According to Maslow, the first relational need we have is to be loved and to belong. When I asked each of my students to list five of the most pressing issues of teens these days, at least one of their answers dealt with this sense of belonging: fitting in, being cool, being popular, having friends. Many of them joined teams, clubs, sororities, and fraternities to further meet these needs. Even gangs, regardless of how distorted the view may be, satisfy this need to belong.

As adults it isn’t much different. Besides desiring close friendships, we look for organizations that have people who share a common view, goal, interest, or purpose––whether that is at our work place, in philanthropic or service organizations, or athletic or book clubs.

Though all of these places provide human companionship, we still have a need for more. Seventeenth century French mathematician Blaise Pascal is credited with describing each of us as having a God-shaped hole that only God, of course, can fill.

This is why the ultimate fulfillment of belonging comes from God alone.

In one sense, every one of us belongs to God.––Psalm 100:3: “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his…”

But belonging to Him as His creation is nothing compared to belonging to Him as his children.

John 1:12: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

1 John 3:1: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

And being a child of God provides one additional blessing––belonging to the body of Christ: a family formed from people of all the nations of the world.

Ephesians 2:19: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household.”

Lest anyone tell you differently, what these people have in common are 1) they were broken but are now whole, 2) were sinners but are now redeemed and made righteous, 3) were weary but are now carried, 4) were blind but now see, and 5) were hopeless but now have hope.

Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling.”

And best of all … anyone can join.

,June 5th marked the last stop of Franklin Graham’s Decision America: California Tour. Fortunately for me, that last stop was in my hometown.

It was a wonderfully simple evening. The grassy middle of the fairground speedway was opened and everyone (except me because I forgot) brought their folding chairs and blankets. Fortunately, my good friend Melanie had TWO chairs.

It was a half hour of powerful singing with Jeremy Camp, followed by a half hour message by Franklin Graham––a threefold but straightforward message.

First, as this was election day, he encouraged Christians to be involved in the political process: vote and run––at all levels.

Second, pray for those in authority because we are commanded to do so in I Timothy 2:1-2.

Finally, in the style of his father, Franklin laid out the simple message of salvation: God loves you, died for you, and rose from the grave to give you life. All you have to do is admit you are a sinner, repent of and turn from your sins, and accept his gift of salvation.

Christianity is not complicated. The message is simple as is the response. And Decision America at its core is rather simple as well because Decision America begins with––Decision You.

(I have heard this song many times, but when Jeremy sang it live, it was powerful. Please enjoy.)

Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and unfortunately, the Internet didn’t have any clever interviews for the job of being a father like it did for being a mother. But it did have something else … some very interesting statistics. To put simply … fathers are important.

One legal site, AVVO, along with an article called “The Fatherless Generation” share some statistics “showing the importance of an involved father.” Here are a few of those statistics.

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1. 85% of youths sitting in jail grew up in a home without a father.
2. Children who grow up in a home separate from their father are 4.3 times more likely to be smokers.
3. 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes—9 times the average.
4. 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes—20 times the average.
5. 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. 5 times the average.
6. 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes—32 times the average.
7. 75% of young patients seeking substance abuse treatment are from fatherless homes––10 times the average.
8. Children with fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.
9. Children with fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.
10. If a mother attends church regularly with her children but without the father, only 2% will choose to become regular churchgoers as adults. If a father attends church regularly with his children even without the mother, 44% will chose to become regular churchgoers.

There are many well-adjusted, successful adults who were raised without an involved father, but these statistics show that fathers play a huge role in the success and welfare of their children.

God in His infinite wisdom created the family unit to include the love of both a mother and a father. Happy Father’s Day to all of those incredibly involved fathers out there.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. With it come thoughts of hiking, camping, and backpacking, and one of the most important elements of a safe wilderness adventure is access to clean water. It only takes one nasty little microbe to make a person sick, and as anyone who has contracted giardia can tell you, pure water is a must.

That is why one of the most important pieces of camping equipment is the water purifier. This little device can take dirty, contaminated, unsafe water and make it potable. Water which was unfit for human consumption can now be life saving.

Likewise, as we progress through life, we sin. I was about to say some big, some small, but that is only in our eyes. To God sin is sin. And sin contaminates the purity of our lives. It robs us of our peace and our joy. It makes us emotionally, spiritually, and in some cases, physically sick. Some of us may feel that we have polluted our life so badly, that there is nothing that can make it pure again. But that is just not so.

For just like with water, purity can be regained, because we have a purifier, Jesus, who “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18) All we have to do is remember that if we “confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) (Emphasis added)

So let us not despair over past mistakes, but repent and be purified so that our changed lives might point others to the One who provides life-changing water.

“… but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

One week after the Royal Wedding, I thought it appropriate to bring it back to us, the little people.

When a huge event like this wedding occurs on the world stage and much is said about the potential influence of the power couple, we can sometimes feel like our own lives don’t make much of a difference or have an impact.

That is why I love  this new song by Josh Wilson called “Dream Small.” It reminds us that everything we do is important. Enjoy.