When you're a kid you just want some confirmation that you're loved. Everyday messages like a good meal, clean clothes, family coming to your game speak quality time love.
Our Castle Kids and pre-teens and teens have received that quality time and encouragement and truth of God's love for them.
Sometimes it's just a little treat here or there that helps put that whole message together. That's what is unfolding right now.
Our kids' ministry staff decided that even though we have been separated for months by the mandates, closures and protocols, every kid we've been working with at Castle Kids needed a little reminder of that love.
Our pre-teens, teens and Flatirons-Burlington family put that into action and wrote Valentines for our Castle Kids and added a few treats as well. We will be delivering those goodies soon.
But on top of that, we felt led to do another outreach. This past summer we received a beautiful gift from a friend and supporter to be directed to our teen ministry. We didn't have a specific goal for that check, but held onto it until God revealed that.
After all, teens getting together was frowned upon and shutdown and it was unclear when that would change. There is still outside pressure form coaches and others to avoid youth group out of fear of COVID.
But God put this on our hearts. "Make sure every teen has a physical copy of my love letter in their hands."
So anchored by that summer gift, we invited others to join in gifting a Bible to our teen ministry kids, and many felt that call. You personally wrote messages to teens encouraging them in the word of life.
Our staff has talked about and planned out how to mentor kids through learning to study the Bible. It's not a natural process. The Spirit is the teacher, but it's good to have a Biblical leader. David has begun this with youth group; Mackenzie is doing this through The Breakthrough, Jenny does this through Advanced Training and counseling, and I do this through podcasts and counseling.
Our teens are having a whole new world opened up to them through your faithful love and support.
Thank you for loving them and thank you for loving us!