Good find

Starting junior high also meant starting youth group.  My brother told me something then that I have found to be beneficial.  Our youth pastor always had hand outs with fill in the blanks for us when he was giving a message.  My brother told me to keep these because they would be good to look back at someday.  Well, I did keep them, a LOT of them.  I have since weeded out many things but I still do have several pages that I received as a student in the youth group.  This past week I found something from a bible study I went to with my youth minister's wife.  It's amazing how it can speak to me now as much as I'm assuming that it did then.  When my brother gave me that advice to keep my stuff from youth group, neither of us had any idea that I would one day be a youth minister's wife.  I have used those handouts to create my own studies and lessons for the girls in our ministry.  They truly are a priceless resource from people I trust and have seen walk life with Christ for many years even after I graduated.  I thought I would share in case someone else needed to hear these words too.

In the series of statements the first one describes a "natural inclination that leads to lack of purpose".  The second describes "principles of wisdom that lead to fulfilling achievement".

1. Making a distinction between full-time Christian work and secular vocations.
2. Wisdom is recognizing that, whatever my job is, I am to work as though God were my employer and expect that my real reward for labor will come from Him.

1. Considering the learning of practical skills in a variety of areas to be unnecessary.
2. Wisdom is remembering that God will use whatever natural skills I develop in the ministry to which He calls me and that often they will be the very means of directing me in service for Him.

1. Believing that since I do not have too many talents or special abilities I cannot expect to do any significant work for God.
2. Wisdom is realizing that God uses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the foolish to confound the wise, because His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

1. Assuming that the will of God for my life involves finding a particular job or having a particular title.
2. Wisdom is discerning that the will of God involves both the forming of Christ's character within me and the resulting message which I can share with others.

1. Neglecting unwanted family responsibilities to have more time for other things, like serving the Lord.
2. Wisdom is understanding that difficult family responsibilities are actually God's way of building essential character in me and that a far bigger ministry can result through the lives of those for whom I am responsible.

1. Expecting that  God will bless my efforts in Christian work with acceptance and appreciation from those whom I serve.
2. Wisdom is preparing for unexpected misunderstandings and rejection from those I try to help so that I can identify with new sections of scripture and experience a more effective ministry with others.

1. Plodding ahead in order to fulfill a vision that I know God has given me to accomplish.
2. Wisdom is planning for the death of my vision during which time I will be forced to learn the character of Christ and wait for his timing in the fulfillment of the vision.

1. Looking for the opportunities of leadership in Christian service.
2. Wisdom is seeking to serve Christian leaders because of the awesome responsibility which they have and higher standards by which they will be judged.

So, there ya go.  I thought it was just a great reminder to keep my perspective through a Christ focused lens.  No matter what we are doing, we do it for the Lord and he uses every situation in life to develop us into the person he created us to be.  Nothing is wasted or pointless when we live life with Christ.