How Great is Our God

This past weekend I attended a retreat that the Baltimore-Washington Conference put on for their youth. It reminded me a lot of my youth days going to SC Conference events like Lifted or Springmaid, but only multiplied by 6000. There were so many kids! Our church took 110!! I've NEVER gone on a trip with that many kids. The event was called ROCK and was organized to feel like a rock concert. They had a band called Stellarkart (insert teen girl screams here -that's about all I heard this weekend whenever they took the stage). Reggie Dabbs was the speaker for the event, and if you're not doing anything right after reading this blog go to youtube and look up this guy, he's incredible! He has such a passion for helping teens, and making sure they know the freedom and love of Christ.

I was excited about this weekend because the kids were excited primarily. I was excited to have the girls that I did in my room. They are all great girls and are all in different spots in their faith journey, so I was already excited to get to know them better and just be there for them. I had been praying for them in the days prior. One morning I sat on the balcony looking at the sun rise over the ocean (which is considerably a lot different from a SC ocean, I digress) and prayed that God would move in the hearts of these girls, and the rest of the teens there. I also prayed that the leaders and myself would be God's tools to help them.

I was impressed greatly by one of the kids (all names will remain anonymous so to not hurt the integrity of them or my ministry to them). He stood up during "How Great is Our God" by himself while his buddies sat there. He also took off his hat and was able to worship and seemed moved by the song. I was so proud of him, and so joyful to see God's spirit moving within him.

Reggie talked all week about the pains that teens suffer from. There wasn't a night where I, and many others, were moved to tears. He kept referring to himself as "Daddy" and telling them that "Daddy wasn't going to give up on them" or "Daddy thinks they're beautiful". I'm not sure if he was trying to play on the emotion that this "Daddy" was a glimpse of what God is to them, or if he was just offering a strong male model for them. He kept referring to the youth as Babies, and how we as adult leaders and pastors should take care of our babies. He also included dramas that featured the Joker as an image of the Devil which is quite interesting but still terrifying to me.

The last night, as is many last nights of retreats, he gave his sermon then told the "Mommas" either women who had children or grandmas,and those who were spiritual mommas (which I feel included men as well) to listen and start praying for their babies in the next few minutes. He told the audience that he would call out a pain, and if anyone was suffering from that pain should stand, and he would count to 20 and call out the next one. Everyone was like "what is he talking about?"

He waited for it to calm down and he said "Suicide, if any of you have thought about it, attempted it or didn't feel worthy enough stand up...20...19...18.." He continued...and one by one teens all over the arena stood up. "Body image...Broken homes...etc" teens all over started standing. The Mommas started going around.

I looked around and heard sobbing, and I started to cry as well. There was one girl who was sitting near me and I reached over to her and she collapsed in my arm sobbing and I just held her wanting to soak up any pain and suffering she felt. I wish I had something more to say or offer her but all I could mutter out was "God is with you child." I held her, reached for another and held that child, hugging them to soak up their pain. Some of my middle schoolers looked confused and I held them. God was moving in that arena. These kids were realizing that God was setting them free of their pains.

After awhile the speaker finished and he announced that any of those kids who were wanting to accept Christ in their lives come up to the altar. After awhile I looked around and noticed that most of the middle schoolers in our group had gone up. I was smiling and praying so hard. I was so proud and so excited to see Christ lighting up their lives.

That night most of the girls came into my room where we cried and talked some more. Once again I wish I had more to offer them, but it felt like they were the ones that needed to talk and ask questions and I was to listen. They were all inspired and moved. I praise God for all that was done that night through the Father!

10 years ago God called to me, showed me teens crying in the arms of their youth pastors, accepting Christ into their lives. God showed me that this was the plan he had for me, being that adult to embrace them when God's arms couldn't be felt physically. To hold them and show them the love of Christ and teach them what this love was about. This weekend that call was affirmed and motivates me to strive harder to learn how I can share this Gospel with so many young people who are in pain and need to hear the word and Love of God.

Shalom
-Katie