Q & A

Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year! It's been a wonderful holiday season for me. I have reach my (approx) 6 month mark in my new home (and it's feeling more like home all the time!), I enjoyed an awesome vacation home with the family...

and have had many growing experiences! As I continue to grow and learn more about people, the world and more than anything else, myself, I am learning how important it is to ask the hard questions. My pastor at church made a comment several weeks ago that has really stuck with me...

"True seekers want the real answers. Generally, people wont take the time to ask questions that get REAL answers. We want the short cuts."

Isn't that so true? It happens in my life all the time. All you need to do is turn on an infomercial and you will find some product that will guarntee that you can be made young again, magically thin or able to speak 12 languages with the flip of a switch. Think those programs would be airing if people didn't call? Think the people that buy into that ever thought, "Hmm, I wonder HOW that works?" Nope. They didn't. Or else they would not have thrown away 2 payments of $39.99 plus shipping and handeling.

But what about the more important matters of life? I undoubtedly believe in God and have been a baptized Christian from the age of 11, but can I answer "Why do you believe in God?", "How do you know He is there?", "How does he work in your life daily?", etc.

What about the people we interact with? Maybe the reason we (as a society on whole) are stuggling in the department of relationships in general (be it marriages, parenting, friendships, leadership, etc) is because we aren't asking the tough questions. What makes these people tick? How can God use me to intimatly embrace this life? How can I become more selfless to help this relationship? This relationship is failing - but WHY? And what can I DO about it?

Another quote from our minister I really like --

"You have never locked eyes with someone who did not matter intamtely to God."

I know I forget this in my everyday dealings with people. Some people are harder to love from a "flesh" perspective, but what can I do to change that perspective? How can I see these people with God's wide lense view?

As I approach this New Year, I am asking God for the courage to ask the tough questions, to embrace the tough answers that follow and to act upon the callings that stem forth.

Lord, may I become less and you become more. Allow me the eyes to see people, my life and the world through your eyes that I may love more.



**Minister: Isaac Hunter, Summit Church in Orlando, FL