Life2gether

Yesterday I took a spiritual retreat. I spent most of the day at a park walking outside just soaking in the glory of God’s creation. At one point I stopped at a little pond and watched a turtle playing in the water. Later I walked through a shaded trail and just listened to the sounds of birds singing in the trees. All the while I prayed and just talked to God as if he were right there with me. It was a time of sweet communion.

It made me think about prayer and how we make it so hard sometimes. Why do we overthink prayer and make it a discipline that’s disconnected from our real lives? Why do we think so much about trying to get it right? Why can’t we just slow down and remember that God is a person?

I love what Paul Miller writes in his book, A Praying Life.  He says,

“… prayer is all about relationship. It’s intimate and hints at eternity. We don’t think about communication or words but about who we are talking with. Prayer is simply the medium through which we experience and connect with God … Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God … Prayer is not the center … getting to know a person, God, is the center.”

Isn’t that freeing? Through Christ we can get to know God and have a real relationship with him, talking to him in prayer as if he’s right there with us, because he is.

The transition from high school to college is a difficult one for many students.  This is where the church can step in and play an important role in supporting and praying for these college-bound kids.  Walt Mueller, with Center for Parent Youth Understanding (CPYU) tells about the College Transition Initiative, a program to discover how you can learn more about helping these students in transition.  I posted the following articles on their website for further reading.

CPYU Articles

Mindy Meier: Sex on campus - Derek Melleby interviews author Minday Meier about Donna Freitas’ bookSex & the Soul

Finding campus community - What can be done to help students make wise decisions in how they spend their time and who they spend their time with in college

Preparing high school students for the realities of college life - The CCO interviews Derek Melleby

Youth group gone wild - What you can do now to prepare kids for college

Life after high school - CPYU interview with author and professor Dr. Tim Clydesdale about his book The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School

Why students abandon their faith - Lessons from William Wilberforce

God in the gap year - More and more students are taking a year off before heading to college

The beginnings of vocation - Deciding on a major. Download this article as a .pdf handout.

Choosing a college - Questions students should ask as they seek a college that will positively nurture the entirety of their being, by Matthew J. Reitnour

Life after high school: A conversation with ministry veteran Steven Garber - How youth ministries can help students with the transition from high school to college

Affirming doubt - Helping students ask and answer tough questions

Keeping faith from fraying - The American Family Association interviews CPYU’s Derek Melleby about the transition to college

College prep - Helping the teens you know transition to the university years

College Transition - A look at the transition from high school to college through the eyes of a high school guidance counselor and two college students

Navigating the college transition - CPYU’s own Derek Melleby, along with Susan den Herder, wrote this article for Comment Magazine

The lion, the witch and the college campus - Key issues students face when transitioning from high school to college and the relevancy of C.S. Lewis for college students

Conversations for the college bound - What high school students heading to college should think about before making the transition

Prepare for college: Read the Bible - Students who desire to transition smoothly from high school to college should read and understand the Bible

Parents, especially young parents, aren’t you tired of trying to get it all right?  Aren’t you tired of trying to discipline your kids by the book?  Aren’t you tired of trying to match up with other families?  Aren’t you tired of trying to do A + B and never getting C?  Let’s admit it.  There’s only so much we can do.  God must do the rest. 

So let’s be faithful in what we can do.  Let’s sow the seed of the gospel.  Let’s teach it.  Let’s live it.  And let’s pray it for our kids.  And when the day is done, let’s rest.  Let’s rest well.

After all, that’s the wonder of the gospel!  As John MacArthur says, “you sow the seed, you go to sleep, and it grows” (Mark 4:27).

This was my favorite part of the Together for the Gospel Conference. A group of humble men calling out to God for help to heal a fellow brother in need. What a great example. We need more of this as men. Not just for physical healing, but for spiritual healing as well (James 5:16).

Photo courtesy of Daniel Perez Jr.

(HT: JT)

I’m sure you’ve been there as a parent.  You’ve told your child what to do and she won’t budge.  She wants control.  She wants what she wants and won’t let go. 

I was in that place last night.  We were at a stand still.  Just me and my oldest daughter.  But instead of getting angry and demanding that she obey me, I realized that I needed to help her see what was going on in her heart.  After talking to her about it for awhile, she didn’t seem to understand.  In fact, she told me that I was the one who didn’t understand her — which was probably true!  By the grace of God, I stayed calm as she grew more and more emotional.  Finally, I thought it was best to leave her on her bed as I went to pray and ask God for wisdom. 

Of all things, he led me to pick up a ball laying on the carpet right outside her bedroom door.  I looked at it and I thought, “God, would you help me and my daughter to understand what’s going on here?  I don’t know what to do.”  Then, I just opened the door with the ball in my hand believing that he would come through as I sat next to my girl on her bed.  I showed her the ball and said, “Emie, this ball represents what Emie wants.”  And so I gave it to her and told her to hold it close to her chest.  I explained to her that there are many things that she wants, but she can’t always have what she wants.  She needs to let go and let her daddy help her with these choices.  I looked at her and said, “Emie, this is hard, isn’t it?  It’s hard to let go of the control.  It’s hard to let go of the ball.  We want to hold onto it, don’t we?”  Then I told her that I’m the same way.  I want what I want and I don’t want anybody taking that away. 

