On the inside....

About a month or so ago, I mentioned to the pastor at my church that I would like to see Grapple started back up again. Grapple is a 10 week 5th grade ministry meant to pull together this special, awkward age group, get them in the same room learning about God and hopefully give them some life skills to help with the coming (and very much dreaded!) junior high years. I was interested in starting it up for very selfish reasons....my Taylor would NEVER move up to Spark (our junior high ministry) in June without some SERIOUS poking and prodding. She needs to know some other kids and really have a connection so she can be comfortable with the move. It's a different world in Spark.....an AWESOME ministry but scary for some kids as it is quite a transition during what can be a tough life transition as well.

So....Grapple began last night. I really thought 5 kids would show up. We had 19. I really thought it would be HARD. It wasn't. I really thought they would not like it and not come back. They laughed, had fun, were engaged and they learned.

WHEW.

God was there.....just like He always is.

I've begun, when I walk away from anything, to do a quick assessment to see what lesson God may have had in that experience for me. To really make sure that if there was a lesson in there, I learned it. Doesn't always happen but I do try.

I learned last night that 5th grade boys aren't so bad.....waaaayyyy different than girls but overall not so bad. :0) I learned that with the right people in place, God always gets the job done. I learned that being "on the inside" and part of their world can change my perspective.....for the good.

I saw kids who didn't know each other, get to know each other. I saw kids answer some pretty hard questions about how to be accepting of others. I saw kids PRAY.....and pray like they meant it.

I saw parents help. I saw kids laugh. I saw God guide words and teaching. I saw smiles and high fives.

Can't beat that.

Carli was our "official photographer" and I will post pictures later. All I have left to say is TO GOD BE THE GLORY....and thanks, Big Guy, for letting me be a part of Your plan.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." ~ Proverbs 22:6

JC is my BFF!!!