Silver
Lining
I’ve
always heard that there’s a silver lining to every cloud,
but sometimes you have to look really hard to find it. That was
the case recently at ARTreach 180. Five staff with 14 students
should have been a sufficient ratio, but who knew there would
be so many fires to put out? Satan was working overtime to throw
conflict after conflict into the mix. It was one of those times
that I remember from my classroom years when you come to the end
of the day and wonder if you got anything worthwhile accomplished.
I call it a “treadmill day.” You feel like you’ve
been running all day, but you really don’t have a lot to
show for it. And then it happens—GOD SHOWS UP!
The following day Shane Collins, youth minister at FCC Jonesboro
and one of our volunteers, sent me an email recounting what happened
to him on the way home that night after ARTreach. It had to do
with one of our new students who’s been with us only about
three weeks. We’ll call him Tyler (not his real name), and
I think his story is worth sharing.
Shane says,
“I took Tyler home yesterday. He told me that he had been
walking to school, so I offered to pick him up (not a big deal
since it’s right about the time I go to work anyway). I
talked with his mom last night. They had been making him walk
because of some attitude at home, but she and her husband opened
up to me picking him up in the mornings. We had a good talk this
morning on the way, reviewing some of the “respect”
discussion from yesterday. He’s trying… not there
yet, but he’s trying. I think that ARTreach is having a
great impact on some of the students.”
What
a beautiful picture of grace—loving people
in spite of their behavior and doing whatever is necessary to
help them change. Thank you, Shane, for reminding me that even
in the midst of those chaotic days, GOD IS STILL WORKING!
More
mentors are needed for the ARTreach 180 kids as well as the
facility kids. A few hours invested in a young person can make
an eternal impact!
Thanks
also to Greg Lee, youth minister at FCC Stockbridge, who is
a regular volunteer!
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On
April 25th, our first fundraiser
will be held for 2010. The Four-given
Quartet has graciously volunteered their services
to help us get the word out there about Crosswalk and
to help us raise some much needed dollars to keep the
ministry going.
Please
plan on joining us at McDonough
Christian Church from 5-7
pm for a wonderful evening of old-time Gospel
favorites, an ice cream social, and a cake auction!
No
tickets are necessary. We would greatly appreciate a
$15 tax-deductible donation
which will be received at the door. If $15 is too much,
give what you can. If $15 is too little, then please,
by all means, give more!
We
love you and appreciate you!
Gina
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Last
Friday night Jeff Jones and I went to the Macon YDC for our usual cottage
Bible study. I had planned a “meat” lesson for the girls
in the “F” cottage, many of whom I’ve known for over
a year and have watched them grow in their faith. Imagine my surprise
when we got to the control desk and God spoke through one of the officers,
“Y Cottage needs the Word tonight.” I had about 200 yards
to walk and pray that God would give me a “milk” lesson
for these girls, NONE OF WHOM I HAD EVER MET! (Y is the short-term cottage
on the campus, and we rarely see them at any of our events.) When we
walked through the door, I still had no idea what I was going to talk
about, but by the time the 11 of us had gathered in the small classroom,
God took over and gave me exactly what they needed to hear: God created
you for Eden. His greatest desire is to have you with Him in paradise.
This world is not your home. Don’t get comfortable here. The girls
were full of questions, comments, and prayer requests, and we were all
blessed by being together. I will do well to remember more often that
“Y Cottage needs the Word tonight.”