​As we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who have put themselves in the line of fire for our freedom. They are our protectors, our guardians, and the embodiment of patriotism and courage. Their sacrifices are steeped in a love so profound that it mirrors Christ’s love for humanity. They have laid down their lives for us, a testament to their love for their country and their fellow man. 

This time of year we are celebrating our graduates and their achievements. They have toiled, studied, and completed coursework to arrive at this time of recognition of their efforts and achievements. We pause to celebrate their preparation and beginning of a new phase of life. Graduation is not an endpoint. It is the beginning.

​The answer is quite simple: offering yourself to God. Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2 TEV “So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about. This act of personal surrender is called several things: consecration, making Jesus Lord, taking up your cross, dying to self, and yielding to the Spirit. What matters is that you do it, not what you call it. God wants your life; all of it - 95 percent is not enough.