There was a time in my life when I thought I had everything all figured out. I knew where I wanted to live, who I was going to marry, what my job was going to be, and how I was going to achieve it all. In my mind, I was on the road to success, and I even had a perfect little red sports car that would drive me there. I had a New Years Resolution that would seal the deal in 365 days and achieve success in each of these areas.

Then, I met Allison. And Leo. I found peace in their presence, love in the letters they wrote me… I met Jesus in their smiles and their cities. Allison and Leo are children I sponsor; children who changed my life.

These children showed me that life isn’t about having it all together. It’s not about marrying the boyfriend who makes six figures a year. It’s not about living in the 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home with a two car garage to park our fully paid-off vehicles in an ideal neighborhood. It’s not about having job security, full benefits, and a steady paycheck. This stuff doesn’t guarantee happiness. In fact, focusing on it usually creates stress.

The truth is, that boyfriend could decide he found someone he likes better, or his great paying job could end tomorrow. That home could flood, get a leak, or get broken into regardless of the neighborhood appearing picturesque. Those cars could break down after an accident. I could lose that job… Tomorrow. Placing my hope in all these things was setting myself up for disappointment.

But those children… Allison, Leo, Melanie, Karla, Marlon… All those children living in conditions I cannot fathom on a daily basis, they have something many of us wish we did (although we may not always realize it). They have the love of Christ stored in their hearts. They have their hope in a secure place; they are sure of what they hope for, although they cannot see the future (Hebrews 11). These children have found a peace that surpasses all understanding, as Paul talks about in Philippians. They have learned what it means to clothe themselves in love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3). They have found happiness and contentment in situations where it seems impossible. THAT is what life is about.

That is what 2012 will be about.

In 2012, I will strive to remember what I have learned by spending time with these children. I hope to remember as I am stressing about money, jobs, fixing the house, etc. that NONE of these things should have any effect on my happiness. Why? Because true happiness is found in a relationship with Christ. “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8 NLT)

My New Years Resolution is to remove the blinders placed over my eyes by this world, and to live in the freedom given to us by His Amazing Love. Years and years ago, Jesus paid our debt and washed us white as snow. As a result of that, I owe Him EVERYTHING. Out of love, I joyfully serve Him and give Him everything, not just a few things here and there. I will try my hardest to no longer clench my fists around the people and things I hold dear, but rather place them in open hands outstretched to God in prayer.

“Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe.” (lyrics by Kristian Stanfill)

“Amazing love. I know it’s true, and it’s my joy to honor You. In all I do, I honor You.” (lyrics by David Crowder)

I want to live out these principles. This is My 2012 Resolution.

I hope you had an incredible Christmas and New Year. We have some exciting focuses coming up that will keep us moving toward becoming disciples of Jesus together.

The next couple of months at Celebration, we are studying that The Body of Christ is ‘We’ not ‘Me’. The greatest thing we can do to show people in Canton that Jesus is the real deal is allow them to experience Villages, communities that are radically different in the way that we love each other. We can show people Jesus in the way we stay, we give, we speak, we forgive, we confess, and we submit to each other. The love of Jesus is love that is far beyond what any of us can give each other on our own.

So, we will focus our teaching the next few months on the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4-6. We will also be highlighting our global mission focus, which is Nuevos Amigos, a school focused on teaching children about Jesus in Ecuador. Come ready to hear ways that you and your family can be in life changing relationship with these children.

As a new year begins, be encouraged, my friends, that in Jesus you are new! With Jesus, you are completely free of the old way of trying to be good enough, and free to become the person God has made you to be!  It’s an honor to follow Jesus into this new year with you. See you Sunday.

Jason

At LoveCanton, we believe we are called to live in these same relationships!

If you are seeking a way to becoming more INvolved, we’d love to talk with you about serving with Children’s Ministries, Student Ministries, Celebration set-up crew, Sound/Tech teams, and Worship teams. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact us at info@lovecanton.com.

You also can donate online atwww.laundrybycurrent.orgthrough Paypal by designating the donation for Laundry Love Project of Canton.

Small glimpses of community are apparent when you walk down the streets of Southeast Canton. If you spent some time here you would see that neighbors look out for each other and care about the business of the Southeast. You would see organizations like Lighthouse Ministries and Tiqvah Hands of Hope who are trying to impact kids with the love of Christ and give them an opportunity to succeed through their after school programming. You would see projects like the Community Outreach Of Love (C.O.O.L.) which brought hundreds of people together to clean up yards, build relationships and make a difference in the name of Jesus. You would see countless churches in the area, some who celebrate into the evening hours, their praise songs spilling out of their open front doors and into the street.

