This weekend is something I have been praying about ever since we got it on the calendar many months ago. Coming to a D-now at my home church was definatly an answer to prayer. Southside Baptist Church is a place that is very near and dear to my heart. I have grown up here, it is the church that I have poured my heart into ever since I came to know Christ at a church camp I went on with this very youth group in 2006. The people of this church have poured their hearts into mine ever since I came to this church for the first time when I was very young. So, as I was packing Thursday night, the excitemet about investing in the lives of the students that I had grown up with hit me pretty hard. It was hard for me to even go to sleep that night! I was ready for not only the students but the church to see what I had moved off to do for Christ. After we had arrived and set up on Friday afternooon, I had a very sweet reunion with many friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time that would be participating in the weekend. I was excited not only about seeing them, but investing in them and watching God work in their lives throughout the weekend. I knew that my fellow Glowing Heart members were going to be pouring their hearts into students that I already knew and loved so dearly and I had no douibt that all the students were going to benefit from the lives of my fellow Ghers. Starting the sessions Friday night with the high school boys I had a very high expectation of them and was very excited about the discussion I knew would happen. Instantly when we dived into the Word the guys were responding and we got into some of the deepest discussions I have had on a D-now. We had a very biblical discussion on why non-believers are turned off because of the way some of the beleievers live and we discssed ways we could reach out and minister to non-believers in the most efficient way. The entire day of Saturday was fantastic and just hanging out with my old youth group and playing games, digging into the Word, and making new memories and bringing up old ones was so so so sweet. I really enjoyed seeing how much every one had grown up not only in their maturity, but in their faith. The youth group at Southside Baptist Church is a very special group and you don’t find many like it. Experiencing Christ in worship with them Saturday brought back many sweet memories from times that I had cried out to God with them in the past. Christ moved in the group in a new and refreshing way this weekend, and He also won a new heart for Christ too! Many of the students expressed that they had been straying from their walk with Christ, but God brought His sheep back to His flock this weekend! Praise God for what He did this weekend in the hearts of my home church. My prayer for my home church and the students there is that they will take what they have learned about taking a stand and reaching out to the world and pour their hearts into the people they come in contact with on a daily basis. I pray that they use their gifts and talents and dedicate them solely to the Lord and go out and profess the name of Christ to all the nations, for He is the answer to the world that is dying for a hope! Southside Baptist Church, fulfill what Christ has called you to do. Share your passion for Christ to not only change Port Neches, Texas, but to impact and change the world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! I love you all dearly and will continue praying for you.

In Christ Alone,

Brad