Venice Beach

We took out Youth Group to Venice Beach on Tuesday....We met @ the 'Dream Center'. An organization & HUGE building that is doing AMAZING work for God. They minister to homeless people, primarily youth. They take sack lunches out to Venice Beach & surrounding communities & use that as a tool to offer prayers & blessings to the hurting.

They also have a rehab center & discipleship program.

I was impressed that they use this community center to actually teach the word of God, not just do 'community service' project. kwim?

I see so many organizations get more wrapped up in the community service projects & although motivated by the grace & love of God, somehow God ends up getting lost & the focus becomes soley community service.

It's a really strange & oppressive area. All along the boardwalk are palm readers, tarot card readers, A LOT of them! People selling stones & rocks w/ 'special meanings'. iykwim.

It didn't turn out as organized as I would have preferred but it was good. A good start for the youth & I believe quite eye opening.

A guy walked by me & actually kinda hit me. That was weird. He was walking by & then purposely put his arm out, for no reason & 'clotheslined' my abdomen. I believe it was spiritually motivated as there was no reason a normal person would have invaded some one's physical space like that. kwim? It slightly hurt.

I think the youth were moved by the gratefulness of the the recipients of the lunches.

We also incorporated the 'treasure hunt' we learned. I asked the students in my car if they wanted to try it. One agreed to try. SO ds & I instructed her to pray & ask God if there was anyone specific He wanted them to meet, minister to or talk to that day...they were a little confused & doubtful but we told her to write down what God gave her anyway.

It was a bit vague so I instructed her to pray & ask God for more details, she got: 'a boy & girl together' & the color 'red'.

Then she forgot about it.
Later she was w/ a group & they were talking to a young couple. The guy kept using the word 'together' which prompted her to remember her card. She pulled it out & realized the girl was wearing mostly all black w/ a large RED icon on her shirt!!!!

God is so good. She was really excited & it was an exciting testimony to share w/ the group afterwards.