HomeARC ML 3116
Help Is on the Way! Maria #377 DO 3116 3/97
By Maria
Dear junior teens and JETTs,
1. I love you! I have some exciting news for you--something that I think is really going to be an answer to your prayers! The Lord has given some wonderful Words of encouragement for you, insight as to how you're feeling, and instruction about what you need and what will make you happier in your service for Him. It's really terrific! It's so sweet of Jesus, our loving, caring, tender Shepherd, to help us to see what changes can be made in the Family so that you can feel more challenged and inspired, and so that you can grow and progress in your walk with the Lord and your service for Him.
2. Jesus did something very special to help us more clearly understand the deep feelings in your heart and your secret longings and desires. He gave two messages from the point of view of young people your age--one from a boy and one from a girl. When I asked the Lord, "What do our junior teens and JETTs need? How can we help them? How can they be happier?"--what better way could the Lord have answered me than to have put into words through prophecy the actual thoughts of two of your peers, revealing your hearts' desires?
3. Isn't the spirit world and the way Jesus works so cool?! I think it's really special how He goes to such lengths to help us see things the way we ought to see them, with the love, understanding and compassion that we need. We don't have that in ourselves; it has to come from Jesus. He has to give it to us through His Spirit. It's a miracle, a touch of His love, when we can see things the way He sees them. And it's marvelous the way He helped us to understand and see more clearly the needs of you young people.
More Input, Responsibility, Challenge and Change!
4. I've written a Letter to the adults, YAs and senior teens, entitled "Call to the Rescue," in which I tried to help them understand you junior teens and JETTs better and see how they can be a bigger blessing to you. In that Letter I was able to pass on some marvelous Words from Jesus and some terrific instruction, which I think will make you very happy. I've included in that Letter the messages articulating your thoughts that I mentioned above. You can read those messages if you like. In fact, you can read that whole Letter, if you wish. It's a series of two GNs. But before you read what I said to the adults, YAs and senior teens, I'd like to talk to you personally about it and explain what it means to you and how it might affect your lives.
5. I know that being a young teen or a JETT is not easy. It's an age of change and decision, and I don't blame you if you've felt confused or if you've been battling with a lot of questions or doubts. I know that some of you are struggling, that many of you feel bored, and that you wish things could be more exciting. You wish you could experience more change and not have to be so bound by routine and schedules and work around the house and helping with the little children. I know that sometimes you're tempted to get angry at your parents or your shepherds because you feel boxed in or that you're treated like a little child, and I understand how frustrating that must be for you.
6. It's natural that you would look at the senior teens or the YAs and feel envious of them, or possibly feel that they get special treatment and get to do things you don't, and maybe that really bothers you. Or maybe you have gifts or talents that you want to nurture and expand, but feel you aren't given the time or opportunity to do so. Perhaps you wish you could spend more time witnessing or being involved with a ministry. Maybe you'd like to do a "consider the poor" project. Maybe you'd like to learn computers or become a secretary or play a musical instrument. Maybe you'd like to be a missionary in Russia or China.
7. There are probably all kinds of exciting things you'd like to do. I know you're rarin' to go and that you don't want to fail the Lord or Dad or Peter and me. And I can understand your frustration if things don't seem to be moving as fast as you'd like. I certainly sympathize with you if you feel like you spend a lot of your time just hanging around, not really doing anything very important, not learning any specific ministry and not being trusted with very much responsibility.
8. If any of what I've just mentioned describes your particular situation or what you're going through right now or how you feel, then I can understand how these circumstances would cause you to have battles and even make you feel rebellious and resistant to the instruction of your parents or shepherds or your older brothers or sisters. Not that you should get rebellious or resistant or that it's fine if you do, but I understand how you probably want to break out of the mold and just burn free, and sometimes your frustrations, your unanswered questions and the things you feel bugged about bubble over in outbursts of rebellion or disrespect. In other cases, perhaps you just sort of shut down, you withdraw, you quit trying and you just become passive. You don't really get very excited about things or show much enthusiasm; you just sort of coast along and become lethargic and uninterested, and sort of dead and dry in the spirit.
