Convoy of Companionships

Chapter Four

Convoy of Companionships

I told the young man that I was glad that he came to our gym. I loved playing basketball with him. He was a great player and a leader. His companions followed him into the gym. Everyday we had very competitive games and it raised the bar for other people wanting to play ball in our gym. I was a Mentor, he was my Mentee, we were companions on the court at least 5 days a week for several years. One day, I told him that it was time for him to leave. I ended our companionship.

In a few minutes, as you read on, I'll explain why I cut our companionship. First, let's define companionship as the good feeling you have when you are with somebody. Some of those good feelings might be described as: friendship, harmony, affection, brotherhood, familiarity and empathy. A traveling companion is someone you trust and enjoy being with. How will you be a companion as a Mentor?

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 7

As a Mentor, you need to let the idea settle into your soul that your companionship with your Mentee is temporary. There's no definite time period for how long you will maintain a close relationship with the people you will teach. It's possible that you may travel on a life long journey of companionship. Most Mentors/Teachers spend a limited amount with their student in the grand scope of a life time.

There is clarity in the process of letting go. There is freedom in the process of letting go. We do not want to hurt our friends, so we might be tempted to withhold criticism. Rejection is a fear that causes empathy to erode into apathy. Fear of abandonment causes complacency and acceptance of sub par habits. A true friend and Mentor will speak the truth at the risk of losing the friendship. A true companion will not be complacent and satisfied with mediocrity. True friendship is always on the lookout for a more excellent companionship.

A butterfly has to struggle from its cocoon before it can fly in freedom. The struggle forces fluid into its wings enabling it to become strong enough to break free from its bondage and fly.  You will have to struggle in your role as a Mentor to do what is in the best interests of your pupil. Mentors can be friends but true companions tell the truth. An ancient Proverb says: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." If you are unwilling to risk the companionship because you fear conflict and you don't want to rock the boat, you might as well be an enemy.

This is what I told the young man when I ended our companionship: "I'm glad you are here. I love playing basketball with you but I think it's time for you to stop coming here. It's time to move on. If you keep coming here, all of your companions will keep coming here. It's time for them to grow up. There is more to life than basketball everyday. There is college, a job, a great big world out there just waiting for you guys." He did not appreciate my words. I think they stung him. He admired me and I had hurt him. He left the gym that day and he never came back. That was about 4 years ago. I see him around the neighborhood sometimes and we wave. I will stop and talk to him eventually and ask how he is doing and if I can do anything to help him.

I still struggle with the "Letting Go" part of Mentoring. I soak up other people's sufferings like rain. If you have any degree of compassion or empathy, you will struggle. The first part of being a Captain on a Mentoring Companionship was about letting go. The next lifeboat on the Companionship is plurality or "there is greater safety in numbers."

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 8

Companionship's that travel in convoys usually have a better chance at survival when entering enemy territory. As the Mentor, you need to reproduce your wisdom in your Mentees. When they are on their own ship without you, will they be able to withstand the contrary winds of temptation? Like-minded companions who truly watch each others backs will be more likely to pause and consider the outcome before making decisions. Here is a good piece of wisdom from Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 in The Message:

"Why Am I Working Like a Dog?

I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, “Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?” More smoke. A bad business.

It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work, share the wealth.
And if one falls down, the other helps,
But if there’s no one to help, tough!

Two in a bed warm each other.
Alone, you shiver all night.

By yourself you’re unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped."

Young people who have been Mentored by someone of good character will most likely have companions of good character. Groups of young people who possess good character are like a Convoy of Companionships sailing on seas of good character.

The Gravity of Acquaintanceship

Chapter Three

The Gravity of Acquaintanceship

Some folks go deeper than others. They make friends easily. Some folks have bricks around their hearts. In our hearts there are many rooms. The living room is a place of entertainment. The bedroom is a place for married folks. The dining room is a place for family gatherings. The basement and the attic are rooms of storage. We allow friends and family to take up a greater residence in our hearts. Someone who is only an acquaintance generally resides on the periphery of our hearts. They reside in a storage facility and are only taken out briefly and sporadically. What value should we place on our acquaintanceships?

