Lenehan Prayer eNotes May 21

Lenehan eNotes May 21, 2012

Dear Friends, Hello again from sunny, warm New York.  I am so happy to be able to say that in the month of May.  Thank the Lord for the change of seasons and the privilege of opening windows. This week is full of a number of ministry and growth opportunities for us at YFC.  Tomorrow and Thursday we'll present the Point Break anti-bullying program to freshmen and sophomores at Middleburgh Central School.  Please pray for Steve Prettyman and other staff and volunteers as they present these highly significant events to students. Pray for safety in travel as well. Kevin Post and I leave tomorrow morning for our final session of the YFC Leaderhip Forum in MD that we've been attending for the past three years. I am so grateful for the time I've had to learn, to grow friendships among other YFC staff in the region and share this experience with Kevin.  We return on Thursday. Please continue to pray for the Richmonds. Chris's latest scan showed that her cancer has grown some. They are awaiting word this week about an appointment at Sloan-Kettering in NYC to try a trial treatment that seems to have good response with her form of cancer. Please pray also for:  - the Point Break programs for Middleburgh students tomorrow and Thursday - our weekly ministries in Schenectady, Cambridge, East Dorset, VT and Greenville - wisdom for our oldest son Josh as he considers college options for the summer and fall. - guidance for Caleb and Andrew as they wrap up the school year in the next three weeks - wisdom for the future use of the Adventure Center - finances, both for the equipping the cafe' and gymnasium as well as our ongoing ministry - upcoming summer canoe trips and climbing clinics at The Edge and with Shiloh's Edge Wilderness Ministries - the Step by Step Run/Walk for Youth fundraiser on June 9th at Colonie Town Park Praise God with us for: - a safe, fun and class-bonding Senior Class Trip last week for Caleb with LCS - His provision of a place to stay for us as we visit my Mom on Cape Cod this coming weekend - celebrating Janet's birthday a week from today - the funds brought in through this month's Silent Auction     Thank you for praying, for your generous giving and for standing with us in ministry to reach more kids with the life-rescuing message of Jesus Christ. In Christ,   Dave & Janet Lenehan dlenehan@cdyfc.org

News from YFC - May 21

Dear Friends of YFC,

PRICELESS: the word probably brings a number of things to mind. You might remember seeing social media postings that make fun of an embarrassing moment and how priceless it is to have a camera on hand to capture it. A credit card company uses the word to describe times in life that apparently become priceless because you have your credit card on hand to pay for it (I'm not really a fan of that idea).

On a personal level, I think you could easily come up with something or someone in your life that you consider priceless. Maybe it's your own children, a grandchild, a treasured photo of a very special moment in life. You might also think of a gift you've received from someone dear to you.

For us at CDYFC, every kid to whom we minister is priceless. It's vital that we share Jesus' life-rescuing message of love and forgiveness with each one we meet. God has sunk into our souls the mission to do whatever it takes to communicate God's truth to kids, to show them their worth in His eyes, to love them, to help them grow in Christ.

This week we have another opportunity to communicate priceless truth to a group of freshmen and sophomores. Tomorrow and Thursday, our staff are bringing the Point Break anti-bullying program to students from Middleburgh Central Schools. While we are not allowed to share the Gospel message in this setting, the Christ-filled lives of our staff and other presenters, the way in which we treat and love on these kids will speak God's love to them.

Remember that these programs are happening because the kids who attended January's Excel high school conference knew that helping kids see they are loved, that they are not alone in the pain and difficulties they face is priceless enough to respond. The offering collected at Excel paid for these Point Breaks.

Please pray for our staff as they present the programs. Pray for our ministry staff as each week they speak and live God's truth and love into the lives of kids. We will never stop pursuing lost kids. They are priceless - they are worth it. We will do whatever it takes!

Thank you for praying! Thank you for giving generously to this ministry.

For the kids,

John Richmond, Executive Director

CDYFC

Update on Chris Richmond

...from our Executive Director at YFC, John Richmond:

Dear Friends of YFC,

This past 13 months has been an incredible journey for us in the Richmond family.  As you may recall, in April 2011, we learned that my wife Chris had stage 4 lung cancer and doctors originally gave her only a few months to live.  A year has past and she is alive and living strong.

However, as I mentioned in yesterday's note, we learned the results of Chris's latest PET scan this morning.  The news we received was not what we expected.  There has been some growth in her cancer tumor - about 30% (it had reduced to about 70% last time),  plus there are some new spots.  She will be going back on an IV chemo treatment.

Needless to say, we truly value and appreciate your prayers for us as we deal with this news and as we continue to see what God is doing through this situation.  We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful, that He is Powerful and we are called to trust Him no matter what.  

Thank you for standing with us, for your faithful prayers over this past year and for continuing to lift us and the YFC staff up as we walk through this together.

In God's hands,

John & Chris 

News from Youth for Christ - April 11

Dear Friends of YFC,

I am always amazed at the power of prayer and the power of God.  It was just over a year ago (April 19) that my wife Chris was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer - a cancer that had also spread to her liver and some other areas of her body.  The news was devastating, the prognosis from the doctors was 4-6 months for Chris to live! 

As you may recall, that diagnosis launched us as a family and as YFC staff into a journey we never dreamed we would take.  It also brought to the forefront the power of prayer.  From across the nation friends, colleagues and even people we didn't know PRAYED.  Chris radically changed her diet, took on some of the typical cancer chemo treatments - and we continued to pray.

Then, several months into this journey, God showed us His power.  Chris went in for a scan and the results showed that her cancer had been reduced by more than 50%!  WOW! (and words here don't even begin to describe how we felt)  We continued to pray, Chris continued to heal and grow stronger.  She also started a new cancer treatment that had a great track record of success for those with her form of cancer...even the TYPE of cancer she had was miraculous.

