RJ going deep
Off the line of scrimmage- going long
Khalil looking guilty
Beaver trying to keep the basketball game under control
Let me start by saying this is a long post, but totally worth it if you'll take a minute to read the whole thing!
Over the Christmas holiday Jeff, AJ, and I decided we really needed to split our Power Cross group day into two seperate groups. We had around 55 kids coming each week and it was just to many for our house to take at once. So we decided Tuesday's would be the elementary school day and Thursday's would be the middle school day. We put this into effect a last week. On Thursday last week we had about 30 middle school boys join us. Last night we had 38. So much for keeping the groups small! Let me tell you a little bit about how our Thursdays go. The Power Cross crew arrives at our house around 2:30. AJ and Beaver or Andy usually head to West middle in one van. Michelle, Brittany, and I get the food going. Then Jeff and I head to Statesville middle in the other van and the surburban. Then which ever car has a few seats left heads over to the Bentley Center on the South side of town to pick up the boys from Troutman middle. Yesterday that happened to be my car. So I headed that way to pick up Rayshawn and KJ. When I arrived there was three boys in the center, Rayshawn, KJ, and a young man(12 years old) named Chris. Chris wanted to come too, but if he came his little brother would have to come because he was watching him. So of course I said come on. As we were pulling out the boys spotted one of their friends walking along the parking lot. His name is Erin. So Rayshawn leaned out the window and said, "You want to come do Bible study with us?". So we added another. Just stay with me a minute and you'll see where this is all going!
Jeff had invited Mike Gillespie to come and speak to the boys. Mike is Ekiah's dad. Ekiah is one of the original 5 Power Cross members. Mike was saved about 4 years ago, right about the same time Coach Jeff was saved. God blessed Mike last night with an awesome message for the boys. A message they all needed to hear and could relate to. He warned the boys about being in the "almost zone". He read from the book of Acts where Paul was before King Agrippa, and Paul shared all that God had done in his life. Then King Agrippa said, "you almost convinced me to become a Christian." Mike's message was very powerful for all of the boys. Somewhere towards the end he warned the boys that this time in their early teenage years could easily put them in the "almost zone". Around that time Erin,(who we had picked up walking), spoke up. He shared with the group how last year, when he was 13, he was walking around "trying to be the man" and he was carrying a gun. He said a few boys had been picking on him and he wanted them to know he was tough. As he was walking the three boys jumped him. He pulled out the gun, and shot. He hit one of the young men in the head cracking his skull, but not doing any serious damage. He was arrested. The initial charge was set to be attempted murder, but because they attacked him it was dropped to simple assult. He shared with the boys how he "almost" screwed up not only his life but someone else's. He said shortly after that he was saved and he didn't want any of them to do the same thing. He knows if he'd been a better shot that someone would be dead, and he'd be in prison as a 14 year old boy. When Mike ask why Erin had come to Power Cross yesterday he said he had seen some real good changes in Rayshawn and he wanted to be apart of the same thing. After Erin's testimony Mike told the boys tonight was a night to make sure that you knew your salvation. That's when Jalen, who has been attending Power Cross about a month, spoke up. He said I want to be saved, how do I do it. Along with Jalen, stood three other boys. One of those boys was at his first Power Cross, and God had placed him on Coach Jeff's 13/14 year old basketball team. Another of those boys was Chris, the boy who happened to be playing basketball with Rayshawn and KJ when I picked them up. God had everyone right where they needed to be. I know there was some serious celebration last night in heaven when four young man ask God to come into their hearts for eternity.
We were also blessed to have KJ give his life to the Lord over the weekend. KJ and TJ were playing Wii in the basement and he stopped to ask TJ, "What do I have to do if I want to get saved." So KJ was able to ask God into his heart with his friends TJ and Shaquay beside him, and Coach Jeff guiding him along the way. God is working so much through the boys, it's just hard for me to put it into works. I could write all day about the awesome way he is moving in Power Cross. Please continue your prayers for us to find a facility!!! We are busting at the seams.
Here is KJ giving his life to the Lord.