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 5

An acquaintanceship is like a storage vessel. Some folks are not like close friends or family; they take up some space in our hearts but we never get too close to them. Fellow employees, the mailman, a neighbor, people at church, fellow parents on your son's or daughter's soccer team; these are only a few examples of acquaintances in your life. How important are these people in your life? If you are Mentoring a child and they introduce you to their friends, are they acquaintances or new Mentees? What value do you place on the hearts who dwell in the basement or attic of your heart?

The Law of Gravity will provide buoyancy to float your Mentoring Acquaintanceships. Here is the definition of gravity:

grav·i·ty:noun, often attributive \ˈgra-və-tē\

: a very serious quality or condition : the condition of being grave or serious

: the natural force that tends to cause physical things to move towards each other : the force that causes things to fall towards the Earth

plural grav·i·ties

Full Definition of GRAVITY

1a: dignity or sobriety of bearing

b: importance, significance; especially :  seriousness

c: a serious situation or problem

2: weight

3a (1): the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface (2) :  a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions which occur because of mass between particles, between aggregations of matter (as stars and planets), and between particles (as photons) and aggregations of matter, that is 10-39 times the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over macroscopic distances especially between aggregations of matter —called also gravitation, gravitational force — compare electromagnetism 2a, strong force, weak force

"gravity." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013.

Web. 24 September 2013.

There are 2 parts of gravity that will affect your Mentoring Acquaintanceship:

1. The importance or significance that you place upon your acquaintanceships (giving them value in your heart.)
2. The weight of your value (toward an acquaintance) will cause a gravitational pull in a young person's heart. The value you place on a young person's heart is a seed of virtue that can be spread to other young hearts.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 6

As a Mentor, you are a Role Model of the highest order. Not only is your Mentee observing everything that you do, the people around you are soaking up your attitudes and actions. If you tell a child that you don't think it is proper for them to use vulgarity, then it only stands to reason that your vocabulary should be just as pristine. Your presence provides solid ground for shaky young legs to stand on. You represent truth and safety.

Every single young person who walks into our Youth Center receives the same kind of warm reception: "It's good to see ya!" We do our best to give equal value to every child regardless of our relationship. The following is the Mission Statement of Youth With A Purpose Inc:

"We believe that all children are gifted - on both sides of the womb.

 We exist to identify, nurture, protect and empower children

 to use their gifts to be the world changers

that God meant them to be."

It is very possible that you will meet the friends of your Mentee only once. The one impression you make will have the potential to change a life and change the world. Yeah, that's pretty heavy stuff but its reality. Do your best to look at everyone with a gaze that says: "I'm glad you're here and I value you!" I wrote a song quite a few years ago about looking for the best in everyone that you meet. It's called "Runnin."

Runnin' down the street on the soles of my feet,

Smilin' and wavin' at all the souls that I meet.

I'm lookin' for Jesus in all the eyes that I greet.

I run by a building, on top is a steeple, Inside be the people,

Holy in church, but not on the street,

Ought to be holy wherever they find their feet!

I run by a hill, on top is a cross.

Upon it, my friend, his life he done lost.

They took his body down, still attached was a thorny crown.

Put him behind a stone but he wasn't alone and you're not alone.

Through him and you God's glory was shown!

There is something good in everyone that you meet. If you diligently pursue the bright spots in a young person's heart, you will find them. As a Mentor, your task is to explore potential in all of your Mentoring Acquaintanceships. As a Mentor, you are a Potentiator who can unlock doors of opportunity locked away in a child's heart. The most irascible child just might become the most admirable and amiable adult.

