what amazing grace

     The summer after my freshman year of college, I lived in Branson, MO to be a part of the discipleship program, Discipleship Focus. For ten weeks, a group of 40-50 college students work full-time, live in community, and go through the study Discovery by Will Wyatt. It was the most influential summer of my life, and I would highly recommend it to any college student. To learn more about it, click here. I would also highly recommend the study to anyone. You can order it from Amazon here.

     Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “He [the Father] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” He became my sin. With Easter just around the corner, I pulled out my copy of Discovery and flipped to the section about God’s purpose flowing out of His love. The following is a passage taken from that section:

… Because sin is easy and natural for us, we cannot begin to understand Jesus’ abhorrence of it. The perfect and holy Son of God was agonizing over the thought of becoming sin and being separated from the Father. Yet Jesus loved us so much that He was willing to be our substitute and become sin—everything that was the opposite of His nature. Perhaps one way to understand, to a small degree, is to take some attributes of Jesus and consider their opposites.

            We know that Jesus is love. On the cross He experienced complete, consuming hatred. He was despised and rejected.  

            Jesus is the ‘Light of the World,’ yet on the cross He experienced total darkness, a lack of understanding, and everything associated with sin and evil.

            Scripture tells us that Jesus is peace, even the ‘Prince of Peace.” On the cross, the exact opposite of peace consumed Him: total frustration, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and desperation.

            Jesus Christ is Truth. On the cross, everything became confusing, inconsistent, and illogical. Nothing made sense.

            Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life.’ Yet on the cross He experienced emotional and spiritual hunger: longing, craving, yearning, complete dissatisfaction.

            Jesus said, ‘I am the Way.’ On the cross He felt frustratingly lost, with no direction. He was uncertain, perplexed, bewildered, full of doubts, empty, and confused.

            Christ is our security, yet on the cross He was consumed with fear, insecurity, and overwhelming loneliness. We have all felt lonely at times, but He was lonely to a degree we cannot even imagine. Jesus Christ, who had experienced the completeness of a perfect relationship within the Trinity, was now totally forsaken and alone.

            Jesus Christ is mercy. In becoming sin for us, He suffered the ultimate in abuse, oppression, and torture. Any cruelty ever devised or imagined by man, He endured on the cross.

            Jesus Christ is just. On the cross He endured unfairness, corruption, dishonesty, and all the emotions that go along with receiving unjust treatment. If the Roman trial had been handled fairly, Christ would have been freed. He did not deserve the cross, but He wanted to be there because He chose to stand in our place. Isaiah says He was like a lamb led to slaughter, not uttering a sound. Perhaps Jesus was silent on the cross because had He even hinted for help, all of heaven would have responded. 

            On the cross Jesus endured incredible pain. Crucifixion was a brutal means of execution, deliberately slow and painful. Every joint was pulled out of its socket from the weight of the body. Jesus’ physical pain and death fulfilled prophesy and were part of God’s plan to bring us salvation. But more important than His physical death was that Jesus died spiritually when He was separated from His Father. His physical pain on the cross is a stark visual picture that helps us understand, to a small degree, the dreadfulness of spiritual death...

            While taking our place on the cross, Jesus, because of His complete separation from His Father, cried, ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?’ This is the only time Jesus ever called His Father ‘God,’ because at this point God was not in the role of a Father, but of righteous judge. As judge, He placed in Jesus the sins of every one of us—every sin and act of rebellion we have ever committed or ever will commit. Because Jesus Christ on the cross called His Father ‘God,’ we can now call God our ‘Father.’ What amazing grace!

new mercies

This past week has seen my embarrassed/humbled/sheepish face a few times… I’ve realized that I get angry when I don’t understand things. And I don’t understand things because I approach them with my own human perspective instead of God’s. When my prayers aren’t answered fast enough or in the way I want them to be… When I read something I don’t like or understand in Numbers… When I research world news that is filled with death, destruction, and evil… I get angry. My anger at the circumstances then turns to being angry with God Himself. So I vent and let Him know exactly how I’m feeling.

And then He does something really great… Sometimes within seconds of my venting… I get an anonymous and very generous donation. Or someone approaches me about support instead of the other way around. Or I receive a message from strangers saying that they pray for me often. Whatever it is, it usually leaves me feeling embarrassed, humbled, and sheepish.

