rebelling against low expectations
The three of us eat lunch surrounded by blue walls and an even bluer sky. Moments before, as I walked my class to the cafeteria, a student asked if she and her friend could talk to me about “something important”. And now I find myself in the center of an elementary school at a red table with two ten-year-olds. Between bites of food, the student (whom I will call Ella) explains what is weighing on...
Imagine your nation has not had a king for hundreds of years. No king, no kingdom. But ancient prophecies from the past stir hope for the future: a king is coming, and he is bringing a kingdom with him. This is where the Jews find themselves when Jesus, the promised King, arrives. Throughout his three and a half year ministry, Jesus proclaims the kingdom of heaven “is at hand.” When...
“Three doubts holding you back from sharing the gospel.” “Three steps to start reading the Bible today.” ”Three truths every young person should know about social media.” These are three examples from my list of articles I have written this year. Do you notice a trend? Yes, they all start with three, but I’m talking about something deeper. There is a tendency— for myself...
Scared to share the gospel? Let the glorious truth of Jesus shatter your fears: He is with you always, even to the end of the age. But doubts still scurry through your heart, refusing to be squashed by the presence of Jesus. Instead of His power opening your mouth to speak, overwhelming doubts seal your mouth silent. Even with Jesus’ empowering presence on our side, the fact is we all struggle...
Imagine a world where no one watches movies. Think college guys in dorm rooms quoting lines from their favorite movies and thinking they’re hilarious. Except they never saw the whole movie from beginning to end. Weird, right? But you, the normal human being you are, go to your friends and say, “What if we sit down and watch the entire movie tonight?” Everyone looks at you with a face twisted in...
I sweated at a table in the middle of Starbucks. The previous week, I had agreed to study the Bible with a customer, but now here he was with someone I didn’t know. They came to the table and the customer introduced me to his friend, Diego. “Yo, dog. So good to meet another believer!” he said, pulling me in for a hug. “Do not make eye contact,” I repeated to myself, avoiding my...
Millennials. Narcissists. Entitled. Expectations for our generation could not be lower. I don’t deny the statistics and our flaws, but it breaks my heart how many in the church have written us off as a failure. To clarify, I love the church. I’m plugged into my local congregation and wish more of my friends shared the same passion. But I want to give a heartfelt plea to those in the church. With...
I was 18 when I asked a girl out — the first date for both of us. We went out once, she moved away, and I never texted back. In hindsight, the flirtation, drama, and heartbreak we went through was senseless. Embarrassed by my foolishness, I wanted to leave it behind and move on. A few years later during a trip to the mountains, a friend started talking to me about his past relationship. Should he...
Social media has changed my life. It’s an incredible opportunity to connect with new people I would have never met otherwise. To share and learn new ideas and perspectives. But there is an uncomfortable truth I sense more and more when using social media. A lurking danger behind all the connecting, content-creating, photo-sharing, and influence-growing. Here are three truths every young...
I was listening to a podcast interview with a famous YouTuber. As he shared his personal story and childhood in a matter of fact way, both of the hosts were in shock. Even the YouTuber’s emotional detachment from his to-the-point narrative style could not hide the trauma. “Wait, you mean your step-dad almost killed you and your mom?” the host asked at one point. The YouTuber...
rebelling against low expectations
