For some time I have had a heart for the Youth of this Nation.  The burden for them brings such a compassion and sensitivity to their lives and to who they are on the inside.  I mean, have you looked a 14 year-old and just asked yourself, "What is he/she going through right now?"  On the outside it may seem good, funny, smart, athletic, but what about in their heart? Family, friends, school, peer pressure...loneliness, hurt, anger, frustration...

 I can say these things because I think about the times when I was younger.  I was cool in school, I had good grades, I participated in numerous activities, but when it came to adults, there was no one to look up to.  When I was younger than that, I went through so much that I didn't know who to talk to about it, let alone talk about it at all. I kept it inside, and that built rage, anger, and loneliness...depression.  I was diagnosed with manic depression at 16, and had to take prozac...of course I didn't take them on the regular basis, i got smoked weed instead, and sold the pills for whatever I could get them for.

 What are our Youth going through today?  Who are they?  What do they need?  Who do they need?

 They need us, they need Jesus, they need love.

NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH

I am more familiar with our Native Youth, I grew up on the reservation, and after high school I moved to another reservation not of my own.  There were so much familiarity seeing what goes on around me, that I began to see a pattern.  From alcoholic homes, broken homes with only one parent, poverty, addiction, perversion, anger and depression.  

The youth today turn to drugs, alcohol, sex and gangs.  And most find it so easy to get involved with, after that theres no cares...it goes on and on until death, suicide or passing it on to another generation.  Can we stop this?  

Not just Native Youth, but for all youth?  Have you paid any attention to them lately?  On the streets, at the schools, in the markets...in your homes?

I challenge you today to say "hi" to one of our Youth today, and everyday for that matter...they will look at you and think your weird, but its cool...smile, smile back at them and watch...

Jesus says if I can't trust you in the little things, how can I trust you with the big things?  Little things matter.

But don't quit there...