As some of you may already know, I'm the high school youth pastor at the Vineyard. Tyler and I started as volunteers for both Middle and High school back in 2014. This is something that I had never really pictured myself doing. I thought it may be a good thing since youth group was such a big part of my own life when I was in school. Fast forward to 2019 where I have been running high school youth every Sunday night. I honestly feel so unworthy to be in this position. Sometimes it's hard. I don't have all the answers (I wish I did). I'm not this crazy super pastor that does everything with confidence. But what I am confident in is that God has put me in this position that I never thought of doing for a reason. It brings me so much joy! Nothing makes my heart happier than seeing my students worship Jesus, praying for one another, and truly showing love to others around them. Something that I feel like the Lord has been putting on my heart is for me to introduce the students to the power of the Holy Spirit. My youth pastor never taught us about this when I was in youth group.
Really all I learned was, "Don't have sex." "Jesus forgives you." Jesus loves you." It was all surface level. It wasn't until I was 19 that I saw healing, gave and received prophetic words, and really tapped into the AMAZING things God can do through me and others around me! My soul was awakened. So how can I hold this back from our future? Children are the future!
And if I can introduce these students to the mighty power of Jesus Christ, that is alive in them, then they can change the world! I truly believe that with my whole heart. One Sunday night we practiced getting words from the Lord for each other. It was the most fun I have EVER had in my years of youth group. Students were getting spot on prophetic words about each other left and right! I took a moment to reflect on what was was happening and there was this electric joy in the room! They were being introduced to the power of the Holy Spirit coming alive through them!!! I told them how I believe the enemy is attacking this generation with suicide, depression, and anxiety because they literally scare the hell out of him! Even the evil one knows this generation is powerful. So he's working 10 times harder to tear them down... But my God has big plans for this generation. There will be a revival through this generation! And if I can be a stepping stool to raise up my students in what God wants to do with them and for them, then I will do it until the day I die. I am committed to my students, and most of all I am committed to the mission. The mission of our church and the mission of making disciples across all the nations!! So look out world! The next generation is rising up! Instead of putting them down, let's raise them up with encouragement and pour into them all the knowledge, love, and devotion we have. Because these children are our future.
Challenge: Don't take advantage of the time you have with young people who look up to you. Give them everything you have (the good stuff anyways) haha.
*When people ask me when Tyler and I are going to start having kids, I joke and say we already have about 20! lol Here are some of them!
Really all I learned was, "Don't have sex." "Jesus forgives you." Jesus loves you." It was all surface level. It wasn't until I was 19 that I saw healing, gave and received prophetic words, and really tapped into the AMAZING things God can do through me and others around me! My soul was awakened. So how can I hold this back from our future? Children are the future!
And if I can introduce these students to the mighty power of Jesus Christ, that is alive in them, then they can change the world! I truly believe that with my whole heart. One Sunday night we practiced getting words from the Lord for each other. It was the most fun I have EVER had in my years of youth group. Students were getting spot on prophetic words about each other left and right! I took a moment to reflect on what was was happening and there was this electric joy in the room! They were being introduced to the power of the Holy Spirit coming alive through them!!! I told them how I believe the enemy is attacking this generation with suicide, depression, and anxiety because they literally scare the hell out of him! Even the evil one knows this generation is powerful. So he's working 10 times harder to tear them down... But my God has big plans for this generation. There will be a revival through this generation! And if I can be a stepping stool to raise up my students in what God wants to do with them and for them, then I will do it until the day I die. I am committed to my students, and most of all I am committed to the mission. The mission of our church and the mission of making disciples across all the nations!! So look out world! The next generation is rising up! Instead of putting them down, let's raise them up with encouragement and pour into them all the knowledge, love, and devotion we have. Because these children are our future.
Challenge: Don't take advantage of the time you have with young people who look up to you. Give them everything you have (the good stuff anyways) haha.
*When people ask me when Tyler and I are going to start having kids, I joke and say we already have about 20! lol Here are some of them!
hello did you just start bloggig?
ReplyDeleteHi! Yes! I posted officially , yesterday! :)
Deletewell that's awesome! welcome to the blogging world!
DeleteJacie M Testi
thebiglifechange.blogspot.com