Upper Canada Youth For Christ, serving churches in Upper Canada by building relationships, sharing resources, and following the pulse of God where it is already beating.
Closer Still...
Below, a few notes from the youth last Tuesday. We asked the youth to write down their favorite verses about God, and why they were a favorite. These notes were read out loud to break the power of isolation, and to share in one another's pain / healing... speaking a lie, and replacing it with a declaration of truth.
This week we will be talking about prayer and reminders of God's presence. We will ask the question, "Why do we pray?" Please pray that this group puts into practice what they learn tonight.
Upper Canada Youth For Christ, serving churches in Upper Canada by building relationships, sharing resources, and following the pulse of God where it is already beating.
In our teaching on Tuesday nights, we continue to talk about God being our good Father. When reading a list of God's heart for the youth, they were asked them to write down the verses that they resonated with most. My heart was overwhelmed when they tried to keep up with every verse that was read. I decided to photocopy and give them the
list in letter form, the way I had found it. Knowing Gods heart for us is a powerful part of inward transformation. As we experience the love that God has lavished upon us, many of us cannot help but want to love Him back in obedience.
This week pray as they youth look through the letter, and share what stands out most about it to them, and why. Pray that He continues to soften and change their pre-concieved idea's about Himslef, and replaces those idea's with the truth, strait from His word. Click below for the content shared on Tuesday night in our teaching with the youth. Please take the time to pray these passages into the lives of the youth in the youth group and into the lives of the ones that you love as well.
Our first Staff meeting for the lighthouse will be on June 10, 2017. The youth are so excited. Please pray that we are able to implement idea's and plans that will keep this 2 month "in house" mission fresh and fun all summer long. We are a also planning to do some innovative advertising and fun activities that will bless the town of Prescott. Please pray for us every time you eat ice cream... or when you are tempted to:)
We are excited to continue to walk beside St Paul's Anglican church in Cardinal with their planned lunch club in July and August. We need prayer as we would love to see Children and families come to know the love of Christ through Christian fellowship and community.
Upper Canada Youth For Christ, serving churches in Upper Canada by building relationships, sharing resources, and following the pulse of God where it is already beating.
This past week at youth we talked about Fathers. We read the story of the prodigal son, and discussed the things we sometimes want from our earthly dads that they are not always able to give us. Each youth was given a piece of paper to write down something they wanted from their father. Here was their responses:
"I want my dad to play with me and be there for me"
"I want him to believe me when I tell the truth"
"I wish my father would be there. And notice me. I feel like I am a ghost and that he doesn't care about me. I just want to feel like I have a father instead of feeling Fatherless. I guess he just has better things to do than care or support me"
"Dad I wish I was your top priority. I wish that you weren't so angry. I love you."
"A final Farewell" (this girl's father died from Alcohol addiction several years ago)
"I want to be able to talk to you about your life without you saying that you don't remember."
"Tell me that you love me every day"
"I wish dad could say he was proud of me"
This week we will go deeper into God the Fathers heart for his children. I will be reading some of these back to the youth affirming their desires and needs, in the way that God meets their needs: "To the person that said he wants to hear His father is proud, God says to you today that He is so proud of you..." and so on. Please pray for this time together as expectations shift into new places of understanding more deeply who God is, and how to apply it to their lives.
We are in the process of refigning our vision and reason for existance in the Upper Canada region. Please pary for clearity and a clear way of communicating what God has asked of us.
Please continue to pray for our family. We continue to experience great challenges, and need to be right and true to our calling without compromising what God has asked of us. Pray for Nicole and Trinity at school, and for wisdom and a peace filled mind for both Shaun and I.
