I was talking to a new friend the other day about where we come from, and what our stories are. It's interesting to think about, I mean, really go deep, how does your life read? This friend of mine isn't a Christian, He believes that there's probably something out there who's maybe looking out for him somewhat, but he doesn't really know. It's amazing to me how much a person can endure! There's people out there like my friend who have a parent in prison for drug addiction, siblings in prison for shootings, and other siblings he doesn't know about or have any relationship with. We're talking brothers and sisters, and all of them scattered about through the country in different foster homes. Can you imagine this life? Maybe you can, maybe yours is harder, and maybe there isn't one part of this life that you can relate to. You know, if nothing else this really helps to put things into perspective. You see the bottom line is that we're all hurting… desperately hurting. It doesn't matter if you come from "Pleasantville", or "COPS", we've all got pain. The question is, How long are you going to live with it? I can't stop thinking about what Jesus said in John 10:10- "a thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy." Is that what we want, are we going to settle for that life, do you really think that we were born on this earth and divinely created to suffer like that. NO!! Jesus finishes that quote by saying, "I came that you may have LIFE, and life to the full." Don't you want to know what it's like to live the way you were made to live! A lot of times we go through life and say things like, "man if only it were this way….if only this..?" imagine never having to say that again. Imagine trusting the GOD of the universe and saying, you know what God loves me!! Does anything else matter after that? I'm trying to tell you the same thing He's been saying your whole entire life, God loves you. Just knowing that can and will change your world. The other half of that is also grand, we get to love God back.

"the greatest thing you will ever learn is to be loved, and love in return".

Jake.