Russ Cantu (Home)

Students do not have enough victories. Unfortunately, failure is more prevalent in their lives than victories. But is this really the case? No, this is not the case. It’s just that failures are felt more than victories. 

Think about it like this: it takes eight positives to overcome a negative in a person’s development. Therefore, if a teenage girl is told that she is ugly, it will take eight people telling her she is beautiful in order to overcome the deficit of failure. The same thing goes for a man who is told his work is meaningless. He will need eight people telling him how much they value his work in order to bring value back into his life.

As adults who are guiding students in their journey with God, we have an opportunity to be an affirming voice and presence in their lives, where others may not be. Imagine just for an instant that you have a student in your care who is constantly ridiculed at home, is alone at school and is desperately in need of a friend. You may be the only positive influence in their lives. 

What you choose to do with your words and how you practice the art of presence with students, greatly impacts the student world for Christ. Remember that the next time you send off a text to a student who has missed a gathering or send off a postcard of encouragement. 

Thank you for taking the time to love students like Jesus. Thank you for for using your words to help, not hurt. Thank you for showing up in their lives. Thank you.