Student Thought
Welcome to the student-produced weekly worship thought! Each week, a different member of the Campus Ministries team will type a short devotional thought.
This week's devotional is written by Trey Carr. He is the Sophomore class pastor and Sophomore representative in Campus Ministries. He brings us a devotional he found and really enjoyed!
http://www.devotions.net/
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
(John 3.16 NRSV)
A young husband has a crippling, terminal neurological disease. His wife is carrying a baby which this unfortunate young man may never live to see. Thus he writes a letter to this unborn child to say something very important that is on his heart. Listen carefully as I read these words. They are very beautiful. Remember he is writing to his unborn child:
"Your mother is very special," he writes. "Few men know what it is like to receive appreciation for taking their wives out to dinner when it entails what it does for us. It means that she has to dress me, shave me, brush my teeth, comb my hair, wheel me out of the house and down the steps, open the garage and put me in the car, take the pedals off the chair, stand me up, sit me in the seat of the car, twist me around so that I am comfortable, fold the wheelchair, put it in the car, go around to the other side of the car, start it up, back it out, get out of the car, pull the garage door down, get back into the car, drive off to the restaurant. And then, it starts all over again. She gets out of the car, unfolds the wheelchair, opens the door, spins me around, stands me up, seats me in the wheelchair, pushes the pedals out, closes and locks the car, wheels me into the restaurant, then takes the pedals off the wheelchair so I won't be uncomfortable. We sit down to have dinner, and she feeds me throughout the entire meal. And when it's over she pays the bill, pushes the wheelchair out to the car again, and repeats the same routine. And when it's over, finished, with real warmth, she'll say, 'Honey, thank you for taking me out to dinner.' I never quite know what to answer. . ."
If you have ever been the target of unconditional love, you know that young man's predicament. If you ever get a grasp on all Christ has done in your behalf, you understand the uncertainty of this young husband with this tragic neurological disease. You simply do not know what to say. You and I are the recipients of an amazing self-giving love.
Dear God, thank you for your self-giving love. Amen."
Ron Newhouse
This week's devotional is written by Melissa Schiffbauer. She is the Freshmen class pastor and Freshmen representative in Campus Ministries.
Face your fears!
They all saw him and were afraid. But quickly Jesus spoke and said to them, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." Mark 6:50
One of my biggest fears is my fear of bears. I hate their large sharp teeth, huge furry bodies, and massive heads. I am so afraid that if I ever even think I may see a bear, my heart beats faster. Because I am so utterly terrified, you can imagine my horror when my dad announced we’d be spending our family’s vacation in the Smokey Mountains… camping.
As we came to the national state park where our campsite was located, that summer, my eyes were already glued to the window. Dusk was just falling and shadows were appearing from the thick woods. Did that bush just shake? Was that some brown fur over by that log? Could a bear cave be up in those boulders? Fear was already inching its icy fingers into my mind. My dad parked the car at the ranger station, and I followed him as we got out and went to speak to a ranger and receive our maps. I wish you could have seen my face when she happily informed us, “You are really going to have a great time, just yesterday I got the privilege of seeing a mother grizzly and her cubs right near your campsite! If you’re lucky they will come by today again. You know this is the time of day they like to come out. Make sure you keep your distance though, and lock up your food.” I almost fainted.
That night I couldn’t sleep. I was shivering in my sleeping bag, listening for the slightest rustle of a branch or crunch of leaves. I couldn’t get over the fact that only a thin sheet of plastic tent was separating me from my possible death lurking in the woods. Then the worst thing that could have happened, happened. I had to use the bathroom. The nearest outhouse was a good walk away and it was pitch black outside. It didn’t help that my heart was already thumping so loud I could barely hear myself think. I thought about putting it off, but I had to go. The only thing I could do was…pray? I hadn’t prayed about this all day! All of a sudden I was pouring it out to God. God, I really need to use the bathroom and everyone is asleep. You know how deathly afraid I am of bears! Please Lord, give me strength and bravery. You created those creatures. Could you please allow them to stay hiding while I’m around? I trust you Lord. Amen. After praying I was just as afraid as before and my heart was still thumping loud, but I didn’t feel as alone as I climbed out of that tent into the chill of the night, because now I remembered that God was there with me. Despite all my worrying, I didn’t see a single bear that night…or even the whole trip.
What is your fear? Do you come across it daily or can it be avoided? Do you find yourself constantly worrying about it? Before you lock yourself up in your house, or go into hiding, remember that no matter what God is bigger than your fears and will be with you no matter what. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid of them and don’t be frightened, because the Lord your God will go with you. He will not leave you or forget you.
