God Made Me to Shine

by Devin Dummel

We were all created differently.

Seems like a pretty simple observation doesn’t it?  In a world where disagreement seems normal one of the things we all can agree on, is that in so many ways we are very different.

I have two sons, and despite both having the same genetic material contributed they couldn’t be more different.  And while we didn’t have a clue what we were doing in raising our first son, we still don’t have much of an idea of what we are doing – so that eliminates the nurture debate.

I look at both of my sons, whom I love with all my heart, and think how could they be so different?  They are nearly opposite ends of every spectrum.  How does that happen when nature and nurture are so closely aligned?  What’s the purpose of all of our differences?

In Genesis there’s the story of the first time humans ever brought life into the world.  And if you’ve ever been in a delivery room, the moment a baby is born you know just how magical that moment truly is. 

After nine months of struggle, and countless hours of breathing exercises, and unbearable pain, Adam and Eve share the first of these magical life-giving moments.  The best part is we have Eve’s words and thoughts recorded for us:

“With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man” (Genesis 4:1b)

Adam and Eve understood that God was involved in the process of bringing life into His world.  They knew what I have come to understand; that God divinely gifts us our differences making us in His image and creates a beautiful landscape of individuals.

Just knowing this truth is astonishing.  It’s incredible. 

But what is the purpose?  Why is it better for us to have different gifts, skills and aspirations?  What’s the value in different personalities and natural qualities that we each possess?

Another way to think about it is, why did God make my kids so different?

God has put His divine light – part of His image – in each of us.  And through our unique make up, gifts, passions, and calling we are able to shine that light into the world.

God made you to shine.

God made us all to shine, to take His light into all the dark places in the world.  Jesus said:  “Let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

This is why God has made each person special.

He made us to shine, the question becomes how can we help our children discover how they can best shine God’s light?

How can we encourage them to be all that God made them to be, and to understand that God made them uniquely for a purpose?  It’s up to us to empower them and encourage them.

It’s our job to help them discover God’s light in them.

It’s our responsibility to bring forth the light and life in them, because God made them to shine.

God Made Me to Help Others

by Desi Ash

There are times when I hate being a black female. The majority of those times are when I see someone stranded and in need of assistance. Just the other day as I was driving through a random neighborhood to cut down on my drive time, I passed an older couple struggle to make it home with their groceries. 

Everything in me wanted to pull over and load them and their groceries in my car and drive them the rest of the way home. But for my safety (and theirs- they both were wearing oxygen and suffering from either old age or medical problem) I wasn’t able to offer my help. 

Does it make me a bad person? No. 

Does it make me feel guilty? Yes.

Sometimes when I experience these situations I feel like the Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10.

29  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

I’m sure you can relate. We all pass opportunities when we are able to reach out and lend a helping hand.

Which is why it’s important to remember when Jesus says:

 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Mathew 25)

That homeless person begging for food by Walmart represents Jesus. That struggling to make ends up mom who can’t clothe her children, represents Jesus. The older couple walking home with their groceries, they represent Jesus.

Let’s challenge ourselves to take a second and remember who they represent instead of judging their situations. I believe when we are able to see Jesus in other people, we are more likely to reach out and lend a helping hand.

God Made Me to Follow Him

by Devin Dummel

Recently my boys have discovered Disney’s animated classic Peter Pan.  After their first viewing, they have now watched the movie every day this week.  I also have the pleasure of having a cd which is playing on loop in our van while we run errands retelling the heroic tales of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.

In a short amount of time my boys have heard the story and the song enough times that they have already memorized most of it.  In their abundance of innocence they have even chosen costumes for our whole life group based off of Peter Pan’s story.  (I just hope I don’t have to be Tiger-Lilly)  But perhaps the cutest part of their reaction to Peter Pan has been their marching single-file and singing in unison …

“I’m following the leader, the leader, the leader.  I’m following the leader wherever he may go.”

It just doesn’t get much better than that.

Jesus had his own band of Lost Boys, we refer to them as the disciples, but they too were trying desperately to follow their leader.  They came from different walks of life, and they each had their own baggage to deal with but one thing they all had in common. 

Jesus invited them to follow Him.

He said to them:  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Jesus called the disciple to let go of the cares of this world and follow wherever He would lead.  This task was easier said than done.  Notice, Jesus told them they would have to take up their cross – meaning that they would ultimately have to be willing to lay down their life.  They would have to be willing to sacrifice everything in order to follow Him.

