Finding Beauty: Through the Eyes of Grace

There are no words to describe the beauty.

Hello all! It's been quite a while since the last time I wrote. I know, and I'm sorry. Life never seems to get less busy, you know? I keep thinking "After this week, THEN I'll have time to write again." But then next week comes and new challenges keep me from talking to you guys. I couldn't take it anymore though, and with just a little bit of free time here I'm going to see what I can crank out!

How are you all? Seriously, I mean like I said, it's been a while! Hope things are going well, and that in all you do you follow God's guiding path.

It's been an interesting couple of months. I've seen things that make me believe that there's nothing that humanity can't handle. I've also seen things that make me sick to my stomach. I mean I guess part of that is life. But I truly believe that there's more to it than that. The world's changed. For better or for worse, it's always changing. And that change, well it's made it much easier to see the bad in things, and much harder to see the good.  

This post is the beginning of  (HOPEFULLY) a series of posts on finding the beauty in life, and what that means.

And I suppose that here's as good a place to start as any....

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Finding the Beauty:

The Distortion of Sin

A couple weeks ago I was surfing youtube and I came across a girl telling her story. You know the one, the flashcard kind. Well the story was really sad, and as I came to the end I found out she had killed herself because she felt she was worth nothing. Kids at her school had encouraged her to do it, saying it would be the best for everyone. They made her feel as if she were worth nothing. How can such young people be so cruel? How could anyone, of any age be so cruel?

Recently our own government has come out to us and said very clearly that on several occasions they have blatantly lied to us, and that has directly lead to some people getting hurt. In a government shutdown those who fight and die to protect our freedom weren't paid, but those responsible for the shutdown were. Not only that, but they constantly vote to get paid more. They say they look out for the people, but more and more politicians only care for themselves. How could people be so selfish?

 Over 3000 babies are aborted each day in the US alone. Recently I was at a small pro-life event, and someone set up shop directly across from it protesting. I read an article about it in the local paper the next day. There was an interview with a girl whose mother had chosen life. The answer she gave though surprised me. She said that while she wouldn't be here if her mom had chosen abortion, she still believes that her mom should have the right to chose that. In effect she was saying that her own right to exist should be predetermined on the basis of another person's desires. What kind of world is this, where the most vulnerable are so easily discarded?

As the weeks went on, I kept seeing more and more of this. The terrible reality of the world we live in today. A world where people will walk all over each other just to get what they want, and not only is that ok, but in many cases it's encouraged! A world where the 'I' is the end all and be all. What do I want? What's best for me? It made me sad. I began to only be able to focus on the bad, in the world at large and in my own life. I got annoyed at friends and missed a bus, it rained on me and I got soaked through, I failed a test, among other things. All of this culminated into one big blob of human misery. What good is humanity anyways???

I think all of us get like this sometimes. We only want to focus on the bad. The world has sooo much hatred. It's easy to see, and sometimes not so easy. Either way it's always there. When we get down, the whole world seems that much worse. Even when we feel good, sometimes it seems like the evils in the world are just insurmountable. Like there's nothing we can do against such huge problems anyways, so why bother? 

But then we see the glimpses of beauty.

A kid singing disney songs loudly out in public. A guy walking a stranger under his umbrella because they forgot theirs and it's raining. Hearing a snippet of that song you love. A perfect cool breeze. A friend waving hi. The smile of a stranger. Spending time with friends. That perfect day. That day that's good for no reason. People helping others they don't even know. That person who buys you your lunch just because. That hug that you needed right then. The list goes on and on. 

The glimpses of beauty remind us that God made the world, and it is inherently good. The beauty is the way things are meant to be. We just put a little snag in that when sin came into play. Sin takes what is good about the world and distorts it. It takes beauty, and changes it just slightly. And just slightly again. And a little more. Through small changes that no one notices, something once beautiful becomes an ugly mess. Our world is distorted by sin, and so it becomes harder to see the beauty. When we rely on God's grace however, then the light comes pouring in, and the beauty is made as visible as day. 

The grace that God wants to give us allows us to see the world as it's meant to be. Instead of being annoyed at friends, grace helps me to see them as unique and wonderful. Instead of being angry at the rain, I become thankful and enjoy it for what it is. Grace even helps me to take the hit of a bad test, and learn the lessons that are needed to grow. It helps me to see that even the difficulties are blessings. 