The Mentor Apprenticeship

Chapter Two

The Mentor Apprenticeship

Everything has a beginning. The older you get, your new beginnings are usually based upon a history of previous beginnings. To put that another way, your life has a nautical map that will help you chart future voyages based on past journeys. Hopefully you have asked yourself why you would like to be a Mentor. Understanding the role of a Mentor is something you do before you set sail. Due diligence in planning will help you avoid a mutiny later on. In this Chapter, we will look at 2 Mentoring Apprenticeships: your beginning as a Mentee and your beginning as a Mentor.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 3

An apprenticeship is the place where you learn a new craft or skill. Hopefully you will have a Mentor guiding you along the way. In the Mentoring business, you need to seek out a compassionate Mentor with experience. Many people find themselves in Mentoring roles throughout their lives as coaches, Scout leaders, Sunday School Teachers or many other youth serving endeavors. Learn from the people around you who have held these positions before you.

 A young man stopped into our Youth Center this evening (9-23-13) and told us about his opportunity to join Job Corps. He said he was waiting for a lady to call him about starting the application process. I told him how proud I was that he had pursued that opportunity. I then told him to make sure he called the lady back if she did not call him. I urged him to stay in relentless pursuit of that job. As a new Mentor, you must stay in relentless pursuit of anything that will make you a better Mentor. Read, study and ask a lot of questions. Did you notice that I told the young man how proud I was of his accomplishment? Young people seldom hear praise. I gave him a compliment, he smiled and then I gave him some instruction.

AID to MENTOR  NAVIGATION Part 4

Our Youth Center is a Relationship Center; young people stop in to be treated like they are special. They like to know somebody cares. There are some key phrases you can use whether it's the first time you meet somebody or you've known them your whole life.

• It's good to see you.
• How was your day?
• What was the best part of your day?
• What school do you go to?
• What's the rest of your day look like?
• I'm glad you're here today!

There are many other phrases that will make somebody feel welcome. The key is to find what works as a conversation starter. Be alert for any special talents that a young person wants to talk about. Sometimes they want to talk about frustrations.

My wife and I watched a movie the other night called: "Something The Lord Made." It's the story about a young Black man who is extremely gifted and yet he falls on hard times everywhere he turns. The story is set amidst racial prejudice in the 1940's. The young man is hired for janitorial work in a surgeon's office at Vanderbilt University. He begins to read medical books and soon demonstrates his genius to his surgeon/boss. The pair moves to Johns Hopkins where they eventually partner to perform the first heart surgery on a child with Blue Baby Syndrome. They succeed in saving the child's life and the Surgeon is recognized as a hero all over the world. His assistant still has to enter the School through the back door because he is Black. While the Surgeon is basking in glory, his assistant, the Janitor turned Lab Assistant, moonlights as a bartender to make extra money for his family. Eventually, many years later, he is recognized and given an Honorary Doctorate for his work. His relentless pursuit paid off in the end.

This story has Mentoring success all over it! It is filled with relentless pursuit of excellence. The young man began as a Mentee and quickly progressed to Mentoring his Mentor. He followed his life path and it leads him to where he made history. It was hard and he made some tough decisions. He also had a wife who watched his back and encouraged him. I always tell my students that we are both Teacher/Students because the roles may reverse at anytime. In the beginning stages of your Mentoring Apprenticeship, be alert for the tide to swing from Mentor to Mentee and then back again.  Learning is a skill that requires alertness. Be alert and be able to discern when you should talk and when you should listen. Wisdom will tell you when you should teach and when you should be taught. The greatest leader is the greatest servant. Look for ways to serve, the greatest beginning serves the greatest ending.

Sailing on a Mentoring Relationship

This is Chapter One from a soon to be released book on mentoring.

 Chapter One

Sailing on a Relationship

AID to MENTOR  NAVIGATION Part 1

This first section on Relationship Sailing deals with you. The first Relationship that needs to be seaworthy is you. An anchor in your soul, might snag another ship and bring her down. Begin your voyage by inspecting yourself. You cannot travel as the crow flies; you will need to sail around some obstacles. You may even need to spend some time in a safe harbor prior to setting sail on the Mentoring Seas. Begin with yourself in mind.

