I Want you to know...

I Want You to Know...
​I want you to know that I'm the guy on the left in the picture with the normal face and the I-have-it-all-together look about me. And I want you to know that these are my leaders for the youth program called The Refuge.
I just wanted you to know that the reason we do this is because we want you to know that there are people who understand you in this life and you don't have to do life alone. its a cold world out there filled with cold hurting people who will hurt you in the name of selfishness, in the name of inflicting pain to relieve their own pain, and in the name of their god and some will even hurt you and reject you in the name of my God, Jesus Christ. 


I’m here to ask you to not give up.


 Don’t give up on God because of the tragedy you saw happen and prayed wouldn't happen but it happened anyway. Don’t let the pain consume your hope to ever be ok again. Don’t give up on Him because your loved one died and you don't understand how God could’ve done that to you.


Don’t give up because you’re afraid of what he’ll do to you if you try believing in Him and you fail Him. He’s such a good Dad, and he’s proven that to me over and over and I know he’ll prove it to you. He’s never disappointed in you even when you disappoint yourself or think you’re disappointing Him and He’ll never hurt you. He won’t abuse you.


Don’t give up on God because of his people. His people will fail, you will fail, I will fail at representing him perfectly and HUGE and PAINFUL mistakes can be made in his name. But He is good and powerful enough to show you the truth of who He is and how much He truly cares for you and how good He really is and how special you are to Him.


I want you to know that my God understands you like He understands me. He doesn't abuse us like a bad parent, He doesn't leave us to fend for ourselves if we’re not good enough like our families can and do. He stands with us against what people do that would destroy us. 


I want you to know the God that I know, the God that leads my life and who takes such good care of me, even through the garbage that other people put me through, He never left. He never looked away. He never gave up on me. Just like I won’t give up on you.


I want you to know that even if reading this fills you with disgust over the fact that i’d even say something like this, if it makes you angry that i’d pretend to know you, if it makes you feel like i’m lying, like you’re too dirty, too messed up, or too far gone then tell me,  I want to know why. And if you can’t tell me then tell God cuz He’s listening to you and wants to hear how you feel.


We are here to walk with you through the pain and answer questions if you have them and if we can. We don't expect you to trust us. Trusting anyone is hard enough as it is so after the life that you and I have had…Its a miracle to trust anybody. But if you want to take that chance one more time we will be there. Please don't expect us to be perfect at being there or understanding or to not say something wrong. We will. It takes time to get to know someone. Just trust that we mean well and want to walk with you through whatever you’re willing to share.


But most importantly I want you to know my story and what Jesus has done for me and if you let me share and my story inspires even a little bit of hope in you then its all worth it. If telling my story can give light to what you’re going through its all worth it. If telling the story of Jesus and what He’s done in my life can inspire you to think he might do the same for you then I hope to get to  because He can, and will, do the same things for you.

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