Youth Alive - A Double Blessing

I told my Youth Alive Leadership Team in December that I'd have to let them take take the reins this semester --

I said that we'd still meet each week -- but we'd need to switch it to Wednesdays instead of our regular Thursdays so I could keep my treatment schedule.

They didn't dissappoint.  They covered all the bases.  The schedule change hurt our numbers a bit -- but we continued to have great lunch times sharing Jesus and what we saw God doing in their lives.  Being with these students has helped me keep my focus on God's bigger picture in all of this.

Early in the morning, Courtney brought a  package by and said I wasn't to open it until we met.  It was pizza lunch and a busy morning getting my juniors and seniors ready for their finals so -- I let it set on my side table. I noticed it was heavy.   I was totally overwhelmed - when I opened it to find that they had all underlined their favorite verses and included encouraging words of hope and strength.  
Cute that they decided I needed the LARGE PRINT!!!

I'm loving letting my Bible fall open to the various notes.  

My plan early on for today was for them to write notes to their 22 yr. old selves and then I would mail them to them out there in the future. or they could keep theirs in a safe place and open them at that time.   I must have 20-25 to mail.  So funny -- some put money in them b/c they know at that time they're sure to need it.  Others put their school ID -- I told them to remember how much they put in them --
and to be sure and seal them -- I didn't want them to think that Mrs. Bell raided their envelopes or made change for that $20 bill I saw someone put in.