Every year when I get to know a new class of kids, I am always amazed to hear some of their stories.  So many kids have to grow up so fast due to the death of a close family member, the irresponsibility of a parent, or a variety of other disasters that may hit a family.  It always reminds me what a vast and merciless sea this world can be.  In that sea are also insatiable predators, in the form of every enticement and philosophy that opposes the truth. People all around us are drowning, looking for some semblance of stability.  But, it won't be found in any of the world's delights, or in any of its belief systems.  Lost souls spend themselves trying to reach one of these glimmers of hope, only to be let down and left disheartened and long since exhausted.

The Lord has called you and me, once lost at sea ourselves, to be solid firm ground that stands immovable in the heaviest storms.  He has established us in various places, to show the world who He is as we live in obedience to Him.  We have become few and far between, but we still stand because He causes us to stand.  Let those seeking rest find us firm, honest, unchanging, hospitable.  When they come into contact with us, let them come into contact with sincere love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, truth, and with the Lord Himself.