Several years ago, a friend gave me a book by James Allen called: "As A Man Thinketh." The basic premise of the book seemed to be : "You are what you think about." I woke up this morning (9-23-13) at 3:33am. Before I went to sleep, I was thinking about this book. I knew I would write Chapter One today. As I lay there in bed (trying to go back to sleep,) I thought about the word "relationship" and what it meant to me. If I'm patient, the path I need to travel on will settle into my heart. Information seems to drop from the sky into my brain. I describe those moments as "God mail." Early this morning, a road-map called: "Luke 5" was dropped into my sleepy awareness. I got up and read Luke 5 and here is what verse 3 says: "And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship." What a great place to start, entering into a ship, he formed a relationship from which he could teach!

I ended up reading Chapters Five and Six in Luke's Book. Another verse caught my attention, it was the nineteenth verse in Chapter Six: "And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all." The word: "virtue" seemed to be highlighted in my thoughts. Here is the definition of virtue:

vir·tue

noun \ˈvər-(ˌ)chü\

: morally good behavior or character: a good and moral quality

: the good result that comes from something

Full Definition of VIRTUE

1a : conformity to a standard of right : morality

b: a particular moral excellence

2: plural: an order of angels, see celestial hierarchy

3: a beneficial quality or power of a thing

4: manly strength or courage: valor

5: a commendable quality or trait :  merit

6: a capacity to act:  potency

7: chastity especially in a woman

— vir·tue·less adjective

— by virtue of or in virtue of

: through the force of : by authority of

"virtue." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2013.

Web. 23 September 2013.

Your relationship with yourself begins with virtue. Just so that we are on the same page, I will give you my thoughts on what I believe virtue is. I think we are talking about character here, folks. Who are you at the core of your being? Who are you in the middle of a storm? Who are you when temptations roll in like sea billows? Who are you when somebody needs you? What became a part of my understanding from Luke 6:19 is this: "Healing can flow from the virtue inside of you as a Mentor." You could probably ask yourself this question: "Is my virtue flowing or sinking?

There is another aphorism that seems quite apropos here: "Love your neighbor as yourself." This statement came from a conversation between a student and his Teacher(Mentor.) Here is the question and answer as it was recorded:

"Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light—which are heavy?] And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40, Amplified Bible.)

Even if you are not a God believer, focus on the part about loving your neighbor as yourself. Your self esteem needs to be sea worthy before you try and float your neighbor's boat. Forming a relationship (understanding) with your inner being is essential before you can begin a healthy relationship with someone else; especially a relationship where you will be Mentoring someone. If your self esteem is adrift in an emotional ocean buffeted by contrary winds, stop and shout "Ahoy!" Draw attention to your plight and ask for help. You are worthy and deserving of all that you were meant to be. You may need to be Mentored before you can become a Mentor. Wisdom is born through study and learning.

AID to MENTOR NAVIGATION Part 2

AHOY! All hands on deck for a very important announcement regarding rules. Listen carefully: "DO NOT GIVE RULES BEFORE RELATIONSHIPS!" If you are ready to begin a Mentoring Relationship, ALWAYS begin with building trust. Rules and boundaries are needed and they must be built on a relational foundation of trust. The rest of the chapters in this volume will deal with the examination of different types of relationships. You should know what type of relationship you will have with your mentee.

Spend lots of time getting to know the person you are Mentoring. Allow them to take the lead in divulging personal information. Do not push for details about their life. If you make them comfortable in trusting you, out of them will flow rivers of appreciation. CAUTION: As an experienced Mentor, I have found that it takes years for wounded people to begin to trust again. There are some young people whom we are still Mentoring after 10 years. Please be patient. If you act like a pirate captain searching for gold at their expense, they will jump overboard. As you listen with your heart, a relationship map will begin to appear, revealing a manifesto for your Mentoring journey.

