Crystal has a very special place in my heart and a permanent place in the City Impact family. It has been exceptionally moving for me to see the Lord transform her from the inside out over the last two years. I have been in the ministry field now for only a couple years, and the beautiful changes I have seen in Crystal are rare. I’m starting to learn that often times, our only job is to plant the seed. Often, we do not get to necessarily reap the harvest or see the fruit.I have had the honor and privilege to see the Lord start a wonderful work in this young girl.
Last fall I was teaching the 6-8th grade girls class at Teen Bible Club. One of the students was Crystal. I hadn’t gotten to know her too well; the only encounter I had with her was a few weeks earlier at KAA camp. I knew she was pretty tough. She wasn’t the type of girl who trusted people easily and she worked hard to give the impression that she didn’t care. It seemed like Crystal wasn’t interested in doing any of the things we prepared for the class; bible studies, impact journals, small group prayer… She often refused to participate and would disrupt or distract the class by laughing at people or interrupting. After about 2 months of sending Crystal to reroute constantly, we had to have a meeting with her and her mom. It just seemed like Crystal did not want to be a Teen Bible Club, and she was hindering the growth of others. That was a difficult meeting, it is never easy to let a student go, but God’s grace is sufficient and I knew He was in control.
After that meeting, Crystal did make the decision that she didn’t want to be at Teen Bible Club. Her younger sister, Cebesha, kept coming to Bible Club and we were able to keep up on Crystal through Cebesha. We were even able to send messages and stamps for Crystal home with her. One night, when Cebesha got dropped off for Bible Club, Crystal came with her. Crystal was still acting tough, but she hung around most of the night. Eventually, she helped in the Pre/K classroom. That evening was the start of a new chapter in Crystal’s life. Every week following Crystal would shuffle in with Cebesha. She never had much to say, but she would quietly walk Cebesha to class and hang around and assist the leaders in that room. Each week I would check in to see how Crystal was doing, and I would get rave reviews about how much help she’d been.
I began to observe Crystal every once and awhile; she was helping pre/k students with projects and she assisted teachers with behavior management even! It really bothered Crystal when students didn’t listen or when they were talking in line. Right before my eyes Crystal began to bloom as a leader. As often as possible, we would affirm Crystal for the great job she was doing. It was so cute watching the words of encouragement melt her tough exterior! At dinner, Crystal would come upstairs and eat with the part-time staff sometimes and we really started to connect. She would laugh and she’d tell stories about the pre/k kids with so much pride.
After serving at Bible Club for a few months, Crystal was anxious to come back to Teen Bible Club. The change in her attitude that first night back was incredible. She was engaged in the bible study and she wrote some neat journal entries. It was funny because she always said she didn’t want to share her journals, but almost each week she would shoot her hand in the air to share at the last minute!
For over a year now, Crystal has played a huge leadership role at both the Impact Leadership Academy and Bible Club. The Lord has continued the work He started in her every single day, and the changes are visible. This week, Crystal and her family are moving to Mississippi and it was a very emotional night at ILA. Crystal was presented with a new teen Study Bible, and while she was extremely sad to move away from her CI family, she was anxious to get into The Word. It was touching to hear her talk with another student about how she was going to start with Matthew! Our God is so good and I’m anticipating great things from the Jesus in Crystal!
Please lift Crystal and her family up this week as they settle in and adjust to a new home.
Last fall I was teaching the 6-8th grade girls class at Teen Bible Club. One of the students was Crystal. I hadn’t gotten to know her too well; the only encounter I had with her was a few weeks earlier at KAA camp. I knew she was pretty tough. She wasn’t the type of girl who trusted people easily and she worked hard to give the impression that she didn’t care. It seemed like Crystal wasn’t interested in doing any of the things we prepared for the class; bible studies, impact journals, small group prayer… She often refused to participate and would disrupt or distract the class by laughing at people or interrupting. After about 2 months of sending Crystal to reroute constantly, we had to have a meeting with her and her mom. It just seemed like Crystal did not want to be a Teen Bible Club, and she was hindering the growth of others. That was a difficult meeting, it is never easy to let a student go, but God’s grace is sufficient and I knew He was in control.
After that meeting, Crystal did make the decision that she didn’t want to be at Teen Bible Club. Her younger sister, Cebesha, kept coming to Bible Club and we were able to keep up on Crystal through Cebesha. We were even able to send messages and stamps for Crystal home with her. One night, when Cebesha got dropped off for Bible Club, Crystal came with her. Crystal was still acting tough, but she hung around most of the night. Eventually, she helped in the Pre/K classroom. That evening was the start of a new chapter in Crystal’s life. Every week following Crystal would shuffle in with Cebesha. She never had much to say, but she would quietly walk Cebesha to class and hang around and assist the leaders in that room. Each week I would check in to see how Crystal was doing, and I would get rave reviews about how much help she’d been.
I began to observe Crystal every once and awhile; she was helping pre/k students with projects and she assisted teachers with behavior management even! It really bothered Crystal when students didn’t listen or when they were talking in line. Right before my eyes Crystal began to bloom as a leader. As often as possible, we would affirm Crystal for the great job she was doing. It was so cute watching the words of encouragement melt her tough exterior! At dinner, Crystal would come upstairs and eat with the part-time staff sometimes and we really started to connect. She would laugh and she’d tell stories about the pre/k kids with so much pride.
After serving at Bible Club for a few months, Crystal was anxious to come back to Teen Bible Club. The change in her attitude that first night back was incredible. She was engaged in the bible study and she wrote some neat journal entries. It was funny because she always said she didn’t want to share her journals, but almost each week she would shoot her hand in the air to share at the last minute!
For over a year now, Crystal has played a huge leadership role at both the Impact Leadership Academy and Bible Club. The Lord has continued the work He started in her every single day, and the changes are visible. This week, Crystal and her family are moving to Mississippi and it was a very emotional night at ILA. Crystal was presented with a new teen Study Bible, and while she was extremely sad to move away from her CI family, she was anxious to get into The Word. It was touching to hear her talk with another student about how she was going to start with Matthew! Our God is so good and I’m anticipating great things from the Jesus in Crystal!
Please lift Crystal and her family up this week as they settle in and adjust to a new home.
--Ashley Larson, BC/ILA Director
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