One of the things I have enjoyed about being a JW4G is being with other youth who share the same love for God that I have.  When we are together I don’t have to worry about being on stage to seek approval or acceptance into a group.  We have fun sharing testimonies and learning how to be better people in a broken world.  So many of us have suffered through bullying, isolation, broken friendships, family problems, divorce between our parents, and sometimes abuse.  We have grown closer to God and with each other and we feel a sense of safety when we meet, knowing that we have a little society of believers who share the same heart.

One day during JW4G we were given an ice challenge.  The purpose of the exercise was to focus on a thought or object as we held the freezing ice in our hands.  The shocking cold began to numb and tingle our fingers and we wanted to let go but we found a focal point where we kept our focus away from the distraction of the pain and held strong for nearly five minutes until we were told to let go.  Hebrews 12:2 tells us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  Jesus should be our focal point in every day living, through both pain and happiness.  Jesus suffered great pain and agony when he was tortured and humiliated, dying for our sins.  Jesus focused on his mission and the reason for receiving the torture and unbearable pain was to give all believers salvation.