Peace, Man

When you hear the word, 'peace,' what comes to mind? What emotions or pictures does it well up? When I think of peace, the first picture that comes to my mind is a picture of a hippie who is protesting a war. But, does peace just mean no fighting? What about the Cold War? There wasn't fighting, per say. But it definitely wasn't a very peaceful time.

Peace, according to Dictionary.com, means, "1. the normal non-warring condition of a nation, group of nations or the world. 2. freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility or serenity. 3. a state of tranquility or serenity." If that's the definition of peace, then I am positive we could all use a little peace in our lives. Especially in this economic climate, we are all a little anxious. To be free from all the annoyances and distractions in our lives, to be able to just sit, and rest and breathe- peace- that would be a more than welcome feeling.

Join us this Wednesday at Crash where we'll be continuing our series, Names of God. This week we'll explore the name 'Jehovah Shalom' which means, 'the LORD is our peace,' and discover how God can be our peace in times of struggle, tension, conflict and pain. I hope to see you all there.

Everything We Need

A hard truth that I had to learn growing up is that God does not give us everything we want. Even if we think that we absolutely need it and desperately ask God, He doesn't necessarily give it to us. If God gave us everything that we wanted, we'd be spoiled. We would see God as a genie in a lamp and not the Almighty Creator. If we got everything that we wanted, it would be unhealthy, because we would think that everything comes easy, and not hard and painful, which is what we need sometimes to learn truths.

No, God does not give us everything we want. But you know what, He gives us everything we need. He will take care of us no matter what. Jesus tells us not to worry about what we wear, or eat. He tells us that we are so much more important to God than plants and animals, and yet, God still takes care of them. Another hard truth is that while God will give us everything we need, this means that He may give us things we don't want. He may have us walk through situations that we won't want to go through.

But you know what, in every trial and hardship, in every situation where we can't see a solution, God does, and He provides. In every situation, good or bad, in every want and need, we can be sure of one thing... that the LORD will provide! He won't just provide us with something, He'll provide us with what He knows is our best. He'll provide us with everything that we need. All junior high students are encouraged to join us at Crash on Wednesday night as we continue our Names of God series, looking specifically at Jehovah Jireh - "The LORD Will Provide." Come and discover how God does and will provide for you everything that you need. I hope to see you all there.

What's In A Name?

Shakespeare asks in his play Romeo & Juliet, "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." What is in a name? What does a name mean? Why are we named the way we are? How in the world is Bob a nickname for Robert, or Jim a nickname of James? The name Cameron means "crooked nose," does that mean I actually have a crooked nose?

In the Old Testament people named their children pretty funny names. What's interesting is that the names they gave their children weren't just names, they were characteristics. A name is a very powerful thing. If you can give a name to something then you can begin to understand it, and the qualities it possesses.

So if names are characteristics, and giving something a name is the beginning to understand it, then what about God? Why does He have so many names? God, Almighty, I AM, Father, Jesus, Christ, LORD, King Of Kings, Master. What do they all mean? All junior high students are encouraged to join us tomorrow night as we begin our Names Of God series. It's a wonderful exploration into the names of God, discovering what specific names mean & looking at the Biblical stories behind those names. Come and consider what your favorite name for Him is.

Fall Is Here

It's easy to see that the summer has faded away. It's after Labor Day. Students are already back at school. The weather is cooling off (well starting to anyway). The daylight is getting shorter. Yes, it's beginning to look more like the fall. Just around the corner, students will get back into a more normal schedule, leaves will begin to change (at least in other areas of the country) and everyone will be able to (comfortably) wear jeans and jackets again.

I just love the fall season and not just because my birthday is right in the middle of it. I love the fall season because its the start of a new year- a new school year. I'm excited to see what God is going to do at Crash, in the lives of junior high students and their families this next year. Tomorrow night is the first Crash meeting of the fall and it's our Fall Kick-Off. Parents, I want to strongly encourage you to come to Crash tomorrow night with your student, so I can share with you all what God is doing in my heart, as well as the vision He's given me for Crash for this next school year. I can already tell that 2011-2012 is going to be a great year, and I'm excited to partner with you and see how God is going to bless you and your family. I hope to see all of you students and your parents tomorrow night at Crash, so we can kick off the fall season together.