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!

Just this past weekend we had a flapjack breakfast at Applebee’s in Grandville. At the breakfast the kids who will be going to camp as well as Power House volunteers and L.I.T.’s (leaders in training) served breakfast from 8:00-10:00 AM.

The people who came to support this fund raiser received egg’s, bacon, all they wanted pancakes as well as their drinks. They were eagerly greeted by each volunteer and Power House kid. The kids were so happy to help earn their way to camp and in return were tipped very well by satisfied customers!

The kids made over $900 profit from this event. This money was put towards our Adopt-A-Camper fund which is now at $2,759.65. Wow!!! That’s over half way our goal is $4,240. If we surpass our goal we can send even more kids to camp!

On behalf of the kids and all of us from Power House I’d like to thank all those who supported the Flapjack Fundraiser at Applebee’s.  We would also like to thank Applebee’s Manager Jason Bolinger and his staff for helping make this fundraiser a success.

But most of all we want to recognize God and give Him all the glory in all He’s doing through Power House Ministry and all the volunteers. Without God’s hand in all that we do here at Power House we would never achieve half of the things He has called us to do for the kids and their families.

1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

This is my prayer for Power House that God would bless our ministry and enlarge our territory and continue to keep His hand upon this ministry that we would be a blessing to the communities that we minister to.

Although we may be saved by this grace it becomes a reality check as we live in this world. You may be saying what do you mean by this statement? I’m just saying that yes we are saved by the grace that God has extended to us. Are we extending that same grace to those who are not saved? It’s easy to be nice and act “Christ like” to those who are nice to you, but when someone does something offensive to you what do you do? How do you respond? Do you get your feelings hurt? Do you get mad, get even by reacting like the one who has not even a clue about the knowledge of Christs perfect love that covers a multitude of sins? (1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.)

Am I saying that we are immune to this world and all of it’s sin? No, that is not what I’m saying I am purely stating that how we react to them could mean whether we are able to lead someone to Christ.

Whatever you are doing there is always someone there who is looking at you waiting to see how you respond, even when you don’t think there is. As we work with kids at Power House we are constantly in a place where we may be able to pick up an offense. We need to always keep ourselves prepared by keeping in the word of God and surrounding ourselves with ways to detour the offenses and pray for those who are acting out in a way that is harmful to others and themselves. Speaking the truth in love sometimes can be hard to do, but it is necessary, especially when dealing with a new convert.  Some who are not Christians and others are waiting to see how we may react are looking at you as an example as a leader.

Boundaries are sometimes difficult to establish but are necessary and healthy for you and those who are trying to “push the limit”. This is very evident when dealing with children. Dr. James Dobson talks about this in “The Strong Willed Child” Dobson states that when you give a child boundaries it makes the child feel safe and loved. This can also hold true for adults; Think about it, if you had came out of the restroom at a public place with some toilet paper on your shoe would you want someone to tell you or would you want to drag it around all day? You’re probably saying to yourself, “what’s that got to do with boundaries?” It’s like that though if you let someone behave badly you’re letting them do something foolish and your not letting them know that you care how they act you’re letting them drag around toilet paper on their shoe! I mean you are enabling them to continue in their bad behavior and not helping them grow as individuals or as Christians if they have received Jesus. (Ephesians 4)

God’s word tells us that offenses will come and that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood.. we are in a world full of sin and offenses we need to keep our eyes on Christ and filled with His Holy word…what we fill up with is how we will react so keep in the word to live right in the world.

Ezekiel 3:18-19

We have so many awesome things to look forward to as summer approaches. Spending time in the sun and playing outside along with these things comes boredom as the kids get used to not having a school schedule.

We will have some opportunities to build relationships with the kids at our sidewalk sites by having some of them go to our kids camp in August. What an awesome chance to sow into a life of a child in this life changing experience. We have a few kids already picked from some sites who will be participating in this camp experience this year. Over the next week we will receive the rest of the applicants for our Power House campers.

Camp will be located at Springhill Camp in Evart, MI. There will be so many wonderful outdoor activities for the kids to do. There will be friends made and memories that will be good to talk about.

I look back at the experience of last year with the Power House kids and truly believe it was a very precious time for each one of them. Camp was an experience that they will always remember and I believe effected them forever. Some of the same kids will return again this year and we will have some new comers who will be able to form a wonderful memory of their own. One that they will look back on a say that was when I did this for the first time and that’s when I conquered this and I grew closer to God.

Summer 2010, I know will be something special, I look forward to seeing what God will do!

Yes, it’s true we do have many things, too many to even mention to be thankful for here in the U.S.A.

With all that being said and while hoping that I made you think and ponder what you are thankful for as an American, and if you know Jesus as your savior as a fellow Christian.

What is it that you most treasure? Is it those things that if the freedom was taken from you that you would never have even thought of? “What do you mean?” This is probably the question facing you now… What if someone told you that you could not read the Bible, that it was against the law? Or that you could not assemble together with other believers (go to church)? Or that you could not go out and share the word of God and who Jesus was to others especially in public.

That’s some of the things that I just was wondering…Hmmm if there’s so many people out there who are confessed to be followers of God and are not really doing much right now, or have had their once hot flame grow cold for serving the Lord…does that mean that they are taking the freedom that has been afforded to them by being born in or moving to a free country? Would it take possibly losing this freedom to get them zealous for what Jesus did for them? Would it take them loosing the freedom that many died for so that they could live and experience it here in the United States Of America, for them to actually appreciate it?

I’m just saying that what if??? Why wait to do what God’s word so clearly states that we should do? Many people who don’t live in a free country like the U.S.A. have to hide to assemble together with other believers (go to church) they have to share a bible between several families..they die for what they believe in, become Martyrs.

