The Wednesday before Halloween we had our drop-in at the Tillicum City Life Center.  I had been wanting to do a Gospel presentation for our group of kids that had been coming regularly since we reopened in September. So I did what every good youth leader does: I brought a sledge hammer to smash pumpkins with.

Before we smashed the pumpkins, I shared about how Jesus went to the cross to die for us and then rose from the dead. I told them that Jesus smashed sin, and death and made a way for us to have a relationship with God so that we can be a part of his family forever.

Ty was drawn by the message and after we had a lot of fun smashing pumpkins he stayed to help clean up and started to ask questions about how he could have a relationship with God. I shared that he could pray to God about his need for forgiveness of his sin and that he believed that Jesus died for him. I told him that by doing this he was inviting Jesus to be the one who provided direction for his life. Ty told me that he doesn’t like to pray because when he prayed that his grandma wouldn’t die, it didn’t work and he didn’t feel like God actually listened to him.

I told him that it is totally understandable to feel that way, as I have also been disappointed when God didn’t answer my prayers how I had hoped. I reassured him that God still loves him and has a plan for his life, and that Jesus can be our perfect peace.

The next week when he came to drop in I was super excited to see him. We started to sit down as a group to have snack and Ty asked, “Shouldn’t we pray before we eat?” I asked him if he would like to pray, and he said, “Yes.”

After the drop in was over, he stayed to help clean, and again, he had questions. He asked if I really believed that God had risen from the dead already. I reiterated the story of Jesus‘s death and resurrection and its significance for us to have eternal life. Ty didn’t say yes to Jesus, but I know that he is interested in spiritual things, and pray for more opportunities to continue to share God’s love and truth.