Plan B

Have you ever wondered, "Does God have any knowledge let alone plan for my broken life?"

We had quite the experience driving home for Christmas this year. The transmission in our van had been slipping. I took it to the shop on Friday knowing we were planning to leave on Saturday. The shop replaced a switch and it seemed to be working again. The next morning it was slipping again. I decided to go ahead and drive to Idaho and get it fixed there while we were visiting my folks. So we loaded up and took off. 2.5 hours later the transmission is gone and we are sitting on the side of the road calling roadside assistance. What are we going to do now God? I prayed about this, I thought it was going to be OK. What do we do now?

Well God had a plan B for the trip. First a little Subaru from Montana pulled up with two bible school students in it. A lovely woman in here 40s and a young college student. They prayed over us and then took Laura and Lorelai all the way to Postfalls where my mom picked them up arriving at my parents house at 3am. It was a good thing too, because I sat on the side of I-84 for 3 hours before the tow came and didn't get back to Portland until 2am. Big thanks to my friends who brought me home at 2am!

I made a dumb choice, I knew the transmission was slipping, a friend had offered to let me take his car (which I did the next day with mine in the shop), and I went anyway. Yet God still worked with me any way, he took care of us through his body of believers.

In Job 39 God speaks of his intimate knowledge of some of his creatures. Well he questions Job about them in ways that show his intimate knowledge of them. One of the things I find interesting in this passage is some of the instincts these animals posses are post fall instincts. The war horse charging into battle, the eagle feeding its young on the blood of other creatures. These were not things these animals were created to do before the coming of sin. We know this because death is a result of sin and there is a promise of the time to come when lamb will lay down with the lion and have no fear.

So God knows the state of the post fall animal kingdom and he gives them the instincts they need for plan B. Just as he know the state of the post blowing up of my transmission and had a plan B. This goes even further of course. God knows us as intimately as the animals mentioned in this chapter of Job. In the same way he moves in them and adapts to provide for them so he does for us.

Maybe you feel like you are on plan Z by now. May you find the faith to know God knows you and he has a plan and a purpose for you. For it is by grace we are saved through faith which in itself is a gift from God lest anyone should boast. We are his handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus to do the things he has planned for us from the beginning.

Lean into God today ask him to move you in his ways and may you find his provision new every morning.

Do you remember the day you were born?

Can anyone out there remember the face of the doctor when they popped out of the womb?

They day of my daughter Lorelai's brith is painted vividly in my mind. I remember getting up in the middle of the night with the contractions, getting in the car driving a block to the hospital, getting checked in, going to Walmart for the supplies for a long wait, the face of the doctor, the two epidurals, Laura giving birth (I will spare you the details), Lorelai's little and red grasping hands. I can see it all right now as I write this. It is all very clear to me, I don't have to make anything up or take anything on faith. I know what happened.

But I have to admit I remember nothing of my own birth. I know where I was born the town, the hospital, and I obviously know who my parents are, but I don't remember any of this from that day. I don't know what the doctor's face looked like, I know a few of the details of labor only because I have been told what happened. But I don't remember a thing, I would assume you don't remember anything about your birth either even though we were there.

God begins to speak in Job chap 38, "Who is it that darkens my counsel? Who speaks empty words without knowledge? Brace yourself up like a man. I will question you and you will answer me." God then begins to lay out the laws of nature and the calling of things into existence. As he describes placing the boundaries of the ocean and the foundations of the earth he says to Job, "surely you were there, surely you are old enough and know the things of which I speak." The obvious answer is no, we weren't there. Job wasn't there, you and I weren't there.

We speak so confidently of things we do not "know." We did not watch the world form. We weren't there whether it was the day of a big bang or the day when God spoke. Yet we have debates about it all the time speaking with the authority of one who stood there and watched it happen. The big bang relies of the reasoned theories of man, from the things we have observed and tested in this day and age, drawing what conclusions we may. Creation relies on the words of scripture, like this passage in Job, telling us what happened.

Both of these theories of origin depend on a decision of faith. Do we choose to believe in the proposed conclusions of the scientific observation? Do we choose to believe the words of scripture as the words of the God who was actually there and did these things? They both come down to faith, because we weren't there.