There is a movement that’s going on right now in the U.S.A. to indoctrinate our children of this nation into believing things that are untruths. To get them to think a certain way and to vote a certain way and to grow up with those values that are given to them..by the media, school, science, political parties they all have agenda’s. We have to make a choice to consciously be aware of what the world is trying to teach our children, our next generation.

It’s so important to take an interest in the youth of America..don’t get me wrong, I love all the youth of the world..but I once heard this saying, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! What I mean to say is this, how do we change the world? One person at a time…the future of this country relies on how we raise our countries kids. This means we need to take the liberty’s afforded to us by those who died for our freedom. We don’t have time to waste!! Don’t wait until it’s too late..and make this statement “I wish I would’ve taken the time.” Dust off that Bible that’s been on the shelf, get on your knee’s and talk to God, assemble yourselves with other believers (go to church)…and go out and teach, be a living testimony, share the love of God with others, go or send those out to share the word of God with others.

(1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.)

At Power House we are changing the world one night at a time, by sharing the love of God and the good news of the gospel with America’s future, our children the next generation…If we don’t teach them to love all those things that are valuable the world will be teaching them to love all those things that will ultimately destroy 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) and this country that was founded on Biblical principals…those things our founding fathers of this country and many, many afterward have fought and even have died for…

Freedom isn’t free it cost a great price for us all here in the United States by those who was before us and who fight even now for it!

Someone paid a very costly price for you and me so that we could have a relationship with our maker the most high and only living God. That person was Jesus..John 3:16, says it all.. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

He gave so that we don’t have to..won’t you receive this gift that cost Jesus so much, or if you have share this gift of love with others?

Say this prayer if you would like to receive this freedom purchased for you:
Father God, I want to receive your gift of salvation purchased by your Son Jesus Christ. I admit, I am a sinner and I want to live for you now, I ask you to forgive me of my sins (wrong doings). I turn my back on my old life and I want to live for you now today and forever. Help me to have the boldness to share this gift with others and to live right every day. In Jesus precious name Amen.

If you prayed this prayer for the first time and want follow up prayer please contact us by replying to this blog with your name and email so that we can pray for you and answer any questions you may have.

You may wonder why Power House is so excited to have these kids experience kids camp??!! We see how each of their lives are affected by attending Power House one time a week. Imagine if you will what it would be like as a child to be saturated in the presence of Gods love for 4 1/2 days at camp, experiencing God on a whole new level..relying on Him for each physical challenge that is new and exciting and sometimes a little scary to someone who may have never experienced even being out of the city?!
Wow!!! What an incredible way to minister to a child, by partnering with them in a life changing experience!

We have some great way’s you can become involved in helping support this awesome cause!!

You, can make a difference and be a partner with these kids and Power House by attending our Flapjack fundraiser on Saturday, May 22nd from 8:00 AM-10:00 AM at Applebee’s in Grandville off Rivertown Pkwy at 4488 Potomac Ave.
Tickets are just $6.50 and include egg’s, bacon, all the pancakes you care to eat and your choice of beverage.

Tickets must be purchased in advance!!
Contact Char @ (616)261-3778 or charc@reslife.org for ticket’s.

Keep posted for future updates of events that you can be involved in to support Power House Adopt-A-Camper.

It’s so wonderful to see when a community embraces a child, their gifting, their talents, and their interests. I have seen neighborhoods that have gone from run down with graffiti to cleaned-up neighborhood gardens and a community arts center for kids right here in the Grand Rapids area. I also have seen that it was a local church that took an interest in the community where they have felt God has planted them.

The bottom line is Jesus makes a difference in all of these areas I have mentioned. With out the love of Christ we would never really win in life.  Sure, you may have what the world may call successful or rich.  The fact is Solomon had all the wealth and things many things man may consider all you could want, wish for, dream of and more.  But there is only one thing that can fill that empty spot and that’s Jesus. Solomon talks about that in Song of Solomon in the Bible.

At Power House we are able to partner with a community for their youth, to help them raise up a generation of winners. Winners, you may ask??!  Yes, winners!  When these kids that we minister to receive Jesus, they also receive so much more. We train and equip these kids for successful, meaningful, and purposeful lives. Power House is only powerful because of the One who has sent us…God!

Jeremiah 29:11
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.

We share this message with the kids we minister to. They are more than what society has told them they are.

Our lesson was about being a gift to God. People are valuable and God cares for each one the same.    It is awesome to be a part of a church that reaches out to the community.  This year particularly, even during a recession that has shook many in our own congregation, I saw people with the heart of God give of themselves to bless others that are less fortunate.  Church members donated turkeys and other food items which were given to a parent from each site.  Volunteers went beyond the call of duty.  At one site, a couple of our volunteers baked cakes and knitted together stockings for all the kids.  The night of the blizzard, volunteers battled the weather to make sure the kids didn’t miss out on Power House Christmas.  Lives were touched.  This year I saw God’s love demonstrated.

See pictures of our event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&ref=ts&gid=68532346215

We have 3 more sites in Grand Rapids also 2 sites in Lansing next week.

If you want to come out to help just give us a call for information @ 616-261-3778.

• December 1st – Alexander Elementary 7 PM
• December 3rd -Traditions Apartments 6:30 PM
• December 7th – Sun Flower Apartments 7 PM
• December 8th – Clancy Street Ministries 6:30 PM
• December 10th – Acts Gospel 7 PM
• December 10th – Grace Korean Church 7 PM
• December 14th – Lansing 6 PM

Come out and join us!