The REVO Small Group Youth Pastor (SGYP) team would just like to take this opportunity to touch base with the rest of our family and let everyone know what has been going down with our teenagers’ spirituality.  Since the last time we spoke, God has continued to move and blow us away with all that He has for us. 

            Our group is growing in so many ways.  Over Christmas break a large group of us went on a “Treasure Hunt” for God and spent some time praying, worshipping, and drafting our treasure map.  A Treasure Hunt is an outreach tool used to get believers out of the churches and into communities to spread the Goodness of God; continue to read and I think you'll get the picture.  So, as I said, after some time in prayer, worship, and drafting our map, we all felt led by the Spirit to Northpark mall, the movie theater, and eventually both Wal-Marts where we prayed and shared the Love and Goodness of God and His Kingdom to specific people on our map. 

            The first treasure we found was a middle-aged man, Bob, with a pot-belly, by the riding mower section.  I know that seems odd at first but those were the clues we had on some of our maps.  After our first lap around Wal-Mart in search of hidden treasures on our map, one of our female students suggested we take one more lap around in which we checked again the “riding mower” section for a guy named “Bob” with a “pot-belly” and guess what?  Of the lone two people back in the “riding mower” section on a night when hardly nobody was in Wal-Mart, surprisingly enough, one was “Bob” with a “pot-belly”.  We respectfully approached him and told him that God had sent us on a treasure hunt and that we thought he might be one of the treasures on our map.  We showed him our map with the clues written down, “Bob, pot-belly, and riding mower” on our paper; he was blown away, except for the pot-belly bit . . . lol.  But anyhow, we were so blessed to plant a seed in this man’s life and help assist him in “encountering” God in a cool, undeniable, supernatural way.  We asked Bob why he thought God might had lead us to him, in which he remained unsure.  We assured him that God loved him so much that He highlighted him to us on our list and specifically wanted him to know of His Goodness.  Again he was blown away.  He agreed to let us pray for him and after some of us laid hands on him and prayed specifically for some cool stuff for him, we all left, stoked, jumping for joy (on the inside) and undeniably used by God though the supernatural leading of His Spirit, while God, I’m sure, continued to work on Bob.  We contained our high-fives to a bunch of “Wows” and continued on our treasure hunt. 

            Next we were led to the other Wal-Mart on 7^th street where we felt like we were to look for a “new mother” in the “baby-section.”  You guessed it again.  We prayed for two families both with newborns, one of which was in the NICU at Joplin.  The last lady we talked to saw us praying for the other two families and commented on how cool that was.  We asked her if there was anything we could pray for her about and that started a beautiful long conversation full of laughs and “tears.”  You’re wondering why I put tears in quotes hah?  That’s because one of our students had “tears” and “black boots” on her map, and guess what she was wearing?  You guessed it again, and we showed her those clues on our map and again assisted someone in supernaturally “encountering” the individualized Goodness and Love of our Father.  So cool! 

            We continued to uncover a few more hidden treasures and all left celebrating, laughing, and in awe of how God supernaturally used us that night.  The benefits to that event are timeless and invaluable: people asked where we went to church, in which we were very proud to answer, all of the individuals’ confidence in hearing and being lead by the Lord was dramatically increased, and the supernatural encounters were undeniable and invaluable.  The seeds that were planted, the lives changed, the messages delivered were so cool; they were all a God Thing.

            So yah things are goin’ down . . . and they’re pretty cool.  Leaders and students are embracing the Lord in risky, courageous ways and God is showing up just like we knew He would.  Everybody is growing, it’s crazy!  Our church is on the rise, watch out, I think we're calling it a come back!  Jesus tells the “parable of the Lost Coin” in Luke 15:8-10 and says that heaven rejoices when one lost coin “treasure” has been found.  The lost are being found and we’re getting to be a part of it.  Keep seeking, keep pressing, date God daily.

            There are so many more cool stories we wish we had more space to share, our teenagers are changing, but we'll just have to tell you next time.  BLESSINGS on you, your family, and ALL that God has for you.  Oh yah, if you feel like you're supposed to talk, text, or go see someone, take a risk and remember your only requirement is to be obedient and God will do the rest.  

We love you,

REVO Crew