I know the story of my birth from listening to the words of my parents. The ones who were there. I choose to believe God is real, from the evidences in my life and the amazing ways the words of scripture have been ratified through history. So I'm choosing to listen to the words of my heavenly Father, because in faith I believe he was there.

Either way when we talk about our origins, I would pray we do it with the humility of faith, knowing neither one of us was there. We may be the one darkening God's counsel and speaking words with out knowledge. I choose to trust in his knowledge and lean into his wisdom. I brace myself up like a man and listen to the words God has to share.

Introducing God

Anyone ever introduced God and then had him show up?

My wife as many of your know is a singer songwriter. She has a couple of CDs out and her own website www.laurawhidden.com. As she has done concerts over the last 12 years I have introduced her many times. She is a woman of great talent, an international touring artist, and opened for the likes of Scott Krippayne. The most important however is her mission statement; through her music she desires to inspire the awe of God which leads to worship, repentance, and relationship. Now here she is Laura Whidden.

Its fun to introduce her and then have people clap as she comes on stage. I know they are in for some good music, a fun show, and a chance to hear about what God can do in someone's life. Laura will sing songs interspersed with stories, she will write a song in concert with the audience and then invite them to come back home to be with their heavenly Father. She is all about worship, repentance, and relationship with God. I have to say though I have never seen a whirlwind come up afterwards and God speak out of it.

In Job chap 37 Elihu begins to describe God in the shape of a storm. I have a feeling he was inspired by the storm that was currently gathering. He speaks of God's thunderous voice, bringing snow and rain, and sweeping the land clean with his wind. He still has some things in here I don't agree with, hinting once again at the punishment of the wicked with the use of nature and then his love when he waters the earth. This once again is dangerous ground. I don't believe Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment of New Orleans, not do I believe when the rain doesn't come it means God doesn't love us. But even with Elihu's imperfect description of who God is he gets to introduce God. Because the next chapter starts with, "Then God spoke out of the whirlwind."

I think about the times when Laura does a concert, when we have lead worship music together, or when I have gotten up to speak about God to the minds and hearts of a congregation. There are mysterious moments when God shows up. You can feel his presence and the conviction that comes into the hearts of those there is far beyond what my words can do. I know my words and stories, and Laura's songs are not perfect descriptions of God just as Elihu's fall short, but somehow God shows up.

I don't think Elihu had any idea God was really in that whirlwind, he was just using it to illustrate his point. He didn't think Job should call out to meet with God. No man was worthy to ask for an audience with God in his opinion. Yet in his imperfect theology and understanding he gets to introduce God. Amazing!

May we recognize the opportunities we have to introduce God to those around us. Using whatever words, songs, or actions we have at our disposal. May our lives bring an awe of God which leads to worship, repentance, and relationship.

The arrogance of Youth

Have you ever thought, "man those old guys are just out to lunch?"

I think this is a common problem among youth in general, but especially young pastors. I love the looks I get from students when I suggest something they just know isn't going to work, or be cool, or whatever. I know the look because I have given it to my senior pastor way to many times myself. "You really think I should just keep things running along without having a vision in place, it would be way better just to stop everything and start over don't you think?" And yet low and behold he was right.

With my students the looks they give me usually come from not understanding what I am talking about or not having the experience of knowing how these things go. The truth is they and I often find out we just don't know what we are talking about. There are many times I learn things from my students and my senior pastor has followed my lead on something that have turned out well. Paul writes to Timothy and tells him don't let people despise you because you are young, but be an example in faith, life, and purity. Youth is neither completely foolish nor completely wise as it is with age.

But Elihu makes an outlandish statement in Job chap 36. "One with perfect knowledge is with you." At least he says he got his knowledge from someone other than himself, but still "one with perfect knowledge?" This boy has been taking arrogance pills. he has some good things to say about the awesomeness of God, but his world view is so skewed. Job is suffering therefore he must have sinned. We know its not true in this story from the first few chapters of the book.

How often are we so convinced of our own world view and yet it turns out we are completely wrong? This is one of the reasons I feel so inadequate on my own to stand up and speak to a congregation. Who am I to talk to people about God and their lives? By what authority do I stand here and speak into the minds and hearts of men? The only thing I have to stand on is the world of God. My experiences shift and change as do my feelings. I need the bible to help me interpret them. By the comparison of my life and scripture I then have some basis of truth to live by and to share with others.

