This Godless Place...

That's what I thought to myself I as walked the campus of our local High School.

It was the first football practice of the year and I was waiting to hand off my son's mouth guard as he ran onto the field. I found myself standing near a bunch of sturdy high school guys putting on their cleats for about 5 minutes, and by the time I left I felt like maybe some Q-Tips and bleach were in order for my ears...

Call me sheltered, Bubble-Girl, or whatever... but I was taken back by the use of a certain word like a Valley Girl of the 80's would have used 'like' or 'totally'.

I tried not to show the effect the word was having on me in my facial expression, not so easy for a billboard face like me, and once I had successfully handed off the mouth guard to my son I began my long walk back to the van.

"Wow, the language in this Godless place...." I thought to myself.

... and the Lord caught me up short.

He spoke to my heart and said to me, "There is no such thing as a Godless place. I AM EVERYWHERE."

I stopped mid-stride and nodded my head in agreement. I apologized to the Lord for my erroneous thought, and began to walk again.

"There is no such thing as a Godless place." I said it out loud. I said it to whoever or whatever was listening.

You'd think I would have a firm grip on that truth by now. I have certainly had my fair share of foul mouthed years, behavior and choices that would make any decent moral person cringe, and circumstances that could have definitely been labeled 'Godless'.

But I've known for quite a long time now that He has always been there. Always.

There has never been a moment without Him. Not one millisecond since the moment I was conceived, and part of me really wants to believe that He was there long before even that.

So I stopped being shocked and I prayed for those guys. Well, I started with THOSE guys and then I prayed for the whole team... the whole school... all the young people I know and love... even those I don't. I know that in my years of running full speed ahead in to walls made of all kinds of things there were people praying for me. I am beyond grateful for that now.

I know the power of prayer and the efficacy of praying for God's will. I also know that it is absolutely God's will that every single young person, every single older person, EVERY SINGLE PERSON... would know and truly believe that He loves them beyond what any words could possibly say.

And that is exactly what I prayed for THOSE guys. That they would come to know the awesome, powerful, all mighty Love of Jesus in a life changing way. As I sat on the hill above our team I felt the Lord move my heart for the generations coming up in a whole new way. I have never had a good experience with public high school myself, or with my children thus far. I'm a home school mom, and I love it. But when the Lord made it loud and clear that His call on my son's life included public high school and football my husband and I bowed our knee to Him, and we walk forward into this adventure/battle field knowing that the God of Angel Armies is truly at our side.

My experience with teens these last many summers has given me a love for them that I just didn't see coming. I have a burden to pray for them and love on them that is immeasurable. I admittedly am not used to harsh language or blatantly rebellious behavior anymore, but I see now that those things are just an instant call to pray. What an honor!!

So pray for us on this journey please. I obviously will need it. But also join me in praying for our youth. Every time you're out and you hear a harsh word, or you see an obvious attitude, let it be an instant prompt to pray. Our kids need it now more than ever.

Thank you Lord for using the darkest things to remind us to shine your light, to bless where there is cursing, to smile into the frown, to love where there is pain.

Thank you Jesus for always being here. Always.