Emphasis Preaching Journal

The church played an important role in Paula's formative years. She attended Sunday school and sang in the children's choir. She was confirmed at age twelve and, as a teen, was leader of the youth fellowship. She even brought several of her friends to youth group with her where they eventually accepted Jesus as their Savior.

However, during her college years she claims one compromise after another led her away from Christ. She willingly went along with what her new friends were doing. She began drinking and staying out late at night. Soon her grades began to fall which did not seem to faze her all that much.

While on spring break a couple of years ago, back in her hometown, a high school friend asked if she wanted to see The Passion of Christ at the theater. It was during this movie that Paula realized how far she had fallen into what she describes as a lifestyle that did not honor God. It was there in the movie theater with tears streaming down her cheeks that she rededicated her life to Christ, vowing to live according to his principles.

The prophet Joel and the beginning of Lent call us to "return to the Lord, your God." Return to the God who forgives and loves each one of us.