Do Hard Things...

So, another trip to Nashville provides ample opportunity to read in the car. No, I don't read while I drive. I usually let my wife read to me while I drive. That has become our practice over the last few months. And this trip was no different. On the way to Nashville we read a great little book written by a friend of ours, Randy Winton, called "My Daddy's Shoes." It is an inspirational book about being present and available to your children. It also emphasizes the importance of being a model of godly living for your children. I can only imagine that one of my hard things will be living up to the image of father that my children will want me to be. But, that is a topic for another time... After spending the week at a Children's Pastors' Conference we came home today and I gave Becca a break. While she rested most of the way home I listened to an audio book that I had purchased earlier in the week. This book was written by two 19- year old twin brothers. It is called Do Hard Things. Alex and Brett Harris are crying out against the low expectations that the world has for teenagers today. The basic premise is that for too long adolescents and kidults have done just enough to skate by because that is all they were expected to do. The challenge is for teens to become rebelutionaries, that is to be ones who rebel against the rebellion that is so often associated with the years 13-19 (perhaps now up to the mid- to late 20s). The brothers list example after example of opportunities that they and many others have had to show the adults around them that they are tired of living in a low expectation world. I was encouraged to know that there are many teenagers in our country and around the world that not only want to make a difference, but expect to do so. I have said this before and would like to take this opportunity to say it again here, "people will rise to the expectations that you have for them." That is why I have made the challenge that I have this year. I expect the students at First Baptist Church Augusta, GA to do something great! We have looked at many problems that our world is facing including but not limited to modern-day slavery, poverty, starvation, forced prostitution, and child mortality. In case the challenge is not clear or perhaps the problems listed this way still seem insurmountable let me echo the Harris' and say: "Do hard things!" At Flood this week we will begin studying about a young man who did just that. His name is Nehemiah and you can find his story in the good book. Let me encourage you to familiarize yourself with Nehemiah chapters 1-4 for this Wednesday. Press on!