There are many times when we will get it wrong, whether we are young or old. I pray today first of all we would compare our lives with the story of scripture and second we would be willing to fully admit when we have it wrong. I also pray we would never have the arrogance to say, "one of perfect knowledge is here with you today." I suppose you could say it if you wanted to get laughed right off the stage.

Can God hear us when we are bad?

Do we hear the cries of our children when they have gotten themselves in trouble?

When I was about 12 I got picked up for shoplifting. Surprising I know, Pastor Cory arrested for shoplifting, but it's true. I have told this story before so I won't go into much detail this time. I remember sitting in the police station of my little town while the sheriff was calling our parents. I remember the response my friend got from his dad,"I should just leave him in jail over night so he can learn his lesson"(He came anyway). My parents came and picked me up, the car ride home was very quiet. I don't remember much more punishment then what the state was giving me.

As I look back on it now, I am grateful my parents came and picked me up that night. There was no, "leave him in there" comments. They came and got me and they listened to me when I told them what had happened even though I was in the wrong, I had disobeyed them and the state, and I had gotten my friend in trouble right along with me.

In Job chap 35 Elihu makes a crazy assertion. He says God doesn't listen to the wicked. He starts with asking rhetorically if God is affected by our sin and righteousness. The answer for him is no, only other men are affected by such things. Then he says God doesn't even give us the time of day. When we are wicked he doesn't heed us one bit.

For one thing I think he is arguing against himself, if our sin and behavior doesn't effect God, then why does Elihu say God punishes us for it. If God was truly detached from us he would just leave us alone completely. And then to say God only pays attention to us and to our prayers when we are good is crazy talk. What kind of Father, let alone a father in heaven, would God be if he ignored us when we are good or bad.

I believe in a God who loves his children, who listens to their cries, and who came down to the police station, was born as a baby, lived on this earth, and died on the cross to pick us up. He has no intention of leaving us down here to wrought in prison. He is coming back again to save us, to take us home.

Today may we see the heart of and intimate God who is involved in the lives of his children and will take them home. He listens to our every prayer no matter what condition we have gotten ourselves into.

Jesus loves me when I'm good, when I do the things I should. Jesus loves me when I'm bad even though it makes him sad. Yes Jesus loves me! Yes Jesus loves me! Yes my Jesus loves me! The bible tells me so.

Who...is the king of the earth?

If this is the kingdom of heaven...then it God really is a mess.

I went to workout this morning at Portland Adventist Academy with some men of God and good buddies of mine. When we walked into the dungeon of a weight room in the basement of the school we noticed an interesting dichotomy. Glancing in the guys locker room we discovered a mess. All kinds of stuff on the floor; shoes, trash, dress shirts and ties, dirty socks and the odor went right along with it. So just out of curiosity we knocked and looked in the girls locker room. The floor was clean everything was in order, the dirty jersey's were in a laundry hamper the trash in the trash can and there was even a nice smell permeating the room. When I look at those two rooms it would be silly to blame the principal of the school for the mess or lack of mess in those rooms. The responsibility falls on the teams for their own space.

I think this is true of the planet we call home as well. There are parts of this world where things are well maintained and cared for. There are parts of this world where chaos reigns. Is it really fair to blame the God of the universe for the mess or lack of mess in this world he has given us? Even more so we are the ones who chose to give dominion to the enemy of God, so why are we surprised when suffering and godlessness reign.

In Job chap 34, Elihu continues is tirade against Job. He accuses Job of speaking as the wicked do, saying there is no benefit to serving God, which isn't true at all, Job never said he wasn't going to keep serving God. Elihu goes on to speak of the justice of God, God reigns over the earth so everything taking place is for his divine justice. Therefore once again Job needs to be schooled in what he has done wrong and accept his punishment, coming back to God so he can be blessed once more.

God is sovereign, he could wipe out all of humanity if he wanted to as Elihu suggested and and as the flood basically did, but he chooses not to. This world is under the reign of an adversary and the mess he and we make of this locker room has little to do with God. It was our responsibility to care for this place and each other, we gave the rule over to someone else. So now we are left with caring for each other in the middle of the mess.

May we take responsibility for our lives today and the care we can bring to other people. And when uncontrollable suffering strikes I pray we would give credit where credit is due...to the guy we put in charge.

