Love's ImpactMORE THAN-
$200,000 raised 50 campaigns funded 600 SUPPORTERS ENGAGED Browse stories from recent missionaries and other contributors
|
looking for an update from someone in the field now?
|
I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE FOR YEARS NOW IN SOME CAPACITY OR ANOTHER. OVER TIME, IT TENDS TO OFFER PERSPECTIVE. IN EARLY YEARS, IT WAS AS A STAY AT HOME MOM. MAINLY OVERSEEING ACTIVITIES, KEEPING KIDS ALIVE AND FED AND TEACHING MUCH NEEDED MORAL VALUES. LATER, I BECAME A TEACHER AND ALTHOUGH THE ABOVE MENTIONED WERE STILL PART OF MY DUTIES, ADDED TO THEM WERE, COUNSELING, READING, WRITING, HISTORY, TIME MANAGEMENT, PROCESSING AND APPLICATION SKILLS.
AS I ADDED TO MY TITLE, COACH/VOLUNTEER YOUTH LEADER, I ADDED EVEN MORE TOOLS TO MY BELT AND GAINED MORE PERSPECTIVE. I LEARNED DIFFERENT THINGS DURING THIS TIME, BECAUSE IN THESE ROLES IT ALLOWED FOR MORE ONE ON ONE AND INTIMATE SETTINGS, SUCH AS SMALL GROUPS, CAR RIDES AND LATE NIGHT TALKS. I LEARNED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE MORE GOING ON THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS THAN WE EVER GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR. I LEARNED THAT THEY HAVE STRONG OPINIONS THAT NEED GUIDED AND THAT THEY NEED LOVE. I SAW THAT THEY ARE CONSTANTLY PROCESSING WHAT THEY SEE THEIR PARENTS DO, WHAT THEIR PEERS DO, WHAT THEY SEE SOCIETY DO AND WHAT THEY SEE THE CHURCH DO. NOW IN MY ROLE AT LCI, I HAVE A VERY INTERESTING SEAT WHERE I AM GIVEN YET ANOTHER VIEW INTO THESE BEAUTIFUL MINDS AND HEARTS. I SEE PASSION LIKE NEVER BEFORE. I SEE YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE SO IN TUNE WITH THE WORLD AROUND THEM THAT THEY EITHER COME PASSIONATE ABOUT HOW THEY CAN ADD TO THE GOOD THEY SEE, OR THEY FALL PREY TO IT'S LURE OF DANGEROUS AND INTOXICATING PROMISES THAT LEAVE THEM EMPTY. I SEE THEM WAKING UP TO FIND THEMSELVES IN UNFULFILLING CAREERS AND MARRIAGES THEY WEREN'T READY FOR. I SEE THEM TRYING TO TAME THE BEAST OF SELF INDULGENCE WITH MORE THINGS THAT TRY AND FILL THE GOD SIZED HOLE IN THEIR HEART. THEY LOOK TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SHOPPING, SCROLLING SOCIAL MEDIA, DREAMING OF PINTEREST PARTIES, INSTAGRAM BODIES AND LIFESTYLES THAT AGAIN, PROMISE MORE THAN THEY CAN DELIVER. (DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT PROMOTING OR JUDGING AGAINST ANY OF THE ABOVE...JUST STATING THEY CAN BECOME IDOLS). I AM ABSOLUTELY AMAZED BY THE TRANSFORMATIONS I SEE COMING OUT OF DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ONE YWAM (YOUTH WITH A MISSION) OFFERS. BECAUSE OF THIS, I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT HOW I CAN IMPROVE MY ROLE AND STEP UP MY GAME AS FAR AS HOW I CAN ASSIST THIS MOVEMENT. THERE ARE TWO CLEAR GROUPS THAT I HAVE SEEN RISING AMONG YOUNG ADULTS. ONE IS A CROWD THAT IS SEEMINGLY IN A TRANCE. THEY ARE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AND TRENDS THAT PROMOTE SELF FOCUS, ISOLATION AND INTOLLERANCE. ONCE IS A CROWD LEARNING TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND THEN WAITING ON HIM TO LEAD THEM TOWARDS SELFLESS LOVE, SERVICE, COMMUNITY AND COMPASSION. CONCERNING THE LATTER GROUP, I'VE BEEN AMAZED AT WHAT I AM SEEING. I SEE PEOPLE THAT WERE REALLY BROKEN, BECOME HEALED IN A WAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN A REHAB OR COUNSELING CENTER DO. I'VE SEEN YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN RUDE AND DISMISSIVE, BECOME KIND AND INCLUSIVE. I KNOW YOU KNOW IT'S RARE AT THIS AGE TO SEE SELFLESSNESS. WE DON'T TEND TO GROW OUT OF THAT FOR YEARS. GENERALLY AS YOUNG ADULTS, WE ARE CHOOSING OUR CAREERS FOR OUR OWN SELFISH AMBITIONS, GOING TO MOVIES/SHOPPING/OUT TO EAT FOR SELF FULFILLMENT, PLANNING A FAMILY, BUYING A HOUSE, A CAR, TAKING ENDLESS VACATIONS ALL FOR SELF-FULFILLING REASONS. GIVING AND SERVING RARELY ENTERING THEIR THOUGHTS, BUT FOR A FEW BOXES OF GIRL SCOUT COOKIES. EVEN ATTENDING CHURCH IS DONE WITH A CONSUMER MENTALITY. NOW I AM SEEING YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE CAREER CHOICES AFTER MUCH PRAYER AND DISCERNMENT, CHOOSE HUSBANDS/WIVES IN THE SAME WAY, CONSIDER ADOPTION FROM 3RD WORLD OR LOCAL AGENCIES, BUY HOUSES WITH THE PLAN OF HOW THEY CAN BEST LOVE/SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS AND NOT ONLY JOIN CHURCHES, BUT FLOURISH AT THEM. THEY ARE JOINING SMALL GROUPS, LEADING THEM, VOLUNTEERING, GIVING, SENDING AND SERVING. HOW CAN WE HELP THIS MOVEMENT CONTINUE? HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO SEE SEEDS SOWN, FLOURISH, GROW AND SPREAD? I SEE SEVERAL WAYS TO FORWARD THIS NEW AND PROMISING MOVEMENT TOWARD GOD. WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND CHEER ON THOSE HEADING THE RIGHT WAY. WE CAN FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THOSE THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO HEAD INTO MISSIONS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY, AND WE CAN ENCOURAGE OTHER PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND ADULTS TO DO THE SAME. I THINK WE UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT WE CAN HAVE, DOING SEEMINGLY SMALL THINGS. THAT SAID, I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO DO THE ABOVE TODAY AND EVERYDAY. ENCOURAGE YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE CHOOSING FOR THE GOOD AND LOVE THE ONES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT WRITE OFF THE STRUGGLERS. THEY WILL FIND THEIR WAY. JUST KEEP SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE AND THEY'LL ALL MAKE THEIR WAY THERE. LOVE, NOT JUDGMENT OR BELITTLEMENT WILL LEAD TO GOD. AMEN.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Browse by category or year
Categories
All
Archives
May 2022
|