who know me and somehow still love and support me relentlessly. As it turns out, I still need Daystar. I still need to be reminded that I am going to fail, and that it's ok because I know who I am and I know my worth. Perfection is not going to bring me happiness. Love will. Giving will. Watching my child grow into her own will. And when my child realizes that I've been faking it and that I really have no idea what I'm doing, I know where she will be...Daystar's first toddlers group. For the peace this brings me, I am eternally grateful.

I am just one of thousands of kids for whom Daystar has been a beacon light of truth, hope and love, and on behalf of all of us, I thank you for your support. I live and love better because of this place. It's good to be home.

With hope,

A Daystar Lifer

CAMP HOPETOWN- HEALTH FORM

If you are signing your child up for camp, please print off a health form and return it with you camp appication. Health forms can be downloaded on the Camp Hopetown page below.

CLICK HERE FOR CAMP HOPETOWN PAGE

GROUPS- Tuesday, January 15th

Due to weather, groups have been cancelled again tonight. Please be careful driving home!

GROUPS- JANUARY 14TH

Due to weather, groups starting after 4:00pm will not meet today!

Groups starting at 4:00 or 4:15 will still be meeting. 

Thank you!

Evening in December- Tickets on Sale!

Reserve your tickets today! Only a few left...

Call the office at 615.298.5353 or email catherine@daystarcounseling.com

The Bike Thing 2012

Sign up for The Bike Thing and help Daystar keep rolling through the fall! Sign up and ask your family & friends to sponsor you today!

What to see what The Bike Thing is all about? Watch here: http://vimeo.com/chelseakeyser/daystar-bikething

To register go to www.daystarcounseling.com/donate/thebikething

ANYONE WHO RAISES OVER $1,000 WINS A FAMOUS "AUNT ROBBIE" CAKE!

August Thank You

"The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning.
It's time to sing your song again.
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,
Let me be singing when the evening comes.
Bless the Lord, oh, my soul, oh my soul, worship his holy name,
Sing like never before, Oh my soul, I'll worship his holy name.

You're rich in love and you're slow to anger
Your name is great and your heart is kind.
For all your goodness I will keep on singing;
10,000 reasons for my heart to find."

These words echoed through the halls and over the hills of Hopetown for the past three months.  It was a song we sang almost every night—with 179 children grades two through 12.  It was a rich, rich summer.  God moved in ways we never would have expected in the lives of these children.  He met them—he met us with all of his goodness to offer healing and hope.  And we recently received this reminder from a parent of one of the campers...

"We've been a part of the Daystar family for the past 3 years. While we have moved away I know that the teachings and the foundation that my daughter received will forever live in her heart. Thanks for teaching her the love of worship...thanks for teaching her the assurance and goodness found in all that God created her to be...thanks for giving her a strong voice. Just wanted to say thanks...we will miss you this school year but will sing 10,000 Blessings for all that you do!"

We stand with this parent in her gratitude, for you.  Thank you for your investment in our summer.  Thank you for your prayers and help to sponsor the children who were a part of Hopetown.  As we close our summer, we count you as one of our 10,000 reasons.

Save the Dates!

Hope you will join us this fall for our exciting events! More details to come soon.

LAST CHANCE FOR LOST & FOUND!

Swing by the Daystar house today or tomorrow to pick up your missing belongings from Camp Hopetown. Tomorrow afternoon we are taking it to Goodwill!

Thank you!

July 2012 Thank You!

"Stay on your wall."  These are the words that Murray State University's College Basketball Coach Steve Prohm used to spur his team on as they entered the NCAA tournament with the best record in the nation.  He was quoting Nehemiah.  Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king.  When he learned that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, he asked permission to return home to rebuild the walls.  He had a purpose.  As he and a group of other men were working on the walls, people continually tried to distract them.  Nehemiah's response was, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down."  Nehemiah was driven by a passion for Jerusalem and the temple that held him to his purpose.

Melissa, at our 9^th-10^th grade camp, quoted Coach Prohm and Nehemiah.  She led the kids in a discussion about their purposes.  Each child, over the course of the week, painted his or her purpose on a brick.  Those purposes included "Be Brave," "Stand Up For My Faith," "Be friends with the friendless," and "Stay strong for God."  And then each child stood on their wall, to live out that purpose.

The 9^th-10^th grade campers pulled together to support each other, to cheer each other on during a fourteen mile bike ride, to help each other make a Thanksgiving feast, and to give thoughtfully to each other on Christmas.  We challenged them frequently to rise to their purpose.  And rise they did.

We have rarely seen a group of teenagers act with such courage and selflessness.  As one boy who demonstrated considerable bravery said, "You all help me to have courage.  Don't you wish everyone had a Hopetown."

Thank you for your support of this place.  God is using Hopetown in the lives of many kids.  We ask for your continued prayers for safety and for God's purposes to be fulfilled as we move into our camps with the younger ages.  We are honored to be standing on the wall with you.

FOR SALE: Hopetown 2012 T-shirts!

We have these awesome green t-shirts in our office for YOU to buy today! Stop in and find your size.

Only $15.00!!

June Thank you!

As graduations are bringing the high school experience to a close for many of our friends at Daystar, we wanted to share a letter with you.

"I cannot believe that this is my last group.  Looking back 3 years to my very first groups, I can't help but laugh a little.  I was so shy, insecure, unsure of how to share my hurt, fears and struggles, and I would burst into tears every time I shared my story.

Now, I am learning how to see myself as God sees me:  a courageous and loved daughter of His.  I have a confidence thriving in me now that I would have thought would never have been possible.  Your gentle, patient, and caring heart, words and counseling have made me grow into the girl I am today.  You have loved me through my ups and downs and have taught me to rely on Jesus through every step of my high school years.  I long to be the helper, encourager and role model to younger kids that you are to me."

We are so grateful to get to walk with girls, boys, and families for what Melissa calls "the long haul".  Our commitment is to be here for as long as kids and families need, in whatever capacity they need us.  With Daystar founded on the belief that "one life touches another," it is so often our lives, as a staff, that are touched by the lives and stories that walk through our door.  We are blessed.  And humbled.  And honored to be in ministry with you.  We hope and pray that every child at Daystar could see themselves as God sees them.  And we pray the same for you.

May Thank You!

This letter written hangs on Melissa's door.  All of our doors and offices have something like it...notes or drawings or even scribbles by the hand of a child or teenager.  Each letter or drawing means that the particular child who wrote or drew it wants to leave his mark on this place.  And each one reminds us of what Daystar is about.  We are here to offer hope—to kids and to families—and maybe bring a little fun and happiness, while we're at it.  Thank you for sharing in that mission with us.  We think you're a(we)some.

Last Volunteer Time- TOMORROW MORNING!

Tomorrow morning, May 17th from 10:00-12:00 will be our last volunteer time for this school year. We hope you will join us for some coffee, muffins and a time to visit while we get ready for our summer!

Possible May Art Class

There has been a lot of interest in Mimi Heldman doing another art class for the month of May. If enough people sign up she will do it the first 3 Wednesdays from 6:00-9:00pm at The Daystar House.

The dates would be:
Wednesday, May 2nd
Wednesday, May 9th
Wednesday, May 16th

$165- includes all of your supplies, dinner & Mimi's wonderful teaching!

If you are interested please conatact Mimi right away at 615.351.2314 or mimiheldman@comcast.net

SOUP NIGHT- TONIGHT 4/17

We hope you will all join us for our Spring Soup Night TONIGHT! Each counselor will be sharing why they decided to go into counseling.

We will have BBQ & some special desserts, so bring the whole family and join us!

April Thank You!

"Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners:  Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen."                                                                                          The Book of Common Prayer 

The swift and varied changes of the world.  Every family, every child that walks through our doors knows those all too well.  A father who lost his wife and the mother of his two daughters to ovarian cancer.  A 4^th grade boy whose anxiety is so significant he can't make it through a school day.  A 7^th grade girl whose "friends" place the trash from their lunches on her tray, telling her that is what they believe she's worth.  Swift and varied changes...in situations, in people, and in a world that is all too accustomed to darkness.

But our hearts can be fixed where true joys are found.  We are called to be an Easter people—and Daystar is called to be an Easter ministry.  We have the great honor of proclaiming the good news...to these families and over 1000 more who are a part of Daystar today.

Thank you for partnering with us.  Thank you for standing with us to share hope to children, teenagers and families.  Thank you for joining us as we celebrate Easter...this day and every day as we walk alongside families.

March Thank You!

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, 
complementing your basic faith with 
good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love,
each dimension fitting into and developing the others.
With these qualities active and growing in your lives,
no grass will grow under your feet,
no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our
Master Jesus.
Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. 

2 Peter 1:5-9. The Message

 February 2012 marked the beginning of our Growing Fund, as so many of you are graciously aware.  God has given us the tremendous opportunity to grow.  With more than 1000 families now involved in Daystar we need to accommodate the work he has called us to:  with more space and more facilities.  And you have been a generous part of that growth.

