In the mid-90s (my teenage years), my friends and I were getting overwhelmed and pulled by the New York City street life. We, as teenagers, were looking for an outlet to give us something to do after school. We were very competitive so you would find us in the schoolyard after school. But in the colder months, when being outside wasn't an option, we were left with the desire to hoop. It so happened that our local church Wadsworth Avenue Baptist Church (WABC), had a basketball court in their basement, but it was in terrible conditions. Until a man named Sebastian joined WABC recently baptized, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. He was a retired Federal Reserve guard who had made a good living and lived locally. God had put into his heart to show the church generosity and the community as a whole by renovating the basketball gym and begin a basketball ministry. It was the perfect space for us to participate in sports against the alternative concrete jungle. It wasn't long after that a tournament was organized after the completion of the gym. Sebastian created his team with most of my friends and me, and he named us the Young Christians. Long story short, we did win the tournament, but more importantly, many of us from the community had a place where we could grow without the bad influences that existed outside those walls. 

May Sebastian (who recently has passed away) receive rewards from Heaven for his goodness, generosity, and labor of love that bore much good fruit. 

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Encouragement: For leaders, you provide influence to our youth that perhaps is not immediately seen, but trust that the efforts, time, and energy that you continue to pour out will ultimately bring forth good fruit.