So many people in the Bible faced and conquered fears through the power of Christ. Just look at David, Daniel, or Esther. God will help you do great things despite your fears, just as he did for them.
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This week's devotional is written by Genise Browne. She is the Junior Class Pastor and the Junior Class representative in Campus Ministries.
Waiting on God
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8: 28 NIV
Wait - To continue as one is in expectation of.
When I was younger, I really hated that word. To me, it seemed to be even worse than the word "maybe." Because even though ‘”maybe” seemed to stand between "yes" and "no," it always offered more assurance than “wait”. Now, even more than before, I seem to find myself waiting on different things: waiting to get through each day, waiting to graduate, waiting for my birthday, waiting for people, waiting for God, waiting for this, and waiting for that. And sometimes I begin to believe that I’m good at being patient, only to later realize that an eternity to me is only a few months or years. I’m beginning to realize that God’s definition of patience is quite different than my own. “Wait,” He tells me. “Sure God!” I say, but I really don’t grasp the concept as well as I should. I eventually begin to wonder, then to whine, and soon to doubt. I look at people in the Bible like Sarah and Jacob who waited years on end for things hoped for, and I go crazy with the thought. Some took matters into their own hands and others let God work in the way that he should. But what does it really mean to wait?
In Hebrews 11:1 it says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” So I know that waiting on God requires a certain measure of faith; Faith in Him, and in His goodwill that will prevail no matter what the circumstances. I have to remind myself of that often—that no matter what happens, God works for my good. Whether I can see it, or not, God makes things happen better than I ever can. It’s so easy to get tired and wonder if God will ever really do anything about a situation, or if he even remembers that you’re waiting. But God never seems to truly work in real time. I often only notice how much God has done for me a long while after the blessing is received. The process always seems slow, but looking back it really wasn’t. It was just right. If it had happened any other way, it wouldn’t be how it is now. Think about some good things in your life that have gotten this way through time and it becomes easier to apply this concept to the present. Looking back, I can recall many times when if I had gotten my way in the beginning, I would be in a whole lot more trouble now. But God knows both sides of everything; the beginning and the end. He knows the result of every possible path, and will only choose the one he knows is best for you. And sometimes we may never even realize the blessing in His plan; but he always knows.
When I sit and honestly ask myself: How many times have I made assumptions? How many times have I been wrong? How many times I have misjudged, miscalculated, and been mislead? I know too many times to count. When I apply this unimaginable number to my life and the decisions I have to make, I have to wonder if my simple knowledge and judgment is enough to risk in any situation. It’s not. So I’ll leave it to God’s infinite, unfailing, knowledge and love—because he’ll work for my good in every situation. And it’s worth it, even if it sometimes means waiting for it to happen.
“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.” Proverbs 3: 5, 6 NIV
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(January 26, 2010) This week's devotional is done by Rebekah Acosta. She is our Small Group Coordinator and she makes sure each small group is running as it should be.
What is Your Legacy
Some that read this may think this is all rather morbid; others may really start to think about the truth in the matter. In the end it is all up to you to decide what your perspective on the topic that is written really is:
Have you ever wondered if you have impacted someone's life? Have you made a difference? What will your legacy be? Are you going to be remembered by what you did and say? And are those things going to be positive or negative? Have you changed the world even a little or for the better?
I've only lost two people that have been close to me. Before the age of 10 both my mother's parent had pasted away. I was still too young to have it hurt me in the way it can hurt me today. As I grew up, I did think of them and how I missed them, but it did not affect me much. When my 16th birthday rolled around, things changed. I got a card from my great aunt, my grandmother's sister. At the end she wrote, "Edna [my grandmother] would be proud." I broke down. Memories started to flood my mind: the sweet words and hugs of my loving grandmother and the memories of my grandpa yelling at me for stepping on his feet (which I did quite often). I realize how much I miss them and the space that is empty.
As time passes and the people I love grow older, I get scared and I fear losing them. I love them and I want each one of them to know that. Each one has changed my life and helped make me the person I am today. They are a part of my childhood and a part of my now.
