From the mouths of teenagers

Thought I was getting out of Youth Club last night. Its not that I don't like it but could have just done with the night it. Carol-Anne went to Tuesday Club to find that the power was off at the Corps. Their club continued as it was still light and they could function ok without power but it wasn't an option for Youth Club so it was to be cancelled. Half an hour before, I got a text to say power was back on. Have to admit to being a tad miffed to say the least. I'd got into the mindset of being in for the evening so went to club with a heavy heart. But am I glad the club went on last night as planned and that I was there for it.

Regular readers of this blog will remember that we were starting a band at the Youth Club. We purchased a number of guitars and a drum kit and put that together with a keyboard and mics we already had. Some of the young people were interested in some kind of music but we were struggling to think of music to do with them - you see we were going down the road of using secular songs that you could get a message from. Then some of the youngsters went to our Divisional summer School and have all come back really fired up for God. (Some readers will now know them as the G-Gang - G for Glenrothes in case you don't get it!) Last week, the club started back after the hols and I was away but Chris and one other staff member chatted with them about the sort of stuff they wanted to do. All the songs they listed were worship songs! And they are keen to provide the music for Catch the Fire at some point! I got an email from Chris with this info and if I hadn't been sitting down i'd have fallen over! We had been trying to tiptoe around them with the Christian message and they wanted it full in the face. So we had another chat this week and jammed through a couple of songs - it was great to hear and, although a definate work in progress, there is so much potential for this lot so, watch this space!

Then, as if God hadn't done enough with us in the music area, one of the G-Gang had asked if she could speak at the God Spot. This is the only point in the Youth Club where we insist on what the young people do - they have to sit and listen for 5-10 mins as we usually shoehorn a message into a video clip, news item or something similar. This girl simply spoke without notes about how difficult it was to stand out from the crowd especially at school and how so often people just go along with the crowd - usually ending up in all sorts of problems and trouble. She went on to say how being a Christian was really helping her in her life and then - shock of shocks - she went and prayed with the group! Its rare that we do pray with them and we are probably at fault for that, but she spoke, read from a Daily Reading book, then prayed. I was so chuffed yet felt myself sinking in my chair because here was this young girl doing what we should be doing. A few of us chatted about it afterwards and were all equally blown away by her confidence and the strength of her message.

So what was nearly cancelled turned out to be an absolutely fantastic night. We have a keen and growing worship band. We have at least 4 young people going through Junior Soldier Classes. We have young people strong enough to stand up for what they believe in and, more than that, share it with others. What a mighty God we serve.

Problem is - I'm on God Spot next week - what an act to follow!!!