9. Believe me, I know that it's not an easy age. Growing up is difficult all the way around, but especially for you young folks in the Family. Not only do you have the usual challenges of preteens and young teens everywhere--changing emotions, insecurities and questions--but you also have to fight the attacks of the Enemy! It's a double whammy attack, and you're getting hit from all sides! So you don't just face the natural difficulties that come with growing up and passing through the age of decision, but also the spiritual battles that come with being a child of David, and being one of the soldiers in the Lord's Endtime army.
10. My dear junior teens and JETTs, I wanted to write you personally because I want you to know that I understand what you're going through. I know the difficulties! I realize the intensity of the battles, and I don't hold it against you--I'm not looking down on you, I'm not angry with you, I'm not disappointed in you. I love you! Jesus loves you too, and so do your parents, your shepherds, your aunts and uncles, and your older brothers and sisters (both spiritual and physical). We're not expecting you to be perfect! We just want to see you happy in the Family and challenged in your service for the Lord.
11. I wish I could kiss you and hold you and comfort you and help you to know that everything is going to be okay--that things are going to get easier for you. You won't always be struggling in this way or feeling so awkward or unneeded or dumb or ugly or unspiritual, or all the things you may worry about. You're beautiful and handsome and precious to me and to the Lord and the Family, and we need you--each one of you!
12. As I told you earlier in this Letter, I have news for you that I think will be an answer to your prayers. The Lord knows what you need and He understands the desires of your hearts. He knows you want to do something for Him and be active, productive and a blessing, and He's making a way for you to do just that. He has challenged the SGAs, the YAs and the senior teens (and the adults too, of course) to take you junior teens and JETTs under their wings in order to give you the input and experience and opportunities of service that you need and want and are capable of growing into, by God's grace.
13. You are an important part of the Lord's Endtime army. You're very valuable and needed soldiers, important to the success of the Kingdom and the outcome of this Endtime war that we are fighting. You are called and chosen by Jesus. You're the hope of the future for Dad and Peter and me, and the Lord wants to see you grow and progress and mature into the Endtime prophets that you are destined to be.
14. The Lord has made it very clear, through the messages which He gave and the words of instruction which I included in the "Call to the Rescue" series, that there needs to be a radical change for you junior teens and JETTs. You need more input, on-the-job training, responsibility, variety, change and excitement. The Lord has put forth a challenge especially to the SGAs, YAs and senior teens to give you junior teens and JETTs the time and attention you need. He has tried to impress upon your older friends and brothers and sisters the great responsibility that they bear, and the need for them to be good examples to you. (Of course, when referring to your older brothers and sisters throughout this Letter, I don't just mean your flesh brothers and sisters, but all the older senior teens, YAs and SGAs, who are all your friends and brothers and sisters in the spirit.)
15. The Lord has sounded the trumpet! He has lifted the banner and called out the rallying cry to the older ones of your generation, and I believe that many of them will take up the challenge and will become your friends, shepherds and mentors. I believe that many of the older ones will take you into their circle of fellowship and will try to pour into you what has been poured into them. They have so much in the spirit because of all the Word, training and experience that they've received, and now the Lord is expecting them to give out, like the verse that says, "Unto whom much has been given, of the same shall much be required" (Luk.12:48). Much has been given to your older brothers and sisters, and now the Lord is requiring that they pour it out to you.
16. I hope this will be good news to you, and that you will see it as a token of the Lord's love and an answer to your prayers. Well, maybe you don't think this is an answer to your prayers--maybe you don't think you ever prayed this prayer--but the Lord knows what you need. He knows your heart. He knows you sincerely want to serve Him and be a blessing to the Family, and you want to grow and to do your best. And this is what the Lord knows is the best way to bring all those desires to pass.
What You Get Out of This Will Depend on You!
17. If you want to receive these many blessings and these new opportunities, if you want to be trained in a new ministry and be trusted with more responsibility, then you're going to have to try to make it easy for your older brothers and sisters. You can help them want to love you and spend more time with you by being appreciative and sweet and hungry for the time and input that they want to give you. If you do your best to be respectful and diligent, then of course they'll be much more eager to try to help you more and more, and the payoff will be greater for you!
18. A lot of the responsibility of making this new change and this new revolution work will rest on you. It will depend on your attitude, your sincerity, your desire to learn and press in and do your best. If you act like you're not very interested or you don't want to listen to the older ones, if you act real cool and distant, or if you get rebellious and you don't like some senior teen or YA trying to help you, then it's going to be very difficult, not only for them but for you too.