Seamanship or Seemanship?

(Author's Note: This is the Preface to a book about Mentoring; the first in a series that will be a course in Mentoring.)

You wouldn't sail in a ship through a hole in a rock canyon,

please don't Mentor with a hole in your heart.

 

One of my favorite features in Microsoft Word is: "Add to dictionary." I love making up words! There never seems to be enough metaphorically appropriate, descriptive words for the mental picture that I see. If a picture's worth a thousand words, then a descriptive metaphor should paint a thousand mental pictures! A description of what Mentoring is would fill the depth of the oceans and the width of the universe.

A Mentoring program does need boundaries or structure. I will outline programmatic guidelines for Mentoring in our next book. This volume is a primer for creating a strategic road map for your personal life journey. 

• What do you see when you look at yourself? 
• What do you see when you look at another human being? 
• What do you see when you look at a broken child? 
• What do you see when a child rejects you?

 Seamanship is a profession marked by knowledge and demonstrated by skill as it relates to the navigation, safety and maintenance of a ship; both at land and on the sea.  

Seemanship is a person's attitude marked by empathy and understanding as demonstrated by unconditional caring as they relate to other people; both at peace and in times of turmoil.

(Do you SEE THE BEST in everyone you meet?)

Would you take a cruise on the ocean with a drunken skipper? Would you trust a Mentor with a vengeful and negative attitude? "Physician heal thyself." is an ancient Proverb written by a Doctor named Luke. An emotionally wounded person who desires to Mentor somebody, should be at least be in the process of being healed. People with open emotional wounds do not make good mentors. If you want to be a Mentor, take charge of your heart and exercise control over your psychological well being.

Navigation is charting a course with a particular destination in mind; possibly with many way-points on the journey. Can you point yourself in the right direction? Safety is about discerning which risks are acceptable. Do you have healthy boundaries in your life? Maintenance is the discipline of performing preventive duties combined with routine intervention when the need arises. Do you maintain a healthy balance mentally and physically? Can you recognize the need for intervention in a young person's life?

You are about to set sail on a Relation-Ship. This simple boat may seem like a little dinghy on the Sea of Life. However, if you take a good look around, you'll see that it's more like an Ark of many people; folks who are watching how you steer your life. You're a Role Model whether you like it or not. Many eyes are upon your efforts; especially young ones. 

Read this book s-l-o-w-l-y, 

sink in it d--e--e--p--l--y and 

sow it h---e---a---v---i---l--y.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. 

"Daddy, Why Do the Leaves Change Color?"

A tree painted in the colors of celebration.

"Daddy, why do the leaves change their color in the Fall?" Asked the Heart Farmers Daughter. Her father the Heart Farmer smiled and replied: "Well, my little Beauty, there is an ancient legend among us Heart Farmers that tells a story about the leaves. Why don't you plant your pretty little self on this log over here and I will tell you a story."

"Once upon a minute, there were some angels with paint brushes. Their task was to color the world with love. The angels began with the ceiling of the earth by stretching a rainbow across the sky. They had a blast painting the sky in iridescent colors that would change with the spinning of the earth. Viewing the sky from below, the colors would change from blue to a host of other colors depending on the rotation of the earth. The wind helped to create an ever changing heavenly kaleidoscope.

Upon completion of the sky, the angels gave the mountaintops a fresh, clean coat of glossy white. The tips of the peaks shone brilliantly against the back drop of an iridescent sky. The angels then turned their attention to the trees. Most of the trees clapped their leaves in celebration, eagerly awaiting their long anticipated coloring. Some of the trees would receive a special coat of coloring called: "Evergreen." These trees were strong and sturdy and wore a fir coat to keep them warm in the winter. The clapping trees presented a challenge for the angels; 'What colors should we use on their leafy complexion?"

