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There is a story about how birds got their wings. It's only a legend, of course, but it does serve to show us an important truth to remember when it seems that life is falling in.

The story is that birds were first made without wings. Then God made the wings, put them in front of the wingless birds, and said to them, "Come, take up these burdens and bear them." The birds hesitated at first, but soon obeyed and picked up the wings in their beaks.

But because the wings were too heavy, the birds soon laid them on their shoulders. To their amazement, the wings began to grow and attach themselves to their bodies. They discovered how to use their new wings, and were soon soaring through the air. What had once been a heavy burden now became an instrument that enabled the birds to soar and go where they could never go before.

We are like wingless birds. Sometimes the very things that seem like burdens and trials to us, often become the very means God uses to lift us up and build godliness in us. When life falls in, we can turn to Him and realize that He knows exactly what is happening, and that He has allowed it for a very specific purpose.

Remember the words of James: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com
 
 
Recognizing our youth is important to us as a church. Healthy churches have lots and lots of noise! They have children and young people who are allowed to be children and young people, and not just miniature adults! And the future of any church is tied up with its young people.

But it's important to the young people, too. Most of us can remember when we were young, and we may have some wonderful memories from that time in our lives. I have a lot of warm memories of that time in my life, but most of them center around the time I spent at the church or with friends from the church. The Lord blessed me to have been a part of a great church family, one in which young people were encouraged to seek the Lord and get to know Him better. There were people who encouraged me personally, who were patient with my shortcomings and loved me even when I thought I was perfect.

But what I remember most was love. My home church was Forest Hill Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi, a place where there was a lot of love. Sure, there were problems--what church doesn't have them? But above all, what I sensed from the adults of my church was that we young people were loved, and we were worth something. They invested themselves into our lives. They spent money on us. They drove us. They prayed for us. They cried with us. They taught us.

And most of all, they loved us. Today, even though the congregation no longer meets in that building, there are young-people-grown-up-into-adults who serve the Lord in many different ways all over the world. I am in the ministry today because of the personal attention of several adults who took the time to encourage me and pray for me.

Perhaps it's because of that background that I believe that every church has a responsibility to the young people within its circle of influence. There are young people around us who need to know Jesus. The youth who attend our church need our influence, our encouragement, and most of all, our love.

So today, when you pass a young person while at church, pause just a moment to say hello and ask how they're doing. It may make a huge difference in their lives.

And they'll never forget it. They may even write about it on a blog someday.
--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com