Youth ministry veteran Amy Williams ministers to teens involved in gangs and those lost in the criminal justice system with a key strategy of life-on-life mentoring.Amy Willliams' WebsiteWorth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God’s EyesAmy Williams on IVPressWHAT YOU'LL LEARN:Seeing People “through the lens of God” in Daily Interactions and Decision-MakingMeaningful Inclusion with At-Risk YouthLearning More from These Youths than Any Other GroupABOUT THE GUEST: Youth ministry veteran Amy Williams ministers to teens involved in gangs and those lost in the criminal justice system with a key strategy of life-on-life mentoring. As a certified gang intervention specialist, she heard God's call to move into a Latino gang neighborhood in Chicago's Humboldt Park community to be a "Hope Dealer" doing street outreach and walking life with young people on her block. Amy is project coordinator at New Life Centers, bringing in restorative justice programming to youth at juvenile prisons. Amy has been a youth pastor, a reentry coordinator, and a youth mentor and advocate. She is a graduate of both University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and National Louis University. She resides in Chicago and loves salsa dancing and is a true beach baby.TIMESTAMPED SHOWNOTES:00:38 - Introducing Amy Williams04:58 - Amy's inspiration to work with high-risk youth05:58 - ...deepest pain can become greatest passion06:41 - ...pull for the underdog07:10 - Seeing People “through the lens of God” in Daily Interactions and Decision-Making07:23 - ...evaluate ability to see people through the lens of God07:58 - ...seeing the value and worth of young people08:25 - ...God created them for a purpose09:04 - Meaningful Inclusion with At-Risk Youth09:29 - ...moving from being watched to being seen10:05 - ...inviting them into a space where they should already be invited to10:28 - Justice and Mercy10:54 - ...the call is to serve both the harmed and the harm-doer11:21 - ...spirit of mercy11:48 - ...not "What's wrong with you?" but "What happened to you?"12:19 - ...compassion for both14:10 - ...understanding but not agreeing14:56 - ...opportunity to change the direction of kids' lives16:13 - ...hope that her book would inform us about the issues and help turn compassion into action16:41 - Learning More from These Youths than Any Other Group19:11 - The Need to Belong20:42 - Doing Better21:23 - ...include people who are involved in the situation22:13 - ...create spaces for the voices24:24 - What keeps you going after decades of such intense work?25:28 - ...God-given work25:53 - ...community of support26:22 - ...lost too many young people-- someone is praying for help27:59 - Give our young people a chance28:37 - Getting in touch with Amy Williams: ahopedealer.org29:05 - Book on ivpress.comDID YOU APPRECIATE THIS PODCAST? Checkout previous episodes, leave a review, drop us a note or support the mission here: oururbanvoices.com