[ from me to Him ]

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend my friend Sharon's wedding in Warren, PA. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun (if Muskies are involved, good times are pretty much inevitable!). :)

Joel and Sharon have such a cool relationship that has been transformed by God over the course of 5 or 6 years, and I am looking forward to seeing how the Lord uses them as 'one' united - in D.C., their workplaces, new friendships...how awesome.

God so uniquely works through married couples. In the past few years, I've been able to be, in a sense, a 'beneficiary' of couples with big faith & big servant-hearts. Before Matt (my high school YL leader) & Janet were married, Janet was pursuing friendship with me, and as I am beginning to understand now, building into me with the wisdom & faith she had (abundantly) received from God. After they were married, Matt & Janet would have me over for dinner, praise & worship and conversation with their friends. Their interest in me wasn't based in charity or obligation, but in their faith in God's desire to reach me.

I saw this in Andrew & Dee, too. Andrew & Dee moved to Huron within a few weeks of Matt and Janet's decision to move to Massachusetts for seminary. Andrew & Dee graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI and were volunteer leaders for YL throughout college. During their time in Huron, Dee volunteered as the assistant cross country coach and weekly had cross country girls & their friends over for Bible studies, sleepovers (I think we watched Tommy Boy about 15 times over the course of a few years) & random co-ed events like Laser Tag and, of course, YL Fall Retreat. :) Yesterday, Andrew & Dee made the drive from South Carolina to go to Huron High School's graduation ceremony. Even though Andrew & Dee only lived in Huron for a few years, you should have seen how many students (from a 6 or 7 year age range!) wanted to talk to them after the ceremony. They're praying about moving back to Huron. God is good.

Kirk and Sarah, who serve together in SE Ohio Young Life, have really demonstrated the grace of God to the high school students and YL partners they've worked with in the past two years. God is at work in their marriage & it is exciting to see students come to know a living, interactive God because of the Spirit's working in their lives. One aspect of their marriage that is really cool is that they have the ability to make others feel acknowledged & accepted nearly immediately. God really uses that in their ministry together.

At the reception, Joel's best man (who roomed with Joel this past year at Carnegie Mellon) gave a funny, honest & pretty poignant toast. He talked about how, in Joel and Sharon's very presence together, Jesus just "flows" (I think that's the word he used) out of them, and God's love is revealed very tangibly. He went on about His own earlier perception of "Sunday Christians," and how his friendship with Joel both challenged that assumption and led him to believe in "this Jesus who was real and whose claims affected my life in big ways" (not a direct quote, but hopefully fairly accurate!). It was really beautiful.

***

Though I am not in a relationship and probably won't be married for awhile, I desire this.

This summer, I want to be so actively immersed in God that I - my own needs, wants, personality, accomplishments - are stripped away and nothing stands in between others being able to know and love the God who has pursued and accepted me.

I desire this not only because I see those around me aching for fulfillment, but because I am being continually humbled by God's design of using those who lay everything - every aspect of their lives - at the foot of the Cross.

***

There is a very gripping account of Jesus' wrestling with God in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark's Gospel:

"Going a little farther, [Jesus] fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will.' Once more he went away and prayed the same thing." (Mark 14:35-39)

I often overlook Jesus' struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane because I have almost trained myself (often academically) to jump to the 'big picture' immediately: God's work in Jesus through the 'big two' -- His crucifixion and resurrection.

How powerful is it, though, that our Lord was broken even before His journey to the Cross? I am in awe. In Jesus' communication with God even before His death, He was living out an interactive relationship with God. (In fact, the best, most authentic relationship with God we can see anywhere.) In His brokenness, He cries out, but does not waver from His commitment to God's redemption of an entire Creation.

***

I must become broken before God for others to see His transparency in the same way I have seen Him working through these couples. Broken so that I will be able to see the same need that God sees in these people, and broken so that His Spirit can fill and empower me to grasp the work He has begun in my life.

This is approaching the 1000-word mark, so I'll close for now. More on this later, though.

Love you guys.

-Jessie