8 Things They Don't Tell You About Working In Youth Ministry

I've been working in youth ministry for a little over five years now.  Since I was a youth myself, actually.  Initially I thought that it wouldn't change my life that much.  I was just starting an acting group for young adults.  I thought that my calling was simply to give teens a place to be themselves.  A place where they could find friendships, build confidence, and grow in a safe environment.  What I didn't realize is that I myself would also find all of those things in the process, and it would totally flip my world upside down.  I've changed more over the past five years than I could ever put into words.  And here are just some of the ways your life might change too if you decide to embark on the journey of youth ministry...

1. Your shopping trips get a whole lot weirder.

Just wait until the day you roll up to the checkout counter with a cart full of Oreos, pool noodles, a pillow, hedge trimmers, googly eyes, hula hoops, 12 liters of soda, clearance Christmas lights, and a pack of diapers, and try to explain it to the cashier.  This is just an example, but believe me when I say that this is totally realistic.  That's not even the craziest part.  The craziest part is that all of those things could be for just ONE GAME.  But that's just how your brain will start to work when it comes to youth night entertainment.


2. Unexpected vocabulary words.

You'll suddenly find yourself using words and phrases on a daily basis that you had barely even used once beforehand.  Some that have appeared on my daily use list are...

- suicide
- self-harm or cutting
- divorce
- depression
- anxiety
- pornography

...and so much more.  These words will spin through your head everyday.  But for the first time in your life there will be a face, maybe multiple faces, to match each one.  This will very quickly begin pulling on your heart strings, messing with your soul, and having you crying out to God more often than you ever thought you would.


3. You'll notice things.

You'll suddenly find yourself praying for that random guy in the grocery story because you saw him tugging at his long sleeves even though it's warm outside.  Instead of seeing her laughter, for that one particular girl you'll take a mental note of the sadness behind her eyes.  You'll read far more than just expressions, and hear more than just words.  This sixth sense will become more attuned with time, telling you when anyone in the vicinity is struggling.


4. Your joy will come from very abnormal places.

A young girl just told you her parents are separating, and you feel like leaping inside because she's finally comfortable enough with you to talk about her struggles.  You freak out because you know it's one more step toward healing for her.  You'll get excited over that one kid wearing a short-sleeved shirt in public, because you know he's been cutting lately and this is a sign of trust.  You'll celebrate over ripped up sheets of paper, because you know they were suicide notes that will never be read.  You'll look at your empty wallet and smile, because that money was spent going out to coffee with a teen whose life is falling apart, and it was the first time you'd seen them laugh in ages.  You'll find out that one of your students just started counseling because they want to quit their porn addiction, and you'll feel like maybe God really can move mountains.  Suddenly, the word 'joy' takes on a whole new meaning.  It's like little samples of Heaven right here on earth.


5. Miracles become the norm.

If I tried to tell you every single miracle I've seen in the last five years, we would be here for a very long time.  I could write a novel and still not cover it all.  Praying for cash we needed for a performance... we find $20 in an empty parking lot.  About a month later, more expenses for the same performance, my dad and brother watch in awe as a $50 floats down the street and comes to a gentle landing right where their vehicle is parked.  Satan once tried to destroy a show by causing one of our actors to get into a car accident in the parking lot of our venue only ONE HOUR before people were supposed to start arriving.  The car was totaled, but the actor came out of it with barely a scratch.  In fact, that particular actor even ended up performing that night.  At that same show we thought we had enough food to feed maybe 100 people, so when over 300 showed up we were positive we'd run out of supplies.  Every time we thought we'd pulled the last pie from the kitchen, a new one would be found somewhere else.  We left that day with food to spare!  An actual loaves and fish situation right before our eyes, and the audience had no clue.  One time I was praying about whether or not I should get a second job to help pay for TAG expenses.  Only a couple days later someone randomly walked up to my mom at church and handed her a hundred dollar bill, saying "It's for TAG."  There are plenty more stories I could tell, but that's another blog post for another day.  Just know that God will not leave you hanging.  If he wants something to happen, nothing is going to stop Him.


