The Power of Vulnerability

This week I was once again amazed at the way God showed up in the way TreeHouse showed what it truly means to be vulnerable. I went to my second Support Group on Tuesday night and it was incredible the way God showed up in how the students opened up. In Support Groups, students are able to take ownership of their feelings in a unique way. Usually there are about 30 or so youth that show up on Tuesdays, so we split them into small groups. In these small groups, they are able to take ownership of how their past week has really been. They are asked to rate their week on a scale of 1 to 10; 1 being the worst, 10 being the best, but no 5's because it's neutral. With that rating, they are asked to describe 2 to 3 emotions they have or currently are experiencing. The students also have an opportunity to take more time if desired after everyone has checked in with their emotions to further describe their feelings. If students do take time, it's this time where they really begin to open up. They're called Support Groups because as students begin to share with one another, they can receive support through their fellow peers. The facilitator's (myself and other staff) job is to ask guiding questions for students to explore and process their emotions more; it's important to note that this is NOT counseling, but rather a way of really listening to what each student says while simultaneously hearing how the Holy Spirit is moving in the group. I've never been in a setting where people were that honest with their feelings. It's a practice I wish more people participated in; especially the church itself. These youth are showing me more about the power of vulnerability and honesty than any other place in my life. As I start to learn more and more about more of the youth's lives over the coming weeks, pray that God will put people in their lives that will continue to affirm them, both during and outside of TreeHouse. Their struggles and stories are real and raw; almost all of them have been through more as a teen than some of us have in our whole lifetime.

The theme of vulnerability continued throughout the week as I prepared to give my testimony/talk for last night's Going Deep. Going Deep is a night dedicated for students to explore a relationship with God on a more intimate level. The night begins usually with announcements of upcoming TreeHouse events followed by everyone playing an interactive game. Once the game is done, students come back inside and get settled to hear a message provided by one of the staff. Last night's message was facilitated by me sharing my testimony. We focused on what it means to be transformed by God fully once we engage in a real/genuine relationship with Christ. I've given my testimony many times before, but never in a setting like this. I was nervous to think that no one would be able to relate to my story. But after I gave my talk, it was silly to even doubt the power of God and His ability to work through all things. I related my experience and walk with God to Saul's conversion to Paul in Acts 9. The beauty of this particular story was that if God can change the heart of His greatest opponent in Saul to be one of His great disciples and apostles as Paul, then He has the ability to change the heart of anyone. We then broke up into small groups to talk more about the message and dig into Scripture a little more. The Lord really showed up during this time, as the youth in my group shared more about how they could relate to either mine, Paul's, or other testimonies.

I am so thankful for your prayers, especially for last night. It was truly a testament to the power of God and the power of vulnerability. May you be blessed this weekend and take time with people you trust to also be open to share how God is working in your lives.