"Get It Together Girl"

This is another freestylin' piece, "Get It Together Girl". It is a testimony of how God recently poked me and reminded me of His priorities.

I'm so glad I had this experience, I needed the reminder.

Just recently we were led to begin a new series for our youth Bible study. We gather every other Saturday night in our home for what we call, Word-Up! It features a night filled with Bible study, games, music and a Teen Café. During Teen Café we serve our special of the evening (tacos, nachos, soups, desserts etc.), talk, listen to music and watch music videos, (mostly Christian Hip Hop) play chess or other board games and give the young people a time of safe clean socializing.
Our new theme is, "Is Your Lifestyle Killing You"? Our theme verses are Proverbs 14:12-13 "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief". We're examining the lifestyle and worldview of these young people and showing them the Christian lifestyle and a Biblical worldview. Our first evening was an introduction of the series but our second and third sessions were spent delving into the lessons and taking close looks at ourselves through life sketches that God blessed us to write. These sketches reflect the lifestyle of our young people in our community in general and we expected they may be bull's eye for some of them.
The first life sketch night we split up into three groups, high school boys with Tony, high school girls with me and Meagan, and middle school boys and girls with Candace and Byron, I must interject here that it is such a joy to have our children so actively involved in this ministry. Tony and the guys were in the dining room where we all met before the small group time. Meagan and I had the high school girls in the family room, while Candace and Byron had the middle school kids in the kitchen.
That night as the groups received their envelopes with their life sketch and read it aloud something we prayed and hoped for began to happen. Each sketch was perfect for the group that it was assigned. The youth opened up to discuss and share their experiences more than they ever had before. We knew they had needs, hurts and anguish but we had not begun to imagine how much. The surface had been scratched and the pain was expressed in story after story. After that evening was over, we sat up for hours just downloading all that had happened. We acknowledged God's presence and power that we experienced.
We prayed about the Saturday that would follow and hoped it would be greater.

Last Saturday was very hectic for our family so while Tony was out on the first run we were still scampering around to get the house ready for the study. Earlier in the day Byron and Meagan had to work while the rest of us were doing chores, laundry, bathrooms and those kinds of things. So as the first van load arrived I was still working in the kitchen and this was when God, Who knows me well, had to remind me to chill out and be more like Mary rather than freak out and be more like Martha. He knew I had three large pots of soup on the stove for that night and the kitchen showed every bit of my preparation. He knew how I felt about the dirty things still in the sink, seasoning containers along with remnants of potato and carrot peelings on the counters. He knew that I began to focus on the floor that hadn't been mopped the two drawers that were in need of repair still had the same need. We usually have everything done and in place just in the nick of time and He knew that wasn't going to happen last Saturday and that my 'MO' is panic and rally the troops and I needed to quickly let the peace of God that passes all understanding be the center of my thoughts. Get it together girl! The Bible study wasn't dependent on the kitchen…Boo-yah!

I was reminded of that peace, as the teens came in they spoke and went on over for the warm up games. A few wandered in the kitchen spoke a bit more, got coffee and went back to the dining room; they weren't interested in the condition of the kitchen at all. After the van returned a second time we played one more game and moved into the lesson. Last Saturday was even more telling than the previous session. God revealed so much through those verses in Proverbs; each week He astounds us. We had three Desiring God video clips of an interview of the Gospel Hip Hop artist Lecrae to watch this week as a part of the lesson. During one clip he tells of his former lifestyle as an urban, gangster, Tupac Shakur listening, drug user from a single parent household. He told of his mom's myriad of boyfriends some who were kind to him and those who beat him. The teens shared their reactions to each clip and they were so similar to Lecrae's.

That night as during others, they were told of God's love for them and His desire to save them. Tony went from teaching to preaching and an urgent plea to repent and turn to the cross, and accept the Savior went forth mightily. We prayed as they listened, confronted with the gospel message once again and a decision to make; accept now or reject Christ once more. As they talked we passed out bowls of soup. They asked to be prayed for and for support as they struggle with whether they want to be the first person in their family to be a born again believer in the Lord Jesus or not. They've had so much tradition it's killing them. They see the way out but fear the new territory. So many folks are playing that religious game and the kids play it because they are expected to even though they despise it. One place they don't want to see it or even get wind of it is in us. We must be transparent, up front and faithful, willing to admit our sin and repent. We offered our support and a place where they can continue to come and be heard but we want more than that for them, we want them to be saved and for the few who are saved we want to help them grow strong in the Lord.
You know what? After all that, they still didn't care about the dishes in the sink, the unmopped floor or the things on the counter. They wanted a place to feel welcome, a safe place to share about themselves and hear that Old, Old Story of Jesus and His Love, time after time. As long as they know they can come here and hear it told truthfully without traditions added, they want to hear it. They want us and what we have to offer not our stuff perfectly washed and put away. They want me to be in the room with them not still washing dishes. They want to hear the truth of their lifestyle and the consequence of continuing in it. They want our hugs, our smiles, our prayers and the truth from God's word even though they may again reject it…it is still available.

The roller coaster we ride each week is nerve wrecking and exciting. The emotions of these teens is overwhelming at times. I think of this and though I still want my house to be clean when company comes calling or the Bible study is about to begin I want to be the faithful laborer. Of course I'd prefer the sink to be cleared, the floor mopped and the counters wiped but I've learned that even if I don't it isn't what really matter as much I think it does. I am determined to be more available even when it's out of season for me, like I'm just didn't feel ready or up to it or some other "me" thing I've got going on. I must be willing to extend hospitality, kindness and keep my phone on and charged for those late night texts. I must remain focused; get it together girl and keep Christ centered. I'm thankful for that super poke from God, I needed it and I'm not about to start a poking war with Him.
Thank you for your prayers for us as we minister on St. Helena Island. We don't have it all together here and we hope we never get to the place where we think we do. We pray to be submissive, obedient servants who will always keep our antenna tuned in God's direction and fulfill the work He has for us here. We must reach this generation before it is too late! God loves them and we do to; they are a great bunch and we wouldn't trade them.