Thriving Part II
Let me share a letter we received from one of our high school buddies that illustrates people who are thriving in Capernaum:
My name is Avery and I am a junior in high school. I first started attending Capernaum as a buddy just at the start of this year. When I first started attending, the motivation was definitely because I wanted to be able to be like Jesus through serving. However, my Capernaum friends have ended up showing Jesus to me.
Here’s what I’ve realized: throughout this entire year, my Capernaum friends have been teaching me slowly but surely how to receive love. They have modeled this for me in the way they receive and the way they show love. I want to give you a few examples:
First, my friend Peach. Peach and I first met at my 3rd or fourth club when she asked me to sit down by her at dinner. Since I was still kinda new to the whole thing and hadn’t gotten to know a ton of people yet, I was glad to meet a new friend. That whole dinner she talked and talked, and it was awesome. She told me all about her life. Ever since then, every time I step into the room on Monday nights, she makes me feel like the most wanted person in the room. She always makes sure there’s a spot by her for me at the table, holds my hand during worship, and saves a front row seat for me during club.
Second, Emily has modeled giving and receiving love for me. Emily is incredible. We don’t always end up at the same table for dinner, but we do often enough. Every time that we do, she, just like Peach, will talk my ear off just telling me random little things about her week, or her job, or whatever she feels like talking about. The catch with her though is time after time, in the middle of dinner, she will stop and look at me and just say, “I love you.” Emily and Peach both extend love to me that I haven’t even asked for.
Third, I want to tell you about a moment from my first club ever that took my breath away. We had started singing. I remember looking up and seeing Kara at the mic singing her heart out in front of all her peers. I was completely taken aback by this. She was not just singing, she was truly worshipping, and it had been a long time since I had seen such innocent and pure worship. When I watched her, it was like she was not in front of an audience at all. With her eyes closed and her soft voice, it was evident that her singing was not to impress any of the people singing along with her. Above everything, she was pouring love back to her Creator.
Because of the love that my friends have shown to me, God has shown me how to be receptive to that kind of love. That is what being a Capernaum buddy is all about to me - You go in thinking you're gonna be the change, but Jesus has a funny way of turning that around and changing you too.
My name is Avery and I am a junior in high school. I first started attending Capernaum as a buddy just at the start of this year. When I first started attending, the motivation was definitely because I wanted to be able to be like Jesus through serving. However, my Capernaum friends have ended up showing Jesus to me.
Here’s what I’ve realized: throughout this entire year, my Capernaum friends have been teaching me slowly but surely how to receive love. They have modeled this for me in the way they receive and the way they show love. I want to give you a few examples:
First, my friend Peach. Peach and I first met at my 3rd or fourth club when she asked me to sit down by her at dinner. Since I was still kinda new to the whole thing and hadn’t gotten to know a ton of people yet, I was glad to meet a new friend. That whole dinner she talked and talked, and it was awesome. She told me all about her life. Ever since then, every time I step into the room on Monday nights, she makes me feel like the most wanted person in the room. She always makes sure there’s a spot by her for me at the table, holds my hand during worship, and saves a front row seat for me during club.
Second, Emily has modeled giving and receiving love for me. Emily is incredible. We don’t always end up at the same table for dinner, but we do often enough. Every time that we do, she, just like Peach, will talk my ear off just telling me random little things about her week, or her job, or whatever she feels like talking about. The catch with her though is time after time, in the middle of dinner, she will stop and look at me and just say, “I love you.” Emily and Peach both extend love to me that I haven’t even asked for.
Third, I want to tell you about a moment from my first club ever that took my breath away. We had started singing. I remember looking up and seeing Kara at the mic singing her heart out in front of all her peers. I was completely taken aback by this. She was not just singing, she was truly worshipping, and it had been a long time since I had seen such innocent and pure worship. When I watched her, it was like she was not in front of an audience at all. With her eyes closed and her soft voice, it was evident that her singing was not to impress any of the people singing along with her. Above everything, she was pouring love back to her Creator.
Because of the love that my friends have shown to me, God has shown me how to be receptive to that kind of love. That is what being a Capernaum buddy is all about to me - You go in thinking you're gonna be the change, but Jesus has a funny way of turning that around and changing you too.
We pray, God, that Capernaum would continue to grow to be a community of thriving people; people who feel and know that they are persons of value and worth; people who feel and know that they have something unique to offer the world; and people who have the opportunity and courage to act on their gifts. Amen.
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