Passion for your name!

This emptinessss numbs my bones.. but the flames melt my soul.. lines from the song that I'm listening to even as I write this. You know those words really encapsulate how I feel at this moment. The rest of the song too... except the first two lines... never could figure them out. Here's the song.

http://presentpast.vox.com/library/post/song-of-the-hour.html

You know whenever I think of my youth... the "kids" that have been put in my care, I can't help but know a tiny bit of what Jesus must have felt when he looked out at his followers and "was filled with compassion." Not that I think I'm perfect like him... but let me give a contrast. My guys in LG back home. They're all awesome, and they don't really need me for their relationship with God... but rather I guide, I give advice, I teach what I can... I facilitate discussion... but you know, they can worship with abandon, they pray, they have their own visions and passions... and they have put God at the center of their lives.

I can't help feel, that for my kids here, that's not necessarily the case. While they come to church, and believe in Christ, for a fair number of them I don't believe that's true, Christ is NOT always the center. Of course who am I to judge right? Christ isn't always the focus of my life either. However I can at least say that I have a personal and passionate relationship with him... that the joy of the Lord IS my strength. That's not just because of my newly given full time role, but rather it flows out of a knowledge of the amazingness of God, and the awesomeness of his Spirit.

My vision for our youth is simple. That each one of them would come to a personal and passionate relationship with God. That they would learn to seek him in worship, in prayer, in the Word, and in every place, time and way. That they would DESIRE to know him more, and they would put him first. I see voices lifted in worship, hands raised in surrender, hearts open to be molded and shaped by a loving and perfect God. My own heart swells at just the vision of this possibility... but I believe that this is God's plan for my church.

I told one of my youth that numbers aren't really important, the heart is... and that is so true. I believe that when the hearts of our Youth align with God... that numbers will be the last thing on our minds... in fact probably the opposite... I don't think we'll be able to contain them.

So please pray for my ministry. The shift will start in worship, but also in prayer. The worship at our group, the attitude, the level, the commitment... it's all gotta grow. From this, atmosphere and momentum will build. However prayer is the key, the starting point. I humbly ask that you would keep us in your prayers, and know that the Kingdom of God will advance, slowly or with great speed, but with unstoppable might either way.