If You Live By The Cheeseburger

Someone smart once said, "If you live by the sword, you die by the sword." In a sentence, this sums up life in a nutshell really. Whatever you focus on in life is what ultimately results in your demise. For some people that is "the sword." They live by violence and they die by violence. Others live for food (like the cheeseburger) and they die from greasy, cholesterol filled hearts that can't pump enough blood through their diseased arteries. (Now that's descriptive!) Believe me, if you live by the cheeseburger, you will die by the cheeseburger.

Most people who really despise AIM may have put way too much stock in it to begin with. Missionaries who hate foreigners probably had too high an expectation of the people. Teenagers who loathe their youth ministers may have held those same men in a position that they could never have reached. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. We all have to live by something. We all have to find passion somewhere. In our jobs, our education, our experiences, our loved ones... We need something to be focused on. The catch is whatever we focus on is what will ultimately kill us. If you live by AIM, you die by AIM.

Might I suggest living for Jesus? After all, he is the only thing/one in this world who demonstrated an ability to conquer death. We all need something to be passionate about. Be passionate about Jesus. If you live by Jesus you will never die, because he is the resurrection and the life.

- Chris Johnson (Aim Alum, Scotland '95)

What Jesus Taught Me About Mission Work

Take a look at Matthew 26:39. What emotions do you hear from Jesus? I hear fear. Jesus prays to God to save him from his impending crucifixion if at all possible. Jesus has already predicted his death and now he is at the point when he has to commit and he is afraid. Then he says that God’s will is the deciding factor. In verse 42 Jesus prays, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done.” With that phrase Jesus gives all of himself to God’s plan for our redemption despite his human fears.

At this moment in Jesus’ ministry I learned about my own mission work. Jesus taught me that fear in the face of my work is fine, but I still have to be a man who conforms to the will of God. There are times when I am scared that what I am doing will not work. God has plans and as long as you have faith and follow God, you are on the right track. My prayer in times of fear is that God continues to use me for His will even when I am scared.

- Ryan Jarboe (Aim, Italy ‘09)

Sometimes It Takes Failure

Have you ever heard someone tell you, "Today is a good day for me to fail!" Chances are you haven't and chances are you won't. Who on God's green earth would want to fail? The answer is quite simple… No one.

We can't change our past, but we can strive to change our future. When we fail, God gives us a choice to stay down and out or rise again. "For the righteous fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." Proverbs 24:16. God tells us, "My grace is enough!" He wants us to stand after we fall. Sometimes when we fail, its God telling us we weren't on the right path to begin with. By His grace, God will change that, even if it’s through our failures. Remember what Joseph tells his brother in Gen 50:20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to save many lives." Strive to do good, but when you fail, remember God's grace and rise again. Don't stay defeated, learn and press on towards the goal.

-James Hagler (Aim, Scotland '09)