Halloween

I still vividly remember the last time I trick-or-treated as a kid. I was in 6th grade and dressed up as a clown. We had just moved to the country and changed schools, so my mom took my brother and I took the neighborhood. The last house was the biggest house in the whole neighborhood and we all know that's where the good candy is. Ryan and I jumped out of the car and ran to the door. As we said, "trick or treat", the girl anwering the door said, "hey guys! it's Jaci!" It was the meanest girl in my school, Tara. She had a Halloween party at her house and all the "cool" kids from my grade where there. I didn't know what to do. I just felt sick. As I got the car I just lost it, I started to cry. Tears were falling because I felt embarrassed and left out. I remember begging my mom not the make me go to school the next day. I did go to school and Tara told everyone that I was a loser for dressing up and trick-or-treating. I honestly think this was my first encounter with mean girls. I avoided Tara through graduation.

Last week, I went to visit some of the middle school students I work with at lunch. It's alwasy interesting when you enter a school cafeteria. You can immediately see the different groups. I hugged a few kids and then I saw her, I saw her sitting alone in a huge room a groups. She used to be pretty involved in the youth ministry. We talked for awhile and I told her how much I missed seeing her. That night I got a text message from her saying, "I miss church too, but those girls were really mean I don't want to come back because they'll make fun of me." How sad is that? We try to so hard to make church a place of safety. The people are the church. Teaching middle school students that can be hard. They want to befriend and help others but not at the loss of their reputation.

After thinking about for awhile I just realized that I need to lead by example. I tell my students to invite their unchurched friends to church...but I don't even have any. I long to go on mission trips and tell strangers about Jesus, but in my own town, in my own city, I'm not so good at that.

God, bring people into my life who need Jesus. Help me to make the most of the opportunities you give me to be Jesus to others. I love telling students about you and your son. I know that you have so much more for me. I want to invest in the lives of those in my community who don't have you in their life. Lead me. Guide me. Teach me Lord. I love you.