Haunted by an image

At our youth retreat the other weekend I saw something that really touched my heart and has stayed with me every since.  On Saturday night we set up a prayer station situation in which the youth could go from station to station and participate through prayer and other activities.  It is an untimed event so that the youth can share, cry, and experience everything they need too.  God is with us in that session and they feel him.  This session took 3 hours on Saturday night.


There were so many things about that night that really touched me and showed me that our youth feel God and need God in their lives.  One thing brought me to tears that evening. There was a seventh grader that sat at the foot of our candle cross and prayed.  She would come and go but always ended up there crying.  Many youth and mentors came to her, prayed with her, and loved on her.  It was very sweet.


There was however a young man, a ninth grader, a high schooler, that came and sat down next to this middle schooler and put his arm around her.  Now I have never seen these two interact with each other or even talk to each other.  I have tried very hard to picture a time when I have seen them interact and I just can't find one in my memory bank which makes this even more meaningful to me. 


That high school boy put his arm around her and pulled her close. He whispered in her ear.  I don't know what he said nor do I want to but to me that would of been enough.  To see a two youth that don't interact with each other sitting at the foot of the cross, one crying and the other comforting was an amazing sight.


Then there was the part that brought me to tears and made me feel God's presence there in that room at the Training Lodge at Durant Park in Raleigh NC.  The high schooler held the middle school close with one arm around her and then he leaned in and very gently kissed her on the top of the head.  It was a sweet, loving, intimate moment.


I felt God through that act of kindness and love.  We have amazing youth at our church who love and care about each other.  Although they might not always talk to each other or interact with each other they are there for each other and closer to each other than I could ever imagine.


Thank you God!