Answers Within the Precious Pages

The following is a sneak peak at what I wrote for the newsletter that will soon be coming out.  If you'd like to receive these newsletters (about 5 per year) by email or snail mail, let me know.

Since my involvement with Living Hope’s 6^th-12^th graders began about four years ago, a certain thought has kept me persevering.  It is always in the back of my mind, but I remember two specific instances when this idea came with an overwhelming force, leaving a lasting impact.  The first time was two years ago at a girls slumber party.  As I listened to the girls share about their lives, I heard a lot of pain, hurt, and anger.  I could read between the lines that they did not believe they would be able to keep themselves pure for the marriage bed.  Perceiving that they did not understand their incredible value and did not yet grasp who their God really was and the massive impact that could have on their lives, I inwardly grieved.  As I looked down at my treasured Bible, the realization came so suddenly and strongly: These girls are suffering and struggling, and the answer to all of it lies within these precious pages.

Last weekend we took 13 of our students on a retreat to a beautiful camp in northern Wisconsin.  Having a lot of time with the kids, I was impacted again by the places of pain and brokenness many of them come from.  There were stories of absent fathers, family strife, divorce, violence, anger, and deep depression.  I had heard much of it before in isolated tidbits, but to have so much pain all in one place brought a heaviness that kept me awake at night.  The first night by about 1 a.m. I realized that sleep was not coming; it was time to have a talk with my Father.  I climbed out of bed and sat in the cabin’s hallway, fingering my Bible and feeling the weight of that thought from two years before.  The answers to the anger, guilt, pain, and despair that weigh down on these kids are found in this Book—and in its Subject, Jesus Christ.

Our theme for the retreat was “The Cross”, and we were camping out on Isaiah 53 all weekend.  I read it again: “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (vv. 4a, 5, NIV).  Thankfulness washed over me--Jesus came to carry the weight of all our sorrow and every sin—not only our own, but sins that have been committed against us!  It was a comfort that I could roll the burden of these kids’ sorrows onto the strong back of my Savior and trust His healing power in their lives.

Many beautiful things happened that weekend, but there is still a long journey ahead.  As we meet each Wednesday night, our 20+ participants are being challenged to encounter God as they hear and read the precious pages of God’s Word.  It is a privilege to work with these students, and I am blessed to see God at work in their lives.  Pray that each one will come to Jesus for cleansing, healing, and the filling of the Spirit.  He is more than able to make them whole, joyful, united, and obedient disciples of Christ.