The Hardest words you will ever say

    On Saturday September 15th, I had the opportunity to work side by side with many other youth at the Big Day of Sevice on Yorkville Illinois. I spent my day at low income housing for Senior Citizens. As the day drew to a close, with the work accomplished and now only having to clean-up and put away the tools that we had used, I found myself looking around for a few of our youth wondering, where are they and why are they not helping out! I found them taking break and visiting with some of the people whom we had been working for. I jumped them for not helping out the rest of the youth who were outside do some of thier work. They hurried to thier feet and began to help. Later, that week I felt remorse over what I had done. You see these kids were not just working to help ourt a few Senior Citizens and then going home, they were spending real time with them in conversation & caring for them in a different way.
      I teach our youth in Sunday schol and this Sunday I asked for Forgiveness for my attitude towards them and I let them know how much I appreciated them striking up a relationship with these folks who get way to little company.
     The hardest words you and I will ever say are, "Please forgive me" or "I forgive you".  For those of you in Church on Sunday we talked a little about this, but I can never stress enough the impact that you and I saying these words can have on our families, Churches and in the place that you work. The healing they can bring to both the sayer and the recipient. I am grateful that my youth forgave me and for the spiritual freedom I now have because I asked for forgivenes and it was granted!
     If all went well I have included two music video's for you to watch that express how hard it is to Forgive, but also the freedom it brings to Giver and Reciever. The words are powerful. May they move you to offer Forgiveness you have been denying or Forgiveness you need to ask for. The hardest words you will ever say, but when said, Oh the peace that will come over you as well!
   Love you All! Your Brother in Christ Pastor Rick Koch Dutchtown Church         


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Lu5udXEZI