Shame & Honor

Well, this last week Scott and I spent time in Estes Park, CO. It was gorgeous and if you get the chance I would highly encourage you to take a trip there and enjoy the incredible beauty of God's creation. The Rocky Mountains are spectacular. The reason we took the 15 hour ride there was for Student Life HS Youth Camp!! Yes it is that time of year....church camp! Last year we went to Glorietta, NM and I took both of the girls and it was not the experience I hoped for. So this year a friend kept the girls at our house during the day and my fabulous Mother in law kept them at night. It was rough, for everyone I think, but we made it through and I am so thankful. Scott and I were able to minister to the teens and do it uninterrupted and without major distraction. With young children in ministry, this is something to be treasured.

Anyway, the speaker was JR Vasser and the worship band was The Jeff Johnson Band. Both were fabulous. I highly recommend 'Ruin Me' and 'The beauty of the Cross' by Jeff Johnson. Both are wonderful worship songs that have caused me to pause and pray these lyrics over my life, my kids and our teens. But what I wanted to share were two very profound truths JR Vasser shared. I know that our students were touched by them and since I was I figured maybe you would be as well.

While speaking Vasser talked about being a young 20 something and speaking with someone about being a virgin or sexually pure. And he was mocked in a sense by being asked why would you do that. His response was an articulate description we should all be able to share. He told this girl, lets pretend that I am all knowing. I know everything, actual and possible. I know everything! Then lets pretend that I love you more than anything! I mean I love you more than anything and I know everything. Would you trust me? Of course the girl said Yes! If you know everything and you love me more than anything I would trust you. And he said that's why I am a virgin. I serve a God who wants the best for me and he gave me a book as an outline for life...why wouldn't I follow it and trust him?

And this to me was a beautiful way to share just about anything God has called us to? Don't you love it? If I put God's requests of me in this light, this perspective it makes total sense and allows me to trust on a level of complete dependence. I'm sure reading it and hearing are two totally different things but I hope this has hit you in some way or reminded you how He truly does not only know what is best but wants what is best for you.

Another thing I think hit home for our kids was the concept of honor and shame. So often the decisions and choices we make are based on the opinion of our friends and family. Because we have such a desire for acceptance, we aim to please man instead of pleasing God. Vasser said you have two options...shame and honor. You can have honor right now with people and shame for eternity with God, or you can have shame now with people and honor for eternity with God. I don't know about you but that makes my choices a bit easier. That makes my decisions aim towards honor with God for eternity. The present shame or ridicule seems less daunting when in the light of eternity.

That's all! I could go on forever because Vasser was that good. He preached out of Hosea and it was phenomenal. But these two truths really resonated with our teens. And I will ask you this. Our teens made some commitments and some decisions this last week that were all for God's glory. We are so proud of them and I know that God is pleased with their willingness to follow him and sacrifice what the world has to offer. But it isn't easy. Teens these days walk in a culture of instant self gratification and have access to everything and anything they want. So, I would ask you to join Scott, myself and our phenomenal leaders in praying that they maintain these commitments and live lives pleasing to the one who made the ultimate sacrifice.

On an adoption note...we are still stuck. We are now about to reschedule our fingerprinting or biometrics for the 3rd time. They keep rescheduling when we are out of town and todays newest appointment was again when we are on another HS trip. Not only does this put us behind in time but if I am being honest makes my spirits lag yet again. We are now behind months in time and the idea of actually meeting my son seems like a dream most days. Please be in prayer for us that things would make a turn for the better and that our spirits would not feel so defeated in regards to this process. We are positive we are called to this and thats why we haven't stopped anything or run from the turmoil in Ethiopia regarding adoption but it doesn't make it easy. We covet your prayers for our family as we continue to walk this out. Thanks everyone!!