Gratitude and Prayer

Prayer is a powerful tool and I realized Sunday that I only prayed with my junior high kids once last week! So today, before they were going to spread out for homework time, we sat together and everyone shared two things they liked about the day and then we prayed. A lot of them put on this cover that they hate their lives and hate everything about their days, and I want to change that. I want them to start thinking more positively. So this is one way towards optimism. Every day we are going to start out with this before homework. Then after our gratitude time, we prayed together. I asked for prayer requests and one girl's hand shot up requesting that we pray for the people of Haiti - that God would provide for them and heal them and that they'd rescue everyone possible and that they'd get their lives back. I wash shocked that a 12-year-old would say all of that, but it was so cool. So she led our prayer time and then I finished up. Another girl asked why some people say that God hates Haiti and that's why He let the earthquake happen. She didn't understand why God would be mean. It was an awesome discussion where we talked about God who is a God of love, and we talked about the story of Job, and that suffering produces endurance and draws us closer to God. It was a great and fun-filled day. And to top it off, some kids are really excited for our after-school program this week and are going to ask their parents if they can stay longer and hang out!!