There is a time coming as Job himself cried out for, when we will see our savior in the flesh and God's justice will once again reign when this kingdom of earth is restored to the kingdom of heaven. Oh how sweet the smell will be on that day!

If you agree...then you can speak

How often do we push our point until we are agreed with?

Do you remember as a kid getting in trouble for saying shut-up. Back in the day with the "s" word meant something else. "We don't say that word jonny, it's not nice." It seems we still say it in different ways. When we just keep talking, we don't listen, and we push our point until the person or people we are talking too acquiesce to our request.

Elihu in Job chap 33 basically tells Job to shut-up, unless Job is willing to agree with him. He goes on and on describing how Job's suffering must be the work of a persistent God trying to set Job strait, to get him to confess some hidden sin. This must be the reason. So he tells Job to sit quiet and listen while he teaches him. Unless he speaks in a way which shows he agrees with Elihu and is willing to confess his sin. Otherwise Job, shut-up!

I am reminded of the article Rich Mullins wrote about the nuts and bolts of Christianity. He told of how he had a conversation with his friend. He explained all the nuts and bolts of Christianity to him and he did it so effectively his friend couldn't comeback with any sort of argument on the subject. Then the friend said to Rich, "I just don't want to believe in your Jesus." There was nothing more to be said at that point.

What do we do when people don't agree with us? Do we keep pounding them done until they do? I guess the more significant question is, are we aware of them enough to slow down and actually find out what is on their heart and mind. If we give all the arguments in the world to prove our point, but don't know where they are coming from or what they want out of life, how will we ever speak to their need.

When we go to by a car we check out the mileage, the price, the mechanical engineering. But when it comes down to it we decide on it based on our needs and whether we like the color or not. We need to know the needs of the people around us and understand them if we are ever to articulate the gospel in a way they will accept it.

May we learn to see the need of those around us, understand who they are, and then share the picture of God from the vantage point and perspective that will make the greatest difference in their lives. We won't have to worry about trying to get them to shut-up because the will be so interested in what we have to say for the need that will be met in there lives.

Holding our breath vs. gaining understanding

Have you ever felt like you had words waiting to burst out of you?

When I was a kid I was a pretty extra-ordinary swimmer for my age. I suppose I'm not too bad now either. My mom had the perpetually late gene passed down to her from her mother. We would inevitably arrive at swimming lessons 5, 10, 15 minutes late. I would run into the pool, change, and run out to the deck. The swimming instructor would tell me what the laps we had for the day and I would dive in and get started. Usually I was able to finish the laps before the rest of the class even though I had arrived late.

One of my other swimming skills was holding my breath. I would attempt to Grab a big breath of air and swim the width of the pool. This be came easier and easier. I began to swim across and back under the water. Then I began to swim the length of the pool under water. I started by using the diving board and going half way, two thirds, then the whole length. Finally I could start with a push off of the wall and swim the whole length of the pool underwater.

When I first started I remember the burn in my lungs as I reached the half way point. I would explode to the surface gasping for breath. Must..have..air. But as I "trained" the burn got less and less, I could go further and further to the point where I could calmly come up from the water at the end of the pool.

When I read Job 32 I was reminded of this experience. Elihu just can't keep it in any longer. He just has to open his mouth. The other three older men have given their arguments to Job and failed. They are silent now. Elihu must speak his lungs are burning with the words he has been holding inside. It's not age or experience that gives you wisdom, it's God's spirit, says Elihu.

This description betrays the young man in my mind. If he is bursting with his argument it means he has been forming it this whole time. If he has been forming the whole time he hasn't been able to listen very well. You know this is the way we communicate, we pause in a argument only long enough to form our next statement of attack. We can't really be listening fully to the other person let alone trying to understand them if we are just planning what we are going to say next.

If we can learn not only to wait our turn, which Elihu did, but to listen as well then we will be able to speak with calm understanding words. Job needed understanding, he needed to know his pain was being felt and understood by those around him. Elihu was unable to give understanding because he was too focused on holding his own breath trying not to explode rather than listening to Job. He may have listened enough to fuel his fire and quote Job a few times to make his point, be he did not understand Job.

May we learn to listen today, to really listen. There are times to speak with passion to say the things which must be said, but only after the person we are listening to has been understood. I pray we would be able to listen to God today as well seeking understanding rather than reading just enough to get our devotional time in.

