Chicagoland Community Church

C3 is a growing network of people committed to becoming more like Jesus and helping others discover and follow him.

Observation of God’s Greatness - Mitch S.

This testimony is a response from Mitch to a friend who has been dealing with questions of suffering and difficulty in life and wrestling with how it could possibly build character. In a sense, this is a kind of post-modern theodicy.

Yes, enough character. I think I've had a main course of character, with character appetizer, salad, soup, and yes, desert! I mean should it be shared with other people... hmm. well, actually I felt I've had my fair share of trials. I was adopted - definitely good and bad. My dad died, a good friend died, and my grandfather all within first 3 months of my freshman year in college. I had already begun to live life a little too full and then really took it to the extreme.

But I've also been so lucky. Crashed my first car at 16 - embarrassment was about it. Parents - no yelling. Crashed a car in college drunk driving - no ticket, no suspension, no nothing, just disappointment. Pushed my limit in high school and almost got expelled twice. Got malaria in Kenya, but refused to go to the hospital and was unconscious for a week. I cannot tell you how many close calls I have had driving and other things - definitely near death misses. Almost ODed at a concert - totally passed out on tons of stuff. Went to the worst ghetto in E. Africa just to see it - curiosity, after being warned by everyone not to. Still went, a group of guys were waiting to jump, rob, and stab me, but somehow, a guy I had randomly met and played chess with heard the commotion, recognized me (obviously not black), and rescued me. How random is that? And I think the list goes on. Stupid. So, I've had my share of trials - but, definitely, I have had more than my share of luck.

I guess I'm selfish. Maybe all of this has been guardian angles - because I've definitely pushed it. I mean, I'm the one that gets my sorry butt into these situations - I can honestly not blame anyone else. In fact, I'm the one that runs towards these situation, never tricked or pushed. Yet there's someway that I come out - fairly safe. I think its definitely natural the messes that have occurred, but definitely more than luck, even from a non-christian perspective, to have survived all the crap I've gone through and be fairly safe and healthy. Maybe I'm asking for too much. I've definitely commented to myself - boy you certainly used up a lot of chips (luck) when you were young...

Addictions, yeah. Drugs, alcohol they seem so good and so fun. But, there's so much aftermath. Everything from dirty clothes, bad crowd, money issues, functioning... I agree. Much better to have questions and concerns than addictions or lie to oneself.

Interested in sharing what God is doing in your life? Email us: testimonies@chicagolandcc.org

"Hey, who really is this Jesus guy anyway?"

You may have heard of him as a famous teacher from a long time ago, or maybe you even know that he is a leader of a major world religion, but there are some things about him you may have never heard.

First, Jesus was a real human being, who was a compassionate healer, wise teacher, and who taught principles that are so universal they are still applicable in our lives today. He suffered and experienced life just like you, but was never selfish toward God or other people.

Second, Jesus is God the Son. His existence is more than just human, but instead he totally discloses all that God is because he is God miraculously born as a human. Thus, Jesus is more than just a messenger, he is the message.

Third, the core of this message who is a person is love. He loves us, and he (being God) through dying took the punishment for our sins towards God and other people. Thus, he proves that God ultimately loves and accepts us, but not our selfishness. God brought him back to life to prove love's power and victory, and to give us a chance to be changed by his power. You can accept this forgiveness now, begin a right relationship with God, and receive the power of his Holy Spirit to change your life simply by trusting him. You then demonstrate this trust by letting him change you into a better person.

Interested in finding out more? Email us: JesusWho@chicagolandcc.org

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