More new faces...

We had a great crowd last night for Campaigners (small group Bible Study)! It was fun to have many of our 'regulars' as well as several new faces. It is fun to be a part of the kids' growing excitement for Life, Fellowship and How Not to Waste their Life.

We talked on Mark 3:7-12 about the crowds following Jesus. Why were crowds always following Jesus? And it was all types of people! The healthy. The sick. The Religious. The non-religious. The rich. The poor. The 'normal.' The Demon Possessed. The Disciples.

Why do you follow Jesus? Or not? Seriously? What spurs you on to follow Jesus? Or do you just 'act' like you follow Him? It is easy to put on the Religious Mask? Go to church. Do the Sunday Deal. Yet you treat your family, neighbors, co-workers different than Jesus would treat them. You say you have Love. But you don't. And Why is it SO EASY to be 'ugly' to people??? It almost seems like it is woven into the fabric of who we are. Well, I guess it is. This is our sinful nature. This is what makes us like this.

I think people followed Jesus for all types of reasons. But I REALLY think people followed Him because of the Love He had / has for them. Unconditional Love. I think about the Woman at the Well. Zaccheus. The Blind. The Lame. The Dead. He loved with no regard. And as one of the YL girls said two weeks ago.... 'The Religious people didn't like Jesus because JESUS CAN'T BE CONTROLLED!'

Maybe this ugliness towards others comes from our lack of control over them or us trying to gain a sense of control over them. I don't know. It hurts my heart to see people being mean to others. I struggle with this. It is just as easy for me to be mean to others as well. I think of Jesus' prayer on the Cross...'Lord, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing!'

Kids love to share. Kids love to be honest. Many of them don't feel like they can even speak to their parents. They said that they love coming over the because we treat / speak to them like adults and not children. Because we talk about 'real life.' And Life Issues. Struggles. Temptation. And because I have lots of random and personal stories. None of us are perfect ... we all have a past ... so why do we act like we are perfect and have never done anything wrong? Now THAT'S a joke...

Here are some pics from last night. If you want to see the picture on a larger scale, just click on the picture.

Enjoy...

We do this because of all of the faces seen below ... and the thousands of others we have yet to meet, hang out with and tell about Jesus!






Because Their Worth It...

Struggle...

Your greatest struggle will come on the back end of your greatest success! Joyce Meyer

Some really marvelous things...

A few weeks ago I had written a little ditty for you (that came from someone else) called Are You Convinced and had blogged a bit about it. If you have no idea what I am talking about, please check it out in my past blogs in August. I had written that my favorite statement was number 17 which says, 'Are you convinced that there are Divine Appointments waiting at the high school?' Well, I DO believe that is true...

Here are some of the really marvelous things that are going on in CenTex Young Life. Please rejoice with me!

According to Dustin Davis (one of our Harker Heights Leaders), yesterday was the 'Pinnacle of his YL Leadership Career!' Dustin is an Alumnae of HHHS and is currently attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. He is a large man who pushes boys around on the college football field! Dustin went to HHHS yesterday to do Contact Work despite his need to do a thousand other things including his dreaded homework! He was there when the bell rung and said hi to many kids. He then ventured out to the football field to watch practice. He was approached by the HHHS Head Football Coach who asked if Dustin could speak to the ENTIRE Football Team! For the next 10 minutes, Dustin got to speak solely to the football team about Leadership and Effort and what it takes to win games. If you are shaking your head, then you reacted like me. I could not believe it! As YL Leaders, we DREAM of opportunities like these! I would say that a Divine Appointment was waiting for Dustin at the high school yesterday. Dustin was faithful enough to go and show up for this Appointment!

Last night we had another event and called it PIZZA IN DA PARK! We met at Lion's Park again. We could not get use of the field with lights again so we knew daylight would be a problem. We moved things up 1 hour to 6:59 p.m. and were concerned that the time change may affect some kids. It did, but kids still came out in droves! What a wonderful blessing. I bought 10 XL Pizza from Pizza Patron as well as 48 'cokes.' The kids tore these up. We played kickball, Ladders (see pic below), threw the frisbee and football and just hung out! I wanted this to be a night where leaders could build relationships with kids and 'win the right to be heard.' I felt like that was definitely the case.

Many of these kids said that they were interested in our Campaigners Bible Study on Wednesday evening. Pray for these kids and that they would be able to attend. We will be talking about Mark 3:7-12 and why people were always following Jesus. Who are you following?

Ellison High School guys trying to be tough!


This was the first YL event for 5 of these guys!


A YL Leader and some kids


HH Represents!


Spencer and Jahleel playing Ladders a.k.a. Redneck Golf!


Thanks for your support. Please pray for this Mission. Please send on to others so they can pray for us and well as stay tuned in and turned on to how Jesus is moving in Central Texas!

Bless you. We do this because we feeled Called by God and because high schoolers are worth it!!!