As I opened up my emails on Monday morning, I started reading one from Pastor Jon. The email was about a young man who was shot over the weekend.  As I read the email of some of what this kid had wrote on his face book wall, tears started to stream down my face…I had to stop a minute to get a tissue and try to compose myself.
You see this story hits so close to home for me..not only is this an area where we minister to many kids for Power House, I could have actually have had him playing BB on the court at the Alexander Elementary playground while we were doing a Power House site. Many times afterwords I’d go over and talk to the teens on the court as well as the playground and introduce myself and talk to them.

Many teens are looking for acceptance, trying to find where they fit in, and end up finding themselves involved with a group of others they wished they had never met and don’t know how to disassociate with them. These groups can be the worst of the worst for peer pressure, bullying, and become threatening to not only them but also loved ones, friends, neighbors, and even associates (casual acquaintances).

I know all to well as a preteen going to school at Hall Elementary living in a diverse and lower income neighborhood (Roosevelt Park area) many days my brother and I would have to take an extra long way home, weaving in between houses and going blocks out of our way, in order to not be harassed and beat up by gang members or want-ta-bee’s.

That was my first encounters with gangs, not fond memories. Then as a single Mom after my divorce my kids and I moved into the house my Mom had grew up (not far from the Hall school area). My oldest sons personality started changing..I hadn’t realized at the time what was going on, I thought he was just going through a phase. I didn’t know what to think and of course no parent wants to think their kid could be involved with a gang…but that was exactly what had happened. At one point we even had a group of guys drive up to our home and get out of the vehicle and start pounding on the back and front door of our house…thank God for keeping my family safe!! My son got out of this life without being jailed, or killed…but many don’t!

Years later I still thank the Lord for His faithfulness and provision of safety for my son and that he didn’t end up like the kid I just read about and many other teens who had gotten involved in gang activity.

Yes, this young mans death bothers me!! These kids break my heart seeing that they are buying in to the devils lies and plans for them. (John 10:10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. We need to let them know that they were created for a purpose and a plan and not for the thug life. Many will blame the fact that these kids are in an impoverished neighborhood, the fact they live in a single parent home, or possibly they have to much time on their hands. The truth is many of those reasons can play a factor, but the bottom line is they all need Jesus. They need a life changing, life altering, sold out to God transformation..a heart transplant, so to speak. They need to know and have an intimate relationship with God and have themselves surrounded with like-minded believers and a mentor who can disciple them.

Every where I looked for help when I was going through all the difficult things with my son seemingly turned up to be dead ends..one day after switching schools for him for the 3rd time it was the breaking point! I had a call that he was going to be expelled if I didn’t take him out of that school. He had only been there for a couple of weeks. I said to him that’s it..we went straight from his school where I had met his principal and to the Wednesday night service at church. I couldn’t get my daughter into her service at the time and my sons went to their service. I cried out to God and said I can’t do this any more!! I need you to take control and I finally released it all to God. It’s been a ride, I’d like to say it’s all been easy, but I’d be lying, but I do have to say when I realized God is the only answer and He wants us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us, my life became more peaceful.(1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.) Every storm every trial every battle is Gods, He wants to give us all  the peace that passes our understanding.

First I looked for help for my son with man, but God was who I should’ve went to first. Man will let you down, but God can’t..we need to trust Him. You see God doesn’t want any to perish but all to come to repentance. We need to make a way for teens like the one who got shot over the weekend, to be able to come to repentance. It’s to late for this kid (I don’t know if he received the Lord) but we can make a difference by reaching out to teens like the one who was shot and let them know that God’s plan is for good for them, Jeremiah 29:11 says..For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

But how will they know if no one goes to tell them? These kids aren’t expendable they are valuable and God loves them and so should we.

Luke 10:2 The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Let’s show these kids it’s not hopeless..It’s to late for this boy who was shot,  but many are out there still and we can get to them before it’s to late to be reached please help us reach them!