visit with Living Proof Youth Ministries

I went to visit a youth ministry tonight at Elim Church on 79th Street in Chicago. The Youth Ministry goes by the name “Living Proof.” Their youth leader’s name is Jessica Pamon – very “cool” young lady that always has her hair tight! A good woman. The kids there are also great and i enjoyed being there tonight.

Anywho, the subject Jessica taught on was Praise – what it is and the benefits of it. She had the kids break up into two groups and they were to look up her prepared scriptures on praise and come up with a skit to reflect back on what they learned from the scriptures. Quite interesting to watch – only one of the groups managed to pull their skit together (LOL!).

The kids expounded on the subject matter – some enthusiastically and some, well, you know, not so enthusiastically, on what it meant to praise God and the benefits of praise. Shouting unto God, clapping our hands, singing unto the Lord, playing of instruments, etc. were all discussed regarding how to praise God. I thought the “Benefits” part was quite interesting as well. They read scriptures in Acts about how Paul (and Silas) were imprisoned and while there, sang praises to God and the earth quaked and the doors of the prison were opened…awesome stuff dude.

As Jessica fought through this oh so familiar scene for me of trying to NAIL IN the content of her lesson into the hearts of these kids, I sat and looked around at them all. I was like, “I wonder if they are really getting what is being discussed here.” I mean, we just read about somebody singing praises to God and used that praise to escape from prison…dude…that’s pretty serious.

God, just like man (or rather man is just like God, but you know what I’m saying…) loves to receive praise and adoration. He created us to offer it unto Him because He enjoys receiving it from us when we offer it willingly, ernestly, lovingly. But, in His infinite wisdom, He also designed praise to operate as a force in our lives. There is literal power in our praise. Praise REALLY changes things and makes things happen. Their are other powerful forces that the Bible references, like love, faith, joy, etc. But God designed praise to be enjoyable to Him as well as a means to bring about His power in the earth. The force of praise is so powerful, that the Bible says if we don’t offer it to God, the rocks will…my Lord.

So, as I watched these beautiful young kids go around the room and rate themselves on how earnestly they felt they praised God – some gave themselves a 2, a couple said 5…none higher than 5 though – I wondered if they just had a slither of an idea of what power praise could provide in their everyday lives if their answers would have been somewhat different. I pray that their praise to God becomes even more real for them after tonight and that they see the tangible results of its power.

I pray that for myself too. Praise be unto the Most High!

Deanna