by Catrina LeSure
I remember it like it was yesterday. I felt like I couldn't breath. I just knew my heart had stopped and prayed that my mind would stop spinning with the horrific news. We'd been together for five years. How could he do this to me? I should have seen it coming. The secret cell phone...the calls he took in another room...it all should have pointed to her. But it didn't. He'd found a way into my heart and I had chosen to ignore all the warning signs as a result. I cried for weeks and would never reveal just how much chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream I ate because it's far too cliche. When my heart was broken the overflow was pain, misery, contempt, and loss.
I poured my heart into these kids. They were my life. We shopped for campouts together, prepared for the flowers honor as a team, and organized service projects as one. So how could one man ruin all of this? How could one person's opinion be more valuable than the ministry I built with my own blood, sweat, and tears? I had given my heart to this ministry. To lose it for the sake of one thought was horrific, I became bitter, angry, and vengeful.
Regardless of how romantic or noble your choices, giving your heart to the wrong things will end in heartbreak. There is only one place where your heart can be truly safe and that's in the hands of Jesus. In truth, there is no better way to describe the breastplate of righteousness than the hand of God. It is the great protection of our hearts.
Breastplates aren't really the war icon that some other pieces of armor are. Nowadays, they get covered under shirts more often than not. But at the end of the day they are always something you have to put on. No one is born with a built in breastplate. Similarly Solomon declares, "There is none righteous!" In truth, the breastplate of righteousness is a source of great praise to God. There is no way to get the breastplate of righteousness without Him. There is nothing within us to protect our hearts from the sin that is already within them. Instead we need the hand of God to remove the threat from within and protect from the threat from without.
So long as we attempt to protect our own hearts, we will fail. The only way to find success in protecting our hearts is to place it in the hands of the One who created it.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
The Importance of a Good Belt
by Matthew Johnson
One of the funniest things that I had to go through as a kid was picking the right belt. There were occasions where I would spend a painstakingly long time with my parents, trying to find a belt that fit and looked right--one with just enough length and loops to keep my pants up, but not uncomfortably squeeze my small, lanky frame in the process.
Contrary to what people may say, belts serve only two purposes:
1) They hold up our lower clothing.
2) They hold tools and other items.
It wasn't until around the 19th Century that belts became more about aesthetics and fashion. Men would even cinch their belts extra tight in order to appear more imposing. So this makes the idea of a "belt of truth"...well, a very strange concept.
We live in a relativistic world, which is a bit strange considering the concept of no aboslute truth is itself absolute truth. Yet this is the case, and we find ourselves surrounded by statements and cliches like:
"Let's agree to disagree."
"That may work for you, but this works for me."
"It's all about perspective."
"I'll do me and you do you."
In a world like this, claiming something like "truth" or "the way" can seem closed-minded and pompous. And those who have strong beliefs, who know for certain that they have the truth, can often feel persecuted and put down. So they either tighten their belts of truth so tightly that they are unable to breath, or they wear them so loosely that they end up with sagging pants and not much conviction.
There is a very big difference between carefully looking at the belt of another person and loosening one's own.
Oftentimes I think we're afraid to hear from other people about their beliefs because we're afraid that it means we're not holding onto our own. We feel as though we are exposing ourselves to lies and deception. But listening and observing the conviction and tightness and quality of another's belt, does not mean you will or should drop your own.
The purpose of the belt of truth is to protect us from the lies and deception we encounter in daily spiritual warfare. It is an essential piece of equipment that both protects our midsection and gives us a foundation to hold our sword and equipment. After all, is there any point to having the Word of God if we don't believe in God? The truth of Jesus Christ and what He's done is a reminder to us that we can reflect on in the face of any of the enemy's tricks and, like any good belt, holds much of the rest of our armored outfit together.
One of the funniest things that I had to go through as a kid was picking the right belt. There were occasions where I would spend a painstakingly long time with my parents, trying to find a belt that fit and looked right--one with just enough length and loops to keep my pants up, but not uncomfortably squeeze my small, lanky frame in the process.
