Can it be? I'm thirty.

As I celebrate living on this planet for 30 years I have only one observation to share.  Life's greatest blessings are also it's greatest responsibilities.
Think about it.  What was the first big exciting blessing you received in your life?  Maybe it was a pet or your first cell phone.  Maybe you think of the first car you were able to call your own.  But when your parents agreed to bring home the puppy or handed you that coveted device they said something like, "Now you have to help feed and walk him" or "Don't lose it or drop it.  Because if you break it you don't get a new one."  All this not to mention just the built-in responsibility of how you use these blessings.
So as I reflect on thirty years of life and consider how extremely blessed I am it strikes me just how much I've grown in my responsibility as well.  (And how far I have to go!)  I'm blessed with a wonderful daughter.  She's just about the cutest thing in the world.  But I've also been tasked with the responsibility of caring for her each day and the greater responsibility of raising her to love and fear the Lord.  And what an incredible responsibility it is!  I'm blessed with a beautiful wife.  She's patient and loyal.  She keeps me on task and helps drive me.  But I've also been tasked with loving her as God does and leading her spiritually so we can grown in our faith together.  I'm blessed to live my dream of being a Youth Minister "playing" all day.  But I've also been tasked with being a positive influence to countless teens, to speak the truth of God's word on a weekly basis and to help guide young souls to encounter the love of the Lord who created them.  It's almost crushing to think of the weight of what I actually seek to do.
In all of this when you survey my 30 years I'm left with one burning emotion.  Gratitude.  Thank you, Lord, for the great blessings.  Thank you, Lord, for trusting me with these great responsibilities.  But most of all thank you, Lord, for not leaving me alone to fail under my own strength, but for being the strength by which I'm able to fulfill these responsibilities.  When I succeed it is only by your power.  When I fail I'm only able to continue by your grace.  There is no way I could ever do this without you.  Lead me to be found even more faithful to the blessings and responsibilities you've given me over my next 30 years of life.

Song Battle of the Week

I find that music sometimes follows trends right down to the theme of songs and their lyrical content.  Two current songs on Christian Radio are very similar in both style and message.  I was curious which you liked better.  So watch each video and let me know in a comment which song you prefer!  Thanks.