My Dear Students-
You amaze me. Of course, I always say that and those words will soon become just another sentence that flies over your heads. You will grow numb to those words. It is easy to grow numb to things we continue to say and hear all of our lives, is it not? Regardless, you continue to awe me.
Recently we began our Tuesday night (youth group) series Can I Ask That? The topics chosen were birthed out of many questions you asked during our small groups together. Tough questions like, "How do I respond when someone asks me what I believe about homosexuality? I don't even really know what I believe." "If God loves us then why was He so angry in the Old Testament?" "Can someone smoke marijuana and still be a Christian?" "Why don't all religions lead to Heaven? Does that make God selfish?" Your questions unfold and my own understanding is invited to be explored; do you know how much you teach me? You are so brave.
You are brave to care about these things enough that you would explore what they mean for you and your life. You are courageous to wonder where Jesus stands and you are contemplating if standing with Him is worth it. Spoiler alert: it is so worth it.
You're brave to wonder about things that many people write off or jump into extreme-mode. You're brave because you're willing to ask and seek and learn; you want to know Truth. We may disagree on a few things here and there along our way, but we can both settle together on the foundation of Christ. You want to know for yourself, not simply be told something and be expected to believe it. You are brave to seek Truth.
This letter contains no "answers." I feel that the only answer I can confidently give you about anything is: "search the Bible and search for Jesus' heart...fall in love with what He has for you. Then go and love those around you." What this letter does contain is encouragement to continue asking questions. Continue being curious about Jesus and His ways and what He has to say about things; complex and simple. But don't stop there...keep on going..search and seek and explore. Examine, probe, delve into Him and His word (the Bible). This is a brave thing, discovering Truth. Don't ever stop asking tough questions and seeking Truth; God can handle your questions and doubts. He is there waiting to show you the way encouraging your brave heart.
With so much love and a hopeful heart to point you towards Him,
Natalie