Be a Part of the Future

Last week was New Hope Oahu's 2013 Doing Church as a Team (DCAT) Conference. This was my first time attending the conference and was really blessed, encouraged, and challenged. One of the themes of the conference was 'passing the baton' well and investing in the future of the Church through our youth. The youth is the church of tomorrow and future ambassadors of Christ, future salts and lights in the world. Below is a video that was shown at the conference, which includes a live performance by our church's youth. They were amazing!

Doesn't matter if your 18 or 81, we can all invest something into those younger than us. An encouraging word, sharing a cup of coffee, a prayer, a hug, a smile, a godly example for them to follow... The reward may not be immediate, but it will be that much more rewarding!

I often wonder how different today's world may have been if more youth had been invested in that way. The world can conceivably be changed in 1 generation just by the way we interact with our youth...not just by what we say and do for them, but more so by what we SHOW them. Let's live lives of excellence, not just for today, but for the future as well!

:)  #agreatreminder  #innocence #hope #DCAT2013 #proverbs22:6

Sara and Eric!

Les Miserables

Last night a couple of friends and I went to go watch Les Miserables and walked out speechless. I had heard some songs before and a lot about how great of a musical (and book) it is, but I had never actually seen the production or heard anything about the storyline.  I remember my old high school choir director saying it was his favorite musical and after watching it myself, I can see why.

Yes, I have to admit, at 2 hours and 38 minutes, it was a bit long for a movie (without an intermission) and they could have cut some songs short (a LOT of singing). Nevertheless, it was the quality and richness of the story that impressed me. The musical production is actually based on a classic french novel written in the 1800s. Even though written over 100 years ago and set back during the French revolution, the themes, issues, and message are just as relevant for us today. It is a story of brokenness and injustice finding HOPE, REDEMPTION and VICTORY in the love of God experienced through the grace and mercy of others who have been there before.  Yes, that is a loaded sentence, but it really is THAT rich. And you don't just get drama, you also get action, suspense, and even a love story for the ladies.

I know most people aren't fans of musicals, but if you can get past the singing (especially when Russel Crowe sings), I recommend you watch this film. The story alone is worth it and I can't imagine anyone who couldn't relate to it at some level. It is one of those movies that helps remind the viewers of what's really important in life. Plus Wolverine is pretty stinken awesome in this movie. Hugh Jackman is the man. You also get the Gladiator.

Below is a link to the trailer