The Heart Farmer paused in his story as he saw the perplexed look on his daughters face. "What is it my Beauty, is there something that you don't understand?" The little girl shrugged her shoulders and said: "My brother told me an angel carrying paint buckets tripped over a cloud and spilled all the paint on the trees and that's how they got their colors." The Heart Farmer laughed! "Oh no, my darling Beauty, an angel did trip over a cloud but the paint spilled on a clown's head and that's why clowns have colored hair!"

After some more laughing and smiles, the Heart Farmer continued with his story: "The clapping leaf trees were not strong enough to last through the harsh winter. They would need a rest from their branching out process. Leaves are not strong enough to hold the weight of white snow. The leaves would somehow have to be left behind. It was the very first Fall and the trees would soon begin the next stage of growth by shedding their clapping leaves. The angels would need to use something different than the veil of evergreen they applied to the fir covered trees.

Sometimes life is hard and people are wounded. Blood, sweat and tears are a natural part of life. Sometimes people die. The angels wanted to connect the colors of sadness with the colors of hope. They knew the trees would come back to life in the Spring. How could they blend spring and summer colors in the midst of the hue of sadness. Then one of the angels shouted: 'I think I've got it! Joy comes in the morning!' At first the other angels didn't understand. But then, they caught on to the idea; 'Let's paint joy in the midst of mourning!'

The angels were ecstatic as they began dancing and brushing with burning orange's, glossy yellow's, flashing red's and brilliant brown's. They began what they called the 'Letting Go Celebration!' The angels even gave names to their paint brushes: 'This Too Shall Pass.' 'There's Better Day's Ahead!' 'Hope.' 'Just Believe.' 'Love Will Find Away.' 'Let Go.' 'Brighter Days.' The angels painted and danced with Spring in their wings as they colored the leaves in the Fall air. Then God looked down on his angels work and exclaimed: 'That's BEAUTIFALL!'

The Beauty amidst the colors of celebration.

That my darling Beauty is the story of the first Fall and why the leaves change color!" The little girl got up from her seat on the log and hugged her Dad and said: "Daddy, I know one more name the angels could have used to name a paint brush." "And what would that be my darling daughter?" "They could have named a paintbrush 'Forgive,' because that's when we let go of something that's sad." The big Heart Farmer swept his little girl up into his arms like a hurricane sweeps clouds across the sky. She tilted her head back as she looked deep into her Dad's eyes and said: 'I love you Daddy." 

Me & Jesus On A Ferris Wheel

I sat alone. The Ferris Wheel had just made one trip around. At the bottom, an attendant stopped my car and explained they had another passenger. I wanted to be alone. I looked off to my left and stared into the cog wheel where all the steel arms were attached.  He climbed on board in a way that made my gut move. I couldn't quite get a handle on what I was feeling. I scoped him out through the corner of my eye. This dude simply exuded expectation. I had none. He smiled and said: "It's good to see ya!" I nodded weakly as the cab jerked into motion.

 My tears rolled down as we climbed skyward. With a sweeping motion of his hand, he pointed and said: "Can you believe how much we can see from up here!" He saw my tears and smiled wider, if that was even possible. "What's up dude? You don't feel my joy, do you?' He said. I moaned, strained by the effort to talk and said I was hurtin'. I pushed one more word through my lips as if it were the greatest struggle I had ever known; "Death," I murmured. It was the only word I could muster.

His smile got wider; this dude had a grin that just kept growing. My thoughts got darker; "How the heck can this dude keep smiling in the midst of my pain?" We had just rounded the pinnacle of the Ferris wheels' height, and I lost it. I swung my head from side to side and almost screamed: "What's the matter with you? Can't you feel or see my pain?"

He leaned into my personal space and whispered in a way that caused an echo inside me. He said one word: "Faith." I told him I didn't want a lesson on faith, and "please don't start throwing Bible verses at me. I don't need faith, I need answers! Why do good people die from disease? Why do their families suffer when they are good people? Why doesn't God heal the good people? Why doesn't God answer the prayers of good people?"