"No I'm not!!!"

Do you have anything you have been denying for just way to long?

Our daughter is learning the art of lying quite well. I don’t think she is so much lying intentionally, although she does sometimes. She just wants to be perceived as a good girl, she did what she was supposed to do. For example, when she comes out of the bathroom, we ask her if she has washed her hands. She says yes. We know she hasn’t because we didn’t hear the water run. She wants to be compliant so she says yes because it’s what she is suppose to say. When then say we didn’t even hear the water you need to go wash your hands. She comes back out with her hands still wet enough to convince us as she says, “See I washed them” and puts her wet hands on whatever part of us she can reach to prove her point.

Sometimes we deny something good we haven’t done or something bad we have done just to keep up appearances. In chap 31 Job is making a long list of the things deserving judgment if he had ever done them. This list includes looking on another man’s wife lustfully, giving worship to the sun or moon, not caring for the poor or strangers. The last one on his list is hiding his sin for the good standing if the eyes of others. He says,” if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart 34 because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside.”

The truth is it usually works out better if we have done something wrong we might as well some out with it. We are not going to be upset with Lorelai if she didn’t wash her hands, we will simply encourage her to go back in and wash her hands. She has learned this now and is more willing to admit she hasn’t or run back into the bathroom to wash her hands.

Sometimes we think if we just pretend we didn’t do the one thing that hurt that one person at that one place it will all just go away. The only thing we accomplish by not admitting the wrong we have done is lessening the relationship with the person we hurt. They know we did it, we aren’t actually hiding it from anyone. It’s the same way with those “secret sins.” God already knows we did them all we do by not admitting them to God or bring them out into the open is lessen our relationship with God.

We feel less inclined to speak to him, to share life with him and receive life from him. If we could just let those hidden things out to God and to the people around us whom they have affected a lot of wounds and relationships would be healed. Confess your sins one to another, says James, so you might be healed.

God knows we haven’t washed out hands, he didn’t heard the water running. He doesn’t want us to confess so he can punish us. He wants us to admit it so we can be cleansed and healed. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

May we find the freedom today to come out of hiding and how our relationships with God and each other deepened rather than lessened.

Doing unto others what they have done unto us.

Are we training the rejected to become the rejectors?

It seems like maybe I have shared some of this story before, but it fits so well I have to do it again. I was not part of the popular group in high school. I wanted to be, but I just wasn't. I wasn't a jock I was an artist. The first half of my freshman year was pretty lonely. I was trying to find a group of friends to belong to. It just wasn't working, I wasn't able to break in, I felt like I was on the outskirts looking in.

The second half of the year I found my group of friends. The guys and girls who were also on the outside looking in. We found each other and wouldn't you know it we ended up doing the same thing that had been done to us. We became exclusive. I remember one particular shameful experience when we even kicked out one guy from our group because according to us he was misbehaving in some way. I remember thinking it was wrong then, but doing nothing about it. We just stopped hanging with him and then actually told him to get lost.

In Job 30 for about the first 15 verses or so, this same phenomena seems to be described. There is a group of men in Job's world who have been rejected by society, pushed out to the edges like dogs in a junkyard. They are now creeping back into Job's society and dishing out the same rejection they have experienced from society. Job's name becomes a byword to them, they spit on him and ridicule him.

You might think the group who has experienced rejection would have the most compassion or empathy for those who end up in the same circumstances as they are in. But it seems to go the other way around. The abused become the abusers, the accused become the accusers, the rejected become the rejectors.

I just had a great breakfast with the bible teachers from PAA. We were talking about some of the tough things the students there are going through and wondering how we can better support them. One of the situations we talked about were the kids who were on the outskirts. Some of them are still at this point the friendliest kids on campus, but they are taking a difficult dosage of rejection right now. I hope and pray they don't become bitter and begin doing unto others what has been done to them.

Donald Miller describes an allegory as to why this might be happening. We live in a life boat mentality. The ship of life is going down and we feel the panic of it all. There isn't enough room in the life boat so we have to prove we are worthy to get in. One of the easiest ways for us to do this is reject others, point out why they shouldn't make the cut or just shoulder them out by ignoring them and moving in front of them.

The truth is though, there is plenty of room for everyone in the boat of life and the boat of salvation. This is the paradigm Jesus is trying to teach us. Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. There is room in the boat for everyone. In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. There is nothing to separate us from the love of Christ we are all invited, we are all included, we are all part of the in crowd.

