chapter five

This Is Your Time

Time. When you’re young it’s easy to believe there’s an infinite supply of it, and instead of time marching on, as the saying goes, it seems to be dragging along. While waiting for summer vacation to finally arrive or enough months to tick by so that you’re old enough to get your driver’s license or go on a date, time can seem slower than ketchup coming out of an almost-empty bottle.

But eventually something happens that drives home the reality that life is short, and it’s up to you to make the most of every moment. For me, one of those “somethings” that served as a tragic reminder was the 1999 shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. I knew life was precious long before I saw the horrible footage running in a seemingly never-ending cycle on CNN and virtually every other network. But after attending the memorial service, I couldn’t get what had happened out of my mind. I was particularly moved by the story of one of the victims, Cassie Bernall, who reportedly stood up to the two classmates behind the shooting spree and declared her faith in God when asked if she believed, a decision that ended her life.

I found myself wondering how I would have responded if I were asked to lay down my life. Martyrdom isn’t something we talk a lot about these days, especially in America. Of course, there are stories in the Bible, and we know that early Christians were at times put to death for their beliefs. We also occasionally hear stories coming out of current-day China, or other faraway places halfway around the world, about Christians meeting in secret home churches and being harassed or jailed for their faith. It’s not something we imagine ever happening here, though, and so most of the time it’s pretty easy not to think about. Sure, we might get teased for wearing a Christian T-shirt to the mall or harassed for bringing a Bible to school or choosing to maintain high moral standards when it comes to dating, movies, or bad language, but we don’t fear losing our lives for what we believe.

After returning from Colorado, I remember trying to make myself imagine, “What if I had a gun pointed at my head and was asked if I believed in God? What would I say?” After a lot of soul-searching, I came to the conclusion that I think I would have responded with a “yes.” I really do. And that realization was affirming once it sank in, believing I really would have done the same thing this brave teenager did. Of course, when you’re sud-look denly put in that position, with no warning or time to prepare, and you know you could lose your life in a matter of seconds all depending on what you do, none of us can say for sure how we’d react. It’s a pretty unbelievable place to be in. But we can at least hope that we would do the right thing.

YIELD

Do you think you would be strong enough to admit your belief in God if your life depended on it? Why or why not? Have you ever had to stand up for your faith in smaller ways, at school or with friends, and faced ridicule because of it? How did you respond?

From that, a new song was born, inspired by Cassie’s bravery and my own reaction to the tragedy. Because of its emotional roots and the amazing story behind it, “This Is Your Time” will always be a celebration of Cassie’s life and faith. More than four years later, the song is just as relevant, and while I know people still think about Cassie and remember that it was inspired by the events at Columbine, it’s also become a great way to evangelize— to believers and nonbelievers alike. It’s also become a charge for those of us still here to make the most of the hours, days, months, or years we have left because we never know when our time on this earth may run out. The truth is, it’s a message we all need to hear from time to time.

YIELD

If your life ended tomorrow, what regrets would you have? What would you wish you had done that you never had the courage to do? What small ways could you have made more out of the time you had? What can you do differently starting right now to make sure you’re getting the most out of every moment?

WHEN GIVING UP IS GOOD

For some of us, we can’t say yes to the question, “Would you die for Him?” because we’ve never really answered the question, “Will you live for Him?” You may be going through the motions, attending church, youth group, and summer camp, and you may even know how to talk the talk. You’re fluent in Christianese, have the requisite fish symbol on your car, and carry your Bible around in a big, padded cover complete with a pocket for multicolored highlighter pens to turn God’s Word into a neon rainbow of pertinent passages.

Despite what it looks like from the outside, there’s something wrong on the inside. You’ve never really surrendered your life to Him. You’re still convinced that you can do it on your own, not willing to submit to the surprise twists and turns a life led by God is sure to contain. Or maybe you have surrendered to Him—mostly. There are still a few areas you’d rather keep for yourself. I mean, you have such a vested interest in them, after all, and you just want to make sure things go as planned where this stuff is concerned.

