A Moving Service

Last night, our youth group entered quietly into the youth room with instructions to turn off phones, be seated and be quiet.  After receiving instructions from our youth pastor, they began making their way to one of five stations.  I was positioned at the "play-doh" station.  Students approached the table, read the sheet with directions and proceeded  to  start shaping the play-doh.  The directions reminded them that sometimes we let things or people or attitudes come before our relationship with God and in turn they can become our idols.  They were asked to use the play-doh to make a model of what it is that is an idol to them that they put before God.  Think about it...what would you have molded?

I don't claim to have seen every mold, but I did repeatedly see three things...cell phones, sports, and stick figures of people, i.e. boyfriends, girlfriends or just friends.  I was so proud of these young men and women for taking this seriously and searching their souls before they began stretching and squeezing their clay.  When they finished with their creations, they smashed the model and placed it back in the can.

Other stations that I found especially moving were the one where you wrote down anything you needed to confess and then shredded it!  No fireplace required:)  Another one said to write on a dry erase board something you need forgiveness for or someone you need to forgive.  Then they used their hands and erased it, just like our loving Father does!

The last station each student went to after completing the other five stations, was at the foot of a wooden cross.  They were asked to write on a slip of paper a burden they have that they want to leave at the cross and let God handle it for them.  They were given a piece of tape and taped that burden onto the cross.  It was quite moving and I was, no surprise here, reduced to tears.

Now you and I both know we don't need to be in a youth group to have this kind of special reflecting time with God.  I encourage you today to go through these steps and see if there are idols in your life, see if you need to confess to our Father something you've been holding back, to forgive someone or be forgiven and lastly to lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus.

Let me hear from you.  I know God is going to doing something wonderful!

With a smile and a happy heart,

Elle