6. Not acting your age isn't such a bad thing.

I've always loved wearing character tees.  Shirts with Disney cartoons, superheroes, and other classics are usually my go-to when it comes to expressing myself.  I just love it!  Thanks to youth ministry, buying "adult clothes" isn't as necessary.  Now, when I start to feel guilt over buying yet another Captain America t-shirt, I get to rationalize by saying it's an easy way to relate to the teens and help them feel comfortable.  Plus, I'm a theatre director.  Adulting is more of a hindrance than a help in my line of work anyway.  Just sayin... ;)


7. If you don't know your opinion on something, you will.

Believe me, if you're looking for a fast way to find out how you feel about something, become a counselor.  The more I give out advice, the more I learn about myself and my stance in this world.  Sometimes I have to do research on a topic teens come to me asking questions about, and it's usually because they told me about a problem I didn't even know existed in the first place.  I can now say that I know what God's word says on these topics, and I know where I stand.


 8. Brokenness is not only ok, it's welcomed with open arms.

Or, it should be.  Unfortunately, the youth group at my church didn't feel this way for me.  That wasn't necessarily the fault of the leaders, but the fault of the specific teens who attended.  There were a lot of stereotypical "popular kids" that went to my youth group, and the few friends who stuck with me didn't feel comfortable there at all.  It's not a good place to be when you're hiding from bullies in the house of God.  I went to the same church most of my life, and yet every week when I arrived at youth group a leader would see me sitting alone, approach me, and ask if I was new.  Then I had the embarrassing task of telling them I had been going to church there for 8+ years, and was only sitting by myself because the one friend I had wasn't there that night.  Girls like me just didn't fit.  Not all youth groups are like this, mind you.  I actually ended up switching to a much smaller youth group at a different church for the last two years of high school, and it was lovely!  I made some incredible friendships.  But after that change of scenery, I made it my goal to make sure that my ministry never felt like a charity case for misfits.  No halting at surface level conversations.  Every time I walk into that room every week and see all the young adults with differing stories and life situations, I'm in awe.  Different churches, different schools, different lives.  Whether they're socially awkward, a little bit arrogant, or somewhere in between.  I see ADD, ADHD, PTSD, and a variety of other acronyms.  But what do we all have in common?  We all love Jesus, we've all felt lonely, and we don't want others to feel the same way.  Simple as that.  Simply, honestly, wonderfully beautiful.  And it's all evidence that God's planning is way better than mine could ever be.  I call it the "No TAGer left behind" policy.


When you decide to get involved in youth ministry, your life will be turned upside down.  You'll find yourself getting hit with wave after wave of trials, because satan doesn't like loyal servants of the King.  In fact, he despises us.  He's made it his goal to take us out one by one, and it's extremely personal.  But each new experience with darkness will just help your light glow stronger.  Never let your fire go out, my brothers and sisters.  Keep shining on!  Light your lamps with the refreshing oil of God's Holy Word, and allow faith to be your foundation.  I can't promise you it will be easy, but after five years of absolute crazy I can definitely tell you that it's worth it.

Keep pressing on.  Trust me.  If God has something up his sleeve, it's something you're gonna want to be a part of.

Most importantly, never stop believing that you're here for a purpose.  Once you believe that about yourself, it will be infinitely easier to believe it about your teens.  And please believe me when I say that's a message they desperately need to hear right now.  When you get involved with youth ministry, you're helping the next generation make the world a better place.  Don't stop.  I promise, you won't regret it.

A Walk In My Shoes: What It's Like To Have Social Anxiety

As many of you know, I have struggled with having anxiety for a large portion of my life.  Anxiety comes in many forms, has many sources, and can come with many different symptoms.  My personal struggle is Social Anxiety, which started after several emotionally and mentally traumatic experiences with bullying and rejection.  It's not nearly as severe as many other cases are, but still impacts my daily life.

Allow me to give you a look inside my mind.


First of all Social Anxiety makes many normal tasks more difficult simply because they draw attention in some way.  Things like this make me extremely uncomfortable, and actually cause me to stress and freak out if I'm having a bad enough day.  For example...

To most people this probably sounds like a ridiculous scenario.  I, on the other hand, read this and reacted by my brain shouting "yes, someone understands!"  Other scenarios include...

Just in case a little definition would help you, here are some explanations of Social Anxiety specifically:

People with Social Anxiety have a variety of coping mechanisms to get through situations that make us uncomfortable.  These coping mechanisms can be a good indicator of whether or not someone you know has anxiety.

