Whew! What a week! On Tuesday, our friends to the south at Focus on the Family announced a reduction in force by close to 200. They are completely cutting their teen and youth programs. Many hard-working, Christ-serving, wonderful folks are facing unemployment during a national economic crisis.
That same day, I headed to Tennesse. The majority of the trip was focused on attending the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville. As we met with various ministry leaders, they too were feeling the pressures of these uncertain times. Attendance at events is shrinking, donations are drying up. But in the midst of it all, what I saw and heard over and over was ministry leadership fervently pursuing wisdom.
I truly believe that God is working amongst His people to focus them on His will. It seems that many have become distracted – maybe even by good things and with pure motives – but distracted from what God has called them to do.
Dare 2 Share is going through this process too. Only we started about 9 months ago in response to a board directive. The board’s timing was not coincidence. If this process would have started any later, we may well have been hit just as hard if not harder than many of our friends. Thank You Father, for convicting the hearts of the Godly men you have called to our board.
Proverbs 17:24 says,
Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom. But a fools eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
Please pray with me for our leadership as we continue to work through this process. We need God’s wisdom now more than ever.
Check out this post by my good friend and pastor, Rob Kelly.
Thanks Rob, for the reminder of Who we are in Christ!
Of all the week’s in our nation’s history, I can’t think of a better time for Christians to really SHINE!
I began my study this morning diving into Philipians 2. I knew that our message today would be based on the passage and it also contains my “life verses” (vs. 3-5). But within the hour I was finding myself camping on vs. 14-18 and really trying to understand Paul’s message to the church of Philippi (and us).
Here he is in prison, probably awaiting his trial or something and he decides to write about how everything should be done without complaining or arguing. Why? So that this world could see “bright lights” and so that no matter what happens to him, he will know that the message and teaching he brought to them was not in vain. Hold firm, he says, and rejoice.
Well, that’s convicting! These past few weeks before the election have shown the world everyone’s true colors — and unfortunately, it’s not pretty. Not only has there been backstabbing and vicious mudslinging against the two “sides,” but even believers are arguing with each other. And when they are not arguing, my fellow co-laborers for Christ are complaining! Over and over I have heard… “Well, what are we going to do if…” Yeah, I’m guilty too.
Obviously, I have no idea what the outcome will be. But I do know one thing – we (Christians, that is) have a tremendous opportunity before us. SHINE! Rejoice! God will not be surprised by the result. He will still be very much in control. And who knows, maybe we will all be motivated to share Jesus with a bit more urgency than we have in the past.
Father – we pray for this nation’s leadership, no matter who ends up in the oval office. And I pray for all of us to remember how You have called us to live… as “bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Amen.
Leading & Learning 