When Pastor Mike spoke today about the group that protests the funerals of servicemen saying those service men were being killed as Gods rath against America for their tolerance on gays being evil, it was another reminder to me that Evil does exists. I feel I'm reminded of that alot lately. Last Sunday Jakes band played in Michigan. The band got up on stage and held hands and prayed before starting to play and when they did that Jake said one man starting yelling at them that he worshipped Satan and he kept screaming at them and swearing at them and rolling around on the floor while they played the first few songs. Then the band stopped and Jake told the crowd that they were a Christian band and that means they beleived Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior and if anyone didn't beleive that, the band still loved and was praying for them. He said the guy through the rest of their set stilled continued but wasn't as loud or swearing as much. Jake said it was one of those shows in a bar and mostly everyone was drunk. When he told me it just sounded so evil.
When Mike spoke today I thought of this story of Jakes and his band in general. I want so much for Jake to quit and go to school and have a decent job and nice life. I get asked all the time what Jake is doing and it feels like I don't even get time to answer before people tell me their kids are going to college and I feel embarrased. I worry that Jake won't have a comfortable life one day but in saying that what I want for him and what God wants for him may be and evidently is 2 different things. The band struggles so much, they play many many Christian venues but more often than not they play some drunken dive and I get scared. They borrow vehicles all the time because their van is constantly broken down and Jake works in a foundry now, hard work for such a young man but he doesn't say alot because it enables him to keep working the band for now. It's not unusual to hear from Jake a story like a few weeks ago in Pennsylvania where they had a small turnout and it was a small Christian venue and the kids forfeited the usual fee for $20.00 in gas money (as if that would pay their gas) or ended up donating their money when they find out the proceeds goes to someone who is sick or a fund for someone whose family member has passed away. They really end up making nothing. I feel embarrased when people ask me about Jake, because it's hard to see the outcome. I feel sometimes like I failed because he isn't going to college but it's all so confusing because at the same time I envy him for living his passion and for keeping God in it and I do love his heart. Todays serman kind of reminded me that I am to just leave it with and trust God. Jake and his band do their devotionals together alot, he reaches many people others probably feel are the undesirables. (I've been to his shows and I have to say he associates with many people I would rather he didn't.) And he has more of the Missional lifestyle that I think pleases God. You know you raise your kids to love God and hopefully to follow God but you just hope that will mean a nice home in the suburbs and the all american dream. It's not always that way. I went to the 9:00 serman and then Jake got home today about 3:00 and asked me to go with him tonight, this is his first Sunday his band hasn't been booked somewhere for awhile and he was home and he has been missing church because of the band alot. I think I really needed to hear the serman again tonight probably more than he needed to hear it at all. I needed to make sure I let it sink it because it reinforced that I needn't worry about him for now, God was using him to reach those that many of us don't want to bother with and that is good.

I know it isn't easy with our kids sometimes. But I think the problem is within us. We have two conflicting definitions of "success" within the churched community. We want our kids to be dedicated followers, but we also want them to meet the world's expectations. Jesus didn't go to college (or even the 1st century equivalent). He didn't own a home. He walked everywhere (okay, everybody pretty much did back then.) He never amassed a fortune or even a retirement account. And He ate and drank with sinners and tax collectors. Jake is pretty much where Jesus would probably be today.

Amen..........the wisdom of God is foolishness to men. Even if Jake is pursueing something less than God has intended for him, it's part of his journey, and I trust Suzanne that God is getting him ultimately where he is supposed to go. I don't think the American dream fits much into God's dream....His is way bigger than a house, a portfolio, and new car. BUT....your his Mom and you want him to have what he needs.......that I understand. It's scary to have your kids walking by faith, because the worlds a hard place. I've prayed many times that my kids would love God more than me, so that they would pursue him above my dreams for them, but living that in real life is much harder. love you, LIsa

You've hit on it exactly Mike. Just this morning I was reading about Len Wilson and Jason Moore. Two guys that are well known to anyone at Ginghamsburg that's been around a while. These two guys have exceptional talent. They could be at the top of the food chain in the world. Or they can be fantastic servants for God. I admire both of them but I keep wishing they'd be more successful and earn more money. I see the conflict in my wishes for them just as you have pointed out for Jake. It's hard for me to know what to even wish for them because they two goals seldom, if ever, are compatible.

The goals are not always incompatible. The timing often is. My story is proof of Jesus' word in Mark 10:29-31:
"And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first." We left a lot of the amterial security and income behind when we joined a faith mission agency (before coming to GUMC). Yet, we had two sons attend college and finish during our lowest earning years without any debt. It was later that God fulfilled that promise to us in the form of literal earthly material increase. Just as he added though, it also comes with "persecution" in the form of increased daily temptations and in distractions. We often feel more spiritually challenged now than we we had no earthly idea how our physical needs would be met.

Len and Jason will receive a great reward for their faithfulness. If it does turn out to be earthly riches, it may come, as Jesus warned, with "persecutions". It may simply be the joy that comes from simplicity and come in the form of a hundred-fold return in blessed relationships. God honors faithfulness. He rewards the righteous. Jake is so much farther ahead in his walk than many of those I share a pew with at church. Success is being where God wants you. Any other earthly standard is a counterfiet.

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This online forum has a different format the CLC. I'm not getting the hang of it very well.

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