Without this grace however, my view becomes murky, and I can only see the distortions that sin presents. I can only see the hatred. For far too many of us this is the case way more often than it needs to be. We let ourselves get trapped in the distortions, and we let ourselves believe that they are the way things have always been, and the way things are meant to be. Luckily for us though God provided a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13! :D) so that we could get back to seeing the world as it was meant to be. Through the sacrament of Reconciliation, the grace we received at baptism is restored to us, and the world can be seen once again for the beautiful place that it is.

Remember when you were a little kid, and everything was fun? There was no such things as evil. I mean there were good guys and bad guys, but the bad guys never won. And you were always the good guy. All you wanted to do was share and be nice. The world was a happy place full of good things and friends. When we receive that grace one again, we go back to that state. The world's just like it was when we were kids. Childlike faith ringing a bell? While the problems of this earth caused by sin still remain, our clear view of how things should be equips us to better fight it. And while we may not be able to make an impact against huge problems on our own, if enough of us begin to trust in God and see the world as He does, then we really CAN make a difference.

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There's a song that's perfect for this post. It's called Come Home by One Republic.

My favorite lyrics go:

I get lost in all the beauty of everything I see

And the world ain't half as bad as they paint it to be.

If all the sons and all the daughters stopped to take it in

well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin.

When we stop to take in God's life-giving grace, we too can get lost in the beauty.

Think about this song. See things they way they were meant to be.

Hello world

Hope you're listening

Forgive me if I’m young

For speaking out of turn

There’s someone I’ve been missing

I think that they could be

The better half of me

They’re in the wrong place trying to make it right

But I’m tired of justifying

So I say to you..

Come home

Come home

Cause I’ve been waiting for you

For so long

For so long

Right now there's a war between the vanities

But all I see is you and me

The fight for you is all I’ve ever known

So come home

Oh

I get lost in the beauty

Of everything I see

The world ain’t half as bad

As they paint it to be

If all the sons,

All the daughters

Stopped to take it in

Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin

It might start now, yeah

Well maybe I’m just dreaming out loud

Until then...

Come home

Come home

Cause I’ve been waiting for you

For so long

For so long

Right now there's a war between the vanities

But all I see is you and me

The fight for you is all I’ve ever known

Ever known

So come home

Oh

Everything I can’t be

Is everything you should be

And that’s why I need you here

Everything I can’t be

Is everything you should be

And that’s why I need you here

So hear this now...

Come home

Come home

Cause I’ve been waiting for you

For so long

For so long

Right now there's a war between the vanities

But all I see is you and me

The fight for you is all I’ve ever known

Ever known

So come home

Come home

2 Corinthians 12:9 says "but he said to me,  "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me."

His grace is sufficient for you, if you just accept it. See the world's beauty.

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Well that's if for part one!

Next week: (Or whenever I get around to it!)

Finding Beauty:

Love, Hatred, and You

Love you always, and as always I am praying for you. Pray for me as well.

God bless!

~Wanted~

Ch-Ch-Changes

I'm in a Kingdom Hearts kind of mood! (It fits, I promise!)

Well here we are again mates! School is now in full swing, and I FINALLY have just the slightest bit of free time. I don't know when I'll get around to publishing this, or if I ever will, but I need to write again. There's something about it that's so fulfilling.

Life is great. I am so incredibly blessed and so happy. Don't get me wrong: great does not equal easy. Easy? hahaha! I laugh in the face of easy! It's been a tough ride, but one I wouldn't miss for the world. Life is the journey, not the destination. (Although God's made the destination worth waiting for!)

As the title implies, a LOT has changed recently. I've attempted to write blogs on these changes before, but they always come across as repetitive. Maybe someday I'll publish those when I can reword them. But today's topic is about change, and more specifically friendship.

I give to you....

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Silver and Gold: Making and Keeping Friends

I was having a conversation the other day with one of my new friends about the friends we left behind at home. We ended up talking about all sorts of things, both lighthearted and serious. As we talked I started to give my perspective on things and realized that I was quoting a song to describe how I felt about my old friends. It's from A Very Potter Sequel, and it goes something like this. I started by saying that I didn't want to say goodbye to my old friends at first, but I knew that 

It's not forever, not forever no.

And even if it was, you know that I would never let it get me down

Cause you're the part of me that makes me better wherever I go.

So I will try not to cry, cause no one needs to say goodbye!