Thank you for sharing your generous love, warm friendliness, good character and all of the dimensions God is growing in you with us.  You have blessed many, many families who are in need.  As one girl recently said, "I haven't felt like anyone has seen me...really seen me in years till I came to Daystar." 

You have seen us...seen our need...and felt a stirring from God to give. 

We are grateful—and humbled by your partnership. 

The Princess Knight

Friday, March 30, 2012
The Hutton Hotel
6:30-10:30pm

An elegant evening for fathers & daughters in 6th-8th grade to learn about local children's charities and how a magical evening can make a significant difference.

Daystar is one of the beneficiaries of this wonderful evening! 

Prudential Spirit of Community Award

Daystar is so proud of Hannah Huth....

Hannah has been such a cheerleader for Daystar the past few years. Her business Looking Ahead 4 Kids benefits Daystar and we are so grateful! 

The Prudential Spirit of the Community Award honors middle school & high school students for outstanding volunteer service in their communities. We think Hannah is very deserving of this honor! She is one of only 2 high schoolers who received this award and will be honored in Washington D.C. this summer! 

http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page/soc/307?lp=306&reqid=3283

Happy Presidents' Day- WE STILL HAVE GROUPS TONIGHT!

DAYSTAR WILL HAVE GROUPS TONIGHT!

Hope you enjoyed your days off school and we look forward to being with you tonight!

February Thank you!

"I feel like Daystar is a place for me to come as I am and be filled with love and support. I can be in the midst of the deepest struggle, at my worst, and be accepted into understanding arms of compassion. Daystar has allowed me to grow into the best person I can be."

Riding back in the van from a weekend at Hopetown, a group of high school girls started talking about what Daystar means to them.  We wanted to share their thoughts with you:

 "I love how safe it is."

"It always feels like home."

"People greet you like they haven't seen you in three months."

"No one is judged and no one is judgmental."

 "Everyone makes you feel like you are one big family."

"Daystar is a constant thing in my life that no matter what goes on they will always be there."

"At Daystar I can say anything on my heart."

 "Since I've been at Daystar, I've learned better...

"how to love,"

"to be a great friend,"

"to respect others,"

"to ask good questions,"

"to be myself,"

"to respond to others,"

"how to trust."

"I have learned how to begin my journey with Christ."

 Thank you for pouring into the lives of these high school girls and over 900 other children, teenagers and families in our community.  Your support has and continues to make a difference.

January Thank You

See, I am doing a new thing! ?   

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness wasteland. ??   

and streams in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19

Happy New Year from the Daystar house to yours!  This verse brims over with hope and reminds us of the newness of God's mercies...every year, every month, every day.  He is doing a new thing.  He is doing a new thing in the life of each child, each teen, each parent who walks through our doors.  We have the privilege of sharing that hope with them.

He is also doing a new thing at Daystar.  We are pleased to announce the addition of an art therapist to our staff, Eden Walker.  Eden is from Mobile, AL and went to the University of Georgia.  She went on to get her MPS (Master's of Professional Studies) in Art Therapy and Creative Development from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.  She will be seeing clients individually and visiting all of our groups throughout the year to lead therapeutic art projects.  We're really excited for her to join the Daystar staff!

And, as always, we are grateful for you.  We are grateful for your belief in the ongoing work and mission of Daystar.  We are grateful that you stand with us in encouraging parents, in offering families hope, and in being reminders that our great God is doing a new thing in each of their (and our) lives.

ALL DAYSTAR GROUPS ARE TAKING PLACE TONIGHT!

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Group start back this week!!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at groups this week. 

NEXT MONDAY, January 16th is MLK Day and there will be NO groups. 

December Thank You

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise!
Triumph o'er the shades of night
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar in my heart appear.
Dark and cheerless is the morn
Were it ever without thee;
Joyless is the day's return,
Till thy mercy's beams I see,
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
                        -from the hymn, Christ, whose Glory Fills the Skies, by Charles Wesley 

As the words of this song so poignantly communicate, many families today are living in the midst of a dark and cheerless morn.  The ministry of Daystar Counseling Ministries is to provide hope to those families.

...to provide hope to the boy who is relentlessly bullied at his school. 

...to provide hope to the mom whose husband, and whose children's dad has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. 

...to provide hope to the teenage girl who seems to have lost interest in everything she used to care about. 

...to provide hope to the dad who wants his help his children learn to make different choices than he has lived out in the past. 

Our purpose is to help glad the eyes and warm the hearts of these families and over 900 like them in the middle Tennessee community that are currently a part of Daystar.  We are honored to stand with you in that purpose. 

This Christmas season is a time for us to get to reflect on this purpose, on our hope.  It is a time to join with folks like you who mean so much to us and to honor The Daystar, to celebrate His appearing in all of our lives.

November Thank You

"Same." 

 "I get so mad at myself when I don't say the right thing to people.  I'm afraid they might not like me for who I am, so at least I need to be able to say something smart, or funny.  Then I might have a chance."

"Same."

"I think I'm hardest on myself about the way I look.  Sometimes, I stand in front of the mirror and just pick out all of the things I don't like about myself."

"SAME."

"I get really mad at myself about my grades...probably madder than my parents do.  I just can't let it go if I get below a certain grade."

"Uhhhhh...."

This very conversation took place in a group counseling session for high school girls just this week.  They talked about areas in which they got most frustrated about themselves.  As each girl talked (or almost each girl), the others in the room would nod their heads vigorously and say "same." 

How many of us didn't grow up in places where we had opportunities to experience this kind of "sameness"?  We thought we were the only ones who didn't like the way we looked or acted, who lived in a family that struggled, who struggled ourselves. 

One of the main reasons Daystar exists is to give children and teens an opportunity to say "same," to realize that, whatever they are going through or feeling, they are not alone.  And that, is enough, many times to give those kids—those teenagers hope.

Thank you for being such an important part of our ministry.  Thanks for being in it with us.  We're honored to be able to say "same" right back to you.

October Thank You

Someone once said to me, "If you are not in the middle of a storm, get ready, it's coming!"

Little did I know at the time that a fierce storm was going to radically change my world and that of my young family. And so it was that one day I woke up from within the "Once upon a time" fairytale life that I had always known, and the wind was blowing and the clouds deep within my soul had truly burst forth. Before I knew it I was standing in the midst of my very own storm.

One of the truths about a parent being drenched and thrown around by the storms of life is that the entire family is buffeted also. Through no fault of their own, children experience the turbulence as well.

And should your child find themselves in their own storm, as parents we often voluntarily dive into the eye of the storm, bound and determined to make everything all right.

But sometimes we just can't. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to make everything better. Sometimes we need help.

Daystar has fought through many storms for many families, such as mine. The staff have stood with our children. They have held umbrellas when they needed and at other times, just stood side by side with our children, soaked in the emotion of the downpour, every step of the way, unpicking the intricate story of every individual soul.

The staff of Daystar know that a "Once upon a time" fairytale life teaches nothing of facing the harsh winds of life. Instead, they equip our children to touch their pain, open their hearts, to trust, and learn to dance in the rain.

As a parent I am blessed beyond words by your support of Daystar. Your kindness has already changed my children and many other children's lives. The impact of your gift and generosity can never be measured by man. Thank you.

Raising Boys & Girls

Daystar is proud to introduce Melissa, David & Sissy's brand new parenting curriculum! You can order your DVD and book at raisingboysandgirls.bigcartel.com

This 6 session curriculum helps adults understand the differences in girls and boys and learn to use tools that will help them communicate, understand, and connect with kids of all ages. Parents, grandparents, church volunteers, and other caregivers of children from preschool to high school can learn to recognize that being a positive adult example for their boys and girls is one of the most important jobs they have. It's a great resource for: Sunday School classes, parenting classes at church or as a community outreach, and teacher training at church.

Trust Based Relational Intervention

Thanks to the help of ShowHope Ministry in Franklin, TN, two of Daystar's counselors attended a week-long seminar on Trust Based Relational Intervention at Texas Christian University. They are now TRBI certified and better equipped to help families of adoption and other clients.

Check out the link below for more information on TBRI.

http://www.child.tcu.edu/training.asp

September Thank you!

"When the road starts to turn around each bend, I've learned You are good, so good.
And when somebody's hand holds me up, helps me stand,You are good, so good.
With every breath I take in, I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
Cause it's more than enough just to know I am loved and You're good.
When it's dark and it's cold and I can't feel my soul, You are still good.
When the world has gone gray and the rain's here to stay, You are still good.
With every breath I take in, I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
And the storm may swell.  Even then, it is well, and You're good."

Facebook says a lot.  At least, it says a lot about the thoughts and feelings of the adolescents that are constantly "inbox-ing" and updating their statuses.  After our summer camp was over this year at Daystar, there was one status that seemed to be catching on the facebook statuses of the kids who had just left 9^th-10^th grade camp.

"And when somebody's hand holds me up, helps me stand, You are good, so good."

The words are from an unlikely worship song, actually from a lullaby album that quickly became the theme of our summer at Camp Hopetown.  It's also a theme of daily life at Daystar Counseling Ministries.

