Runaway Bride

This morning before BHS Campus Life Breakfast Club, a junior girl stops in for biscuits and gravy before catching the bus to Apollo. When I tell her she has another year to stop before going to school, she announces to me that she may not be in Bluffton next year. I ask, "Why not?" "Well, I don't get along with my mom." I respond, "Where will you go?' At this she says without any hesitation, "I'll move in with my boyfriend who lives in Wapak."
This seems to be a trend in which more and more dating couples are running away from marriage and living together or cohabitation. Our culture is losing the stability of homes founded on marriage. Add kids to the mix of a couple living together and you have problems. Every major study involving kids who live with cohabitating adults do poorly in development. From the convenience of living together to the "see if we're right for each other, the trend is growing. There needs to be a better work done in teaching young people that God's design for couples is marriage and it's the best for us. When God established marriage in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24) and Jesus thousands of years later reconfirmed this (Matthew 19:5) when answering a question on divorce, commanded that a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. The aspect to leave is done publicly. This is normally accomplished by having a wedding ceremony. This ceremony is public and declares to the community that you have left your families to create a new family. Living together is not public and declares nothing about the intentions of this couple to establish a home. Haven't you seen more of this happening and it seems no one bats an eye at this behavior. So let's model healthy marriages and openly declare that God's design is for couples to be married. This is where the two in love can best thrive and provides security to any children involved. These are the days my friend!
Jim "Train"

Valentine Postmortem

Cupid's arrows were flying yesterday as millions of people gave flowers, cards, and chocolate to the people they love. But now that Valentine's Day is over, how will we show love? What can we do to show the love of Jesus to family, friends, and spouse, now that the day of the heart has passed? You and I experience life at the speed of light. If not that fast, at least at the speed of sound. As we hustle and scurry from activity to activity, let's take a breath and pause to think how we can love those we care about. I think one of the best ways to love is based on
Ephesians 5:16..."making the most of your time..." (New America Standard Bible). In today's hectic, fast paced culture, the way you spell love is T-I-M-E. Love is giving of your time drinking Starbucks coffee at the cafe with your friend. Love is giving your time with your family by eating together around a table. Love is spelled T-I-M-E when you go to bed with your spouse at the same moment. It is spending time with those you love that practically displays the love that is in your heart. So may you give "valentines" love not only on February 14th, but everyday the Lord gives you. These are the days my friend! Love!!!
Jim "Train"

Pure as a New Snow Fall

As our hearts turn towards cupids arrow and Valentine's Day, it's a great time to reflect upon the gift of sex that God has given us. Sex is a wonderful gift that all to often we selfish human beings mess up. "Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." -Proverbs 1:7, it would be best to heed His Sex Manual on how to achieve the best in sexual relationship. God gives us this direction found in 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - "It is God's will that you should avoid sexual immorality." Before marriage we practice the discipline of chastity. This means we refrain from sex - oral, anal, intercourse, or anything else that would arouse us to sexual feelings designed for a married couple. On practical level, if you want to be pure as the newly fallen snow...keep both feet on the ground, don't unzip, unhook, unsnap, unbutton, pull up or down, and keep your own tongue in your mouth. Once you have a wedding ring, then the fun begins. On that honeymoon night you can begin a lifetime adventure of sexual experiences. But married couples must also practice the discipline of fidelity. That means my sex life is only for my spouse. No pornography, no adultery, no flirting with the opposite sex. Practically this means that us guys "bounce our eyes" so as not to look at a woman with lust, filter our internet to keep out unwanted (or wanted) images of unclothed women, and we don't meet with the opposite sex alone. May you experience the maximum sexual experience the Lord's way, with the spouse you have married. God's design leads to intimacy and pleasure the way He intended. If you've not seen His plan in your life, Jesus is full of mercy, grace, and love. He'll clean you up as the newly fallen snow. Begin again His way! These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Family Ties

I love young people. I suppose that doesn't surprise you. For 32 years I've had the awesome privilege and opportunity to give random agape to kids. The youth culture has shifted dramatically since the early years when I first began to rub shoulders with kids. Back in the day, many young people came from families that would be best described as sturdy oak trees. Strong with deep roots. Fast forward to the present and it seems so many kids can be described as coming from palm tree families. The palm tree is a symbol used for the party scene at bars and restaurants. It sways and goes with the flow. This swaying back and forth illustrates the turmoil many young people experience from their families. Families that have experienced divorce, cohabitation, step families, single parents usually absent from dads. This creates tremendous pressures for a young person. How will they survive?
As Jesus followers, we often are guilty of promoting a Biblical model for the biological family, that we forget that there is a family that supersedes this. It's the Jesus family! In Mark 3:31-35, Jesus is told that His mom and brothers were outside looking for Him. How does Jesus respond, "Who are My mother and brothers?" Jesus asked. Then He looked at those seated in a circle around Him and said, "Here are My mother and brothers!" Whoever does God's will is My brother and sister and mother." I love this idea where a crowd has gathered around Jesus in a circle. A circle that includes everyone who loves Him. This is His family. We who follow Jesus are in the circle. The circle doesn't just include our biological family. We need to include young people who need our love and care for them. Be challenged to open your home to young people. If you really want to see young people changed for Jesus Christ, they need our presence. Don't be selfish and only think of your biological family. Open your heart to His family. Get them in your circle. These are the days my friend! Jim "Train"