While I was hanging out at the coffee shop this morning the topic of choice was politics. Views were flying left and right, and of course I was slinging mine as well. Rarely do we converse about romance, the arts, great music we’ve listened to, or the challenges we face in our own family relationships (occasionally someone else’s comes up). Funny how we don’t spend much time talking about some of the most important questions we would like to have answered. Crucial questions like: Who am I? Can my life be changed? To whom do I belong? Is there hope for the world? Can these questions really be answered by President Obama and other political figures? I know they try. I suspect that these real questions can be answered only by God. A real God and not the one that we put in a box! But that is a subject for another post.
“Well, lately I have been thinking about how after every event we, as a youth group, partake in (i.e. mission trips, teen retreat, Main Event, etc.). Every single one of us are on an outreach/missions high. After these events, all of us have awesome ideas about what we can do and express those ideas in our little meetings. …. Two weeks later, we all know what happens. All of us go back into our routine lives and forget all about our ideas or “don’t have time” for them.
Now, I am not writing this to point fingers at anyone. The purpose of this is to help us realize what is happening. Guys, things are not going to change all on their own. It takes initiative and people with a drive to get the ball rolling…. Well, I have a plan…..
JUMP START THE HEART FOR MINISTRY Youth Campaign. This is my vision: A youth ran and operated (with help from adults) outreach program designed to cover a large spectrum of needs. This program will, over time, incorporate all of our ideas we have come up with from “Under The Bridge” type ministries to the same kind of thing we did that one Sunday, “Be The Church”.
Obviously, we can’t accomplish all of that from the get-go. My plan is for this program to grow over time and become as large as we want it to. Also, I am not calling you to take a leadership role in this thing. All I want from you guys is to know that I have you behind me and are willing/wanting to help out. I am willing to be the spearhead behind this, along with some others. If you are wanting to see this become a reality too, let me know. Finally, if you DO want to have a leadership role in this let me know too; I would very much like to hear that.”
Have you ever received an awesome gift, but when you opened the box you discovered it needed to be assembled? My marriage is like that. It’s an awesome gift, and yet I have to put in hard work to get it to work. My experience has been that without help and some instruction it can end up pretty rocky at times. There is hope though.
On Sunday, February 8th, I will be starting a message series called “Hope for Marriage.” God cares about your marriage. If you have great marriage it can get better. If you think your marriage is over, don’t give up! It’s not too late.
Join me in signing up for the 7 day love challenge. Couples during the week of Feb. 7-14, 2009 will choose to commit to show their love for one another in ordinary, and extraordinary ways. Each day a simple challenge by email will be sent to couples in hopes that they will take it on and see a new spark start within their relationship, or will continue to fan the flame that is already burning. Here is the link: 7daylovechallenge.com. If you sign up you can win a free weekend getaway at Skamania Lodge!
What could happen this new year, 2009, if we looked into the future with hope? As I read the newspaper and watch television it seems that much of what is forcast is gloomy. The exception might be the contestants on American Idol before hearing what Simon has to say about their singing! They are so hopeful while in the waiting room. As door of the new year begins to open may we enter with hope and expectation that God is on the other side. Here is the good news…God is no Simon. He is for us, not against us. God proclaims promises of victory for us as we follow him into this new year. May we be a people full of hope.
What could happen this new year, 2009, if we looked into the future with hope? As I read the newspaper and watch television it seems that much of what is forcast is gloomy. The exception might be the contestants on American Idol before hearing what Simon has to say about their singing! They are so hopeful while in the waiting room. As door of the new year begins to open may we enter with hope and expectation that God is on the other side. Here is the good news…God is no Simon. He is for us, not against us. God proclaims promises of victory for us as we follow him into this new year. May we be a people full of hope.
