“When you die there’s going to be a tombstone. It’s going to have your name. It’s gonna have the year you’re born and the day you die. In between there’s going to be a dash. And that dash is going to represent everything you did in your life, good and bad. That’s how you’re remembered. … What do you want your dash to represent?”
In other words, don’t waste your life.
As I was prepping my series of teaching for this upcoming series for our college ministry (THE EXCHANGE), I came across this quote as to the necessity for such a series of messages:
More than thirty years ago in his landmark book Knowing God, J. I. Packer noted, “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thoughts of being God’s child, and having God as his Father.” I would add today: “If you want to judge how well a person understands the gospel, ask him what he makes of the death of Christ, and what the message of the cross is.” The real Christian answers that while the message of the cross is foolishness to some and a stumbling blog to others, to Christians it is the saving wisdom and power of God (1 Cor. 1:18-24). The confession of the real Christian is, “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal. 6:14).. We need to understand that the cross stands at the center and heart of the gospel. Without it there is no gospel.
-Sinclair Ferguson
Jerry Bridges and Robert C. Bevington, The Great Exchange: My Sin for His Righteousness, Wheaton: Ill.: Crossway Books, 2007, 12.
Jonathan Edwards is most famous because of his sermon 
Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God which lead to the Great Awakening. I would encourage you to read his sermon if you have time… I think it would bless your heart. Today marks his death 252 years ago, so I thought it would be fitting to quote him.
That being said, here is one of my favorite quotes from him from “The Christian Pilgrim”:
The enjoyment of [God] is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean.
Every once in a while I come across some things that I think would be good for you to read. So, at your own risk… or not.
I had a friend the other day say this:
Be defined, not by what you do in life, but by who you’ve put your faith into.
I think one of the biggest dangers in life (specifically ministry) is when we’ve set ourselves up to find our identity, security, stability by what we do. This was never how we were made. I don’t find purpose and fulfillment in my job. Why? because in the end, the job will change… and if the job constantly changes – does that mean the definition of my life constantly changes too?
Therefore, we should put our faith in the One who does not change… Jesus. Yet so often we become enamored with jobs, money, food, and hobbies despite the fact that they continually fail us. You work hard, but nobody takes notice; you make lots of money, but it doesn’t make you more happy; you enjoy the best of all foods, but still become hungry; you pour yourself into your hobby, but in the end either become frustrated or bored with it. But Jesus never fails us… He’s the one who can satisfy. He’s the one of whom we can trust. He’s the one we should put our faith into…
become defined
