Our Alliance topic goes right along with one of my favorite stories about Teddy Stoddard and his teacher Mrs. Thompson, who was willing to look past Teddy's unpleasant attitudes to the story behind them.  We're talking together about "Dealing with Rotten Attitudes in Your Students."

We know when a kid's attitude is disheveled or when they come across a little unpleasant that it's pretty easy to be frustrated or discouraged with the youth ministry journey.  But it's in those moments that we get to see a little bit more of a read-out on our student's hearts.  It's in those moments that we get to be a little bit more of a Mr. or Mrs. Thompson to our students.  We get to look at our students and see past all the junk on the outside, to hear the "story behind the story" and to give them HOPE to change.