There, I Will Be There

A day of praise and prayers. I love Young Life Leaders meetings it is a family of believers who have been called to bring Christ into the lives of teens in our town. These people who I have had the honor of walking beside in youth ministry are loving and kind and firm in their faith. We come together once a month to plan, worship, pray for each other and catch up on our individual lives. Each of them loves the others and their families.

It is sometimes a battle that we walk into in ministering on high school and middle school campuses to youth. Today, we read how Esther was willing to walk into danger to save her people. We must be willing to risk and boldly reach out to kids with the truth about our Christ. There is an urgency to cast the nets for youth in our town and in our country. Their eternity depends on it!

I am humbled by the task and although unqualified, willing to step out and prayerfully begin this new year with Him. So many youth feel abandoned these days our attention to them can be a powerful tool in giving them a glimpse of Christ's never ending love.

The idea this year is to be there. When kids say who are those people? Or parents inquire about the lady with the YL on her shirt, our hope is that they will say those people are the ones who are always there. There to pitch in and help, there to listen, there to give rides, there to do whatever needs to be done. Being there is how we earn the right to be heard by parents, kids, and school staffs. This is essential in reaching every kid everywhere for eternity. A lofty goal perhaps but 1 that is worth striving for.

The furthest out kid is not coming into our churches, so we must go out and be there in his or her world. So my prayer request is simple; give me the strength, energy, and courage to be there in my community for teens.

In Him,
Joyful
8-29-10