youth

Remember Your Creator

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” — before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain. – Ecclesiastes 12:1-2

I was reading these verses last night before bed and I was struck by the incredible wisdom is King Solomon’s words.

A friend of mine in college had told me once how as the years passed by in her mom’s life, her love and passion for God faded away. She told me how her mom was once “on fire” for God, but how that fire was extinguished because “life just happened.”

I remember thinking, Oh I don’t want that to ever happen to me. How sad.

Little did I know as a college student just how much life would happen… to me. As I got older, I started to understand and sympathize with my friend’s mom. I’m seven years out of college and I’ve gone through my share of suffering, trouble, trials, and pain. Life has squeezed me in ways I never thought it could and at times I’ve been tempted to throw in the towel in following God’s ways.

As I read these verses I realize that I’m still in my youth so to say. I’m healthy (as far as I know), just about to reach 30, have young kids, and I’m able to draw upon the Lord whenever I want. God has given me the strength emotionally, spiritually, and physically to do so.

But Solomon reminds me that there will be a day when it might not be easy to call upon God. “Days of trouble” will happen. That could mean old age, a disability, sickness, handicap- anything that is a barrier to enjoying life to its fullest. Solomon is saying to enjoy God in your youthful years, when your strength is still available to do so.

He pleads for us not to waste our life on evil or meaningless things that can cause our hearts to harden. These could be things that are good, that we find great pleasure in, but can turn into idols. These can also be things that can distance us from God.

Solomon pleads with us to focus on the Eternal, rather than the temporal, worldly pleasures that beckon us in our youth. The pleasures that try to snag and pull us away from God.

The bottom line is that there is no room for excuses, no matter how hard life can get. Loving and knowing God begins right now, while I have been given the strength and everything I need to pursue Him.

Made to Make a Difference with Max Lucado

For the past few months, our creative team at Bluefish TV has been in the process of creating three video-driven youth Bible studies with Francis Chan, Max Lucado, and Doug Fields. In early August, the studies released and it’s been so neat to see the final outcome. I had a blast writing copy, editing, finding real-life stories, and networking with some really great people on this project.

Made to Make a Difference was the Bible study we worked on with Max Lucado and his daughter Jenna. This study in particular is so unique as it challenges students to get beyond themselves and to step out and make a difference in the lives of others.

Here is a 2 minute glimpse into the study. I get chills every time I watch it. I hope you’ll pass the info along to anyone you know involved in the lives of youth.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSvCA_wXTU8&feature=player_embedded]

Kristin’s Miracle House

at_the_gatesI just finished transcribing one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever heard (that will be included in our Bluefish 2010 Youth Series releasing in the fall). Kristin Elliott (her middle name happens to be Elizabeth- reminding me of the missionary Elisabeth Eliott) is no typical young woman.

Elizabeth grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian school but desperately wanted a story of hope to give to others. At the end of her high school career, she found a lump in her leg. The lump ended up being a cancerous tumor. A life-threatening one. She was operated on and the Make A Wish foundation found out about her. They came to her house and allowed her to grant one wish. She could either meet someone (a celebrity), go somewhere, or have something (an object). She told them she wanted to build an orphanage in Africa. They were perplexed. They’d never had a request like that from anyone. They went back to their headquarters to see what they could work out.

Her desire for an orphanage went back to the need Kristin saw on a special on TV. She thought that someone needed to go to them and that she could be it. So her and her family decided to take a trip to Africa shortly after her operation. She wanted to meet the needs of those children who didn’t have a home or love. When she returned from the trip, she was rediagnosed with this dangerous form of cancer and it was now in her lungs. She was operated on again. Doctors were able to get all of the cancer out. Around that time, Make a Wish responded to her and they were able to give her their maximum amount of money (around 2k) to jump start her funds towards the orphanage in Africa.

The news then got a hold of her story and many people began donating to her wish. She raised the 60k that was needed to build the orphanage and then some. The orphanage would hold 12 orphans and 2 adults to oversee the home.

Kristin began to heal and is now cancer free.  She’s in her first year at Baylor and has had opportunities to spread the hope of Christ just as she prayed for- even though cancer may not have been her first choice.

I’m just blown away by Kristin’s heart. She experienced the most difficult trial of her life and yet she was willing to give of herself fully (reminding me so much of the life of Christ). A dream was fulfilled that she never would have imagined coming true at only 18 years old. Her legacy will certainly be marked in Zambia forever, as the house for orphans is now called Kristin’s Miracle House.

This young girl has definitely inspired me today.

Check out Kristin’s site and story here.

Switch to mobile version