Two Things I Learned from the Nutcracker

I’m a dancer. From the first time I stepped onstage at age ten during a recital, I knew I had to keep dancing despite the long hours of practice and the amount of discipline it would take. Every performance I have, I still get that fluttery feeling, that insuppressible anticipation, that rush of adrenaline that I had the first time I danced. And even though some aspects of performing can be stressful (the cramped dressing rooms, the itchy costumes, and the hair that doesn’t ever stay the way it’s supposed to), it’s all worth it. The exhaustion and stress slide off my shoulders when I step onto that stage. Anyone who loves performing can relate to what I’m saying.

But even if you don’t love performing, I think you too can relate to what I’m about to say. I want to tell you two things that I learned from one of my recent performances. A few weeks ago, I performed in a local Nutcracker production. Being a part of it is one of my sisters’ and my favorite things about the holiday. Not only does it give us an opportunity to perform, but it gives us a chance to grow friendships and to show others’ Jesus’s love. This holiday season was no different. It was SUCH a fun experience and my sisters and I haven’t stopped talking about it and about how exciting it will be next year.

                       

During this year’s Nutcracker production, God showed me two things that helped me on stage and will also help me off stage in life.

First, I learned how to let go. It sounds simple. But it was anything but simple to me as I waited backstage before I was about to perform. I had six Nutcracker shows, and for every show, the pressure and fear of making a mistake would weigh me down. It was stressful and the tension was running high.

Then I heard God tell me to let go, to let go of my expectations, my capability, my self-confidence. As soon as I came to the end of myself, took my hands off of whatever I was clinging to, and acknowledged that God had everything I was worrying about in His hands, the weight was immediately lifted off. I could breathe and be confident in God’s goodness, His faithfulness, and His love. I could rely on His strength rather than my own. I could trust that He would take care of every single detail. I could walk in freedom because I was no longer in control of everything.

Once I let go and gave God everything, it was the most freeing feeling I had ever felt. And even now, when I’m not standing nervously backstage freaking out, I’m rejoicing in that same freedom. Even if I’m not burdened by performance pressures, the responsibilities, exhaustion, and expectations day to day are weights just as heavy. Just the other day, as I was on my way to dance practice at the studio, with the stress and strain of this world heavy upon me, I came to the end of myself again and said, “God, I let go.” With that simple prayer, I was released from the chains of my own expectations and I made a way for God to work in me.

Second, I learned that Jesus always stands in the fire beside me. This came from a line in Chris Tomlin’s song, “Jesus”. He stands in the fire beside me. As I recently reflected on that long week of Nutcracker, I realized that Jesus was there the whole time. He opened doors to share His love with my friends in the dressing rooms, His presence was sustaining me backstage, and His favor and love were shining upon me as I danced on that stage for Him. He was there, even when I didn’t acknowledge it. He was watching out for me and He worked out every single detail. A lot of things happened, on and off the stage, that I wouldn’t have been able to get through unless Jesus was there gently reminding me of His great love and power and favor. I was faced with many situations that involved peer pressure where I had to choose who I was going to honor. Even though it was hard at the time, God’s perfect Presence was with me and helped me make the right choices.

Now, as I ponder on the meaning of that line -He stands in the fire beside me- I am amazed. I’m amazed that He chooses to stand in the fire beside me. His love is so immeasurably great that He wouldn’t leave my side for anything. Even when I’m walking “through the fire”, through a rough season, through a difficult situation, He promises to never leave my side.

The same God wants to fight your battles. You only need to let go of yourself and let Him take over all the little details. As 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” My Nutcracker experience this year revealed the truth of this verse. When I choose to let go of everything –my anxiety, my pride, my stress- I realize how much God cares about me. I realize that He is always there standing beside me as I walk through life.

A Sunflower of the Son

     I've loved sunflowers ever since 8th grade. 

     It was the last day of school, and in middle school at Harvest, you are awarded a special character trait from your bible teacher at the end of the year, which they have thought about and prayed about all year long as they've watched you grow. But that year, my bible teacher decided to change things up a bit, as far as character traits would go, and instead of herself picking one word that she would describe each one of us as, she asked all of us 8th grade girls to choose one word to describe each other. 

     When the last day of school finally came, it was definitely a bitter sweet time for all of us, being our last award ceremony as middle school students. We all met in my bible teacher's room and she shared such sweet words of encouragement with us 8th grade girls, who were about to make the big transition into high school. Then, as she handed us each a beautifully decorated flower pot, on which was written all the kind words our classmates had thoughtfully chosen to describe us, I will never forget the special analogy my teacher shared with us about the sunflower. 

     Before I go any further, here's a little background information about this special flower that has grown quite dear to my heart over the years ~

No flower can lift someone's spirits quite like the sunflowers. They are bright and cheery, and as warm and inviting as the sweet summer sun. With brilliant yellow petals, also known as "rays", sunflowers have an unmistakable sun-like appearance that has made them a crowd favorite, especially in the summer months. Sunflowers come in a number of varieties- ranging from small to very large, from having yellow petals to red. However, there is more to sunflowers than meets to eye. While they are stunningly beautiful, they also are rich in history and meaning. 

Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty and longevity. Much of the meaning of sunflowers stems from its namesake, the sun itself. These flowers are unique in that they have the ability to provide energy in the form of nourishment and vibrancy- attributes which mirror the sun and the energy provided by its heat and light. Sunflowers are known for being "happy" flowers, making them the perfect gift to bring joy to someone's (or your) day. 

     So going back to my story- that day in bible class, my teacher shared with us about the sunflower, encouraging us to grow to live just like it. 

     The sunflower always points to the sun (hence the name) and likewise, my teacher encouraged us to always live our lives in a way that points back to God. The sunflower stands tall above the rest, firm and secure, with roots growing deep in the dark soil it has been planted in. It withstands heat and drought, wind and rain- sometimes it may even be wilted or crushed by the circumstances around it- but with each new day that that sunflower remains alive and growing, you can always trust that it is going to point to the sun, no matter what.

     This is exactly what we are called to be, and exactly what I hope to be as a woman of God living in such a dry and weary world. It's a special metaphor that I have carried with me ever since that last day of middle school, and have allowed God to give even more meaning and significance to as time goes on.

     When I look out my window and see all the little wild sunflowers growing in my backyard (yes, I literally have sunflowers growing in my backyard!), I not only see those flowers as bright gifts of beauty and joy, but as a way of life. Every time I look out at those flowers, I am reminded of the high standard God holds me to and the great life He is calling me to live. And every day, I choose to accept that life God's made for me, and all the challenges, blessings, rewards, struggles, treasures, dangers, sorrows, adventures, joys and surprises that that life will bring. I know that I am a "sunflower of the Son", God's son, in my own way and style, and I know that I have something special of my own that He's given me to bring to this world. :)

     So, I would like to encourage you to do just the same. To live the amazing life He's calling you to live. Because God has made you to do incredible things- to show this world what a life lived with Christ really looks like!- and as my mom once told me, know that

"You are the grandest and most beautiful of flowers. 

In a landscape littered with the sameness of carnations and lilies 

and roses, you stand tall, strong, proud- unabashedly pointed directly 

at the One who gives you life. Your brightness and splendor 

bring warmth and comfort to any situation, your strength provides 

energy and life to whatever you put your hands to, 

and the seeds of your wisdom bring sustenance to those they reach. 

You are strong. You are beautiful. You are special. You are unique."

^^^This is a picture of one of the ones growing in my backyard :)

Chosen

You are no accident.

Before the beginning of time, God knew you. He knew everything about you and He loved you. He loved you with the same fierce, unconditional, perfect love that He does at this moment. He saw you and He saw the life that you were destined to have.

God, who spoke the brilliant stars into being, has a purpose for your life. He didn’t just make you. He didn’t just save you. He doesn’t just love you. He chose you.

He chose you to fulfill a certain destiny on this earth. For the future, that might look like being a missionary, a dancer, a sports player, a worship leader, an attorney, a filmmaker, a surgeon, a professor, a writer, or a stay-at-home parent. But what about the present? What if God created us for this certain time to love and encourage a certain friend, to change a school campus for His glory, to honor Him through our studies? He has chosen us, but not only for our future. He has chosen us to honor Him right now.

So that means the responsibilities we regard as mundane or unimportant are not accidents. Because God has perfectly positioned us exactly where we are, everything becomes meaningful. God doesn’t just see the big picture. He sees each detail every step of the way and He considers everything you’re doing to be significant.

You are chosen to be in the family, the school, and the classes you are in right now. There are always people who God wants you to reach, wherever you are.

You don’t have to be good enough to do what God has chosen you to do. Most of the time, you’ll feel too insignificant or too incapable. But God never stops believing in you, even when you or other people around you doubt the destiny He has for you. He knows what a HUGE difference you can make when you fully and completely rely on Him and when you trust that He has an amazing purpose for your life. He has an amazing purpose for you today.

McKenna and I were talking about this very topic a few days ago and I loved what she said:

God chooses us every day! And it’s so cool that He chooses us rather than picking us. I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about this before…but there’s a very subtle difference between being “picked” and being “chosen”…

When you think about it, to “pick” someone would be to say, “this is what I want you to do”, whereas to “choose” someone would be more like saying, “this is what you were made to do, and I don’t know of any other person who could do better”. And that’s exactly what God says to us-everyday.

I choose you today because there is no other person on this earth--present, past, or future--who will ever be able to fulfill the purpose I created you to fill.

You see, God’s purpose for your life is special. Never doubt that God has an amazing destiny for you no matter who you are, what your circumstances are, or what others have told you about yourself. You are special to God, you are loved by Him, and you are chosen by Him to advance His kingdom on this earth.

In the Waiting

     Wait. That is not a word we typically enjoy hearing. In an age where faster is better and everything is made accessible through technology, getting "NO" for an answer sometimes seems even better than "wait". 

     Yet isn't it obvious that this is one of God's favorite answers to give us... Wait. 
    
     In my own life, I feel like I've been in a season of waiting for a little while now. I've watched my friends and family start all kinds of new seasons of life: I have friends going on mission trips to places like Haiti and Thailand, friends who've just started the high school journey and friends who are now nearing graduation... and then here I am, living what feels like the daily routine of school, dance, family, friends, school, dance, family, friends. Not to say that I don't love my life- I do!- and I am very grateful! But, in the waiting, God has definitely been showing me some very special things that have encouraged me and reassured me of His Presence and constant involvement in my life...


