I scheduled us to sleep later than I usually do, knowing everyone would probably get up earlier. They did. It was a new day and they were in pretty good spirits after a few minutes! They had all slept pretty well (I could tell by the snoring in the girls room that they had fallen asleep quickly the night before!)
They got ready for the day and we ate the breakfast brought to us by another good Samaritan. What a blessing that people from the church want to be a part of the youth in so many wonderful ways!
The group gathered in a circle and we talked for a bit. Most evenings, I ask a few questions. The previous night, I wanted to focus on the candle experience so we didn't do that. So, I decided to start our day with a few questions. They were the typical ones- where did they see God the day before, what impacted them, what surprised them, etc. They all shared some very touching answers and it was a great way to start the day on a positive note. We watched a video devotion about Romans 8:28, we"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
We decided in an emergency situation, God was calling us to help others whenever we could. Then I told them we were going to spend the next few hours helping at a soup kitchen. Cheers from the crowd! Yes...it was 9:30 am on a Saturday and when I told them that's what we were doing they were so excited they cheered! How awesome is that?!
Off we went to prepare, serve, and cleanup at the soup kitchen 30 minutes away. While we were there, the group was awesome! They jumped in wherever needed, greeted the guests, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One of the things that I loved was how they played up the hurricane experience! On our way there, my group was excited that we were in the rescue helicopter. Another group was in the boat. While talking to another volunteer, imagine her surprise when several of the youth said they had arrived in a helicopter! They explained they had to because of the flooding. The look on her face was priceless!
The car ride wasn't just about our helicopter experience. One of the people in my car shared how much the candle time had meant to her. She said she had been holding on to some pretty serious things for a long time and this morning she had woken up feeling freer! How beautiful is that?! I was overjoyed that she not only was able to let some things go, but was able to share about it with her new friends.
By the time the group was done serving, there wasn't a lot of food left. But, they didn't complain that they didn't have much to eat. This is not usually the case when we gather to eat. So, it was obvious the experience serving there had impacted them and helped them realize the blessings they have.
We got done with some time to spare before the next activity. We made a pit stop on the way back to the church to visit a pet store where the rescue I work with was doing an event. I shared with them about the dogs there and where they had been rescued from. I also told them that in an emergency, animals are also victims and many need to be rescued. A couple more young adults joined us because they had heard about what we were doing and wanted to be a part of the experience.
We got back to the church and had a snack. Then it was time to wrap up the event. We talked about what we learned, where we saw God, and what we enjoyed during the event. We prayed together and said our goodbyes.
During the event, one of the new youth said he wants to do more with the youth and wants to go on the mission trip. Another youth came who hasn't been around for awhile and is thinking about going on the mission trip. And, a young adult got to chaperone for the first time as she transitions from youth to adult. She loved it so much that she wants to chaperone for the mission trip.
Youth realized how blessed they are and also realized that lots of stuff isn't what is truly important. The youth realized that God is always with us and so our our church friends. They felt good to be the hands and feet of God, doing work serving for Him. They learned there are adults who love them and that they can trust them. And, they learned that even in the disasters of our lives, God can create opportunities for good things.
So, where was God today? He was in this group as they worked to be His hands and feet, and in the people who supported us as they were His hands and feet.
Blessings,
Jennifer
They got ready for the day and we ate the breakfast brought to us by another good Samaritan. What a blessing that people from the church want to be a part of the youth in so many wonderful ways!
The group gathered in a circle and we talked for a bit. Most evenings, I ask a few questions. The previous night, I wanted to focus on the candle experience so we didn't do that. So, I decided to start our day with a few questions. They were the typical ones- where did they see God the day before, what impacted them, what surprised them, etc. They all shared some very touching answers and it was a great way to start the day on a positive note. We watched a video devotion about Romans 8:28, we"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
We decided in an emergency situation, God was calling us to help others whenever we could. Then I told them we were going to spend the next few hours helping at a soup kitchen. Cheers from the crowd! Yes...it was 9:30 am on a Saturday and when I told them that's what we were doing they were so excited they cheered! How awesome is that?!
Off we went to prepare, serve, and cleanup at the soup kitchen 30 minutes away. While we were there, the group was awesome! They jumped in wherever needed, greeted the guests, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. One of the things that I loved was how they played up the hurricane experience! On our way there, my group was excited that we were in the rescue helicopter. Another group was in the boat. While talking to another volunteer, imagine her surprise when several of the youth said they had arrived in a helicopter! They explained they had to because of the flooding. The look on her face was priceless!
The car ride wasn't just about our helicopter experience. One of the people in my car shared how much the candle time had meant to her. She said she had been holding on to some pretty serious things for a long time and this morning she had woken up feeling freer! How beautiful is that?! I was overjoyed that she not only was able to let some things go, but was able to share about it with her new friends.
By the time the group was done serving, there wasn't a lot of food left. But, they didn't complain that they didn't have much to eat. This is not usually the case when we gather to eat. So, it was obvious the experience serving there had impacted them and helped them realize the blessings they have.
We got done with some time to spare before the next activity. We made a pit stop on the way back to the church to visit a pet store where the rescue I work with was doing an event. I shared with them about the dogs there and where they had been rescued from. I also told them that in an emergency, animals are also victims and many need to be rescued. A couple more young adults joined us because they had heard about what we were doing and wanted to be a part of the experience.
We got back to the church and had a snack. Then it was time to wrap up the event. We talked about what we learned, where we saw God, and what we enjoyed during the event. We prayed together and said our goodbyes.
During the event, one of the new youth said he wants to do more with the youth and wants to go on the mission trip. Another youth came who hasn't been around for awhile and is thinking about going on the mission trip. And, a young adult got to chaperone for the first time as she transitions from youth to adult. She loved it so much that she wants to chaperone for the mission trip.
Youth realized how blessed they are and also realized that lots of stuff isn't what is truly important. The youth realized that God is always with us and so our our church friends. They felt good to be the hands and feet of God, doing work serving for Him. They learned there are adults who love them and that they can trust them. And, they learned that even in the disasters of our lives, God can create opportunities for good things.
So, where was God today? He was in this group as they worked to be His hands and feet, and in the people who supported us as they were His hands and feet.
Blessings,
Jennifer
No comments:
Post a Comment