There are several specific things that bother people with anxiety.  Mostly just the fact that we know we shouldn't be afraid, but can't stop the emotion anyway.  Some other things would be...

Just know that, despite my anxiety, I really am trying my best.  Anxiety is the reason I know God is constantly working in my life.  I'm a drama teacher for crying out loud!  Not many people with Social Anxiety can say that they actually get excited to direct a group of teenage actors every week.  But, believe it or not, my anxiety actually has the least amount of impact on me when I'm acting and directing.  It's like I'm a different person, and I know that's God working through me.

I'll leave you with a couple notes.  If you know someone, or multiple someones with Social Anxiety, here are some things to keep in mind.  Just love on us.  Know that we have quirks, and we might not want to be daring all the time.  But, when we do, we'll tell you!  And even if we don't, we still love you!  Don't mistake our quiet tendencies for weakness, anger, or a stuck up attitude.  Often times we have a lot to say, but are quiet because we haven't figured out how to say it yet.

My Prayer For Him...

Hello, ladies and gents!

I am totally blown away!  Usually my posts get, on average, about 50-80 views.  Sometimes as low as 30.  You know that last post about the Nice Guys?  276...  You heard me.

TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX.

Guys, that's insane!  Not only that, but my blog has had consistent views every single day, which has never happened before.  Thank you all so much for actually taking an interest in the random ramblings that go through my mind!  I never actually thought that people would read my stuff, but I guess that's how I know God's the one giving me words.  He's so good!

And, since that post obviously hit home with quite a few people, it actually gave me some inspiration. On that note, I'll get to the point of this post so I can explain :)

So, lately I've been writing song lyrics.  I've always liked music, and I have songs going through my head on the daily.  But I've never really written songs before.  Suddenly, over the past few months, I have new songs pop into my head constantly.

It's never a full song.  More like bits and pieces of different lyrics that could possibly fit together.  But still.  I usually jot them down in my journal and, if I have time, sing the tune into the audio recorder on my iPod.

Well, as fate would have it, around a few weeks ago I came to a realization.  I wanted a better way to remember to pray for my future husband, because I had been feeling like I wasn't praying for him enough and didn't know how to change that.  Every time I sat down to pray the words just wouldn't come.  There was so much to cover, and so many other things on my mind.  Usually when this happens I try to find a song with similar lyrics to what I'm trying to pray for, and then I sing.  Adding music helps me concentrate, and I feel more in the moment with God.  That's when my search began, to find a song that I could sing to pray for my hubby.

The only problem was, as many Christian songs as there are about waiting for marriage and "what she wants in a Godly man", I couldn't find a single one that specifically prayed for the guy.  I was surprised to say the least.

So...in the course of two days, I wrote one for myself.

It's the first song I've ever finished all the way through, and I sing it almost every day now.  It constantly directs my heart to pray for that man that God is saving for me.  I'm not sure if I'll ever post a video of me singing this song, because I'm an introvert with anxiety and singing in front of a camera doesn't mix well with those things.  But for now I wanted to at least post the lyrics that God so clearly placed on my heart, just in case other girls needed a simple way to pray as well.  Ok, well, no more stalling...  This is "My Prayer For Him."

There's a name written on my heart

I'm not sure how many letters

Or even where it starts

But, God, there's something that I have to say

Whether I meet him next week

Or I know him today

You see, forever is a long time

And only You can make it right

That's why I wanted to pray

(Chorus)

I pray he stands up in the face of the lions

Trusting you won't let him 

Stand there alone

When the weight of the world's on his shoulders

I pray he rests in your strength

Instead of bearing it all on his own

I pray he never gives up

Gives in to love

And believe even when hope is dim

This is my prayer for him

He won't be perfect, I  know

We've all got heavy burdens

And pasts to let go

So, Lord, give me patience and grace

To love him like you

On the good and bad days

I just need to trust you

Set my heart on what's true

Even when life starts to rain

- Chorus -

This is my prayer for...

