"With each breath my heart burns with embers sparked to life. Who I am now... God knew from the moment I was a child, that no matter how much I forced Him away, I would simply end up closer to Him than before... that as I pushed away His embrace, the safer I'd feel when I was back in His hold."
"I feel God's presence here tonight, like I did last week when He was washing me and healing me. It's good to know that God is near."
Yes, these quotes above are from the youth of my city. The kids I quoted above are all only 14/15 years old. I am amazed at the wisdom that they hold, at the unspoken sense that speaks volumes about their experience and their stories. This is just a fraction of the students I deal with almost every day. It's incredible to know what some of these kids have gone through and even what some of them deal with every single day. I am constantly reminded of a generation of beautiful, broken, and revolutionary souls that I am so blessed to have in my life. All of them are dealing with very deep hurts in their lives in some capacity or another, and all of them have phenomenal potential that I see many of them soaring to new heights of every week!
I was overwhelmed this past week with the realization of how much I love these kids. How honored I am to see them truly reaching out and making differences in their worlds. I wish I could give even just a glimpse of the things that I see them posting on their facebook, the stories I hear them tell as I give them rides home, or even the profound knowledge that I receive via hand-written letters that a couple of these girls have handed me this past Tuesday. My heart both aches at their scars and swells with pride at the things I see them walk out. Some of these things are a very difficult part of these processes in life.... some of it is the evidence that ANYONE could change the world.
Perhaps I am one of the few in this world that can honestly say without a moments hesitation that I love teenagers... every rebellious, emotional, kid who gives in to peer pressure, every awkward, smelly, ADD, stoner, scene kid and stuck up cheer leader.... Perhaps I have been cursed that God has given me this call on my life... but again, I argue that it is a blessing. One of the greatest blessings that I could ever ask for! They have taught me just as much or more than I could ever hope to teach them and I truly believe that the best part of it all is the chance to see God doing a work in their hearts and changing them from the inside out. Seeing them then take that baton and run the race set before them, reaching out to their peers and their families, and at times... even to complete strangers! This is a group of History Makers no doubt! A revolution of "kids" that are starting to grasp a hold of and believe that they can truly do ANYTHING with God's help. They truly do inspire me.
I am so blessed that I was asked about 3 and a half years ago to be a part of the youth ministry at my church. Kyle and Dani are the best youth pastors anyone could ever asked for! I am honored beyond words that I am given the opportunity week after week to be a part of what they do in reaching the youth of our city- to be a part of changing this city. These kids have capture my heart, some of them very quickly and I know that nothing can change that for me. The Connection is my life. :) Jesus is my life source, the reason I live and breathe, and eat... the reason I do what I do. My reason to serve, to love, to reach out. He is my reason to wake up in the morning. He has given every aspect of my life purpose. My family, my friends, my church, my job, my school...
This past week with these students has got me really excited for my future. It has me thinking more about the type of family I want to have... one modeled after my youth pastors and my mentors at Perea. It's got me smiling at the idea of being in a Missoula high school and getting to invest in these kids first hand and give them encouragement for their lives in the present moments and hope for their futures... I love how God has it all planned out, and He's even let me in on a lot of the secret! ;)
"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
