Why do you follow Jesus?




(two years ago)





 I just want to take some time this peaceful evening to give you a small glimpse of what goes on in my wonderful junior girls small group.

Tonight we went around the circle and each summed up in one sentence why we've chosen to follow Jesus. The beautiful thing is that we each had different answers, yet they all rang with a truth no one can fathom.

Colleen said, simply, "Because I love Him." When prompted to explain why she loves Him, she quickly replied, "Because He loves me."

I sighed, thinking through my response with a heart of gratitude. "I follow Him because He is true, and He has proven Himself to be true in my life. His Word is true, and His Word says that nothing compares to the surpassing greatness of knowing Him, and I really believe that."

Abbi eloquently explained that following Christ is the least she can give to the Lord after all He did, is doing, and will do for her. It is her sacrifice - her reasonable service - and her humanity screams out the debt she owes to Him.

Paige had two responses, and she discussed both with wise insight. "He's shown me that I desperately need Him - I can literally do nothing without Him. I can't even be affected by the Word the way that I am without the power of His Holy Spirit," was her first reason. She then continued, "We were made specifically to bring glory and honor to God. That's where I fit - it's just what I'm meant to do."

Lauren thoughtfully spoke, "I just feel like, if I wasn't following Him, I would have no purpose. What's the point? I can totally understand why so many unsaved people feel that way, because it's true for them. I would just be going through life every day with no meaning, waiting to die." She added that she feels would do whatever she wanted without reservation if it were not for the conviction from the Spirit of God living inside of her.

Ellie bounced off of Lauren's thoughts, conversationally continuing with her own spin. "I can't imagine how people who don't know the Lord go through difficult times; where do they find their hope?", she wondered. "Even when I don't feel Him or when I drift far from Him I know I'm still sealed by His promise, and that is such a comfort."

Brynna, who had to pass on her first turn to think about her answer to such a loaded question, said something like, "My whole world would just be so different if I didn't know God. Like, I could just go out there and get into you know, bad stuff, whatever. I'd much rather follow Jesus."

We all have beautifully unique reasons for choosing to pick up our crosses and go where our Lord goes, but they are all based somehow on His radiant goodness. He has been so very good to us, and will continue to do so for eternity. He simply asks us to be His disciples.

So, what about you? Why do you follow Jesus?

A sea of black - most of them faces I'd never seen, all of them in clear emotional pain. I'd never seen my church sanctuary like this. I sat in the back, tucked safely between members of my church family, occasionally blotting my face to keep my mascara from running after being mixed with salty water gracefully flowing out of my tear ducts. Taking it all in. A million thoughts were running through my head, each one of them overwhelming to even begin to ponder: I can't imagine. Does the family really know it yet? Will they lose it any second, or are they blanketed with the peace that passes understanding? How is Becca? I've never seen a look on her face like that before. Lord, help them. Only You can. Why did this happen?! Oh, I don't know. I don't have the answer to any of these questions. But I need to maintain my composure.

Sincere joy filled my heart as we stood and sang praises to our God. We sang words such as...

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Amazing Love, how can it be
That You my King would die for me
Amazing Love, I know it's true
And it's my joy to honor You

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood, His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace.

But those words weren't sung without pain. Mike and Debbie's daughter, Rebecca's sister, and our church's loyal friend, Michaela Petro, went home to be with her Lord and Savior this past weekend following a fatal car accident. She was 18.

Rebecca and Mackenzie (Michaela's best friend) each read beautiful eulogies proclaiming their love for her exuberant personality. Michaela's neighbors, friends, coworkers and family members stood up and shared hilarious stories that will always remain in their memories. I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I worshiped. But mostly I laughed.

Our Pastor Roger shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the congregation, how by the very grace of God we each have the blessed opportunity to be God's friend through the sacrifice He made atoning for our sins. It rang truer in my heart than any other time I've heard that story which never gets old.

I don't know all the emotions the Petro's are feeling or have yet to experience, and I don't want to. Confusion, anger, sorrow, possibly. And guilt, oh, the guilt. Thoughts like, What if I didn't let her go out that night? Was there something I could have done? What could her life have been like? Do I really have to spend the rest of my life without her? I do know that they will not make it through this incomprehensible grieving process without the protection, comfort, and strength of our Lord. I also know that we do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13). We mourn, but in a much different way. In a way that tells us that Michaela is dancing in Heaven, with the hope and assurance that God will be glorified through this tragedy. What a beautiful type of mourning we have to do.

If you were somehow connected to Michaela and her sudden death, whether you have a relationship with Jesus or not, please allow God to bring you closer to Him through this. Whether that be salvation or sanctification, sit back and watch Him paint His masterpiece in your life. Just like Michaela's remarkable talent in the arts, God sure knows what He's doing when He works in your life. But you have to let Him.

Take a deep breath. I know it's hard, and I know it's painful. We weren't made for this. But this is grace.

I need your help!

So, I have a thought.

There's a book called Stuff Christians Like, which I recently read and found hilarious. It was inspired by the book Stuff White People Like, which I haven't read but don't doubt I would get a kick out of as well. There may even be some other books along those lines, but I can't figure out how exactly to google that. Either way, I see something huge missing in this scenario.

Stuff Figure Skaters Like.

And let's be honest here, who would be better to write it than myself, who is a longtime figure skater AND writer who has always dreamed of having a book published in her high school years just to be able to say I did that?

So, I have a plan. Over the next few days I'll be compiling a list of bizarre oddities in the figure skating world. And you, as my readers (all three of you...) have a job to do. Or two, depending on who you are.

1.) If you skate or are extremely close to someone who skates (aka, your daughter, or sister, or something. Not o, m, g, there's this chick in my math class who skates so I know ALL about it.), you've most likely got some great ideas of weird things we like that I may not think of. So, contribute! Say you've got a brilliant thought - post it in the comment section of this post, and you'll most likely see it on the list.
2.) Whether or not you're a skater, you need to do this part. Once my list is complete, I'll post it on this blog. You will then decide which ones you'd most like to read about in the book, and comment your answers for THAT post.

Simple enough, right? Now go!

P.S. Look up Stuff White People Like or Stuff Christians Like for a better idea of what they're all about.