We All Need a Doctor

  I'm so thankful for a team of leaders who love students and love Jesus.  Last night one of our leaders Sam spoke truth from her heart, her story, and from Mark.  Check out some of her words here:  

Mark 2: 15-17

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were religious leaders saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus is seen here eating with the “tax collectors and sinners” the tax collectors who were dishonest and greedy and the sinners who were people who disobeyed the things Jesus had taught. These were the outsiders. The others. The ones that didn’t follow the rules. Yet, Jesus chose to find friendship with them. Jesus chose to commune, hang out with and eat with those who weren’t what society said they should be. They weren’t the good people. How crazy is that?? Now, many of us are like the religious leaders and ask “but why would Jesus want to eat with the worst people? The people who are dishonest, the people who are outsiders?” and then Jesus tells us the most awesome thing. That he came for those who are sick, those who are the ones least like him.

He says “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Jesus says, “I am a doctor, let me heal you” I mean, could he get any more clear about what his purpose is? He is here to save those who need him most. Those who are sick.

I don’t know about you, but I needed a doctor. I was sick. I was looking for approval in all the places that weren’t going to give that to me. And I feel like a lot of you are sick too. Are you also looking for approval in other people? Are you going to that party because you know then that boy will like you if you do? Are you turning to alcohol or drugs to fill that hole? Maybe you’re only focusing on the negatives of yourself, constantly finding your flaws, rather than finding positives....Maybe you’re greedy or dishonest like Levi. Maybe you put others down because it makes you feel better? Maybe you’re trying to please everyone by doing things you wouldn’t normally do...I’m not sure why you might be sick, but I have such good news. It doesn’t matter why you’re sick because Jesus is a doctor for all of those things. And he tells us that he’s here for us...those who are sick, outsiders, and alone.

It’s really humbling though to admit that we can’t do things on our own, that we need a doctor.  Many of you know I was in a pretty serious accident last year and it resulted in a broken back and some pretty messed up knees. I was pretty helpless. I couldn’t dress myself, I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t pick things up off the ground. I needed doctors, I needed my parents, and I needed my friends. Yet it was hard to admit that. It’s hard to admit that we aren’t capable of doing everything on our own. It’s hard to admit that we are helpless. And it is even harder, when we feel like others don't understand what we’re going through.

Jesus is our doctor. He is here to save us and to heal us. And he loves us regardless of what our past is. But some people don’t know that about him. So what is almost as important as realizing he loves us regardless, is that he calls us to love each other the same way.  He came to save us, to love us even though we are sick and the outsiders and we have his love regardless of what we’ve done. It’s hard and humbling to admit that we’re sick. I know. But once we get that, we have to know that others are feeling the same way. So we are called to love the outsiders too. To love those that are different, or don’t have what we have, or those who even have done us wrong.  


Parents, teachers, church leaders, middle school students- Please join us for these two special clubs:
April 7th OLD LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm (Bring your parent to club!)  Guest speaker- Dan Meers- KC Wolf
 
April 14th YOUNGER LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm (Middle school parents and students invited!) 

I Don't Understand God Sometimes

Last night students piled into our club room and we had a blast.  Dancing, singing, games, skits, and a message of truth.  This week we wrapped up our talk series- Questions students have about God.
We had a panel of leaders attempt to answer hard questions about God using truth from the Bible and truth from their own stories.  What a night.  What we have learned as leaders through this series is it is okay to say, "I don't know."  To also know that God is big enough for us to question him.  That it's okay to not understand God sometimes but life with him is worth it.  We closed our night with an incredible video that sums up all of this so well. 

Check it out:
I Don't Understand God Sometimes

I also want to personally invite you to attend a club and come and see what we are all about.  Try attending one or both of these dates.  Old Life will be a club where students invite their parents to observe YL Club, Dan Meers (KC Wolf will be giving the talk).  Younger Life will be a night were middle school students are invited to join us as well as any parents who are interested. 

April 7th OLD LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm (Bring your parent to club!)  Guest speaker- Dan Meers- KC Wolf
 
April 14th YOUNGER LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm-9:30pm  (Middle school parents and students invited!)