The lyrics are really true though. Over the summer, the more I thought about losing my old friends, I realized that thought in and of itself was wrong. I wasn't going to lose anyone. I was just saying "see you later!" I mean I'm coming home each summer! And I began to think that even if it was goodbye, I'd still see them in Heaven. Be that as it may, if I did have to say goodbye for now, I wouldn't be upset because I'd always have the memories that I made with them. I'd always have the ways that they made me into a better person. Even if we never saw each other again, they would always be with me. 

YES I know it's corny, but it's true! Many times the truth sounds corny, but that doesn't make it less true.

Think about your friends. They make you who you are. Good or bad, friends shape who you are, even in ways you can't control. Our friends  shape the way we think, the way we act, and the way we look at the world around us. That's why picking good ones is so important. No matter where we go, or what we do, we will be who we are because of the friends we have had.

As I was thinking about this, I realized too that leaving didn't mean I had to let my old friends go. There's an old saying "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." Why should I give up something great if I don't have to? Often times it seems like we have to get rid of all the old to make way for the new. Granted: I haven't kept up with many of my old friends the amount I would like to, and many I have lost touch with altogether. Even so, when I go home to visit, they are all there waiting, and we pick up just where we left off. Don't let society, people around you, or even your own misconceptions about the world lie to you. You don't have to let go of old friends to make new ones. You may not keep in touch with the old as often as you'd like, and you may grow distant, but they are still your friends, and shouldn't be let go for something as trivial as time apart.

Getting ready to leave, I was realistic. While I had no intention of dropping my old friends, I knew that I would need to make new friends where I was going. I couldn't just stay in the past. God calls us to love one another as He loved us. And how does He love us? Like a hurricane: unrelenting and strong. Like a cool breeze on a summer day: soothing and gently. He loves us with a never-ending love. If we are called to love as He does, we too are called to share in that outpouring of love. How can we do this if we don't have hearts to pour love into? We are called as disciples of Christ to make friends and to pour His love into their lives. 

God's love is a gift of self. You can't give yourself to others if you don't have someone to give it to. God calls us by our baptism to share in His plan for salvation. That means that He calls us, by virtue of belonging to Him, to make friends. He didn't create us to be alone. That's one reason He made Eve. He gave us a community to love, care for, and support one another. It is our vocation to love one another. Bet you never thought of making friends like that, huh?

I got involved in my Church, and instantly formed a solid friend-group. We love and support each other, and we truly are a family. I didn't stop there though. I have friends all over campus now, from all different political and religious viewpoints, and all different backgrounds. And that's great too! Everyone needs to see God's love for them. After all, we are the only Christ some people will see. 

Now my heart is overflowing with love. The more I made friends, the more I realized I was capable of loving. It's one of the weird paradoxes of our faith, and of love especially. The more we give of ourselves, the more we find we have to give. I'm so blessed by God to have been put where I am, surrounded by a group of amazing people, and in a place I truly feel I belong. I have my friends at home, and now I have a new group of friends here. They both are a huge part of who I am, and I don't have to let go of either one.

I don't tell you all of these things to brag. Ya'll know by now, I hate talking about myself. But God is so great that sometimes we just need to shout it out, you know? Not only that, but I share this to let you know that this is exactly what you can have too. You can have both: old and new. Regardless of how tough life is now (like I said, my life is great, not easy), it will get better. Regardless of how bad the people around you might seem, God will point you in the direction of the people who need you. Who knows, the worst people may even be the people who need you the most!

So, how do you go about finding these friends? 

Answer: Pray. Ask God to send you people that can help you. Ask Him to send you to the people that need your help; to those that need to see Him; to those that most need love. Then be open to the answer. Be open to the Holy Spirit moving in you. Don't get caught up in what people look like, or first impressions. Far too many times I've let that keep me from getting to know people. Then when I finally get to know them, I regret not knowing them sooner because I see them for who they are. Also, be social, even if it's not easy for you. Say hello. Introduce yourself. And SMILE. Show them God's light and His love. He'll put you where you need to be, when you need to be there, if you just listen.

God's blessed me so much with the friends I have, and I can't wait to meet the friends I have in my future. I know that they'll be great. I will pray that you find the friends you were called to make as well. They're waiting for you!

I'll end by sharing this picture with you, that sort of sums it all up:

 (Yes it's from Kingdom Hearts. I'm having a nerd moment ok?)