(Bridge)

His trials and his heartaches

When life is more than he can take

And when he's facing a closed door

Even when he's close to you

In joyfulness and solitude

Just let him know he's prayed for

- Chorus -

There's a name written on his heart

It's spelled just like mine

Though he has no clue where it starts

Loving me isn't quite so easy

That's why I've come to you

And I'm down on my knees

I'll just keep on serving you

Like I always strive to do

Until two become one out of three

And meanwhile, meanwhile

Maybe he's praying for me

Father, this is my prayer.  Keep his heart and mind filled with your presence.  Help him to fight for purity, live for truth, and stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves.  I pray that his eyes see the good, and that when he finds darkness his first response would be to get on his knees and talk to you.  I pray for a warrior straight out of Ephesians, clothed in your armor, that he would not hesitate before charging into battle by my side.  Give him courage to face the demons, and the determination to overcome them.  Most of all, I pray that you would grow me and mold me into a woman that kind of man would want to pursue.  Help us to see you in each other, and to take every opportunity to give you glory in our triumphs and shortcomings.  All I desire is to love you more every day.  Teach me to love like you.

Amen.

 

Here's To The Nice Guys

 

You've heard it said in various circles...  "Nice guys finish last."  They've told you in order to get the girl you need to have an edge.  Take a walk on the wild side and keep the ladies guessing.  "Face it, girls only like the bad boys," they say.  And at this point you gentlemen are wondering why you even clicked on this blog.

Hang in there.  I'm here to prove those people wrong.

By the way, I should probably mention that, yes, I am a female.  Hi there...hello.  I tend to write a lot of posts geared toward my fellow gal pals, so if you're a dude and it's your first time on my blog, welcome!  This one's especially for you.  And if you've ever related to the "nice guy" label, keep reading.  I have something to say.  But, first, I have some apologies to make on behalf of our generation.

First of all, nice guys, I'm sorry you're so underappreciated.  You treat girls with respect, opening doors and pulling out chairs.  You're the listening ear, and the shoulder to cry on.  You endure the ups and downs of our emotional minds for the sake of friendship.  And instead of getting a thank you note, you get a speech about female empowerment and how we're so independent.  I beg you, be a gentleman anyway.  Listen, some girls just don't get it.  As young women, we've grown up in a society that shoves feminism down our throats.  We're told that we need to be only our own in order to make it in this world.  But, the truth is, we like your kindness.  If a woman doesn't appreciate a gesture of gentlemanly behavior, they aren't the type of woman you want to hang around anyway.  In a culture that tears down every ounce of old fashioned charm and class, please, bring chivalry back!

Second, I'm sorry that the world is so opinionated.  Lies like "boys are only after one thing," and "chivalry is dead" seem to be universally accepted at this point, and it paints a horrible portrait for those men who are actually trying to do what's right.  Because of this, girls approach the opposite sex with unbidden whispers of caution humming through the back of our minds.  Generalizations surround you before you even get the chance to speak.  You're told that having no control over your mind and body is natural, and that you shouldn't even try to change it.  This is the part I'm the most saddened by.  No one should be told that they can't better themselves.  No one should be told they can't find pure, innocent, God-given love.

Third and lastly, I'm sorry you feel like you have to hide who you are.  Guys who show emotion are bullied, and either told they should man up, or they should question their gender identity.  Girls can cry through a book or at a movie theater, even during commercials sometimes, and not be questioned.  If a guy sheds a tear in any situation, they're automatically made to feel like there's something wrong with them.  I'm sorry we've reached a point in our culture that looks at men who express themselves through music, theatre, or dancing, and automatically wonders if they're gay.  I know this is true, because some of the students I've met have been bullied about this in school.  Some of them even started believing it, and it's totally changed their lives.  I'm sorry you're made to feel like depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts are only things that girls deal with.  It's just not true.  You're not alone.  I promise you, there are plenty of guys who deal with these issues.  I've counseled them before.  The only reason these problems seem more uncommon in the male realm is because all of you are made to feel like you can't talk about it.  It's not right.  Problems are not gender exclusive.

Ok, good.  Glad to get that off of my chest.  Now that the apologies are out in the open, I have some things to tell you.  You ready?


These.  Lies.  Don't.  Define.  You.


There, I said it!  The words that everyone is afraid for you to hear, because they know you'll change the world if you did.

You want the honest truth?  Guys are being used and abused right now like never before.  Do you want an example?  Growing up, the world feeds you exactly what is "normal" for a man to be.  They tell you that you can't control yourself, so why try?  Those lies are why prostitution is one of the top moneymakers in the world, why pornography can be seen pretty much everywhere (even store windows at the mall).  Think about this...

