Do you ever walk into a room knowing that you're
looking for something specific, but when you get there, you completely forget
what it was that you came in to find? Maybe you've experienced the stress and
confusion of following a GPS or written directions to an unfamiliar place, only
to realize that you are nowhere near where you're supposed to be. You're
lookng for something, but just not finding it.
You have something in common with today's young people. So many young people
are looking for something or someone to hold onto. They try out a lot of
different options: relationships, drugs or alcohol, social media, sports or
entertainment. But most often at the end of the day, kids realize they
still haven't found what they're looking for.
That's because who they're really looking for is God.
They just don't know it. The emptiness they feel, the need to fill a void
can only be satisfied through a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
We at Youth for Christ have the opportunity every day to share the message of
hope, the gift of Christ's love and forgiveness with kids. Whether it's
at a City Life weekly "Jump Off" gathering, a Campus Life Club in
someone's home, a Parent Life Spa Night or a one-on-one conversation with a
young person, we can point them to the One they're truly looking for.
God told the prophet in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your
heart." It's our mission to help kids truly seek God -
ask questions, dig into His Word, truly seek Him out. It is
such a blessing when we hear a teenager tell us, "I met Jesus
today." They've found what they've been searching for their whole
life.
In order to keep pursuing this mission, we rely on partners like you. We need
additional volunteers, we need connections to people in new communities to see
ministry begin. We also need generous donors who will commit to
supporting the ministry of Youth for Christ on a regular basis.
Would you consider a gift to YFC today? Just click
the DONATE button to the right and follow the online form. Thank you so
much. God bless you!
John
"I am SO
stressed out. My life is just too busy!" Maybe you've heard that
statement from someone you know in the last month. Perhaps you've said
it yourself recently. There is no question that our lives are getting
fuller and potentially more stressful every year.
A recent
nationwide survey showed that teenagers are not immune to this stress at
all. Teens say they're feeling the stress in all areas of their lives,
from school to friends, work and family. And they aren't always using
healthy methods to cope.
The survey went on to report that more
than a quarter (27%) of teens say they experience "extreme stress"
during the school year, vs. 13% in the summer. And 34% expect stress to
increase in the coming year. Another report compared the level of
stress among teenagers today is equal to that of a patient in an insane
asylum in the 1950s! We can become stressed just thinking about the anxiety young people face.
In
our Point Break anti-bullying programs, we hear story after story of
kids who feel that life is so overwhelming that their only solution is
to commit suicide - to get out of this life and escape. Kids are also
facing more adult level choices and decisions earlier than any
generation before them. Thankfully, amid that anxiety, we at Youth for
Christ have the privilege and the calling to share a message of hope,
love, forgiveness and peace that only comes from following Jesus.
As
we move into summer, we have a multitude of opportunities to live out
and speak about God's Truth to young people. Next Monday, we'll have a
group of kids from the CEO organization in Troy up on our Challenge
Course. Our staff are trained to not only guide teenagers through the
mechanics of the course, but to help them deal with the fear or stress
they may encounter on the various elements. Again, it's our desire to
show the love of Jesus to these kids and to communicate how His presence
in our lives affects us.
While you may not want to tackle our
Challenge Course, I invite you to visit the Edge Halfmoon Indoor
Climbing Gym and take a climb there. You'll also see our staff at work
connecting with kids and adults and helping them with their climbing
experience - with no stress involved at all!
Thank you for
partnering with YFC to reach kids, to tell them that they can leave
every aspect of their lives in the hands of Jesus, because I Peter 5:7
tell us to "cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
AMEN!
I thought I would also give you a quick peek at our new cafe furniture for the upcoming Christi's Light of Mine Cafe'. If you're coming to our Silent Auction on Saturday, May 17, you'll see it in full view. We're getting closer with the cafe' every day!
