Can I just be really honest? ok I will since no one responded. What in the world are you suppose to do with a two year old for 12 hours a day? You know who you are, that this question is aimed too.

I forgot to mention that while I was in Missouri, hanging out at the bride's house just waiting for the ceremony to start. The television was on. I watched the USARPS tournament. Don't feel bad if you do not know what that is. I did not know what it was either, oh and I did not know if it was for real at the time. It is the USA Rock Paper Scissors national tournament. That's right! They even interview the players like they are professional basketball or football players. They asked them strategy and all that. I did not know for a while if I was just dreaming... if it was just a joke... or what the heck was going on. Until one of the bridesmaids came in and shared in the disbeleif with me.

I read this in a book today. "My Guess is that out of one hundred churches, maybe ten would say they want to transition. Most are happy as they are, or they'd rather die than change." (McLaren, p.147)
Seems to be pretty accurate.
Here is some more from the book.
"The traditional churches will have to do one thing about their traditions, if they want to retain them: they will have to relativize them. They won't be able to enforce then as being right, necessary, or biblically mandated; they will rather simply offer then as elements of their church culture that have meaning for them. And if they don't work the will feel free to drop them in favor of new practices that work" (McLaren, p 147).

Ok in reference to the last post, I don't know that I call myself a Christian. Just because of how Americans view what that is. If I were to classify myself as a Christian, it would mean that I am a God lover and seeking to find truth. I think. I may have to alter that at some point.

heaven and hell - God is a loving God. We, Christians, portray God not to be so loving. We scare people into heaven. For example: "If you don't become a christian you will burn in hell for all of eternity." Does not sound to loving to me.
Next, Does the Bible say that you have to say a prayer and then you are in? I don't recall that anywhere, but I sure did think that oh my whole entire life up until about a year and a half ago. Where does that come from. Tradition. Maybe we should take a look at tradition and throw out all the made up stuff, and just get back to .... um get back to...... what is it we need to get back to?
Maybe loving people where they are at. Maybe a lot less talk and whole lot more love. I have never argued anyone to Jesus, have you? Now on the other hand just loving people to Jesus has actually happened. She wanted to know how I could love her unconditionally and with out judgment. Maybe if we love and wait for them to ask what it is about us that makes us different.
I don't know. Please feed into this. Theresa you are right, I need to learn how to use the Bible. I have been reading a great book, that has brought some questions, some answers, some releif and some frustration. I think you would like it. A New Kind of Christian. Let me know if you want to borrow it. Sometimes I act like this blog is a personal email. oops.

Who would have ever thought that I would be back, and so very soon. I want to switch it up a little. My passion still stands and I'm sure I will come back to what has been talked about in the last 20 posts. Where I am now is really confused with the church and post modernism. I have heard some great ideas that people keep saying "that sounds good" lets go with it. Are they Biblical ideas though. I don't think that you can just say something sounds good and change your entire life on just that. Nathan maybe you know something about this. Theresa you know stuff. Justin you too. Please tell me something here.

Final blog entry: It seems like this should be the climax of the blog. Really I just want the reality to be realized. There are always going to be teens to love, care and support, so its never to late to find some and get started. I think that we often think that we are not good enough or maybe that we would not be good at it. Those are just lies and cop outs. I believe that the more people you have who love you the better. For years I believed this myself. I thought that God could not use me to impact young lives for good. I was not living a life pleasing to him. My great aunt came along and told me I had to work with some inner city girls in 6th grade because I had a great gift of working with youth. So I showed up and loved the girls, but I could not share my life with them because I wanted them to better than I was being. However, this caused a change in my life. A huge change. I did not want to be a hippocrit morethan anything, so I made the changes needed in my life so it could be an open book again. I wanted to be a person that the girls could aspire to be like. Yes, we all have things of the past, but DO NOT let those things hold you back from doing the will of God. Ultimately I was impacted just as much if not more by working with the girls. Take all the excuses and all the lies that you are not good enough and find some kids to mentor.

Another way in which I "be the change I want to see" or "change the world one at a time" is by going places that teens go. Like to the basketball courts at the park, the mall, and just walking the streets. Then not judging them for doing dumb things. Teens do a lot of dumb things. Asking inquisitive questions that require more than a one word answer. Being interested in what they are doing and what they have to say.

I have a short story. The reason I tell it is to demonstrate what a small gesture can do to impact a life. I was on a date once, he took me to Denny's, our server was kind of crabby and it was late. She was about 16 or 17. She just happened to tell us that she was having a terrible night. Things got worse for her while we ate. Before we left she apologized for her service. We told her it was fine that she did a great job. Then we left, we bought her a bouquet and brought it back. As soon as my date handed it to her she began to sob, well no full out cry uncontrollably. She said that no one has ever done anything like that for her before, and that this really changed her outlook on life. Even if it did for only a moment or a day it was worth it. You know we just told her that no matter what life brings God will always be there for her. I guess the point of the story is that all we have to do is care for each other. Love each other as the Lord commands. We can change the world. I feel like I have been an inspirational speaker in this blogging experience, or maybe a preacher or even just a gal on a soapbox. Take it all as you will, let God guide your passions as he has mine.

