On Mohawks, Hunger & Jesus
Saturday, April 14, is a day that will live in infamy. It is a day that will be remembered for generations and generations. Or, at least for a few weeks! It was the day that I said goodbye to my fluorescent pink Mohawk. Gone are the days of yore when children would walk by me and say, “Mom, why is that man’s hair the same color as your shoes?” And even though my wife is much happier with my natural shade of brown locks, there will always be a special place in my heart for that bright color which is not found in nature.
Moments like these remind me of the reasons I love working in youth ministry.
1 Timothy 4:12 states, “ Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love in faith and in purity...”
You see, that Mohawk was a constant reminder that we have students in our community who genuinely care for and love the people in this world. We have students who choose daily to leave their comfort zone and put others before themselves. Students who are committed to having God work in and through their lives. In February I challenged our Jr. High students to leave their comfort zones and fast for 30 hours in order to raise money for those who suffer from hunger around the world. I told them that if they could reach the goal of raising $10,000 dollars by the end of the fast, that they could do whatever they wanted to my hair.
So our students went to work. They did cookie fundraisers, they got sponsors from all over the country, and they even auctioned themselves off to members of the parish to do yard work! And in the end, a miracle had occurred. They not only raised the money, but they actually exceeded their goal! And the very next day my hair was pink.
The reason I bring this up is to declare that Jesus is very much at work in the lives of our youth here at All Saints. Every week our students are growing in the understanding of God’s love and abounding grace in their lives. They are realizing that having a relationship with God can be more powerful than any force in this world.
Last week a student came up to me after one of our programs. She had been asked in a small group earlier that night if there was anything in her life that she would like to change. Her face was beaming, and her heart was full of excitement as she told me that if she could change anything, it would be to have a deeper relationship with the God of the universe.
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Way to go, Rob ... and ASC youth!
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