YouthWave II

Things are really going well here. I am again so pleased at the kids who seem to take the mission of Jesus so seriously. At the same time it seems that so many of them are deeply wounded and haven't experienced the healing power and freedom of Jesus. It is especially true in the youth ministers who bring them. I feel like one of my primary tasks here is to help them experience Christ in all his goodness an power. We end up praying for lots of different things. It has been powerful to watch God minister to their hearts. I love to get the testimonies from kids and adults about what is happening in their heart. Last night one of the youth ministers gave me a note describing what happened to him 3 years ago and what has happened to him since. It was very humbling.

Last night we prayed for girls who think they are ugly. I asked them to stand up and let the people around them pray. It was heartbreaking to me. There were so many. I trust that God ministered to them, but I had a hard time keeping my composure. I talked to them about what God says about their beauty, but I am convinced that they will only hear it in their hearts if God speaks it. We also prayed for guys who feel fatherless. It was gutwrenching too. Then I felt compelled to challenge the young men to take radical steps to eliminate porn from their life. I don't know what was happening in them, but it was very quiet in the room. As you can imagine, by the time I started teaching it was very intense.

So things are going well here except for my great and ongoing disappointment that Trisha isn't here. She adds a lot to YouthWave for me. We get the afternoon and evening off because the youthgroups are going out all over the city. I don't speak tonight. Ben and I are going to do something, I am not sure what.

I miss my kids and my amazing wife.
Grace,
Tod