Letter from Earnest – January 2018
Happy New Year – As I say this it is actually December 12th, but by the time you receive this letter it should be after the first of the year. I want to thank you for carrying us through another year, and I literally mean carrying us. I am so grateful that as an organization we have the Lord’s calling on our lives and support of the church. As always, the year 2017 has brought its challenges and disappointments. We saw many of our children make good choices and a few regretfully, bad choices. One even died because of his choice, and it left us very sad.
Over the holiday season I watched the emotions of the children rise, and fall. One moment ecstatic with joy, the next moment throwing furniture filled with rage. Not because they have been mistreated by any of the staff, but they were so overwhelmed with their grief and anger they felt that the needed to destroy something.
I wonder how they learned this? Surely it’s been modeled. I am frequently saying to the boys the rage that you are unleashing on us today, unless it is checked, and brought into submission to the Holy Spirit, will lead to spousal abuse in your marriage, and your children will live in constant fear for their lives. I would tell them this is not the norm, you have learned this from somebody and we are trying to show you a more excellent way.
As we go into the new year be conscious of your example. Ephesians 4:26-27: “In your anger do no sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Some child or grandchild is to model your responses as he or she deals with the pressures of life. You’ve heard me say this before; “when you are squeezed by the pressures of this life, the contents of your character will spew out.” Matthew 12:33-34b: “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit… For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Let’s plan to be filled with the Spirit all year long, so much so, that when the pressures of life squeeze us, Jesus will be seen working through us. Enjoy the new year and thank God that you lived to see it. So many of those we love did not move into the new year with us.
Sometime in February, we will give you all an update on how 2017 went financially for Youth Horizons.
Your brother in Christ,
Earnest Alexander
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