Contrary to what people may say, belts serve only two purposes:
1) They hold up our lower clothing.
2) They hold tools and other items.
It wasn't until around the 19th Century that belts became more about aesthetics and fashion. Men would even cinch their belts extra tight in order to appear more imposing. So this makes the idea of a "belt of truth"...well, a very strange concept.
We live in a relativistic world, which is a bit strange considering the concept of no aboslute truth is itself absolute truth. Yet this is the case, and we find ourselves surrounded by statements and cliches like:
"Let's agree to disagree."
"That may work for you, but this works for me."
"It's all about perspective."
"I'll do me and you do you."
In a world like this, claiming something like "truth" or "the way" can seem closed-minded and pompous. And those who have strong beliefs, who know for certain that they have the truth, can often feel persecuted and put down. So they either tighten their belts of truth so tightly that they are unable to breath, or they wear them so loosely that they end up with sagging pants and not much conviction.
There is a very big difference between carefully looking at the belt of another person and loosening one's own.
Oftentimes I think we're afraid to hear from other people about their beliefs because we're afraid that it means we're not holding onto our own. We feel as though we are exposing ourselves to lies and deception. But listening and observing the conviction and tightness and quality of another's belt, does not mean you will or should drop your own.
The purpose of the belt of truth is to protect us from the lies and deception we encounter in daily spiritual warfare. It is an essential piece of equipment that both protects our midsection and gives us a foundation to hold our sword and equipment. After all, is there any point to having the Word of God if we don't believe in God? The truth of Jesus Christ and what He's done is a reminder to us that we can reflect on in the face of any of the enemy's tricks and, like any good belt, holds much of the rest of our armored outfit together.
Monday, January 11, 2016
The Armor of God
by Catrina LeSure
Why don't young people today take the Great Controversy more seriously? Why aren't they more intentional about protecting themselves from the "fiery arrows of the devil"? Why don't they show a higher commitment to standing against principalities and powers of darkness? Are they an apathetic generation? Maybe. Do they question the existence and nature of the antiquated story line of good vs. evil? Possibly? Are they so bogged down in the day to day of this world that they fail to recognize the bigger plot playing out all around them every day? Probably.
But, truthfully, youth seem to be sleeping on the battlefield because attitude reflects leadership. The most influential voices in the lives of our youth are being heard, listened to, and followed such that the views of these leaders can be clearly seen and translated. Let me be clear. The leadership I am referring to is not some theoretical heirarchy scientifically designed to impact the opinions and decisions of adolescents. This is not some rant about the impact of rap music and technology on religious views of teens. I have no thoughts to express on the way Facebook and Twitter have changed devotional habits of youth. The leadership I am referring has a much larger flesh and blood feel. I am referring to you!
Don't turn around looking for some other "you". Don't start looking through your contacts for someone to forward this to. I'm talking to you! The mother, father, pastor, counselor, youth leader, friend sitting here reading right now. The attitude of youth you work with reflects the thoughts and opinions you have instilled.
This is not what you hoped to hear. I know it would be great to blame something or someone else for the youth's unresponsive nature when it comes to spiritual warfare. But we have done this. That has good news and bad news. The bad news is that we've demonstrated what our efforts can achieve. It's unlikely that anyone of us can fix what it took all of us to break. We have been so caught up in acquiring the trappings of this world that we have reallocated religion to a few hours of our weekend. We have rewritten the ideas of Christianity to separate our worldly desires from the things we call idols. We have propagated a message that minimizes God to a genie we place in a small box and take out to grant wishes. We have cartoonized the devil to a red horned beast that sits on our shoulder with fun, albeit unwise, advice. It's unlikely that any one of us can fix what it took all of us to break.
The good news is that we don't have to fix it alone. God has already shared with us the cure for what ails us: truth. Bold, unwavering, truth spoken with love and conviction is the key to changing our minds and hearts on this issue. Paul's words in Ephesians weren't fun. He didn't use fluff words to rivet his readers away from whatever their versiono f a PS4 was. He had no need to make his message cute or cool. He didn't sit around contemplating how to make it "relevant". Paul spoke the truth.