1. Waiting is an Action
     When I looked up the definition of waiting, these are some of the things that came up...

     Waiting-
           to be available or in readiness for
           to look forward to eagerly
           to continue as one is in expectation of; await
           to be reserved for

     Waiting for God doesn't literally mean waiting for God, if you get what I mean. Waiting for God is not sitting around and hoping that He'll show up sometime soon. Waiting for God is a state of being watchful and expectant for Him to move. It's being on edge, knowing that something great is about to happen. 

     One picture that God always brings to my mind when I'm working on waiting, is the picture of the almond tree, one that my Bible teacher at school pointed out to me (Love you Mrs. Dormann!). The almond tree is barren all winter, but it's also the first to bloom in the spring. And the cool thing is that the original Hebrew word for "almond" is actually the same Hebrew word for "waiting". 

     Like the almond tree, God wants us to be barren and naked before Him, with branches stretching heaven-ward as we expectantly wait for Him to come and allow us to blossom in His presence.


2. Waiting is a time of Preparation 
     Another thing we have to remember about waiting, which I am always reminding myself, is that it's not a time to be passive, but to prepare. After all, the whole reason God normally tells us to wait, is because we're not ready for what's coming. So, when we are in the waiting, we should be focused on taking time to grow ourselves and our relationship with God in order to fully equip ourselves for the great things that He has coming for us. 


3. God Loves to be in the Waiting 
     This is my favorite part of waiting- the fact that God waits with me. And one song that spoke this to me more than ever was "Take Courage" by Kristene Dimarco from Bethel Music...

Slow down take time

Breathe in He said

He'll reveal what's to come 

The thoughts in his mind

Always higher than mine

He'll reveal all to come

So take courage my heart

Stay steadfast my soul

He's in the waiting 

He's in the waiting

Hold on to your hope 

As your triumph unfolds

He's never failing

He's never failing

Sing praise my soul

Find strength in joy

Let His words lead you on

Do not forget 

His great faithfulness

He'll finish what He's begun 

And You who hold the stars

Who call them each by name

Will surely keep your promise to me

That I will rise in your victory 

     ...I just love that SO MUCH! I can take courage and stay steadfast because He IS in the waiting and He WILL fulfill His promises to me! 

     So no matter what you may be waiting for- whether it's a better grade in your math class or a HUGE miracle in your family- take courage and enjoy every single moment you get to spend in the waiting with God! He loves you so much and He's never going to let you down.

"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will 

carry it on until the day of completion in Christ Jesus."

~ Philippians 1:6 

    

The Secret To True Joy

This is me at Disney World with my favorite Disney character of all time. Baymax. I waited in line for 2 hours just to get 2 minutes with him and Hiro. As you can tell from this photo, it was SO worth it. The smile of pure joy on my face is priceless making this picture famous among my family members. 

I think about that day a lot and how fun and special it was to me. And then I randomly thought about the other teenagers I see at Disney all the time when I go. Me and my family love Disney and we go several times a year which has given me a lot of time to study other people there. Most teenagers I see don't even smile. They stand there in the happiest place on earth with their hands in their pockets or holding their phones checking Instagram. And I think, "What are you doing? You're standing in the most magical place on the planet!" 

When I go to Disney World, its always the best day or days of my life! I wear Disney attire, I watch the parades, I skip around, I wave at characters walking by, I smile the entire day, and I don't even care about my phone. The heat of Florida and the sea of crowds don't even bother me slightly. And I used to think, "Its because its Disney World! Everyone loves Disney!" But then I realized I was wrong when I saw all the other teenagers on their phones all day while whining and complaining about small things. 

They don't have joy like I do. Sure, I really do love Disney and I believe God gave me that too! But those other teens at Disney can't enjoy it like I can because they don't know Jesus.

Without a relationship with Him, Disney is an empty place, just another theme park. But with Jesus, Disney really does come to life. That may sound silly, but I know it to be true. And this realization I had has been confirmed several times in my lifetime.

One time, during a trip to Disney World with my youth group from church,we were all in line for Splash Mountain. We came up with a super cool idea to high five and cheer for the people that passed by us in the Fastpass line. All 100 of the kids in my youth group would cheer loudly and high five every single Fastpass person that went by and those families loved it.One young man stopped and asked a kid in my youth group, "Why are you guys so happy and excited?" The kid replied, "Because we have Jesus!"

It really is true. Life is so much happier and better with Jesus in your life. The world is trying so hard to find the key to being truly happy without God. I'm sorry but it doesn't work. Popularity or fame won't make you happy, instead it will only make you more insecure. Having a girlfriend or boyfriend gets boring really quickly. Nothing man made can bring us the joy we desire. Only Jesus can.

So now when I go to Disney, I understand why it makes me so happy. I have Jesus in my heart and he died for me so that I may know him personally and he has removed my sin so I may have eternal life with him. Just like my last post about God sightings, I see God through Disney even though that may sound silly. He knows Disney is my favorite place and he wants me to enjoy it and have fun. He loves when I laugh and smile and because I have him in my heart I know that he has washed me clean of my sin and saved me from eternal death. So therefore I have a level of joy that people without Jesus cannot receive and I have true happiness that will last. 

