With life we have various ways we can live.

Recklessness. Conformity. 

Wherever you find yourself, living life is up to you. I see life more often than not in three ways: Past, Present, Future. With this in mind, I will explain why I live the way I do right now using several people that have greatly impacted me to this day.

Past – I seem to refer to certain people in my life more dominantly than others, but it comes from the familiarity and intimacy I have with them. For example, my dad. Tom Parke is one of the greatest people to ever walk the earth. The more I grow up I see how amazing he was as I was growing up under his direct care. He loved me in the most tangible ways and because of my present understanding how love was, I see clearly how the past has brought me to this point today. He sacrificed so much for my family that I don’t mind sacrificing certain things if it will do more good. I am not what he has been to me, but I hope to be that way in the future more and more everyday.

Present – This writing comes from a helpful hint from a great guy, Scott. He encouraged me to “Stop and Smell the Roses” occasionally from the pace of life I lead. Scott in himself is a story of how awesome God’s love can change a person. When I moved down to Miami last year, he was seeking God in a intellectual way, but now I continue to see him seek God in personal ways. Through serving in church to being genuine in his relationships with his girlfriend and friends, his present day change is a hope I have for students and people that I work with on a daily basis.

Future – Some of you may know that I had a friend that I grew up with back home recently commit suicide. We were not the greatest friends, but we knew each other from church and school. His mom was always so encouraging to me whenever I was back home from college and the fact that because her son had lost hope in life has been ripping me apart lately. I do not know the state of his heart with God at the time that he took his life, but the thing that disturbs me in my sleep and keeps me from sleeping well is that in the book of Revelation in the 20th chapter John writes that at the culmination of God’s wrath, those whose names are not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be “tormented day and night forever and ever.” I am so scared for the future that awaits people who do not know the truth about Jesus and if people lose hope in life by not following Jesus then that is what will happen at the end. 

To end, for those who follow Jesus, remember His words when it comes to the way He lived His life. Think about who you hang out with a majority of the time. Jesus came to people who didn’t know Him. Do we do that? Are we reaching out to them, or at the very least training up people to do it? Jesus had a mission and it was for a certain group of people, the sick. “”Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners.” – Mark 2:17

Tim let me post a video about a tip for student ministry workers and the best tip I could think of is knowing that you can minister alongside students.

There are a couple of events lately that have been kept on the forefront of my mind. First off, is the new teaching series we are doing at Christ Fellowship in student ministry called "Philippians: The Painful Paradox."

If you're not familiar with the letter to the Philippian church, this letter was written by the Apostle Paul while he was under house arrest awaiting trial for his personal belief and teaching of Jesus. He wrote to the church about several things, but one thing I would like to concentrate on is the decision that he made for everything he found himself to be apart of in life.

In chapter 1, verse 27, he writes that the church needs to politeuomai (Greek word for "live") in a lifestyle worthy of the gospel. Since the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, certain words lose meaning and politeuomai is one of them. The idea that politeuomai conveys is citizenship. So in this context, whatever hard circumstance we find ourselves in, our citizenship to the good news of Jesus should change how we live life.

The second event that's been on my mind are my friends Todd, JoAnn and their daughter Abigail (known around her Christ Fellowship friends and family as Abi Jo). JoAnn and Abi were riding their bicycle this past weekend and a driver ran a red light and hit them, knocking JoAnn and Abi to the ground very hard. As of right now, Abi is in the hospital recovering with a blood build-up around her brain, but things have been improving. It was a blessing that the helmet she was wearing relived a majority of the concussion. I write this part for you to know how to pray for the Breiner family right now. Prayer is always appreciated.

What they are going through reminded me of when a great mentor to me, Jason Peaks, was hit by a drunk diver in daylight and severely injured him with a broken leg, dislocated shoulder and shattered elbow that is now made of metal. I couldn't help but think of how frustrated he must have been with a situation that was out of his control, but I will never forget what he said during his healing process. He said that in his situation, he wanted the love of God to be shown through this time.

