Come alongside at-risk youth and young adults in our community who are actively fighting addiction. This spring join the #21n21 challenge in preparation for the Youth Resiliency Adventure in October.

#21n21 is a virtual athletic challenge (much like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge) where you commit to walk, run, or bike 21 miles in 2121 now through Sept. 30 to raise awareness to the risk of addiction. Or donate $21 to the cause.

Then throw down the gauntlet to your friends and family, challenging them to do their #21n21 or to make a donation in support of youth addiction programs in the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Area.

What brings you hope?

That is the question I’ll be asking “America” as I make my way cross country via bike over the next three months.

Webster’s Dictionary defines hope in two ways. No. 1, “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” Secondly, it defines hope as “a feeling of trust.”

In Romans 15:13 – my mantra for this journey –  Paul writes: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Isn’t that, as children of God, what our hope is about. That’s something I’ve certainly learned these last 20 years in ministry at FOCAS.

On this journey I’ll be much in prayer, not only for you and this ministry, but also my next 20 years in ministry, if you will. I want to give the Lord a chance to speak to and prepare my heart for what He may have in store for years to come.

I also want to bring awareness to the Youth Resiliency Adventure (www.YRAdventure.com), which is pushing back on the devastation of addiction. This virtual athletic event is held in October to raise funds for addiction prevention programming targeting at-risk youth and young adults in our community. The goal is to bring hope to our youth and to stand by those who are so resilient in the battle against addiction.

My goal is to report in each day to share a fun story and encouraging word. You can follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scott.bowers.9693. Also, please be sure to get updates via our FOCAS/Lord’s Gym social media connections too. Jump on to https://lordsgymministries.org/blog/ for a weekly overview each Tuesday.

This past Saturday the Lord’s Gym Family Activity Center collaborated with others to kick off the introduction of bringing of Celebrate Recovery to Price Hill with a party in the park next to our facility at Olden Park.  

Scores of folks joined us (including motorcycle riders) from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania and other states.  This was inspired about 9 months ago when a group of us began training to see this dream come to fruition by going through the Celebrate Recovery Step Studies together.  There God began to mold us into a group as each of us was helped tremendously by the CR material and focus and DNA.  

The essence of CR is that every one has suffered from hurts, habits and hangups the keep us from moving ahead in life and reaching our God given potential.  Thus we need the steps and community of Recovery to reach our potential.  

Our team is super excited to launch this much need ministry and focus in our community where pain abounds and hope is much needed. Join us Monday evenings starting with dinner at  6 til 9 at the BLOC Church at 931 McPhearson.  You won’t be disappointed!   

In Lamentations chapter 3, we learn that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning because His compassion ceases to fail. We can rest assured at the start of each day that the Lord is faithful and with us. We will not be consumed by our struggles or any troubles that await us.

To keep yourself off to a great start – full of encouragement – why not read through these five verses every morning. They are a great reminder of God’s love and His compassion and passion for us.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

When I used to fly in the Air Force one of the things, we used to do was calibrate the compass as to the variation of the field that we happen to be in. It was a standard routine procedure.

That’s what God did to my heart in July of 1999. I was in Hatti serving with the ministry I now work with FOCAS along with Kenwood Baptist Church. When I came back, I saw the world differently.

Twenty years later I’m about to embark upon a trip across the country to give God a chance to recalibrate my heart again for what He may have in store for years to come.

I also want to bring awareness to the Youth Resiliency Adventure, which is pushing back on the devastation of addiction. This virtual athletic event is held in October to raise funds for addiction prevention programming targeting at-risk youth and young adults in our community.

Again, I’d like to invite you to send me any prayer requests you have and I will pray for them while on my journey. I’d also like to invite you to submit a question you’d like to ask America. As I meet people along the way I may be asking them various questions to get a taste for America’s response.

 My goal is to report in each day to share a fun story and encouraging word. You can follow me on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/scott.bowers.9693 and Instagram. Also, please be sure to get updates via our email and FOCAS/Lord’s Gym Ministries social media connections too.

Financial support is still greatly appreciated which can be done on line at https://foundation-of-compassionate-american-samaritans.networkforgood.com/projects/123498-scott-s-youth-resiliency-adventure. Click on the dropdown box and select Scott’s Youth Resiliency Adventure. As another giving option, I have also have a gift registry at https://www.yradventure.com/scotts-yra/.

Last week we used our art supplies from All Church to learn the verse Isaiah 64:8 “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand”. 

 As we molded the clay on Tuesday some of the kids lost their patience, and it was a great opportunity for us to see just how patient our Father in heaven is with us as he molds us.

 On Wednesday, the kids were excited to see how their pots were drying, again it was a good reminder of how our Father in heaven watches jealously over us. We made sure to not touch our pots, so we wouldn’t interrupt the drying process. We explained to the kids, there may be times in life when you don’t feel the Lord-but you can trust He is always watching over the work of His hand. 

 On Thursday we painted the pots! The kids loves seeing their creation take on “new life” with the colors. We were reminded of how we are all human and made from dust, but have different features and colors the Lord used to make us unique. And how a relationship with God can add color to our lives. 

 Finally, on Friday we discussed how we should treat one another, since we are all the handy work of God. It was a great week of application and learning different qualities of our Father in heaven.