Dry Bones Are No Good

 Happy Tuesday, Alive Youth Church friends!

Welcome to Alive Youth Church Weekly.

Last Sunday night, we gathered at 6:30pm. We worshiped, learned about the Holy Spirit's power of conviction in our lives, played a great game of reverse charades, and ended the night with some good old-fashioned karaoke, with appearances from the West Salem High School choir and one of the best 6th-grade singers I have ever heard. Seriously, we need to get that girl a mic more often! As always, I am so encouraged by our students, our leaders, and the amazing time we have together on Sunday nights. Cheers to another great week, and I look forward to meeting again for our annual AYC COSTUME PARTY on October 26th, 6:30pm. See you soon! Or maybe I won't see you if your costume is so good that I don't even recognize you. 

Here we go...

It seems like years ago that we gathered for summer camp at the beginning of July. This week, I was going through my notes app on my phone. Deleting unnecessary thoughts, passwords, to-do lists, and all the things that just don't need to be there any longer. These notes go way back. Probably from when I first got an Apple product and began using Apple Notes. I'll spare you from some of the funny and embarrassing things I found, because what I found the most interesting and the most applicable for you was the first thoughts, dreams, prayers, and ideas for camp. At the top of my camp notes tab, read the following: 

"It's not about just one week".

I wish we could have camp more. It's seriously the best time, and if you've been there, you know. God moves clearly, students' lives are changed, and people have real encounters with Jesus, together with their friends and peers. Some of my best memories, relationships, and life-altering moments happened at camp. But physically, it is only a few days long. The movement, however, what the Holy Spirit does, the memories, and the changed lives, lasts a whole lot longer than a few days. 

"It's not about just one week". 

Now, almost 4 months out from camp, we are still seeing God move in so many amazing ways. Camp was just a stepping stone to immeasurably more that God wants to do with us. 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" -Ephesians 3:20

God is moving. Are we aware and awake enough to see it? 

God is moving. Are we too distracted to hear Him?

God is moving. Have we thought that our struggles are too big for Him? 

God is moving. Are you hiding from what He wants to do for you?

I want us to remember the story of Ezekiel 37. When God calls Ezekiel to raise the army of dry bones. God asks him a very important question. He says, "Can these bones live?" It’s one thing to feel down. It’s another thing to feel dry. Disconnected. Dusty. Spiritually numb. It's been four months for some of you since you've felt spiritually alive. You're waiting for another spiritually heightened moment to awaken you again. Listen, friends, "it's not about just one week." God wants to awaken you now. Breathe life into you, just as he showed Ezekiel. God is not done moving; He never is. He still brings life, He still calls us when we are weak, He still raises even the driest areas of our life, the things we thought were impossible to change, back to life. 

So my thought to leave you with: What areas of your life are dry? Where do you need God to enter in and breathe life, restoration, healing, and awaken you once again? Because He wants to move in your life today. He wants to move in your life tomorrow as well, but I think we can all admit that today is the better choice of the two.   

-Isaac Fehlen

Youth Pastor