 

Here is Chris and our family today, on vacation in Florida.  Doctors said 8 months.  It's been a year and Chris is alive and well.  She's still receiving treatment and sticks with her diet that has us growing wheat grass in our house (yes, I actually eat some of her foods as well).  Another scan last fall revealed that the cancer had reduced even further to a total of around 70%. All we can do is PRAISE God for his miracle of healing, for surrounding us with so many encouragers and prayer warriors.

This also reminds me to keep on praying for the kids of our area - pray for God to meet them with His love, forgiveness and hope; pray for our staff as they minister to kids each week; pray for the Holy Spirit to open up conversations about Christ so that we can share Him with them.

Lastly, an update from last month when I asked you to pray for Sherri Ferguson's surgery.  Here is what her husband Scott sent to us:  "All went very well per the doc. No problems at all. Had to take about 1/8th of her kidney, got all of the tumor; expects a great recovery. We'll see how next few days go.  Goes back to doc Tuesday AM (yesterday) and if all is well we head home that afternoon. God truly has had his hand in this from the beginning, as he does everything!..... Praise the Lord!"

Thank you for praying!  God is so good! 

For the kids,

John Richmond, Executive Director

CDYFC

Lenehan Prayer eNotes - March 28

Lenehan eNotes March 28,  2012

Good afternoon! We hope you are doing well and for those of you in New York, now missing the 80-degree days we were privileged to experience last week.  These past two weeks have been fairly steady for us Lenehans and for YFC's ministry. With the conferences behind us for the moment, we are focusing now on Shiloh's Edge wilderness trips, a day with about 140 children of National Guard families here at the Adventure Center on April 14, the continued growth of the Edge Halfmoon donor related activities like our Silent Auction May 5 and Step by Step June 9 as well as a significant regional climbing competition at The Edge on May 12. PHEW! I have taken on a new role at YFC - that of Facilities Manager at the Adventure Center.  This is a very exciting position but does come with a learning curve.  One of the strategies we are working on now is coordinating activities between YFC, The Edge and outside groups who want to use various parts or all of our facilitiy.  Included in all of that strategy of course is the funding needed to complete the gymnasium and cafe at the Adventure Center. In light of these changes and upcoming events:  - Please continue to pray for our staff, that we will remained focused on what God has called us to and on reaching more kids with His love.  - Pray for our finances - both for the adventure center and our ongoing ministry  - Pray for Steve Prettyman as he fires up the ropes course and wilderness trips over the next two months  - Pray for our son Caleb as he continues to raise funds for a missions trip to Italy he's taking in July with other incoming freshmen from Liberty University, where he plans to attend in the Fall.  - Pray for Holy Spirit guided conversations for Adam Catalano, the Edge manager, and his staff as they interact with those who come to the gym   - Pray for our son Josh as he drives 15 hours next week to visits friends for a week in South Carolina - we are so grateful for God providing a key car repair for him at very little cost this week!  - Pray for Andy, Rayski and our City Life team as they have been addressing some weighty topics in their "Deeper Life" series at the Monday Jump Off meetings. Pray for Rayski as he shares the Gospel message this coming Monday night.  - Pray for the Edge Climbing Competition this Saturday as students from a number of colleges around us come to climb and to scope out the gym for future use.  - Lastly, let me invite you again (as I did last time) to join Christians from around the Capital Region Friday, March 30 for a Concert of Prayer at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Colonie (sorry, I had the wrong venue listed last time) - we will spend the evening lifting up educators, government leaders, pastors, families, youth and many more areas of our region. 7:00 PM. THANK YOU for praying and standing with us! God bless you.  In Christ,   Dave & Janet Lenehan dlenehan@cdyfc.org please note our new address and phone numbers

Break Out 2012 - Pics and Videos

As you may know, Break Out 2012, YFC's annual middle school conference just wrapped up a week ago.  Here are links to photos and videos from the event.  ENJOY and thank you for praying for Break Out!

http://breakout.cdyfc.org/pictures

http://vimeo.com/38477780

http://vimeo.com/38477749

http://vimeo.com/38477684

So there you go...

News From Youth for Christ - March 14

Dear Friends of YFC,

She only had a few words to say when she came on stage at Break Out. It was Sunday morning - the last General Session of the conference before kids and youth leaders went home. We gave kids a time to come up on stage and share what God had done in their lives over the weekend - what they wanted to do or be differently when they went home. This girl summed up one goal of the weekend fairly well.

"I came here an atheist, now I'm saved." One more life ushered into God's eternal kingdom! What a blessing and privilege to witness such an incredible life change at Break Out. Another student shared that at her school, kids of faith get picked on for their beliefs. She then said that one thing she's going to do differently is not let that type of harrassment bother her - she's going to be clear and bold about her faith in Jesus no matter what others say or do. Now that's COURAGE!

 

 

Some people may think that 11-13 year olds don't have much to say. Well, they are flat wrong - the kids at Break Out showed that they were undestanding who they needed to be in order to truly, fully follow Jesus Christ. All told, there were 579 adult leaders and students in attendance at Break Out. We are also very grateful for the incredible team of 60 volunteers who kep the weekend flowing smoothly.

Meanwhile, the interest in and growth of The Edge Halfmoon continues to amaze us. There are more competitions coming up in the next three months and in early April, the Shiloh's Edge Adventure Course - our outdoor ropes course - opens for the season.

Thank you for the incredibly vital part you play in communicating the message of Jesus Christ to our kids. Thank you also for continuing to lift up our ministry and our staff as we seek to follow God's leading each day.

God bless you.

Dave & Janet Lenehan