The first meeting… there’s always a ‘first meeting’ with every kid. This is the time to get acquainted… but more importantly, it is time to lay a foundation of trust and respect. Like steel in concrete, trust & respect create a solid base upon which to build a relationship and become positioned to share the hope that can be found in knowing God & His Son, Jesus. Yesterday was the first meeting with Michael & Jeff. As their Senior Project to graduate from Central High School they will partner with me to set up and host the next 71Five Connect Workshop. As 71Five Connect alumni, they know its value to their fellow students. I must encourage, challenge, and help build them to become more than they are, to have a greater vision for who they might become. First meetings are critical because from small beginnings the course of a life may be changed for all eternity.

 

God has opened a door through Youth 71Five Ministries for more of His people to bring life-changing hope into the lives of kids… join us in the mission.- MATT SWEENEY, 71Five Connect Director and Ministry Coordinator matt@71five.org

Being a leader is challenging… But if there is one thing I have learned about being a true leader, it is that wise leaders take followers and turn them into leaders. That’s exactly the opportunity I have while working with Wyatt. This middle-school boy has a big heart. When he grows up, he wants to be “…a business owner. I’m dreaming of starting my own business with my own employees.” Recently he has been coming to Thursday Night’s 71Five Campus Club and listening to the hope offered through Jesus. Wyatt expressed that he wants to start a bike repair hobby so he can practice being a future business owner. I am now partnering with Wyatt to make this happen and empower him to go after the true leader he really is.

 

I shared with Wyatt that Jesus put him on the planet with a gift that only he can fill and give to the world. Thanks for providing the hope of Jesus to Wyatt and empowering him to become the influential person he was created to be. – JOSHUA LOOMIS 71Five Campus Area Director – Gold Hill joshua@71Five.org

Some choices we make can have long-lasting consequences… This is true for one of our young moms. Daisy is one of the friendliest, easy going, lovable people I’ve ever met. You could walk into a room and not know a single person and immediately find a friend in Daisy. But one day, Daisy made a choice out of anger, and this choice led to long-lasting, life-changing consequences. Three of us at 71Five Parents recently met with Daisy to discuss the consequences of this choice and how we could come alongside her as she looks to move forward. As we sat with Daisy, discussing her goals and some action steps, we discussed her spiritual goals. Daisy is seeking. She’s asking questions like, “Who is God?” We sat with Daisy and talk to her about how great God’s love is for her and how He desires to be known by her. She then said one of her action steps was “…Going to be to pray and ask God to show himself!” In that moment I had a realization. This negative choice Daisy made left her with hard consequences which led Daisy to ask us for help which led us to a conversation about God, His grace and love for her, and how He wants to be known by Her. Choices do have consequences, but… we serve a God who can use all things for good and use anything to draw us to Himself. He is drawing Daisy to Himself! And because of your faithfulness to this ministry we get to have these conversations with Daisy and see God pursuing her right before our eyes. Thank you for supporting Youth 71Five Ministries. Your support is changing lives! – APRIL BARSALOU, 71Five Parents Assistant Director april@71Five.org

I trust you were able to enjoy Christmas even with the busyness of shopping, events, dinners, and stress. Christmas is about Jesus and what He gives to us – the gift of a Savior. We can’t earn this gift and we don’t desire it, but I am so thankful that He gave it anyway. In His gift there is the promise of new life. I hope this fills you with excitement of what God has for us this new year.

 

What God asks of us is not always an easy request… Life is hard at times. However, as Christian’s, God’s dearly loved people, we are called according to His purpose. I pray that we can keep looking to Him in 2019 and, no matter what we face, we can remember His amazing love for us.

 

Please Save These Dates:

Tuesday, February 12th, 4:30 – 6:30pm Donor & Volunteer Appreciation Celebration at the 71Five City Community Center This is our way of thanking you for all you do in partnering with Youth 71Five Ministries via your time, love, prayer, meals, monies, etc. Thank you for the sacrifices you bring to God’s Kingdom.  We are honored to partner with you!  You will be receiving a card in the mail as a reminder which will provide all details. Saturday, February 23rd, 9:00 – 12:30pm Mission Training 101 at the 71Five City Community Center For new volunteers or current volunteers that have not taken this course as of yet. If you received a post card in the mail, this would mean our records show that you have not completed the 101 Ministry Training. If this is incorrect, please e-mail me and let me know, so I can take you off the list. – CLEM O’HARA Volunteers Coordinator clem@71Five.org

It was at around age 16 that I stopped going to church… I remember becoming obsessed with myself and what I thought of as “special knowledge,” while still calling myself a Christ follower. I was bitter, rebellious, and deceitful with waves of deep depression. My parents echoed the lament of many Christian parents, “What did we do wrong? Why, God, would you let my child walk away from You?” It took time, but God broke through the darkness and started to change who I was.

