We took our students on a mission trip to St. Louis. The trip is an arm of Global Encounter Ministries and is an amazing opportunity for students and adults alike. The Griffith household would highly recommend this trip. The students have to opportunity to be on mission for the Lord as well as setting under some very intense and intentional teaching for a week.
We have witnessed out students change a great deal this week. I believe with all my heart most of them are ready to move to another level with the Lord. It is such an honor to watch God move in the lives of our young people. I'm so thankful that I get to share in their lives. They don't know it but they teach me way more than I could ever teach them!
We worked in North St. Louis at Joshua Generation. We had about 32 kids on Monday but on the 2nd day we doubled that number. We had a few challenges as did every ministry site that week but we had an amazing week...witnessing 8 students coming to know the Lord. We also made new friends, and was able to love on children that desperately needed someone to love them, hug them and tell them how valuable they are to this world! Jesus Christ died for them and desires to have a relationship with them. Our students, I know, can each one close their eyes and still see the face of those kids...and the face of the one that touched their individual heart!
Our students shared Sunday night at our home church...such a BLESSING! Teenagers are so real and not afraid, like we adults, to be vulnerable and honest...if you missed this night you missed witnessing the evidence of God and His power in the lives of the students He has blessed Emmanual with!
God has been teaching me personally many things in the last several months. Our Pastor has been preaching thru the book of Hebrews...and God has used that book in a great way in my life. Then we go to St. Louis and the teaching was also very...what word would I use...impacting! Life changing...I'm learning more and more every year I live that God's word is put out there...we can learn or we can not...but if I choose not to hear...I stop with the Lord...been there done that and don't want that again...
just a few lessons I've learned:
-people won't care about the Gospel if they think we don't care about them
-we are to be the fragrance of Jesus Christ
-are those dear to me...the Christian subculture or the lost?
-I must have compassion...not just on Sunday...Christ was moved with compassion
-hospitality...give up for others...we must do life with people...we must!
-we must meet them on their truff...not on ours!
-reputation...people "hear" our talk but they "see" our walk everyday...what reputation in the community do I have...what reputations does our church have? Are we meeting needs in our community?
-it's not about the numbers...if we can't care about the 1 we don't care about the many!
-am I really hungry for the Lord?
-how long has it been since I've said I'm running hard after God?
-Is going to be about Him or me...I'm the one who makes that choice
IF I'M NEVER HUNGRY FOR GOD THAT SHOULD TELL ME SOMETHING!
-stop pursing religion and start pursing Jesus Christ
-so many of us desire the "power" of the resurrection but we do not want to experience death to self in Christ!
-Jesus requires my life...NOT sunday services, a mission trip, hands raised in worship...my life!
-IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY ME....Christ has spoken to me...will I obey or will I not...
So much to digest in a short week...God has spoken and I'm ready...whatever that means..I'm not gonna lie...I'm excited and I'm scared...but I'm ready
