Where are YOU Standing?

I have been kind enough to be included in an organization who speaks in schools around the city about various hot topics.  Today we spoke about Dating Violence.  The students often have excellent insight and have experienced much of what we are describing or know someone who has suffered from this sort of trauma.  Today there was a young man who stood out to me.  He started our conversation by writing his phone number on the survey I gave him.  My eyes quickly told him I did not condone his behavior and he half heartedly scratched it out.  At the end of the talk he apologized for his behavior and talked to me a little about his life.  He comes from a loving Christian home but his family seems to be struggling financially and he is trying to help pick up the slack.  He talked about being a Christian and I asked him, "Are you comfortable riding the fence?  One foot in Christianity and one in the world?"  He gave me lots of excuses.  Truthfully I'm not sure his story is unique.  I am guilty of riding the fence.

I act like a Christian, I check the boxes, I do church on Sunday, I read my Bible, I send my kids to a Christian school, but I'm not sure I'm always on the right side of the fence.  There are lots of unsaved people who have seemingly great lives!!   I imagine the hardest thing I had to hear coming out of the kid's mouth today was not his double life, he said, "I had a friend who died and he didn't know the Lord."  He was blaming himself for not saving the kid's life.  That is a huge cross to carry.  I know I need to line up my priorities and stay the course.  Speaking to that young man reminded me how important it is to be a light and a beacon that is strong even in the densest fog.  The fog is when the ships need you the most.  When it gets really tough your faith and focus on the Lord is an example to the "ships" around you seeking direction.

Today during my presentation I received a text from a friend.  She needs a miracle like the one I witnessed yesterday.  A tragic accident involving her aunt  who is now fighting for her life with severe damage to her head and skull.  I know miracles happen.  Take a moment and pray for my friend's aunt or for someone you know who is going through stuff.  Physical, mental, emotional stuff can be that dense fog.  Stay focused on your Heavenly Father.  You Will Get Through This!

I thought this blog would be a light and fluffy post, but tonight it wrote itself.  I am thankful for the small reminders of the big things that make our lives different(Day 79).  The reminders of hope and a future in Christ.

Jeremiah 29:10-19

¹⁰ This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.^[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

¹⁵ You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” ¹⁶ but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷ yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸ I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse^[c] and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹ For they have not listened to my words,” declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

The first set of scriptures (10-14) talks about what he will do for his people and the second set(15-19) talks about what he will do to the people who enslaved his people.  Look at verse 11 where you talks about, "a hope and a future."  This is not unique to this scripture.  He wants this for each of us.  Stay the course.  Tonight I will be praying for Aunt Bonnie and restoration and super natural healing.  Goodnight Friends.