At this point she seemed confused and asked a great question.  But Daddy, “You always get what you want.  You always have the ball.  How come I don’t get to do what I want, like you do?”  I paused for a moment then looked at her and said, “Emie, God gave you a Daddy who loves you and wants to help you understand what it is you really want.  And as you keep growing up you will be able to make more choices on your own.  But I want to tell you something.  If you keep holding onto what you want you will end up sad and frustrated.  But if you are willing to let go and trust Daddy you will be happy.  You know why?  Because as you willingly give me the ball, we’ll meet in the middle (I put the ball between us) and you’ll see that what I want for you is really what you want too.  Do you know why?  Because we’re actually both taking what we want and lifting it up to God and asking him what He wants.  (We lifted up the ball together).  You see, Emie, we’re giving up control and letting him have the ball.” 

Emie smiled.  By God’s grace I think it clicked.  We hugged and asked God to help us let go and give up our control.  Emie loved the little activity and asked if she could write about it in her journal.  This is part of what she wrote (she gave me permission!) in her own words:

Emie’s Journal Entry — March 15, 2010

Ball repersents: What I want

If I kept holding on to what Emie wants I would get sad but if I say here you go Daddy and give him what Emie wants then it’s like we stick together with what Emie wants and we be happy and God is happy too.

2nd Grade, page 26.

Well said, Emie.  Little did you know that you’re the one teaching me to let go and trust God.

Michael Oh spoke at the 2009 Desiring God Conference for Pastors about his vision to reach Japan for Jesus.  Some of you know my twin brother, Mark Wolter, and his family are missionaries in Kyoto, Japan.  Please pray for them and consider joining God’s work in Japan.  As mentioned in the video, the Protestant population of Japan is about .2%, with a total population of around 186 million. Japan needs Jesus, and needs your prayers.

LBC members: Mark and his family will be coming to speak our church, Lord willing, on August 15th.  He appreciates all of your prayers and support and would love to see you all this summer.

• Read an interview I had with Mark awhile back. (Part 1) and (Part 2)

As I look at the Psalms, I’m amazed at how little we do and how much He does.  For example: 

Psalm 23:1-3

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me besides still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and [he] heard my cry
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,
and [he] set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 91:14-16

Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and [I will] honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and [I will] show him my salvation.

In summary, all I need to do is come poor and needy because He comes to me rich in mercy. Hallelujah!

Greg Qualls writing for the Resurgence:

1. Set up “triggers” in your life
2. Have a plan
3. Talk to God
4. Write it down
5. Keep it simple
6. Keep it sweet

Go here to see how he unpacks these 6 tips …

Last night as I tucked my kids into bed, we prayed together for God to have mercy on the people in Haiti.  One of my little girls gently asked, “Daddy, why is it called Haiti (HATE-E)?”  It was an honest question.  So I just spelled out the word for her and said it had nothing to do with the word “hate” that she knows is a word reserved for sin and evil.  But I wish I would’ve said something similar to what Al Mohler said here … only summarized in kid’s language like I did below.

Girls, some people think that God sent the earthquake to Haiti because he hates Haiti.  But God doesn’t hate Haiti.  He loves Haiti.  He loves the people in Haiti.  He loves the mommies and the daddies and the little boys and little girls.  Do you remember John 3:16?  It says,”For God so loved the world (all the people in the world) that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”  

God is a loving King.  But He is also a holy king.  He rules over all.  And one day he will judge all the peoples of the world.  He will punish all the people (from Haiti to Kentucky) who have sinned against him and not believed in his Son Jesus Christ.  God doesn’t hate Haiti.  But God hates sin.  And one day He is coming to judge us for our sin.  So the earthquake reminds us that we must turn from our sin and trust in Jesus.  Jesus is our only hope as he died on a cross to take our punishment and give us eternal life. 

Girls, God loves us and he loves the people in Haiti.  So we need to pray.  We need to pray for the people who got hurt and are sad and alone.  We need to pray for the little kids that don’t have a mommy or daddy.  And we need to pray most of all for the people in Haiti to hear about Jesus and the amazing love he showed them by dying for them on the cross.  Remember John 3:16?  Let’s say that verse together and pray for God to have mercy on the people in Haiti.

Recently I was talking to my twin brother on skype and he brought up a good question to diagnose your prayer life:

What are 3 answers to prayer you’ve had this past year?

This is a great question because it makes us think about what we’ve been asking God to do and whether or not we’ve remembered what He has done.  No doubt, prayer is more than just getting an “answer” from God, but sometimes we need to remember to ask him things like a little child believing that he will answer.  How does a child ask?  Here’s what Paul Miller says in his book, A Praying Life:

• What do they ask for?  Everything and anything.
• How often do children ask?  Repeatedly.
• How do children ask?  Without guile.  They just say what’s on their minds.

May we pray like a child this year believing that God can do more than we could ask or think!