But the truth is – that’s where adventure with God begins.  God hasn’t called us to live a boring, play it safe, hum-drum kind of life.  He hasn’t called us to wait things out until He returns.

He has instead asked us to partner with Him and to follow where He will lead.  Following Him will have its up and downs, even David – a man after God’s own heart – described walking through a valley shrouded in death, but when you follow with all your heart, God will take you to places that are so exciting and will take you so high that you will never land.

All of us are following someone.  The question you must ask is, “Are you following the leader, wherever He may go?”

Because when you are … it doesn’t get much better than that.

God Made Me to Trust Him

by Desi Ash

Trust does not come easily for me. By that I mean the deep, tell you my inner thoughts and secrets type of trust. Very few people have achieved that level of trust. So when I became a Christian, the whole trusting God part of my faith was a huge challenge. Towards the end of high school I took a leap of faith, the second biggest leap up to this point in my life (the first was being baptized even though I didn’t have the support of my family). I was going to trust God with my future; from college to career, to family, to finances, I was going to trust wherever God took me.

Trusting God with my future meant I was willing to give up my dream of being a musician, it’s meant being stuck in the Midwest, it’s meant being put through some tough and trying situations, but most importantly it means that I still trust Him.

It is easy to say we trust God. Living out our trust though is a hard thing. Do you trust God when

• ·        Money is tight and the bills keep coming
• ·        You have a habit you need to change, but the future is unknown
• ·        Your family member is sick and you don’t get why
• ·        You son or daughter is having problems fitting in

The Gospel of John is known for the recording of Jesus’ miracles. One of those miracles is of the man born blind in John 9.

The Message translation of this recording reads:

 1-2 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”

 3-5 Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”

 6-7 He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “Sent”). The man went and washed—and saw.

This blind man shows quite the bit of trust. I’m sure he has heard of Jesus and the miracles Jesus was doing, but being blind he didn’t KNOW Jesus was the one applying mud to his eyes. The blind man didn’t question Jesus or what Jesus did. He simply did what Jesus told him to do. Even when questioned and doubted by others, this man stood his ground for what Jesus did.

In a way we are like the blind man. We cannot see Jesus face to face. We have to trust when He is at work in our lives and trust that He will take care of us. This man’s life was up-heaved because of something he didn’t choose, Jesus chose him. There are many situations that come along that we don’t want and wouldn’t wish upon our enemies. Remember that God chose you.

God didn’t promise that our lives would be easy, God promised that He would be the same yesterday, today, and forever. And time and time again God shows that all we need to do is trust Him. 

God Made Me

by Whitney Jones

Did you know the retina of your eye has 130 million rod-shaped cells that are responsible for detecting light? Plus, your eye has 6 million cone-shaped cells that are just responsible for telling the difference between colors. Also, your eye can take in 50,000 messages at a time. That is like your eye getting 50,000 text messages all at the same time and being about to read and understand them all at once! I can’t even read 5 text messages at the same time!

If just one small part of you was made that complex just think how much time your Creator spent making each part of you. It’s difficult for us to wrap our minds around how we are uniquely wired and wonderfully made by God. But, God spent much devoted time to creating you, your spouse, and your children and we should praise Him daily for His work.

“You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother’s body. How you made me is amazing and wonderful. I praise you for that. What you have done is wonderful. I know that very well.” Psalm 139:13-14.

Did you catch that? God knows us because He created us. He put you together piece by piece in a way that we could never do.  And David says our response should be to praise God, because we are wonderfully made!

In that same way that God created you, He created your kids too. He created them for a purpose. The way your child is wired is exactly how God designed them to be. Some of us have been so programmed to see what is wrong about our kids that we have forgotten how to see what is right about them.

How many of you have said this before, “I just wish my child would…..”? My statement would be, “I just wish my child would sit in the cart at the grocery store like the other kids”.  My one year old daughter is beautiful and wonderful and very strong willed! And for the first several months of her life I made the mistake of forgetting who God made her to be. He made her strong willed and independent for a reason. Yes it is hard right now when she refuses to listen to me but there will be a day when she will move mountains and fulfill God’s purpose for her life.  

Sometimes I need to be reminded of who created her and why she was created that way. When you remind yourself consistently that your kids are made in the image of God, it can change a lot of things. It can change how you see them, how they see themselves, and even how they see God.

“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” Psalm 139:15-16.

