what are they drawn to?

This picture was taken by a girl named Kelsi, I didn't know she was taking it- but it was at a Loudon Basketball game. I wonder why she would take this picture? Just of me. Me talking with some high school friends. A few weeks before, Kelsi shared with me about her new boyfriend, confided with me about some family issues and cried on my shoulder. Kelsi and I haven't hung out one-on-one. She sees me at her cheerleading practice, at the school lunch, in the hallways, at the football/basketball games. She doesn't come to Young Life. I would come up to her and get to know her. But now she comes up to me and talks. But she for some reason is drawn to me. Her camera is drawn to me. I will bet it is the aroma of Christ that is so attractive. May I continue to watch the Lord draw girls who need Him into my life!

I met Kelsi doing contact work.

After a mini-Quest that same afternoon with Suzanne- a new leader on our Loudon team, we spoke about contact work, being seen and meeting with kids on their turf on their terms. She challenged herself to get out of her comfort zone. So when I walked into game that night...there was Suzanne standing by some high school girls...3 rows down from her husband, another leader on our team. A snap-shot that I wished I had my camera for.

Contact work as a Young Life leader could be and probably is the most intimidating part of being a leader. The ultimate aim is to love each kid to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Winning the right to be heard.

Building a bridge of friendship and trust.

Identifying with people where they are.

Understanding an penetrating a culture.

Demonstrating Christ's love for people.

Active listening. Being the instrument God can use in another life.

We go to young people for the same read that Christ came to humanity: to reveal God to them with no strings attached. To love them in order to get an opportunity to preach to them is a string. We should love them because they need love, because God loves them and wants to love them through us. Contact work reminds us of our dependence upon Jesus Christ. If it weren't for Him, we would stay in some comfortable setting with friends on own age.

But Christ says go and we go in His strength, with His blessing. "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you," John 20:21