 

In my life, change has always been gradual. I remember wishing God would transform me overnight, but those big changes never happened. Over the years, I can see His hand in my life, guiding me towards Him through hardship, repentance, and many, many blessings. As God slowly changed my heart, I joined a wonderful church, made friends that poured into me and got me involved in service. Instead of loving myself, I developed a love for God and His Word because now I wanted to be in relationship with Him. I became a Sunday School teacher for teens, a pastorate intern, and now God has opened doors for me to be the Phoenix/Talent Area Director for Youth 71Five Ministries.

 

God has led me out of my darkness into the hope of the Gospel countless times. Now, I want to share that same transforming hope with the youth of Phoenix and Talent who are on the same dark path. Thank you for providing a safe and healthy place for young people to discover the hope that only Christ can bring. – CAMERON HOEHNE, 71Five Campus Area Director – Phoenix/Talent cameron@71Five.org

When Josh was lodged at detention, his behavior was terrible. It was weeks before he was allowed to attend our Thursday night program. When I introduced myself, he would not look me in the eye, his body language was hunched and defensive. His speech was a dialect of gang banger and hard to understand. His personality had been formed by the things he experienced living on the streets. One night, staff allowed him to watch our group from just outside the classroom door. Progress. Trust was built, but glacially slow. He was transferred to the 6-month residential program in the detention center building and after some one-to-one time riding mountain bikes, a friendship was born. At the residential program he used up all his last chances and was lodged in detention with new assault charges. It was there, during Sunday Chapel, that the Lord broke through with the book of Jonah. It spoke right to Josh’s heart. Later, we both confessed to having a little Jonah in our DNA and Josh allowed Jesus into his heart. Fast forward a month, you have a bright young man devouring Scripture and praying—eyes shining bright with the light of a loving God. Thank you for your partnership with 71five Justice, together we are doing important work.- BEAU JESKA, 71Five Justice Director beau@71Five.org

I first met Jackie when she was only 13-years-old and I was a volunteer at my church’s youth group. Eventually, she grew and babysat for my oldest son and was later involved in the college-age ministry my wife and I ran in our house. Jackie went on to become a volunteer for the North Medford Youth Center of Youth 71 Five Ministries, which at the time was, Rogue Valley YFC. Jackie has been the most consistent part of that ministry. I know I only had a very small part in the life of Jackie, but over the years, I got to see her go from that 13-year-old girl I was ministering to, to see her now ministering to youth with her husband. Now, I get to work side by side with Jackie and her husband every week as we share the love of Jesus with lost and hurting youth.

Are you ready to invest in the life of a young person? I can tell you from experience, it is well worth it when you get to see the little you do get multiplied by God. If you want to find out more, give us a call at Youth 71Five Ministries, (541) 779-3275. Help change the lives of young people. TIM HARDY, 71Five Campus Area Director – North Medford tim@71Five.org

Psalm 71:5 says, “Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” As I’ve been contemplating this verse recently, I realized, hope only comes through trust. We can’t have genuine hope for a better future if we don’t trust the people around us or trust in a God who cares. Think about it, if I can’t trust in at least one person, there’s no hope for happiness or comfort. Trust is the lifeline to having any hope in this world. It struck me, this is the core of who we are and what we do. We bring hope to hurting young people through a bridge of trust. The young person experiences real hope because they can count on someone to care for them today and also care for them tomorrow. Then… the trusting relationship points toward a loving God who is infinitely trustworthy and brings unending hope.

God is using you to completely transform lives of lost and hurting young people in our community. Thank you for providing trusting relationships that build a bridge to hope. BUD AMUNDSEN, 71Five Executive Director bud@71Five.org

 

Have you ever heard someone’s life story that brings tears to your eyes? I experience this often with the youth I work with. I’m Tim Hardy, the new North Medford Area Director for Youth 71Five Ministries (formerly Rogue Valley Youth for Christ). I’ve had the opportunity to work with youth all over the world and for the past 3 years in Grants Pass. The pain many of these kids, from right here in the Rogue Valley, have experienced by those who are supposed to love them is unfathomable. When you see the scars on a kid’s back from a drunk dad, meet a girl who’s lived in 36 foster homes, or hear the story of a teen who been used as a drug dealer by their addicted mom, it is almost too much. But, so many of these kids despite the fact they’ve been shown over and over not to trust anyone, have put their trust in Jesus. They come to know Jesus through the ministry of 71Five because people just like you take the time to love on them, help sponsor them for activities, and have prayed for them.