"When it's dark and it's cold and I can't feel my soul...
When the world has gone gray and the rain's here to stay...
And the storm may swell..."

all describe the emotions and experiences that lead families through the doors of our yellow house at Daystar.

Their 7 year-old daughter is so anxious about leaving her mom she cries all the way to school every day.

Their 15 year-old son has lost interest in the things he used to love, including, it seems, his own family.

They don't know how to tell their children they are getting a divorce.

He doesn't know how to tell his kids he has cancer.

"The world has gone grey and the rain's here to stay," or so it very convincingly seems.

We say often at Daystar that we have the privilege of walking alongside hurting families.  We GET to be the hand that holds these parents and children up, and helps them stand.  Through individual counseling, groups and parenting seminars during the school year, our mission is to provide hope.  It is to remind six to sixty-five year-olds that, in the midst of their struggles, God is still good.  He wants good for them.  They can get through whatever pain they are living with today.  It will pass.  He will pass them through it.  They are not alone and we are committed to and have the privilege of walking alongside them for as long as it takes. 

"And the storm may swell.  Even then, it is well, and You are good." 

Thank you for being a part of our ministry.  We are honored for you to walk alongside us.

 Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

"You Are Good," words and music by Clint Lagerberg and Nichole Nordeman

August Thank you!

Thank you for your gift to Daystar this month. To show you first hand how you have contributed to the lives of campers at Hopetown this summer, we wanted to share with you a letter from a mom whose three daughters attended camp...

I have to tell you how much my girls loved camp. Tonight as we were sitting around the dinner table, I was giddy hearing the stories about camp. The girls compared counselor stories, banana boat stories, cooking stories, etc. We were all cracking up at one of my daughters as she was telling us about dancing and tubing. What great memories!

This is what I heard at the beginning of the summer, "I don't want to go to that stupid camp, it's for weird people for goodness sake!" Before camp we were REALLY struggling in our home. Name calling, disrespect, MEAN girl stuff BIG time. I wasn't handling it well and was really discouraged. My husband wasn't handling it well, and I was really discouraged. Somewhere along the way I started acting like a middle school girl right along with my daughters. Things were out of control and neither my husband nor I knew what to do. I was just thankful I was getting three weeks out of my summer with two instead of three hormonal adolescents!

Bottom line? We have seen change. My oldest came home and said she was changed. I honestly thought she would come off that mountaintop and things will be back to crazy soon. But guess what? She has changed. Yes, we still have issues, but her heart has softened a gazillion. It has encouraged me to change. Things are calmer around our home and I am SO very thankful. Her post-camp quote? "I wanna go back every year until I can't go anymore. Then I wanna be a counselor. Oh, and I wanna join a group, k?" Wow. Big change!

My youngest, my anxious, quiet giggler, shared with me what she "threw" in the lake (an activity where the campers wrote on a rock the things they worried about the most and then symbolically tossed them in the lake). My oldest shared with me that she hasn't ever felt so accepted. I haven't seen my girls show affection for each other in a long time. This afternoon when my final camper came home, there were screams and hugs. Chills.

Thank you all for loving them well. Thank you for investing in them. Thank you for being voices in their hearts and minds that tell them they are wonderfully made. Thank you for helping them take off their clothes of shame and become new creations. We are in a process, but I have hope. That is refreshing. Thank you.

Filled up. Thanks a bunch.

With love,
A Grateful Mom

July THANK YOU!

"Then I looked, and, oh! - a door open into Heaven. The trumpet-voice, the first voice in my vision, called out, "Ascend and enter. I'll show you what happens next." Revelation 4:1 (The Message).  With this verse in mind, thirty 9th and 10th graders walked down Camp Hopetown's stone pathway towards the edge of the lake and, one by one, grabbed an intern and a spot under the starlit sky. 

As is typical, Melissa gave no instructions for what to do once they were settled except to imagine an open door amidst the millions of tiny stars illuminating the dark night.  It was a powerful scene to look around and see campers, interns, and staff admiring God's creation and imagining the ways in which He has personally opened His door to each of us. 

Doors, windows, and rooms- all were a recurring theme throughout the week.  Melissa likened a house and all of the different rooms in it to each of us.  She asked us all what rooms we let God into and which ones we keep padlocked for our own protection.  The answers were well thought out and varied.  In small group one morning, one girl said she is very open to letting God roam around her kitchen and living room and study but is hesitant to let Him into her bedroom because it is in this room where she is most herself.  When I asked her about this further, she said that it all boils down to trust. 

Frederick Buechner said it best when he spoke of trusting one another.  "I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are yours. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it means to be human."  It was an honor to share "secrets" with such an amazing group of kids and, in doing so, to be reminded of the redemptive nature of a God who never stops knocking.

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

We Need Your Help!

We need your help!

Daystar has been added to a mix of non-profits that are being voted on...and the ministry with the most votes receives a grant for $50,000, second place gets $20,000, and third place gets $10,000.

It's super easy and requires no registration.
1. Go to this link...http://givingoflife.com
2. Click on the green button that says "pick a ministry & vote"
3. Scroll down till you see the Daystar logo and click on our picture.
4. Then click on the green button "vote".


Please tell all your family and friends!

Thanks!

June Thank You Letter

"Let's Go!" was the phrase that kicked off our week, because as Melissa said, we had somewhere to move, and each of us got to choose if we wanted to hop on board. We sat the first night under a starry sky and watched as Simon Burch modeled what it means to be willing to hop on board and trust God's plan for his life. So often we want to demand that life work. But it doesn't...not the way we think it should, at least. And in the midst, "the only person I can control is me" and "my attitude is a choice." What a freedom those truths brought Simon Burch! And as Acts 2:46-47 teaches, we will experience freedom most when we come together. So, "Let's go!"

"Let's go" led to a lot of fun things: to the lake, to the swings, to dancing in the rain and to riding bikes. And "let's go" led to some special times when we were gathered together to worship, share and learn. Using the Apple Maps application as a model, Melissa asked, "Okay, where do you want to go?" First, what is your destination? The high-school kids spent some time reflecting, and started to share their own personal destinations: "Forgiveness," "Understanding," "Peace," "Wisdom," "Freedom..."

Once you pick a destination, the Maps app asks you, "Do you want to use your current location?" We need to know where we are before we try and get where we are going. It's one of the first questions God asks Adam in the garden: Where are you? Even though He knows the answer, he still asks us where we are because He wants us to talk to Him about it! He wants us to be authentic! And talk about an authentic group of kids! We were blessed with a group of girls and guys who were ready and willing to talk aloud about where they were, to ask questions, and to respond and encourage one another in profound ways. One boy's eyes swelled with tears after several kids responded to what he shared, and when asked what he was thinking, he said, "I just feel so cared for."

Once the destination and current location are entered in, the final question is "How do you want to travel?" By bus, by car, by foot? Jesus used a similar phrase as "let's go" throughout the gospels: "Come," he said in John 7. "Are you thirsty? Come to me and drink!" Melissa said no matter how strong or ready we are, we won't be able to get to our destinations by ourselves. But Jesus didn't leave us alone: He left us the Holy Spirit. That's what we travel by - that's how we get where we want to go.

Indeed the Holy Spirit moved throughout the week. There were plenty of adventures, lots of laughter, lots of honest pain and shared stories, and finally, a group of really neat kids who were coming together to proclaim the one thing they knew was true: that God was good...and that they wanted to go wherever He was taking them. One camper said it best, when after sharing about tremendous loss in her life, she said, "I know God will use this to help me help other people. And I want my faith to be firm in that." In a collective voice they read aloud the words on a poster in the living room, "The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ - eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does!"

So with the Holy Spirit in action, and a special summer kicked into gear, we are so very thankful to have you on board, saying with us "Let's go!" And we covet your prayers as how to continue to move toward what it looks like to let go and allow God to continue to move in and through the 172 kids who will be a part of Camp Hopetown this summer.


Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

May Thank You!!

           Last summer, the gathering place for camp was the rope swing in the middle of the yard.  Any time we had free time, a line of kids could be found standing, waiting for their chance to ride the swing.  It didn't matter if they were in 2nd grade or 12th.  They loved it, and took any chance to grab ahold of that rope, run, and swing out with a sense of wild and free abandon...

            As is typical of Melissa, she used what the kids loved over the summer as a teaching metaphor.  She talked about what it looks like to trust God...and that how, in the midst of our fears and struggles, we can grab ahold of him and swing out with our own sense of abandon.

            So, one by one that night, the kids again lined up.  This time, they were in their pjs and slippers.  They climbed up on the swing and prayed with a counselor that they would learn what it means to trust God with their hearts, with their hopes, and with their lives.  And then that counselor pushed with all of their might.

            The children and families who come to Daystar Counseling Ministries are feeling anything but a sense of wild and free abandon.  They are hurting.  Afraid.  Angry.  Confused.  Something in their lives has brought them to a place where they feel hopeless and need help.