It is a challenge to me to set aside my evaluations of people and welcome all with open arms. It is easy to walk into Walmart and look around at the crowd and think, "man I'm glad I'm not like them." But I am, I'm there too. We are all the same, we are all invited into the same boat.

If you are on the outskirts, don't let those inside teach you how to act, don't become the rejectors. If you are inside open up the circle, make it broader and look for those who are on the outside. We usually aren't being exclusive on purpose, we just don't see. So open your eyes and see, open your heart and love, open your friendship and receive. We just might be surprised by the amazing friendships waiting to be had if we would break open our circle.

Pastor's Prayer retreat day 3: Intimate Friendship (job 29)

How fast do you swing spiritually?

It's amazing to me how in one day I can swing from one end of spiritual high to spiritual low. Today was our day alone with God. So I got up read my bible prayed and then headed for a walk on the beach. A long walk on the beach. I was listening to John Eldredge's book Way of the Wild at Heart. In this book John describes the different stages of the masculine journey; beloved son, cowboy, warrior, lover, king, and sage. I was on the chapter where he talks about the king stage of life. This is the place in life where a man receives his kingdom.

When we were created by God in the beginning we were created with the intention that we would rule this earth. We would be the stewards, we would take care of things here for God (Gen chap 1&2). But we gave our reign up when Adam decided to follow Satan instead of God. Part of God restoring us is he is giving us back the kingdom he intended for us. It is a natural thing for a man to come to the place where he receives a kingdom to serve as ruler. This might come in being promoted at work, beginning to pastor a church, having a family. There are many different realms for this stage.

John goes on to say many men are wounded at kings, it might be beat out of them, maybe they were never given any responsibility growing up, or maybe they were given responsibility too much too soon. If dad left or was absent a young boy might have been made the man of the house too young. Any of these wounds might lead to a man not being able to be the king he is meant to be. We might have a kingdom only to use the spoils for ourselves or we might just not take responsibility at all afraid we will mess it all up. At times like these we might find we have disengaged from the kingdom God has given us.

So John calls men to rule, step up and serve your kingdom, don't let it flounder, don't just hoard the spoils for yourself, get up, get engaged, and serve. I got all excited about this. I have had some rough times at church lately with some criticism and other things. My mind has wandered a little to what might be next in my future. But God has placed me here and given me this kingdom to serve in, so I need to be a king here and now.

I started making plans and visioning for the future. We are going to set the students free to live, its going to be great, its going to be exciting and I am ready to go for it. I was walking so fast along the beach in my excitement I almost missed the most amazing tide pools. Then the tide pools and the life teaming in them jumped right into my vision as well. God wants us to be so full of life. YEAH!!!

I get done with my walk, I go find something to eat, my endorphins go back to normal, and I crash. I had this great vision, I am trying to write it down and make it great. It's just not working. The ideas are there and they are still good, but the steam is gone. I came back to my room, prayed through it, and fell asleep.

How do we go from the highs to the lows so quickly? Job is going through the same thing in chap 29. He is remembering the days when life was great. He would walk into town and everyone would be cheered by his presence. They would listen to what he had to say and find joy when he would show up because he would always offer his help. He took care of the poor and the widows, he gave to those who had need, he fought for the oppressed. He comes to the place where he says he remembers those days when he enjoyed an intimate friendship with God. Where he is now the friendship seems to have gone.

Job had lost his family, his livelihood, his wife, he lost it all and he was feeling the darkness. I lose my endorphins and I feel like I'm in darkness.

God is still there though. God is still here now, he still is my friend. He is the one who made me his friend, he is the one who called me to serve this kingdom. I am glad to have his promises in these times when I don't have the endorphins any more. I know God is still here and I know he will go home with me.

I also know he is already setting students free. He has let me be part of this amazing vision already and he will continue to make it happen through the highs and lows. I lost two student leaders tonight. They are burned out and engaged in other things. I understand and I accept it and I love them deeply. It's sad, I will miss them. I know God is still with them and he is still with me. God is setting us free and he will continue to do so for me and for all my student leaders, both those who go and those who stay.

For good or for bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part God is there. And then after death he is still there and we are still his friends each day growing closer and closer, more and more intimate.