To conclude, this is a poem I wrote for school in 7th grade about happiness. I believe that God wanted me to write it at the age of 12 so that I could share it with you today:

Happiness. It's like a feeling some people cannot explain. That special moment when your heart jumps for joy and your eyes twinkle. It usually happens when something special happens to you, like when you get a compliment or gift. But for me, it's different. I am happy, because I have the joy of the Lord in my heart which some people don't have.Their happiness is not forever. But mine is eternal.

We are His

“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” ~Psalm 100:3

When I read this verse a few days ago, I didn’t immediately understand what God was trying to tell me. I had to meditate on it for a whole day or two and ask God why He was insistent on laying this verse upon my heart. As I read it again and again, God eventually revealed the beauty of this verse. One section of the verse that really stood out to me was this; We are His. We do not belong to the world or its hatred. We are no longer slaves to fear. We are not defined by the sin and evil that is running rampant on this earth. We are HIS.

Know that the Lord is God. The psalmist is urging us to reflect on everything God is. He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He is the only One who sits on the glorious throne of Heaven. He is sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient. He is God. But what’s equally amazing is that He, being God, looks upon us as His dearly loved children. He is our good, good Father, our unfailing Provider, our perfect Savior. He chooses to walk with us through our trials and He delights greatly in us.

It is He who made us. He created us each uniquely with special gifts, talents, and personalities. He handcrafted each of us individually in His image. Each and every one of us are priceless in His sight. We are His treasured possession, the apple of His eye. He sees us, He knows us, and He loves us.

We are the sheep of His pasture. Just as a shepherd knows each of his sheep, just as he tenderly cares for his sheep, just as he watches over his sheep, so God shepherds us. He never leaves our side because He cares so deeply about us. As we are under God’s watchful care and unfailing protection, we feel safe. We trust our Shepherd. We know His voice. We follow His sovereign leading, knowing that He is good.

I love how the verse says, we are the sheep of His pasture. As God’s children, perfectly loved by Him, we belong to Him. We are His. And as His sheep, as His children, we do not get confused with whose pasture in which we belong. When we roam to other pastures, seeking acceptance or love, our good Shepherd is there to gently remind us of His immeasurable, unconditional love for us. He is there to lead us back to Him for that is where we belong.

As we walk through this life, we can find comfort in the fact that this world is not our home. We do not belong to the hatred, the anger, or the hurt of this world. We have a hope, an eternal future rooted in Heaven. That is where we belong. So as we spend our time here on Earth, no matter how rough the road may get, no matter how scary the storms may seem, we can rejoice. We know that the Lord is God and that He is greater than what we face. We know that He made us special and that He loves us with a love that far surpasses our understanding. We know that we are His treasured sheep, protected when we are in His pasture. We are His and we are safe in His arms.

Mercy

"You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds

shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let

righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it."

~ Isaiah 45:8

    

     There's something about the rain that I've always loved, and with Hurricane Matthew here in Florida, I've obviously been getting to see A LOT of rain! Even now as I'm sitting in my home and writing this post I can hear the drops of rain gently hitting our roof and dripping down to water the world outside. I can imagine myself standing out there, too, in the middle of this storm, and just looking up into the sky and feeling the rain hit my face and dampen my hair. It makes me take a deep breath of relief. 

 

     The rain continues to pour down, and though I'm not literally standing outside in the midst of it, I know full well that is indeed falling- all around me; everywhere- which so beautifully reminds me of my Savior's love and mercy and favor towards me that is always showering down on my life. I may not always see it, I may not always even feel it, but I can trust that it is always there. 

 

     When I am standing out in the rain, I feel this vulnerability, yet complete safeness before God. He sees right through me and the many walls I try to put up around myself, straight into my heart. He sees my sin- past, present, and future. He sees my weakness. My pride. My anger. My self doubt. He sees ALL of those things- and He still loves me and delights in showing me His mercy. 

 

     I mess up ALL THE TIME! I'm human- It's what I do! But God's love and mercy towards me always triumphs over His judgement. God even illustrated this fact in the Old Testament, when He would call his people to "meet Him at the Mercy Seat" of the Ark of the Covenant, where they could repent and make atonement for their sins. The cool thing is, that the Mercy Seat of the Ark happened to be the area directly above the place where the Law of Moses (the Ten Commandments) was kept- the rules, the expectations, and the consequences and judgements that would be placed on the people if they chose to sin. But each time the people came to meet God at the Mercy Seat, they were always forgiven and covered with God's love and mercy, not His judgement and authority. 

 

     I just think that's such a beautiful picture of God's character towards His children! It reminds me of a Bethel song called "Mercy" that's one of my favorites right now. The lyrics go like this:

 

My past embraced

My sin forgiven

I'm blameless in Your sight

My history rewritten

You delight in showing mercy

And mercy triumphs over judgement 

Oh, love great love

Fear cannot be found in You

There will never be a day

You're uncertain of the ones You choose

For You delight in showing mercy

And mercy triumphs over judgement 

So I will wake and spend my days

Loving the One who has raised me up

From death to life, from wrong to right

You're making all things beautiful

***Here's a link if you want to look up the song for yourself:  

https://youtu.be/6gFSkCv3XjQ 

 

     I just LOVE that! I LOVE that God so deeply wants to show us His mercy, love and favor if we're willing to show Him just a little bit of ourselves, and get open and vulnerable before Him. His Presence is the safest place to be; it's exactly what He wants for us. For in Him we are kept safe, loved, and continually drenched by His merciful presence, being made beautiful and blameless in His sight.

