disciple now

The Disciple Now weekend in Atlanta was fulfilling.

I had the pleasure of leading break-out Bible study sessions with five great gals, ranging in age from 12 to 17 -- why yes, yes, that age gap is palpable! -- over a period of 36 hours, and cruising on oh, five-ish hours of sleep a night.

Here're my takeaways from a weekend well spent:

1. It is official: I need more than four evenings to prepare for 75 pages worth of teaching material.  My respect for teachers has skyrocketed, yet again.
 
2. It's been a long spell since I tapped into such sleep-deprived adrenaline, but glory to God, He provided.
 
3. Whirlyball is crazy.  Look it up.
 
4. The Buckhead Thriftique is organized by the Buckhead Christian Ministry in Atlanta, and its proceeds are used to provide financial assistance to people in crisis.  It's a good cause.  They hosted us for a service project that was particularly enlightening.  While I was organizing the storefront, I was surprised to see that shoppers there can purchase a pair of never-worn Armani pants for only $225, marked down from $995.  If that isn't a thrift store steal, I don't know what is.
 
5. The thousands of calories consumed in chicken nuggets, pizza, candy, and soft drinks over the weekend by all involved is impossible to know.  I do know that the grand total would be positively horrifying.

All calories and designer thrift stores aside, the young people that captured my heart this weekend are sensitive, and insightful, and impressionable.

They respect their elders, and they exercise civility and manners.

They have deeper souls than I give any youth credit for, and they crave an authenticity that shamefully, even adults aren't faithful to model.

They are fragile, and their spiritual path is narrow.  At any moment, one decision, one risk, one heartbreak could change their course forever.

While I trust for God's sovereignty and protection to be evident in their lives, I'm hoping hard for His spirit to sweep those beautiful gals right along His side, to a place of unshakable, supernatural confidence.

Goodness knows, they are fighting peer pressure that is difficult to imagine.

Our young Christians are in the minority, and their battle warrants serious attention from the body of Christ.