            Whether in individual counseling, groups or at Camp Hopetown, our primary mission is to restore hope for these kids and families.  As we say often, we're just hear to walk alongside—through a family's divorce, grief, a child's loneliness, depression, anxiety, abuse—through whatever issue has left them feeling alone. 

            Hebrews 6:18-19 in the Message says, "We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab hold the promised hope with both hands and never let go.  It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God..."

            It is with this hope that we are free to love.  It is with this hope that we are free to offer parents and children of all ages a reminder that we serve a God who redeems every hurt.  He holds fast to us.  The rope holds, as Melissa said over and over last summer.  And so we are free to swing out and trust him with even more abandon, confident in his goodness and love for us. 

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

April Thank You!!

This time of year, we love to keep our windows open at the Daystar office.  Let the fresh air in, hear the sounds of kids playing in the swing outside. 

A few weeks ago, the window happened to be open when an 8 year-old girl and her mom walked out of the office from their very first counseling session at Daystar.  As they stepped out onto the front porch, the girl reached up and took her Mom's hand.  "You seem happy," commented her mom.  "I don't know why," she whispered loudly, "but I just can't stop smiling."

We see a lot of children and teenagers in our offices who feel just the opposite.  Parents say to us often, "I can't remember the last time she laughed," or "He worries all of the time."  The kids who walk through our doors are carrying heavy loads.  And, for parents, to watch your child live with that kind of heaviness makes yours all the heavier.

We are grateful to be in what a boy once called "the little yellow house that helps people."  This Easter marks our fourth year to be in this location.  (Many of the kids who come can't believe someone doesn't live here.)

God has blessed us tremendously in providing this house—this home to hurting kids and families.  We are humbled by God's presence in it.  We are privileged to share in its ministry with you.  And we are overwhelmed that God continues to meet children and families here—to restore smiles and to bring hope. 

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

March THANK YOU!

For the past several years, Melissa has had our staff read something together.  Last year, we read a daily version of The Message, which is the version of the Bible we use most often at camp.  This year, we have just started 66 Love Letters, Larry Crabb's newest book. 

During our last staff meeting, we discussed different sections that had been particularly meaningful to each of us.  This was one that most of us agreed with:

"It's completely natural when something goes wrong, when you fail life or life fails you, to want to know what to do rather than how to think.  You scramble, you churn, you try to come up with some plan of action that will control the damage, relieve the discomfort, and restore some level of personal peace.

It's hard to set aside the panic, to move through the pain, to delay gratification, to live feeling empty, worthless, betrayed, and to ask, 'So what's the big picture here?  What kind of person do I want to be, for my kids, my friends, for me, for God, in the middle of this mess?  What values do I want to uphold?  What matters the most at any cost to me?  What is my life really all about right now, and what fire is still burning in me that can keep me moving toward something truly good?  What difference does the sure hope of heaven make right now on my attitudes, passions, and choices?'"

Those questions are the questions we want to help kids and parents ask and answer at Daystar.  We want to point them toward the sure hope of heaven...the hope that lies only at the heart of Jesus and, as Larry Crabb said, is spoken through the Bible. We also, as a staff, we want to be asking and answering those questions ourselves. 

We are so grateful, as always, to be in this journey with you.  Thank you for sharing hope with us—and the families that are a part of Daystar.

The Daystar Staff 

February THANK YOU!!

"We are part of a counseling ministry called Daystar.  Our office is housed in a little yellow house with a big front porch.  One seven year-old boy called it, "the little yellow house that helps people."  Our dogs, Lucy, the Havanese and Blueberry, the Old English Sheepdog (plus Dottie the yorkie-poo and now Owen the yellow lab) help us counsel the kids and families who come to Daystar.  Our offices house eight counselors and see more than two hundred kids per week between individual and group counseling.  We offer summer camps and parenting classes both in the community and beyond.  We believe in offering hope to families in any situation, and we believe in vintage values in this modern world.

Actually, we just like the whole idea of vintage in general.  On most days we have spiced tea brewing in our lobby.  There is a checkers table in one of the waiting rooms with typically two or three kids gathered around it.  At our camps the kids play chess, learn to water-ski (not just wakeboard), and help cook the meals.  We sing old-timey hymns along with worship choruses and talk about the rich meaning behind the words.  We even have Christmas at camp and take the kids to a town made up of one row of antique stores.  They have three dollars to buy a gift for the person whose name they drew.  The gifts are symbolic, like a boy who gave a counselor an old walking stick because he said she helped people stand who were struggling.  We like vintage and believe it brings out good in the lives of kids."

Are you ever asked just what exactly Daystar is?  We are...often.  Melissa and Sissy wrote this description in their newest book, Modern Parents, Vintage Values.  But, to put it very simply, we are a group of folks who have the privilege of walking with children and families as they discover hope.  And we couldn't do it without you.  Thank you for your important part of our vintage ministry.

We are so very grateful.

The Daystar Staff  

January THANK YOU!

Dear Friends

As this letter is being written, it is not really January 1^st, 2011.  It's December 10, 2010.  It is smack in the middle of Advent, and I'm writing the January contributor's letter.  I have been sitting at my desk trying to decide if I should write it now or wait till...well, till January.

As a counseling ministry, we are walking this December through a lot of darkness with kids and families.  One teenage boy has a father that has now started drinking every day in the mornings, fighting off and on with his wife until he finally passes out around 7pm.  An elementary school girl just found out that her older sister has a terminal illness.  A middle schooler has been hospitalized three times in the past month for suicidal thoughts.  The darkness feels palpable this December.

But January is coming.  In Revelation 21:5, Jesus says "See, I am making all things new."

Ezekiel 36:26 says "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

Advent is all about living in the darkness in great anticipation of the light.  That light is coming.  Our mercies are new every January 1^st, every month, and every morning in the kingdom of our Good God.  He brings light into our dark places.  He brings hope into the lives of over 800 families currently involved in Daystar who are waiting.  We are grateful to join you in serving him and bringing the hope of The Daystar into 2011.

Happy New Year,

The Daystar Staff 

December THANK YOU!

Dear Friends,
Into this silent night
           As we make our weary way
                    We know not where,
           Just when the night becomes its darkest
                    And we cannot see our path,
           Just then is when the angels rush in,
                    Their hands full of stars.
                              -Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem

Daystar Counseling Ministries is a place that exists between the Just when's and the Just then's.  Just when the night is darkest for children and families...just when your teenage daughter can't seem to pull herself out of her sadness...just when your middle school son has lost his last friend...just when the loss seems too much to bear for you and you have know idea how to help yourself, let alone your children.

In 1985, Melissa Trevathan started Daystar Counseling Ministries with a small group of kids and the motto "One life touching another."  That one life—those few lives have continued to touch others for 25 years and to the extent that our staff is now serving over 800 children and families in middle Tennessee. 

In both groups and individual counseling and through Camp Hopetown, we seek to come alongside children and families who, because of the pain and confusion they find themselves in, have lost their way.  2 Peter 1:19, the verse that Daystar was founded upon, calls us to be a light for each other  "until the day dawns and the Daystar rises in your hearts."  Until then, we are honored to share His light and His hope to the families who are a part of Daystar.  We are grateful that you are a vital part of our ministry this December and privileged to have you join us in celebration of His life that continues to touch ours in such powerful and gracious ways.

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

November Thank You!

Dear Friends,

Little did I know, some 15 years ago when my husband and I began supporting Daystar Counseling Ministries, that today I would be writing as a recipient of YOUR kind and generous giving to Daystar.  I am now a single mom of two teenage daughters and because of your generosity my daughters, along with many other sons and daughters, are getting the help they need to navigate through this time in their lives.

Whether the help children need comes in one-on-one counseling, a week at Hopetown, in a small group, or a combination of all three, your financial gifts and continued prayer support make it possible for the committed staff to do what God has so gifted them to do:  Help our children.

It is to our Good God I say "thank you" for giving YOU a heart for Daystar and the work that is taking place in the hearts of all children and families who walk through the doors of that amazing house!  Grace and Peace to you as we enter this season of Advent, may you be drawn closer to Him through your giving as my girls and I are through your generosity.

Under His Mercy,

A Daystar Mom

July THANK YOU!

Just wanted to drop a quick note.  It's crazy that the summer is already half complete. I only have 5 more weeks up here, and y'all are about to start the little kids' camps.  I also wanted to say how much I miss being there and miss being part of something as special as Daystar. In the past 3 weeks, I've met over 1100 people, and some that were in truly bad situations. Its in times like these where I realize how blessed I've been and how blessed I am to be part of Daystar. It is truly a unique organization. The lessons I learned from being a camper, counselor, and intern are still lessons I hold true today like always being positive, being a constant encourager, and always looking at situations with a mindset of joy and thankfulness. I'm excited that there are many new campers who will have the chance to be impacted like I was by the amazing group of people there. I'm excited for the growth that will occur for all the kids this year. Its just amazing to see how things I learned at camp are skills I use even in my new job. Whenever I am ungrateful at my circumstances, I think of how blessed I am to still be in the daystar family. Miss you all, hope to see y'all when I get back in August to tell me how the summer went.