But our lives fail to match Paul's mindset. Paul describes an epic battle with words like wrestle, rulers, and armor. While the armor is primarily defensive, it is anything but passive. Wearing such garments would have been in stark contrast to their day to day clothes. It would be clear that anyone decked out in such gear believed they were in hostile territory and their behavior would inevitably reflect the added weight and nature of their outerwear.
Our lives must also reflect the armor we claim to adorn. It should be obvious that our lives are lived in hostile territory and our actions should reflect the constraints of the burden we bear. But there is a key aspect of this that we overlook. Because armor is not a normal outfit, we mustwe must be trained in order to use it effectively. We need to know how to put it on properly, how to move with the new weights and constraints. and how to follow our commanding officer in the field. This would all happen away from the front in an ideal situation. But we don't have the most ideal situation. That's why making time to train with our Commander and Chief is so crucial.
We have to spend alone time with God before the day begins. We have to know when the battle is too much and it's time to retreat to the safety of our Shelter. We have to stay in constant communication with God so that we can be guided, encouraged, and comforted.
When our youth see us winning the Great Battle, they will put on their helmets, pick up the swords and rush in with us to claim their own victory.
Why don't young people today take the Great Controversy more seriously? Why aren't they more intentional about protecting themselves from the "fiery arrows of the devil"? Why don't they show a higher commitment to standing against principalities and powers of darkness? Are they an apathetic generation? Maybe. Do they question the existence and nature of the antiquated story line of good vs. evil? Possibly? Are they so bogged down in the day to day of this world that they fail to recognize the bigger plot playing out all around them every day? Probably.
But, truthfully, youth seem to be sleeping on the battlefield because attitude reflects leadership. The most influential voices in the lives of our youth are being heard, listened to, and followed such that the views of these leaders can be clearly seen and translated. Let me be clear. The leadership I am referring to is not some theoretical heirarchy scientifically designed to impact the opinions and decisions of adolescents. This is not some rant about the impact of rap music and technology on religious views of teens. I have no thoughts to express on the way Facebook and Twitter have changed devotional habits of youth. The leadership I am referring has a much larger flesh and blood feel. I am referring to you!
Don't turn around looking for some other "you". Don't start looking through your contacts for someone to forward this to. I'm talking to you! The mother, father, pastor, counselor, youth leader, friend sitting here reading right now. The attitude of youth you work with reflects the thoughts and opinions you have instilled.
This is not what you hoped to hear. I know it would be great to blame something or someone else for the youth's unresponsive nature when it comes to spiritual warfare. But we have done this. That has good news and bad news. The bad news is that we've demonstrated what our efforts can achieve. It's unlikely that anyone of us can fix what it took all of us to break. We have been so caught up in acquiring the trappings of this world that we have reallocated religion to a few hours of our weekend. We have rewritten the ideas of Christianity to separate our worldly desires from the things we call idols. We have propagated a message that minimizes God to a genie we place in a small box and take out to grant wishes. We have cartoonized the devil to a red horned beast that sits on our shoulder with fun, albeit unwise, advice. It's unlikely that any one of us can fix what it took all of us to break.
The good news is that we don't have to fix it alone. God has already shared with us the cure for what ails us: truth. Bold, unwavering, truth spoken with love and conviction is the key to changing our minds and hearts on this issue. Paul's words in Ephesians weren't fun. He didn't use fluff words to rivet his readers away from whatever their versiono f a PS4 was. He had no need to make his message cute or cool. He didn't sit around contemplating how to make it "relevant". Paul spoke the truth.
But our lives fail to match Paul's mindset. Paul describes an epic battle with words like wrestle, rulers, and armor. While the armor is primarily defensive, it is anything but passive. Wearing such garments would have been in stark contrast to their day to day clothes. It would be clear that anyone decked out in such gear believed they were in hostile territory and their behavior would inevitably reflect the added weight and nature of their outerwear.
