Welcome to another of our online youth group lessons. This is our 20th installment of the weekly lessons online, with a goal of reaching those who haven’t been able to attend our in-person gatherings.
We are thankful that even in the midst of so much chaos and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, schools reopening soon and potential financial and emotional ripple effects of the virus as we head into the fall, winter and holiday seasons — that we can praise God through the storm …
Speaking of storms, we have a number of people connected to our youth group who are in the midst of special situations that can use our prayer.
Trina Eia, who shared her powerful testimony a year ago for our youth group, is dealing with a resurgence of her cancer. Chemo, radiation, surgery and other human-based solutions for the cancer are failing, but we know God is able to do so much more than anything we can accomplish or even imagine. In a Facebook update last week about her situation, Trina ended the post with the following:
I love being part of the body of Christ. I know many Church’s prayed for me today. A group even came over prayed. Today was my best day yet. Clinging to my Lord Jesus Christ! Thank you for your prayers!
Sally Sheets had her second round of chemo for the pancreatic cancer today. Please keep her, Pastor Paul, Sherilyn (who moved into the parsonage last week to help) and the extended family in prayer.
Pat Mitchell is experiencing some new health challenges, and both he and the extended family could use extra prayer during this time of uncertainty.
Our church missions auction is Saturday, and considering the auction helps fund much of our missionary budget, we are praying that it is well-attended and a good time of fellowship and fundraising for our church and extended community.
Miniature golf — or putt-putt as some in our region call it — can definitely be a lot of fun, although somewhat frustrating, too. It involves putting a golf ball into a hole, a simple concept complicated by a wide variety of hazards, barriers, slopes of land, etc.
Our Christian walk can be much like a mini golf course. The goal is simple — to reach the common destination of being with God. Unfortunately, we are all dealt a number of trials in life, led astray by various temptations and ultimately, our paths seldom look as simple and straightforward as we would like them to be.
Consider the story of Josiah Viera, a young man from nearby Hegins, PA, who was diagnosed at a young age with the rare Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria condition … a disease that drastically speeds up the aging process and typically leads to death by the early to mid-teen timeframe.
Despite his condition, Josiah forged ahead in his love of baseball and ultimately was elevated to a platform where he greatly impacted those around him, both in the dugout of the State College Spikes, and within communities throughout our region. Here is a video feature of his impact on the minor league baseball franchise:
Josiah’s story was part of our teen study at family camp recently, looking at talents and how God uses those talents to impact others even when we are in the midst of trying times. Josiah’s “condition” became a blessing for many, including Jake Gronsky, helping Jake realize his true calling in serving God through story-writing instead of a life of baseball, as he once dreamed. Click here for more of that story.
Many of us are dealing with some really tough trials, questions or scenarios in life, and it can be hard to see how God plans to use those barriers as blessings down the road in the greater story of our walk with Him and via our testimony to others. Up-and-coming contemporary Christian singer Leanna Crawford addresses this concept in a new song, titled “Truth I’m Standing On.”
In the middle of the song, she shares:
Right now I’m choosing to believe
Someday soon I’ll look back and see
All the pain had a purpose,
Your plan was perfect all along
This is the truth I’m standing on.
At the core of the message she shares is that she is making a conscious effort to accept that God has a bigger purpose for the trials she is facing. She suggests that the best way to weather the storm of whatever situation we are facing is to stand on the firm foundation of God’s truth.
What does God say about finding the blessing within the barriers of life? There are many verses that address this concept, but perhaps none are more direct or powerful than those found in James 1:2-12 (NIV):
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation — since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Those who excel in golf learn from the sand traps and water hazards, they develop ways to address wind speed and direction, they adapt to various obstacles and ultimately use those elements to hone their game and become the best players they can be.
As Christians, as hard is it can be at times to do so, we also need to learn to embrace the trials we are dealt and use them to hone our skills of prayer, studying the Word and leaning on the fellowship of Christian family and friends that God has provided.
It all begins by acknowledging the giants we are facing, just like a young David, and instead of dwelling on the seemingly impossible task before us, instead fostering the belief in our hearts that God gives us the miraculous abilities to overcome the biggest challenges of our lives.
We are encouraging each of our youth to share their current list of trials, questions, doubts and fears with parents, close godly friends, family or others within the church that can help refocus on God’s provisions during uncertain times. If you want to chat with either John or Michelle, contact us via email by clicking here.