Have you ever considered how strange it is that everyone is told those urges and cravings are normal, and yet the very people defining what's normal happen to be making billions of dollars to satisfy those cravings?  And that's just one example!

So I repeat...

THESE LIES DON'T DEFINE YOU.

Guys, no matter what you do, how you live, the world will always have something to say.  This goes for girls too.  Our lies might sound different, but we're fed just as many lies as you are.  Listen, I believe that the "Nice Guys" are the leaders that God is going to use to set an example for men and women alike.  That means he's going to use you.  That's right, YOU.  The guy who's in the background, who does what's right (often without being noticed), who puts others first and wears his heart on his sleeve.  I don't care what others say.  You are appreciated, you are seen, and you are loved just as you are!  Please, don't sell yourself short and give up on your quest for kindness just because the world tells you kindness is weak.

In the Bible, it is very clear that everyone is created just as they are for a purpose, flaws and all.  Read it through.  You'll find that strength is found in weakness, and selflessness is a source of overflowing joy.  You'll find that some of the most prominent followers of Christ were extremely emotional.  David, a man after God's own heart, was a poet and a musician!  He poured his heart out in beautiful verse.  Moses was a shy guy who didn't even trust himself to speak.  Take a look, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that the lines the world has been feeding you are far from the truth.

So this is my encouragement to you...

Show compassion.  Express yourself.  Be messy, and genuine, and honest.  Live bravely in kindness and purity.  Stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves.  Lead by serving.  Know that it's ok to be weak sometimes.  Follow in God's footsteps, no matter what judgments the world might send your way.  Allow yourself to make mistakes, but be willing to learn from them.  Laugh too hard when you're filled with joy, weep when you feel broken, and pray either way.  Know that it's stronger to lean on God than to stand on your own.

And when it comes to us, the good girls who feel totally outnumbered and alone, know that we exist.  We've been waiting our whole lives for a guy like you to knock on our door, and we'll continue waiting right here until you do.  We don't want you to be anything but absolutely yourself.  We've been praying for you since we first learned to speak, and in those prayers we've asked God to spare you from the lies of our broken culture.

Please, don't give up.  Don't give in.

So, here's to the Nice Guys.  Other people in your life will call you that as an insult, hoping to bring you down to their level and get you to join the bandwagon they all joined long ago.  But, to the right people, especially the right girl, that label will turn into a complement of the highest order.  Wait for her. And while you're waiting, trust in God, love life, and be yourself. Find your purpose and chase after it with every ounce of energy and talent you have. Get creative! And when she's supposed to enter your life, she will love that purpose just as much as you do.

You're loved by God, and there truly are young ladies who are extremely thankful men like you exist. So... Thank you.

Sincerely,

A "Good Girl"

The Weight of the World

(Warning, there's a lot of reality below)

I'm not sure why I'm blogging today, or what I'll even write about...

Lately I can't help feeling like my home is falling apart.  I'm falling apart with it.  I keep reading quote after quote about trusting God, and I desperately want to.  But with each passing day I find that my faith isn't as strong as I wanted it to be.  Reading my Bible gets harder and harder.  I'm journaling more and more.  I'm annoyed with sunshine, and only seem to find comfort when it's raining, like today.  On the upside, my prayer life has never been so active.  Although most of it is just me asking why things aren't changing.

Songs like "Silhouette" by Owl City have become my go-to music of choice.  I know everything I'm going through is happening for a reason, but that reason is clouded in many shadows.  I know the more depressed and upset I allow myself to get, the more satan gets the upper hand.  But I don't know how to change it.  I'm in the center of a tornado.  I myself am doing alright, but everything around me is chaos.  And all I can think to do is write, sleep, and whisper to God for comfort, not necessarily in that order.

I know that this is all happening because my family is heavily involved in ministry.  As soon as we started this new project, I knew we were all in for (to replace a more accurate word that I would rather not use) one heck of a trip.  I just had no clue how bad it would actually get.  All around me walls are falling to the ground; walls that have taken lifetimes to build.  It's shattering me.

What's worse is everyone else involved in this project is experiencing the same thing.  Everyday I find out about another life that's falling to pieces.  Another world that shifting on it's axis, causing earthquakes all around.  Another change that's just too much to take.

We're worn.  We're damaged.  We're barely walking.

