My Weekend Was Totally ILL, Dude! (that's a good thing)

I attended a big youth event with our youth group this weekend. I was a bit scared. I more comfortable with little kids than big ones sometimes. I am pretty unhip sometimes, so I was praying that I would do a good job of leading my little designated group- who turned out to be sweet and agreeable to everything! (thank you, thank you, thank you.)

Things this 35 year old heart took away from the weekend:

* If I face my fears (with God's help), I will become fearless": Lisa Bevere- this woman got me thinking...she had some good challenges for my heart.

* When the world says, "no way!", we say "YAWEH!" Bob Lenz (this guy is the funniest, most real, most relevant, compassionate speaker that I can ever remember hearing.) God used his obvious love for teens, especially the lost ones, to reach thousands of youth this weekend. Their response to his invitation to receive Christ was amazing.

* always wear ear plugs to general sessions. The music was worshipful, energetic, and LOUD- as in shake your clothing LOUD. I sang... I danced...I ate chocolate and peanut butter cups while dancing and singing.


* stop majoring in the minor things. Hello, can I get that stamped on the inside of my eye lids?

* 35 year old bladders that have had several babies leaning on them can not withstand jumping up and down to a whole hip hop song. I also cannot pump my arms to an entire song. Make the songs shorter Mr Band Leader, next time you ask me to do that.

* God is calling youth. He wants to use them now, not when they are "mature".

* God is calling me. He does not need me to wait until I think I have my junk altogether. HE will do a good work in me. He wants to use me now, not when I am "mature."

* speak more good things to my daughter. Build her heart, her spirit. Stop majoring in the minor with her- let her mature and grow into her purpose. ( I can be a nag)

There were awesome moments of worship to awesome music . The Parachute Band was my favorite. Go click on that link and SEE if you can resist moving to their tunes! There was a hip hop artist there that the kids LOVED... I appreciated his music and message, though hip hop isn't my favorite. I still love how the kids were ministered to through Manifest though. And us oldies still rocked it out, no matter what music it was!

Though I went as a leader, I was spoken to by everything we heard in the big general sessions as well as the smaller break out groups. It totally took me back to my teenage years. I still have sorrow over how I squandered them for a boy, compromising my hopes and dreams, and my love for the Lord to be "good enough" to get love. Though I have grown in that area, there are still struggles that we all go through as women. The struggles with self image, the struggles with insecurity, the struggles with addiction. Do I do drugs, do I drink, do I smoke? No. But there are other things I give my time and energy to that are not pleasing to the Lord; things that get in the way- like busy-ness, like anxiety, like entertainment.., etc, etc. I have a passion to not have the beautiful girls in our group not stumble like I did, and then live in guilt, in shame, allowing myself to listen to the foolish words of a man/boy who mistreated me. God has so much more for them than that. Here I go, I can't help it: The WORLD says that teens are going to be difficult, that they are going to try drugs, that they are going to have sex before marriage, that teenagers will stray. BUT, when the WORLD says NO, we say YAHWEH! God is relevant, He is real, HE gets our teens more than we do. He IS enough. Let's be bold in proclaiming that over our kids, but most importantly, let's be bold in living it out in front of them!

Anyways, lots of stuff to think about and to chew on. I promised one of the kids a turn on the computer, so I better go now. Take care, friends.