I have to be awake in a couple hours…the problem is I’m awake now. I have a lot running through my head – everything from my lesson for small group tomorrow night to what I should get my nephew for Christmas…oy vey. Speaking of Small Group – let me give you a sneak peak of what goes on Wednesday nights in my home – for about 1.5 hours every week, 8 girls walk into my home. I also have another young woman helping me, and let me tell you – she is a God-sent, ready and willing to serve  in teaching, encouraging, praying and even driving (she often gives girls rides to and from small group, giving up her valuable time just to ensure girls are consistently engaging in our community). We’ve been meeting in my basement discussing God, life and where those two things intersect. We’ve also been praying a lot for one another-to hear the prayers these girls utter is such a precious part of our time. I’ve been really burdened for these girls lately – I look back at my closest set of friends in Jr. High – not many of them have made the best decisions, seems like the world just has a way of sucking them into a vaccuum. I couldn’t help but wonder what the story holds for my small group. I increasingly feel more and more what a parent must feel – a deeply rooted longing to protect a child from every bad choice, motive, influence, character trait, inicident, etc. I admit at times hanging around a bunch of talkative teens is the last thing I want to do after a long day of answering phones, writing emails, reporting to others and making sure I’m communicating all that I have to to keep up with my work. But then I think of the accountability, encouragement, sister-hood and community that God fosters and I feel His strength enabling me. Girls in jr./sr. high school have it rough, (I think things have gotten harder since I was in high school which was only 6 years ago) and my prayer is that every girl that passes through the youth ministry program at DHEFC will realize the following:
1. They are deeply loved by Jesus
2. Their life has a purpose
3. They were created by God

Would you join with me in praying for the girls of the youth group? Pray that they wouldn’t go off course, following the empty promises of the world, but that they would know the greatest love there is, the greatest eternal purpose that they could live for, the most loving being who out-shines any other suitor. I get excited thinking about young women who will change lives by showing the world a faith that is gentle yet strong…I think of the hope they profess and how that hope will come into the lives of those who are at wit’s end.

November 11th, 2009 | Tags: DHEFC, students, Teenagers, Youth Group, youth ministry | Category: sam reflects | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL