Much Needed Butt-Kicking

Last week before youth group, I texted the students to find out how many would be there.  I don't normally do that, but the lesson I had planned was one that I really wanted all of the kids to hear.  It turned out that not as many were able to make it, so I made the last minute decision to hold off on that lesson.   Instead, I set up prayer stations and we took the night to focus on prayer.  Luckily my youth room is very conducive for such an activity.  I was only without one item, so I ran to the store and finished setting up right before they got there.

There were 5 stations set up, each with candles and a paper explaining what to do or what to focus on.  One station was set up right below my world map.  The focus of that station was to pray for the nations... for the gospel to reach to the ends of the earth, for healing, for provision, etc.  The next station, at the coffee table was called idol worship.  I had Play-Doh available and the idea was to ask the Lord what idols they had in their lives, what things were keeping them from being fully engaged in their relationships with Him, and then form those things with the Play-Doh and then smash them.  The next station was set up in front of a full length mirror.  There they were to reflect on how God sees them, the fact that they are created in His image, and to thank Him for His love for them.  The next station was for them to reflect on their journeys with God.  They had paper and crayons to draw, write, or somehow symbolize their faith journey.  And the last station was a confession station.  They were provided with a pencil, paper, and a paper shredder.  They were invited to confess anything they needed to, ask for forgiveness, and then put it in the shredder.

When the junior high students arrived, I directed them to a room down the hall, not wanting them to enter the youth room just yet.  There we played games for a little bit before being briefed about the prayer stations.  Then I gave a brief little speech on prayer, it's importance, and Jesus' model of it, and then explained the activity they would be participating in.  I told them that they would be at each station for at least 5 minutes, but would be able to stay longer if they wanted to.  We headed down to the room, I went over each station, we prayed together, and then began.  The regular fluorescent lights were off, the room lighted by white Christmas lights, a lamp, and the candles at each station.  Worship music was softly playing.  It was an amazingly peaceful atmosphere.  I had explained to them that I would be available if they wanted someone to pray with them, so I took a seat off to the side, not participating in the stations, but staying available to them, all the while praying for each one at each station they went to.  It was such an intimate time with the Lord.   Seeing the leaders and kids so focused and so vulnerable was beautiful.  I loved being able to pray for every person in that room.  What an amazing privilege!  They did a great job of participating and they were all very respectful and quiet.  When every person had completed every station we circled up, prayed together, and then left the youth room.
We went back down the hall, ate snacks, and hung out until their parents came.  The high schoolers arrived by that time.  We got started a bit late, so we skipped playing a game and I went right into my mini lesson on prayer and explained the stations.  I had planned on doing the stations with the high school students because there are usually less of them.  When we entered the youth room, again it felt like we were standing on holy ground.  As I made my way through each station, I fell more and more in love with Jesus.  My heart was prepared for each station before I got there and I was still moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I can only hope that each one who participated felt that same way.

After youth group I was still very pensive and wanted to spend more time reflecting, but I had a meeting scheduled so I had to switch gears.  Rarely in my life have I had such an honest meeting with another person.  I met with a woman to ask her to mentor me.  I have plenty of areas in my life where I need my butt kicked, but more than that I know just how important it is to meet with a wise, mature, faithful woman of God to be encouraged and challenged.  I've always been an advocate of mentoring, but I haven't made much of an effort to find a mentor here yet because of said areas of needed butt-kicking.  With my leadership roles expanding and becoming more challenging, I know its essential that I am mentored.  I want to be pleasing to God in every single thing I do.  I've also recently been asked by a few different youth kids if I would mentor and counsel them one on one and I want to be at my best for them.

So anyways, during our conversation she asked me exactly what my expectations were and we talked about what our weekly meetings would look like.  We went over just a couple of areas that I want to work on with her.  She did most of the talking and asked a lot of questions.  This is a woman I have a lot of respect for and maybe its because I'm somehow intimidated by her, but I found myself at a loss for words a lot during our convo.  In all of what she said, one of the things that has stuck out to me was this, "I have no need to compliment you and I will never lie to you."  This was in reference to some statements that she made about me that I didn't believe to be true.  It was eye opening and even a bit convicting.  Eye opening because apparently I don't see myself at all in the same way that others do; convicting because I don't always believe I am who God says I am.  Hearing some of the things that she has observed about me over the last year and a half was not easy.  Not that any of them were bad, but I clearly have a skewed view.  This is a woman I've only had conversations with in larger group meetings.  I don't know her well at all and she doesn't know me.

We ended our meeting with prayer and a plan.  Honestly, I'm nervous, but one of the reasons I knew I was supposed to ask this particular person to be my mentor was to step outside my comfort zone and stop making excuses for myself.  I can't say enough how important I think it is that every single person be mentored by a more mature member of the Body of Christ.

I encourage you to read this passage tonight.

Titus 2:2-8, 11-15 (NLT)

2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. 8 Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.