Asking for prayer

It's been weird but I am helping plan two different camps. One in South Padre Island, which will be our camp that students go. I was also asked to be on the board for Camp Hope, which is a camp targeting At-risk junior high kids and now freshman. I 100% support camps and believe in them. What I find to be so unique about these two is that we are not going into it with the mindset that we are going to change lives. It is the mind set that we are going to go and build relationships and connect them with a local church.

You might think that is easy, but it really isn't as east as one might think. There are a few things I believe!

• Every youth group should be diverse with different cultures. Yes this causes drama and yes students have a problem with it normally. I always make the joke that no everyone in my youth group likes each other and I am okay with that. I have the Bible thumper, I have the freshman in a gang, one that smokes pot, the girl who has emotional issues, the boy who has emotional issue, the kid looking for his calling, and the one who could careless. It dirves me nuts on days, but isn't this the kingdom of God. 
• I have a rule, "I don't want your church friends." Sounds mean, but I live in Abilene that has a just as many churches as 711's. I am over trying to have a big youth group I am into having a youth group with loss souls and find the grace of Jesus Christ. This is why we carry a 0 Tolerance policy on bullying. You come in with respect things will be ok. 
• God has blessed us with allot of boys and I take some heat for that. I believe God has giving us this for many reasons. I believe we have done an amazing job at making it an okay spot to not be okay and we allow allot of fellowship. I believe we have done a poor job with the girls at times. That has nothing to do with our leaders, but more with they get mad at the boys or each other and leave. 

I say all of that to ask you for prayer as we plan and also prayer for all the churches that will take some of these kids in. My thing is the smaller the youth group the better fpr these kids. Most of them hate large groups because they are looking for a group to take them in. What better place then the church.

It's amazing that we serve such an awesome God. We were once lost but we have been found!