“Aaaaaaaaaaah!” I was awoken by a loud scream.

Doors slammed hard.

More screams, hoots, leaps of joy, and absolute exhiliration!

I knew it. My phone rang. It was true.

November 4, 2008. Senator Barack Obama had just been declared the 44th President of the United States of America.

Out my dorm window, I watched as some fellow students went for joy rides, blaring horns and hooting. An “outsider” unsure of how to react, I stared in wonder, very much aware that I had just been part of a historic moment.

I flipped open my laptop and logged on to every news website I knew, looking for footage of this moment from across America. People clapping, smiling, laughing, high-fiving, crying tears of joy. Newscasters reviewed the day’s events showing clips of people in long lines at the polls – young and old, rich and poor, people of all classes, creeds, and color.

“Congratulations America!” I thought to myself.

Later, my roommate and I waited in anticipation for the new President-elect to deliver his first speech just hours away in Chicago. Crowds thronged Grant Park. Chants of “Yes We Can!” had changed to “Yes We Did! Yes We Did! Yes We Did!”

The President-elect stepped on stage to a thunderous applause.

And I wondered at how one man could inspire so many to believe in him and to hope for change. I wondered at his ability to rally young people and, with just one election, show a nation that young people are not as apathetic as they are perceived to be.

A week earlier, I sat in church listening to a preacher remark about how awesome it would be if young people – with all our passion and power – harnessed our energies to serve in God’s campaign. And I thought to myself, what if…..?

What if Seventh-day Adventist Christian young people lived out the true meaning of our only creed – the Bible?
What if we stopped “checking out” of our churches and communities?
What if we woke up and responded to Christ’s call to “Go ye therefore….”?
What if we lived out authentic Christianity each day?
What if we passionately and intentionally pursued our neighbors, revealing to them Christ’s patient and loving pursuit of us?
What if we lived out our identity as Children of God?
What if…. inspite of the global economic meltdown, we still convey our Hope for tomorrow?

What if we, like Apostle Paul, truly believed “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13)?

Yes, HE Can!

In this universal campaign, it is not about us. The price for this struggle between good and evil has been very high. And on the cross, Christ paid it all. And we can convey hope in any crisis because He rose from the grave victoriously.

Yes, HE Did!

He Lives!

(Photo Thanks to JGrindal)