A Revelation

This morning we had our first Encountering God "staff" meeting. We met at sugar brown's (local coffee shop) to run through ideas for our church plant and the future of EG ministries. Kyle asked his wife, Keri, to share something the Lord had shown her in the word recently. I found it very interesting:
The passage she used was in Mark 4, I'm sure most of you know it, when Jesus calms the storm. It says that Jesus said let's go to the other side, then obviously went to go sleep. Then the winds began to push the boat, even getting water into the boat, and the disciples freaked. Obviously this is my paraphrase :0 The idea she presented was this: what if the wind was brought to push the boat to the other side? Jesus went to sleep knowing the purpose of the storm was to accomplish what He had sat out for them to do. i.e. get to the other side and minister. The next thought was, their fear caused them to awaken Jesus from His rest to calm the storm... So, how did they get to the other side? They most likely had to row.
Her thoughts: Sometimes there is a storm in our lives and we're not seeing resolve because God knows where He's trying to take us. Second many times we cop out of battle and short cut the storm and then we have to row.
I liked this analogy. I liked this revelation. It spoke to me.

Next was sociology class. I'm taking sociology of addiction for alcohol, drugs, and society. My professor today was throwing out some ideas on reference networks. He was saying our reference networks determine what expectations we'll live up to and whatever reference network is most important to us is what we'll follow. He said that he thinks we give too much credit to things like media for impacting the lives of adolescents. He discussed Columbine and some other things, but it was here that i kind of toned out and began thinking about what he'd been saying. This is what i thought of, I so many times tell the youth I teach whether in LBK or in Liberty live above reproach, don't watch the stupid immoral crud on tv you shouldn't be watching, don't listen to the crud you shouldn't be listening to etc. Which is obviously something our generation needs to hear, to be above reproach and not settle. But how i've had it in my head is this: if they won't watch that they won't want that, if they won't listen to that they won't feel that, and as i thought on his lesson today i considered a new aspect. I think it is often times true that we listen to things that support how we already feel, we watch the things we already want. For instance, if i'm in a fight w/ my boyfriend, on a break, or upset w/ some guy I often get in the mood for some Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, their mad chick songs. You know like gun powder and lead, picture to burn, before he cheats, music that is talking trash about men and i can at that moment identify with. If they're watching MTV real world chances are something inside of them wants that life.. what seems to be no restrictions and consequences.
I think we need to continue to teach our youth what is ok and what is not. Challenge them not to listen or watch the trash, but also be praying that the Holy Spirit would cause them to hate their sin, but that is going to be what keeps them from turning on MTV or the newest rap video. Second, is us living what we preach. Us setting the example of not living worldly, watching worldly things, listening to worldly things... how about raising our standards and encouraging them to raise theirs?

These were just some thoughts from the day from two things that had me thinking. With the new church plant coming soon I'm praying through and studying the first 4 chapters of Acts to really get down what the early church was about and i'm excited about where the Lord takes that. I'm preparing for schools start aug. 24th because that week will be the first meeting back to EG in the new building. Great things are here and right around the corner. I'm so excited.
J. Tate