19. You see, it's just logical and natural that when someone spends time with you or tries to share something with you or help you, if you're thankful and sweet about it, if you're really open and you have a good connection with that person and you can really share your hearts and enjoy your time together, then of course that person is going to want to do it more and it's going to be a pleasure for both of you.
20. So if you want that time and input and attention, please make it count and show your appreciation. Get as much as you can out of every lesson and every experience and every time of fellowship. In order to do this, you're going to have to humble yourselves and you're going to have to admit that you need to learn, and show that you want to learn. You're going to have to be willing to be holy holes, to be apprentices, to start by doing the little things and then grow into the bigger things.
21. I know you have the aptitude. You've had years of training in the Word, and you've seen the example of many dedicated shepherds and adults and older young people. I know you can do it! But you will have to make a commitment to hunger and thirst after the truth, be willing to accept correction, be willing to be honest and be willing to go to the Word to study up on the things that you need to learn.
22. So you see, the Lord has put forth a great challenge to the SGAs and YAs and senior teens, but He's also challenging you junior teens and JETTs, because He needs you. I need you, the Family needs you, the lost need you. You are important!
23. The Lord has already invested so much in each of you and now He wants to invest even more. So won't you please do your part to make this dream a reality, to make this revolution come to pass? You are called and chosen by the Lord, but it's up to you to take up your cross and follow Him. It's up to you to be everything you can be for Jesus.
24. Those who are hungry, Jesus fills with good things, but those who are full He sends empty away. The same is true of your training, of the responsibilities that you can be given. If you truly desire to grow up and mature and become a solid, dependable adult member in the Family, able to carry a heavy load and bear great responsibilities, then you have to start now by being open, not only to the Lord's instruction, but also to that of your older brothers and sisters and your parents and shepherds. You have to ask the Lord to free you from any familiarity and help you to see them in a new light--see them as tools in Jesus' hand, ready to be used to give you what you need, ready to be used to pour into you that which will make your lives more challenging.
25. The Lord needs instruments, tools, vessels, channels to be able to give you what you need in the way of experience, shepherding, time, attention and friendship, and He has chosen to use your older brothers and sisters for this purpose. So please make it easy for them to do their job. Make it easy for them to obey the Lord by being open, hungry, humble and appreciative, and you'll be so happy if you do. You'll see it can be great! It can be terrific! You can learn a lot of new things and have a lot of fun while you're doing it.
26. This is the Lord's plan, this is His answer, and I believe it can work. I know it can work, because Jesus' Words don't fail! He's our great Shepherd and He's way ahead of us leading the way. If we'll just trust Him and follow, then we'll see that He really knows what He's doing.
27. Of course it will take time, and things won't necessarily turn around overnight. So please don't get impatient or discouraged if there isn't a big immediate change and you don't suddenly find yourself fully inspired, challenged and getting all the time and help that you need. Just because things take a little time to happen or be fully implemented doesn't mean that they're not happening at all or that the Lord's Word is not being fulfilled. We're hoping that it won't take a long time to turn things around, but neither can we expect overnight changes. But one thing we do know is that it's the Lord's plan and that His Word won't return void!
28. Jesus is not giving us this plan just to tickle our ears, but it's because He knows it's the answer, it's the key and it's what you need. And if you receive this as a gift from the Lord and as a token of His love and do your best to make the most of it, I know the Lord won't let you down! Some way, somehow, He'll give you what you need. He'll make you happy and you'll become the Endtime soldiers that He's called you to be.
It's a Two-Way Street: Everyone Benefits!
29. I want to tell you something else that maybe you hadn't thought of, and that is that you're not the only ones who are going to be on the receiving end. You're not the only ones who are going to benefit from this closer fellowship and working together with the older ones; they're going to benefit a lot as well! I don't know if you realize it or not, but some of the senior teens, YAs and SGAs are also going through difficult times. They're also trying to find the place in the Family where they really fit, where they are satisfied and happy, and know they're really doing something for the Lord.
