Monday, July 27, 2009

Teaching God’s Youth

About 6 years ago my family started going to a great church. We moved to PA for about a year and half and missed our church family so much, we moved back to the Carolina’s! What does that tell you? It is an awesome church with amazing God loving people in it! Before we moved to PA for that year and half, my husband helped with Youth night. Something he did enjoy doing! I always wanted to help with the Youth too. We have young children at home and both of us could not do it. I have felt for a long time that is where I am meant to be, working with Youth. I love all my children but I can tell you my frustration is so much lower with the older ones than the little ones, at least for me. When we moved back my husband did not jump at helping again. So I have been slowly getting involved with them.

My best friend, Erika has taught them for a long time in Sunday School and I offered to help. I started in January. I saw how she could get frustrated with them. They are very disrupting at times and slack at respect for the adults and each other sometimes. I know this is a normal thing for children. Although, I have two youth at home and when we go anywhere, it doesn’t fail that we have at least one person stop us and say what respectful children we have raised. (that is all I wanted for my children, to be respectful to others) What an awesome feeling as a parent to have children that are noticed as respectful. I know that kids will be kids and my children do have their moments! Believe me! They are not perfect at any rate!

Unfortunately, some kids are not taught to respect each other. Or just plain don’t listen to their parents. This is where anyone that works with Youth needs to come in. This makes it very hard for teaching Youth. I have my days I come home from Sunday School so very disappointed at how they acted for that short time we have them. Then there are days I come home and I am thanking God for how it went that day! I have learned that we have to forgive them for acting badly and pray for them continuously! They are only children and still learning. Most of all, we (adults) are the ones that need to guide them to be a Christian! I want to be that adult that those Youth can come to when they need someone. Christian or not, they will have times they need an adult to talk to about the life they have. I want to be that adult that can have fun with them and enjoy their presence! I want to be that adult that can see from their actions that they are becoming better Youth.

Yesterday, after giving the Youth a little reprimanding on how they acted at VBS. They began to confess things over the past few weeks that has happened. Not the huge stuff like we hope they can come to us eventually with. But, small things. For example, one Youth blurted out “Sorry Ms. Michele but on the mission trip, someone hit me as I was going under the water at the pool. I came up thinking it was that person. And punched Tyler (my son) in the nose. He was bleeding but laughing. But I apologize, I didn’t mean to do that to him.” Now he shouldn’t be punching anyone but from our conversation about how badly they acted this past week, he saw he did something wrong and needed to apologize. I didn’t even know about it! This guy was really listening to us yesterday. YAY!!

Then there is another child, he is actually is the son of some great friends of mine. He has so much good in him, he is a gorgeous boy but is too concerned with the social popularity contest. (Which unfortunately many of them are!) So there have been days I left Sunday School so upset and disappointed at how he acted and not knowing how to fix it but pray. I have prayed for months and months about him. I want to see the good come out of him not the bad. Obviously we are teaching him well and he is learning and respecting others. I can’t even count how many times in the past few months he has made a point to say hello to me. Me?! It doesn’t matter who he is around or what he is doing… he makes a point to come to me and pat on my back and say “Hi Ms. Michele, how are you?” This is my answer to many prayers. I realized this yesterday while being at church for a long morning with all the kids. I actually got all choked up when the realization hit! One is the praying for him that I have done. God answered that prayer and I was able to see with the change in how he acts towards me!! I don’t think he has a clue at what he has done for me. I just pray it continues!! The other is my questions to God if I am in the right place, if I need to continue working with Youth. I was still and listened. He answered, I am in the right place and I am going to continue with what I am doing. And even more! I have been trying to get involved in Youth night too. I want to be there. I want to help. The problem is I offer and offer and a certain someone does not ever say yes come on Wednesday. Scratch that, once she said she is going to need me for awhile. I came, she said she called someone else. I don’t know why she acts like this. I can’t figure it out. I don’t think it’s fair to be treated like that but I know now that the Devil is part of that and I am just going to go and be there. If they need me or not. As I have been told by many that is what I need to do because that is what they have had to do. I have so many great ideas for the youth but Sunday School is not enough time to do them all. So please say a prayer for me that the Devil stays out so I can continue with my path God is leading me on! I love these Youth like I love my own and want to see them grow and continue being God's children!

Are you involved with Youth or children at your church? What is the most important thing you want to hear when it comes to praise of your own children? Do you know how great it feels to know you are doing what God wants you to?

Many, Many Blessings for your week ahead!

Chele

5 comments:

  1. Keep doing what you are doing. Kids need people like you. When it is your time to go Wednesday nights, God will make a way. Right now, do your best on Sunday mornings. Kids just need a steady, good example. My husband and I were jr sr high youth workers for 3 years when we were first married. You never know how you will impact their lives forever. That was 9 years ago. We have moved a couple times since then, but we still stay in touch. Now a lot of them are on my facebook page, daily!

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  2. Thanks Marci! I didn't grow up going to Youth. I wish I had but am so thankful my kids have been participating and will continue to! I am also very thankful God has placed me there!! I already have Youth that confide in me, I just pray that He continues to use me!

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  3. Confirmation came for me this week too. And what a blessing it was!! I love being reaffirmed by the Lord that I am where He wants me. Because I have definitely had some serious moments of doubt, believe me. Just keep praying and following where God leads :)

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  4. Hello!
    I stumbled onto your blog from another blog. I like what I'm reading and seeing. By the way, we both chose the same blog background from the cutest blog on the block! :-)

    I used to work with the kids at my previous church and it is a very important job. The most important thing I would like for someone to tell me about my child? That he is well mannered and loves God.

    Have a blessed day!

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  5. @Erika - that's what I am doing! Praying!
    @Christian Mommy Writer- Thanks for visiting! For me my children loving God is very important to me too! :)

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