Written January 24, 2014.
Yesterday's ice skating adventure got me thinking of a time when I was 14. I went ice skating on a school trip. I was in 8th grade, and could barely skate without touching the walls. This had been the case for all of my life prior, and it was embarrassing to say the least. Then I went skating again when I was 21. It was free, and my friends were going so I thought, "What the hay?" I went onto the ice expecting to fall straight on my face, and much to my surprise, I could skate totally fine! I don't know if my center-of-gravity had shifted, or if my brain had become more balanced, but I didn't fall once. And I haven't fallen since. (I've usually gone skating once or twice a year since then.)The point? Sometimes it takes a bit of time, and maybe even stepping back for a bit, before things begin to click, and we can skate without holding onto the sides of the rink. Maybe some of you are like that with God, or church. You tried it when you were a kid, and weren't very good at it, or didn't get much out of it, or for whatever reason, didn't enjoy the experience, so you stepped away. Maybe now is the time to step back out of the ice again, and give it another shot. An important thing to know, while I can skate relatively well these days, I'm still not an expert, and I still have the potential to fall. There's a lot more for me to learn, and I'd be a lot better, if I had more practice. But one thing I've come to learn about ice skating, is that I don't need to be an expert. What matters is that I'm getting on the ice and skating, and then making conscious efforts to get better each time I'm out there. Much is the same way with the Christian life. No one here expects you to be an expert. What matters is that you're actually giving God and a relationship with Jesus Christ a honest-to-goodness shot. Each day making conscious efforts to move and be closer and closer to God. And closer and closer to representing an image of Christ.
"Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Coming to youth group doesn't mean you have to have your faith all figured out - whether you've come to church your whole life, or never, or whether you believe totally, or don't believe at all. Youth Group is meant to be a place in which you CAN come to figure your faith out - a place that's safe, open-minded, challenging, and encouraging. This is a place for you to bring forth you. This is youth group - it's free (usually), your friends are going (or will be if you invite them), and no one expects you to be an expert. (Plus, I have wicked cool stories to tell.)
You Belong Here,
Ben J
Yesterday's ice skating adventure got me thinking of a time when I was 14. I went ice skating on a school trip. I was in 8th grade, and could barely skate without touching the walls. This had been the case for all of my life prior, and it was embarrassing to say the least. Then I went skating again when I was 21. It was free, and my friends were going so I thought, "What the hay?" I went onto the ice expecting to fall straight on my face, and much to my surprise, I could skate totally fine! I don't know if my center-of-gravity had shifted, or if my brain had become more balanced, but I didn't fall once. And I haven't fallen since. (I've usually gone skating once or twice a year since then.)The point? Sometimes it takes a bit of time, and maybe even stepping back for a bit, before things begin to click, and we can skate without holding onto the sides of the rink. Maybe some of you are like that with God, or church. You tried it when you were a kid, and weren't very good at it, or didn't get much out of it, or for whatever reason, didn't enjoy the experience, so you stepped away. Maybe now is the time to step back out of the ice again, and give it another shot. An important thing to know, while I can skate relatively well these days, I'm still not an expert, and I still have the potential to fall. There's a lot more for me to learn, and I'd be a lot better, if I had more practice. But one thing I've come to learn about ice skating, is that I don't need to be an expert. What matters is that I'm getting on the ice and skating, and then making conscious efforts to get better each time I'm out there. Much is the same way with the Christian life. No one here expects you to be an expert. What matters is that you're actually giving God and a relationship with Jesus Christ a honest-to-goodness shot. Each day making conscious efforts to move and be closer and closer to God. And closer and closer to representing an image of Christ.
"Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one." - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Coming to youth group doesn't mean you have to have your faith all figured out - whether you've come to church your whole life, or never, or whether you believe totally, or don't believe at all. Youth Group is meant to be a place in which you CAN come to figure your faith out - a place that's safe, open-minded, challenging, and encouraging. This is a place for you to bring forth you. This is youth group - it's free (usually), your friends are going (or will be if you invite them), and no one expects you to be an expert. (Plus, I have wicked cool stories to tell.)
You Belong Here,
Ben J