Big Questions

This semester we are in a series at YL Club attempting to answer hard questions students have about God.  Let me say this is difficult.  We are not God.  However, God is providing words, stories, and truth through the scriptures to guide us.  Last night I focused on the question:  Does God answer prayer?  I learn so much about who God is by stories, of my own life and the lives of others.  I shared the story of my back and power prayer being answered in that healing.  Along with the passage in Luke 18 of the persistent widow.  Also shared an incredible story of a former YL kid of mine and graduate of LSHS.  Check out her story here:  http://vimeo.com/64567340 Joanna also answered questions in an interview.   I asked her does God answer prayer?  Read her response below:

"That is a question I have asked myself many many times. Absolutely. Do I believe that it looks the way we want it to? Not usually. Wouldn't that be amazing if everything we asked to be taken away would do just leave? We have become a people of instant gratification. We don't see past the outcome that we have romanticized in our minds. But what we don't see is that the world is full of darkness and disease and sickness is outside of our Father. We wont be able to know why or how it all works bc we are not God."

Joanna's tumor has not grown in 3 years.  She is living for Jesus in a way that I find incredibly inspiring.

There was so much more shared.  I think kids walked away knowing that YES, God answers prayers but not always the way we think or expect.  We know that He listens.  He carries our heavy burdens.  He promises us to never leave.  He is beside us.  There is no wrong way to pray.  We can simply talk to God.  Ask, thank, listen, be still, pray for others, or even say sorry.  Prayer is powerful.

1 John 5:14 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he HEARS us. 

Family

I've spent some time praying and asking God what is the word you have for me this new year and this new semester.  Over and over  again I think of the word family.  I think of my life and my family.  I think of my son and husband and how much joy it is to call them my family.  I think of the delight it is to "share" them with others, to have YL alumni or leaders come around our table and eat with us, laugh at Otto throwing food with us, share conversations with us.  I feel God pushing me more to welcome in others into our own family.

If you ask YL students currently in LS what they love about YL they say it's...family.  I love that.  We want to be a place where the outsider feels like an insider.  Where students are welcomed into a family and feel wanted and accepted as they are.  Where they can discover at their own pace who they are and who Jesus is.  The verse that echos in my head daily is:
                                  
Psalm 68:6 God sets the lonely into families. 

I love our LS YL leader team.  I love our family meal before club where we fellowship together, laugh hard, and pray over our time with kids.  It is rich and full of goodness.  Each week there seems to be someone new who has wandered in and wants to be at the meal, who wants to be on the leader team, who wants to be in the family.  I'm thankful for those people.  We will continue to be a family to one another and offer the YL family to students.  We are glad to have kicked of this semester as a family. 

YL Leader Family (plus some YL friends :)

I got my back, back.

I wanted to officially send an update about my back and thank you for all the prayers.  I know that many were praying, loving, and helping us.  It was a wild ride.  But I am certain that God intervened and I am so grateful.  I keep dancing and skipping around saying, "I got my life back!" There is still so much that doesn't make sense but so much that does.  Here is bit of the timeline of events;

1.  Back kept going out last 2 months each time significantly worse than before.
2.  This last time was the worst.  Ended up seeing a Chiro and Orthopedic surgeon.
3.  MRI showed a ruptured disc and a bulging disc on my nerve roots.
4.  Ortho wanted to schedule 3 surgical procedures- 2 nerve blocks, and a nerve obliteration.
5.  Couldn't get a 2nd opinion due to no one would see me until Jan.
6.  Pain at highest point- ended up in ER.
7.  ER doctor gave us a referral to a spine specialist- neurosurgeon and gave me a lot of pain meds.
8.  Really struggled with how long this pain would last and how long recovery could be.
9.  Prayed a lot.  And throughout the steps above.
10.  Saw the neurosurgeon.  See the report I posted below:

"The neuro surgeon (spine specialist) read my MRI and saw me. He said I have no need for any procedure or surgery. He said that I have small disc bulge and it does not need anything. That my issues from pain all can't be explained but it is mostly all muscle related and basically a tendinitis of the muscle. I have a new med to help that. Have 6 weeks of limited movement and no heavy lifting and then begin core strength training. So praise God. I was scheduled for a surgery procedure for tommorrow... And got to cancel all of those!"

11.  Am carrying and lifting Otto!  Holding and rocking him and loving every minute.  :)  
12.  Living gratefully and enjoying things I've overlooked.  