God knew all of our days before we had our first day. He made you for a reason. He made your kids for a reason. He has a purpose for you and your stubborn teenager. God made us to trust Him, to follow Jesus, to help others, and to shine His light into this world. That’s a lot of big things. And we each are perfectly made for it.

Let's Get 'Em Ready

by Devin Dummel

I have a friend who is extremely handy.  It seems like nearly every weekend he and his family are doing some sort of project.  It’s impressive what they are able to accomplish in a single weekend.  And the most rewarding part of the process for them has to be when they publish the side by side before and after picture.  It’s truly impressive to see their dream and vision become a reality.

Maybe you’re not as handy or as driven as my friends, but my guess is that in some area of your life you know what it’s like to complete a project.  It’s extremely rewarding and satisfying to see the final product or result from all your hard work.   Now I’m not sure how you typically start a project, but Stephen Covey famously said, “Begin with the end in mind.”  And while it seems simple to think this way, it’s revolutionary when you actually decide to begin with the end in mind with all your projects – home or otherwise.

Now what does this have to do with parenting?  Well I’m sure you’ve figured this out by now – Parenting is one heck of a project.  No matter what you do there are twists and turns that you can’t see ahead of time.  And unfortunately when you leave the hospital someone doesn’t hand you a “Baby Manual” that explains how to handle every situation from now until they graduate.  But the challenge for us as parents is to truly “Begin with the end in mind”.

Have you ever set time aside and thought about, what exactly do I want for my son our daughter?  What do I want them to know before they graduate high school?  What characteristic and qualities do I hope to instill in them before they head out on their own into the world?  These are important questions to answer, because I promise if you know where you are trying to go then it’s always easier to get there. 

Our goal in the Next Gen & Student Ministries at PCC is to create environments where children and students can explore and discover their own authentic faith.  Every plan, program and event is geared toward helping them ignite wonder, provoke discovery and fuel their passion.  To put it more simply when your son or daughter graduates high school, it’s our hope and prayer that alongside of you, we’ve helped get them ready for the next phase of their life.

This week as you faithfully work on your “parenting projects” remember to work with the end in mind.  Don’t just get through today, instead forecast for your son or daughter where you want to go.  Picture the difference in the before and after picture of your child’s life and help them discover all that God has made them to be. 

And remember that you are not alone in this challenging yet rewarding project.  You have a family of brothers and sisters in Christ who are just a text or phone call away.  They are another tool in your parenting toolbox, to help your children find their authentic faith.  So let’s begin with the end in mind and let’s work together!

Let’s Get ‘Em Ready!

There's Hope in the Middle

by Desi Ash

I loved my middle school years. Glenwood Middle School and I got along really well. I was a talented athlete, decent musician, and a hard working student. I pretty much was friends with everyone.

What most people don’t know about me is; middle school was when my life got drastically harder and I desperately wanted someone to see past the outer shell I had built. By eighth grade online chatting was the coolest thing (remember AIM?) and it was behind a computer screen that my so called friends told me how they truly felt about me. Telling me how unloved I was, how messed up my family was, and even told me to go kill myself. That outer shell I built was so sturdy that regardless of what they said I acted like I was fine, yet deep down I was hurting. Deep down I felt hopeless.

Jr. High, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, those are hard years. Not only for the students living them, but for the parents parenting the students in this phase. Between the physical changes taking place in the body to the social challenges of being cool and fitting in, Jr High students and parents need to know there is hope.

There will be a time when:

• ·        Your sons don’t always smell bad
• ·        The grocery bill isn’t consistently growing
• ·        Your teenage daughter’s emotions are more stable
• ·        The drama settles down (well, eventually)

When I think of hope, I think of the two people on the road to Emmaus in the book of Luke. They are traveling away from Jerusalem talking about everything that just happened (Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection). While they are walking Jesus comes up and starts walking with them. Jesus asks them in Luke 24:17-24

            “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

Read verse 21 again: “but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” What have you hoped for? What have you hoped for for your jr high student?

These two people were so caught up in their feelings that they weren’t able to recognize who it was they were walking and talking with. And the same can happen during this Jr. high phase. We get so caught up in the drama, the emotions, and the challenging moments that we miss the bigger picture. We miss the moments were we are able to show our Jr Highers that someone cares about them and that they are able to make to a difference.

As Christians we have hope of what’s to come. John tells us in Revelation 21

            Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Don’t lose hope. God is making everything new.