Hawaiin Shirt Wednesday

Hey Ladies!

You’re back, and that’s awesome!!  Just to remind you: This week we’re focusing on Mark 2: 1-12; and you can check it out online right here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/2.  Definitely read through it so you know what I’m talking about J 

So, we left off on Monday talking about the faith of the awesome men who lowered the paralytic through the roof (like our Sherpa! And you!).  If you haven’t read that post yet, go check it out!  It’s all related J

Today, we’ll focus on Christ’s perseverance through opposition.  Now, at the beginning of the passage, it says, “it became known that He was at home.”  When Christ first started His ministry, He went to preach away from home; but as He grew, He came back - just like your experience with camp!  You experienced Christ and community at camp, and now that you’re back at home, you’re ready to share your faith.  This is awesome, and Christ calls us to do it, but I bet it’s really hard to share your faith sometimes.  It can be especially hard when others don’t agree with you or believe in what you believe, but just remember Mark 2!  Even Jesus faced opposition from those around Him; in fact, the scribes were a part of His Jewish community. I bet Jesus knew them and looked up to them when He was growing up, and they still opposed Him.  But Jesus wasn’t alone; He had His apostles to help Him.  He was strengthened by His community, and He used it to draw others into His love. 

To sum up, men who Jesus knew and loved were giving Him a hard time, but Jesus persevered, kept His faith, continued to serve the Lord, and relied on His community.

Some questions to think about:           

When are times you’ve faced opposition?   Have you faced opposition about your faith?  What did you do when it arose?  How does community help you through?   Where can you find community after camp?

In Christ,

Beth J

P.S.  Remember to check back Friday – we’re going to tie it all together! 

P.P.S.  Don’t forget to comment!

Can I get a WITNESS??

Hey Ladies!

I’m so excited to be working on this devotional for you!  You ladies were definitely an inspiration to me last week, and I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation!   We would love for you to comment below!

This week we’re focusing on Mark 2: 1-12; you can check it out online right here:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/2.  Definitely read through it so you know what I’m talking about :)

So, how about those men who carried the paralytic?!  They seem a lot like our awesome Sherpa staff to me!  When they went to Jesus, He wasn’t even healing people.  It was also super crowded, but they persevered.  I would guess the men probably couldn’t even SEE Jesus, but their faith was so great they carried a man onto a roof and lowered him down!  Let’s just think about this for a second.  How heavy were your packs were during the backpacking trip, how much did you have to pull on the Tyrolean Traverse to get across, or how challenging was it trying to lift people through the web between the trees during the low ropes course?!  Imagine lifting a man straight up onto the roof without even knowing how long Jesus would stay there, what He would say, or how He would react when a man suddenly appeared through a roof that these men had ripped open!  Think about it; they tore open a roof to get to Christ!  That’s a lot of faith!  What a huge witness! 

**Note: please do not think this means you can go tearing roofs off of peoples’ homes if you feel called – just… no.** :)

But in all seriousness – please think about these questions, and let us know what you think in the comments! :)

Who are people in your life who have lifted you up by their faith?  What characteristics do they possess?  What makes them role models in your life?

What are examples of perseverance in your life?  How has God inspired you to continue persevering?

In Christ,

Beth :)

P.S.  Remember to check back Wednesday for more about this passage! 

P.P.S.  Don’t forget to comment!

So.. what is a sherpa?