February 2020: The Power of Testimony
We believe in the power of testimony.
Sometimes, especially when working with children, it is hard to see fruit. After all, it takes a while for a seed to turn into something that resembles a fruit. It is easy to get discouraged and to believe that what we are doing is not working. Hope, patience, and belief are absolutely necessary when working with kids, but it is also the one thing the enemy wants to take away.
Here’s a real story from Beth Winter, the Site Leader of our K-6th after-school program:
Pulled Josh aside today for a minute to talk to him about back-sassing one of our Grade Coaches.
The first thing I said to him was,
“What am I going to tell you right now?”
He said, “I already know...I’m a leader.”
Josh literally couldn’t say those words about himself in August. He couldn’t even hear other people say it about him. He would get angry and shut down every single time that those words were spoken over him; every time he was called up into that identity. The fact that today Josh can say those words about himself might seem so small - but it’s a VICTORY. It is evidence of Jesus at work - setting a 12 year old boy free from being shackled to a false identity. Josh came into our program 5 months ago speaking these words over himself - “I’m trash”, “I’m stupid”, “I’m always going to be in trouble”, “When people look at me they just see a mistake.” But today, even in a moment of correction when it’s so easy to believe lies about ourselves he says these words - “I’m a leader. And I’m going to be a good one.”
Won’t you believe with us? Let hope arise. Let us be filled with patience as the Lord transforms lives. We believe he is who he says he is and he will transform lives when he’s good and ready. We have faith God loves them, chose them, and is calling them out of darkness and into the light.
This month, our only ask is this: Will you pray for our program as the Lord leads you?
We love you. We are thankful for you. More of Him. Less of us.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises ofhim who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”