The smily faced dude began to speak. His manner of speaking was like; I can only describe as one word sentences. Each word that he spoke seemed to be like a wave of atmospheric pressure. The kind of pressure you feel in your bones when the weather is changing. These were his words: "Faith." "Fear." "Wait." Stand." "Pass." "Love."  He paused for a moment as he looked out over the city while our car began to descend once again. It would be our final descent together.  He was downright exuberant as he practically shouted: "Can you believe how much we can see from up here?"

The Ferris wheel came to a halt and the attendant opened the car door. My ride companion stepped out first, and turned to wait as I disembarked. The man smiled, looked deep into my eyes and said: "Take your faith higher everyday and you will see more." Then he hugged me. The hug wasn't weird or anything. It was a soulful hug, the kind that touches your heart. In the midst of the hug, I saw a picture flash across my mind. It was a fishing picture. My Dad and I were fishing in a boat and we were releasing the fish that we caught. We were practicing a fishing technique called: "catch and release." The man released me from his hug. He was smiling still as he turned and disappeared into the throng of departing passengers.

I stood for a moment, feeling a slight breeze. My face was sticky with dried tears. I forced myself to move, jerking into motion like a Ferris wheel car. Surrounded by a crowd of people, I was alone in my thoughts. Who was the man? What should I glean from our conversation? The word faith took center stage in the movie playing in my mind. Some things are never strong enough. Some things are meant to keep growing. Faith believes that all things will eventually be part of a big picture that makes sense. Faith knows that all things work together for good. Faith is not afraid of bad news. Faith has confidence. Faith has trust. Faith knows that tears are temporary; joy comes after the mourning. Faith will wait in the fire. Faith will stand in the storm. Faith will pass on temptation. Faith will love the lost. Faith will celebrate the hope of impossible dreams.

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

Jesus loves you and so do we.

"Do You Feel Lucky Punk?

The father of unquietness
did not wake up this morning.
He doesn't sleep.
His days are spent aiming his lies at your heart,
furiously firing a flintlock filled with fear.
Thousands of poison arrows dipped in deceit
are launched into motion by his minions.

In the sky of your heart, is a cloud with his message:
"Glory in YOURSELF, 
YOU are worthy of all the earth has to offer."
"I will give YOU peace and unquietness.
YOU don't need to rest.
Hurry before YOU lose all these opportunities.
Never mind your family,
 YOU need money.
Forget your neighbor, 
YOU don't have time to help them.
YOU deserve everything in this world - all of it!
 YOU can cheat, everybody does it.
YOU need to get more!
YOU never have enough!"
The father of unquietness has one final question:
"Do YOU feel lucky, punk?"

NO, EVERYBODY DOES NOT CHEAT!

Some folks will:

Watch your back.
Wash your feet.
Wrap your heart in love.
Wage war against your enemies.
Write truth on your soul.
Wash over you with waves of mercy.
Some folks will never leave you or forsake you.

God will take your chase for glory
and chase you into a cleft in the rock.
He will hide your face from His glory.
His peace should be first in your life.
His peace is the model for peace in your family.
Without God's plan of peace in all areas of your life,
you will end up empty.

John 16:33 Amplified Bible
"I have told you these things,
so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.
In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world.
[I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

Thank's for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.

Bob Kuebler is the Founder & Director of Youth With A Purpose. Bob has spent the last 12 yrs. learning about pain and perseverance from inner city young people and their families. Healing starts with love and encompasses compassion and empathy. Our mission at YWAP is to inspire inner-city young people to develop as God's leaders who overcome the mindset of poverty and gang violence. Bob is the Author of four books, several magazine articles and blogs including The Bright Spot Report. He regularly shares with audiences about how God is redeeming our cities through young people.

Bob can be reached at 716-830-8240
or ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com.

www.youthwithapurpose.org