Be vulnerable first. You can not expect a teen to just open up and tell you everything. Though if you take time to listen and care, sometimes they will spill everything in the first few minutes of learning your name, maybe even before that. Share your heart. Be honest. Love them where they are at. Love may be the key. Many teens don't know what love means. I head this next statement on a video once. "I love my wife and I love tacos. I can't believe I just said those two things in the same sentence." Wow, have we over used the word love, given it an entirely worthless meaning.

How is someone to know what love really is if we genuinely think that loving our spouses and loving a taco even compare.

Maybe in reading my blog you have picked up some of the passion. Maybe not. What are you going to do with all that passion inside? How are you going to release it? Here is one thing that I do. Since I have discovered that all teens can be classified as "at risk." This can be considered as part of releasing my passion. I work with the youth group at the church I attend. Not just as a weekly volunteer but as a person involved in their lives. I can not be involved with all of the girls as deeply as I would like. There are select few, just by default, who I put effort into loving, caring and supporting. It does take time and concentrated effort, but there these young lives are worth it. Where can you reach teens, where do you naturally encounter them in your life? At church, working out, and even in your own backyard.

You can make a difference. As I said before teens will act like they don't want you to care, but really they want you to care, love and support them more than anything.

After reading Laura's comment I began thinking that maybe we don't have to do so much talking. So much speaking into the lives of teens. What about our actions? It seems that there are clichés around saying that "actions speak louder than words," "a picture is worth a thousand words." Maybe so many words do not have to be said. Maybe teens will follow what is shown them in love and care. Laura said she did not know when to just shut up. But when I look at her life I see her being a person that her younger siblings would want to be like. It seems to me that she can love them by just being a person that they can come to at anytime about anything without being shamed or scolded. Her actions show them love and that she cares deeply about them. Words don't always have to be the medium in which to show your love and care for teens.

I was going to get back to you with some of the organizations available to "at risk" and "crisis" teens. Here are just a few:
Treehouse in New Hope, MN.
New Life Family Services, MN
Homeless Shelters, USA
Teen Challenge, MN
This is just the begining of a long list of resources to get teens on the right track. These are also great places to give both your time and money, if you don't already have an organization you are currently giving to.

Remember homelessness or crisis is not that far from each of our lives. It could be reality for any of us at any time.

I went to my dear friends wedding this weedend in Saverton, Missouri, near Hannibal. At the reception I sat across from a young woman that works for a non-profit organization. We talked alot about that, being that I am starting one. The organization that she works for is more of a referral service. Here's the thing people. There is no money comming in. How are the non-profits going to benenfit the community when there are no donors. Only takers. I want to encourage everyone to find some service to give your money, your time or both. There is such a great need out there. The more I look into this topic of "at risk" and "crisis" teens I find alot of places out there to help, but they are overflowing with needs to be filled. How are we going to get all those needs filled? The only answer I can come up with is turning to God and some God lovers. Turning to the God lovers that are Prayer warriors asking them to pray and praying with them, ask them to intercede on behalf of these services. To be faithfully praying for these organizations.

As you can tell from the picture the wedding was a blast. Two young lovers of God seeking to do his will together. World changers, little does she know but she has already impacted many many lives. Doing one at a time. Watch out world! It was great to sit back and listen to the stories of all the people she has already impacted with the love of the Lord. Lives have been changed because she took time out of her life to really love and care for those around her. She is what God calls us to be. She has been and will continue to be Jesus to people who would otherwise never have known him. She is beautiful in this picture, but that is nothing compared to the heart that lies within.

When I started out today I had a lot of great thoughts. Then the computer froze and shut down. Everything was lost. So I am back and I don't know if the thoughts will be as great as the lost ones but I will do some thinking anyhow.

I know that I can not touch each "at risk" teen or every teen in "crisis" but I do try to make a difference in the lives that I can and do touch. Since I have been blogging on this issue I have come across many, many organizations doing the same thing that I will be doing with my organization. There is a ton of help out there for the "at risk" or in "crisis" teen. OH yeah all teens are "at risk" so I guess even with all the help available it will not be enough. Unless, we all join in on loving our teens. Caring and excepting them as valuable people. I have to get going for now but I will be back with some links to some of the many places that I mentioned.

This brings me to My Passion. I want to be a person who steps up to the challenge. I will not let them slip through the cracks.

Often times they act like they don't want you to care but inside they know that what they want most is for YOU to care.

When teens are looking for something, it seems they don't have to look too hard to find the "bad" things. It's hard to find someone who will genuinely care about you. It's easy to find quick acceptance. To find someone who loves you for who you are is not nearly as easy as finding those who love you for conforming to who they want you to be. I don't think the later would even be categorized as love anyway.

Should it be called a "crisis" or is the teen "at risk" when they don't have a supportive, loving, and caring ennvironment to come home to?

