Jesus Loves You

Over the summer I read Run Baby Run by Nicky Cruz, I had bought the book for any youth who wanted to read it about 6 months ago, but I thought I would give it read too. Well I hadn't read it, and then when we were going away to the in laws, I noticed it and thought I would take it with me and read it, well I took it with me, but I didn't read it. The last night we were there, I was up late on my own and I put on the God channel, after watching somone else preach, I flicked to another channel and there was David Wilkerson preaching ( He is the minister in the book) and I thought I should really read that book. The next day I started it and was enthralled, especially with the parallels with today. We then went to the Boiler Room in Stanford, which once again was a fantastic time, but I forgot my book, I went into the prayer room, and there on the bottom shelf of a bookcase, on its own, was Run Baby Run, someone had placed a post it on it, saying 'READ NOW' so I did.

The YC for the Diss youth starts again on Friday night. I am looking forward to it, seeing all the youth again, building those relationships, being stressed and having a laugh. I really feel though that these young people need to know something. It is great getting them in the church building, but what good does that do them, most of them do not realise they are in a church. We are showing Jesus' love, but there are plenty of 'good' people in the world, what makes us different, to the young people, we just run the youth club.

The young people are just the same as in Nicky Cruz' time, not fitting in, not loved, not wanted, belonging to each other, expressing themselves with violence, building a brotherhood of brothers in arms to make up for the lack of family, being wanted, trying to find the missing love by giving their bodies to each other, trying to forget it all and trying to be happy by getting lost in drink and drugs, and having no idea who God is. The same then as it is now. Then the same message is true now as it was to Nicky Cruz and the MauMaus then. That is what I would like to express to youth coming through the doors at the YC, through posters, some music and not being afraid to say it in those conversations that we have. This is not a ram it down the throat thing, this is just to be a truth thing.

'Jesus Loves You'