Guys Tired of Sandcastles

I haven't posted about it in a while, but we've still been going to hang out with the guys at juvee every Wednesday. Fear can keep you from doing a lot of things, and I think it comes in different guises as well. I was afraid that if I posted about juvee, people would think I was bragging and view it as prideful. This fear kept me from doing something that I love (getting to share the guys stories), and ultimately, I think it kept the guys from receiving a lot of prayer that they both need and deserve. I talked with a friend about this a while back (thanks Austin), and it kind of made me realize how silly I'd been, and the past few weeks have been so good, that I couldn't not share it with people.

We've got a really solid group of guys in there at the moment, both in numbers and in character. The guys look forward to us coming every week, ask about us when we're gone, and have a sincere curiosity about the things of the Bible, last night being further proof of that. Getting to play basketball with the guys last night was awesome. I always feel that the guys are a lot more open with you, we connect better, and that they listen better, when you get to play with or against them (if I would stinkin' hurry up, and learn how to dunk already maybe they'd listen even more!). This seems to make sense, as it's been said that sports, music, and food are the three things that bring people together (I would add complaining to the list, but we'll stick with positive things). We had an awesome time getting to play together. There was about 14 guys, and 10 or so were new, so it was great to start off on such a good foot. The guys all got along during the game (there's been problems before, but hey, it's juvee. What do you expect?), everyone was laughing together, and the games were competitive.

After the game, we all sat down to talk about the Bible, focusing on the story of Noah. The guys had tons of questions about everything. Dinosaurs, the age of accountability, Jesus' death, Revelations, and even mermaids were discussed (one guy  believed they were real). There was really good discussion, and I got to know a few of the new guys really well during that time.

A lot of these guys are really, really close to Christ, they just need a little more guidance to understand some things, and they need people to love them, and role model Him for them. Unfortunately, they need this more outside of juvee than they do inside. What we can do is limited. It's going to be the others outside that truly impact these guys lives. These guys need our prayer. If ya'll could pray for these few things for the guys, the impact might be larger than you think:

1. That the guys will continue to have a curiosity for the things of God, and that they may find The Answer while they're there.
2. For help with a lot of the pain that these guys are dealing with. Some of the stories they tell are unreal.
3. That once these guys get out, that they'll stay out, and that men and women of God around them will see them, reach out, and be an influence, mentor, and friend. 
4. And finally, that people will remember to pray for these guys (and hey, if you wanna pray to keep us guys healthy so we can play together, we're ok with that too).

Thanks for all of your prayers, and keep this guys in mind!