From the Heart

I have two lunch bunches at Youth Alive -- my 11:00 people are sophomores, some juniors and a senior or two - about 30 in all meet on Thursdays in my room, have lunch and we share a Jesus moment.  My noon people are fewer in number and a core group of seniors mostly.  Last week my 12:00 friends asked if they could share their testimonies -- I said "awesome" that's what I've been asking students to do all year.  So we arranged to have a Pizza day and get this core group dismissed from their classes to come and speak to my younger group.

THEY BLEW ME AWAY!!! 

        I've always had students speakers -- but this group openly shared struggles with various addictions, being truthful with parents, and other issues.   They spoke core verses that had guided them.  Their message was over and over --

"I started praying --- I read my Bible again -- I found someone accountable to open up to."

I saw from them that early on they had accepted Jesus at camp or VBS --

BUT NOW -- IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR LIFE-STUFF-- AND MESS-UPS HE BECAME REAL!

One young woman shared what she lived on as she was moving away from her addiction and closer to Jesus:

"I came to realize that GOD has been forgiving sins for thousands of years and HE is not going to ruin his reputation by not forgiving me.  HE WILL NOT GO BACK ON HIS WORD"