Adventist Investiture Achievement Awards/Friend/Personal Growth

=Friend / Personal Growth=

2b. Journal your thoughts by asking these questions
You may journal through writing, drawing, or through electronic process.
 * "What did I learn about God?" answer by self
 * "What did I learn about Myself?"answer by self
 * "How can I apply this to my life today?"answer by self

The Pathfinder Pledge and Law
Pledge

By the grace of God I will be pure, kind, and true.

I will keep the pathfinder law

I will be a servant of God and a friend to man.

♦	"By the grace of God" means that I will rely on Him, realizing that His strength is made perfect in my weakness. It means that only as I rely on God can I do His will. It means that only through grace are we saved from our sins through the power of Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer.

♦	"I will be pure" means I will rise above the wicked world in which I live and keep my life clean with words and actions that will make others happy.

♦	"I will be kind" means that I will be considerate and kind not only to my fellow men but to all of God's creation as well.

♦	"I will be true" means that I will be honest and upright in study, work and play and can always be counted on to do my very best.

♦	"I will keep the Pathfinder Law" means that I will seek to understand the meaning of the Pathfinder Law and will strive to live up to its spirit, realizing that obedience to law is essential in any organization.

♦	"I will be a servant of God" means that I pledge myself to serve God first, last and best in everything I am called upon to be or do.

♦	"I will be a friend to man" means that I will live to bless others and do unto them as I would have them do unto me.

Law

The Pathfinder Law is for me to:

Keep the morning watch

Do my honest part

Keep a level eye

Be courteous and obedient

Walk softly in the sanctuary

Keep a song in my heart

Go on God's errands

♦	Keep the Morning Watch. Every boy and girl should have prayer and Bible study every day. The best way to start the day is by studying the Morning Watch which has been prepared as a daily devotional for every Seventh-day Adventist junior boy and girl. The first food I need is the Word of God. I will study and meditate upon it and make it part of my daily devotions. I will pray, thanking God for His blessings and asking Him for the things I and others need. God has promised to hear me. I will share what I have learned in the Word of God with my family and others. I want Jesus to come soon, and I want others to know Him personally as I do. I will keep the Morning Watch because it is the plan of God to enrich my life and prepare me for His kingdom.

♦	Do My Honest Part. "The world does not so much need men of great intellect as of noble character." Education, page 225. "A character formed according to the divine likeness is the only treasure that we can take from this world to the next. Those who are under the instruction of Christ in this world will take every divine attainment with them to the heavenly mansions. And in heaven we are continually to improve. How important then, is the development of character in this life." Messages to Young People, pages 100, 101. Recognizing this great need in the world and in my life I will not be afraid of anything that is my duty. I will cheerfully carry all my responsibilities at home, in school, and in the church. I will show good sportsmanship in play and always strive to do my best. I will do my honest part by keeping out of trouble, taking care of my money, respecting that which is not mine and faithfully carrying out all my responsibilities.

♦	Care for My Body. "One of the greatest aids in perfecting pure and noble characters in the young, strengthening them to control appetite and refrain from debasing excesses, is sound physical health." Messages to Young People, page 233. I recognize that the time to establish good habits, to learn self-control and to keep a healthy body is in my youth. I also recognize that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that I have been entrusted with its care. It is my responsibility to learn principles and norms which will help me live happily and free from the vices and corruptions of the world. I will endeavor to keep my body strong by deep breathing, exercise, proper diet and dress, and by refraining from the use of alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and drugs.

♦	Keep a Level Eye. At Fort Lincoln, Washington, D.C., there is a statue of Christ which appears to look in all directions. No matter where you stand the eyes of the Lord are upon you. The Bible says: "The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3. Keeping a level eye means that no matter where we are, out in the open or in the dark alleys of life, we can look at Jesus straight in the eye and not be afraid. Adam and Eve ran from the presence of God. They could not face Him because they had sinned. In order to keep a level eye, I must not lie or deceive. I will tell the truth even if it hurts. I will despise filthy thinking and dirty talk. I will think more of others than of myself.

♦	Be Courteous and Obedient. "The golden rule is the principle of true courtesy, and its truest illustration is seen in the life and character of Jesus. Oh, what rays of softness and beauty shone forth in the daily life of our Saviour! What sweetness flowed from His very presence! The same spirit will be revealed in His children." Messages to Young People, page 420. I want to be courteous because courtesy is love shining out of a heart that reflects the love of Jesus. I will always give a kindly greeting and ever be ready to help the stranger, the aged, the sick, the poor, and the little ones. I realize that obedience to God must come first, obedience to parents next and obedience to teachers and other persons in authority follow. I want to follow the example of Jesus, who was obedient even unto death on the cross. He came to fulfill a mission and was obedient to His heavenly Father.

♦	Walk Softly in the Sanctuary. When Moses went into the presence of God to receive the Ten Commandments the people were told to sanctify them-selves and to wash their clothes. They were to be reverent before the God of the universe. "Children and youth should never feel that it is something to be proud of to be indifferent and careless in meetings where God is worshiped." Messages to Young People, page 266. I will walk softly in the sanctuary, making my feet, my hands, and my heart fit the time and place. God is in the church building, because it is dedicated to His service. In the church I will be quiet, careful and reverent in all I do and say. I will be reverent in prayer; I will close my eyes and have a proper posture as I talk to God. I will respect the sanctuary, its buildings, its furniture; I will not talk to my peers; I will remember that the angels cover themselves in humility as they approach the throne of God.

♦	Keep a Song in My Heart. "The melody of praise is the atmosphere of heaven; and when heaven comes in touch with the earth there is music and song-'thanksgiving and the voice of melody.'" Messages to Young People, page 291. We know that music is as much an act of worship as is prayer. Many times youth do not understand this and songs are sung without meaning. We must learn to praise God here on earth, for this will be one of the themes of eternity. There should be joy in our hearts because Jesus came and died on the cross for all of us. I will keep a song in my heart because I am happy, because I've been redeemed. I will sing while I am alone and while I am with others. I want them to feel the joy of salvation with me, the joy of a Christian, the happiness one experiences with Christ. I will sing when things are right and I will sing when things are wrong. I know that trials and tribulations are God's way of teaching and molding me. "Let there be singing in the home, of songs that are sweet and pure, and there will be fewer words of censure, and more of cheerfulness and hope and joy. Let there be singing in the school, and the pupils will be drawn closer to God, to their teachers, and to one another." Messages to Young People, page 292.

♦	Go On God's Errands. The supreme purpose of every Adventist Junior Youth is to do God's work. "Children can be acceptable missionary workers in the home and in the church. God desires them to be taught that they are in this world for useful service, not merely for play. In the home they can be trained to do missionary work that will prepare them for wider spheres of usefulness. Parents, help your children to fulfill God's purpose for them." Messages to Young People, page 225.

4. Learn the Pathfinder Song
http://www.pathfindersonline.org/pathfinder-song

Advanced Requirements
None