Jon Nungester-Living from the Inside Out

OK, I have to make a confession.  The other day I was flipping through my gazillion channels and came across a show entitled, High School Confidential. It is the dramatic 4 year story of 12 High School girls from Kansas.  The creator follows these girls for four years and interviews them along the way.  Then has combined each of the girls stories over the 4 years into a one hour show.  I was mesmerized by the pain and struggle that these teens go through.  I have been working in youth ministry since I was in high school and I have never seemed to fully grasp that this kind of life happens outside of the church.  My heart broke listening to the paths that these girls decided was best for them and the repercussions that happen.  

I love tivo because I was able to record most of the episodes and I have it set to record if the other episodes air, but I believe that even itunes has them for download if you want to get a glimpse into the lives of teens in our world today.  Prepare to be shocked, bewildered, and amazed at the situations these girls must go through between the ages of 14 and 18!

I have been thinking about this idea of LOVE.  It is such a huge idea, such a huge concept, my mind has a hard time grasping it.  I LOVE lasagna, but at the same time I LOVE my wife and daughter.  How is this possible?  I was reading through 1 Corinthians 13 and trying to understand what LOVE really is and isn’t.  If we actually LOVE God, are we patient and kind?  If we actually LOVE God, do we abstain from envy, boasting, pride, rudeness, selfishness, anger, holding grudges?  If we truly LOVE God, do we delight in the truth?  Because God says He is LOVE!  He always protects, always hopes, always perseveres!  He is awesome!  He is the true definition of LOVE and I have a long way to go to actually understand LOVE.