REMERTON — A high-energy, high-impact, school assembly production of live music, drama and real-life stories is coming to Brooks, Cook and Echols counties.

The message FutureNow is bringing to the students is simple, but powerful: The decisions you make today — drugs, alcohol, sex — will affect your futures.

Based in Remerton, FutureNow is taking that message to at least 18 communities in Georgia and Florida — as far north as Macon all the way down to Broward County, Fla., just north of Miami, this coming school year.

“We’ve already received inquiries from Brooks, Cook and Echols, and we’re working on setting up events in those places,” said Elton Dixon, FutureNow director of operations. “We invite readers from those areas to contact us at 245-9499 if they would like to take part in bringing us in.”

While the group has a daytime program in schools promoting the right choices, its program at night is Christian-themed, according to Chris Musgrove, who founded FutureNow with his wife, Terri, in 2001. Both are former youth pastors.

“We youth pastored for 20 years and had a heart to reach young people with a positive message,” Chris said. “We started writing music and dramas conveying a positive, motivating message of having a vision and a hope.”

FutureNow has traveled all over Florida and Georgia doing public school assemblies.

“We partner with Fellowship of Christian Athletes at night,” Chris said. “That’s where we can come in and do a salvation message.

“Instead of focusing on the problem, we like to talk about having a plan. Next year will be 25 years I’ve worked with young people. It seems to me that drugs, alcohol, premarital sex are just symptoms of the bigger problem — they don’t have a plan. We can’t quote Scriptures during the day, but I always think of this Scripture, Proverbs 29:18, which says, ‘Without a vision, the people shall perish.’ I’ve heard someone say, ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll take every road.’”

Terri said the program FutureNow presents includes three dramas, two songs with a live band and two or three people talking about real life stories.

FutureNow has presented its program at Valdosta High School, Newbern and Valdosta middle schools, Lowndes High, Hahira and Lowndes middle schools.

“We usually go back every two-three years,” Chris said. “We’ve done every school in Southwest Georgia except Seminole and Grady counties, and we’re on schedule to go (to Grady).”

College students are mainly used to present the program, as well as a couple of musicians who come and play.

Amy-Leigh Cavanagh of Scotland is interning with FutureNow for a year. She had met the Musgroves when they went to Scotland in 1998.

“I’ve learned so much from being here,” she said. “In Scotland, it’s so hard to be a Christian ... but here you can be so open and talk about God. It’s amazing and it’s something I’m hoping to take back to Scotland.