You would also see a red couch in Hartford Middle School, a couch that encourages conversation, community, and change; a place for students to share their stories and a place that brings hope to a school that surely needs it.

This red couch is located in Mr. George Dunwoody’s office, a staff member and community worker at Hartford Middle School. His passion for this red couch and the idea behind it is quite evident when you walk into his office.

“The red couch provided an identifiable place for students and staff to reflect, talk and seek help and encouragement. When the red coach suddenly appeared, people were intrigued by it. Once the purpose was shared, we began to see active use by the school community including students, staff, and parents,” said Hartford Middle School’s Vice Principal Andrea Ramsey.

The red couch was placed in the school through the efforts of LoveCanton. “We were very pleased to be a part of this initiative, and I will admit that I have had my share of cups of coffee in that very spot,” Ramsey said.

Hartford Middle School and the rest of the Southeast Canton community has seen its ups and downs this school year. From threats of shutting the school down to the February shooting just down the road, the future of the students residing in this part of town was and still remains uncertain.

“We are very hopeful that we will continue to see increases in student achievement during the coming year. We have put a very aggressive improvement plan in place as well as committed ourselves to working collaboratively with students, parents, and community stakeholders to support our students,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey and the rest of the Hartford staff will continue to encourage their students through college visits, career speaker days, vocal and instrumental music programs, the 21^st century after school program and an annual youth academy trip to New York.

If you walk a block down 3^rd street from Hartford you will see the remembrance of a life that was lost on February 28, 2011, in the form of a small memorial on a small front lawn. This cluster of artificial flowers is a reminder of a shooting, of violence, of death and of life. That night a 30 year old was shot and killed due to drug related activity and physical and verbal violence.

Hannah Ramsburg, program director of Lighthouse Ministries and resident of the home where the shooting took place, recalls the night that everything happened and what it meant for her and the community she invests her time in.

“Even now, though the emotions are lessened, I still feel a sense of sadness as I think about finding Rashad that night,” Ramsburg said in reference to Rashad Williams, the man who was shot and killed. “The words that come to mind as I think about his death are ‘significant’ and ‘tragic.’ A human life was lost that night and that has ramifications on both sides of eternity.”

Ramsburg also remembers the candlelight vigil that was held a few days after the shooting.

“It was amazing to see so many people come out in support of Rashad’s family and neighborhood peace at the vigil that was held in front of our house. If those people will use this tragedy as the motivation to go out and spread God’s peace and love throughout our neighborhood, the transformation will be amazing.”

This event has reinforced several things for Ramsburg personally, and for the community as a whole. Ramsburg is especially passionate about the Southeast and the young men living here. She realizes that these boys have almost every odd stacked against them. “I feel like crying when I think about one day hearing that one of my boys has been shot or is in prison. Praise God He is bigger than statistics! We have a neighborhood full of boys with potential to do great things in the kingdom of God and for their community. They are smart, strong, funny, and resilient,” she said.

The shooting only created more passion in Ramsburg to continue serving with local organizations. “It is easy for children growing up in a neighborhood like the Southeast to think that they are powerless, or that nothing good can come out of [here],” she said. “That is why it is so important to empower the local community by highlighting and supporting all that is positive. People don’t need to be ‘rescued,’ they need to be encouraged and empowered. They are the capable leaders who will continue to spread God’s peace.”

The night of the shooting, as police cars and detectives patrolled the area, Ramsburg said that she walked back into the house feeling a mixture of emotions. Picking up the Bible in hopes of finding some sort of comfort and clarity in the situation, she turned to Psalm 141.

“But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge – do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.”

Ramsburg and Ramsey both said that safety has nothing to do with location, but with the presence of God in our lives and with efforts to create a sense of community and pride in the neighborhood. God surely was and is present on 3^rd Street SE, at Hartford Middle School, in all of the surrounding after-school programs and countless churches, and in the hearts of those living in this community.

“The Southeast section of Canton has a very vibrant history as a place where businesses thrived and people had a strong sense of community and commitment to each other. Unfortunately, this is not always what we see in this area during this era, but I believe it can be reestablished,” Ramsey said.

“I believe that if we all communicate, pull together, and stay focused, things will change for the better.”

This Sunday at Celebration we are focusing on “Growing Up”.  See you at Trinity Lutheran (415 Tusc) at 11:00am Sunday to Celebrate Jesus and this crazy way of living that He offers us!

-Jason