Should I Keep Posting After Lads to Leaders?

This is my last year being able to participate in Lads to Leaders. I have been working on this blog for a while now and have loved doing it. People keep coming to me asking if I am going to keep my blog after this year. I would like to know what everyone else's perspective is on this issue. I write to help others and help spread the Gospel, hoping that someone will be able to learn from what I share with all of you. I greatly appreciate everyone's support and encouragement with my blog. Whatever decision is made after this years convention has nothing to do with the present and as of now I will be continuing to blog at least up to Lads to Leaders and I hope that it will continue to inspire and help everyone in some type of way.

Blaine

Recently I received a comment from someone named Blaine and I'm glad that I did. So many times we consider how things have affected us but forget to consider how they affect other people. Blaine like myself has gained confidence through participating in Lads to Leaders. Blaine I don't know if you are reading this but thank you for sharing part of your story with me. It means a lot! I would love to hear more of everyone's stories so please comment and chime in on your experience and growth through Lads to Leaders. Not every one story is the same that's what helps make everyone different. Some things affect some people in ways that they don't and never will affect another person, but that doesn't mean they can't experience them through someone else's words. So please let the comments flow in and lets see how everyone has grown as people and Christians!

Exposure Youth Camp 2015

This year was my last year going to Exposure as a kid. If you have never heard of Exposure Youth Camp and are wondering what it is then here you go: exposure is held in Huntsville, AL from Sunday December 27th to December 30th. When going to exposure you are getting the opportunity to be around 1800-2000 Christians from all over. You are put into teams that you spend time with and make friends while playing games and having devotionals. There are worship services, spiritual challenge sessions which are different classes that you can chose from to attend and the Atrium singing. This is when everyone at exposure goes to the balcony outside of their rooms or to the lobby and the entire hotel is filled with joyous melodies sung to the Lord. I had so much fun this year and learned a lot. Growing closer to old friends and making new ones. If you didn't go this year you missed out and I recommend that you put it on your calendar for next year!

Child Abuse

Did you know that children die everyday from abuse or neglect? In 2005 alone about 1,460 children died from being abused or neglected. Most of these children about 76.6% were 3 years old and younger. This is truly sad and heartbreaking. No child or any person no matter who they are ever deserves to be abused and neglected. Parents that don't even want their child or children often take advantage of the fact that they have them. According to National estimates that about 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriages. There are people who love children and want to badly have some of their own while there are others who don't want their child or children at all. Children are beaten, starved, hated, sexually abused, and emotionally abused. Some people just honestly are crazy and don't care about anyone but themselves. It doesn't have to be physical for a child to be considered to be abused. Ignoring, rejecting, isolating, exploiting, corrupting, verbally assaulting, terrorizing, and neglecting the child are all considered emotional abuse. It sickens me that someone can harm and hate a creation of God. God could've hated us but he chose not to and instead sent his ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to die for OUR sins. If you don't want your child and you have the tendency to hurt them get yourself some help because that is just plain crazy. Adoption is an option but it seems to be forgotten about any many circumstances. Let someone who will actually take care of the child or children take care of them as their own. If you know about a child that is getting abused report it. You might be the one to save a life. STOP THE ABUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Busy Busy Busy

Busy, busy, busy! That pretty much sums up everyone's life styles during the year. Busy working, busy with school activities, with friends, with sports, always busy with something. This continues throughout the entire year even during the Christmas holiday. When we stay so busy we become guilty of losing sight of the things that really matter. Everyone has been guilty of this and some point in their lives. Having a well paying job is important you have to be able to survive but at what cost? Is it honestly worth working so much that you miss spending quality time with family because you "have to have the money"? Is it honestly worth it to miss a grandparents birthday party? A child's play? A family get together? Christmas Dinner? All of these things are important because one day these loved ones your neglecting for worldly desires aren't going to be around. People say all the time I can't miss going out with my friends, if I miss the dance at school I will be an outcast, if I take off from work because my grandmother is in the hospital on her death bed I won't get the raise. When it honestly comes down to it family just isn't as important to some people in the World today. Then as soon as something happens to a loved one they will be the first one balling their eyes out, when they were never there when the person was in good health and alive. Not everything is about gaining something in life. I would rather spend quality time with family making memories that I can cherish for a life time over hanging out with friends, making extra money that I don't really need, or even going to a school activity any day. Maybe it's time we all slow down and look around us at everything we are missing. Even say thank you to God for everything he has done and is still doing for us or are you to busy to do that either?

How Lads to Leaders Has Helped Me

Lads to Leaders has helped me in so many different ways. When I was little I didn't have any confidence in myself. Throughout the years of participating in Lads to Leaders I have grown spiritually and emotionally. When I first thought about ever giving a speech my knees would shake and I would get really sick. I never and I mean absolutely never had the nerve to talk to strangers or get up in front of a crowd. Doing Bible reading, giving speeches, and leading songs for Lads to Leaders has helped a whole lot with that. I am now 18 years old and jump at the chance to get up and teach others about the Gospel. I might not have won in every event I was participating in but the leaders have taught us from a young age that winning isn't everything we are all winners in Gods eyes. One of the best parts of convention is being around almost 10,000 Christians from all over the World. Often times we get so caught up with the competition side of things we miss out what really matters the most. Don't get me wrong winning is great but soon enough we will have a much bigger award. Bigger then any trophy or medal, it will be an award that makes your whole life being dedicated to the Gospel worth it. We just have a few rules first we have to honor and obey God and make sure to teach others and take them with us.

Guardian Angels

Do you believe in Guardian Angels? Personally I absolutely do believe in these special creations. When I was younger my great uncle was my best friend I could talk to him about anything and everything. He really enjoyed when I would bring him up a plate of my grandmothers food or a piece of a pie me and my mom made. We used to sit out on his front porch and just talk for endless amounts of time. Then a few years ago my great grandmother moved in with us because she was really sick. We would always sing Christmas songs, fight over who was going to where the Santa hat, laugh, and spend quality time together. We used to talk about later on when I would be a Senior and she even promised me that she would be at my graduation. That's one reason why this year being my Senior year has been so hard for me. You see I lost both of these very special people in 2011 just 3 months apart from each other. I've never been close to someone like that before or ever after again after that. Tonight at church my Bible class teacher was taking song choices for the invitation so I said my great grandmothers favorite song Jesus Hold My Hand. She loved this song and every time it was lead her whole face would light up. Right before the invitation part of the service started I checked my little box in the foyer that we made for Lads to Leaders and there was something in it placed in a small Christmas bag. Right before the first song was lead I opened the gift and as the song leader started the song I took out the gift and their in my hand was a little smiling Angel ornament in my hand. It meant so much to me and seemed to be discovered at the right time. The Angel reminded me of my great grandmother in so many ways because she always had the most kind uplifting spirit of anyone I have ever known. I would never have made it this far without these two people in my life. No my great uncle and great grandmother won't be able to get a ticket to my graduation but I know that they will be there because they wouldn't miss it for the World and they are watching over me. Dear God please don't ever take my Guardian Angels away from me please, and to whoever put the gift in my box you will never know what you have done for me I think you from the bottom of my heart.