One Month Anniversary

While most of us used to dread Mondays, this house full of kids now can't wait for the beginning of the week. When Monday rolls around again that means we get to go to Young Life Campaigners. One of my girls pointed out that tonight marked our one month anniversary of Young Life. It sure felt like a party.

 

First Todd, one of the YL volunteers, cooked a gourmet steak dinner for us during leadership. I have loved working with this group of adults that are so excited to be investing their time and energy into the lives of these kids. Because of their faith they are motivated to make this a consistent priority.

 

The night begins for the kids at 7:32. In the other areas I've led, they usually don't all get there until closer to 8:00. But by 7:35 tonight the room was packed-- kids were finding seats on the floor by the front door, on the stairs and in the hallway.

 

We sang Blessed Be Your Name and Mighty to Save together and hearing one of the girls yell, "COME ON GUYS!" and then starting to clap had to be one of my favorite moments. For many of them, this is the first time they've sang worship songs so we're getting used to the routine and learning the words.

 

We watched The Butterfly Circus together next. It's the movie we watched this past summer at Tecumseh during staff training and then with the CILTs. I love this story of Will and how he finds new life and a new self-image once he learns that is magnificent-- that he is beautifully and wonderfully made. It's a story of transformation.

 

Then everyone dispersed to every room in the house to sit in a circle together and talk. We talked about The Butterfly Circus and the sheet and our lives. I wish Campaigners could last for another hour, there just always seems like we have so much more to say.

 

 

For me, tonight is proof that God is alive and at work in my life as well as all of these kids. I feel so blessed to get to be part of this whole thing.

In the past month I've seen kids that are so eager to be part of an authentic community.

I've seen leaders build new relationships with kids.

I've seen different groups of kids get to know each other on a deep level.

I've heard kids ask real questions about God and make realizations about their own faith.

Kids I never would have expected have walked into this house.

I've had people start conversations about Young Life in the gym, in the grocery store and on a field trip.

These kids are sharing the news that this is something that brings them life and joy and they want more people to be a part of it.

 

Tonight we talked about Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." If that's true, God must have know about everything that would happen this past month. Now I can't wait to see what will happen in the next four weeks. I think we'll continue to be blown away by how He is working.