Just keep thinking of your friends, and praying for them. Then even if you don't see them again, you know that you'll always be together. And who knows, maybe your journey together has only just begun. Or maybe it has yet to!

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The song today is one that you all know: You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman. What other song could possibly capture this topic as well?

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

When the road looks rough ahead

And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed

You just remember what your old pal said

Boy you've got a friend in me

Yeah you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

You got troubles and I got 'em too

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you

We stick together, we can see it through

'Cause you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be a little bit smarter than I am

Bigger and stronger too

Maybe

But none of them

Will ever love you the way I do

It's me and you boy

And as the years go by

Our friendship will never die

You're gonna see it's our destiny

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

1 John 4:7 says  "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God." 

Show God's love to others through your friendship. Spread His light and love to both the old and the new. 

Until next time my friends, I'll be praying for you!

Keep praying for me too!

~Wanted~

Riders on the Storm

How navigating life can feel at times

Good morrow friends! It has been a while! Summer has come and passed, and here we are in a new school year. Lots of changes abound, and life continues onward. If this beginning seems rambly, it's probably because it is. I just really needed to write tonight, so here I am! 

Anyways... Events in my life and the lives of others over this past summer made it abundantly clear what my next topic should be. Without further ado....

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Braving the Storms - The Ups and Downs of Life

Thunderstorms are awesome. Literally awesome. They inspire awe. I mean do you want to be outside during one of them? Imagine yourself outside in the worst thunderstorm you can remember. Thunder and lightning rage all around you. Rain pours down so hard that it stings your skin. All you want to do is seek shelter, but there's hardly any, and what there is is close to paper thin, only taking away the sting of the rain. Lightning pounds the ground around you, and thunder shakes the air. All you can do is sit breathless and wait it out, doing the best you can to make it through. In awe of the storm. 

Isn't that how life feels a lot of the time? Like a never-ending storm? I have this paper to write and this class to go to and this friend to see. I have this problem to solve and that one and another. Family and friends and school and work. Or the failing of dreams. Or any number of things. Sometimes living just feels a little bit like dying inside. Like that boat in the picture, tossed about in the waves.

This past summer, I had a storm or two. People in my life made mistakes. Deep ones. And I had to deal with the aftermath. I had to face leaving behind everything I know and embracing a new reality (a separate post on that is coming soon!). And my prayer life had it's ups and downs. I was like that little boat, going up and going down, just trying not to capsize. I didn't understand why God was letting all that happen to me. Why? I mean did I deserve it? Did I do something wrong? And why wasn't He answering my prayers? Why weren't these people getting help? Why was He letting all this occur in the first place? Why did there have to be a storm?

Sadly, it's a fact of life that there are storms. Bad things happen. Rough patches hit. We all have them, and we all have to get through. They are never easy or fun, and really put us to the test. Let me repeat that: The storms of our life put us to the test.

Here we've found a key. Storms push us to grow. To be better. To become the best us we can be. When I got through those storms, I was the best version of myself I had ever been up to that point. Yes, they were tough. I lost a very dear friend. I endured a lot of drama. I asked questions about my faith and pushed myself. But it was all worth it. I came out of it all with stronger friendships. And my faith? It was the strongest it had ever been. I was the happiest with myself I ever had been when I finally emerged from the storms. Storms are our chance to grow. They are God's way of saying: It's time to move on, you are meant for so much better!

John 15:18-20 says ""If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you,  'No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."

God told us there would be storms, but that storms would make us stronger:

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3

Storms are never easy, but God lets them happen so that we can become who we were meant to be. Or really, who we are. We already have all the qualities God made us with, we just have to draw them out. In hardship we are made into who we already are. Think of refining a metal in a furnace. The heat is so hot the metal almost melts, but then it emerges stronger than it was before. That's what happens to us in our storms. The metal was there all along, the furnace just made it more of what it was. Storms make us more of who we are.

I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed a storm of life. But every time I emerge I am so glad that they happened, because the person they make me into is so much more than the person I was before. I know this to be true for many of my friends as well. The next time you encounter a storm, embrace it. Thank God for it. Through the testing you will be made stronger. Life has it's ups and downs, but it wouldn't be complete without them. And if we never experienced our dips and turns, we'd never really become who we are. 