Following God doesn’t really have to be an all-or-nothing proposition, does it? you wonder. According to the Bible, it does. In Revelation 3:16 Jesus says, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” If you haven’t gotten the message yet, God wants your whole heart.

YIELD

What areas of your life are you keeping for yourself, unwilling to surrender them to God? What are you afraid will happen if you follow God’s plan for these areas instead of your own? Will you have to let go of things you enjoy? Will you miss out on something you really want? How can you work toward giving those up and trusting God to change your desires?

FINDERS, KEEPERS

For some, I think “This Is Your Time” finds them considering the gospel message and saying, “I’ve never really believed it before, but maybe this thing is true.” It’s become a song for seekers, and I find myself dedicating it to them often. Several years after the song was written, I still have people coming up to me and reporting that they became a Christian as a result of that song, which is an amazing thing to hear. They came to a concert or began listening to one of my CDs as a seeker and then they became a finder. What could be better than that?

For those of us who have already accepted Christ, whether months or years ago, it’s not just a call to make the most of our lives, but I also see it as providing a sort of spiritual checkup to make sure we’re keeping God first. To me, it says, “This is your moment, right now, to consider where you stand with the Lord.” I believe that due to the background of the song, it makes nearly everyone who hears it automatically reexamine where they are on this all-important issue in life: your relationship with God. Are you right with God? Are you not right with God? These are questions we should all be asking ourselves regularly. You never know when your life will end, and it will be too late to do anything about it.

That wasn’t the only thinking Columbine had me doing, though. My time spent in Colorado was also life changing because I came back and honestly began to question, “Am I really doing what I’m supposed to be doing? Am I seizing every opportunity? Am I really living life or am I just serving myself? Am I doing enough for others?” Those are hard questions to ask, especially when you know the answers will likely require action on your part. But I did answer those questions, and then I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

YIELD

Which question most applies to you? Are you a seeker considering whether the Bible is true? Are you a Christian who needs to reconsider whether you’re putting God first? Are you a committed believer who needs to take this opportunity to ask God if you’re doing what He really wants, seizing every opportunity and making the most of life for yourself and those around you?

One of the biggest results of that line of questioning for me was a reignited passion for the Rocketown youth club I had started. We opened the new Rocketown club in downtown Nashville, complete with a huge performance area for weekly concerts and other special events, a coffee house, a skate park, and a small clothing store. Years earlier, we had lost our lease, and the reopening had been stalled as we struggled to raise funds, find a new building, and stay focused. It was a daunting task, but there was suddenly an urgency that this had to be done—and soon. I couldn’t help but wonder, If there had been a club like Rocketown in Littleton, Colorado, could it have reached those boys before they went on their bloody rampage? Who knows? Maybe we could prevent some other kids with similar problems from turning to violence or ending their own lives.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS

That’s when I got started. I enlisted the help of former President George Bush, Sr., and we went on the warpath. I was determined to fight for this thing. And it worked. I really believe all of that happened as a result of Columbine—and as a result of me asking some hard questions and being willing to act.

For some people, it may not be that clear. Something happens, maybe it was September 11th or a tragedy in your own family, and you feel changed. But where do you go from there? You don’t have to open a youth facility to make a difference, but, as I’ve encouraged you throughout this book, be open to what God has for you to accomplish. We all have something to give. At the same time, don’t be afraid to dream big. Everyday, people who imagined something huge and then worked hard to see it through have accomplished some amazing things.

Whatever your goals, as you get started, remember to apply what we’ve talked about earlier in this book. Obviously, you want to pray and seek the Lord about all the possibilities, checking in with Him about everything you’re supposed to be doing—and not doing. He’ll make it clear. Then talk to others about your plans. I have an accountability group that I bounce things off of, especially the big stuff. It consists of godly friends and mentors who know me well and can give me honest, fair feedback. I’m the first to admit, this can get difficult when what they have to say isn’t what I want to hear. Who wants to be told no? But I know that I need to listen no matter what.