Thanks for loving us through this.  I know it's not the last thing to come my way that's hard.  I know that some of you are in the midst of hard now.  I know that God listens, even when we don't think He is.  I know that He can work all things for good.  I know that God never leaves us and feels our pain with us.   I know that I matter and you matter to Him.  I know that I love my husband and his mad praying skills.  I love his heart for Jesus and his reliance on the Lord.  I know that it feels incredible to be surrounded by a community of loving people.  I know that when my hope runs low He puts others in life to step up and He offers hope.  

Everything comes from him;
Everything happens through him;
Everything ends up in him.
Always glory! Always praise!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.
Romans 11:36- Message

I Never....

I never thought I'd be writing you from my bed on bed rest from a bad back injury. I've been on my back and in excruciating pain for 9 days now.   I've not held my son since Dec 4th his first birthday.  I never thought my faith would be tested and my hope depleted as I try and find Him within me.  Now, reflecting back on this year with Young Life I never thought I'd see…

-  Adults join us for our leader dinner before club and beg to be a part of the YL team.

- 150-250 kids come to hear truth.

- A leader team that I love and that loves one another, and is exceptional.

- 50 of us go to rad dog road trip and love it.

- God using me while serving on jury duty in crazy ways.  (Ask me more)

- God using leaders to literally save the life a kid.

Needless to say, I am here in bed, longing for a full recovery and uncertain of the future, but this I know…

Life just got simple again. The Christmas hustle for gifts and busyness is gone. I just want to be able to walk and pick up my son. I didn't get to decorate the house or make cookies and that's okay.  I want to be with my family and see joy, feel hope, and celebrate the one who came to give it. I know there are times when our faith is tested; I’m in it now.  I know there are times when our hope supply runs low and can only come from the one who came to give us hope and life; I'm there.  I know He knows me and loves me.  I know He is powerful and mighty.  I know He makes things new.  I know He is the same yesterday and today.  He is a God of the ages. He told a man to pick up his mat and walk and he healed him inside and out. I know that He has given me friends and family to help find hope for me. I know that I matter to Him.

As I lay here I've had a lot of time to think. I think of this year. This year I've had a son and I am so thankful I'm struggling instead of him. I think of how much Jesus took our struggle on himself for each of us. I think about how much I love my YL family, from my assistant, Kim to the new freshman girls. I think I've had a great year seeing the goodness of The Lord in the land of the living.

Jesus is My Pilot

Have you seen the bumper sticker saying, "Jesus is my co-pilot?"  I think it's not the right phrase to slap on the back of your car and live by.  I think it should say, "Jesus is my pilot."  You see we are invited to let him fly our life, our plane, on the path he has for us, to see amazing things, to fly through dark clouds, to find joy and his presence in all things.  We are invited to let go of the controls and let Jesus pilot us.  To let him lead us as we follow him.

Yesterday on of our leaders, Curtis, shared an incredible metaphor with students of following Jesus is like flying a plane.  It was amazing and Jesus used Curtis to meet students where they are at and speak truth.  Curtis wrote a poem and shared it last night.  Take a moment to hear these beautifully written words of truth and life.  I'm so grateful to be a part of this ministry and to have a team of volunteers like Curtis love Jesus and students.