30. Since the implementation of the Charter, there have been a lot of changes in the Family which have directly affected the older young people. They're learning to handle new freedoms and take on new responsibilities, and they're learning to make more decisions on their own. So these last couple of years have been rather unsettling for many of them as well. I have received quite a few personal letters from teens and YAs explaining to me that they feel they still haven't found their niche; they need something, but they're not quite sure what it is. But I believe with all my heart that as the senior teens and YAs and SGAs get more involved with you junior teens and JETTs, as they pour into you and get to know you and have the opportunity to share all the wealth of training, wisdom and insight that the Lord has given them, they're going to find new life and happiness too!
31. So this isn't just for you younger ones, but it's for the older ones too. Not only do you need them, but they need you. They also need to feel needed; they also need to feel loved; they also need to feel important to someone, and that someone is depending on them or counting on them. So you don't have to feel like you're big "charity cases" that don't have anything to offer or give and that the older ones are having to make this big "sacrifice" that's going to be a big bummer or drag to them. You don't have to feel like you're imposing on them and causing a big problem, and they're now going to have to give of their time to pour into you when they'd like to be doing something else.
32. Well, it may take some time for the older ones to get used to this. Some of them have grown fairly selfish and self-centered in their lives, so at first it will be a sacrifice, because in some cases they will have to change their schedule a little, or change their ways and priorities a little, in order to bring you in and make you a part of their lives. And of course this will take time, and it won't happen overnight in many cases.
33. But the point I'm making and that I want you to understand is that the senior teens and YAs and SGAs are going to benefit as well. There are a lot of blessings in store for them, too, and in a way the Lord is going to use you younger ones to bring many of the older ones back to life.
34. They're going to feel needed and feel used of the Lord, and it's going to open their eyes to how much they have, how rich they are in the spirit. They'll see how faithful their parents and teachers and shepherds have been over the years to teach them the Word, to help them memorize and to train them in so many practical areas. They'll see that they really do know a whole lot about witnessing and about fighting the Enemy and getting victories and about getting along with others; about praising the Lord and staying on a positive channel; about disciplining themselves and managing their time; about hearing from the Lord and prophesying; about having relationships and falling in love and handling their emotions; about yielding and learning to accept the Lord's will; about saying yes to Jesus and doing the humble thing.
35. You see, a lot of the older young people don't feel very talented, and they don't have a lot of confidence in themselves. They're frustrated, too, and have inferiority complexes, feeling like they're not very smart, beautiful or talented. But you see, that's just the Enemy trying to blind them to all the blessings that the Lord has given them. The Lord has a plan that is going to defeat that sneaky evil attack of the Enemy, and that plan is that when the older ones start pouring into you younger ones, it's going to open their eyes and help them to not only see you in a different light, but even to see themselves in a different light. They'll find fresh inspiration and new vision and a reason for living. It'll help them to appreciate all that's been given to them and to see how much they have to give out to others.
36. Isn't this marvelous? Isn't it just amazing how the Lord works? Here we were praying for what you junior teens and JETTs needed, and the Lord not only gave us the solution and the way to supply your needs, but He also gave us something that we weren't even expecting in the deal, and that is the solution to the needs and heartcries of many of the older ones. So you see, kids, you're not only on the receiving end here, you're also going to be on the giving end. The Lord's going to use you to bring a lot of your older brothers and sisters back to life--to set them on fire for Jesus and to get them inspired and turned on.
Being Busy for the Lord Is Fun!
37. Now this may not seem like such a great plan to you or such a terrific solution, because words like "training," "counseling," "shepherding" and "work" may not sound like so much fun to you, and certainly may not be your idea of your "heart's desire." But I'm going to tell you something, and you're going to have to trust me on this one, because you may not believe me right now. If you'll just go by faith, you'll find out that what I'm saying is the truth. And that is, the more you get into this, the more you learn and do, and the more responsibility you have and the more faithful and trustworthy you are, the more fun you'll have serving the Lord!
38. That may sound pretty odd to you, because right now your idea of fun is probably get-out, watching movies, going to the mall, playing video games, and hanging around with your friends. I guess that's okay at times and those things can be fun in a way, but they don't bring the same quality of happiness, satisfaction and contentment in your life that you'll find when you're really on fire for Jesus and working hard for Him. Does that sound crazy to you--that working hard and being busy with your work and ministry can be fun? I mean, it's a real turn-on, a real blast! Well, if it sounds a little unbelievable to you, you'll just have to take it by faith. Ask those around you, the adults and older young people who you see are busy with their ministries and really working hard for Jesus. Ask them if they're having fun, and I wouldn't be surprised if they said yes, they really love it and wouldn't change it for anything.