 

 

  

God Sightings

A lot of people, teenagers and adults alike, struggle with seeing God in their every day lives. And they feel like God shows up only in miracles and prayer, or only in the Bible. God most definitely shows up in all those things! But, there is another way to see God, a more simpler way, and it is my favorite way to see God in my everyday life.

God shows up in small little things every single day that sometimes in our self-centeredness or stress we miss. You just have to look and you will see his love shining through your bad day or good day alike. An example?

Here's one of my God Sightings: In the car, sometimes we would pass a huge, empty field. And in this field, in the distance, there would be a pack of wild turkeys! Yes… turkeys. Those brown birds we eat at Thanksgiving. But these turkeys weren't about to be eaten, they were just wandering around searching for food and being the cute little birds they are. And me, nicknamed "Pocahontas" in my house for being an animal and nature lover, yelled, "God Sighting!!!" And my mom who is a God Sighting professional, agreed with me, laughing.

You see? God knows exactly what makes me happy. He knows exactly how to brighten my day and show me his love through small and simple things! One more example!

This is Habersham, AKA Habby, my new French Bulldog puppy we've had for over a month now. Talk about a 24/7 God Sighting! When I wake up in the mornings and come into the kitchen where he usually is, his head snaps in my direction, his ears go back in excitement and he takes off at a full sprint straight towards me, proceeding to jump on me and lick me all over as I swoop him up into my arms. He recognizes me and knows I've just woken up and he LOVES to tell me good morning. I've never seen anyone more happy to see me in my life, LOL.

So, when little Habby comes to greet me every morning I automatically feel God's love! And there are so many other ways to feel His love during the day. A sweet text or nice hug from a friend, a butterfly flying near you, your pets being sweet, your parents complimenting you, a good grade on a test, a sunny day, a rainy day, and on goes the list! Even when you've had an awful day, I guarantee God has been trying to get your attention, you just have to open your eyes and see. Those little things, we may think, are just coincidence or good luck. But when I drive by and see those turkeys, I don't think that's a coincidence. Not at all, I believe God put those turkeys there for me to look at and appreciate what He has created.

It begins small. You have to look closely even though his love is there right in your face all day. It can be hard to see God's love sometimes but I promise, if you just pray and ask him to reveal his love to you, your eyes will be opened to see it! So, I encourage you, look for God Sightings through your week. I promise you, you will feel so loved and happy once you see all the things God does to show you his unending love for you! ~Maddie~

"LOVE is the one word that fully encompasses God's Nature."

-Kenneth Copeland

Real Faith

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” ~Isaiah 7:9 NIV

This verse challenged me in my quiet time one Thursday morning. I was also reading about the birth of Jesus in Matthew that morning and God seemed to connect the dots in my head, relating all the passages I had read that morning. They all led to one question that I kept asking myself—how big is my faith?

Is my faith on fire only on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights when I'm at church? Does it dim down during the week, causing me to believe that God isn’t really present in all my moments, or do I walk in expectation that God will move in my life? Can my faith be just as strong when I'm kneeling at the altar as when I'm having a rough day at home?

I believe that the answer is yes. Your measure of faith is not meant to be defined by your circumstances. Of course, it’s so much easier to believe big for your life when you’re in this huge moment of worship than it is to believe that God is good during an exhausting week of stress and anxiety. But God hasn’t called you to believe only when you feel like believing. He wants you to have uncompromised faith in Him even when it’s hard.

As I was reading about the birth of Jesus, the words seemed to speak so much to me! I realized that many people we read about in the Bible didn’t have comfortable, easy walks as they fulfilled the mission that which God had called them. They didn’t have daily encounters with angels and although their days were blessed with miracles, most of those miracles weren’t extremely obvious. They didn’t see Jesus walking on water or multiplying food every day. I can imagine that it must have been HARD most days to believe that God would be faithful to fulfill what He had promised.

Think about Mary who placed her entire trust in the Holy Spirit even when everyone around her didn’t believe that what God had told her was true. She was misunderstood and misjudged, yet she clung to God’s promises and was rewarded for her perseverance. Think of the unwavering faith in God that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had as they were being prepared to be tossed into scorching flames as young men, of the undivided loyalty that Esther had when she risked death as a young woman to rescue the Lord’s people from a jealous man, of the unrelenting courage that David had as a boy as he opposed a nine-foot giant and defeated him in the name of the Lord.

These heroes are not any different from us! When I read about the men and women in the Bible, I have to remind myself that they aren’t just fictional characters. I have to remind myself that they really existed in a real world and the obstacles and trials they faced—and the miracles they encountered—were REAL. That meant that their faith had to be real. They had to have real, unshakeable, uncompromised faith even when they couldn’t see God moving.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” So even when our unsaved friends or family reject Jesus again and again, by faith, we can still believe that God will save them. By faith, we can be certain in what we do not see. We can be confident that God is faithful and we can be confident that He can and will do mighty things in our lives!

Do you have the kind of faith where you walk through your day, however routine or mundane it may be, expecting God to move? Is your faith rooted in Christ every moment of the day, every day of the week? Is your faith growing daily? God wants you to trust Him enough so that when He wants to use you mightily, you will be ready to respond to His leading. You have to have big faith if you believe in a God of big miracles.

How big is your faith?

