The last 10 days with my mentoring group have been incredible. We met last Wednesday night (3/9) for the first time in a while. Normally we meet on Sunday evenings before church but the last 3 weeks we couldn't meet because of mission trip meetings. So almost a month had passed since our last meeting and I desperately wanted to meet with the guys so we decided to get some food after Epicenter.
We went to Arbys and just started talking. I had to apologize to the group for my lack of leadership over the past month and I told them that I took full responsibility for us not meeting. Come to find out, each of the guys was in the middle of a rough week (which made me feel even WORSE). We talked through a number of different situations from quiet time struggles to parents and being bold in their faith at school. After talking through a few things, Trenton said he had something he wanted to share...
That night at Epicenter a message was given about the hypocritical lifestyle we can so easily fall into where we say we love Jesus at church but we don't prove it throughout the week. Trenton realized that night that he had never really surrendered his life to Christ. He's grown up in church his whole life and his dad is even one of the pastors on staff at the church, and he always thought he was "safe." Trenton gave his life to Christ last Wednesday night which we were all excited about. We spent the next little bit celebrating with him in Arbys. He told me before he left that night that he wanted to get baptized as soon as possible.
This week at epicenter we baptized Trenton and one other student. It was awesome.
In the past year, I have had the privilege of seeing 2 guys that I mentor get baptized. Not by my poking or prodding, but because they knew that it was the first step of obedience and that they needed to publicly declare their life change.
I can't tell you how awesome it is to see someone who you invest time and energy into do something like that. I get so excited yet at the same time I'm extremely humbled that God allows me to be a part of the students' lives.
Romans 6:3-5
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection
I know you do not know me, but I stumbled upon your blog and felt like commenting. You probably have heard this time and time again, but I do not care.
ReplyDeleteGod is working though you to reach the lives of others. Never stop trusting in God even when the journey gets tough. He will provide. We do not know His plan, yet He does. Just by having this blog and others reading, you are touching their lives too. For me, it is a great encouragement to read what you wrote. It proves time and time again how great God is. Never stop. Even though I do not know you, I will be praying for you. Praying that you continue to grow in your walk with God and He will do wonders through you. That others will see something different and want what you have. God bless.
.:Molly:.