We celebrate our youth by encouraging them. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11. When I coached Junior High Cross Country at a very small school, we needed five people to make a team. We had six boys and three girls. I had to recruit two girls to make a girls’ team. Jessie was one of the two girls I recruited. Jessie was slow, very slow. I encouraged her. She came in last every time she ran. I encouraged her. She finished every time. If this was a Disney movie, I might write the story where she became the fastest runner on the team. This isn’t a Disney movie, and she still finished last every time. I encouraged her. She did her best. She stayed on the team. The other girls got to compete as a team, and I watched them encourage each other. While I am finishing up an educational trip to Egypt, following the footsteps of Moses, the youth gave the message. None of them are seminary-trained. None of them have studied the Bible for 38 years as I have. But they all participated. They all gave their best. They were all witnesses for Jesus by telling us about God. They are all on the team. I celebrate a youth director who takes on the challenge of leading the youth to do something they have never done before by standing in front of a room full of people and talking about God. Our encouragement is important. When you see a youth in church, thank them for being a part of our church. Ask them their names. Get to know them. Show interest. Love them. These simple gestures will keep them on “the team".

God of all people, we celebrate our youth. Open our minds and hearts to the young people in our community. Remind us to encourage our youth in their faith and cheer them on when they demonstrate their faith for us. Amen.