Teen Advisors
I had the honor to sit with members of the board of Teen Advisors yesterday to discuss the future of this wonderful ministry. I have previously served on the Board and they invited me back to "consult" with them on their future. We met for 2 hours and it was a great meeting. Men and women gathered around desperately seeking God's direction for this ministry.

Richard & DeeDee Stephens started this ministry 20 years ago. What a legacy! From a bunch of mothers sitting in a sandbox talking about how hard it is to raise kids to a ministry today that is reaching 300+ kids a year in Columbus area schools. Over 20 years, I'd guess that more than 5,000 kids have been touched in some way by TA. 5,000 kids! My 13-year old daughter was at Double Churches School this morning volunteering for Velocity (TA's ministry to the middle school). She witnessed and talked about peer pressure and standing firm in her beliefs. She is now counted as one of the ones touched by Richard & DeeDee's love.

This has been a labor of love for Richard & DeeDee. They have prayed, cried, sweated, anguished, trusted, leaned on, depended on and funded this ministry for 20 years. Richard is a successful businessman that has tithed from his business his money, time and love for TA. DeeDee is a mom that rolled up her sleeves and dreamed an impossible dream and made it happen. Most of us when our kids graduated and moved on, we would have moved on too. Not DeeDee. Her kids have been out of high school for a decade or more. She is grandmother 8 times over and is still in there fighting and sweating and loving for those kids. Our kids. My kid.

I feel most assured that the Lord is well pleased with how Richard & DeeDee have given so generously back to the Kingdom. What a sacrifice. What an example. What a labor and what a reward. 5,000 kids. Imagine the trickle down impact on 5,000 kids. Imagine the lives that have been saved. Imagine the good, solid marriages that are now in place because these kids got grounded and found the Lord through TA. Imagine the former TA's that are now teaching Sunday School, leading TA chapters, volunteering on YoungLife committees, raising their own kids in Godly homes and ministering in the workplace.

Man cannot quantify the impact. Only God knows. Again, I am sure He is well pleased.

So now, TA moves on. DeeDee is transitioning her Executive Director roll to Nick Cash. We sat and prayed with Nick and he wept because he realizes the big shoes he is about to fill. Please lift Nick up in your prayers.

Lastly, we talked about fundraising. It is hard for TA to raise money. Year after year, the budget is a challenge and a call to lean on God. We were struck by the realization that over the past 6-7 years - RiverCenter, CSU, Brookstone School, YMCA, PAWS, National Infantry Museum, the Library - that Columbus has raised more than $300 million for bricks and mortar ... building campaigns. $300 million. Yet, TA has a hard time raising $300,000 a year. People will give money to build buildings that in 100 years will be torn down.

TA builds lives. TA builds souls. TA is eternal and exponential in its impact.

Pray for Teen Advisors. Lift the ministry up and Nick Cash up and pray that eyes and ears and hearts will be opened across the city to meet TA's needs.