Dry Bones

Matt, Finn, and I traveled to Arkansas last week to see my sisters and their families. It was a wonderful trip - complete with dodging tornadoes and Easter egg hunts and pregnancy gender tests :).

Easter egg discovery!

Sisters!

Tornado safety spot

Every time I go back to visit Conway, I am hit with dozens of memories of my 2 years down there. Specifically, my time working with Chi Alpha - my brother-in-law's college ministry. It is crazy to see how much it has grown and developed and matured since I have been a part of it. I was proud to be a part of it 4 years ago when I moved away and I am proud of it still, for it is truly an amazing ministry in its creativity and the passion that it births in college students for God and the message of Jesus.

Redeemed - small group I co-led. I miss them :(.

My Jilly-Anne and Whitwey

The "core four"

Those who know Matt Carpenter most likely have heard his classic "dry bones" analogy for college campus missions. I wrote the following 5 years ago, I think, in the midst of my Chi Alpha ministry, and was reminded of it on this past trip. So now, to share:

"They see dry bones but we see an army!


In Ezekiel 37, we read about a valley of dry bones; bodies that have been left alone to rot - clearly forgotten about and barely noticed anymore. But God sees them. He knows the potential of these seemingly hopeless carcasses. So He speaks to the prophet Ezekiel, tells him to prophesy to the bones to live; that through this, God will cause them to come together, not just with what they are - dry bones - but God will cover them with flesh and tendons - make them everything that they could not be on their own.


And He doesn't stop there! After the bones have arisen to become human figures again, He then commands Ezekiel to prophesy breath into the bodies - give them the life flow that they need to live. And this is the cool part: the bodies stand up on their feet and take the breath that should have been lost to them forever - a gift from God! And now, Ezekiel states, this valley of dry bones has risen to become a VAST ARMY.


Is this a strange prophesy? Yes. I admit when I really think it through and imagine the tendons and flesh regrowing that its like something out of a circa 1970's horror flick.


But when I really press deeper and delve into the prophesy and what it represents, I am blown away by the analogy to my own generation.


Older people, past generations, tend to look at 18-30 year olds as a valley of dry bones - hopeless, not much to offer, bound in alcohol and drugs and caught up in self. They see our negative aspects - a generation lost, with little to give those who will follow behind us. Better to focus on the younger generation and raise them better - fix past mistakes.


But when God looks at college campuses and the hearts of those who know Him, He does not see dry bones - He sees a people passionate for His purposes, longing to love others with their entire being, hoping to make a difference in a world that so desperately needs someone to step up and say "Enough! What can I do to help?"


Oh, what we could accomplish if we would realize what we truly have to offer! We cannot change the world all by ourselves. We need each other and we need a driving passion and MOST OF ALL we need the power and beauty and grace of God.


We need to stop believing the lies that our lives will never amount to much. Because that's all they are - lies. Some of us have never had someone believe in us, never had someone tell us, "I know you can do it. "


But God's purposes surpass all of that. He has amazing plans for those willing to step out of the shadow of the unattainable and say, "Here I am. What can I do?" It starts small. It begins by realizing that this life is not about us anyway. We are not the stars of our own life story or reality television show. Our lives truly have value when we reach out and help others who have so much less than we do. Our purpose is claimed by listening to a hurting soul, crying with those who cry, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and lifting a finger to help all of the hurt in the world.


The world out there may see us young adults as a valley of dry bones......but God - He sees an army. Only one question remains - what are we going to do about it?"

I am thankful for ministries like Chi Alpha that invest in the lives of young adults and value the impact that they can have in the world. Sometimes, all it takes is some hope and for someone to see us not for what we are now, but for what we can become!