And yet God is relying on us to bear the weight of this story?  This stream of events and problems that are way beyond our understanding?  Or... at least they used to be.

Wow...

Maybe that's it.  In this film, this movie we're destroying ourselves to create, we cover a multitude of teenage problems.  Anxiety, depression, divorcing parents, self-harm, suicide, bullying, death and loss, addiction, pornography, and more.

Every single one of these topics has been experienced by our cast and crew over the past two months.  These are the very topics that are tearing us to shreds.  The tools and temptations that the devil has been using to turn our souls.  And here we are.

Talk about accurate portrayal.

We relate to these characters more than we realize, I think.  In this process, these characters have been our traveling companions.  And these characters will end up discovering what we have just been learning ourselves...

We cannot rely on ourselves to heal.

We can't even rely on each other.

The only One we can rely on to remove our tinted goggles, and reveal the true view of grace and love beyond, is the only One who's capable of doing it in the first place.

God.

In the past we've had other awful roads in order to reach positive results.  Some of the greatest points of impact this group has ever made were the projects that we "just wanted to get through."  Why would God allow this movie to be any different?  If the journey didn't carry so much pain, would we come out as close as our cast and crew have become?  Isn't it worth it when God is a god who can give our struggles purpose?

And maybe, just maybe, when people leave the theater after seeing this film, they'll come up to us and say we made a difference.  And if that happens maybe we'll be able to say, with tears of joy and humble hearts, that nothing in that film was of our own ability.  We'll listen to their stories of pain and brokenness, and actually be able to relate.  We'll introduce them to the real director of this film, and weep together as they get to know who Jesus is.  And maybe, for those who open up to us, they'll find that their night at the movies turned out to feel a lot more like church.  And maybe they'll walk to their cars with a weightlessness they've never experienced before.

And maybe, because of our struggles, they'll leave the theater that day bound for Heaven.

Isn't that why we're in this world in the first place?

Or have I forgotten that life isn't about me...

Maybe those walls that have been falling all around me are coming to ruin so that God can plant a garden in its place...


Father, I'm sorry.  I'm so, so sorry.  When will I ever learn that Your plan is so much bigger than me?  When will I stop pretending that my very small knowledge, my three feet of spiritually nearsighted vision, is all that there is?  If You're an ocean, I'm a single drop of rain.  If You're the sky and the stars, I'm a feeble paper kite, trying my best to reach you but failing all the time.  If You're soaked into the depths of the earth, I am a blade of grass growing in your love, here today and gone tomorrow.  If You make up everything, I'm nothing at all.

But that's why you sent your Son to die on the cross.  I don't have to be nothing anymore.  You gave up Your everything so I could have a chance to be a little bit of something.

Knowing that, how could I possibly look at life with anything but wonder and awe?

You see my brokenness.  You see me when I'm invisible.  You always have.  You tell me it's ok to feel the way I do, but that I shouldn't worry.  You will never leave me or forsake me.

And the same goes for everyone else.

Omnipresent, eternally loving, unconditionally forgiving, Giver of life and light, Abba, Friend, Lover of my soul.  I have no reason to be afraid when you walk beside me.  So why do I tremble?

This film has been personally commissioned by the Creator of the universe.  Lord, You hold each scene, each crew and cast member, each individual moment in the palm of Your hand.  You have seen the end result.

You have already won.

I'm so done with being kicked while I'm down.  We're already bruised, bloodied, and struggling to get our lungs to inflate.  Then the devil hits us with another wave.  But it will not last.  The floodwaters will subside as soon as we've been strengthened enough to stand.  This is the cocoon; the refining fire that will brush away the ashes and leave us new creation.

You have a plan.  At the end of this we will be one step closer to who You are, and all the struggles will make sense.  All I ask is that, until then, you hold my hand.  Lead me in the way you want me to go.  I need a map, Lord.  Right now I'm turning every which way, but nothing looks familiar.  Show me where to walk, and I will.

Better yet, show all of us so that we can walk together.  Unified.  One team with one purpose, glorifying the One who gives us breath and revives us every morning.  That is our cause.

The prince of evil has no power.  His demons will not prevail.  YOU alone, Jesus, have victory!  And this time will be no different.  There's an entire book of stories proving it's true.  Every word of the Bible shows us the miraculous power of your mercy.

Keep opening our eyes to the truth.