(2012 January RE:NEW Magazine)
Phoebe Ng
I took another long look at the blank page in front of me. It was getting late, and I had already spent close to an hour trying to find the words to write this Editor’s Note. How could it be this hard? Just relax. Come on, you can do this. Just tell them why you picked the topic. Why the theme for the magazineis Creative Ministry. I started to panic. I could already feel my advisor’s cold stare as I turned in my assignment a week past the deadline. I cupped my face in my hands and breathed a silent prayer. God, just make this magazine mean something to the individuals that read this. I mean really mean something. I gathered myself together, willing the words to appear on the page in front of me…
Creative Ministry is…
using your everyday life…
your everyday objects…
the skills you’ve been given…
the stories you can tell…
the people that you know…
and the community you live in…
to touch lives with Christ’s unfailing love…
But it sounds so fake! Where’s the punch line? Come on! The truth is, there isn’t one, no clever slogans. I just want to be real with you guys. You know, I wish that when I was in middle school someone had challenged me to look beyond myself. That someone had really believed in me and even more than that had inspired me to believe that God has a unique purpose for me. I wish someone had told me years ago, that real ministry is always creative, and that creative ministry is really about taking ownership of our mission to reachpeople wherever we are and with whatever we have. And lastly, I wish someone would have challenged me, to make use of my limitless potential, to make a difference.
So today that’s what I want to do. I want to be that someone for you. Today, I want to challenge you to take ownership of your identity in Christ and your purpose for living. The time to act is now! Remember, Jesus promised that you can do all things through Him who gives you strength. So take the risk! What are you waiting for? There’s a world of people out there, just waiting for that small act of kindness that will lead them back to Jesus Christ.
So how about it? Will you take up the challenge? Will you dare to make a difference? The nations are waiting.