God is FOR you!

     In the chaos of life, we tend to get caught of in our own world that we can't focus on what is right or wrong. A lot of times that can lead us to act and react in ways that we normally would. It's part of this process we call life. I hope this story will bring some encouragement to your life, and hopefully show you that no matter what, God is FOR you, and never against you.
     I recently had the opportunity to engage into the best experience ever: mentorship. I've been in youth ministry for quite some time, and I have mentored many young men through the process, but I never saw the type of results I would see through this experience. It all started at a coffee shop; a bond was made; a friendship was developed; and now a young man's life is pursuing his Kingdom calling.
     Asking him in advanced, Harrison Aslami gave me permission to write what I am going to write. Harrison wasn't your typical 18 year old student. Even after many run-ins with the law, distrust issues with his parents, and relationships that never should have been pursued, he was smarter than he thought. Throughout his life, he dealt with many things that a normal 18 year old shouldn't have to deal with. Through it all, he always came out stronger.
     This summer sparked something inside of him. In the process of mentoring him, he made the decisions to follow the Lord, and to even give up his education at the University of Alabama to pursue ministry at a Bible college, Highlands College. This move was one that he knew would better his life, but it didn't come without obstacles first, as he has seen many since he moved to Birmingham.
     A few weeks ago, after a summer of sobriety, he relapsed and found himself smoking marijuana. Since it was apart of his life before, it was hard for him to not go around it. Not only was he struggling with this, but also a lack of understanding of God, and whether or not He was real. These questions caused him to lash out in a way that he knew would bring him closure; weed. What makes this story amazing is that he admitted to me the next day he had smoked. With an open heart, I told him that I wasn't mad at him, and that God doesn't condemn him. It's not how you fall, it's how you get back up.
     On September 18, Harrison found himself at a Hillsong Live concert, from row, dead center stage. With a simple "I'll be right back, I've gotta go to the bathroom," he was gone, leaving the concert. What happened that night, I won't go into details. All I know is that he found himself at a bowling alley, drunk. Harrison also admitted of other things that happened that night (the details that I've withheld), and pursued ways to better himself after this incident.
     The point of this blog is to say that no matter how many times you fall, God is still there, and He's the one who will help you up. It doesn't matter how far in the wrong direction you are, it takes ONE step to move into the right direction. You would think Harrison would be mad at God because his stuff was stolen from a bookstore (about $1,500 worth of stuff). After talking more with Harrison, I've come to find out that he's not the slightest bit of mad, but perhaps slightly disappointed in the thief's actions. Since that time, he was able to get a new laptop and backpack.
     With the beforehand actions, you would think that Harrison would get kicked out of ministry school. With other actions, you would think he should be in jail. But, he's neither. He's still in HC, and pursuing God now more than ever. I say all of this to say that your sin doesn't disqualify you. If anything, it qualifies you for God's grace and mercy. But, that doesn't mean we continue to sin. We turn from our sin, and seek God more and more everyday! Grace doesn't come through the repetition of sin; it comes from the repentance of sin!