At the bottom and alone

Today as the staff of Langley Youth For Christ we brain stormed about what life is made up of. We put down words on a peice of paper like "purpose" and "community" and "friends" and "adventure", "family" "friends" "hope" "faith" "love" and "meaning". Then we took turns thinking about different teens we work with and crossed off the words that they dont have. It was down right depressing. Black ink crossing out family and friends and hope and purpose. There were very few words left when we were done. All of the assets to life that we thought were nessicary these kids dont have. Then we went through and thought about which of those words we can provide for these teens. Love, commiunity, friendship, adventure, those are some, but the rest of them we cant give, we can only point the way to faith and hope and learning and growth. It all seems so inadiquite when looking at that black smeared paper. The picture it left was one of hopelessnes and lonelyness. And all I have to offer is to point out the right direction. That would get depressing, if the voice of Jesus wasnt waiting to ambush me as soon as I got into my car after that meeting.

For christmas my husband got me the bible on cd so i can listen to it in my car when I drive. When I got into my car the words of Jesus were liturally shouting at me "Dont you remember how many baskets full of bread you picked up after I fed the 5000? Dont you get it? How long will you be not understanding?"
Because this has always been the situation. These kids have always been at the bottom alone with not much going for them, but we have incredable stories of God doing miriacles in their lives. Victory stories of hope living in hopeless situations, of faith blossoming in kids that had none, meaning and purpose coming to the lives of teens who were desolate.

Remember the baskets full of bread.

the new year

the new year is a great time for new beginnings. People are looking to the future, moving on from the past. its a time for letting go, and for reaching up. I spent today contacting some kids I haven't seen since Christmas break, touching base, hearing stories of Christmas.
i blogged before about how Christmas can be a tough time for kids, and it was. there was however good news too. three times today I had kids surprise me by saying "actually, Christmas was good."
So thanks to all of you who have been praying, it helped.
I dont know what surprises this new year holds, but I walk towards them with faith that God knows what He is doing and will give me the words I need to share. My prayer is that this would be a year of healing after 2009 being a year of change.