Living on the Edge

Living on the Edge.

Living life with Purpose.

Sunday service message from Pastor K. Like Pastor S., he is strong willed- determined to touch the lives of the broken people- those is mass numbers in his auditorium. 2,500 at best

On this day, teens take over the auditorium. The jr.&sr. high teens from Edge. My daughter is one of them.

This was our message:

There is a BATTLE for the HEARTS and SOULS of OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

The most important thing you can do is invest your life in the next generation.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Bottom line is we need to be willing to change because unless you are completely turned off from society- things are changing rapidly. The church must understand the changes- there is a battle going on in the lives of our young generation. Our youth. Our future leaders.

Connecting with our youth shows that we believe in them.

No matter what your label reads- we need to invest in our young generation now. Adapt and sacrifice to touch them. Here is a story that was shared~

A 70 year old woman came to follow Christ. She asked her Pastor "what can I do to make up from the time that I did not follow Christ....that I was not living as He did.....loving, caring, giving....." Her Pastor suggested she "invest" in the college students that live in her community. She decided to make cards and walk through the college campus handing out invitations to all who passed by. Invitation to her home for tea every day beginning at noon.

The first day the woman made a pot of tea, plated scones- and waited. No students came.

The woman returned to the campus handing out invitations and even posted a few on boards in the dorm entrances. Day two. No students. After 16 days she returned to her Pastor asking rather discouraged- "do I continue". Her Pastor agreed. Day 17. The door bell rang- as the woman answered the door a young Vietnamese student stood at her door. He introduced himself explaining he was homesick. They enjoyed tea and scones with conversation that led into Christ. The next day- the young student was back with a friend. For the next 10 years this woman was hosting afternoon tea with the college students. At the age of 80, she passed away. This woman, who invested in our youth....had over 100 pallbearers {friends}. She made a difference.

After listening to this story, through the tears, I thought to myself- Have I invested in our youth? I try to stay up to date with their music, {it's difficult when they change their selection month-to-month} their style of fashion, their girlfriends/boyfriends, gasp their facebook pages and their texting. However, trust comes to mind when raising teens. We have our family discussions.....they know their boundaries.....and they will know their own guilt when the boundaries and trust is broken. But knowing the youth that surround me daily, weekly, and even on weekends I'm not sure. I don't want to embarrass China Doll or Freckle Boy by asking the ice breaking question(s) to their friends in my home...... and frankly I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by conducting a "strip search" of their souls!

It's the young generation that I see outside of my home. At work. At the mall. Pulling up beside me at the traffic light in their cute little Audi.

China Doll mention to me today that she told her "boyfriend" my eyes are rolling she would rather just date and not be in a relationship. What? I'm sorry...we had no idea you were in a relationship? Did the boy? And how did you explain this to "P"? I sent a message through facebook. Oh, geez poor guy. Then again..... I remember passing a note to a friend so another friend could give it to the guy that I just wanted to "date" and not have a relationship with in school! OMGOSH!

Freckle Boy tells me he is tired of girls just wanting to "talk about dating" for a month or so before they actually begin dating! I gotta love this kids honesty....he is a lot like his father!

No matter how my teens inform me of their love interest again I gasp our job is to listen. To support - guide- and with a dash of seasoning tweak their lingo. that's guiding right?

Thoughts of the service again make me think......

Stepping off the edge for our kids today may just save their souls.

As the closing of service came there was a roar from our young teens in the auditorium.

I began to cry. I began to think there is hope. Role models who step off the edge to save this generation. I'm planning on stepping off the edge. Now, I may need to be reminded with my own kids that I'm stepping off the edge - not pushing them off the edge!

I'm worried about this generation. Their relationships with people. Their priorities.

Their need to feel loved- feeling worth- feeling accepted.

Pastor K. gave us something from his Bucket List- WE CAN AND WE WILL RAISE UP A GENERATION OF PASSIONATE WORLD CHANGERS- IT IS "DO OR DIE"!

Are you with me? yes

God does not call us to live a life of comfort, but to live life on the EDGE.

Peace&Love,

Lis