One of the things I love about Crave is when some of the Crave staff and I head out to the local schools and hang with our students during their lunch periods.  Having lunch with the students is always a blast and it’s a great time to connect with them, meet some of their friends, and encourage them. 

Middle schools are a little harder to have lunch with the students then most high schools; which I think is a good thing.  So, not only do you have to have all the county’s background and reference checks done, but you also have to have a letter from the parents allowing you to have lunch with their student.  Again as a parent, I think the letter thing is a good idea, since I would like to know who’s having lunch with my kid.  However, today when I went out to Odyssey Middle to have lunch with our students, I was told I would no longer be able to have lunch with them during school hours. 

I’m not complaining, every school is different and has its own set of circumstances.  However, I just find it real interesting that they would no longer allow pastors to come have lunch with the students, even if the parent says it’s cool.  I had talked earlier this week with a 9^th grade VP who was telling me how happy he was to have pastors on his campus and how he is always looking for positive influences for the students.  So it kind of baffles my mind to think a school would want to cut out someone who is trying to encourage students and help them fight against all the negative influences like; sex, drugs, violence and so forth. 

I love our students here at Crave; they are just down right awesome!!!  However, they (just like the rest of us) really do have some huge struggles in life and so many of them are surrounded by those negative influences every day.  So if you remember, please pray for them and our ability to connect with them.