BIGGER or BETTER

What can you get in exchange for a pencil? At Club tonight six teams went out in the neighborhood on a mission to answer that question. The first house my group went to exchanged a key chain for the pencil, then someone gave a bottle of 5 Hour Energy for the keychain, we then received 50 cents for the 5 Hour Energy. After that it got really interesting, a nice man then gave us a giant crab net for 50 cents, then another lady gave us a whole set of golf clubs for the crab net, the next house gave us a four person patio swing and we didn't even need to give them the golf clubs. In 30 minutes we went from a pencil in hand to bringing home a set of golf clubs and a patio swing. I think we answered the question. The other items brought back were a 40 inch flat screen television, a Dell monitor, and an Ansel Adams portrait. Not bad!

To finish off the night we had the opportunity to hear from a Junior at South named Luke Brown. Luke has been a part of Young Life since he was a Freshman and has really grown in his relationship with Jesus. It has been awesome seeing Luke make a relationship with Jesus his own but also to lead others to amazing life changing love of Christ. Luke picks up several kids at 6AM to come to bible study on Thursday mornings, and loves everyone no matter who they are, or where they come from. Pray for Luke that he would trust more in God everyday and that his love for Jesus would grow bigger and better.

Answer Club

Last week we gave kids the opportunity to ask questions. If they could ask God anything, what would they ask? After last week’s club, all of us leaders got together and reviewed the questions. There were many thought-provoking questions such as: When will I shine? How come there is suffering? If God wanted us to be good, then how come He created sin? What is life about? How do you get to heaven? These are just a smattering of the questions that kids asked. There were quite a few on the central theme of free will. Why does God give us free will? How can He still love us when we sin again and again?

Tonight five leaders sat at chairs in front of the club room. Each one took a turn addressing a different aspect of free will. Kevan gave the analogy of the movie Pleasantville; if everything was perfect, then how could we ever appreciate a colorful world? How could God make us love Him? What kind of love is that? We experience hardship and color so that we can better experience and draw near to the Creator of our souls. Ingrid gave the illustration of a buffet table. What would life be like if all we had to eat was tapioca pudding? The purpose of a buffet is to have variety. Human beings are given free will to make choices. There are some choices that are healthy and still some that are not as healthy. Without variety and actually having choices, free will wouldn’t be free will. Christian shared the story of the prodigal son in a modern version that illustrated how God gives us the keys to the car: freedom. The choices that we make can lead us back home or farther away as we rely on our own decisions. Also, there are times when our decisions can affect and harm other people, such as that of a car accident or breaking into someone else’s vehicle. God loves us so much that he accepts us back again and again, and we would never know the pain of suffering from our own choices if we would have just stayed at home, chillin’ with the Father.

Questions Anyone?

Questions. Tonight Young Life club was closed with the idea of questions. We all have questions we would like to ask God: Why is there suffering in the world? Why are we tempted? If God knew that there would be sin, then why did he create us with the ability and the desire to choose it? Kids were given the opportunity to ask any questions that they wish to ask by writing them on small pieces of paper, and they then placed the little papers in a box.

Next club, Young Life leaders will share these questions and some answers, and open up the evening for some conversation and dialogue. “God has set eternity in the heart of man.” –Ecclesiastics 3:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. –Jeremiah 29:11-13

Cinco De Mayo Celebration

Ay! Yiy! Yiy! Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Tonight we brought in some Mexican traditions, spurred on by an Ecuadorian/Mexican surfer named Martin. Martin led a double jalapeño pepper popping eating contest; three contestants each had to eat two large jalapeno peppers. The first to finish earned a $50 scholarship off of camp as well as a bag of hot Cheetos with lime. The contest was off with a bang when one girl ate the entire pepper in one bite. However, she was the last one to finish her first pepper by the time the other two contestants finished their second. Her throat was so on fire that it was deemed impossible to swallow her humongous bite. Burn, baby, burn! The night included a relay of throwing on and off some Mexican ensembles: a sombrero, a shirt, and a bandana. What is Cinco de Mayo without a piñata?! Rickey, whose birthday was today, smashed the sombrero piñata and rained a shower of root beer barrels, bubble gum, and lollypops down on the crowd.

Drew shared the testimony of Luis Fortin, a World War II bomber pilot. He underwent 47 days lost at sea, winters caged on Japanese soil, alcoholism, and a disastrous marriage. Though he had grown up in a Christian home and was familiar with all of the traditional Christian holidays, he really met Christ at a Billy Graham crusade. A tranquil calm rushed through his spirit as he gave his life to Christ. Drew went on to share about various Biblical characters: Saul, the Samaritan woman, and the friends on the road out of Jerusalem. Jesus will meet you where you stand, but you must choose to meet him there.