This morning I asked this question via status message:  “If you could twitter or facebook status a piece of advice to me right now based on what you’re going through, what would it be?

Here were your answers:

Via Twitter:
“Grace is far more powerful than justice.  Live above the line.” @dbpayne
“Make a list and knock it down 1 by 1.” @k_seas
“Cling to God in desperation as if your very life depended upon it (in all actuality, it does). This is the essence of true faith.” @ianmatthewrice
“Keep looking forward.” @Brandonwhittall

Via Facebook
“Suffer well.” Ryan
“Buy cheap sunglasses, so when you break them, it doesn’t hurt as much.” Clay
“Pick a career you enjoy.” Tony
“Put all your cares and fears in God’s hands – for He is in control.” Denise
“Watch out for cheap cocaine.” Mike B.
“If part of the everyone is missing is missing, part of the needy goes missing as well. Acts 2:44-45″ Steve B.
“God is so good to provide what we need at the perfect timing – not mine – So very thankful.” Melaney
“Parenting is alot tougher than what it seemed at 18.” Michelle, Part 1
“More income and less hours worked for it.” John
“For every mountain, there is a miracle.” Tina
“Parenting is also tons more fun than I thought at 18.” Michelle, Part 2
“Patience is a virtue and understanding is a must.” Darlene

All right, your turn.  You have any wisdom to add to this list?

I love the elderly.  I’ll leave what age group specifically I’m referring to your imagination, but everyone has a concept of the elderly, so just know that I love them.  Because I pastor a young congregation in Massachusetts, where we play rock music and dress how we want, it might be easy to assume I’m pretty one generational.  But I think we, the body of Christ, need the experience and life wisdom of an older generation to guide us through the decisions and life strategies that we may or may not be ready for.
The month I moved into the lead pastor position @ Fellowship, I overheard an older lady who had left our church the year before for a more “conservative, older congregation” tell someone, “I think Fellowship Church is a great church for young people.”   There are two issues here:

1.  It’s incredibly hard to know when to step out of certain roles in a church to give younger people opportunities to serve and lead.

2.  Churches need to find ways to utilize an older generation in a mentoring  capacity, to make benefit the glorious Kingdom of God.

Whether you’re young or old, God has a place for you in His kingdom and has given you gifts to use for His glory.  Those gifts may evolve over time, but they will never run dry.   So how do we maintain success for a long time and utilize everyone’s gifts?

What’s the balance here?

I was driving around on Friday doing a lot of errands and going to a lot of places, like I had all week.
Driving past the gas stations, it’s been amazing as I’ve noticed the prices going down.  I’m thankful for this.  However, I cautioned myself coming back from picking up some dry cleaning on Friday to not get accustomed again to driving all the time.  Just because gas prices are “normal” or at least not as crazy as they were a short time ago doesn’t mean I have to drive all the time.  I’m not a courier.  And I should be just as careful about using gas wisely when the price is $2.50 as I am when the cost is $4.00.

At least it makes sense to me.

Quick question:

To what extent should we live for God because we are all about him vs. living for God because we get something out of it? 

In other words, much of proverbs talks about doing the wise thing, and if I do the wise thing, good things will result. (sowing = reaping)  But I have a feeling that God wants to make our heart like his, which would mean we should just be doing the right thing naturally, no matter the consequences.  I have a hard time with this balance and could use some thoughts from you.

Got any?