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