Who are we, anyway?

So many of you all know Mel and I quite well, and for those of you that don't...our personal blog links are on the bottom right side of your screen at the moment. Mel has a blog that's updated daily (if not more often, it seems) and mine hasn't been updated in a very long while.

Our lives have been turned upside down, inside out, tied in knots, and then used as a pinata. Not only that, but the pinata was then doused with lighter fluid and set aflame. But don't worry, it's a spiritual fire, and all that was just a metaphor. We're fine, I promise.

While we're working together on making this whole Youth Group endeavor work. Mel is the organized, individually caring, female nurturing half of the leadership...and I'm still trying to figure out what I do well.

I'm challenging, volatile (just look at my blog subtitle), vocal, and logical. I've been accused of being heartless, uncaring, a jerk, ruthless (sensing a theme yet), and mechanical.

One thing I've been learning lately is that God called us to serve Him in our own ways. I thought my way was to be a BioPhysicist and try to do research while helping out with Youth events at the church. Turns out that God just wanted me to throw caution to the wind and work for him.

Here's what I want out of this blog: I want it to get in your face and challenge you. I hope that after reading a few of my posts, you'll get the impression that I'm a ruthless, unselfish, cold, logical, fanatically devoted follower of God. Yes, I see each of those as strong points, not places where God is working on "smoothing me out."

I think I'm going to start a purely devotional blog of my own. One where I can just spew all sorts of thoughts on what I've been reading...on how Hagar was defended by God, and maybe that means that even the Palestinians in the Middle East are deserving of God's love...not just the Israelis. But all that for another day.

This is where I'll type up my running commentary on my relationship with God. This is where I'll put my musings, challenges, hopes, and dreams.

It all starts with this Youth Group.

God has given me a job...and I can't help but feel like I've been given the sword of the spirit, and it's now up to me to defend these teens from all the crap that life has been throwing at them. Girls have been told they're too fat, too skinny, or their noses are too big. If they're attractive enough, maybe they've just been called a slut. Guys have been told that they're lazy, that they're not expected to amount to anything at all, and that God doesn't have a plan for them.

That's not how it works.
God is better than that.
We are better than that.

Girls, you are beautiful women of God. The Bible says that true beauty is found in Him, and not in your pants measurements or bust size...or how much you're 'expected' to show them off. You want to catch the right kind of husband? Learn to love God, dive in your Bible, and get your sense of worth from Him. Hold your heads high, know God loves you, and give Him everything you have. He'll keep you safe.

Guys, God is your commander in chief. He's the one you want to follow. His jobs are not pointless. You are not incompetent. You have a job to do. People may not get this, but God and I know that you're looking for something to do in your life, and you want to fight for Him. Be righteous. Do the right thing. Protect the defenseless. Lead the charge against Evil, and don't tolerate evil in yourself. We are Righteous Men of God. It's time we stepped up and acted like it. The world needs us.

If you're reading this, and you're feeling like it resonates with something deep inside you, that's God trying to get your attention. The Bible says that we're supposed to throw off every single thing that holds us back so we can chase Him and do His work.

Lets do this.