39. Now, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with some recreation. You do need your get-outs and you do need to have fun activities sometimes. I'm just telling you that if you feel you're missing something in your life and you're not satisfied, if you feel empty and like you just don't have anything that compels you or drives you or makes you want to get up in the morning, if the different fun activities that you do don't seem to be enough and you're just living from one activity to the next, finding it pretty boring and knowing it doesn't really satisfy deep inside, then I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised when you see that what you're looking for is not found in more free time or more activities or more movies or more music or more trips to the mall. It's found in getting busy for Jesus, working hard for Him, and learning what you need to know to be a better soldier and a better disciple! Serving Jesus is fun when you're into it. Witnessing is a blast when you see how cool it really is. Learning to love the Lord and hear from Him and care for and shepherd others is awesome.
40. You may wonder why the Lord chose the older young people to be the ones to pour into you and train you. Well, it's not because the older adults don't have a lot to give. They do, but the Lord knows that the SGAs and YAs and senior teens understand you young people. They know what you're going through because it hasn't been that long since they went through it themselves. Also, the Lord knows that you naturally look to your older brothers and sisters, that they are the role models that you relate to more easily and follow more naturally. They're young and strong and they have a lot of energy, plus they're still often interested in the things you like and are interested in. So the Lord knows that naturally there's already a bond between you and your older brothers and sisters, and He can use that bond to help you to click and to work well together and enjoy being together.
41. Now don't get the wrong impression from all this and worry that it's going to be some sort of a heavy training program where the older ones are looking over your shoulder at what you're doing all the time, and spending a lot of time correcting and lecturing you in order to help you "do better." That's not the plan at all! The idea is just for them to spend time with you, for them to be a friend and someone you can go to whenever you need help, someone who will listen to you, try to answer your questions, share their own experiences with you, pray with you, read with you.
42. They'll be trying to get you more involved in their lives and ministries, teaching you as you work together so that you can take more responsibility on your own and be more challenged. They'll be trying to find ways to help overcome the boredom you often feel, by getting you more involved so you'll really be contributing something and will feel truly needed and useful--which you are!
43. This isn't intended to be just a big work project, a big training program with lots of correction and rules and do's and don'ts, where you just have to grin and bear it and endure it. The Lord wants it to be enjoyable. It's so much better when you can have fun when you work together with someone. It's a real pleasure when you like their personality and you enjoy their sense of humor and look forward to their company.
44. The Lord knows that you have a lot in common with your older brothers and sisters. You share the same upbringing, the same background, and they can understand and relate to your likes and dislikes, to what you think and experience, having been through the same or similar experiences just a few years ago. In fact, many still have similar interests, to some degree or another, when it comes to things like music, boyfriends and girlfriends, sports and get-outs, dress code, etc. They can "speak your language." There are many differences, of course, but they know where you're coming from, having been there and shared the same heritage. There are so many things you have in common that the Lord knows there will be a natural bond and affinity, a drawing power between you younger ones and the older ones. The Lord is so smart, He really knows what He's doing. It's terrific, isn't it? Praise the Lord!
Progress and Problems at the Same Time--Nobody's Perfect!
45. I just now remembered that there's one more thing that you may need an explanation about--and that is, it may seem rather odd to you that the Lord commended you so strongly in the prophecies in the Letter "It's Cool to Love Jesus" (ML #3101, GN 720) that you read during the Birthday Feast, and now there's a Letter from me to the adults and SGAs and YAs talking about your weaknesses and the areas that you need to improve in. You might think, "Hey, how come the Lord tells us we're doing so great and making so much progress, and now Mama's talking to the adults about all our problems?"
46. To begin with, I want you to know that I believe 100% in what the Lord said to you in "It's Cool to Love Jesus." I know you are growing stronger through the personal relationship that many of you are seeking to have with the Lord. I know that many of you are trying your best to be faithful to love the Lord and read His Word and give thanks to Him in your daily praise times. I know that many of you want to put the Lord first in your lives, and you're growing as a result. But on the other hand, many of you are also being buffeted by the Enemy, and you find yourself in the midst of heavy spiritual battles.
