JESUS IS RISEN! Happy Spring! This past week I participated in a camp called Flower City Work Camp (FCWC). In this annual camp, around 50 churches in the Rochester area gather all their youth group teenagers at a super church. These smelly teenagers are divided into specialized groups that spread the message of Christ to the city of Rochester. I was a part of the soccer camp that had about 12 talented and amazing high schoolers. There's also worksite groups, sidewalk clubs, and agencies that work to evangelize the city of Rochester, they just use different techniques to do it. In the soccer camp we used the sport of soccer as a platform to speak Jesus into kids that love to compete. And oh boy the camp was not just transforming for the children we worked with.
Before FCWC started, I felt as though I was drifting from my purpose with God. I knew I was not giving God 100% of my life and love. I was more concerned with the world pleasures and materials that only give temporary satisfaction. After listening to the speakers throughout the week and worshiping Jesus with other teenagers I was able to recenter my life with Jesus. The bible verse of the week was "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it" Luke 9:24. I interpreted this verse as whoever chooses world possessions and a mortal life with lose their life, but if you give up your life to serve Jesus you will live eternally with him.
I have reflected on how this verse applies to my life and in order to follow through with my commitment to God, I have had to change a few things in my life. I have decided to remove all music besides worship music so that I only put uplifting and encouraging music into my head during the day. I was caught up in the pop culture and I realized I praised and gave more of my time to famous artists than to Jesus Christ. I have also put my social life on hold because I have given myself more free time to spend in devotions and mediation with Christ. I ask for prayers that I continue following these practical life developments I have found along the way at FCWC. I thank the speakers for giving their time and speaking to around 300 teenagers who never, ever seemed to shower. And I thank my soccer group of 12 young adults that pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and talk with these children from Rochester about the love of Jesus. We ended up getting two of the kids (one 7 and one 8) to devote the rest of their lives to Jesus!!! This week gave me a similar taste of what I'll be experiencing on my journey with the World Race in four months!
