Wonderfully Made

In a couple of weeks, my nephew will be born!

As a proud aunt should, I have alerted almost everyone I know about the coming arrival of little Levi (cute name, don't you think?!)  And already I love him.  Though ultrasound pictures are quite incredible these days, I still don't really know what he will look like...but I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will melt my heart.

And I am not sure what he will like to do, or what his personality will be like, but I do know that God created his inmost being...He knit Levi together in his mother's womb.  I also know that God declares that Levi is fearfully and wonderfully made!  

Wonderfully made.  The apple of God's eye.  Made in God's image (wow!) And he will be told these truths by his parents (and Aunt!) and will grow up knowing that God loves how he is made.

Not everyone is as blessed as little Levi will be to know these things.  The kids I hang out with often have never heard anything like this.  In fact, they often hear the opposite...or nothing at all.  I will never forget one night at SOZO Kids a few months ago when a dad came to pick up his son, "Treandre" and yelled at him for several minutes in front of me.  "You are so stupid...you don't do anything right...why would anyone want you here..." Treandre, not surprisingly, has been really hardened by years of hearing things like this.

This month, we have taken every week to teach about what is in God's heart about each of the kids.  We spent a lot of time in Psalm 139:

For you created my inmost being; 

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

   your works are wonderful, 

   I know that full well. 

My frame was not hidden from you 

   when I was made in the secret place, 

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

   before one of them came to be. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! 

   How vast is the sum of them! 

Were I to count them, 

   they would outnumber the grains of sand— 

God has so much in His heart for each of these kids.  He knows that they make mistakes, that they do things that hurt others, but he sees their hearts.  

Last week, we gave each of the girls tiaras and declared the scripture from Song of Solomon 4:7 over them as they were crowned. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.  What girl (no matter if they are 8 or 58) doesn't need to hear this?  When God looks at our hearts, He says we are beautiful and says there is nothing wrong with us...and He calls us my darling.

The boys were knighted with swords and were told, like Gideon in Judges 6, The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.  Gideon thought he was the weakest, but God saw to his heart and declared with confidence that he was a mighty warrior.

Can you imagine how you would carry yourself if you believed yourself to be a mighty warrior for God instead of stupid and unwanted?  After hearing more about how God sees him a couple of weeks ago, Treandre was grinning from ear to ear (I have never seen him like this) and eager to talk about what God thought of him (again, he has rarely interacted with us and it's usually not very positive when he does).  Truth brought life to this mighty warrior.

Tacoma is filled with girls who are beautiful and flawless and boys who are mighty warriors...they just have never heard it.  I am convinced that if more knew that God believed these things about them, there would be less prostitution, gangs, drugs and drop outs.  I am thankful that there are more who know the truth after this month.  

God's works are wonderful, I know that full well.

SLUMBER PARTY!

Late night nachos, dancing in pajamas and going to sleep way too late was on the docket for our slumber party with the gals I disciple this weekend.  We then woke up early to attend the Catalyst Encounter Conference  all day with a few hundred other youth. It was really powerful and they were encouraged and spurred on in their relationships with the Lord--to live whole-heartedly for Him like Daniel did...and we bonded in a way that only a slumber party could have accomplished!

One of our bonding moments included a dare for one of the gals to run outside in the snow (yes, SNOW in Tacoma!) while singing "Jesus is my homeboy." She was a champ and did it with style :) (and she let me post it on facebook for the world to see!)  She is a woman of great joy and is coming into this more and more every day!

A SOZO Kids Christmas Pageant

Fresh out of school holiday parties, having eaten candy canes and Christmas cookies all afternoon, kids poured into SOZO Kids eager to get a jump on their Winter Break.  SOZO Kids are constantly bursting with energy, but tonight they broke their previous threshold :)

After playing "Rudolph Dash" where kids smeared vaseline on their noses so a red construction paper nose would stick while they ran a relay, they sat in a big circle to play a "hot potato" game with a wrapped present.  Every time the music stopped, whoever held the gift got to unwrap one layer...until the last layer revealed the gift.  The box was not only filled with one big gift, but also had candy (maybe we should have thought that one through since these kids were already on an outrageous sugar high :) ) for every child in the circle. With the mounted anticipation of who would win, those desiring to have a closer look at the winner's loot rushed over and slight chaos ensued...but, we knew this was the small price to pay for an exciting Christmas party (we can handle it once a year!)

