A Living Hope
Posted on Friday, November 10, 2017 by
By Rose Stupansky, Campus Life Site Director
In the Midst Of Every Storm, A Living Hope
"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ." - Blaise Pascal
Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Fires. Shootings. In this hyper connected world, it often seems that news of devastation and tragedy is constant and endless. Each human story carries moments, seasons, often decades of pain and hardship. No one gets through life unscathed. How do we learn to navigate these stormy waters? How do we cope? What and where do we turn to for comfort?
Young people today are growing up in the era of social media. With the entire world at their fingertips, they seek to find comfort through Facebook likes, buying the latest gadget, learning the next best makeup tip, and zoning out on Netflix. While not inherently bad, all those things will fall short in the end. Many are dissatisfied, restless, discontent, often lonely.
We need each other. We need each other to process with. We need people in our lives that we feel safe with. Known, accepted, seen, unconditionally loved. Campus Life seeks to meet students where they are at and let them know that there is a safe place for them, caring adults that want to listen. But that’s just the beginning.
No matter how much compassion and comfort we may show, there really is only one real hope. As we listen, live and share our lives alongside the youth in our schools, God opens doors for us to express how we cope with the difficulties of life. That our source of joy is not based on circumstances. We aren’t modelling perfection, but what a true daily walk alongside Jesus looks like. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s the only true way to live.
Pray for our youth. Pray for the God of hope to fill them with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit they may abound in hope (Romans 15:13). Thank you for being a part of the ongoing conversation with youth in our city and helping us share God’s story. It's our honor to be the storytellers on your behalf who meet kids right where they are and give life to their story.
Providing young people in our community with the opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and become part of a local church.