Finally, don’t forget to ask for your own advice. It may sound a little silly, but deep down in your heart, you usually have a sense of what’s right for you, and you’ll be able to tell when you don’t feel completely comfortable about pursuing a certain path. After years of growing and learning, I know that inside of me I have a fairly good guiding compass that directs me toward what I’m supposed to do. There’s nothing mystical about it. It’s just the Lord. And I can promise you that as you continue to walk with Him through the years, your sense of what’s right and what’s wrong gets sharpened. It gets easier the more you do it. The more you know yourself, the more you know God and know who you are in Him, the better you get at reading the signals.

YIELD

What signals has God been sending you? Have you been missing certain signs or maybe ignoring others? What choices have you made even though you knew in your heart they probably weren’t the right ones? Is there a way you can make that right now, even after the fact? What choices have you made that were a result of listening to God and the good advice of Christian friends? How did that feel?

EVERYDAY EXTREMES

While we’ve been talking a lot about extreme cases in this chapter, about making the ultimate sacrifice and being asked to give up your life for what you believe, chances are you’ll never face that kind of decision. But as you continue to grow in your faith, there will probably be other sacrifices you will be asked to make. Maybe you’ve already faced some of those tough decisions and know all too well what I’m talking about.

Have you ever had to distance yourself from a group of friends that was continually dragging you down instead of lifting you up? Maybe they were always gossiping or using language you found objectionable, and instead of being able to influence them positively, you felt they were beginning to affect you negatively. Did you ever find yourself not being able to join in the conversation about the latest video game, movie, or TV show because you opted not to play it, see it, or watch it due to some questionable content?

These can be tough choices to make, especially when the immediate result is that you’re sitting home on a Saturday night or those around you are having more fun and seemingly suffering no bad consequences from their less-than-virtuous decisions. There’s no doubt about it, sin can be enjoyable—for a season. If the things we weren’t supposed to do held no real appeal, we would never be tempted. Instead, it would be easy to walk away and to always do the right thing. Unfortunately, since that first bite of fruit in the garden of Eden, we’ve been pulled in two different directions.

That’s why when you do take a stand, you may find you’re doing it all by yourself. This could seem like a pretty lonely place to be, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the right place for you to be. In fact, that may just be a sign you’re on the right track. After all, if everyone were standing up, there wouldn’t be any need for you to. There wouldn’t be a problem in the first place. But when you do find yourself feeling alone, you can take comfort in the fact that you’re actually in good company. Some of the Bible’s most godly men and women were often alone in doing what they believed was right.

Think about it. Job’s friends tried to get him to blame God for his troubles instead of congratulating him for standing strong in his faith. Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit and left him for dead, in part because they were jealous of the plans they knew God had for him. But Job and Joseph stood firm, and you can, too. And when you do, you’ll never truly be alone. God will always be there with you.

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

Most teenagers have had an adult at one time or another tell them, “These are the best years of your life!” You probably rolled your eyes after hearing this not-so-helpful message. I know I’d be tempted to. Between tough teachers and tougher tests, finding someone to sit with in the cafeteria, and hoping no one finds out about your secret crush, the teen years can feel a bit like one of those reality show physical challenges, only you never reach the finish line.

Whether these years are the happiest or the most difficult of your life, one thing is true of them for everyone: this is the time when you have some of the best opportunities to make the most of every minute. There aren’t mortgages to pay and retirement accounts to fund and multiple bills screaming for your attention. You don’t have family responsibilities to worry about or kids who need braces, new basketball shoes, or a costly college education. Your life is your own, despite what it may sometimes feel like.

So instead of counting the days until starting college or getting your own apartment or meeting that special someone, why not focus on making the most of the time you have right now? The Bible warns adults not to look down on you because of your youth. So you see, God knows you can accomplish amazing things, even before you’re old enough to get a diploma or a driver’s license. Your story is just beginning to be written. How will your chapters read when everything is said and done?