Based on a true story:

6/27/09

This morning at camp, I got up at 6:00 a.m. as usual to avoid traffic at the showers. When I got back to camp after showering, our councilor, Donny, who was new to the youth ministry, was there tending to the fire he had made while doing his devotions as he always did. I sat down and warmed up on opposite side of the crackling fire. After saying our good mornings, we sat there in an awkward silence until he began to pray out loud. He prayed for just abut everything, from his wife and kids to the blessing us highschoolers were to the church. He finished and asked me if I needed prayer for anything that might have been bothering me in my life. I asked him to pray for my oldest brother, Chad, who was going through a very difficult time. I was really touched then and all throughout the week by how cared so much for us without us knowing him all too well.
He got done praying and I thanked him for his comforting prayer. He helped me feel a lot more confident about the situation my brother was in. For a little while longer, we gazed at the warm and continually growing fire as the cool coastal breeze blew through our sweater shirts. Suddenly, he began to explain to me about how when a believer gives up something to God in their life, even if they do it subconsciously, God will work in their lives to completely remove and destroy that nuisance. Then he told me to remember this, to keep it on my mind, and that I will need to tell this to someone in my life who is struggling and needs to hear words of encouragement. I am convinced God urged him to share that little piece of wisdom with me, and I am very grateful he did…
- Marcus Smith

I believe that the whole world needs to hear this quote. Our world and generation needs hope. We don’t need false prophets or politicians that proclaim peace and hope. What we need is the truth of God’s word. We need to be constantly seeking Him out first and leaving all of the pain and stress of the world to be handled by him. He cares for us enough to die for us, and he wants to help us through the rough times in our life also. He never said it would be an easy path. In fact Jesus tell us “small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:14 NIV). He wants us to stay on that path and tells us to put our worries in his hands. God will destroy those things we are struggling with in our lives if we only surrender them wholly to them. It may not be an immediate relief, and it may even take years, but perseverance and trust is essential to with an eating disorder, a bad relationship, or even fighting thoughts of suicide. Give up your struggles to God and believe and have faith that he will take care of them. This is the soul reason he came to earth and died for us.

- “ [Jesus] who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6-11 NIV).