“I’m ready for a new heart…”
These were the words that Xavier said to me and two of our other Fuze boys during our Bible study together earlier this summer.
Xavier has grown up coming to Camp Nikos and his family has been part of Mission Possible programs for many years.
One night, myself and two of our high school Fuze boys Exauce and Le’Autre’ were praying and asking God who he would have us share the good news of Jesus with. Xavier had been on our hearts since Fuze had ended for the school year, so we prayed that God would move in a mighty way and picked him up from his apartment. We decided to grab some food and head to Mueller Park to read and share God’s word together. We read through John 10 where Jesus shares how He is the true good shepherd of the sheep. While reading, Xavier began to share that over the past few years, he had been chasing after so many other things. He’d been listening to other shepherds’ voices and everyone around him assumed that he was always wanting to fight others. This led him to getting kicked out of school multiple times and falling behind on schoolwork. He shared that he was tired of always having to fight at school and that ultimately, he felt like he was fighting away his relationship with God and wanted change.
His heart was ready. Praise God!!
What happened next was part of God’s perfect plan and timing. Le’Autre’ began to share his personal testimony and the hope of the Gospel with Xavier. He shared that the first step in renewing his relationship with God is to turn from his old ways and believe that God sent his only son Jesus, that we might believe in Him as our Savior and Lord (John 3:16). To believe that we were separated from God by our sins, and believe that Jesus lived the life that we could never live on our own. That He died, gave himself as a sacrifice on our behalf, and was raised from the dead in order to make us new. Exauce then went on to share from the Bible where God says that he will, “give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).
Xavier‘s eyes were fixed on both of these boys as they shared the truth of God’s love for him. He looked at me and said, “I’m ready for the new heart”.
Xavier said that his sin frustrated him and that he was tired of being known for all the wrong things he had done. Le’Autre’ asked him if he was fully ready to surrender to Jesus right then and there, adding that following Jesus wouldn’t necessarily be easier, but that it would be the best decision he could ever make in his whole life. Xavier said yes!
We then prayed as a group, each one of us going around praying and asking God for protection and guidance over Xavier as he started his life in Jesus as a new creation. As Xavier prayed and talked to God, he thanked God for being faithful or “the realest” as the kids say it these days…through Camp Nikos, Fuze, “Ms. Jessica and Mr. Jordan”, and all the other times God had used Mission Possible programs to impact his life over the years. As he lifted his head from praying, he said he felt different and happy. He was also a little nervous of what his life might look like going forward, but thankful that he wouldn’t have to feel alone in his walk as a Christian.
We finished reading through John 10:1-18 and continued to talk and encourage each other on practical ways we can fix our eyes and ears on Jesus alone even when the world and others try to distract us.
God is faithfully calling kids from the Eastside to himself every day and what a joy and honor it is to be part of his amazing timing and plan.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15
-Jordan Wilcox, Discipleship Coordinator
Three of our Fuze youth after our Bible study that afternoon
