loving God and others through art

So, tonight the Youth Art Team met in the park at the mural to debrief their entire youth art team session and to talk about the meaning of the message "Love is Power." (Three kids are missing from the picture, but maybe Photoshop can do a little magic in the next few days)

One father who has two children on the team stood next to me and and I tried to catch every word he said to me. He summed up the mural with words very close to the following...."People see this and they don't just see the words or the picture. The mural shows what the next generation can do when they work together. I walk by this everyday on my lunch hour and my heart just fills up to see that the younger generation is capable of doing much more than people think they can."

Youth empowerment. Development.

I drove several of the team home tonight and was so moved by how this group of multi-age kids has begun to know and care about each other and to build bridges as they've worked together.

Love. Community.

I got an email from one of the grown-ups on our team, Derek, who couldn't be there tonight. This is what he wrote:

"The mural looks great guys! Wish I could have been there to help finish everything, I plan on being at the dedication next Wednesday.

Quick praise report: I picked up one of my kids the other day whom I mentor, and he said "Derek, do you know Love is Power?" He told me he saw that phrase at a park across from the Salvation Army, and it was a topic of our next discussion. Praise God!"

Jesus, you are so good. I love you so much. Thank you for helping me to see how love is power right here in Youth Art Team.