This past month has meant getting geared up for another school year of ministering to teens. One thing that helps keep Youth for Christ staff sharp is an annual staff conference in Angola, IN. This years theme was surrender. It's good to be reminded of the need to daily surrender to the Lord. I know that when I have done this, the day seems to be more focused on others and more
productive spiritually. One of my often quoted verses from scripture come from Prov. 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He shall direct your paths.” My Sunday school teachers and church choir directors had great influence in my memorization of this scripture.
One day last month, a mother came up to me and said,“Thank you for the talks you had with my son. He really appreciated the time you took to spend with him.” The neat thing is that he has been out of high school for a couple of years, and he still remembers. Please pray for this young man, because I do not know for sure if he has trusted Christ as his personal savior. I do know the seeds have been planted. This kind of encouragement is part of what keeps me going.
In addition to our Open House, August 25 meant a chance to be in Bushnell's Fall Festival Parade with a YFC float. This year our theme is “All In.” Several teens and I made posters, got a hay rack, borrowed a nice tractor, scavenged a couple of old love seats, threw on some hay bales, and bought lots of candy. We then put the posters around the hay rack and advertised our upcoming Campus Life Kick-off's. My daughter, Abby, also rode her horse, advertising our JH Campus Life program. What an afternoon! Then it was on to the Presbyterian Church “Ice Cream Social” and a night at the festival. All for the sake of reaching out to teens so that they may have the opportunity to know the Savior.
I couldn't do it without the many faithful volunteer leaders that love teens. Pray for us as we kick-off the school year and for the teens that come. Pray that they might get a glimpse of our wonderful savior and be drawn to Him.
On a family note, our son Andrew turned 14 September 6th. We celebrated his birthday with my youngest brother, Tyler, at my Aunt Ann and Uncle John's home on Labor Day, with over 50 people attending. We have great fun as a family and those connected to us.
Praise the Lord for family!
