Sweet Sixteen

There are many perks to being a youth minister's wife. One of which is watching our students grow up. We have been serving at Union Hill for 5 years and its amazing to see awkward teenagers grow-up into Godly, self-sufficient adults.

Recently, we have had many students turn 16. Its so fun to watch these students as their "big" day arrives. They anxiously talk about taking the driver's test and whether or not they will get a car right away. The girls, of course, are more worried about the outfit they will wear for their picture. I mean, you have to look good because you have to tote that picture around for 4 years! :)

While watching these students, it has allowed me to reminisce some about when I was 16. It seems like it was such a long time ago...before bills and responsibilities, before heartache and hardships. I look back and see myself as a young and naive, wanting to seek approval from my peers, but at the same time from the Lord. I remember trying figure everything out and I wanted to discover the purpose God had for me.

There are some instances that I wish I could go back and ask for a "do-over," but I understand that those circumstances have shaped me into the woman I am now. As I think about wanting a couple of do-overs, I am reminded of a song that I learned as a child that proves that no matter how long our lists of do-overs may be, He never gives up on us.

He's still working on me,
To make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun, and Earth, and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and faithful He must be.
He's still working on me.

It blows my mind that as I sit here wanting a do-over, He remains faithful no matter what. And, in a sense, He has already granted me a do-over--and its the only one that really matters.

Endure

This last week Mike and I attended Refuge--a conference put on by Student Life for youth ministers and their wives. Needless to say, it was a refuge. It was a blessing to be ministered to and encouraged.

A scripture that was used in a particular sermon was 2 Timothy 2:3-6.

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

The two words "endure hardship" stuck out to me. As the pastor was still preaching, I scanned through the book of 2 Timothy. Paul says the same two words again in chapter 4 and that got me thinking...

This concept, I think, is foreign to some believers. We all have those friends who say, "Well, ever since my grandmother died, I don't believe in God." Or, "Well, since I lost my job, I just don't trust God anymore." Or, "Well, since my husband has been unfaithful, God doesn't love me anymore." What Bible are they reading?!! In fact, the Word says quite the opposite--and it comes straight from Jesus' mouth in John 16:

"In this world you will have trouble."

God never says that we will have it easy. And, those friends we have that claim that they don't believe in God anymore because their 87 year old grandmother has died, or some other horrible thing has happened, have bought into a lie. The Lord is straight up with us all throughout the Scripture, like in 2 Timothy--He tells us that life WILL get rough sometimes. That horrible circumstances will happen. That hearts will be broken and our lives may be in shambles at times. BUT, praise God, every time He tells us this truth, He follows it with a promise...like in John 16...

"But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In my short life of 26 years, I have encountered some hardship and wondered why God chose to inflict hurts/battles/trials on me. But no matter how bad it hurt or no matter how hard it was to come through, He was always faithful (and He will continue to be faithful). That, my friends, is what I hold on to with all my might while I am enduring the hardships that come my way.

Fresh Start

I love the beginning of school! I love preparing my classroom and getting everything organized for the upcoming year. But most of all I love buying new school supplies. I have a weakness for pens, pencils, and especially Post-It Notes! I could spend hours in the school supply aisles of Wal-Mart. I think the love of supplies is partly why I became a teacher.

However, as I laid in bed mulling over how to arrange my room and the new supplies I needed, I was reminded of a promise...that I am in fact, something new as well.

Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!
--2 Corinthians 5:17

In my Father's eyes I am no longer that chewed up, scuffed up, broken-in-half pencil. But because of His grace, He has transformed me into a brand new shiny, yellow number two pencil--without the bite marks and dingy eraser. And now because He has given me that fresh start and He lives inside of me, I get to share His love with precious first graders five days a week!

First Blog!

Well, I have started blogging. Mike seems to think that blogs are only for those couples with children, and since we don't have any, with the exception of our dog, I must be wasting my time. However, contrary to his belief, I don't think I am wasting my time and like every good and supportive wife, I am out to prove him wrong. :) Ha! (Like that really ever happens.)

"Peas and Carrots" you ask?? Well, I couldn't think of anything clever and since Mike doesn't seem to support this project, I was on my own. One of our favorite movies is Forrest Gump and at one point Forrest describes his relationship with Jenny like "peas and carrots." While we were still dating Mike would say frequently in his best Forrest voice, "We go together like peas and carrots." And I happen to agree!