This is a "crisis," these are "at risk" teens.

The crisis is that they will to be looking for love, looking for support and looking for someone to care. The risk, where they will find these things. If we, God lovers, don't love them. Who will?

"At Risk" is that really defining a group of teens so far from our own? "Crisis" teens, again is this classification really accurately classifing teens. The deeper I look into it, I think that most all teens can be called "at risk" and "crisis" teens. It appears to me that all teens are "at risk" for something. They are "at risk" to be offered drugs and alcohol, then to take part in drugs and alcolhol and other questionable activities. All teens are "at risk" of becoming pregnant or making someone pregnant. Many teens are just one paycheck away from being homeless. in America today I guess it seems that all teens are "at risk." Now what classifies a crisis? My cousin often has a crisis when she can not find the right shoes to wear to school. One day in high school my friend told me she was pregnant. That in itself being a crisis, I also had a crisis of my own. I could hardly deal with that, I did not know what to do for her. I had another crisis when my dear friend told me that she and a friend were going to make brownies with "weed" in them. That was a huge crisis for me at 15. I did not know what to do. Do I tell my mom and loose a friend, or do I just play cool and let all my friends get high. After telling my mom there was nothing she could do anyway. Crisis was all over the place.

It's possilbe that you encounter one everyday. You may be friends with one and not even know it. You may become one at any moment. Homeless. This is who they are. Your co-workers, your church friends, your classmates, and people you run into on a daily basis. You may not know that they are homeless. Homeless, don't always apear to be homeless. What we would stereotype as homeless, is not always, what a homeless person would be. Stop and think for a moment do you know the people in your life well enough, or do you care about the people in your life enough to know if they are in fact homeless.

Homeless teens in America. Who are they?

In response to the comment left. I am looking to stop (prevent) teen preganancy and to help teens who are preganant.

Teen Pregnancy is not the only set of teens I would like to include. All teens can be considered "at risk" when it comes to drugs and alcohol. Parents, if we engage in conversation with our kids before middle school, yes middle school, we may be able to impact our kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Teens can easily access drugs and alcohol. Not only should we talk to our own teens but teach our teens to talk to their friends. Teach our teens to do positive peer pressure. Peer pressure can work for teens to make good decisions, not just to make bad ones. We can let our teens know that we will be there not only for them but for their friends as well. Not all teens have parents who can care for them the way that they need. The Bible states, Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39 Our teenage neighbors may need that love more than anyone else. Let's give it to them. Lets give it to them in abundance. If we love them and respect them they will love and respect themselves. Prevention is always easier than recovery.

Teens are feeling pressure to have sex. What if we as a society pushed the pressure in the other way. What if we as adults took time to care about our teens? What if we took time to mentor our neighbors kids? What if we as the Church cared more about each other? What if we showed love to our teens, so that they would not have to look for it.

Is there hope for a change in society? Can we really influence the youth of America?

I believe we can. If we do it one at a time. If you get involved with a teen. We, together, can change America. This seems like a far fetched idea, a dream, or only a hope. Maybe it is. If you don't take up the challenge it will remain a great idea. A great idea that will not come to fruition .

I dare you take the challege, get involved. It does not have to be a huge thing, just care about the youth in your neighborhood, take the time to say hi. Ask inquistive questions, there may be one word answers in return, but at least they would know that someone cares.

Good night.

Teen pregnancy can be looked at from a few different view points. Not a big deal, a small dent in society, a huge burden on society, and for many it is a scandal or shameful.

"At risk" teens include teens at risk for pregnancy. I would like to incorporate another descriptive word into the mix "Crisis" teens. When a teen gets pregnant we often call this a "crisis" pregnancy. We sure are having a lot of "crisis" in America that is not acknowledged in a way that a crisis would be.
Take a look at the stats I found. Just click on "crisis" above.

Why am I so passionate about "at risk" teens and finding out what exactly that means?

Well, it seems that I continueally am encountering them. Not daily. But on a regular basis. Sometime I encounter them directly, sometimes I am introduced to them by others who know that I have a heart for them.

A few years ago I finally decided what I will do with my life. That is start a non-profit organization to work with "at risk" teens. It seems like there is such a need out there and such a reward in the results and inpact that can be made in helping a teen change their life for the better.
Starting a non-profit takes alot of time. Before you can even get a tax id number there are aton of decisions to be made and a ton a paper work to do. One of the decisions that has to be made is who, which group of "at risk" teens will we be aimed toward working with. "At risk" encompases a large group of teens.

• Sexually active teens
• Substance abusing teens
• Homeless/ familyless teens
• "Children now make up 27 percent -- the fastest growing segment--of the U.S. homeless population."
  

Naming these three areas just begins to scrach the surface of who "at risk" teens are.

What exactly is an at risk teen here in America? Here are some stories of those we call at risk.

"Teenagers with something missing or wrong in their lives, experts warn, too often turn to a life of drugs and gangs." These are some of the at risk teens in America today.
Lets learn more about this... education is the first step to remedy the problem.
"At risk" does not stop here...