The most important thing to remember is that God is always with us. He never leaves us, and never lets us navigate the storms alone. I picked the picture of a boat for a very particular reason. Remember the story in the Bible about Jesus in a storm? Jesus and the disciples were on a boat, out fishing. Jesus was taking a nap. It was a nice day and the weather was fine. Suddenly a storm came upon them, a massive storm. The disciples were afraid. Think of what a big storm that must have been, that fishermen who have spent their entire lives at sea are scared! These are grown men, not kids! And yet through all this Jesus sleeps. The disciples all in a panic awake Him, telling Him they fear for their lives. Jesus tells them to trust Him, then says to the storm "Be still". The storm immediately goes away and the sea is once again calm.

Jesus calmed the storm. We never encounter our storms alone. All we have to do is trust in Him. He guides us through them all along, and says to them "Be still" when they become too much for us to handle. The pains of this life are only temporary, and He is with us to navigate us through even the bumpiest of seas.

I started this post by saying that storms inspire awe. Yes, they are scary when you are trapped in them, and are had to get through. But they bring such great things: those beautiful just before rain/just after rain smells, the pitter-patter of raindrops, the beautiful lightning flashes and grandiose rolls of thunder, and much needed nourishment to plants. Not only are storms impressive when they are here, but they also show their impact when they are gone. The storms in our life bring good things, just as thunderstorms do, we just have to look at them the right way. Our ups and downs of life are truly awesome too.

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Whenever you feel like your pain is too much, remember that Jesus Himself had storms in His life. I mean facing your own death is pretty rough! Nothing is too great or too small to bring to Him.

The song tonight comes from the artist Laura Story, "Blessings"

In it she talks about all the things we pray for, and how sometimes it feels like He doesn't answer. How sometimes we just want the storms to end. It tells of how God lets us grow through the storms:

Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?

What if your healing comes through tears?

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life, are Your mercies in disguise?

Listen to the rest of the song, it really defines the truth of our storms.

And remember that He is always with you, no matter what:

"And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Never give up, you are worth so much more than that! Weather the storms, and become who you are.

Praying for you all!

Until next time,

~Wanted~

Time After Time

Time Stops for No One

Hello all! Hope everything is going well for all of you! It's been a while since I've wrote, and I've got lots of new ideas flowing. Summer has been busier than ever before, but it's been great! It's really been one of the best summer's ever. 

And one of the saddest.

Why?

Because it's my last. Well last like this anyways. When school starts again in the fall, life will be vastly different than anything I've known my entire life up to this point. I'm comfortable where I am. Happy. Unfortunately for me, we were not called to comfort, but for greatness (another post for another time). So they'll be a lot that changes. As such, it's a summer of firsts.... and of many lasts as well (again, separate post on that). But through all of the firsts and the lasts, I've had a lot of time to reflect. And if there's anything you've learned from me by now it's that thinking is a very dangerous thing for me to do.

With that, we begin....

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How Am I Different?

Yep. That's what's been coming to mind. Over and over again. Certain things strike me in particular. I suppose a good place to start would be LTLC. I have an entirely separate post on my LTLC experience which can be found here. I actually read back over it as I was preparing to write this post. That week was the best week of my life so far. I tell that to everyone who asks what LTLC is like, and my answer is the same no matter who asks it. Lifeteen Leadership Conference 2012 was the best week of my life to date. I met so many amazing people, and grew in so many ways, that nothing else can really compare. I kept the journal I wrote that week, and still read over it from time to time when I need inspiration, or just a reminder of who I am. I'll never forget the memories of that week.

But that week isn't the point of this post. No, as I said, that was a year ago. LTLC 2013 has come and passed, and there are 500 new teens out there feeling exactly what I did as the retreat ended. It was something new. It wasn't a retreat high, but a true commitment to get my life started and turned around. And I held to it pretty well.... for a while.

As LTLC 2013 came and passed, it made me realize that it had been a year. Yes it's an obvious observation, but it hit me hard. It had been a whole year since I was there. Since I saw nuns walking down the street next to a game of frisbee; since I got to pray at the bench overlooking the river; since I talked to absolute strangers that grew into friends I still talk to to this day. A whole year. And that made me think. It's been a year. It was the best week of my life. I was changed, or so I said. So how am I different? What changes in my life have I made that make me any different than I was a year ago?

How have I changed? First I didn't want to even ask that question. It's a scary question to ask. It asks that we take a look at ourselves and deeply consider our lives as they were and as they are. That level of introspection is enough to frighten even the best of us. But it is a question that all of us need to ask. 

