I Want You To Know Who I Am November 19, 2009

I was driving with one of my Young Life friends the other day, and she wanted to hear a song we  sang at camp.  The song turned out to be “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, one of my favorite bands, and we started listening to it on my iPod.  I said what do you think that song means?  She replied, “I think he’s talking to God.  I think that’s why I like it.  It’s what I would say to God if I could talk to him.”  The song was actually written for the movie City of Angels which is about an angel who gives up everything to be with the woman he loves.   The refrain, “I just want you to know who I am,” is repeated over and over.

My friend is a new believer, and she’s learning to know God.  Teenagers are masters of the mask and pretending to be something they are or are not.  It’s really neat to hear my friend say, this is what I would tell God.  I want you to know me.

And I’d give up forever to touch you
‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be
And I don’t want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
‘Cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight

And I don’t want the world to see me
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

Windy Gap October 2, 2009

“If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.”  1 Corinthians 5, The Message

These verse have been stuck in my head the last few weeks at Young Life Club.  As much as I look forward to and love club and seeing all my high school friends, there are days when I need to be reminded why I’m investing so much time and energy into this endeavor.  The simple answer:  Christ’s love.

This weekend, I get to go with somewhere between 10 and 30 high school students to Windy Gap on a weekend retreat.  I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with the friends I already know and looking forward to getting to know some new friends.  Most of all, I’m excited that I get to take a weekend away and share Christ’s love with my friends.  Whether I act crazy or overly serious, Christ’s love has the first and last word in everything I do.  I pray that this is true.

Speaking Louder Than Before August 22, 2009

A few days ago I posted my status in Facebook, as “Julie is speaking louder than before.”  Several long lost friends liked my status, but I’m not sure they understood the meaning behind my status.  I’ve always been soft spoken, so they probably thought it meant that I’m talking louder.

But, the real meaning behind the status is found in the words of this Jeremy Camp song.  About a month ago I had the opportunity to spend a week with 12 high school students at Young Life camp.  If someone had told me this sometime last year that I would be involved in high school ministry now, I would have laughed.  Never mind that I’m involved in high school ministry, and I absolutely love it.

Camp was probably the best week of my life (just like the tagline says) because God opened my heart to get to know 12 amazing teens.  Eight of those were girls that had the opportunity to live with for a week.  And for the last few weeks 3 of those girls and I have been meeting together to talk about what it means to be a Christian and how to walk with Jesus.  I love their questions, and I love watching them take steps to be more like Christ.

This song captures how I feel about these students.  I want to speak louder than I did before about the Hope that I have that is the only sure and solid ground.

We are, we are in desperation
We need to reach this generation
We are speaking louder than before

We are the hope that’s been forgotten
We have the love that will be brought and
We are speaking louder than before

Everything’s so surreal
But this urgency I feel
We should be reaching out to all these desperate pleas

Oh, the need is real can’t you feel it the call it revolution
My beating heart is breaking for them
That’s why I’m speaking now
That’s why I’m speaking now