Jars of Clay

     I read this book over the summer called “Run with the Horses”, by Eugene Peterson, the translator of The Message Bible. It was one of those books that has super humongous, intelligent-sounding words, packed into nearly every sentence- the kind of book that really makes you think as a reader... Let’s just say that there were many passages in that book that I had to re-read multiple times in order to fully understand and grasp what Peterson was so eloquently describing! Anyway, the book was all about the prophet Jeremiah, his call, and the many challenges he faced as he shared God’s words with a stubborn and unbelieving people. In the midst of all the unique chapters and important ideas Peterson writes about in “Run with the Horses”, one specific concept from one specific chapter really stood out to me when I read it...
    Jeremiah spent a lifetime preaching to an ignorant people, who had forgotten God and his ways. He was constantly warning them of the consequences that were rapidly approaching as a result of their disobedience towards God. Yet day after day, the people continued to ignore Jeremiah. It was at a time like this- in the midst of the peoples’ rejection and scorn of Jeremiah’s message- that God did something unexpected (as is usually the case). God called Jeremiah to go to the Potter’s House.

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Go down to the 

potter's house, and there I will give you my message.' So I [Jeremiah]

went down to the potter's house and I saw him working at the wheel. But 

the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the 

potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then

the word of the Lord came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you

as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter,

so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.' "

~ Jeremiah 18: 1-6

    Now back in biblical times, the invention of pottery completely changed society. Before the creation of pottery jars and bowls, people had to hunt for food on a daily basis, and then consume right then and there whatever it was that they had found. But once pottery was invented, the people’s whole way of life was turned upside down! They now had the ability to store and transport food. Instead of being restricted to one general area, the people had the option to travel, carrying with them whatever food and provisions needed for the journey within their jars of clay. Moreover, pottery quickly became a necessity to the people and their way of life. However, as much as pottery was a necessity, it was also a beautiful art form. The potter’s house was usually the central area of the town, where people would gather to see the potter’s hand in action at the wheel, creating beautiful masterpieces of clay each and every day. The skillful hands of the potter produced many special pieces of pottery, each uniquely crafted according to the potter’s personal plan and design. Pottery was necessary, and pottery was beautiful. And that is exactly the way God views us. :)
    Peterson writes (and this is the passage that grabbed my attention),

“Jeremiah had seen potters at work all his life, but today he saw something else- he saw God at work making a people for his glory. A people of God. Persons created in the image of God. Necessary but not only necessary- each one also beautiful. And beautiful but not only beautiful- each one also necessary. Each human being is an inseparable union of necessity and freedom. There is no human being who is not useful with a part to play in what God is doing. And there is no human being who is not unique with special lines and colors and forms distinct from anyone else. All this came clear to Jeremiah in the potter’s house: the brute fact of the clay, lumpish and inert, shaped for a purpose by the hands of the potter, and then, as it took its shape, the realization of the uniquely designed individuality and wide-ranging usefulness it would acquire as a finished pot, painted and baked and glazed. God shapes us for eternal purposes and he begins right here.”
   
    You see, God made no mistakes when he created you. You are necessary to his plan and purposes here on earth, and you are breathtakingly beautiful and flawless in his all-knowing eyes. The Lord your God carefully crafted you into a unique mold that is completely your own. There is NO ONE like you, and there will never be. You have your own set of special colors and designs and shapes and sizes that God took the time to paint onto your being and lovingly place inside your heart. Those little quirks and oddities you have- He LOVES those! He’s the one who gave them to you and he smiles every time he sees them in action. :) And yes- life is definitely a journey, and God is constantly shaping us to be more like him: smoothing out a rough place here, adding some new indentions there, painting on brighter colors and more vibrant patterns as life goes on... And all the while our beauty and our importance to God is made known to those around us by the way we love and live for the Lord. Often times, our colors even “rub off” onto those watching us and vice versa. We learn to appreciate and admire the shapes and colors of others, without doubting our own. And with every jar of clay we come in contact with, we are reminded of the Master Potter who lovingly and thoughtfully and purposefully created them all, and we can proudly say,
   

"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are the work of your hand."

~ Isaiah 64:8

Things to Think on...

        I saw this quote the other day on an app I have on my phone, and I just could not stop thinking, "HOW TRUE!" Yes, life has to do a lot with "what we make it". The things we choose to do, the people we choose to hang out with, the choices we choose to make as we grow. But even more than "what you make it", life is about "how you take it". When something unexpected comes your way, how will you respond? When you have to face a situation that you don't think you deserve to have to deal with, how will you react? When you go through hard times and heartache, pain and problems... who will you look to for the strength you need to get through it?

Identity Crisis

When I googled the word, "Identity Crisis" this was one of the main pictures I saw:

 "Hello my name is…" Obviously, this picture isn't talking about you forgetting your name. I saw a deeper purpose behind this picture. And that is, "Who am I?" "What's my purpose?" "What are my gifts?"

As a teenager, I have so many adults come up to me and ask me, "Where are you going to go to college?" "WHY are you going to college?" "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

That last question is the most important to me. And as a sixteen year old girl, less than two years away from being an adult, that question isn't being asked to me as a little kid along with a little pinch on the cheek as the adult laughs in reply to me saying, "I wanna be an astronaut!" It's a legit question, and people are wondering why I am here on Earth. And so am I.

