To Fear or Not to Fear....

Most people are afraid of something... As a little kid, we tend to have no fear.  We will climb to the top of furniture without the fear of falling, we will race on our bikes without the fear of an accident, we will jump off of the stairs without the fear of breaking a bone, and we will walk up to new kids on the playground and be their friends without the fear of being rejected or judge.  Then something happens as we grow up, we begin to be afraid of falling, having an accident, breaking a bone, or being judged.  All of a sudden we want to be cool, calm, collected, and accepted by our peers. 

I have noticed that the fear of being accepted is what keeps a lot of teenagers from church or Christ.  All of a sudden it isn't seen as cool to be a youth group attendee, or to live a life that Christ wants us to.  Teenagers will start to follow their friends in deciding what to do and not necessarily the bible.

The bible tells us to not focus on fear but to focus on what is real and true. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

What?! To not thing about the things that frighten us?! I know personally I struggle with this.  It is easy to get caught up in the negative, or focus on what is bad.  The scripture tells us that we should not focus on fear! 

Right now there is a lot of focusing on the negative in Fremont.  We have had a terrible summer for this community.  The after effects of this summer have lead individuals to fear driving, to fear death, to fear talking to certain people.  It has also lead to lifestyle changes.  While we mourn loss of life, we also need to focus on the good that came from those young men. 

There are friends of these young men, who have changed what they do because they do not want memories to come back to them.  I ask do you think your departed friends would want you stay away from something you enjoyed because you don't want to remember them?  Because you are afraid something will be said about the accident? 

There are so many people who are trying to figure out how to live life now with the loss of these men.  It will be a struggle, and it will be painful for years to come.  I ask you though, are you going to let the fear of conversations or memories keep you from your life?  Are you going to choose to not remember your friends in a positive way?  If you keep fearing everyday life how will you ever live? 

The scripture tells us to focus on the noble, right, lovely, and pure.  So Christ is telling us to continue to live, but to remember all the good times we had with our departed friends.  When you avoid life because of this accident, you are actually focusing on the accident, not your friends life.

So this is one time you can overcome fear, reach out and ask for help if you need a little push to overcome fear.  Remember you will cry, because you miss them and that is okay.  What is not okay is stop living your life.  You do your friend's memories no good by not living.

Dueces! ~Jennifer

Back to school

School has started here for the surrounding school districts, and I am in awe of how teenagers can juggle so many different commitments.  I thought that juggling work, ministry, and a family was difficult; but students these days juggle so much more.  Students not only have their school work, but then there are after school activities.  Some have a job, and almost all of them have their responsibilities at home.  It is very easy for students to get caught up in the whirlwind of school that they lose sight of themselves and of Christ.

Most students want to fit in at school.  They want to have friends and have different social engagements to add to their already very full calendars.  I admit it makes school a lot easier if you have a large circle of friends to lean on.  While students lean on their friends, they are also influenced by their friends.  In an effort to fit in, choices can be made that will take the student further from Christ and themselves. 

I have seen good kids make poor choices.  I have also seen good kids make good choices, but I want to focus on the poor choices.  I have made poor choices throughout my life.  I look back on some of the situations I put myself in, and I shudder.  What was I thinking?  Why would I do that?  How did I manage to get out of that?  I know that hindsight is 20/20 and it is so much easier to say "I shouldn't have done that" than it is to say "I am not going to do that."  Everyone has had moments where they get caught up in the moment and just go with the flow.  Then BOOM the next thing you know you are looking at consequences of a poor choice.  It happens to everyone! 

Unless you find yourself on a game show or in a life or death situation, there is always some time to think before making a decision.  Always try to answer the following questions:

1. Does this activity or plan please God or sadden him?
     We know that we are all saved by God's grace, but is what you are planning do going to cheapen that grace?

2. Does this activity or plan honor God, or is it something to draw attention to yourself?
    We know that we are supposed to put others before ourselves, so is this all about you?

3. Does this activity or plan please your parents or grieve them?
    Really think about what would happen if your parents knew you were going to go through with this plan.  Would you be in trouble?

4. Does this activity or plan show that you love God or that you love the world?
    As Christians we should be living our beliefs not just saying them. 

Keeping Christ in the center of all our lives is the goal.  No one is perfect and everyone will make mistakes, just slow down and think before you decide what to do.  Remember Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Dueces ~Jennifer