SYATP

Today, thousands of students gathered around their flagpoles at their school campuses to pray. Today marks the 19th See You at the Pole event that I have been apart of. I was there at the first SYATP in 1990. This morning as I gathered with some students from our local high school, I was struck with the need and urgency to pray for our students. If you have kids in school, I know that you are doing this. If your kids are out of school, then you probably haven't given it much thought in a while. Students today are faced with decisions, situations and circumstances that you or I were not faced with ever or at least not until later in life. I heard a report on the radio of students who gathered in Pittsburgh, PA to pray for the leaders of the G20 conference that is coming to their town. One student commented that he wished he would be able to speak to one of these world leaders just to let them know that they were in his prayers. You see, we must understand that this generation of junior high, high school and college students want to make a difference in the world around them, more than any other generation before them. They not only believe they can change the world, they are being proactive in doing it. We need to encourage them to do that. We can most especially do that by praying for them. I think we also need to do that by supporting, encouraging and mentoring them. While they may have huge aspirations they may lack the direction and resources to make the difference they need to. I think it is important for us as adults to invest in the generations that are coming behind us. How can you do that? Volunteer at your local elementary, junior high or high school campus. Start an after-school program at your local church. Become a mentor. Ask your children's minister or youth pastor where you can serve in their ministries. As adults and senior adults, we have something the following generation can use -- wisdom and experience. God did not give us those things to hold on to for ourselves. He gave us those things to share and invest in others. I think, sometimes, that a ministry of presence, especially in the lives of students, makes the greatest impact. When students see that another adult cares for them it makes a huge difference. Let me encourage you today to get involved in making a difference in the lives of students. That is crashing into life. Crash on!