I have been praying and crying out to God for te youth at our church. I have been asking God to let them experience the same joy and freedom I felt in high school. I was very involved in my youth group my junior and senior year. In fact I devoted almost all of my time to the youth group. I had such a passionate and intimate relationship with Christ. I was a leader in the group and I can remember walking in and out of the services and events we put on and feeling like I was floating. I was in a different plan I actually was…my eyes were fixed on Christ and I enjoyed nothing more than serving Him and sharing His love with other people.
I want that same relationship and same joy to come over all the youth because i know when it does, they will realize that nothing can compare to it. And after that…no matter how far they stray, they will never forget the peace they had and they will always be drawn back to Him.
God kind of stopped me in my prayer and said, “April, I hear your prayers and I want that for these kids too. But I also want it for YOU! You can hae that back if you will just trust in me like you did back then. But you have to recognize and give to me everything that happened between now and then, everything that has contributed to the barrier that now stands in your way of knowing me. I will help you recognize those things but you must CHOOSE to give them to me. I’m ready to break the chains and remove the barriers whenever you want me to.”
Just the thought of having that joy and peace back immediately made me start crying out to God and giving Him everything that I had allowed to come between us. He lifted so much weight off of me!!!! I feel like I am floating again 🙂 I have peace of mind and an overwhelming joy. My passion for Him and for youth ministry has been set on FIRE! I am so excited to serve HIM!!!!!
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. -Isaiah 40:31