This letter is one that was sent recently over facebook from a former staff member.  It was not only an encouragement to us, but a reminder that God continues to use Daystar in ripples that touch the lives of more folks than we know.  We are so very grateful for your part in those ripples that have touched the lives of so many children and families.

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff  

June THANK YOU!

Our first week at Camp Hopetown started off with Melissa teaching on the traveling psalms (or the Psalms of Ascent).  She talked about the difference between being a traveler and a tourist.  A traveler is one who engages in the journey.  A traveler participates, while a tourist observes.  With Psalms 120-134 as our guide, we spent the week learning more about what it means to connect...with where we are, who we are and a God that engages with us in the journey.  

The first line of the first Psalm of ascent is "I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me."  The distresses that came up for these kids involved eating disorders, parents separating this month, feeling hopelessness in relationships and just defeated in life.  But, every time a child shared where he or she was, another stepped in to offer hope.

It was a tremendous gift to sit with 29 high school students as they called on the Lord together and devoted their week to traveling with each other toward Christ.  And these kids did.  They loved each other, spoke truth to each other, and offered hope.  It was a privilege to watch and be a part of "one life touching another" walked out in such a beautiful way.

Thank you for joining us as we travel this road with these kids and families.  We are honored to share the journey with you.

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff 

October Thank You!

Dear Friends,

We were on the last 2 of the 20 mile Bike Thing on the Natchez Trace several years ago. A thirteen year-old girl and her dad were riding together. Her exhaustion was visible, not only in the pace of her pedaling, but in her weak facial expression, as well. As she hit the last hill of the ride, her father placed his hand on her back and rode the rest of the way with one hand on his handle bars and one hand pushing her along.

This image has stayed with all of us who saw it. It was a picture of so many things: what we want for the relationship between kids and their parents, the way God loves and supports us, and the reason that we have a Bike Thing in the first place-so that we, at Daystar Counseling Ministries, are given the tremendous honor of helping kids and families up whatever hills they are facing.

The Bike Thing this fall is on October 30. Your support means so much to the over 850 families that Daystar is currently serving. They are walking up hills of grief, loss, divorce, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and a long list of other tremendously painful situations. We count ourselves blessed to work and ride alongside you in The Bike Thing and in our ministry to hurting kids and families.

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff

Counseling for kids that were flood victims

We are offering counseling to kids that were flood victims at no cost. If you are interested, please call the office at 615-298-5353. 

May THANK YOU!

"They remained his chosen people, clogged hearts and all, and he remained their Lord—not only the Lord of the sea but also the Lord of the land and of the whole creation—who kept climbing into their boats to be with them over and over again from that day forth forevermore, with heart enough to spare, oh, with heart enough for us all..."
Barbara Brown Taylor 

Our groups at Daystar are winding down for the summer this week.  In the next few weeks, the halls will become a little quieter.  Mary's phone will ring a little less.  A few less baskets will be made in the basketball goal in the driveway and a few less cups of popcorn will be created in our popcorn machine.

Summer is coming.  And, while we we're equipped with counselors who remain in our offices to meet with children and families throughout the summer, several of us change locations.  Rather than counseling on chairs and sofas, we talk with teenagers on pontoon boats.  We ride bikes beside 7^th graders and cook pasta with 3^rd graders.

Wherever our location in the next few months, we continue to have the great honor of living out the "one life touching another" that defines Daystar.  We continue to be under the provision and care of a God who walks alongside us and climbs into our boats.  And, with His grace, we will continue to offer his hope and heart to all of the children and families involved...in all of our locations.

Thank you for your support of our ministry.  We ask for your prayers for God's hope and protection in the upcoming summer months.  We're excited to see how God climbs in.

March Thank You Letter

It has been two years today since my daughter was diagnosed with a debilitating illness.  She is in a great, great place today.  Her physical healing has come from her medication.  But her heart healing has come from Daystar.  Thank you for all you have done to support her.  I thought I would share a poem she wrote with you.

With great love and greater respect,
A Daystar Mom 

I Am

I am a girl who believes in angels because I've been through tough times.
I wonder how we can make our world a better place.
I hear angels laughing in the distance.
I see myself walking out on stage in my Broadway show.
I want all children to get an education.
I am a girl who believes in angels because I've been through tough times. 

I pretend I am a famous actress.
I feel like I can do anything.
I touch my soft warm blanket at night.
I worry that I am not good enough for the world.
I cry at the sight of a hospital bed.
I am a girl who believes in angels because I've been through tough times. 

I understand feeling frustrated.
I say, every thing is okay in the end if it's not okay, it's not the end.
I dream I am a famous actress
I try to reach out and help my community.
I hope other people can someday see me as the nice girl not just the sick girl.
I am a girl who believes in angels because I've been through tough times. 

Thank you for all you have done to support this young girl, her mother and the 886 families that are currently involved in Daystar.  We are humbled by their words and your gracious support.

Gratefully,

The Daystar Staff  

Daystar's summer expenses

Click on the following link if you would like to see exactly how your summer contribution will be used at Camp Hopetown.  

http://daystarcounseling.com/uploads/files/SummerFinances.xls

Get a stone on our Hopetown Pathway

Dear Hopetown Friends, Family, and Past and Present Staff,

For years, campers and parents alike have asked how their child can leave his or her mark on Camp Hopetown.  That idea began to come to fruition last summer with a few rocks...rocks that had words such as "be", "rock", and "refuge".   These are a personal reminder of the growth and commitments that campers made this summer.  We have decided, however, that we'd also like to have a much more visible way for past, present and incoming campers and staff to leave their mark, or name, at Hopetown.  We're continuing our summer camp theme by installing a permanent stone walkway down the steep hill toward the lake.

Many of you heard about this last fall in our mailer, but we wanted to give you another opportunity as we will be installing the path in March.  We would like to give you a chance to donate $250 for a commemorative stone.  Your child's name and time at Hopetown will, then, be engraved into a stone to be remembered by you and your family...as well as many other's who will walk their own path at Hopetown.

If you are interested, please reply by March 15th.  Let us know how you would like your stone engraved:  name, years at Hopetown, if you were an intern that can be placed on it, as well.  Your camper will, in turn, receive a postcard telling them of your gift to remember their time at camp.  

You are also welcome to donate any amount in honor of a staff member or intern from the summer and they will receive a card letting them know of your kind gift.

We are grateful for you and your part in making Hopetown all that it is!

The Daystar Staff

February Update/Thank You

As a part of the Daystar family, we would guess you know a lot about what we offer in terms of groups and individual counseling and summer programs.  That information is in all of our brochures.  We also know you know who we are as a staff, all of the way from Melissa to Blueberry, in light of last month's letter.  But what we can imagine you might not know is exactly what goes on behind the doors of our counseling offices.  People who have been involved with Daystar for years will sometimes stop and say, "Now what exactly is it that you all do?" 

We can't tell you exactly because of confidentiality.  But what we can do is give you a little glimpse into the lives and behind the doors of our counseling offices on a typical day at Daystar.  Specifically, we're going to pick out one counselor's day—and the variety of families and kids whose lives he (and you) were able to touch in just that one day...

10:00am was when he arrived at the office.  His first appointment was with a ten year-old whose dad has just relapsed for the third time.  He hasn't heard from him in three months...over his birthday and Christmas.  As you can imagine, this little boy is working through feelings of terrible loss and betrayal.

At 11:00, he met with a father of two teenage boys who had lost his wife to breast cancer several years before.  The boys are fighting constantly, to the point that one is wanting to "move out" and the other stays in his room to avoid his brother.  The house is either silent or conflictually chaotic, and this father wanted help.

His 12:00 appointment was a fifteen year-old who feels caught between his parents still after a divorce two years ago.  He feels like "I'm the only adult in the situation."  Both parents speak horribly about the other, and he is now dealing with an eating disorder as a way, he believes, to control an uncontrollable situation.

1:00 brought in a nine year-old who has extreme separation anxiety after his parents' divorce and vacillates between wanting to stay glued to his mom's side to explosive anger directed toward her.

At 2:00, he saw a young man who is terribly shy and feels that he has no friends.  They worked on him taking risks at school by sitting with new kids at lunch and interacting on his basketball team.

3:00 was an eleven year-old who has been diagnosed with a debilitating disease and is desperate to feel like a "normal kid".

At 4:00, a seventeen year-old came in whose father has been discovered in his fourth affair.  He is working through his parents' separation and the way his dad's choices have affected his own feelings not only toward his dad but toward girls', as well.

And, then, at 5:00, he had group and dinner with six high school boys who are working through similar issues, but who do a phenomenal job of speaking truth into each other's lives.

One day...one counselor, but indicative of so many of our days on staff at Daystar.  We all have the tremendous privilege of offering hope to each boy, girl, teenager, and parent who sits in our offices.  Thank you for your important part in that process. 

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff  

Nashville kind of night

http://daystarcounseling.com/system/application/assets/documents/Daystar-Nashville-Night.pdf

Thank You and Happy New Year

Happy New Year! God's grace continues to unfold to us at Daystar—in counseling, in groups, in parenting classes, just in the middle of our yellow house.  We are thankful for His provision for us. 

