Kickin' it with my Homies, Yo!

I started "kickin' it" with some pretty amazing people a few months ago. They are people who have either lived on the streets or are still there. They are people who have faced things in life that I can't imagine having to cope with. They are letting go of addictions and rejoicing at being sober or off drugs for "5 days"...."25 days"..."5 months"..and still counting and rejoicing at every new day they make another choice that once seemed impossible. They are people who don't just KNOW in their heads about Jesus' love and how He saved them, but people who have experienced His saving power and unconditional love in the reality of their lives and believe it in their heads and hearts. "If I don't spend time with God every day I know I wouldn't make it...I'd fall so fast...I need God in my life," I've heard more than one of them say. They are people who still struggle, still smoke, still swear, still deal with anger....and God loves, accepts and uses them right where they are in their journey with Him. They are people who need encouragement from other believers just like I do. They are people in love with Jesus. They are people desperate for the life and freedom that only Jesus brings. They are changed people who are passionate about loving others and seeing them find the life, love and freedom in Christ that they are finding. They love deeply. They pray. They are loyal. They worship. They are honest about their weaknesses and sins. They are still facing very difficult and often seemingly impossible situations with family and people they love. They listen to God's Spirit. They respond to His convictions. God uses them in others' lives....i could obviously say so much more about them....They are God's children, adopted just like i am.
When I first started spending time with many of these youth from the streets, I thought that I had so much to offer them. They seemed a bit like a mission to me. Thankfully, God quickly humbled me and has changed my thinking in more ways than I think I realize. These youth have taught me, encouraged me, prayed for me, blessed me and loved me more than i ever could have hoped for. They are amazing people and I have SEEN the Gospel come to life in front of me more than ever before. I hope I have loved and encouraged them toward Jesus as much as they've impacted me. I love them...these "transitional youth".....i hope you can meet them someday. I will never be the same after the last months Kickin' it with my Homies, Yo! :)