| On the
Battle Ground
In my past two years of high school ( thus making
me a Junior), I’ve lead a daily battle with myself as well
as others. Not actual fighting, but battling for our Lord and Savior.
Christian speaker Dave Overholt would call me an “obnoxious
Christian” (which is a good thing.) I’m very much into
my faith, especially in school . I have fun making people think
by bringing our Lord into public schools.
Like most kids Freshman year, I was quiet. That
all changed sophomore year, after spending a week in a bible conference
over the summer. I went in preaching the Lord’s name any chance
I could. I would tell anyone that would listen. I wore “Christ
Apparel” to school as often as I could to get the message
across. And it did... you’d be surprised how many people are
“anti-Christ” in my high school. But you’d also
be amazed on how many are believers as well. I was named “God
Girl” and “Christ Chick.“ That only further excited
me.
I lead a daily battle and argument with a guy
named Kevin in my biology class. His theory on the Lord was, that
when he needed the Lord most, the Lord had turned his back on him
and allowed Kevin’s father to die. Those are always the hardest
battles to fight. No one knows why the Lord takes people from us.
My theory always was that it was a test of faith, to see if we knew
that the Lord would give us the strength to get through the pain
and know that the person would live in Heaven...he didn’t
seem to want to hear it. He tried to argue with me that there was
no God... well needless to say, considering I’m a very argumentative
person,( if you give me something to argue about that I believe
in, there’s really no way of shutting me up), I took everything
I knew and threw it out on the table so to say. Everything he said
against the Lord I counter acted. He tried his best, and said “
Well you can’t make me worship him. You can never make me.”
That I had to agree on. And my only reply was “I know I can’t.
I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. No
one can. If you’re to believe in the Lord, it’s gotta
be something you want. You can worship a cat, you can worship your
computer. They’re material things and that’s it. But
let me tell you this... your father, I remember him as a very very
strong Catholic. And he was so involved in the Church. And when
he died, the church opened its arms to you. Because they saw the
good in your father as well as in you. And YOU turned your back
on them. Maybe it’s not God that turned his back on you. Maybe
it’s because you turned your back on him.” At that I
left the room. At the beginning of this year, he approached me to
tell me his family was once again attending the church. He told
me about how when they walked into the church, everyone turned in
surprise to see them, but they were immediately welcomed in as if
they had never left. It was a battle. And the Lord won. I’m
not saying everyone is gonna have someone like that to battle with.
And it’s not exactly the smartest thing to do either. I could
have gotten myself in a lot of trouble. But being the way I am,
I acted first and then thought afterwards. But the Lord looked out
for me.
There are a lot of kids I go to school with,
who are what I call “Closet Believers”. They believe
and speak of the Lord on Sundays and in Youth Groups, or in a Summer
Camp. But when they go home...or to school... they’re totally
different. They won’t talk of the Lord. If for some reason
the Bible or God comes up in a class discussion ( you’d be
surprised how often it happens...) they pretend like it’s
nothing. That’s my major problem with people. If you’re
gonna do something, do it whole-heartedly. It’s like you’re
ashamed to be a believer. The Lord was never afraid to proclaim
His word. Don’t be like Peter, don’t walk on water,
stop believing and start to sink. The Lord will help you. But don’t
be ashamed of the Lord, he is never ashamed to be your Father. It
gets much easier. People soon realize that arguing/mocking you and
God will get them no where. And I know, being a teenager is tough.
You’re no longer a child, but you’re not quite and adult
yet. And it is hard. And with education of God not being allowed
in public schools, and speaking the Lord’s name in a place
that doesn’t want to hear it is even harder. But you get stronger
and learn how much of a difference it makes. In the two past years,
each year someone has accpeted the Lord into their heart. One a
year, it’s my goal. If I accomplish more, wonderful... if
I don’t, I get that one person.
One of the greatest things a speaker has ever
said to me was by Don Jones (or Jonsie to those who know of him...)
he spoke at a bible camp a few years back and said “If you’re
looking for an easy religion, don’t choose Christianity.”
It struck me as odd, but when I thought about it, he was quite right.
Christianity is always struck down upon. But it’s worthwhile.
So fellow students, friends and believers, keep fighting your battles,
keep praising our Lord, and most important, keep believing and looking
to him . He will provide!
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