With a new year, we have some exciting new additions to our staff.  We wanted to update you as to who is filling our halls and meeting with the families that are now a part of Daystar Counseling Ministries.

Our Counseling Staff:

Melissa Trevathan, M.R.E., Executive Director, continues to lead us with her wisdom, counseling, teaching parenting classes, teaching at Camp Hopetown and driving our ship with grace and efficiency.

Sissy Goff, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling, leads girls' groups, counsels girls of all ages and families, teaches parenting classes, is the Director of Camp Hopetown and our staff writer.

David Thomas, M.S.S.W., Director of Men and Boys' Counseling, leads the men of Daystar with groups and individual counseling.  He also teaches a variety of parenting classes.

Jeremy Shapiro, M.Ed., M.A.P.C. leads many of our boys' groups and works with boys of all ages and their families.

David Denton, M.A., LPC-MHSP, counsels boys and young men individually, works with families and leads groups.

Heather Flener, M.F.T., counsels girls and their families on a part-time basis.

Heather James, M.Ed., is also a part-time counselor with young women and girls.

Chris Roberts, M.A.C.P., is one of our newest counselors on staff, working with guys both individually and in group counseling.  He will also be working at camp this summer.

Tracy Kouns, R.N., M.A.C.P., joined our staff this year leading many of our girls' groups,  counseling girls and their families, and will be a part of Camp Hopetown, as well.

Chelsea Lesniewski is a graduate intern from Lipscomb University who is counseling girls and helping facilitate several groups.

Tamara Price is a graduate intern from Argosy University who is helping lead groups and counseling girls individually.

Our Office Staff:

Pace Verner is our Director of Development and works diligently to plan our various fundraising and other events, as well as to keep us afloat financially.

Kathleen Goff, Assistant Director of Development is a jill of all trades helping raise funds, plan events, run Camp Hopetown and facilitate groups.

Emma Williams is our new Development Intern whom we are happy to have on board.

Mary Berndt is our welcoming office manager who graciously greets many of you who walk through our doors and helps keep the office buzzing (quietly).

Lynne Fleet is a part-time office manager and administrative assistant who keeps the office running smoothly and house functioning soundly.

Pat McCurdy is our administrative assistant who we won't allow to retire so she can continue to help us all stay on track and add her artistic touch to all we do.

Jonah, the Black Lab, adds wisdom to our pet therapy staff with his years of experience.

Lucy, the Havanese, helps counsel girls and keeps all of the other dogs minding their P's and Q's in the office.

Lolly, the Wheaten Terrier, keeps things happy and bouncing at her end of the office.

Blueberry Pancake, the Old English Sheepdog, is the official herder of our offices and our newest canine therapist.

We are blessed to work inside this little yellow house, talking to kids and families.  We are honored to be a part of His message of hope and grace.  And we are humbled by your gracious support.
 2 Corinthians 4, The Message

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff  

A Daily New Years Journey

Happy New Year! Every year for Christmas, Melissa gives our staff some creative gift to make us laugh, or warm us--sometimes physically (like down vests) or sometimes emotionally. This year was one of the latter--and one we wanted to share with you, because we thought some of you might be interested. Melissa bought us each The Daily Message, the translation by Eugene Peterson that we use the most at Camp Hopetown, broken down into daily readings with questions and comments by Peterson. Our staff is really excited to be reading through it this year and wanted to invite any of you to share the journey with us...

December Thank You

"Come, thou Long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee;
Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart."
               Charles Wesley

Come, thou Long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
From the pain of watching our children suffer and the struggles they bear, release us,
Let us all, but especially them, find their rest in thee.
You are my strength, my consolation, my hope...
Be their desire, infuse them with hope, and meet their pain with your great joy.  Amen.
 
 We are in a season of waiting...all of us.  And Daystar exists to wait with those who walk through the doors of our little yellow house.  We exist for the children who are struggling with anxiety, depression, the pain of loss, the loss of hope.  We exist for the weary parent who wants so desperately for their children to know rest from that pain and find some semblance of joy in the midst of it.
 
Daystar Counseling Ministries is meant to be a light shining in a dark place...simply, because of nights like this...specifically, because of one Christmas night when Jesus did come.  He came to set us all free.  We, at Daystar, know that hope.  We are profoundly privileged to walk alongside kids and families as they find it, and him.  And we are grateful for your partnership with us.
 
Warmly,
 
The Daystar Staff  

November Thank You Letter

   "Although everyone goes through hard times, it is not what they go through, but how they look at it, and even more valuable how they respond to it, that determines the outcome.  A situation that is stifling to one might become empowering to someone else.

   For instance, Bruce Wayne, better known as Batman, was merely ten years old when both of his parents were killed in a mugging.  Out of fear, he secluded himself from the outside world and only allowed Alfred, and later Robin, to truly befriend him.  Bruce created a hero identity as Batman in order to keep his promise to himself and help keep evil at bay.  He could be the hero, yet didn't have to be vulnerable in doing so.  He had allies, not friends.  Once Batman had done his good deed for the day, he returned to the Batcave and his distorted view of reality as Bruce Wayne.  Losing the two most important people in his life made this view of reality legitimate.  Bruce began fearing all relationships.  He might lose what he loved if he allowed himself to get too close.  This fear ended up handicapping him instead of being the protection he intended.  Unwilling to be vulnerable, Bruce missed out on much of life and certainly missed out on love.

1. Shrek had begun to not only live life, but he also chose to share himself with others.

   Although these are fictional characters, I have found myself hiding in my own Batcave and not trusting the "Donkeys" in my own life.  The end of Christmas break my kindergarten year, my mom, my sister, and I were in a car accident.  My mom broke her neck, my sister was killed, and I cracked my skull and broke my collar bone.  I lost my sister, my best friend.  Instantaneously, my perfect little world fell into shambles.  I was terrified.  All of my security had disappeared at once.  At this point I had two choices:  I could live in a bubble the rest of my life, or I could allow myself to open up to people and continue to live.  The thought of allowing myself to really love the people around me and be vulnerable was about the scariest thought a five-year old could have after losing their absolute favorite person.  For many years I chose to live in a bubble.  I kept everyone just far enough away that if something happened to them—whether it be that they moved, we just weren't friends anymore, or they died—it wouldn't hurt so badly; but close enough that I had some security.  I lived like Batman for almost a decade.

   The beginning of ninth grade I became extremely depressed and totally dysfunctional to the point that my parents pulled me out of school and began homeschooling me.  The security and flexibility of homeschooling was a way for me to begin to emerge from my Batcave allowing the Donkeys around me to pour into my life.  I needed time and space to feel.  I began going to Daystar Counseling Ministries.  Through many hours of questions, tears, and gentle nudges, my counselor became "Donkey."  I didn't necessarily like counseling at the time; it was hard work.  It was painful.  Realizing that my counselor, Donkey, was going to stick with me until I took care of the past, I began tearing down the many barriers I had put up to keep people at arm's length.  Even my family and friends had not been allowed to see my heart.  With Donkey's help, not only has my heart emerged, but I have allowed others to be a real part of my world.

   The years following, becoming increasingly involved in Daystar Ministries both in counseling for myself and helping with younger groups and summer camps, I have remained vulnerable and my healing has continued.  The Daystar staff, Donkey, my peer group, and even the younger kids I mentor have been a huge blessing to me.  They have all, in different ways, helped me realize who I am and who I can become.  Using my own story as a spring board, I want to be able to connect with others on a deeper level.  By persevering and being vulnerable with my own pain, I hope to inspire others to step out of their Batcave, realize the gifts they have, and how they can use those gifts to change not only their own life, but the lives of others around them."

   These words made up an essay for a college application recently submitted by a senior at Daystar.  As you can tell, she is a courageous, thoughtful, tender-hearted young woman, whom we are all very blessed to know.  We are also blessed to have had her Donkey on staff with us these past years.  Julia Groos Anderson and her husband, Brian, have both been a vital, compassionate, Donkey-ish force on the Daystar staff.  They are moving to Texas this December and we will miss them terribly.  But we are grateful for the many lives they have loved and touched, and for the way your life entertwines with those lives, as well. 

Happy Thanksgiving and please know this holiday season that you are not only a blessing to us, but to many children and families at Daystar. 

Warmly,

The Daystar Staff

October Thank You Letter

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not unto your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight and smooth."

                                                                        Proverbs 3:5-6

"We have a memory verse every week at school.  This is our verse of the week."

This from the lips of an 8 year-old little girl whose path is not so straight or smooth right now.  Her parents are in the midst of a very heated divorce.  She has witnessed her mother yell and scream at her dad on countless occasions.  She has watched her mother hit him many times.  She is 8 years old.  She loves her mother, and is terribly sad...and terribly confused.

"My mommy is sad.  She's not a bad mommy.  She's just sad and doesn't know what to do."

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not unto your understanding.  As she said these words, she sat up a little straighter and smiled.  In spite of the heartache, she has truth to hang on to.  And that is what Daystar is about...offering truth and hope in the mist of heartache. 

