I had misplaced my fountain pen that my brother had given me for Christmas and it was not sitting well on my heart. Not only did I like the pen, but it was a special gift and losing it was horrible stewardship of this great gift.

This fall I read A Praying Life by Paul Miller and now I’m re-reading it, and one of the things that he emphasizes is that we need to come to our Father bringing the messiness of life. We should be like children and just blurt out what is on our hearts and minds. We cannot be ashamed for what we ask. God simply wants us to ask.

So I went to my heavenly Father and expressed my dependence and helplessness in finding the pen. I prayed knowing that if God wanted me to have that pen, then He would reveal it to me. The request seemed silly, but that lost pen was weighing on my heart.

Tonight, God answered those prayers and I found the pen in a pair of pants from earlier in the week. The recovered pen was a big reminder that God cares about the small things.

What if I never see 2011?

What if this was my last year on this planet?

If this was the case, how would I live in 2010?

I do not know what God has in store for me in this coming year, but I want to give everything I have to the gospel and to the glory of His name. This ambitious claim will probably not result in doing anything that will make the history books. It will not be the path of the well-known, but the path of unknown. It will not be the path of the popular, but the path of the unpopular. It will be the path of self-denial – which will not be comfortable, but it will be satisfying.

If I do not live to see 2011, I want to be able to say that 2010 was a year of repenting of sin, relying on the Holy Spirit, and rejoicing in Christ, for the glory of God.

“All designed to reignite the soul.” These were the words that closed a recent Cadillac commercial. As I watched the ad, I observed the standard highlights: professional cinematography, sharp lighting, classy new features in the vehicle, and all to the sound of a smooth narrator voice. But when the word “soul” came up, my attention was peaked.

I find it interesting that so many Christians will spend money and time on acquiring possessions and act as if those possessions have no relation to their soul before God. And yet a secular ad agency understands that our possessions have an effect on our souls. They will either disappoint causing our souls to be disenchanted by them. Or they will satisfy us for the time being, scratch the itch temporarily, thus “reigniting” our desire for more.

All things this world creates to reignite our souls is counterfeit of the original reignitor – God Himself. Only He can truly and most deeply satisfy the longing for happiness in our hearts.

Here are some ideas on how college students can demonstrate to their family that they love them from a distance.

1. Say “I love you” to your family members whenever you talk to them
2. Pray for your family
3. Send cards and gifts on their birthdays
4. Enjoy going home to see them
5. Include both parents in important decisions in your life

Do you have any other ideas?

For the last six months, God has been teaching me a lot how I stand before Him. When I approach Him, what is my attitude? What am I standing on? What do I bring to the table when I commune with Him?

A while back, I listened to the sermons from the 09SR. They were all very helpful and convicting, but the truth nugget that has continued to resound in heart is this: All I Have Is Need.

This phrase instantly connected with my heart. This is it. This is how I stand before Him. This is what I bring to the table. Whenever go I to Him in prayer, this is what I bring into His presence: NEED.

I don’t bring anything that will make God smile on me. I don’t have anyhing that makes me look good in His eyes. I am totally depraved, totally sinful, a total failure. Thus when I come before Him, I don’t have any obedience, any good fruit, any righteousness that I can credit to my name. The only thing that I can label as my own is my failure, weakness, and sin.

But this does not cause me shrink away from Him because the gospel gives me confidence. I have confidence because, even though I am the most wicked, disgraceful sinner, I stand before God in the blood and righteousness of Christ. The gospel says come to God not because of who are, but because of what Christ has done.

All I have is need. Some the most freeing words I’ve heard all year.