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Hello all, it has been a while, but I wanted to share a praise and prayer request with you, as I'm sure I will need many prayers here.
But first with some background...
I am currently a 5th year student at the University of Cincinnati (or will be in the fall), but whenever I was in high school, my father passed away. Fast forward back to present...I am currently working at a youth center in the inner city of Cincinnati, and at the beginning of our summer program, our staff found out that a high schooler in our program had lost his father. Whenever I heard this, I felt really bad for the young man as I knew at least a little how that whole scenario feels. But nonetheless, I was working with the middle school boys, so I didn't have all that much contact with this high school kid (I will just call him Larry to protect identity). Well with God's work and some good opportunities to gather information from the leaders of the high school program, I got Larry's number and we began to talk about 2 weeks ago.
There was then a long break in the talking, and that was mostly my fault. But by the grace of God, Larry texted me this past Saturday asking to hang out and so we did! From 4 o clock to about 8. And it was a great time. I got to talk to him about his father, see what things he likes, play some basketball together as teammates (and winning
), shared dinner, and I even got to meet his girlfriend and a few of his friends. It was truly awesome. And the best part was...he agreed to go to my church the next day. So he came to the church on Sunday, I got to serve him Communion, and afterward he said he REALLY liked it and wanted to come as many Sundays as possible. 
And here is the main realm of praise. After church we went to lunch and I was asking about his girlfriend and physical things...to see where he was in that realm, because I was concerned. He shared some information that he had made plans to "do it" that very day...specific time planned and everything. I talked to him about how saying no is not only respecting himself, but respecting his girlfriend. And I shared that having sex before marriage IS sin regardless of the reasoning behind it. He mulled it over and seemed unsure as we left. But before I went to work I sent him an encouraging text to show the strength to say no. And I told him that my respect level for him as a man would grow so much if he said no. I even took my break shortly before their scheduled time, to text him again and encourage him to say no.
.....AND HE DID! Now I know Satan won't give up here. But this was a great victory for Larry! He told me he said no, and his girlfriend wasn't even mad (which was his main worry); in fact she was probably more loving toward him.
So praise God for this victory over an opportunity to sin, and PRAYER REQUEST for diligence on my part to stay on him about all of this stuff, and to be able to speak life and wisdom into him.
Thank you all, and sorry for the long post.
But first with some background...
I am currently a 5th year student at the University of Cincinnati (or will be in the fall), but whenever I was in high school, my father passed away. Fast forward back to present...I am currently working at a youth center in the inner city of Cincinnati, and at the beginning of our summer program, our staff found out that a high schooler in our program had lost his father. Whenever I heard this, I felt really bad for the young man as I knew at least a little how that whole scenario feels. But nonetheless, I was working with the middle school boys, so I didn't have all that much contact with this high school kid (I will just call him Larry to protect identity). Well with God's work and some good opportunities to gather information from the leaders of the high school program, I got Larry's number and we began to talk about 2 weeks ago.
There was then a long break in the talking, and that was mostly my fault. But by the grace of God, Larry texted me this past Saturday asking to hang out and so we did! From 4 o clock to about 8. And it was a great time. I got to talk to him about his father, see what things he likes, play some basketball together as teammates (and winning
), shared dinner, and I even got to meet his girlfriend and a few of his friends. It was truly awesome. And the best part was...he agreed to go to my church the next day. So he came to the church on Sunday, I got to serve him Communion, and afterward he said he REALLY liked it and wanted to come as many Sundays as possible. And here is the main realm of praise. After church we went to lunch and I was asking about his girlfriend and physical things...to see where he was in that realm, because I was concerned. He shared some information that he had made plans to "do it" that very day...specific time planned and everything. I talked to him about how saying no is not only respecting himself, but respecting his girlfriend. And I shared that having sex before marriage IS sin regardless of the reasoning behind it. He mulled it over and seemed unsure as we left. But before I went to work I sent him an encouraging text to show the strength to say no. And I told him that my respect level for him as a man would grow so much if he said no. I even took my break shortly before their scheduled time, to text him again and encourage him to say no.
.....AND HE DID! Now I know Satan won't give up here. But this was a great victory for Larry! He told me he said no, and his girlfriend wasn't even mad (which was his main worry); in fact she was probably more loving toward him.
So praise God for this victory over an opportunity to sin, and PRAYER REQUEST for diligence on my part to stay on him about all of this stuff, and to be able to speak life and wisdom into him.
Thank you all, and sorry for the long post.