We are thankful to have a place for this girl and so many girls and boys like her to come, talk, and be reminded of truth.  And we are thankful for the hope and wisdom of Christ, in which we can all fully trust.  It is an honor to share this truth with them...and with you.

Thank you for your gracious support.

The Daystar Staff

Health Policy

Daystar Counseling Ministries asks that if your children have had flu-like symptoms or a fever, please keep them home until they are fever free - without any medication - for at least 24 hours.  Please call the 298-5353 if you have any questions or concerns.

Hopetown Path of Remembrance

Dear Hopetown Friends, Family, and Past and Present Staff,

For years, campers and parents alike have asked how their child can leave his or her mark on Camp Hopetown.  That idea began to come to fruition this summer with a few rocks...rocks that had words such as "be", "rock", and "refuge".   These are a personal reminder of the growth and commitments that campers made this summer.  We have decided, however, that we'd also like to have a much more visible way for past and present campers and staff to leave their mark, or name, at Hopetown.  We're continuing our summer camp theme by installing a permanent stone walkway down the steep hill toward the lake.

We have currently raised $103,000 toward our goal of $140,000 for this summer. If you would like to leave your child's or your own (if you are a previous camper or staff member) mark on Hopetown AND help us finish out our summer fundraising, you can donate $250 for a commemorative stone.  Your child's name and time at Hopetown will, then, be engraved into a stone to be remembered by you and your family...as well as many other's who will walk their own path at Hopetown.

If you are interested, please reply by September 30th.  Let us know how you would like your stone engraved:  name, years at Hopetown, if you were an intern that can be placed on it, as well.  Your camper will, in turn, receive a postcard telling them of your gift to remember their time at camp.  

You are also welcome to donate any amount in honor of a staff member or intern from the summer and they will receive a card letting them know of your kind gift.

We are grateful for you and your part in making Hopetown all that it is!

September Thank You Letter

Dear Daystar Supporter,

For many years, Melissa has referred to the staff of Daystar as a "scraggly group."  We come from different places...different family backgrounds...different denominations...and different training experiences as counselors.  But, we have three primary things in common:

1)We all believe that Jesus is not only the Son of God, but the source of ultimate hope and healing for the children and families who come to Daystar.

2)We all feel called to this counseling ministry in a little yellow house.

3)We are all walking alongside kids and families on feet of clay.  We fail.  We fail often.  And we are well aware of it.  But we join with the families of Daystar in knowing that Jesus provides our hope and that he offers that hope in spite of and even, sometimes, because of our failure.  We are honored to be a part of what he is doing inside the yellow house.  And, even though our members change from time to time, we remain committed to the Daystar and the hope he does provide.

So, here's an update on the scraggly group at Daystar this fall:

Melissa Trevathan, M.R.E., Executive Director and Founder
Sissy Goff, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling
David Thomas, M.S.S.W., Director of Men and Boys' Counseling
Jeremy Shapiro, M.A.P.C.
Julia Anderson, M.Ed.
David Denton, M.A., LPC-MHSP
Heather Flener, M.F.T.
Heather James, M.Ed.

Our Counseling Interns:
Brian Anderson
Chelsea Lesniewski
Tamara Price

Pace Verner, Director of Development
Kathleen Goff, Assistant Director of Development
Mary Berndt, Office Manager
Pat McCurdy, Administrative Assistant
Lynne Fleet, Assistant Office Manager and Administrative Assistant
Jonah, the Black Lab
Lucy, the Havanese
Blueberry, the Old English Sheepdog and the newest member of the Daystar Staff

We are grateful to be sharing this clay-footed journey with you.  Thank you for sharing hope with us and the Daystar families. 

The Daystar Staff

August Thank You Letter

Dear Daystar Supporter,

August is here.  No more piles of tennis shoes and flip flops filling the cubbies at Hopetown.  No more children swinging on the rope swing.  No laughter floating down from the upstairs girls' sleeping porch.  No strains of "How Great Thou Art" ringing through the house.  It is quiet.  Except for the whispers of words that have been spoken.  Encouragement that has been given.  Stories that have been told.  And hope that has been shared.  We wanted to share just one more story of that hope with you, from a mom of a first year camper at the 2^nd-4^th grade camp.

"When I first got to camp, my daughter grabbed me and started taking me down the walkway to the basketball swing.  On her way she grabbed my hand and started telling me about writing her sins on rocks.  She was talking a mile a minute...as if she had been holding this information inside and it was erupting out!!  She tells me that afterwards they came down to the dock and threw their rocks into the lake.  She then asks me if I knew that Jesus has the power to forgive and then FORGET.... as far as from the east is to the west.  I say "yes" and was about to remind her that I have taught her this truth before, however, she quickly interrupts me with more of her story.... never really hearing me at all!  She then tells me about how amazing it was and then stops on the path and looks at me.  I realize that this is when I should speak...and I ask,"How did that make you feel?"  She looks at me and says with the biggest grin I've ever seen...."Mom, it made me feel like a BRAND NEW GIRL!!  I don't have to hold all those sins ANYMORE!!"

We had a lot of brand new girls...and boys...and counselors this summer.  Thanks to nineteen staff
members who gave up their summer to love on 178 2^nd through 12^th graders.  Thanks to board members who prayed and sent notes and packages to a weary staff.  Thanks to you, for supporting and covering us in prayers for safety and for God's gracious movement in the lives of kids.  And, ultimately, thanks to Him...who is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever ask.  We are more than grateful.

Warmly (and a little tired-ly),
The Daystar Staff

A Hopetown Wrinkle in Time

What a Wrinkle in Time we have been blessed with this summer. To think that we have completed six camps and seen two-hundred kids experience the Hope that comes from the cross, we can't help but look back in wonder... in wonder that God has provided safety, movement in each child's heart, and carried out His plan in such magnificence. 

The first night of 7th-8th grade camp we watched the made-for-TV movie, A Wrinkle in Time. For those of you who haven't read it, it is a story of good and evil and the fact that even an awkward, self-conscious pre-teen and her little brother can make a difference. We talked at camp about lots of different themes, but one was how we are called to have a sense of Wonder at the works of God. 

Melissa taught one night on 1 Kings 19 and how Elijah stood on the mountain waiting for God to pass by and that first there was a mighty wind, then an earthquake, and a fire...but it was in the gentle breeze that He came. We talked about how so often we talk about this verse in terms of how God came in the gentle breeze, but this week we talked about the Wonder, Terror, and Amazement that Elijah must have experienced standing on that mountain feeling the mighty wind, Earthquake and watching the fire blaze around him. 

After the morning that we talked about 1 Kings, we went on the lake and tube'd, played on our new double banana, fished, skied, and went to dinner on the lake. On our way back to Hopetown from dinner, I heard little voices of wonder all around me saying "look at that rainbow" "Have you ever seen a triple rainbow?" "Wow"...

That is my favorite part of Camp Hopetown. That it is not us who creates the experience or wonder for the kids, but God. He has consistently shown us His wonder this summer...through rainbows, safe-keeping, lightning shows, rocks, small and tall children, and so on. 

Thank you all so much for being a part of showing us His wonder by praying, cleaning, building, and giving money, banana boats, boats, bikes, life jackets, and food... We are so grateful, to all of you and many others, that we have currently raised $94,740!!! We do still have $45,260 to get us through the summer months. You may ask how we still have this much to go... it, however, costs $35,000 monthly over and above counselor fees to run the office...along with clean-up and follow-up of camp costs. 

Thank you all so much for your support this summer! We truly are in wonder of your willingness to give in so many ways!

Thank you,
Kathleen Goff & Brian Anderson

Haggai

Isaiah 4:5-6...2-4th Grade Hopetown Style!

With the 2nd-4th graders this year, we talked about Isaiah 4:5-6 and Jesus as our shade, shelter, refuge, and/or hiding place. We also included, as a picture of Christ's enjoyment and delight in us, Jesus as our swing. The basketball rope swing was a favorite gathering place of the 2nd-4th graders and a sweet picture of Jesus' desire to spend time with us. The swing could not be more appropriate for the 2nd-4th graders who swiftly swung right through their time at Camp Hopetown.

This week we have taked a lot about how when God came to the Israelites in the desert, He said that He was their fire by night and cloud by day. We have swiftly discussed what exactly it meant that Jesus was a cloud and fire. We believe that he meets us where we are, whether desert or swing, and comes to protect us by cloud during the day, and guide us by fire at night.

We are SO thankful for the many ways you all are a picture of the body of Christ to us by protecting and leading us through the summer. Whether it be praying for safety, helping problem solve when boats/vans/bananna's break down, cleaning, and/or giving financially, you each individually serve as our fire by night and cloud by day. Thank you!!

We are very hopeful to have raised $88,330 so far this summer! It is such an exciting thing to get to update ya'll weekly and watch together as our numbers increase!! We, however, do have another $51,670 to go this summer. We had a Daystar mom ask last summer what exactly this money will accomplish. Just for ya'll to know and be on board when people ask, this money will keep the doors open and people bustling at the Daystar House and Hopetown throughout the rest of July and August. 

