Be Different: Think Different

Today at youth group we started a new series called "Be Different", and the first week was all about Thinking Different. Oddly enough, as I sit back now and think about it, and how it went, I cant help to think about Sarah Prince, and the courage and strength that she continues to show day after day in South Africa to her friends, regardless of what they are going through. Today, I sat down and read her post (http://caseyandsarahafrica.blogspot.com/) about her friends Antoine and Mathy and Auntie Katie, and for the first time in a long time, I began to cry. How can people with such faith and such determination go through such struggle? It really began to put things in my life into perspective, and how unbelievably blessed I am. But what really got me is the amazing truth that Sarah was able to find in her friends struggles: God is always there. She talked about how God allows things to happen to people because he knows they can handle it.

I did a devotion while in South Africa about seeing the writing on the walls, and really needing God to put it out there, clearly for me to see. Today thats what happened. Ive been to focused on me lately to even take a step back and see Gods beauty. But today, that changed. Sara's thoughts really spoke to me, and assured me that no matter what struggles we go through, no matter how much we doubt, no matter how much we struggle, Christ is always there waiting with arms wide open, waiting for us to come to him.

Im really excited to see what comes about in the next few weeks, specifically with youth group. We will be getting into the topics of Acting Different, Speaking Different, and Loving Different. One of the things I love about doing youth ministry is that no matter how much I try to teach, I always end up learning more! This week was no different. Its time for me to really think different, about my life, my future and my faith. Ill end with my favorite passage in the Bible, one that really helps calm my fears.

2nd Corinthians 4:16

"Therefore we do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day after day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. "

Matt