Trials, Tribulation, Triumph?

I recently read an article by John Busacker called, Why You Need to Fail.In his article, John described how important it is for us to go through trials and testing because  "It is there that we learn what really matters and acquire the necessary humility to depend on God's great grace, rather than on our own inconsistent efforts."

When John was asked what the most important characteristic a leader should possess, his response was "She or he must have been broken—physically, spiritually, professionally, personally, relationally—and then gotten up, dusted themselves off and continued forward with the wisdom from that loss seared in both mind and heart. I would never follow a leader that is unbroken. He or she lacks the compassion and humility to lead others." 

It's funny how trials and tribulation help remind us how important it is to trust God. We are so quick to call God out when we are uncomfortable or angry, hurt or struggling. However, God never leaves us -- even when times are rough. It's in those times which we must cling to God all the more. And maybe that's the purpose of trials or testing: that we are broken to the point of letting go of all we know, in order for God to become number one in our lives. 

I know from experience that when God seems the furthest away, in trials and struggling, when I genuinely feel like giving up, it's in that moment that God Himself feels more real. 

This reminds me of Romans 5:

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

and James 1:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Mark Batterson, the pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., wrote:

"When I'm going through a tough time emotionally or relationally or spiritually, I figure I'm getting an education in those areas. When it gets really tough, I think of it as graduate work. Everyone and everything become part of my education. God redeems them and uses them to shape me into the person He wants me to become."

Life in Haiti: Tragedy Still Reigns

I just read an article by Roseann Dennery on Relevant Magazine's website: Haiti: 18 Months Later. She described the still tragic living conditions in Haiti, especially that of orphaned children. According to her statistics, there were 440,000 orphan children before the earthquake disaster in January, 2010. Since then, the orphan rate has only skyrocketed. 

Roseann describes the sadness and epic tragedy orphans are plagued with; their parents either do not have the means to provide for them -- physically or emotionally -- or they simply cannot cope with the responsibility of child rearing and therefore discharge the child to cramped orphanage. 

Although there are many orphanages in Haiti, there are not enough supplies to go around. Some orphanages, as Roseann explained, receive 5-10 phone calls or drop-ins a week from parents begging them to take their child/children. 

So what does this mean for us Christians here in the US? James 1:27 clearly lays it out:  "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." 

So how do we apply that to our daily lives? How can we make a difference in the incredible disaster of Haiti? 

God moves uniquely in each of our hearts when He calls us to take action. For some of us, it may be connecting with orphanages in Haiti and doing what you need to make resources available to them -- whether through a local Church, a giving business, or a partnering organization. For others, it may be taking a trip to Haiti and assisting where needed. For some still, it may be spreading the Truth about the Haitian people's needs and continuing struggle to survive, and making efforts to make teams to further raise funds for resources. There are so many many avenues and choices we can make or act on to make an impact and difference in Haiti. 

As the next generation, it is our time to take a stand -- a bold stand -- and do something about the tragic crises in our world. Often, we are labeled or criticized for being apathetic -- not caring about anything but ourselves. But I know for a fact and have seen with my own eyes people from our generation step up and make things happen -- with zeal and passion! 

So I want to ask you again, what is it God may be leading you to do to make a difference in our world? How can we help the tragic circumstances in Haiti? 

Now it's just time to move. 

A Day in the Town of Vicksburg

I just had a great time in the village of Vicksburg, MI! Great little town with a lot of personality. It's fun to be the newbie in a small town, building relationships with people who know all the ins and outs there are to know in a small town. Vicksburg is a great place to walk around and visit with townspeople and business owners. Everyone gave a "hello there" or a "good afternoon" while passing by. Overall, there was great company, great people, great relationships built. Thanks for welcoming me in Vicksburg! I'll see you soon again. 

Summer Sun

Hey all,

It's officially summertime! Humidity and heat give to rest during July and August. So what is your favorite thing to do during the summer?

Adam Jacob Learn.

It's interesting, life. It's so vibrant and real one moment, then dashed and confusion swamp it with questions of "why?" Why do murderers kill innocent people? Why do natural disasters wipe-out whole towns and cities? Why do bad things happen to good people? And why does God not intervene? 

These are some heavy questions, right? They are, but they're also real life questions we all ask. There are so many responses to these questions; so many reactions to events or situations that bring on these questions. But in those moments when we find ourselves asking these questions, there don't seem to be a lot of answers. When we are neck deep in the pain and sorrow of tragic events, there may be plenty of right responses, but only one right answer that we so quickly forget, or choose to ignore. 

Josiah Solis had a great response and answer to these very questions. Check this out: http://www.josiahsolis.com/

There are plenty of right responses to events like Adam's passing -- each person grieves differently, and God will help you through that intimately. However, when it comes to finding answers to those hard questions, we turn to the Word, and we must never forget God's selfless love for us. 

I echo Josiah's prayer in closing:"God, may we see Love in the face of tragedy. Not Love as an emotion, but Love as a person. Jesus, show yourself so that at the end of the day when we run out of tears we can hear you say, “I love you.”

Homosexuality. Let's Talk Real.

Our culture is saturated with media and images that scream, “watch ME.” Everyone is griping for everyone else’s attention. As students and teens, there are so many people vying for our attention, it is so easy to be confused on where we stand.  To make matters worse, there are so many complicated topics we are bombarded with every day. However one of the biggest topics we face today is homosexuality. This is one of the biggest and fastest growing topics in our culture, and it’s time we talk about it. It’s time we open up and talk real with each other – there’s no judgment here. This is a place where we encourage you to be real and authentic. We’re here to support, encourage, and help in any way we can.

So what would you do if one of your friends shared privately with you that they were gay or lesbian?

What do you think Culture tells us about homosexuality? 

How do you feel about homosexuality? 

What do you think about homosexual Christians?