Becoming

What a great weekend! I got the opportunity to go back home to our previous church and lead worship for students during their D-Now weekend. The rust was apparent, but I had a great time and hopefully somehow it was effective. I'm very thankful to our great friends Jeff and Wini for giving us opportunities to serve and work with students that we love very much.

We've been gone from there for over three years now so there were many new faces, but several familiar ones as well. It's always fun to see which students have stepped up to become the leaders of the group, and to see where God is leading them. The theme of the weekend was "Becoming," as in becoming the person that God is shaping you to be. The Bible study leaders talked about, and gave examples from their own lives, how events, relationships, passions, and struggles have ultimately helped make them who they are. The students were challenged to recognize how God is preparing them for what He has in store for them, and challenged to go and do hard things -- to not simply coast along even though teenagers are typically given plenty of opportunity to do so.

We saw several students respond. Some were ready to take hard things that had happened to them and let them strengthen them. Others were resolved to start fresh. I also heard more than one leader make the comment that the 'becoming' process wasn't finished for them either. I think they are right. It seems that we are continually squeezed and shaped by things both good and bad. We are constantly being prepared, and I'm thankful for that.

-Jeff

That's it, I'm going back...

So we've been going through Galatians in our class on Sunday mornings, and Smith is apparently convinced that they were in a city called Galos. Regardless of where they were, Paul was clearly frustrated with their behavior. When he was with them previously, it made sense. They understood the gospel and had been set free by its truth. However, once he left they began reverting back and trying to rely on the Law they had been set free from.

Over and over he tries to explain how foolish they have been. Then there's this comment where Paul calls them his "little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!" (Gal 4:19) Now, after just witnessing Drew's entrance into the world, I can clearly see the frustration that Paul was trying to express. I'd hate to be the messenger that had to tell Kel: "You did a great job on that delivery. Let's try again, and maybe he'll stay out this time . . ."

It's a pretty foolish picture, but I can understand the desire. It's what they knew - it was comfortable. I'm pretty convinced that Drew, given how crazy and loud his brother and sister (and me) can make it around here, might think that the comfort and security of the womb doesn't sound too bad right now. But the truth is, he's so much better off where he is. It may not be as comfortable as before, but he's growing. Things may not always make sense, but we're here to take care of him and guide him, and hopefully one day they will.

Sometimes it's easy to fall back into things have already been overcome. For the Galatians, it was a dependence on a Law that only exposed their sin - instead of the gospel that defeats it. For me, sometimes it's sin, often it's insecurity.

What is it for you?

-Jeff

Amazed

Friday was the last day at work of a guy that I've worked with for a few years. He is a pretty interesting guy. He loves music, plays a little guitar, and is also deaf. I believe with a little help (and volume) there are a few frequencies he can pick up which allows him to hear somewhat. He is also an excellent lip reader and it usually seemed perfectly natural to have a normal conversation with him - even though all the while he probably actually heard very little if any of my voice.

As he was saying his goodbyes the subject of his deafness came up and he made a comment that was essentially this: Don't pity people who have a disability who don't fight and find a way to overcome it and live out a "normal" life. I was kind of torn. Obviously, he is a good example of someone who enjoys a lot of life that you wouldn't expect someone with his disability could. However, I thought that was an extremely broad statement and surely there are a ton of disabilities that would truly prohibit someone from agreeing with that.

I went back to my desk thinking about that and happened to see a link to this video. It's of a high school wrestler from Ohio named Dustin Carter - and it is truly amazing. Dustin has no arms or legs. Did I mention he is a wrestler? Did I also mention that I read he was 41-3 in his matches this past season? You can see him in action here.

Wow. My excuses seem pretty lame at this point.

-Jeff