expectations

Iris and Nayeli; girls in my discipleship group

written by brooke

I am ashamed of how little I can expect of teenagers. During this winter break, the leadership of Teens Adelante was praying for how to continue our discipleship format. Under the Lord's guidance and a gift of faith, we made the decision to stop teaching lessons on Wednesday night. No more bible teaching on Wednesday nights. Wait what?

I know. Crazy. So no more "curriculum" on Wednesday nights. We aren't teaching a planned lesson anymore. So how are they growing? They are doing it themselves!!!!
Starting last January 26 the kids are expected to read their bible five days a week, with a guide we created for them.  So as Teens Adelante was about to start I realized how crazy this was and had a little wave of doubt and worry. Then I remembered it was God's idea, not mine.

But after two weeks of not being together as a group because of the snow storms, I began to worry again. Last night I prepared for the worst so I wouldn't be disappointed. I tried to think of a plan to help them make-up the readings this week for what they didn't do the past two weeks. Shame on me.

I am so joyfully blessed to tell you that many of the kids have been pursuing Jesus on their own time. The delightful surprise was Iris, the oldest teen girl,  who came with her reading notes, every day  done, ready to talk about everything she had been learning and pondering (none of this a requirement).

Our small group time was pretty much the opposite of what I imagined.  I answered questions and  watched as the three younger girls in the room watched Iris diving into the Bible and our God. Something was happening that I could never do for those girls. They saw a peer, someone they want to be like, demonstrating the pursuit of Jesus.

God is so amazing. He knew they were ready for this...I didn't. But thankfully He reigns. These teens are more capable than I am to spread His love and goodness to their age group. Many of them have been fearless in this new reading and devotional plan, and some are still struggling. But I see that He is equipping some of them to lead the rest and it is humbling and glorious to watch. They are taking ownership of their walk with the Lord and he is growing them deeply.

Please pray for success in our continued pursuit of the Lord together, as the Teens Adelante leaders and youth read through Genesis this trimester. 

:) amen brothers and sisters!

Something in the Water...

Written by Brooke Coon

Sunday evening I had the great joy of watching Salma, one of the Teens Adelante girls, get baptized. I will never forget sitting on her porch in the intense heat this summer, the only place where we could talk in private. She was asking questions about traditions and liturgy done in quinceaneras (the coming of age party for Hispanic girls) as well as the meaning of baptism. Salma is a fiery, passionate girl, and she doesn't want to do something that she doesn't believe in. But when she is in, she is 100% in. The blessing I've received through Salma has been watching what she decides to put her 100% in. The things that she commits to are becoming more and more righteous.

Sunday night after her baptism, I stopped by her house to drop something off, and she didn't want me to leave. So she corralled Jessica, another teen who lives next door, her little sister followed, and we sat on the floor in her bedroom. She was flipping through her newly gifted pink bible and firing off questions about how God changes us, how we still fall, and how we are a new creation. She talked about what it meant to die with Christ and be resurrected in Him. She talked about how she has started to control her cussing and asked me if there is anyone on earth that has never cussed. She asked if there was anyone who has ever read the entire Bible and I could see in the fire in her eyes that she just couldn't get enough. Suddenly, the Bible had become very real and interesting to her and she couldn't believe all the topics she was coming across.

The girl was on fire for God that night. She was the one asking all the questions and pondering God. I was overwhelmed by her passion (the 100% thing) and I could hardly answer one question before she posed more. I want to say there was something in the water, but I know the truth is that there was something in the blood of Jesus Christ. He has been pursuing Salma and her mom Mayra as well, in the midst of traumatic loss and pain in their family this year. The blood of Jesus has given them new life, and Mayra made that public declaration by being baptized that night, too. Something very special happened in their baptism, and Salma's heart was lighting up her bedroom that night in a way that marveled the other three of us girls.