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Christmas
2001 Dear
Friend of Troubled Youth, The
baby Jesus is the Prince of Peace! Since
the tragic events of September 11, the Holy Spirit has continued to
remind me that God's perfect will is for reconciliation, restoration,
and unity. The savagery of sin and self is completely contrary to the
heart of God. And yet, until mankind is rightly related to the one true
God through His beloved Son and Messiah,
the red blood of victims and the black hate of mankind will continue to
color our landscape. It is a color I have grown reluctantly familiar
with during my soon to be 32 years with incarcerated youth and adults. I
must admit that I regularly long for the day when the Sonshine of the
Light of the World will replace the color of heartbreak, when joy will
replace sorrow. I, like creation itself, groan for the day when baby
Jesus finally and completely establishes His mission of peace on earth
and good will to men. I know you long for the same. However, until that
anticipation is satisfied for both of us, let me encourage you with what
the Prince of Peace is doing in broken hearts behind bars. It is but a
foretaste of divine things to come. Many
of our youth are damaged and wanting. The pain of unmet dependency needs
through negligence and abuse, damaged brains from drug and alcohol abuse
while yet unborn in the womb, teaming and attention deficit disorders
from malnutrition and educational neglect, and rage at life, itself,
typifies the flock I pastor. From a purely human standpoint this is an
impossible task. My marginalized, incarcerated, and alienated youth are
abandoned by society at large, a society that does not willingly suffer
those seen as "losers" and "basket cases" easily.
The rejection is mutual. My youth reject their rejecters and the cycle
of pathology forms a tight circle of shared despisement. Society refuses
to reach down in reconciliation, and my youth refuse to reach up. This
is nothing less than a life-threatening impasse. The
baby Jesus is the Good Shepherd! What does the Good Shepherd do in the
midst of this cycle of mutual distrust and dislike? He intervenes and He
heals. He works through His body, the church, by moving on hearing
hearts, sending them in the power of the Holy Spirit to the unlovely. He
simultaneously dispatches the Holy Spirit to soften youth's unmovable
hearts. Hardened, fortified and angry souls begin to melt in the light
and warmth of His love. The Body of Christ first reaches down toward the
youth who slowly respond and reach up. The great gulf closes as the Good
Shepherd uses His undershepherds to pursue wayward sheep in desperate
need of His safe sheepfold. Reconciliatidn, restoration, and unity occur
each week in the 7 juvenile facilities I pastor in the capacity of
Supervising Protestant Chaplain of the Orange County Juvenile Justice
Complex. The cycle of pathology is reversed as the great terrorist,
Satan himself, is dispelled from the landscape. The
baby Jesus is still setting the prisoners free! With
all praise to God, what a team you and I have made! My heart was moved
to go and make disciples behind bars. Your heart was moved to pray and
to provide for the needs of both the Lowe household and the church
inside razor wire covered fences. Together with my beloved Jan, a godly
Pacific Youth staff, and faithful volunteers, you have joined the baby
Jesus in His high plan of redemption. Your prayers have protected us.
Your giving has enabled us to break the cycle of pathology, bringing
hope into a hopeless impasse. Your partnership has made the difference.
I remain in place because your hearing hearts have responded in
obedience to the Prince of Peace. I remain in place after all these
years because you have refused to quit on our youth. You
are a gift given by God. During this Christmas season Jan and I thank
God for each one of you by name. Our troubled youth and I will need your
continued care this next tumultuous year, one that will be filled with
uncertainty in the midst of war and a failing economy. I need you and my
youth need Jesus. May
God richly bless you and your loved ones. May the Prince of peace rule
in your hearts and your homes. May your Christmas season be
Christ-centered and your 2002 God blessed. Steve
Lowe |
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