CFNN Reporter: Brianna Keen

Hello CFNN readers! My name is Brianna Keen, and for this spring semester I will be writing a column on our very own Colts for Christ club! I am a member of this incredible club, and we meet every Tuesday and Thursday morning in the main gym. On Tuesdays we meet at 7:45, and on Thursdays we meet at 8:00. Mr. Jarrod Britt oversees the meetings, but it is a primarily student-led organization. 

We are affiliates with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), but we decided to change the name once peers started to feel they couldn’t attend the meetings because they weren’t athletes. Every week, students will volunteer to bring scripture to the group and share their thoughts on it. They may choose any scripture they want, and it is a great opportunity for vulnerability and discussions about the message. We want to make sure that everyone who attends these morning devotions feels they are wonderfully made and loved, just as their Father in heaven sees them. Our mission is to spread the gospel in our school and to grow in relationship with the Lord more and more every day.  

On Tuesday, Brandon Simpson led the devotion on Matthew 6:25-34, speaking on anxiety. He mentioned how God takes care of the birds of the air, so why would He not take care of you? Our Lord sees us as His most prized possessions, afterall, we are made in His image. So why would He forsake you? The birds in the air and the fields that are clothed in grass are a testament to God’s intricate details of care. He gives a home to birds, sunlight to plants, so believe and trust that He will do far more for you, His beloved child. We are made in the image of God, cared about beyond measure by our Father. He breathed life into your lungs today. See these things and believe that even when you’re overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, God is in control and is working these things for your best interest. Towards the end of the passage, it says “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (the latter talking about our needs). In times of strife, turn to the Lord. He is the Prince of Peace, and He will be more than willing to come into your heart and bring you comfort only He can. 

On Thursday, I led the meeting from an FCA devotion on Philippians 1:3-4. The scripture says “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer.” The main focus was on prayer being the most useful tool we can use throughout our day. Paul’s prayer is characterized into three main things: faithfulness, thankfulness, and joyfulness. We should constantly be praying for those we know, whether they know the Lord or not. It is also important to give thanks to the God that we are praying to and be thankful that we can engage with Him through prayer. Lastly, we should pray with joy in our hearts thinking of what Christ has done in our lives and that He is unchanging. One of the major things we talked about in discussion was that praying throughout the day is a great way to turn our eyes towards Christ. Prayer is one of the closest and most intimate places we can meet our Creator while we are on this earth, so take advantage of that gift He has given you. 

I want to leave you with a quote from C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity which says “He has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created.”

Thank you for reading, and remember to pick up your cross daily! Matthew 16:24-25