...and Lilly?

Lilly:  Well...here we are.  Another weekend, another day, with you, friend.  I wonder where Dodger is right now?  You know he had to relocate, so he's probably getting settled in.  I won't lie to you, I'm a little bummed out.  I miss him a lot, and his move came so suddenly.  I remember how much fun we all had.  It won't be quite the same without him, will it?

Dodger:  Without who?

Lilly:  DODGER!  Where did- how did- IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU!

Dodger:  Wow, Lilly!  If I didn't know better I'd think you thought I moved to the moon!

Lilly:  Well, no, but...how are you here?

Dodger:  To be honest, if I explain I'll feel a little sheepish.

Lilly:  I'm waiting...

Dodger:  Okay.  Yes, we were moving.  Yes, it was because of my dad's job.  No, it didn't mean we were going far away.  In fact, I'm actually thirty minutes closer than I used to be.  And here I was all panicked.

Lilly: What!?  That's amazing!  Why did you guys move just to be a half-hour closer, though?

Dodger:  Apparently it's policy that all employees be within a certain mileage from the company's location.

Lilly:  I- can hardly believe that good fortune!

Dodger:  Well, I can.  I was all up in arms last week over moving, and I didn't even consider that it might be a good thing!

Lilly:  I don't think you can be "up in arms", Dodger.

Dodger:  ...Okay, well, at any rate, it makes moving a lot easier.

Lilly:  I think we both have Someone to thank for that.

Dodger:  I already have, several times.  I also apologized for flipping out on Him, since, well, I kinda did last week...

Lilly:  I guess now we have to ask ourselves a hard question, though.

Dodger:  What's that?

Lilly:  What if you had moved far away?  What if we were too far apart to meet in person ever again?  Would you still trust that God knew what He was doing?  In fact, would I?

Dodger:  I like to think so, but the only way for me to know that for sure would have been if it had happened that way.

Lilly:  Yeah...I guess you're right.

Dodger:  On the other hand, I can look back at this as an example in case something else happens where I don't know what God is doing.  Even if whatever it is doesn't work out like this did, I'll still be able to remember this event and, hopefully, use it to encourage me to trust God.

Lilly:  Good point.  These little markers in our lives can really help when things become hard.

Dodger:  I'll say they do.  Anyways, I actually do have to finish unpacking my room.  Sorry to get going so soon.

Lilly:  That's alright, Dodger!  We'll see you soon.  Hey, bring one of your new neighbors along next time!

Dodger:  Will do!  Thanks for hanging out with us!  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!

Lilly:  Ciao!

Growing Pains.

Dodger:  That does it.  I'm done!  So done!  I mean, I can't be more done right now!

Lilly:  Whoa!  Dodger, what's the matter?  Why are you so freaked out?

Dodger:  Because I'm moving!

Lilly:  What? You can't be serious!

Dodger:  I am serious!  I can't believe it, but there it is.  I'm moving.

Lilly:  Where?

Dodger:  I don't know.  No one in my family seems to know.  Apparently my Dad's about to get a new job and we have to relocate.  We listed the house this morning.

Lilly:  Dodger, I...that...ah...I...

Dodger:  Just say it!  It stinks!  All my friends are here!  All my memories are here!  EVERYTHING FUN IS HERE!  Now I have to leave it all behind!

Lilly:  I'm so sorry.

Dodger:  Yeah...me too.  It's just, we've done so much together!  Now I have to just give it up?  I mean, how am I supposed to keep hanging out with you guys if I have to go somewhere else?

Lilly:  I don't know, to be honest.  I- really don't know.

Dodger:  It's really discouraging.

Lilly:  Yeah...

Dodger:  I'm calming down a little now.  Sorry for the outburst.

Lilly:  It's alright.  It's no fun, moving away, either for the person moving or for everyone who will miss him.  You can't despair, though Dodger.

Dodger:  Can't I?  I've already started.

Lilly:  No, no.  Don't give up just yet.

Dodger:  Why not?

Lilly:  Well, what if God has some plan to make this all work out?

Dodger:  That's easy to say, but much harder to believe.

Lilly:  I know.  In fact, so does the Bible.

Dodger:  What?

Lilly: Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth once about the trouble he had in a particular place. "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.  Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. (2 Corinthians 1:8-11, NKJV)"
Dodger:  Lilly, I'm moving.  Not dying.

Lilly:  I know that, but the point still stands.  Paul gave up believing that he'd even survive his troubles, and God still brought him through.  We've got to trust in him.

Dodger:  Sure, but...Lilly, not everything has a happy ending!

Lilly:  I know, Dodger, but this isn't the end.  If anything, it might be a new beginning.  Listen, God is faithful.  Even if this all results in you having to move and us not seeing much of each other anymore, at least you're in God's hands.

Dodger:  Yeah...still, that's a lot easier to say than to act out.

Lilly:  Yes it is.  I guess this is where that faith you and I talk so much about meets the road, huh?

Dodger:  I suppose so.  Well, pray for me, will you?  I really don't want to go.

Lilly:  I'll be sure to.  Hang in there, Dodger.  God's got your back, as always.

Dodger:  All right.  After all, Jesus loves us, and that's not about to change, is it?

Lilly:  Nope.  It never will.

Dodger:  Well, hopefully I'll see you all next week.

Lilly:  Yep.  See you then.

Dodger:  Okay.









(Bible translation New King James Version)

Proclamation of the Christ-Follower.

Dodger:  Hi there!  Lilly wrote a little something today and wanted to share it with you.   It's for anyone who follows Jesus, whether they're overjoyed, discouraged, peaceful, or somewhere in between.  She also had it published on Childlike Faith.  After she's done we're going to head out.  Thank you for joining us this week!  Okay, Lilly, take it away.

Lilly:  Thank you, Dodger.  Well...here goes:

You know what’s more important than my failures?

God’s success.

You know what’s more important than my insecurity?

God’s immovability.

You know what’s more important than my mistakes?

God’s perfect record.

You know what’s more important than my emotions?

God’s faithfulness.

You know what’s more important than self-focus?

Fixing my eyes on Jesus.

You know Who makes all the difference in my life?

God does.

It’s not about my plans, my abilities, my failures, my feelings.

It’s about a God who cares about all of those things, knows me up close and personal, and loves me anyway, despite all my shortcomings.

There is no other name by which people can have peace, love, joy, or salvation.

God is the defining factor, the turning point around which my life revolves.

This is my proclamation. 

I will follow him - all else aside, I will follow Him.  Not because of what I’ve done, but because of what He did for me.

He is the King of Kings, God of all, and yet He thought I was worth dying for.  Nothing will change His love for me, or His power to save. 

I can’t outdo Him, and I don’t want to.  I want to learn how to live in grace.  It’s not easy, but I can do it.  It’s not human, and that’s wonderful. 

I will live in peace with God, knowing that He has great plans for me.  Through thick and thin, joy and sadness, glory and shame, so help me God, I will follow Him.

Not by my strength, but His.  When I fail, He’ll forgive, and He’ll keep me from falling.

I renounce fear, unholy anger, and pride.  I may still slip and engage in them, but they will not define me.  God will.

Thank You, Jesus.  Thank You very much.  So be it.