If I were him, or if we were him, wouldn't we want to get revenge? If we were Todd and JoAnn, wouldn't we want to get revenge on the man who caused pain to their daughter? I would say that would be a completely natural reaction. Although tough realize in times of pain, life has a bigger purpose than just revenge for our injustice.

Paul wrote to the Philippian church in chains and said that the chains he wore for the glory of God so that all who were around him could hear the gospel that may not have heard it before. Jason had his body damaged horribly but decided instead of inflicting misery to a woman who tried to find relief in alcohol to give her the love of God that had been put in his life. Now Todd and JoAnn have the opportunity to do the same. I ask that you pray for them and their strength to be strong for their daughter. I ask that you pray for Abi and her fears that she is feeling right now. Lastly I ask that we all seek God and find what he wants us to do. Paul tells us plainly that we in any situation,

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

There has been a expression of grief that has been constantly coming up around me and it is the tearing of clothes. It all started when one of the most influential people in my life, Jamie, messaged me about how he was listening to a sermon about the “ancient near eastern custom of tearing the robes- and how it was the ultimate display of emotion.” He listened to the seriousness of the action while on the inside he was laughing about one time in college when I tore my t-shirt in half after we missed Mel Gibson being on campus. Apparently William Wallace was pretty important to me.

Next was this past weekend concerning Easter. Dr. Blackwood was teaching the passage in Matthew 9:18-26 concerning how Jesus is Master over death. He explained the practice of how the noisy crowd could have included two types of people. Men who would tear their clothes on behalf of the grieving family and women who would cry at the top of their lungs also. 

Now I am getting ready for a mission trip to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. In August and September of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita changed many lives. It destroyed numerous cities and multiple states. The damage can still be seen today. To understand having everything and losing everything, two people come to mind. 

On the way to Orlando for the Youth Pastors Summit last week, Jeff played a sermon by Andy Stanley called, “The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes” [Daniel 4:25]. King Nebuchanezzar had the most powerful kingdom during his time, but he lost it all when he claimed that He had built it himself [Daniel 4:30]. 

The second person that comes to mind is Job. Job was the greatest of all the people of the east [Job 1:3] but he lost it all. Ultimately the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before [Job 42:10] but during his trial he tore his robe and shaved his head [1:20]. 

This was his ultimate display of emotion. He lost it all, but what is inspiring to me is the fact that In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong [1:22]. It was his attitude in the truth that saved him from charging God with wrong. I hope that we can be a source of light for the people of Bay St. Louis and help show them that they can say like Job,

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” [1:21].

After an astute observation by my friend Clark, I finally realized the truth about something. No matter how difficult I find it to rationalize this truth I cannot escape its grasp. The truth is, Ashlee Simpson is a cunning linguist.

Ok. Seriously. She is not a cunning linguist (example – “You make me want to La La La”) but her rant about how her significant other makes her want to “La La La” brought a good point to my attention. When we as people are faced with an adversary or a difficult happenstance, we can either face it, grit and all, or just put our hands over our ears and yell at the top of our lungs “La La La.”

The latter option seems to make no sense because it does not evoke a resolution, but rather it provides an absence of awareness in order to delay the inevitable. I apply this situation to a person’s desire to understand truth, particularly the truth of life. Radical Christians make signs and throw Bibles in people’s faces, radical Muslims turn themselves into vessels of destruction, and people simply not willing to listen to each other do not give themselves the chance to reason with each other and find the truth about life. Is it not depressing that people are so consumed with knowing their “truth” as opposed to ultimate truth? 

Variables within this dilemma always apply. The argument of whether life is just an illusion and a manipulating of our senses. The argument of what truly happens when one dies. There are so many different views on these subjects but few people have the self-control to not let their emotions get the best of them and actually have an intelligent discussion. If we honestly believe we have “truth,” should we not have the capability to discuss it with others without becoming irate? 

I believe there is truth in life. I believe people are capable of finding truth. There is a way to find truth in this life, and I believe it is all encompassed in the Way, Truth, and Life.