WHAT ARE YOU DOIN TO REACH THE YOUTH?
I believe that children are our future
Teach them well and let them
Lead the way
show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense
Of pride
To make it easier
Let the children’s laughter
Remind us how we used
To be…..
The Greatest Love Of All- George Benson
Today’s entry is more a random rant, than a daily devotion, but after this past weekend- Block Party event I attended at New Life AME Zion Church in College Park, GA. It was on my heart to share this with all of you reading this. It was great to see some using hip-hop to reach the youth. It was great to see the youth have an outlet to express themselves and a place for them to invite their friends. Where are all the activities for the youth that were in place when we were young?
An idle mind is the playground for the devil…
I have often talked about how it was cats on the block, outside of my family that may have been as important as the words of encouragement I received from my family that saved me from being another statistic, saved me, the fact I’m not dead or in jail is because God blessed these individuals to get at me and let me know where I was headed if I didn’t change my ways.
We say the youth is outta control but it’s us who are failing them and not the other way around. We need to reach out to the youth, teach them, show them a better way to express themselves. We need to volunteer our time and mentor our younger brothers and sisters and we must never forget how we felt when we were their age.
I challenge all reading this to do more, to get more involved, make it our business to try to understand what the youth is facing. Instead of telling them what is wrong with what they are doin, show them a better way. Expose them to other experiences and cultures. Share your love for Jazz or whatever it is you are into. But whatever you do, get involved. Like the opening lyrics, the children are our future. The enemy attacks our youth before they get a chance to find their way to kill off our future leaders before they have a chance to grow into their roles God created for them.
They can not do it by themselves. And if you don’t like where you see our youth headed, my questions for you today is what are you doing about it? If you can not answer that question you need to get up, get out and do something. Learn what the youth are into and use those avenues to get their attention and teach them. Our youth are reaching out to us, are you answering the call or just slamming another door in their face!
If you don’t know where to start reach out to your local church, your local schools, the Boy and Girls Scouts or Boys and Girls Clubs of America, your local law enforcement, a lot of them have youth programs. Google youth groups in your area, look in the phone book. There are already many organizations and groups in place but they all NEED volunteers and donations to take things to the next level and be able to do more. Get with local businesses and work with them to start more groups and programs. Set up internships to teach youngsters new skills. Bottom-line you must do something if you want things to get better.
Teach them well and let them
Lead the way
show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense
Of pride
To make it easier
Let the children’s laughter
Remind us how we used
To be…..
The Greatest Love Of All- George Benson
Today’s entry is more a random rant, than a daily devotion, but after this past weekend- Block Party event I attended at New Life AME Zion Church in College Park, GA. It was on my heart to share this with all of you reading this. It was great to see some using hip-hop to reach the youth. It was great to see the youth have an outlet to express themselves and a place for them to invite their friends. Where are all the activities for the youth that were in place when we were young?
An idle mind is the playground for the devil…
I have often talked about how it was cats on the block, outside of my family that may have been as important as the words of encouragement I received from my family that saved me from being another statistic, saved me, the fact I’m not dead or in jail is because God blessed these individuals to get at me and let me know where I was headed if I didn’t change my ways.
We say the youth is outta control but it’s us who are failing them and not the other way around. We need to reach out to the youth, teach them, show them a better way to express themselves. We need to volunteer our time and mentor our younger brothers and sisters and we must never forget how we felt when we were their age.
I challenge all reading this to do more, to get more involved, make it our business to try to understand what the youth is facing. Instead of telling them what is wrong with what they are doin, show them a better way. Expose them to other experiences and cultures. Share your love for Jazz or whatever it is you are into. But whatever you do, get involved. Like the opening lyrics, the children are our future. The enemy attacks our youth before they get a chance to find their way to kill off our future leaders before they have a chance to grow into their roles God created for them.
They can not do it by themselves. And if you don’t like where you see our youth headed, my questions for you today is what are you doing about it? If you can not answer that question you need to get up, get out and do something. Learn what the youth are into and use those avenues to get their attention and teach them. Our youth are reaching out to us, are you answering the call or just slamming another door in their face!
If you don’t know where to start reach out to your local church, your local schools, the Boy and Girls Scouts or Boys and Girls Clubs of America, your local law enforcement, a lot of them have youth programs. Google youth groups in your area, look in the phone book. There are already many organizations and groups in place but they all NEED volunteers and donations to take things to the next level and be able to do more. Get with local businesses and work with them to start more groups and programs. Set up internships to teach youngsters new skills. Bottom-line you must do something if you want things to get better.
©2008 AJ (AJ ROK) WOODSON
HIP HOP JUNKIE 4 LIFE
Look out for my upcomin book
SPIRITUAL MINDED
da spiritual daily devotional for the hip-hop generation
available online real soon
Labels: AJ 'AJ ROK' Woodson, daily devotion
posted by AJ WOODSON at 7/14/2008 05:46:00 PM
4 Comments:
Thank you for what you have wrote and said. My name is Victoria Smith and I have a foundation Tears For Hope Foundation. A 501(c)3 foundation for women and teenage girls battling HIV/AIDS. I have said this offten and more times then once, we need to do more for our future who are our youths. I tried to reach out to the churches concerning teen sex and do you think they answered my email? Not one. I reach out to T.I's camp letting them know that I can give T.I the correct information concerning stats with teenagers. Did the contact me, not at all. So I continue to fight and try my best to get this word our about our young teenagers of today. I am happy to see this and even happier that I took the time to read your blog.
Yep, it's madness to have adults and children/youth against each other. If adults and youth unite, a great nation can be built. I agree with you that we should not be speaking against the youth without looking at ourselves and what we are doing to help them.
Stay blessed!
M
THIS IS VERY TRUE AND ENCOURAGING AND I HOPE EVERYONE TAKE THE TYME OUT TO STOP AND READ THIS ALSO I APPRECIATE U FOR POSTING THIS.
-ZURI-
THIS IS VERY TRUE AND ENCOURAGING AND I HOPE EVERYONE TAKE THE TYME OUT TO STOP AND READ THIS ALSO I APPRECIATE U FOR POSTING THIS.
-ZURI-
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