My only appropriate response can be one of gratitude and worship. So even when I don’t understand, I put my faith in Him. Even when I don’t understand, I obey. Even when I don’t understand, I say “thank you.” He is just, but He is merciful. And His mercies cover me everyday. 

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."—Lamentations 3:22-23  

one year later

A year ago today... It was cold and sunny. A little after 9:30am. I was walking between the Union and the law building on my way to my Spanish class when my phone rang with the call that changed my life.

Welcome to Young Life staff in Germany. Going to class to learn Spanish seemed a little pointless after that…

It’s hard to believe that was a whole year ago. It’s been a long, difficult, deeply humbling, lonely, and nerve-wracking year. But it’s also been incredible and so, so good. God has challenged me, strengthened me, and loved me in ways I didn’t know He could. And sometimes wish He wouldn’t. As hard as this year has been, I’m so grateful for it because I’m not who I was a year ago.

As I push through the final dollars of fundraising, I have to stop myself from mentally and emotionally checking out. Because I just want to be there. More than anything, I want to begin the life God has called me to in Germany. But one of the many things I’ve learned this past year is to live in the moment. To be patient. To not wish this time away. All while still looking and planning ahead because hopefully by the end of May, I’ll be finished raising support. And then I’ll be gone. 

to be a part of this family

Whenever someone asks me to tell them about myself, I always start with my family. Because they’re pretty great. And I like to brag about them.

So when my dad emailed my siblings and I a couple days ago and asked us what it means to be a part of this family, I had to really narrow down my answer. Because there’s so much that could be said.

What does it mean to be a Stutts? What does it mean to be a part of this family?

It means a lot.

Growing up, we had so many traditions from Christmas to the Super Bowl. We learned to celebrate as a family.

Swimming competitively, playing football, cheerleading... We learned to support each other. We learned discipline, commitment, and how to win and lose well. 

Christian values. We learned what abundant life with The Lord looks like. We learned what a godly, healthy marriage looks like. We learned that relationships are more important than material possessions.

But if I had to choose just one thing… Being a Stutts means you serve. Being a part of this family means you give your life away.

The majority of my parents’ adult lives have been spent serving in ministry. Whether it was through a church, Cru, Young Life, or writing, my parents have opened up their hearts and home to anyone and everyone. They've given their time, money, and lives away.

My brothers-in-law and my brother are three of the most courageous, respectable, and admirable men I know. Their service in the Marine Corps, Army, and Navy should bring pride and gratitude to the heart of every American.

My sisters, both pregnant, are two of the strongest and most sacrificial women I know. Every day their husbands were deployed, ready to literally give their lives up, was a day my sisters gave their lives away too. And soon they’ll welcome two little babies into this world, and they’ll put their children’s needs before their own.

So my family… They give themselves away. It's rarely easy. But they do it anyway.

There aren’t enough pages to describe just what it means to be a part of this family. But I thank God I get to call these people my own. Because the more I get to know this broken world, the more I realize that people like them are rare. So if you get the privilege of knowing my parents or siblings, don't take it for granted. Because they’re incredible.

american-minded

I spent the last two weeks in St. Augustine, Florida at Young Life’s New Staff Training and Cross-Cultural Orientation, which, like everything else Young Life does, was executed with brilliance and excellence. But before you get too jealous of Florida in January, know that I spent 95% of my time in hotel conference rooms and was deprived of the beautiful, warm streets and weather. But I wouldn't trade that 95% for anything. I learned some pretty incredible things and met some pretty amazing people in those conference rooms. That you can be jealous of.

I’m still processing everything I learned, and believe me it’s a ton. But if there’s one thing that has really stood out to me, it’s this idea of “American Christianity.” It's actually been a badgering thought in the back of my head for a couple years now, but not until recently has it boiled so close to the surface.

Let me preface with I love America. Like. A whole, whole lot. I saw American Sniper this afternoon, and my heart swelled with pride, patriotism, and emotion. I hold my American values and beliefs near and dear to my heart, especially as my move to Germany gets closer and closer. 

