Thursday, February 02, 2006

How Can We Learn If We Never Blow It?

Over the break I picked up a book by David Chow called The Perfect Program and Other Fairy Tales. Just like Seven-Up is “the un-cola” this book is the “un-ministry guide.” It’s written on the premise that we all screw up, and it is one former youth worker’s confessions of his own screw-ups and what he learned from them. I loved it! He shares how it was his failures that made him better as a person in ministry with young people, not his successes. Not that he was content to stay in messes, but that in cleaning them up he learned better and then did better. This is good news. And it is the heart of the gospel. Jesus always is there with grace to offer us second chances. (And third ones, and fourth ones, and . . . .)

Some of you may have had a really cruddy Fall Semester. Guess what? There’s hope! Start by taking an inventory of choices: what were the good ones? What were the really stinky ones? I have been learning that if I am just really honest with Jesus (and with myself) about my poor choices, then ­He (notice the underlining) gives me the power (i.e. Holy Spirit) to help me change and make new, better, good-er (yes, I wrote it) choices. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is still a relatively new semester. You can still offer it up to Him, asking Him to help you evaluate the way you are living it, and then to offer guidance on a better, good-er way to live it. You (with the Lord’s help) can turn not only your semester around, your college career around, but your whole life around.

The whole message that we, the Wesley Foundation, are here to share with students on campus is this: God loves you; God has a purpose for your life; as you walk with God that purpose will be fulfilled. If that is a message you NEED to know more about, check us out. We are here for you.

Blessings,

Sami

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