 “I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, now I know all you have to do it say yes.” This is a quote from one of my favourite speakers, Bob Goff. Now I used to think that, all the time. If I did this then God would be more proud of me, if I do this then God would love me more and let me do more things in his work. It is such an incredible and liberating to be told that God wants you and wants to work with you, regardless of what you are going through and dealing with. God wants the able and the strong, but he also loves and wants the weak and broken. I am coming off what was a crazy, tumultuous year and the whole time I had strength from God and my church. That is the only way I can describe it. I would come on Sunday morning and sing my heart out and really focus on the message, and then the week would be this stressful, upsetting time and somehow I made it through. You can be blessed with this wonderful thing and waste it by saying no to all the adventures that pass you by, or you can open your heart and say yes. Every week I would leave on Sunday, struggle until I made it to Friday nights when I got to back to the Church and speak to our youth group. I would become inspired again seeing God working through the lives of my young people in the group. It was also encouraging that even though I was in the time of deep distress he was letting me work through the lives of these kids. I wrote a blog about why I work at the Church every Friday night, but I did not really get into what it does for me. I know that I am a living face of God and the Church for them, which I am so happy and proud everyday that I get to do that, but it at the same time has had an effect on me too. I get to do life with these kids. I am so honoured to be some one who they ask question of and to really have some answers for them. I have an incredible love for these kids. Which is how God has used me this year, I came to Gateway as this broken person and was asked to work with these kids and he let so much love balloon into my heart for these kids. I say kids because even as an Air Cadet staff member I called them all my kids, but we have 'kids' that are now graduating and growing up and what a pleasure to be involved in that process! God lifted me up to be a source of life and love for these kids when I didn't even have love for myself. I can't say that my church saved me necessarily because I have been a Christian for quite some time, but I can say that they did indeed rescue me. How in the world did the youth pastor know the first time we met that I needed so desperately to be involved with this group of leaders and youth. I didn't even know that the time. But, God works through love. The Kingdom of God is a party and everyone is invited! God works through things all the time in your life and it's your decision to say yes or no. You can be blessed with this wonderful thing and waste it by saying no to all the adventures that pass you by, or you can open your heart and say yes. When my youth pastor asked me to work with the youth, I could have said that I was actually overwhelmed in my own life and moving and had too many changes happening, or say yes and just go with it. I can't imagine what state I would be in without this team and the love and support that they gave to me over this past year. Of course working with and being a role model for these kids is daunting and seemingly intimidating, but the benefits far, far out way anything else. The title of Bob Goff's Book that the top quote came from is called 'Love Does'. Now, I'm sure that to some of you that seems like a simplistic title of some happy go lucky Christian book, however, It is his own account of his life and how he goes above and beyond to make his life incredible. How every day you are presented with options and it is up to you what to do with them. At the end of the day, Love does some really great things but its up to you to be paying attention and answering yes when you are faced with them. If love Does and our God is a God of love, what do you have to lose? Jesus Stalker: Someone who goes to church and bible study and learns all they can about Jesus and then never puts it into practice. The Kingdom of God is a party and everyone is invited! That is a statement that gets used a lot at my Church, that when we get together we are in fact celebrating God and his love. I used to think that being a believer was enough, but now I know Jesus wants us to participate no matter what condition we are in. Bob also talks about what is called as a Jesus Stalker. Someone who goes to church and bible study and learns all they can about Jesus and then never puts it into practice. What if you just spent your life studying the people you loved most instead of doing things with them and bonding with them and creating a relationship? You could never create a meaningful life with someone by not “doing life” with them. You wouldn't read books about your grandparents if you could go and take them out for dinner would you? I don't know so. Same goes for Jesus, he is teaching us a life of love and if they are teaching us a life of love and everyone is invited to the party, why wouldn't you come?
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