Compass Corner

Winter 2020
Beyond Today Magazine
Compass Check: Winter 2020
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Now that the Feast is over and you’re back home, what’s next?

Dear Compass Checkers,

How was your Feast? That’s a question you’ve heard probably a dozen times over the past few weeks. Some were able to attend in person, while others honored God from home. I was able to keep the Feast with all of my extended family together in the same spot for the first time in 10 years. What a blessing it is to be able to keep the Feast, regardless of location, and what a spiritual shot-in-the-arm it always is!

Now that the Feast is over and you’re back home, what’s next? Of course there’s school, and for some of you work, or possibly even work and school. While it’s good to get back into a routine, it’s a far cry from the excitement and fun of the Feast. In fact, at times, life can get pretty boring. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that the boring times in life don’t last long. There’s always something new on the horizon, especially as a young person!

For some of you, that next new, exciting thing might be getting a driver’s license. I remember how excited I was to get my license and first car. With it came freedom, and unfortunately, some difficult lessons I needed to learn. In the article, “Failure to Control,” I share some of my personal experiences as a young driver and what they taught me not only about driving a car, but about how to handle life. There’s also an article on the dangers of distracted driving that might help you avoid some of the bumps in the road I found.

Then there’s the upcoming winter holidays that bring up the inevitable question, “Why don’t you keep Christmas?” Trust us, you’re not the first one to have to answer that question, and you’re not alone! In this issue, you’ll find an article where one of our staff shares the first time he had to answer that question, along with some helpful advice of how you can. 

For the football fans among us, there’s an article about how Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russel Wilson, who answered his father’s challenge of “Why Not You?” In it, you’ll learn how he overcame his relatively small size and other odds to be one of the premier players in the NFL. That article, along with “How Do I Truly Know If God Is Calling Me?,” might help answer the question that I know many of you have wondered about, and help navigate your journey as a young Christian answering life’s ultimate call.

Any stargazers out there? In the article “Weird Worlds,” one of our very own Compass Check readers shares the proof of God’s creation she’s seen. In “Two Powerful Weapons Against Satan,” you’ll find weapons to use in the daily battle against the devil.

This issue of Compass Check has lots to offer. Make sure and take time to read and enjoy these articles that were written with you in mind, by people who have faced the very challenges and questions you do today!

Dan Preston is a Pastor serving the Charlotte and Hickory, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina congregations of the United Church of God.

 

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