Don't Bother Me!

A friend of mine gave me an incredible book to read. It is by Greg Steir and has to do with learning how to share your faith. It is written to teenagers...but this youth pastor at heart loves the message of it. I was rocked by a poem that Greg wrote when he was in high school that he includes in this book. It is called Don’t Bother Me.

"Don’t bother me with souls to save, I’ve got my own agenda. Theres school to do, sports to play. Important stuff to attend to. Don’t bother me with the little girl, The girl playing down the street. She’s much to young to understand the Savior she could meet. Don’t bother me with my friend at school. He’s got his own religion. I don’t have time to change his mind. He’ll make his own decision. Don’t bother me with the distant sounds I hear, the sounds of people screaming. Althought I wonder who they are. What are these victims shrieking? Don’t bother me with who they are. I really don’t want the blame. For its the little girl and my friend at schoo who from Hell scream out my name...but don’t bother me."

When I read this the other night, tears filled my eyes. The reason is that so often no matter how hard I try I tend to get this don’t bother me attitude. Don’t bother me with the lost when I can hang out with my best friends or the guy I like. Don’t bother me when I have ministry to do. Don’t bother me when I have homework to do. Gosh...how far from the heart of the Savior is this attitude.

I am reminded of another story Greg shares in this book. He says to see everyone with a sign on their forehead thats says bound for hell.

God shake me to my core. Help me to reach beyond myself and begin to be bothered by the lost students in this generation. Help me to be bothered by the junior high kids I work with that don’t know you. Bother me with the people in the streets that don’t know you. Bother me until I get up and do something about it. Forgive me for my attitude toward the lost. Break my heart and inspire me to reach a generation of students hungry for the love of my precios Savior Jesus Christ

The Unexpected!

So sometimes life is full of surprises! Wonderful unexpected things that come out of nowhere and shock you. If you see a smile on my face lately....there is a reason. I am experiencing a lot of the unexpected. I am reminded of so many prayers I have thrown up to heaven. I am seeing God's provision. I am experiencing something so incredible that my human hands and mind could have never engineered or imagined. Now...I am not saying that this time is free of its hardships. Its far from it. When the unexpected happens, you have to come face to face sometmes with your greatest fears and learn to trust all over again. Trust...ahhh...thats hard for me. However, I am learning that as I let my guards down...great things can come about.

So....I am thankful tonight that God has given me the unexpected. It is a blessing I am so thankful for! :)