Thank you, again, so much for your being a part of God's provision for us as a shade, shelter, refuge, hiding place, swing, fire, and cloud!!!! You all have quite a bit of impact around here!!

Gratefully, 

Kathleen Goff & Brian Anderson
"Then the Lord will create over all Mr. Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain." Isaiah 4:5-6

9-10th Grade Camp

Hopetown Ho Ho Ho's

For you all in Nashville, it may be a warm summer day...but here at Hopetown it's Christmas time. 

All summer we have been talking about rocks, but this week we've specifically talked about boulders with our 9th-10th grade campers. Melissa talked this camp about a mountain biking trip that she, Sissy, and Pace went on a few years ago. She reminisced on how when she would see a big rock or boulder, she would try so hard not to hit it that she right into it and got all tripped up. 

We talked about how the bible uses metaphors like the one above. We are called to follow the path, rather than focusing on the boulders, and consequently embark on the adventure of learning to trust the Lord and see the bigger picture. As friends, we are able help one another when they hit the boulders and remind each other to go to the rock that is higher than you and I (and our boulder).

We are so thankful for all of you who have embarked on this journey with us! As you all know, we often hit small and large boulders at Hopetown....but they are more in the form of boats and vans breaking down, bike tires going flat, more scholarship applications than ever before because of the economy, and so on. We are so thankful for all of you who help to remind us to focus on the path and that there is someone bigger than you and I. 

You all have helped remind us of His greatness in many ways. One way, specifically, is that many of you have helped us raise $86,600!! We are so thankful for where we are, but must also look forward and know that we have another $53,400 to go in order to keep the doors open at Daystar and Hopetown throughout the summer. If any of you know anyone who may be interested in (1) underwriting the 4Winns boat to be fixed for $230, (2) scholarship-ing one of the four scholarship'd kids at this camp for $650, (3) donating bikes, or (4) underwriting the rental of our replacement rental van due to a microburst/wind damage to the first rental for $599... please feel free to respond to this email or call Kathleen's cell phone at 214-738-5996 if you have any questions. 

Thank you all so much for your prayers and blessings upon these kids and this place. We are truly so grateful for all of you!

Gratefully,
Kathleen Goff & Brian Anderson
"From the ends of the earth I call to you, 
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
Psalm 61:2-3

Camp Hopetown 11-12th Grade

Jeremiah 29:11-14
Seek God and His plan will be revealed. 
Encourage with the hope of what God can do.

The below letter was written by Laura Allen, an eleventh grade girl, who was told (with the rest of the group) that she was to write a note as if everyone else in the room was discouraged and she was the only one who had hope...

"Wherever you are, God can find you, and you can find God. If you need a sense of hope & security, know that there is none greater than the hope the Lord offers. Our spirits are made alive in Him. Our hearts are made full in Him. Our minds are opened in Him. His realness and the truth in His words are astounding. And I believe there is no greater adventure than the adventure of seeking the Realness of God. And I believe there is no greater treasure than that which is found in His truth. If you seek that, you may very well be a different person each day - as your spirit is made alive in Him. Let His face shine upon you. Let His words of wisdom and truth guide you and bring you home. Join with Him in an adventure of unimaginable excitement and sincere fulfillment and contentment."

We are so thankful for all of you for being a part of this adventure with us. We are SO grateful and encouraged at Hopetown because we have been very blessed in the last week and our summer contributions are now up to $74,910 out of $140,000. This week we have a young man who is a senior in high school and his Dad has lost his job and, therefore, is on a full scholarship for camp. If you all know of anyone interested in helping with this, please let us know. Also, if any of you have road or hybrid bikes that you would want to donate or know of someone who might, we have worn down a few of ours over the years and are needing some replacements. 

Thank you all!!
Kathleen and Brian

First Camp of 2009

Camp Hopetown is officially in full swing!

Today is day three, and we've been blessed with a most laid back and enjoyable group to get us into the swing of things! ?We started camp with Star Trek. You might ask, why? The Star Trek in theaters is about how Captain Kirk and Spock came to be...what struggles they went through, what their families were like, how their environments shaped them, the paths they chose...in essence: their stories. Melissa then taught on Joshua 4:19-20, where God said to scoop stones up from the riverbed and put them on the bank of the Jordan in remembrance of His drying the waters to move them across it. Being a forgetful people, He encourages us also to remember our stories: the ones that make us who we are. We have therefore gone back to our younger days to see how we became Kylie, Carter, Lauren, and Taylor...and how God worked in our stories. One of the girls today talked about how it is not through the huge stones, but through the little ones that make up the pathway before her, that she has become who she is. She told a story from when she was little about how her mom would come into her room after she'd fallen asleep and invite her to climb in her bed and watch ice skating when her dad was out of town. Such sweet memories were for her, the stones she wanted to place in remembrance.

On a practical note...we wanted to catch ya'll up on our current state of affairs at Daystar (that make this amazing place possible): ?

*We have currently raised $62,290 out of our $140,000 summer goal! We are SO thankful for the many of you who have made this possible. We, however, have a little farther to go. If you all know of anyone we should send summer info to that might be interested in supporting us, please let us know. ?

Thank You,
Kathleen & Brian
"My story is important not because it is mine, God knows, but because if I tell it anything like right, the chances are you will recognize that in many ways it is yours...It is precisely through these stories in all their particularity, as I have long believed and often said, that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally. If this is true it means that to lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but also spiritually."?
Frederick Buechner
Telling Secrets

Daystar's Dearest Lifeguard

Dear Daystar Friends,

If you've been to the Daystar house or Camp Hopetown in the past twelve years, you have been greeted, licked, and probably sat upon by a wonderful, warm, shaggy sheepdog named Molasses.  On any given day, you could find Molasses sitting on the couch in the waiting room with her paw on someone's shoulder or jumping into the lake to save a stray child at camp. She spent twelve years as a lifeguard to us all, but especially to Melissa.  It is with heavy hearts that we wanted to let you know that Molasses' sweet life came to a close yesterday. Her hips finally got the best of her and the pain was just more than her brave heart could bear.  She was surrounded by Melissa and friends from the Daystar staff, and now has a beautiful little spot in the backyard of the Daystar house.  We know, however, that Molasses is not there...that she is already in Heaven herding Noel, Patty and Puddy and reigning as the lifeguard supreme over all God's creatures. Thank you for your love for her and Melissa over the years.  

We will be starting a memorial for Camp Hopetown kids in Molasses' honor.  If you are interested in giving, please email or call Kathleen.

 Gratefully,

The Daystar Staff

Hopetown Crew

Thank you to all of you who helped make Daystar's First Annual Pancake Breakfast such a success!! 

The Daystar House was overflowing the morning of Saturday May 2nd with pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, Daystar supporters, Daystar Campers/Leaders/Chef's, and sailboats.  

We so enjoyed a morning of community with our Hopetown Crew. We shared in learning about the current needs of Daystar and how to reach our goal of $140,000 for Camp Hopetown to take place.

We are so grateful for all of your support and are excited as Camp Hopetown is just around the corner!! 

Newest additions to our library of staff authors

Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys

Stephen James and David Thomas

"God has entrusted a unique and powerful gift to David Thomas to understand the complex language of a boy's heart and to help interpret it for those of us who love and lead boys.  This is an important book about a very important subject." - Steven Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman

"David Thomas is a godsend! I cannot express how valuable he has been to the life of my son.  His compassiona nd love for children is overwhelming.  I know that this book will impact parents and children like no other. This is a must-read for every parent." - Sara Evans, recording artist

Growing Up Without Getting Lost: Discovering Your identity in Christ

Melissa Trevathan and Sissy Goff

For girls 15-19

"What a valuable resource for high school girls! We have known Melissa over the years as a youth leader, mentor, and friend, and Sissy as a gifted counselor and mentor to many teens in our community. Now, they are authors who have produced a work that will help girls all over the country discover who God is calling them to be."
-Michael W. and Debbie Smith, Author, Songwriters, and Recording Artist, Parents of 5

Mirrors & Maps: A Girl's Guide to Becoming a Teen

Melissa Trevathan and Sissy Goff

For girls 11-14

“There’s nothing like setting out on a journey that’s clearly mapped in front of you. Mirrors & Maps does just that! I love the way it not only prepares young girls for the road ahead but also allows them to get to know themselves better along the way. I only wish this book had been around for my journey. Dream big!” - Melinda Doolittle, American Idol Finalist and Recording Artist

Camp Hopetown is Quickly Approaching

Whether we are playing on the lake, cooking together, or having worship, the time is always spent with a purpose. The hearts of the kids are softened through relationship. Their faith is strengthened during our wosrship time and Melissa’s teaching each morning and evening. And, the strengthening comes as each child, regardless of age, sees that he or she has the ability to make a profound difference in the lives of others.

As we share, laugh, play, and worship together we experience hope... the hope of what things can be now and will one day become as we all learn to love and live as God has called us to in the midst of the darkness.