47. It's like you're going through a long dark tunnel right now--the tunnel of adolescence, the tunnel of maturing, the tunnel of decision. Even though you're trying to draw closer to the Lord or you have a desire to be closer to Him, that doesn't necessarily mean that all your problems and weaknesses just disappear overnight. The natural course of events is that it just takes time to learn lessons and to benefit from different experiences. It takes time to learn from your mistakes, which drive you to the Word and the Lord and compel you toward deeper commitment to His work and the Family and your service for Him.
48. While there are areas that many of you are progressing in, there are also many areas that need to change and improve, not only in your personal lives, but also in the mode of operation of the Family in general. I sincerely hope that when you hear that I have written a Letter to the adults and SGAs and YAs expressing my concern about the problems and weaknesses that some of you junior teens and JETTs are now battling, or when you read this Letter for yourselves, that you won't look at this as a contradiction of the wonderful things that the Lord said to you in "It's Cool to Love Jesus."
49. Many of you are growing in your walk with the Lord. In many cases it's your very battles or struggles that are forcing you into a closer relationship with the Lord, and I'm thankful that you are learning to love the Lord more deeply and that you're seeking a more intimate relationship with Him, because if you weren't, you'd be having an even more difficult struggle through these years of decision.
50. Some of you may be doing well in one area, but you may need a lot of improvement in another area. That's the way it is with all of us. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. We all have our areas that we're making definite progress in, but at the same time we still have NWOs, besetting sins and weaknesses that we need to continue to fight against. So the best thing you can do is receive and believe the Lord's encouragement for the areas that you're doing well in, and be strengthened thereby; but also be open and yielded to the areas that the Lord may be speaking to you about where you need to improve.
51. For example, maybe the Lord has laid on your heart a desire to spend more time in His Word and in prayer, and you've been faithful to try and take that time, but at the same time maybe the Enemy is really tempting you with a greater hunger for System music. In such a case, you may be improving in one area but still really be struggling in another. Another example is that maybe the Lord has helped you gain victories in having a desire to witness and pour out to lost souls, and you can see you're making progress in that area. But at the same time you may sense that the time you've spent out witnessing has also caused you to have more input from the things of the world, as you've spent more time out in the System and had to listen to the arguments or false doctrines of the people that you witness to. So you may be progressing in your burden for witnessing, but maybe you're especially battling right now with worldliness or worldly attitudes.
52. Maybe your work in a "consider the poor" ministry has caused the Lord's love to burst forth in your heart and you feel like you're making a lot of progress in loving the lost and caring for others in need, but at the same time you may find that your relationship with your parents or brothers and sisters is especially strained. You may have a hard time getting along with your elders or showing them the respect you should. Maybe your brothers and sisters are really getting on your nerves and you sometimes lose your temper and yell at them, or say mean things. This may look like a real conflict in your life--that your love for the lost is growing and yet your love for your parents or brothers and sisters seems to be weakening. But it just shows that life is a spiritual battle. Life is a struggle, and sometimes you make solid progress in one area while you seem to fall behind or trip up in another area.
53. Sometimes the Lord allows this to humble you and to drive you closer to Him, but the Enemy also sometimes uses this to discourage you or make you feel condemned. So don't feel bad or think it's weird if you're making progress and going great guns in one area of your life, and yet you seem to be falling behind or doing poorly in another area of your life. And don't feel bad if the Lord commends you in one area, but also has to give you a little correction in another area. Nobody's perfect. We all have our faults, and none of us can improve in all areas at the same time. You can only concentrate on one or two or a few things at once. It's really too much to try to improve in everything all at the same time.
54. So take the Lord's commendation and encouragement to you in "It's Cool to Love Jesus" to heart, and believe it and know that it's true, because I do! And don't be discouraged or doubt if the Lord also has to talk a little bit about your weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in. He still loves you. He's still proud of you. He's still very thankful that you're drawing nigh to Him in a closer personal relationship, and He'll continue to bless you as you continue to do your best for Him.
55. God bless you! I love you! Keep going for Jesus! We need you!
Love, Mama
56. P.S. Please feel free to write me and let me know how it's going. I look forward to hearing from you.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family
