&nbsp;

no “tricks”

Posted on Nov 14, 2019 by Larry Licato | Life Change Story | 0

After eating a fantastic meal donated by Hawaiian Hut, we sat down to talk about this week’s movie. I wanted to share about All Saints Day… not my usual connection between the movie and God’s word. I asked the kids, What was your favorite scene? At that point a parent raised her hand and said her favorite scene was when the main character did everything in His power to save and protect the little girl. Then a girl in the group said, “That’s what God does for us.” The group made the connection even when I had a different plan. God’s love and grace were proclaimed… the group was preaching to me! Now that was a treat I will cherish for a while. Together we are building trust with families that leads to the hope of life and freedom in Jesus.

No “tricks” here… Just the sweet “treats” of God’s love! Join us in reaching even more families and youth in our neighborhoods, schools, and communities. Please contact us at www.71Five.org or call 541-779-3275 LARRY LICATO 71Five City Director (541) 779-3275 larry@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

behind the mask

Posted on Nov 6, 2019 by Farrah Guthrie | Life Change Story | 0

When I arrive at a local youth hang out to pick up anyone for club, the youth ask me questions such as “Where are you going?” “What are you guys going to do?” And the one question that separates the crowd from who’s going and who isn’t… “Is it religious?” Week after week I would ask a certain girl to join us, however, she would always reply with “No”. The reason she’d say no is because this girl identifies as a boy. I kept pursuing her and to my surprise, she finally said “Yes”. Later that evening as we met for our small group discussion, the question was “How does God speak to you?” Literally, behind a mask she had put on, tears ran down her face. We gathered around her and prayed. I believe it’s not our place to judge or change people, God does that. At Youth 71Five Ministries, it’s our desire to share the Gospel with young people and provide a safe place as they find their identity in Christ.

There are others attending club who are struggling with their gender. 71Five can reach these youth and share the Gospel in an incredible way by building trust that leads to hope. Jesus says in Luke 19:10, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” As the Grants Pass 71Five Campus Director, I will continue to seek out those who may never hear about who God is because they think they aren’t within reach. FARRAH GUTHRIE 71Five Campus Area Director – Grants Pass (541) 779-3275 farrah@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

Oct '19

Generations Bring Hope

Posted on Oct 25, 2019 by Matt Sweeney | Life Change Story | 0

Oct '19

In ministry, I’ve learned to think in terms of generations. When ministering to kids, we consider the effect it will have on the children that will come from this child in front of us today. When 71Five develops new ministry team members, we work to help them keep one eye on the future and how the ministry will look as they one day hand it off to the next generation. Today, 71Five reaches out to kids and families that struggle and yet we do this work while building for the future to serve broken kids that are not yet born. They too will need the power and love of God displayed in their lives. I, personally, won’t be here to serve them but team members we teach today and those who follow them will be for years after I’m gone. The key: God will always be here!

Youth 71Five Ministries is built on the work of generations of ministers who began building on the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Constantly building on a firm foundation to bring hope into the lives of kids through a trusting relationship with our Savior remains the calling we follow. MATT SWEENEY 71Five Ministry Coordinator (541) 779-3275 matt@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 icb

Does it take a village?

Posted on Sep 30, 2019 by Beau Jeska | Life Change Story | 0

When I thanked my cousin for picking my daughter from school she told me, “It takes a village to raise a kid.” Is that ever true! It got me thinking about all of the people involved in the life-changing work the Lord does through Youth 71Five Ministries. Take Chris and Drew for example, two kids running hard in local gangs before they were apprehended by law enforcement and lodged at Juvenile Detention. While in detention, 71Five Justice engaged them with Thursday Night Groups, Chapel Services, lunch appointments, and many one-to-one visits. When Chris and Drew were transferred to the “Barriers to Bridges” (or B2B) residential program, we continue building trusting relationships. They are now picked up for church services and were recently baptized. Every Monday they’re discipled by a volunteer husband and wife team. They also participate in the 71Five Justice “Break the Cycle” program and love it so much they plan to join the high school mountain biking team. We also plan to plug them into the 71Five VoTech Training Program. They’re both running hard for Jesus now thanks to all of the wonderful people who have answered His call to action. Does it take a village to change lives? You bet! I love my 71Five village and thank you for making all of this possible.

Would you be willing to plug into my “village” deeper? Please reach out so I can tell you more and see if one of our ministry areas is a fit for you. There are diverse ways our youth are engaged by competent and compassionate adults, building trusting relationships that are essential in giving kids hope—the kind of hope that is life-changing. BEAU JESKA 71Five Justice Director (541) 779.3275 beau@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

reaching the young

Posted on Sep 19, 2019 by Tim Hardy | Life Change Story | 0

Back in November, Rogue Valley Youth for Christ became Youth 71 Five Ministries, an independent organization after 54 years with Youth for Christ. It wasn’t an easy decision, but one reason for the change was we felt we could reach more youth by continuing to reach elementary age kids. This has been shown true in a family that lives in my North Medford neighborhood. It started with an eight-year-old named Selina offering to do some yard work for me. I invited her to a 71Five event, and she brought her ten-year-old sister. As they continued to get involved, I learned they had a pregnant 16-year-old sister, a 14-year-old autistic brother and are good friends with many other kids in my neighborhood. Through the relationships I forged with the younger girls, we were able to get help for their pregnant sister through our 71Five Parents ministry. Now, the two young girls are involved in my church’s AWANA program where they’re learning the Bible every week and the teen mom has been overwhelmingly thankful for all the help we are giving her family.