Then came time for "Holy, Holy, Holy" to grace our presence with his Christmas songs.  Now if you are expecting the usual "Joy to the World" or "Jingle Bells", you would have been at the wrong party.  "Holy, Holy, Holy" has his own Christmas raps that are written about Jesus that are fairly catchy...and the kids love them (maybe it has something to do with Santa suit?!) and dance whole-heartedly to the beat.

By this point of the night, I began exchanging glances with the other leaders, wondering if we could really pull off what we had planned next...I really felt like it was from the Lord and we had nothing to lose, so we went forward, nervously laughing at the thought of what these kids were capable of with this much sugar and pre-Christmas excitement pumping through their veins.  We all were to be throughly amazed by what the Lord did next.  

With the kids gathered on the floor, we began handing out parts for our Christmas Pageant.  We had Mary, Joseph, Gabriel, and Caesar Augustus who had the most speaking lines who were whisked away for a simple costume and to learn their few lines.  Then we had groups of kids become the innkeepers, shepherds, angels, animals, Wise Men, etc. who also got in a group with a leader and learned their part and got their prop.  After ten minutes we gathered together again and began our first ever annual (I hope!) SOZO Christmas Pageant!  I was the narrator and kids came up when it was time for their part...

Gabriel with Mary

Joseph hearing the angel in his dream

a proud Caesar

animals eager to meet the baby

Shepherds coming to visit

the Wise Men bringing their gifts

It was the most focused I have seen our kids...maybe ever.  They were SO proud of their roles and took them very seriously (even with 10 minutes of prep!)  I only wished I had greater vision to what this would be and could have recorded it and invited their parents (next year!) And I truly believe what the Lord had desired for them was fulfilled.  The story of Jesus' birth came ALIVE, possibly for the first time for these kids.

The Christmas story is one of the most powerful stories ever.  In my adult years I cannot make it through reading it in Luke without getting choked up...Immanuel, God with us...and most certainly, on this sugar-high night in Kids SOZO, Immanuel here too.

And, thanks to an extremely generous donation, "Holy, Holy, Holy" came back with gifts ($5 Target gift cards in stockings with...a candy cane!) while kids waited as patiently as their little hearts could handle for it to be their turn to get one.

My favorite was the next day when I was shopping in Target, I ran into one of my SOZO Kids (one of the animals in the manger) who was with his grandpa and proudly clutching his gift card from the night before in his hand :) (Did I mention they were both wearing Santa hats?) I LOVE what I get to do!  

Merry Christmas, SOZO Kids!

Float Friday

It's been 2 months since I have seen my 6th grader SOZO Kids who are all "grown up" now and have moved on to middle school.  Some were fairly confident about what middle school would be like while others were nervous about what they heard upper classmen would do to 6th graders (reminds me of my thoughts about starting jr. high!)  

So when the opportunity came to attend the weekly "Float Friday" outreach (connected with SOZO and YFC) that happens at one of the local middle schools, I jumped at the chance!  Float Friday happens right after school in the gym and has a similar feel as SOZO Kids...games, crafts, a message and root beer floats to cap off the time.

I waited outside the gym doors with the Float Friday team for the final bell to ring and then was met by a rush of kids in green and khaki as they poured into the gym.  There are typically 75-120 kids every week who attend and more than 80% of the school has come and heard the Gospel.  God has been moving powerfully here and other public middle schools have been calling to see if they can have a team come and have a similar program at their school!

Immediately I began to see kids who had been a part of SOZO Kids.  I had such a rush of emotion as I saw each of them, hugged them and knew that they were continuing to be a part of something where they were known, loved and learning more about Jesus. 

Soon the gym was filled with kids talking, playing basketball and dancing...which, if you know me well, you can guess where I was :) There was a group of about 15 kids doing the "Cha Cha Slide" and I was in the middle of them!  One of the girls dancing with me was "Alisha", who I have known since I started SOZO Kids and she introduced me to her group of friends and then hung out near me for much of the afternoon.  

