THROUGH GOD’S EYES I AM
Purpose: for participants to be able to express the real feelings of their sadness, unworthiness, weakness, pain, etc… with their brothers and sisters but at the same time challenge themselves to change perspective and see themselves through God’s eyes and express their strengths.
- Pre-message:
- Give a talk about how we often feel very down on ourselves. During those times we try to hide what we are going through because we don’t want people to see us at our weakest.
- But if we are able to open ourselves up and stop hiding we can overcome these difficult and challenging feelings.
- This gives us an opportunity to practice empathy and take care of each other by seeing who we are truly meant to be through God’s eyes.
- Introduce the prompt of “sometimes I feel… but through gods eyes I am…” The speaker should give an example of the prompt from their personal life
- Give the time to reflect on these points themselves and then get into small groups and share.
- It is very important to provide a trusting and confidential environment for this sharing.
- Post-message: Thank everyone for their participation and acknowledge that it wasn’t an easy thing, stress the confidentiality agreement again and have everybody do a group hug or something to end the activity on a lighter note.
*this was an activity made as a variation to the “if you really knew me…” I wanted to make a version where it ends on a higher note of appreciating and acknowledging themselves
Submitted by Toyomichi Hagiwara and the New York Youth Ministry