One thing that I know for sure about myself is that I love TONS of things. I have too many interests to count on my ten fingers. I like shopping, filming, taking care of animals, politics, writing, dancing, reading, acting, drawing, the list goes on for an eternity! I also  am in about three million fandoms, ranging from the "boyish" adventure movies that Marvel has brought us like The Avengers, to Disney princess movies like Frozen. Do you get me? It feels to me that I like just about everything! And is this a coincidence? No way!

God created me to have tons of interests and like lots of things! And sometimes I look at other teenagers who are JUST committed to art, or JUST committed to dance or gymnastics, soccer, basketball, computer programming etc etc, and I think, "Why don't I have just one thing or 'gift' I'm committed to?" My mom answered this question for me a few weeks ago in the car. She said,

"Madison, God created you to love a lot of things, and have many many interests. You can be whoever you want to be and whatever God is calling you to be. You don't have to be just one thing."

Don't let the world tell you who to be. Don't let them tell you your identity needs to be found in one interest or one hobby. You can tell the world, "I want to be a professional soccer player, but I also want to be a veterinarian on the side." That may confuse the world around you a little, but that's alright, be different.

So when people ask me, "What do you want to do with your life?" I say, "I don't know." And I'm alright with that answer, even if the person asking me the question is not. I don't need to stress about my future! God has every step of the way planned out already for me and HAS had it planned out for years and years, way before I was born. 

I'm thankful that God made my personality elaborate, just like he made yours elaborate too. It's a good thing, because when the time comes for you to pick your career, you will have TONS of options to choose from. :)

Faultless

Faultless. “Free from defect or error”. Many of us wish that word could be attributed to us. But one quick look at our lives shows us that we are far from faultless. We fall short all the time-of expectations and responsibilities. Our days are plagued with sour attitudes, mistakes, and regret. Sometimes the shame from our mistakes is so terrible that we can’t even look at ourselves in the mirror.

What would it be like to be able to look at ourselves at the end of the day and say, “I stand faultless”? Sounds pretty impossible, right? As much as we would like to tell ourselves that, we all know that at least once during the day we’ve fallen short by snapping at someone, entertaining ugly thoughts, or disregarding sound instruction to satisfy the desires of our flesh.

But we don’t have to be defined by our sin. This is a story that God laid on my heart and enabled me to write one day…

My mind seemed to be straining against the thoughts that bombarded it as much as my wrists strained against the chains that bound them. I could hardly get my feet to move as they called me up to the witness’s chair. They shoved me into the chair and I glanced helplessly from face to face in the crowd. Absolutely everyone refused to meet my eyes. Unable to find comfort in any face that I thought I knew, I cast my eyes miserably upon the shackles that seemed to burn a hole in my wrists. The prosecution attorney’s chair skidded across the tile as he shoved himself away from the table. His eyes glinting at me, he snatched up his folder and practically stalked up to the podium.

I couldn’t look at him; not with his mouth curled smugly in a sly grin, not with his eyes blazing at me, not with his chest heaving up and down in victory. I barely heard him address the judge and the jurors. My eyes were fastened miserably on the thick folder he clutched in his hands. I knew what it was even before he opened it.

He pried open the folder and slammed it onto the podium. The pages inside were overflowing with writing. I recognized the words because I had written them…with every action I had made and every thought I had thought. A wave of terror rushed over me and regret clutched at my throat. Then he started to read, in a voice echoing in the courthouse and ringing in my ears. He was practically snarling at me with each hateful word. His fists were slamming on the podium as he screamed. All I wanted to do was run, run away from all the pointing fingers, the accusing eyes, the lips that sneered at me.

The prosecuting attorney was reading off every moment of my life, the bad, the terrifying, the unspeakable. He was presenting his case to the Judge who was listening with apt attention. The gavel in the Judge’s hand was trembling as His hands were quivering. The graphic detail of my life—all the wrongs I had committed, all the laws I had broken, all the moments I had ignored righteousness and goodness—caused the Judge’s eyes to cloud over and for a fleeting moment I couldn’t tell if they were cloaked in anger or sadness.

The evidence the prosecution presented was horrifying. Yet I couldn’t deny it. It was my life. Overwhelmed by the weight of the evidence, my shoulders collapsed and they shook with rage and misery. The courthouse erupted in sneers and shouting. “Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!”

The Judge slammed his gavel down in order to silence them. The crowd quieted down but my soul wouldn’t. They were going to condemn me to death and even the evidence my own attorney presented (all the good things I had done) wasn’t enough to save me from their sentence.

The Judge looked at me and His eyes were suddenly filled with something that I couldn’t deny. They were filled with tears of sadness…for me. For me and my wretched life. Still, He couldn’t wave away the evidence that the prosecution had presented. With heavy, slow movements, the Judge lifted his gavel and was about to pronounce me guilty to death when the courthouse doors swung open. All eyes turned to the entryway and I heard a murmur ripple through the crowd. My face was still buried in my hands and I refused to glance up. What was I going to see besides another face clouded in hatred and condemnation? Despite my hopeless thoughts, I somehow pried my hands away from my swollen red eyes and glanced at the newcomer.

My breath caught painfully in the lodge that had formed in my throat. I knew who He was, He who was walking slowly down the entryway, not even glancing at the murmuring crowd. His eyes were fastened on me. It was Jesus. I couldn’t look back. Instead my expression broke again and my body heaved with the pain that seared mercilessly through me.

