Remnant Fellowship YOUTH Gatherings – Always Focused UP!

“I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.” – Psalm 71:16-17

As a Church, we praise GOD that this Scripture is representative of our Youth Group.  These young Saints are connecting with GOD and growing in their relationships with Him more and more as each day passes by.  This gives us such hope and promise for the future…to know that our children are preparing themselves to lead the Church in the future by building their relationships with GOD NOW.  They know that pursuing the “praise of men” and temporary worldly pleasures…through rebellious living, wasted time, and all kinds of immorality…is just that – WASTED time.  To spend a few minutes listening to their testimonies and stories about how GOD is answering their prayers and showing Himself to them is worth whatever time you might have to spend with them.  On Saturday, October 20^th, our Middle Schoolers, High Schoolers, and College-aged students gathered in separate homes.  Several of the adults and youth who are involved in these fellowship times shared the blessings that come with such wonderful fellowship.  Read their testimonies below…

• Listening to the High school youth share is very exciting!  The humility that is shared as they openly share about personal tests they have passed charges us on in our walk with God.  They are open about how they pray for their finances, and because of choosing God over themselves, He pours out His richest blessings on them.  Listening to the appreciation also is so beautiful.  They pray for school, jobs, their vehicles to run, to pass exams they have, and papers to write.  They praise God for favor that comes from their employers!  They love fellowship and they love always having opportunities to be together.  We are always charged by the youth! – Cliff and Lisa Peters (Gathering Hosts)
• It was a complete JOY for us to host our first youth gathering as a married couple!  We had about 50-60 college-aged youth come over and enjoy fellowship and bonfires both inside our fireplace and outside in our backyard.  We gathered and there were many testimonies of answered prayers and sharing what God had showed them this week. A couple of examples that stood out were from Paul Watson and Becki Sindell.  Paul shared an amazing answered prayer about giving up what he wanted to happen with a job opportunity and praying about it and letting God come back and give him a full-time job with the pay more than he wanted and being placed at a branch with other Saints!  Becki’s testimony was very moving too as she shared about the conviction that has come out of the last few talks at Church and how much her life has changed from it.  After testimonies, Rusty Henry finished up with a charge to stay connected in fellowship with Saints.  It was a complete joy, and we left the night so full and charged to love God and serve Him more! – Shane and Margaret Polivka (Gathering Hosts)

• “I LOVE getting to gather with the youth – all my friends. And they truly are ALL my friends!  I have never felt left out by anyone and ALWAYS leave encouraged to obey God more, with many specific tips of how to put into practice God’s commands!  I praise GOD for this youth group that is always so helpful and supportive! – Maxine Whitney (College student)
• If you don’t stay in the middle of the pack and get under authority, there is no way to stay connected…and these gatherings help us STAY connected! – Abbi Rickman (High School student)
• The gatherings we have are extremely uplifting, it is such a blessing that I have friends who I know will lead me up to God, that we can gather together and fellowship with one another without worrying where the conversation will lead, after every meeting I feel rejuvenated. Praise God! – Jackson Rector (Middle School student)

This ever-growing Church family has close to 500 members who are ages 18 and under.  GOD is doing something wonderful and powerful.  He is preparing the next generation to lead His Church as they grow older…and the bonds that they are forming with each other, in Christ, are priceless.  These young people are a “light on a hill.”  They are shining at their schools, in the workplace, in the community, and within their families.  We praise GOD for each and every one of them, and we look forward to sharing more praises about their lives as the days go by.  In closing, one of the primary ways that these youth stay FOCUSED on what is in front of them and are not overcome by life’s tests…is that they are constantly aware of the spiritual battles that surround them.  They PRAY, they stay in the Word, they connect with their parents, and they stay close to one another.  They “keep their guard up.”  Enjoy this song and YouTube music video by Michael Shamblin…as you, too, “KEEP YOUR GUARD UP!”