Are you willing to SACRIFICE?!

As Student Leaders, we have the PRIVILEGE and OPPORTUNITY to work with students each and every week. As leaders who are hard working, married, expecting kids on the way, and overwhelmed with to do lists, limited finances, and personal agendas, I often wonder if we LIMIT ourselves with our GOD-GIVEN potential to TRULY impact the lives of STUDENTS! I wonder if we TRULY desire to build AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS rather than simply serve as a CHAPERON once a week!

So are you trying to make me feel bad? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Here's what I'm saying...

As leaders, your jobs will continue to get busier, your marriages will continue to be the #2 (behind your relationship with God of course) priority in your life, your kids will be a close #3 (depending on your kids HA HA), your to do lists will continue to get bigger, your finances will continue to be merry go round, and your personal life will continue to be valued! And you know what...THAT'S OK!

As STUDENT LEADERS, we have to also realize that EVERY DAY, students need ROLE MODELS, students are making the same DUMB decisions we made when we were their age, students are searching for ACCEPTANCE, students are growing farther and farther away from their FAMILIES, students are DEBATING whether or not they should go to that party this weekend or take the "next step" in their relationship with their boyfriend/girlfriend, students are searching for all the RIGHT answers in all the WRONG places, and most IMPORTANTLY students are in need of a RELATIONSHIP with JESUS CHRIST and in need of a RELATIONSHIP with YOU!

Here's the bottom line, Satan wants nothing more for you to feel OVERWHELMED in your life in order to LIMIT your impact in the lives of STUDENTS! However, Jesus served as the GREATEST EXAMPLE for all of us! John 10:15 says, "Just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I SACRIFICE my life for the sheep (NLT)." In order to LOVE STUDENTS the way that Jesus first LOVED US, we have to be willing to SACRIFICE! Ask yourself this question, "Am I willing to SACRIFICE in order to IMPACT and REACH students?"

Is that an EASY question to answer...ABSOLUTELY NOT! I'm sure it wasn't EASY for Jesus either, but he REALIZED his GOD-GIVEN potential to CHANGE THE WORLD and IMPACT LIVES FOR ETERNITY...AND HE DID IT! As STUDENTS LEADERS you have that SAME OPPORTUNITY to CHANGE THE WORLD and IMPACT LIVES FOR ETERNITY! Are you willing to DO IT?!

I am so THANKFUL for EVERY student leader who serves at Granite United Church! Your lives, families, and everything else that MATTERS TO YOU, MATTERS TO ME and most importantly MATTERS TO JESUS! However, my PRAYER will ALWAYS REMAIN that we would be WILLING to TRULY LOVE STUDENTS and that we would be WILLING to SACRIFICE in order IMPACT LIVES FOR ETERNITY! Love you guys. LET'S DO THIS!