Old Stories Still Teach Great Lessons

Can you believe it is March already? To be honest, I think I say that to my wife on the first of every month. "Can you believe its (fill in your month of choice)already?" Time goes by quickly. For example, do you remember what you were like in Jr.High School? I know, I know I probably just opened up a can of suppressed memories. Jr. High is such a crazy time in life. Of course if you are reading this blog you probably have a Jr.High teen living somewhere in your house. It is a pretty well known fact that life changes when you enter Jr.High. Life suddenly comes at you with so many more questions, choices and opportunities. I know I worried my parents several times in the way I was behaving in 7th grade. Looking back now it is clear to me that God was molding me into the man he desired for me to be. He is still working on me.
This week in one of my classes at Gordon-Conwell we were discussing the life of St. Augustine. As we looked at his journey through life it became very clear that his path to Christ was a rocky one. Let's just say that I am sure Augustine gave his mother good reason to worry about him. Augustine was a brilliant man, but gave in to so many things that the world threw at him. Augustine eventually met up with Christ and it transformed him as a person. He became one of the great Christian writers in history. It is amazing to read that as Augustine was on his path through darkness his mother, Monica, was praying for him for years and years. Monica had such a desire to see her son follow Christ and knew that there was only one person who could save her son. Jesus. Monica did not give up on her son even after years of seeing him take the wrong road and make the wrong decisions.
I am not a parent, but I have no doubt that you all have a desire for your teens to know Christ in such a way that it would transform their lives. This story of Augustine teaches me that the prayers of a parent are a powerful thing. I look back in my own life and can see the fruit of my grandmother's prayers for my mother and my mother's prayers for me. As I grew up I knew that my mom was praying for me. Let this story be an encouragement to you as a parent. I pray that God bless you and equip you as you walk beside your teens.
On a quick note, I wanted to inform you all that you can view the 2007 Jr. High Mission Trip Brochure online at http://www.fcch.org/images/stories/students/junior_high_mission_trip_07.pdf You should be receiving one in the mail as well. Have a great week and stay tuned as next week I will have a special guest with me on this blog with some announcements!