For part of the time we were split into stations and I was leading a game of Ultimate Uno and had a group of boys (who I had never met) playing with me.  Within minutes, one of the boys started sharing unprompted about how he is going to visit his mom for the first time this weekend.  Later, another boy melted down in tears because another wasn't playing the game right.  Wow.  These kids are so in need of what Float Friday offers...and they are just that--still kids.  

The rest of the time we had a large group game, they heard a message about the Prodigal Son (told in "urban" terms) and had their root beer floats.  It was so fun to be there (I think I saw at least a dozen kids I knew) and see what goes on.  I am eager to drop in again--hopefully on a monthly basis!

This past weekend, there was a national prostitution sting and 23 children (under 18) were arrested locally.  Of those, some were middle schoolers, as young as 12.  Hundreds more are suspected to be involved in our county.  (For more information on this story, click here.)  It is still very overwhelming for me to think about kids this young involved in prostitution...but it only puts a greater fire in my heart to continue to reach the kids as young as possible so that will not be an option for them.

Praise God for Float Friday, for the kids I was reunited with, for a team of people to serve with who are committed to these kids. 

Infinitely Beyond

Teaching weekly at SOZO Kids is one of my highlights.  It is my opportunity to share more about Jesus--the One who is more then they could ever imagine and who loves them with such intensity.  It is a rowdy bunch (50 elementary aged kids at 8:30 pm on a Friday night, rowdiness is inevitable!) and getting them to sit still for 15 minutes to listen can be a bit challenging at times :)

The last few weeks, however, it is as though they have been captivated afresh about who Jesus is.  We are working our way through the book of John and my prayer is that through knowing Jesus, they would fall in love and develop a deep trust that would enable a surrendered life--for keeps!  I have been able to share about Jesus' compassion with the death of Lazarus and how he wept...these kids ache to know someone cares when their heart aches.   They have heard about Jesus healing blind eyes and have heard testimonies from one of our student leaders who was in Cambodia this summer who saw many who were completely blind healed and now able to see! They asked question after question as Jesus was brought to life.  Oh, that the Truth would penetrate and transform!


In recent weeks I have read The Cross and the Switchblade (real-life story of Pastor David Wilkerson encountering gangs in inner city New York and the radical way God changed the lives of many youth) and Real Hope in Chicago (about a community transformed by God).  I also have been stirred to read journal articles studying the risk factors of gang-involvement...which highlight many things that happen in elementary aged kids that predict gang involvement.  To say I am "stirred" would be an understatement.


That's why this scripture leapt out at me this morning.  

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams)--

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified version)

Not just some of what I pray for or dream about, but infinitely beyond.  Something in that gives rest to my soul today.  For the brothers that I see out and about at night on the streets, never with parents, but who usually somehow make it to SOZO Kids...infinitely beyond.  For the girl we had to call CPS and the police because of what she shared happens at home...infinitely beyond.  For the 5th graders who come weekly who will enter middle school in less than a year and who look up to those involved with gangs and drugs...infinitely beyond.  

Jesus speak powerfully through me as I teach and share about you.  May they be captivated by the Savior who gave himself for them.  

SOZO Kids Harvest Party

What a fun night...over 150 kids and lots of candy :)

Putt Putt

some of our SOZO Kid regulars

showing off their painted faces

Watching the dance competition

Michael Jackson :)

the dance champion

De'Marko, one of the leaders at the Bouncy House

These cute kids were everywhere!

Costume  contest

Ring the bottle

Hearing about Jesus

Gotta love dressing up :)

SOZO Kids Back to School BBQ

Our Annual Back to School BBQ was this last Friday and everyone had a blast!!

Leaders sat amongst the families for dinner and had an opportunity to connect with them about their summers and school so far.  Our desire was to create an opportunity to build trust with families and get to know them in a fun setting!

Game time came and had moms searching in their purses for random objects called out as the kids raced them up to the front for points.   The gym was filled with excitement and laughter!

We raffled off a Dizzy Pass (for unlimited rides) at the Puyallup Fair and an electronic keyboard to two very ecstatic kids!  We also kicked off our September contest for who can bring the most new friends to SOZO Kids....the winner gets 50 beads (our SOZO Store currency!)

Kids, parents and leaders all had such an amazing time that we are going to now do family nights quarterly!