But as I process everything I’ve learned over the last couple weeks, I realize how American culture has shaped my view of Jesus. Not in a bad way. But it’s definitely limited how I live this so-called Christian life. I’ve been studying the Jewish culture that Abraham and Jesus lived in, the Greek culture that Paul reached out to, present-day German culture, my own American culture, and a few others. It’s broadened my mind, and if I’m being perfectly honest, there are times when I don’t like or want that. It’s hard, painful, and challenging to step outside of my American worldview.

So this I struggle with: I’m not called to be an American-minded Christian… I’m called to be a Kingdom-minded Christian. Now, that doesn’t mean I abandon my American values. I believe God is sovereign, and He 100% intended for me to grow up in the south of the United States. But being Kingdom-minded means I become a student of other cultures. God is so much bigger than my little corner of the world, whether that corner is Fayetteville, Arkansas or Munich, Germany. His mission is bigger than that. His mission is to everyone… Everywhere. Including, but certainly not limited to those corners. He’s been calling people from every nation and culture back to Himself for thousands of years, and somehow I fit into His mission at this point in history. And not in my home country.

It’s deeply humbling. 

i need your help

Seven months ago, I took on a task that has since pushed me and challenged me in ways that I never wanted to be pushed or challenged. But I could not be more grateful for it. I learned to initiate conversations with strangers, friends, and family about a subject that can be awkward and uncomfortable for everyone, including myself, to discuss. Yet Jesus has so much to say about it. That subject is money.

Seven months ago, I began fundraising to go on Young Life College staff in Germany for a minimum of five years. It has been a gift to have these conversations and invite people to be a part of what God is doing. 

Seven months ago, I had 0% of my budget raised. Today, I have 70%. And my goal is to be 100% funded by the end of this year. Will you help? Please watch the following short video to learn more!

To give, go to giving.younglife.org and search for "Stutts" under "A Young Life Staff Member's Ministry." Then select "Amy Stutts (TDS Chair)." All donations are tax deductible. Thank you!

class of 2014

Don’t you just hate it when you’re right, but the person who was wrong wins or gets their way? I don’t mind being wrong. But if I’m right, and things still don’t go my way… Something in me screams it’s an injustice. That it’s not fair.

I don’t think God is too concerned about what’s fair though. I think He’s more concerned about people knowing Him. I think He’s more concerned about my transformation to become more like Him…

Seven months ago, I took my last final, turned in my last paper, curled my hair, put on a pretty dress, and then covered it up with an unflattering graduation gown. But I didn’t care because it was my graduation day!

Now fast forward…

Two weeks ago, I discovered that I hadn’t actually graduated… I was less than happy. Not only was I not finding out about this until seven months later, but I really did graduate. I fulfilled every single requirement. The school’s records, however, showed that my degree was never awarded because I “never submitted my Senior Writing Requirement”. False. I submitted it once my junior year only to later discover it was never recorded, so I re-submitted it my senior year. Except apparently it still wasn’t there.

My initial reaction was that I’ve earned this degree and it’s not my fault that I don’t have it. I did everything right and now the people who are at fault are either not fixing their mistake as quickly as I think they should or they’re trying to fix it by changing my graduation date to May 2015 instead of May 2014. Okay, no. That’s not good enough. Because I want my diploma to say 2014. And I want my name on the Senior Walk to be under 2014. And in my head… That’s what I deserve. That’s what I’ve earned. That’s what I’m entitled to and I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

But is that what this is really about? God is sovereign and He could have made sure my paper was recorded either of the first two times it was submitted. But He didn’t and it wasn’t. Out of the thousands of people graduating, I was the only one whose degree fell through the cracks. The only one.

But is it really that big of a deal? Is angrily demanding that my name be engraved in one sidewalk instead of another forgiving someone who just made an honest mistake? Does the possibility of the wrong year on a piece of paper give me the right to yell at someone, who isn’t even at fault, but just had the misfortune of picking up the phone when I call? No. Jesus says I’m better than that and He calls me to a higher standard. Maybe graduating with the class of 2015 is worth it if it aids in the process of me becoming more like Christ. My life, every aspect of my life, should point people to Jesus. And if that means sacrificing something, even something I’ve rightfully earned… Then who cares?

Jesus laid down His rights. Then I should lay down mine. Especially one as insignificant as this.

(**UPDATE: I’ll officially be graduating with the class of 2014!)