Please, I Beg You

Dear Drew, Ben and Ally,

I was thinking about you this morning during our church service here at Camp. Since we won't be eating a meal together today or anytime soon (sniff sniff), I thought I'd write you. Pretend we're at the table and I just went to get my Bible.

Don't roll your eyes! It may start out as a little rant, but you're used to that.

Oh, and I left Brittany out of this note not because I don't consider her one of my kids or that she couldn't benefit, but mother-in-laws have to tread lightly in these areas.

So here we go.

First...please, I beg you to put your phones away more often and particularly for one hour/hour and a half each Sunday. (Yes, I'm preaching to myself too.)

Beth Moore recently spoke at Passion Conference and said this to a room full of young adults your age.

"Every generation of Jesus followers faces cultural challenges that will 

make or break its' witness. At this moment in time, 

I believe that there are two that loom large over you.

The first is pure distraction. Your lives will go by in a flash 

and then you will stand before the enormity and holiness 

and glory of God and the essence of insanity 

will be to have missed the Son of God over social media."*

That makes me shudder. Does it you? Oh please, I beg you, pay attention to Jesus.

When at church, don't even take your phone out. The temptation is too great to scroll. Playing mindless games is no good either. Don't use a Bible app unless you are travelling and don't have room to actually bring The Book with you. Hold your precious copy in your hands and read along. Write notes in it, underline, find truth yourself as you listen and follow along. This is impossible if you are playing a game or scrolling through social media. God won't shout over other noises, you could miss Him.

Second, please, I beg you to hunger and thirst for God's righteousness (Matthew 5:6). I pray that for you daily and for me and for Dad.

If you hunger for Him, you will not seek to be entertained or filled with the counterfeit pleasures and enchantments the world has to offer. If you thirst for Him, He will lead you to and flood you with Living Water that only He can give (John 14:4). And that satisfaction is what leads to the abundantly filled life.

If you hunger and thirst for Jesus, you will put yourself in position (church) and posture (listening with full attention/no phone) to feast on His Word.

You kids were raised in church and on weekly (understatement) sermons. You know what I'm about to say. Spiritual growth is not accidental. You won't stumble into a vital, life changing, exciting, passionate, intentional relationship with Jesus Christ who loves you more than anyone else does. It comes with purpose, hard work and repetition.

A practical way to pursue that life - here's where the pastor's sermon comes in - is this...(did you wonder if I was ever going to get to it?)

Our speaker today said so many wise things I wrote in my heart and in my journal. But this one really stuck out and struck deep...

"Start each day with a question. 'What do I have to get done today?' 

is the wrong one. 'Who do I want to become?' is the right one. 

When you have the answer then move on to the next thing - the practice of strategically scheduling the things that will get you to that goal. 

In other words, if you want to make your faith the priority of your life

and your relationship with Jesus more deep and intimate, 

schedule time to sit and pray, talking with Him and listening."

Other examples: 

If you want to be more Christlike, schedule time to read your Bible and learn what Jesus' patterns and disciplines and characteristics look like. Then imitate.

(side note because I can't resist this carrot: How can one be like Jesus if one doesn't know how Jesus interacted with others, what He valued or what He taught? God was so kind to have it written and preserved for us. See why reading the Bible is more than just a good idea?)

If you want to be a good friend who makes others feel important and valued, schedule time to be with one and practice listening and encouraging.

Get the idea? What's the answer to the question for you?

Lastly, please, I beg you, be aware of the distractions that can so quickly derail you from who you want to be and where you want to go.  Know your triggers. Then reject them with a fury. You can't afford not to. Your very purpose in life to glorify God by showing your world who He is and how He loves is at stake.

You can always rest on the reality that Dad and I pray for you everyday. We are cheering you on along with some others....

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1,2

Listen to Mommy and listen to Beth. Don't miss the best stuff.

You are so loved,
Mom

PS. I just had a thought. Let's add to our New Year's collection. The Spiritual Discipline Of Not Taking Our Phones Out in Church. The Spiritual Discipline of Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness. The Spiritual Discipline of Knowing What Will Distract Us From the Important and Rejecting Them.  Yes, yes I like that a lot. Woohoo - it can't be stopped. You can roll your eyes now.


*To hear the 2nd cultural challenge, find the video on youtube. You want to hear it, trust me.