Recently, a pilot was practicing high-speed maneuvers in a jet fighter.
She turned the controls for what she thought was a steep ascent-
And flew straight into the ground.
See she was unaware that she was flying upside down,
And instead of pulling back up, into the sky,
She actually cut down, so hard she couldn’t eject,
And died.
Now what actually happened here?
She thought she was going up without any fear,
She was still confident, even with the ground so near,
Confident in her pattern of flight, 
That the way she was flying was up right,
And for a mindless mistake, something many would think simple, she paid the 
ultimate price. 
And just like this pilot- how many of us fly,
Full speed through our lives,
Not knowing which way is up?
It’s a difficult question,
Really this issue of direction,
How to fly your life so you can make a correction,
And be confident in your selection,
So you know without a doubt, which way is up.
You’d be surprised by the answer: It’s a simple connection.
It’s a connection. 
You see it fits together,
One made for another,
Like points that make a line,
Like the vertebrae of your spine,
Like when you’re cryin,
The predictable answer: I’m fine.  
But you’re not fine,
Don’t give me just another line. 
Because under further inspection,
I can see that lack of direction.
Your life spiraling begins, 
Caught in an upside down tail spin.
You’ve hit that wall
And call as you fall,
Faster and faster
Deeper your voice gets small,
Beating on your minds wall
But it’s too tall, and it’s fighting back.
So your engines stall. 
And now you can’t get it to restart.
That’s right, you can’t get it to restart
Because you need a new battery,
But wait, the verdict from the jury
“Wires crossed during
High-speed flight”
As the gavel comes down with a bang 
Your life, out like a light.
And as the judge turns to your attorney,
You scream at him, “Why can’t you help me?”
But the ruling is in. Done let the next case begin.
Another victim,
To internal assault and battery.
And then you realize,
Your attorney was you, and the jury too. 
Materialized by your desperate tries, and desperate lies.
Why can’t you help me?
Because me is yourself, all you did was take another book off the shelf,
Of your own mind.
Searching internally to find the answer,
You dodge questions like a dancer,
Spinning around,
But the trend is down if you keep your hand down,
To shy to ask a simple question. 
No this connection
You need to jump-start your engine, 
To stop your spin
Can’t be found by searchin
a library within. 
No this connection isn’t between metal and flesh,
Dragging one across the other so you may gain a little rest,
Externalizing the internal pain in your chest. 
No this connection isn’t about the way you dress,
Looking your best to try and impress,
The rest of us.
Or if not that just to fit in
Like a chameleon changing its skin
Just camouflaging 
To keep people dodging,
That question: What’s on the inside?
Guys this connection isn’t between you and a girl,
Girls this connection isn’t between you and a guy.
It’s not an expression visible
In anything you do physical. 
Understand what our culture feeds you is criminal.
But they don’t put nutrition facts on media,
So you could look up- Google or Wikipedia-
What they pour in your cup.
It’s nicotine and it will give you leukemia.
They tell you physical is typical
And neglect one syllable
About the atypical miracle you view as minimal.
But I can’t bring this to a close
Without telling you about the connection I chose. 
You see it’s the best present I could ever give you. 
The connection with His presence in your present,
A connection that gives your lost life a direction,
Up.
So no this connection can’t be found in money, clothes, or hoes,
You’re offered this connection because one man-
Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God- rose.
He rose to close your eyes to those
Unsatisfiable knives.
He rose to show you
You’ll never find fulfillment in material to clothe you.
But most importantly
He rose to know you.
To show you and to grow you
Into something you’ve never been
Seen or done.
He’ll give you a light from within,
As bright as the sun.
And he wants his connection to shine
To give other’s fruit from your vine,
And He’ll stand in line
Of the next bullet of your mind
That trigger- you want to pull it
To silence the voices in your head,
No, you aren’t better off dead.
Because he has plans for you,
Plans for good and not for disaster
To give you a future and a hope,
No, don’t just fly faster.
No, don’t for one second
Think it’d be better to plaster
Your mind on the wall, put down your weapon. 
Because the one that created you,
Has a bigger plan than
That dark cloud your mind flew through
Saying if you just ended it tonight,
It’d be alright if you were dead, 
Another fighter fallen victim to the flight in your head.
 
But He’s screaming at you
I NEED YOU.
I’ll show you a light,
That shines through that cloud,
So you can set your life up right,
So you can set your controls right,
I rose so I could pull you up
I rose to pull you up to my Son,
And save your flight, your life. 
So please, loosen the noose around the throat,
Of your mind, He knew you’d write that note
He knew you’d turn to that knife,
Even before you allowed him into your life. 
You see because even I didn’t know,
He’d pick me, 
A worthless man you see
To show you that you’re still needed.
That you’re still needed regardless of how impeded or depleted your flight 
path is.
I’ll live as a testimony, to show you, He can still grow you,
Up to that light, you can still pull up to His light, no matter how dark the night,
Like the rings around your eyes, as the enemies fist flies, despite your 
desperate tries, to dodge his words like knives, as he lists fault after fault.
BUT when you begin to faulter, as his blows halter, your advance to the light.
When you’ve hit that wall, when your engines stall, and your hope is growing 
small 
Know this
Jesus Christ, the living son of God, is chanting from your chest.
I’ll still fight
I’ll still fight
I’ll still fight
For you

(Curtis Edwards)