I rarely know the rippling impacts of reaching out to a particular kid; but reaching out to Selina, my eight-year-old neighbor, has had a huge impact already. I’m thankful with Youth 71Five, I still have the opportunity to reach these kids. Would you like to see ripples grow in your community? It doesn’t take much. At 71Five, we have many ways for you to have an eternal impact in the lives of kids and your community. Are you willing to get involved? Give us a call at (541) 779-3275. TIM HARDY 71Five Campus Area Director – North Medford (541) 779-3275 tim@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 icb

past the facade

Posted on Sep 16, 2019 by Bud Amundsen | Life Change Story | 0

Each week, dozens of ‘kid stories’ pass my desk. I’m often stunned by how wounded many of our young people are. One adopted boy has been in trouble and his adoptive family has abandoned him. A young girl who’s pregnant is so unable to trust caring adults, she’s living on the streets. Working with these kids is incredibly difficult because in their deep pain they often lash out at the folks who are trying to care for them. I’m proud Youth 71Five staff both paid and volunteer, seek to look past the facade of anger, bravado and disrespect to see each young person as they truly are— A child who’s been hurt, abandoned and afraid to trust.

You provide the adult who graciously absorbs the insults and continues to get close to show the young person there is a thing called trust and that trust leads to hope. Every week, kids don’t just hear about Jesus— they see Jesus! Thank you!! BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

pursue trust

Posted on Sep 5, 2019 by Misty Duke | Life Change Story | 0

Jenna was only eleven when her mother passed away. A cyclone of pain, decimating the foundation of her world, left Jenna with confusion and brokenness. From a referral at school, she was connected with Youth 71Five Mentors and received her own mentor at the age of twelve. By her own admission, Jenna was distant and unable to trust. However, that didn’t stop Denise from pursuing her to build a friendship and to help rebuild from the destruction left by the storm. Jenna said that it was Denise’s consistency that allowed her to open up and trust an adult, saying herself “Denise was really there for me the whole time I struggled, in life, with high school drama, with boys, with getting a driver’s license… I knew she would be there and be someone I could count on to talk about anything.”

Jenna recently graduated from high school and is now headed off to college to be a cardio-thoracic surgeon! Denise, who works at a hospital, was able to bring Jenna in to show her around. She also, connect her with a physician’s assistant to be able to watch an actual surgery performed! Jenna didn’t need her mentor to solve all of her problems and life’s pain, she needed a caring person to walk alongside her through it all, to show up, to listen, and to encourage. That is exactly what Denise did for five years… Their relationship will continue on at college! MISTY DUKE 71Five Mentors Director (541) 779.3275 misty@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

Bitter to Sweet

Posted on Sep 3, 2019 by Larry Licato | Life Change Story | 0

In anticipation of becoming the new 71Five VoTech Director, I did some traveling this summer to renew and acquire some certifications to pass on to our students. Before I left I ran into one of the young men who graduated from our program. He related to me how grateful he was for the training and is now employed at an automotive company here in the Valley. I was encouraged to hear his story and asked him, “So where are you living”? He said, with no remorse, “I’m living in my car”. Wow, really, I thought! When I asked why he said, “I’m saving money to move into my own place with a friend”. This young man is working hard but it’s tough!

It just so happens our new VoTech Center will have transitional housing for situations like this. But more importantly— beyond learning tech skills, students will also learn about life in Christ. This comes as they hear God’s message, moving them into a trust that leads to Hope in Jesus. This young man is trying hard and moving forward, with your continued involvement we’ll see his and many more lives move from bitter to sweet. Thank you! LARRY LICATO 71Five VoTech Director (541) 779-3275 larry@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

all you can eat!

Posted on Aug 23, 2019 by Robert Milton | Life Change Story | 0

Camp is an amazing opportunity to love on the kids God has connected us with throughout the year. One important part of 71Five Camp is to give the young people who show up our very best. We want to love them the same way Jesus loves us! So… we feed them amazingly good food (Thanks to Rosie our cook and her team of helpers). Some of the kids eat better at camp than they ever have! We always do a steak night where the favorites are ribeye and tri-tip and if you can believe it— it’s all you can eat! In fact, this year I had three different kids come up to me during camp telling me “I’ve never eaten this good in my life” and they meant it!

By putting our love for these kids into action, they believe us when we tell them Jesus loves them and has proven it through His actions… dying on the Cross for our sins. 37 out of 59 Middle School kids who came to Camp gave their lives to Jesus this summer. It all started with some really great food followed up by the best News you’ll ever hear. Thank you for providing trust that leads to hope! ROBERT MILTON 71Five Campus Area Director & Ministry Coordinator (541) 779-3275 robert@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

Sitting at the gate

Posted on Aug 15, 2019 by Larry Licato | Life Change Story | 0