Pastor Brent opens with a praise and call to prayer for our growing Youth Group, many of whom attended District Blitz in Duluth. He then dives into another passage in our walk through Rom. 8, encouraging the church that “You Are Not Alone” (vv. 26-27); “Your Life Has a Purpose” (vv. 28-29); and “Your Future is Secure” (v. 30). Two lies that we are tempted to believe are that Christians don’t suffer and no one understands our suffering. Similar (but not identical) to our own desperation, when all we can pray may be, “Please, Lord”, “…the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (v. 26, NIV 2011). As our good Father, God cares for our character more than our comfort. As John Newton wrote, “He tests and prunes you, for He is working for your good” (see v. 28). In addition to deeply focusing on the words of this text (such as the five completed action verbs in v. 30), Pastor Brent uses figures from church history to explain and apply this passage, including Charles Spurgeon, John Owen, and St. Patrick and his famous prayer as missionary to Ireland.