Renovation is the work of God!

At YFC, we are renovating. Our Downtown Teen Center is in the middle of a historic “mission-oriented upgrade.” I just keep reminding myself of that phrase as sparks fly and trenches are made. Renovation is mostly ugly business. You gotta believe there’s another side to the endeavor to make it through.
I have a tree in my front yard that’s the same age as our chapter of Youth For Christ – 80 years. It’s twice my age! This old cedar, though, has been dropping limbs. Thankfully, I’m not quite there yet at my stage. Appendages that it can no longer sustain are filled with dead weight, water, or termites; I know not. But all of a sudden, they break loose, and the ground shakes, the windows rattle, and I wonder, “Did that just hit my house?” This last widowmaker came within 6 inches of three different points of my house. Can you fathom the heavenly angles on that one? Needless to say, something has to happen with the tree. We have to get it before it gets us.

You wouldn’t need a renovation if everything had developed how it should. Buildings would refresh like a software update. Trees would self-manage. Whether because of the gradual decline into sinful disorder or simply the wild-growing, unfertilized lives we lead, everyone needs a proper reno – “the old is gone, the new is come” type stuff. It’s the only way to get to the other side.

Renovation is the awesome work of God. He makes new hearts and renews old minds. Major pruning so that you would be more fruitful. These processes hurt, but they’re good; a mission-oriented upgrade if you will.

In God’s kingdom, the change can be radically immediate. That’s how it was for Rayden and Joey. After months of talking about various Bible stories, Rayden came up to his mentor, Grayson, and wanted to get down to business on Jesus. He asked all sorts of questions, mostly about demons and their existence. Grayson shared about the spiritual
battles we face and the victory that is already won in Jesus. About peace and power through walking with the Holy Spirit. It was the conversation Rayden needed, and he decided to follow Jesus that day. Behold, the new!

Rayden’s friend Joey also wanted to know more about being baptized and following Jesus. He said he’d been battling sleep paralysis and wasn’t sure what to do about it until one night he called out Jesus’ name and he was released from his paralysis. Behold, the new!

Jesus invites us into His work of renovation. YFC gets to be the ones to introduce lost teens to Him at pivotal moments. This year, over 1,400 lost teens had a gospel touch point, with each kid needing God’s intervention.

Just like our old teen center that is humming with expectation and throwing off decades of dust and decay, you too are under construction and “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6). He sees you as you were created to be. You’re gonna get to the other side.

This is what we’re up to in the lives of kids. Knee deep in the trenches of their tough questions, sparks a’flyin with gospel hope, prayer, and invitations. Together, we are “geared to the times, and anchored to the Rock” for every teen to have a new life in Christ!

Together

Jameson

P.S. Help YFC reach and connect over 1,500 lost teens this year with a special gift this Christmas. Meet the $140,000 goal today at yfcnow.org/christmas. Thank you for prayerfully considering the need.