A Recipe for Disaster

38 teenagers, 4 staff members and the day before spring break....... some, me included would say this is a disaster in the making, however God had different plans.

This past week at EPIC, our teenage community with GraceRiver Church, we were down on help on up on kids packed full of energy. We had the EPIC band playing for the second time and Jeff, one of our staff members, was going to be speaking for the first time. The previous week we had four students decide to follow Christ and 5 others that what to understand what this ‘beyond ordinary life” we refer to is all about. We were praying that God would move in big ways in the hearts of our teens again this week.

Wednesday - EPIC Spring Break Kick-Off

7:00 a.m. - Drop off Greg at the airport for his business conference in PA. I am glad he has the opportunity to go, but also know how it will affect the kids him not being there. The majority of Greg’s small group return each week craving to connect with him, a solid male who is committed to them and not going anywhere soon.

8:00 a.m. - @ the Gym
As I am lifting weights I pray about the day to come and what God has in store for these students tonight. I pray that I will remember the names of new students and, even with the lack of help, be able to have some deep heart connections with ones that have been coming for awhile.

For me it is early and I want to go back to bed, but I focus and remember some of the reasons I am working out every other day.........to be in better health, to be able to hopefully have kids of my own, to be able to be more active and ‘play” more with my students that through those ‘fun’ times deeper connections would be made....so that God could be glorified more through me.

9:00 a.m. - still @ the gym
I am tired and I want to go home. But, if I go home now I know that I will not go to our Middle School to visit the teenagers during lunch. I decide to stay and take the aqua aerobics class. There are quite a few people in the class today, most I hardly know since I am working out at a different location than normal, that is fine with me - I am tired and don’t want to connect with anyone.

Several women want to talk with me, but I am still tired - God please, I really don’t want to connect with people right now - the day ahead is going to be exhausting emotionally. God says, “Connect. Be encouraged.” I speak with 4 different women, God provides opportunities brought up by them to share about GraceRiver Church, EPIC and the work God is doing.

11:00 a.m. - driving to Middle School
I am thankful that God has opened the doors for me to visit our students at Odyssey Middle School - not all schools are open to Christian leaders coming in. However, I feel it again. That tug in my gut, desperately pleading to not go back to Middle School. Middle School is a hard time in life and for most of us we would never want to go back and relive those years. Each time I go to visit the teens during their lunch, I feel all the insecurities coming back - it feels like once again I am in Middle School..... will they like me, will I have a place to sit, will anyone talk to me, am I cool enough....... this stinks!!

I pull open the doors to the cafeteria full of lost souls.

Before I can even fully get into the cafeteria one of my students comes running up to give me a big hug. I see that she is wearing her EPIC shirt - the exact same one I have one. She is coming tonight and wants me to come and say Hi to the kids at her table. After I talk a bit I get up and wander around looking for other students I recognize and praying I will remember their names. Lord lead me to the tables and students you want me to talk with.

Lunch is almost over and I am heading back to the doors to hold them open as the kids leave and the next group comes in. A group of boys at a table catch my eye. I start a conversation with them & they are snickering all through out. This starts to hurt my heart, why are they laughing at me..... I am so not cool..... I want to leave right now.... stupid middle schoolers........ 

Wait. Engage. Be Jesus to them.
Deep Breath.

Ok God lead the way.

5 more lunches to go and many more students to connect with. I stay and God provides some really cool connections. I meet two new tables full of students due to 2 teens I met at the Easter Egg Extravaganza outreach we did the past Saturday. One girl Stephanie, sees me, remembers me and strikes up conversation with me.

Ok God, maybe middle schoolers are not stupid.

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - @ home
I check my email, create the slideshow for EPIC, check to see if there are any last minute needs, changes or cancelations, and connect with Greg. He has arrived in PA. I catch him up on todays adventure at Odyssey Middle School.

5:15 p.m. - Heading out to the YMCA where we meet for EPIC
I receive a phone call from our bass player that the drums we are to use tonight are locked in our students garage and his Dad has left for the evening with the key. Oh no!! Where in the world can we get a drum set in the next 20 min? The band takes up 20 mins of our program tonight - what will we do if we can’t play??

God, calm me in this moment and show me what to do.
I remember one of our pastors has an electric drum set. I call and race over to grab the set. Long story short - it was crazy, but the band was able to play - it was a bit rough, but the students just seemed excited to see their peers playing and singing.

7:00 p.m. - @ the YMCA - EPIC
Hanging out, EPIC Band playing. Games.... oh no, miscommunication we have no games??? Think, what can I do. God lead the way - we are losing control of the group we are down on staff and the teens energy is through the roof....

Boot Camp.

In May we will be doing a outreach to our soldiers overseas and as the fun aspect we will have a our own boot camp lead by a former Marine and Army member. 

We will have a test run tonight - we have to get some of this energy out or the kids will never listen to Jeff. We take the kids outside and give them a small taste of boot camp. Shane, a former Marine, has the kids going from pushups to jumping jacks to running in place. Ah yes, some of that energy is being released.

They come inside and Jeff shares. The students are so attentive, interested and engaged. It is like a different group of kids. I guess you could say the brief exercise helped, however I think it is God breathing into these students feeding their hunger for a ‘beyond ordinary life.”

Spring Break is next week - I am glad for the week off to catch my breath and jump back in again. Glory to God.