Our lives must also reflect the armor we claim to adorn. It should be obvious that our lives are lived in hostile territory and our actions should reflect the constraints of the burden we bear. But there is a key aspect of this that we overlook. Because armor is not a normal outfit, we mustwe must be trained in order to use it effectively. We need to know how to put it on properly, how to move with the new weights and constraints. and how to follow our commanding officer in the field. This would all happen away from the front in an ideal situation. But we don't have the most ideal situation. That's why making time to train with our Commander and Chief is so crucial.
We have to spend alone time with God before the day begins. We have to know when the battle is too much and it's time to retreat to the safety of our Shelter. We have to stay in constant communication with God so that we can be guided, encouraged, and comforted.
When our youth see us winning the Great Battle, they will put on their helmets, pick up the swords and rush in with us to claim their own victory.
Monday, January 4, 2016
The Power of One
by Catrina LeSure
I remember my first day at a new school. In the middle of 5th grade, my parents ripped me away from those nearest and dearest to me to place me into a whole new world where I knew no one. I cried as I walked for the first time to the bus stop. I cried sitting next to my brother on the bus. I wiped my tears as I got off the bus to put on a strong face. Then I walked to winding halls through students who all looked as scary as I felt they were to Mrs. Mills' class. She was a nice enough lady. She showed me to my locker and showed me where to sit. But I was still terrified and alone in a sea of kids that didn't seem to realize I existed.
As the kids walked into class they made confused looks at me as they made their way to their seats but then went about life like I didn't matter. Then...it happened. Katelyn Dunn sat down next to me. She smiled at me as she took out a pencil from her desk. I smiled back the best I could. But when she said "hi", I felt a lot of the stress and pressure go away. I didn't know that Mrs. Mills had assigned me to Katelyn. I didn't know that Katelyn had been prepared for a new student. I didn't know that Katelyn had been given the special task of making me feel at home. I didn't find any of that stuff out until much later. All I knew was that Katelyn Dunn was nice to me when I was afraid of being eaten alive. She sat with me at lunch and introduced me to her friends at recess. She invited me to her birthday party and made me feel like I was where I'd always meant to be.
I haven't forgotten Katelyn these 20 years later. She stands out in my mind because she was just one person but she changed my world. She didn't do anything particularly incredible when you think about it though. That's the thing about the power of 1. The power of 1 doesn't come from being a super hero (although Thor is pretty dreamy...). The power of 1 comes simply from being the 1.
As a youth leader I am often distracted by the power of the crowd. I find myself trying to plan events to make everyone happy. I get overwhelmed trying to make sure my message reaches the masses. But every so often I am reminded of the power of 1. It comes when I spend a day with one family doing a food drive and reward the three kids with cocoa. I hear about their days and their lives and I am reminded that they are not them. They are each incredible individuals. I find when I'm teaching one of my teens to write a campout budget and she spends the afternoon talking about her favorite memories from campouts gone by. I am reminded that some of the best parts of our programs are not the parts we planned but the parts where God simply decides to show up.
But there are times when I'm also overwhelmed by a feeling that I am just one. Doing both youth and children's ministry means that I can accidentally go months without participating in meaningful adult ministry experiences. It can feel lonely and isolating and seem like the only people that get you are the other volunteers that are as burned out as you are. Having the power of 1 doesn't mean I am all powerful. But every so often I am reminded of the power of One. It comes when I get to the end of a VBS week too tired to put one foot in front of the other and find that some of my kids have made the decision to accept Jesus as their forever friend. I am reminded that my efforts are not for me but for the One who truly matters. It comes in the form of a parent whose child has been struggling with drugs hugging you and telling you how grateful she is for you standing by her through it all. I am reminded that I can't fix everything but I know Someone who can.
There is a power in one that I think we often overlook. But I am grateful for the power of the ones in my life. I am grateful for the chances to be one for someone else. I am most of all grateful for the One who makes it all worth while.
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