With one glance, Jesus silenced the protests from the prosecution. Their trembling lips clamped shut and they watched helplessly as Jesus made his way towards me. I couldn’t look into His eyes, the eyes that poured forth such love and acceptance. The power of His very presence caused me to erupt in choking sobs once again. The absolute horror of my life compared to the absolute glory He possessed was enough to cause me to bury my face in my hands.

The room was utterly silent except for my shuddering gasps. Jesus placed a hand on my trembling back. He leaned over and whispered, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then He turned to the prosecution’s table where the attorney was snatching up his folder and stalking towards me. Jesus held out His hand, which I suddenly noticed bore a scar, the scar that a nail had made. Unable to defy Him, the prosecuting attorney handed over the folder, yet his eyes blazed menacingly at me. The smug look that he shot me seemed to say, "What can He do about it? You’ve done too much. You’ve messed up too many times. You’re not worth it. See what He says when He finds out who you really are."

Jesus said nothing as He studied the folder reading every word. He walked slowly over to the fireplace that blazed in the corner. Gesturing to the scars that penetrated His hands, feet, and side He said, “She is covered. You will remember this folder no more because her debt has been fulfilled. She stands faultless.” Then He tossed the folder thick with my wrongdoings into the blazing fire. The flames engulfed it and there was nothing left of it besides dark ashes and curling smoke. The crowd’s muttering seemed to cause an air of disapproval to ring in the air but I could hardly hear it.

My breath was still lodged in my throat as Jesus walked over to me. He produced a key and gently but firmly placed it in the lock on my chains. When He twisted the key, the chains released my wrists and I shook them off. I couldn’t hear the noise of the chains as they clattered to the floor because the crowd suddenly roared. In the midst of the chaos going on around me, I stared in awe at Jesus. His eyes shone lovingly at me. Behind the tears that were glistening in His eyes, I glimpsed memories of the sorrows and horrors He must have faced to save me. But then the love in His eyes engulfed all those memories and He extended His hand towards me.

“Come and follow me, dear one.” His voice was strong and sure compared to the din going on around us.

My lips trembled and my eyes would have flitted nervously around the room if I could have willed them to move. I couldn’t. The beauty of Jesus overwhelmed me and our gazes met for what seemed like forever. “Oh, Lord…” I stammered, fumbling for words. The image of the folder flashed through my mind and I broke into tears once again. I wasn't worthy!

I realized I was suddenly faced with a choice. Through the tears I could still see Jesus’s hand extending towards me. I could see the soft smile of the Judge as He gazed upon me. I could see the flames of the fire and the curling smoke. I wanted with every fiber of my being to follow Jesus, to be found in Him. But what about all the wrongs I had committed? What about the times I had ignored sound advice to quench my own sinful desires? What about the times I had found my worth in other things? What about the accusing fingers, the shouts of condemnation? Wasn’t that what I deserved?

Then I remembered Jesus tossing the folder into the fire. He had chosen to forget the wrongs of my life. So why couldn’t I?

With trembling fingers, I grasped His hand and He led me down from the witness seat and into the crowd. I found myself leaning solely on Jesus as we walked slowly out of the courthouse. The prosecution attorney snarled at me and his eyes once again blazed at me. To my surprise, his hate didn’t impact me like it had before. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as the image of the burning folder leapt once again into my mind. I turned away from the furious gazes that the crowd gave me and I gazed up at Jesus. His eyes met mine and they seemed to smile at me despite the roaring crowd around us.

In that moment I knew one thing. No matter how thick that folder of my wrongdoings was, it was gone, quenched by fire. I knew no matter how ugly my mistakes had been, no matter how shameful they had been, I had been judged NOT GUILTY. Jesus had paid my debt with His own life. I knew it was no easy feat to deem me faultless, especially after all I’d done. I knew Jesus had done more for me than I could ever imagine, more than I could ever do for Him. And I hardly did anything but choose to believe that what Jesus did was enough to cover the multitude of my sins. I had chosen. I had chosen to take Jesus’s hand; the hand that bore the scars, the hand that had removed the wrongs of my life forever, and the hand that would always be there for me to grasp.

I wrote this story one day this past summer when God laid the idea on my heart. It was His way of showing me how amazing His salvation really is. Many people hear the typical gospel presentation hundreds of times and they end up not REALLY recognizing what Jesus did for them. But when you picture yourself in that witness chair, when you picture yourself being set free from the chains of your past, it suddenly becomes more meaningful. The good news of God's salvation should always amaze us.

I was in my room one day when God whispered to me, “Hannah, you stand faultless.” At first I didn’t grasp the meaning of what He meant. I had never thought of it that way before. “You stand faultless.” Suddenly, the realization of what God was telling me overwhelmed me. The image of me standing at the end of my life before the throne of God flashed through my mind. I realized that through the blood of Jesus I could stand before God completely faultless-despite the sins I had committed against Him. What love God has for all of us! It AMAZES me that because of Jesus’s sacrifice and because He rose again from the dead, showing the world that He was God and that His sacrifice was enough, I can stand, not as a guilty sinner but as someone who-although has sinned-has been deemed faultless by God. Faultless. Free from defect or error.

“To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy-to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

~Jude 1:24-25