Pumpkin Carving Night - 10.27.24 (Sunday)

“Thinking Ahead”

Because I am a prideful person…

There are times when I find it difficult to seek advice from other people…

I tend to think that.. I know what I am doing… I know what is best… Therefore, my thoughts must be right…

But the more I think about next year and planning it… I have realized that I have not asked you guys your thoughts…

I have not come to you or asked you what it is that you want to learn?

I have not asked you your thoughts, opinions, or even areas that you guys need more understanding…

I have made assumptions about what I think you need to know or learn… when in reality… I should actually ask you…

I personally have been challenged to love you guys and the leaders better… I personal have been challenged to love you guys and the leaders like Christ loves the church…

I am reminded of Romans 12:9-10

Romans 12:9–10 (ESV)

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

GENUINE = “Not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed”

One of my goals for this youth group… is that the students and leaders would experience genuine love from Christ… that would propel you guys to show genuine love to one another…

I do not want what we do here to feel as if it is pretend… going through the motions… or as if it is not sincere…

How cool would it if someone attended this youth group… and they walked away experiencing genuine love that can only come from Christ…

I genuinely care for you guys… the leaders here genuinely care for you guys…

We love you guys… because Christ first loved us… and we want you guys to know and to continue to walk with the Lord…

In an effort to genuine love you guys better… I am going to ask that you all do me a favor… I am going to pass out index cards…

On one side of the index card… I am going to ask that you right down a couple of things you are interested in learning about pertaining to God…

This can be a question that you have… a book of the bible you want to walk through…. reasons to trust the historic accuracy of the Bible… relationship advice and how to navigate that through a biblical perspective… Maybe you want to know how to navigate our feelings… thoughts… anxieties… maybe you want to learn more about what the Bible has to say about depression…

Whatever the topic may be that you are interested in learning in… you are going to write on one side of the index card…

On the other side… I would ask that you write down an event that you want to see happen next year…

This could be a new idea… or a past event that you loved and want to see happen again…

Your opinions matter to me… your questions matter to me… what you are going through matters to me…

The only way that I will be able to help you… is if you are honest on these cards…

I am going to ask that you guys spread out to fill them out… I do not want you next to one another filling these out. Once you are finished… hand your index card to a leader and come back and have a seat…