“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 NRSV
Gateway Youth,
THANK YOU for sharing your faith in Jesus with others during this past season of COVID-19. Thank you for showing how to carry on throughout this most unusual time in our lives. Thank you for being a beacon of hope to so many folks around you. I believe your ability to handle virtual-everything will only serve to benefit you in the future, as you have become ABC experts at adapting, bending, and creating ways to overcome obstacles and transform them into opportunities.
In your efforts, I believe you’ve been influencing folks all around you and perhaps have even mentored someone along the way. You don’t need your own YouTube channel or a certain number of TikTok followers to be an influencer. If you have Jesus in your heart, He gives you all you need to influence others.
In the words above written by the Apostle Paul, he’s encouraging the people of Philippi with spot-on words of truth that speak to us today.
Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,
and the God of peace will be with you.
As you continue your walk with Jesus, I challenge you to identify a MENTOR, so that you can do the things that you will learn and receive and hear and see in them. There are so many seasoned citizens in your communities, who have walked a journey of life that is full of experience, full of lessons, and full of wisdom, just waiting to be engaged by you. So do something that you already are experts at – taking risks! You are a generation that really understands that risk-taking can sometimes lead to some amazing experiences. I can assure you, that if you find a MENTOR, who is willing to pour their time into you, who is willing to listen with you, who is willing to pray with you, you will not be disappointed. Need help finding a MENTOR? Contact Pastor Joel or myself, and we promise to make it happen!
Rev. David Blackman
djblackman@nccumc.org