Friday, July 13, 2007

Prayer is our battery, and we're still going.

Things are still going great with our youth group. I am in awe at God's sovereignty. Thinking about things, I cannot think of too much we've done different this year than the past four and a half. We pretty much stayed the same.

So, what is it about summer 2007 that has changed our youth group into a core of worshipers and seekers, ready to learn and serve Christ? What suddenly caused them to be better friends and cling to one another? Was it something I did? No. It was the Holy Spirit and desperate prayers.

Earlier this year we really were ready to quit. Mentally, it was taking it's toll. I was questioning my ability to influence and see a breakthrough. I even told people that this was the year it needs to happen or I can't go on like this any longer. God gave me a vision and it was to be fulfilled in 3-5 years. This is the 5th year. When I told that to a board member, he asked me if I was putting time tables on God. I told him I wasn't. I was putting time tables on myself. Whether I was capable of leading and influencing was my concern.

Then, about 2 months ago, I gave a list of students to our senior adult Sunday School teacher. They began praying for the kids and the youth ministry. This past Sunday morning, the Lord reminded me of this as I was getting ready for church. The faithful saints had been praying, I was desperate, and God answered our prayers.

So, here's my advice to all of you. When you are in need, find faithful people that can pray. Find the kind of people that quietly pray when no one is around. And seek God yourself. Get to the bottom of your rope and get desperate for God to move. When you do this, you'll probably come to the same conclusion I have - you'll realize that you can do nothing without Jesus. You need Him for everything good.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

the Lord has really been hammering total submission to Him these last few weeks. Hopefully I will get it. Read a non ficiton book by Jerry Jenkins called Though None Go with Me and am reading Secrets of a Happy Christian by Hannah Smith. Both speak of total surrender to the Lord and living a life of obedience.
Praying for you all.
Sandy

Jason said...

Time's a funny thing in youth ministry. We may come to expect a certain response at a certain time, but don't ya know that it never happens that way! We're spending so much time in one direction half the time only to realize that spontaneously things clicked with the kids...those things you'd been introducing for years. Time, youth ministry and God are just things that are tough to fit into the same sentence, coherently.

Glad things are working out.

JimmyBob said...

We appreciate the prayers and continued support.

Sandy, have you seen the movie "Though None Go With Me" based on the novel? Get out your tissues.

Jason, it's so good to see how you've been faithful to Christ all these years. Never stop working toward the dreams God's given you. As Michael Jordan once said, "If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." I think it would have been better if he said, "Figure out how to jump over it." Ha, ha.

Jason said...

But what about the white-guys-can't-jump part?

Anonymous said...

haven't seen the movie, but Samantha Calabrese was telling me about it. The book was hard to take, I am not sure if I could watch the movie.

Take care
Sandy