Do you remember a moment in your upbringing when you were asked what you wanted to be when you grew up? Do you remember all the dreams that raced through your mind? Maybe you wanted to be a teacher, or an NBA star, or an engineer, or maybe your dream was to simply and beautifully have a family, stay close to home and live a simple and quiet life. Regardless of the dreams, the truth is, these thoughts and plans helped shape who you are today. Perhaps you reached your dreams, or perhaps you are still working on some of those dreams today. Or maybe, like many of the youth we work with, you didn’t have the luxury of dreaming and you had to buckle down and make life work, no matter the job or pathway.
What if, like most of the youth we serve, dreaming of a future was never part of your upbringing? What if surviving was all you ever knew?
As young people come into our program, most of them have never dreamt of what a good and healthy future can look like. The fact is, if we ask most of them where they see themselves a year from now, many will say “either dead or in jail”. Or they simply have no answer at all. It’s no wonder many end up in cycles of addiction, abuse, trafficking, homelessness and hopelessness.
One of the core missions of Transitional Youth / Braking Cycles is to equip our young people for the future of hope that Jeremiah 29:11 talks about; “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Often times life circumstances seem to dictate what kind of future we have rather than really tapping into the future God has for us. Coming alongside our terms and young adults as they reimagine what a future of hope looks like is something we love and celebrate in this journey.
This is why we have added something new to our mission…
“Inspiring Vision, Unlocking Potential, Equipping to Advance”
This phrase has become a deep and meaning part of Transitional Youth’s mission and heartbeat. We have seen youth come in without a dream for their future, who are now graduates, have successfully completed their education, have jobs, families and careers. They have grabbed hold of the good plans God has for them and have found He is faithful and the many promises of God’s Word, like Jeremiah 29:11 is for them too.
This is such an important part of what we do, we want to share more with you. That’s why we are excited to make this year’s theme for our annual Banquet …
“Equipping to Advance”
Please join us!