In the beginning I was fearful of losing the "older" people in my life. Now, as situations have come my way, I am fearful of losing anyone in my life. I thought I was immune to people in my life having heart attacks or to classmates and friends experiencing tragic car accidents, but I've realized I am not. The day I got the text and phone call that a best friend's dad was going into emergency brain surgery, a new part of reality started to open up before me and I realized I am not immune to these tragedies. As I sat there in the hospital waiting room not knowing if he would make it out or not, a question started to arise: "Is this what loosing someone now feels like? Is this what it feels like to be waiting on the sidelines helplessly? God; why and what is next?" As days passed I was always questioning. When I saw a "God-Thing" happen with Alyssa's dad, I had a new experience in my life. When life started to calm down again, what I didn't know was that it wouldn't be long till another situation arose. On the way home from a happy, eventful Thanksgiving cruise, my dad got a phone call. He asked if I knew a girl named Jen and a guy named Erskin. As I sat in the back seat with the details of the crash told to me, my heart sank. As different and newer reports flowed in, my heart just got heavier and heavier. Another thing that I thought I had been immune to was happening to me. Former classmates were in comas and they didn't know if they would make it out. Everyone was praying for a "God-Thing." One night as the most recent news came, tears started to flood my eyes and I realized something that is starting to change my life. On the phone with someone I care deeply about, I realized something and I started to tell her something that suddenly was changing inside.
"If I were to die tomorrow what would people remember me by? What would be my legacy?"
If I were to die tomorrow what would be the life story that I left behind? Would it be something that I would be proud of or ashamed of?
Have I...
...Impacted someone's life?
...Changed my little corner of my world or better yet?
...Changed the world?
...Fought for what I believed to be true?
...Lived for Christ?
...Been that shoulder to cry on?
...Lent a hand?
...Will I be remembered?
..Acted as a follower or as a leader?
...Acted as kind hearted or as a person with a self-centered soul?
..want them to of known 100% that?
...Loved them?
...Cared for them?
...[they] impacted my life?
I don't want to be that person that people distantly remembered.
Do you?
When they remember who I was, I don't want them to remember a person that was just there, living for herself. I wanted be remembered by the joy and love I had. A smile on my face through it all. I wanted them to know that I was right with God and to have faith that they will see me again. I want to be remembered as a person who had an impact on their life.
Everyone that I have come into contact with has impacted my life in some way. They have helped shape the person I am. I don't care if we didn't talk all the time or that we met once and never saw or talked to each other again, you made a difference and helped shape who I am.
We all really need to think about the legacy that we are going to leave behind. When people say that you have to live like today is your last, they are giving you some of the best advice you will ever receive. There is a song by Nicole Nordeman called "Legacy" and the chorus goes like this:
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough?
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering.
a child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically,
and leave that kind of legacy"
I want to have made an impact on someone's life. I want them to say she made a difference in my life. There was this story I once heard about this kid who had cleaned out his locker and was carrying all of his books and stuff home (which was a lot, and another student stopped and asked him if he needed help and helped him carry all the stuff home. Little did that kid know the kid that was carrying all those books had cleaned out his locker so his mother wouldn't have to; because he was going to commit suicide, but because that kid helped him he changed his mind. One little action saved someone's life. I want to have an impact on someone's life. I want to be remembered in a life changing way.
These recent tragedies that have come into my life have made me realize a lot of things. It's time that I live my life like everyday is my last and to make sure the people that I love know I love and care for them. Maybe this is something we should all consider.
With love,
Rebekah Grace
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(January 18, 2010) This week's devotional is written by Ryan Becker. Ryan is the Student Association Pastor and the Campus Ministries Student Leader.
Hey everyone! I suppose I will be one to start these devotionals off. I hope you will receive a blessing from these web pages, as having a website is a ministry in itself.
I have recently been studying many things in my beliefs. I have actually learned a few things. I have been studying about the term "Immanuel" and what that means to humanity, and also I have been studying about the SDA view of what "Hell" is. While I have been learning these things, I have also been learning about what it means to be a Christian.
Since being a Christian means we acknowledge our faults, we shouldn't expect places like church to be full of upright and righteous people who have their lives figured out. That was my expectation for the longest time, and I have only recently begun to rethink every single one of my values and make sure they are the values I want in my life. I am realizing that in Christianity, I should expect to find people who are even more messed up than I. People who may not accept me, people who don't have their lives figured out. I should expect find people with broken morals, people who know that God is what they need. When you know you are sick, you don't automatically become better, but you make the decision to get better, and you take the appropriate medication in order to do so. While some medication is fast-acting, the change usually comes over a period of time (Say, a couple days). This is how it is with us. We are broken, lost, hurt, lonely, sick, confused, and angry. We should not expect to, in God become perfect in this life, rather, we will learn to live with our faults and try and better ourselves as best we can.
Christians aren't perfect. Rather, no one is. In Christianity, one won't find perfect people; one will find hurt and lost people, looking for fulfillment in the Savior, and looking for love amongst a group of people who feel the same as they do. This is what I have learned, and now that my expectations of others has changed, it has become easier to love others, and to accept others for who they are.
I hope you have a blessed week!