I started to really think about it. And what I found.... well it was mixed. There were some areas of my life where I had soared to new heights. I had made even deeper friendships, and committed my life to God more than I ever had before. I had really committed to this blog and spreading God's love in this way. I had been nicer to my family, and worked more on the relationships I already had. And many other more personal things.      But there were also many lows. True faith takes work. I'm going to repeat that again for emphasis. True Faith Takes Work. It's not something you wake up one day and decide: ok, I'm going to be close to God now. That's is a great start. It is a fantastic start. But that's all it is: a start. Then you have to take action. You have to pray each and everyday, developing the relationship between you and your Father. You have to go to the Sacraments. And you have to act. If there are areas of your life that are inconsistent with your beliefs, then sadly they have to go. It's not easy. But God never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it. Faith takes work. And as I took a hard look at my life, I realized that I hadn't been putting in my hours. I had a great start. But there were many areas of my faith life that needed fixing.

The great thing about that is that now I know. Jesus himself said He did not come to Heal the healthy but the sick. There are areas of my life that are still sick. Now that I know what they are, I can hand them over to Him to be fixed. I don't expect it to be easy. In fact I very readily expect it to be some of the hardest work I've ever done. But in the end it will be worth it. I mean what's a little work when you consider that all your effort is just bringing you closer and closer to Love, not just any love, but Love Himself.

I never would have recognized where I needed work if I hadn't been willing to ask myself the question How have I changed? We are all called to ask ourselves this question. Not just once a year, but monthly, weekly, even daily. How have I changed since I got up this morning? What do I need to do better tomorrow? A daily examination of conscience can help with this. See, as Catholics we are never called to remain where we are at. God is never done with us. We can always grow more. We might get comfortable with where we are at, but again, we are called for so much more. If we get too comfortable, we can begin to slide without knowing it, and end up further down than we've ever been before. Watching yourself, asking every once in a while "How have I changed?" is a great way to stop the slide. Once you know where you are at, you can better figure out how to get where you're going. 

So it's been a year, and I've changed. I know that I have more work to do, but that with God's help I can do it. I can still be bold and set the world on fire, just as I said I would a year ago. My heart is still on fire. The fire has changed, but it's still there. The Way is still waiting for me to walk. Love is still right there, waiting for me to let Him in. Truth is staring me in the face, and I am ready to accept it. A lot has happened in a year.

It's been a year. How have you changed?

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2 Corinthians 5:17 says "So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." We are in Christ. We should be new. Asking yourself what has changed can help you grow. Then each and every day you can be that new creation.

Finding a song for today was difficult. But I think it found just the one.

This is the first day of the rest of your life

This is the first day of the rest of your life

'Cause even in the dark, you can still see the light

It's gonna be alright, it's gonna be alright

The song is "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Once you find what's broken, you can fix it. Today is the only day you are guaranteed. Take full advantage of it. Be the best you that you can be. This is the first day of the rest of your life. Make your changes. How are you different today than yesterday?

 

I Dare You

Aren't you though?

Howdy everyone! School's over and done with! And now it's summer! Life's in an interesting time for me right now. It's a mix between really happy moments, and really sad moments. In short, it's bittersweet. I'm so ready for the next four years, and the changes they'll bring. At the same time, I don't want to let go. I don't want to say goodbye to so many of my friends, change where I live, change so much about my life. It's exciting and scary all in one.

I'd been thinking about all this for quite a while. Now it's real. And as it's come, I've realized many things. The first is the above quote. I am soo lucky that it's hard for me to say goodbye. It reminds me of just how blessed I am. If any of my friends are reading this now, thank you for everything. Keep in touch!

Yeah, I'm going to miss a ton, but I know that with God at my side it'll all be ok. 

Today sent me another reminder of things though. One of my friends sent me the story of Zach Sobiech today. If you haven't heard of him, you should look him up!! (Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NjKgV65fpo) He was a young man with terminal cancer that just died on the 20th of this month. He didn't let that stop him from living though. He just kept on living, and kept on doing what he knew best: making others happy, right to the end. He reminded me of many things. 

It's with that, that I begin today's topic. If I seem a bit scatterbrained, forgive me. I'm processing a lot for lack of a better word. :p

So.....

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Living

Funny right? I've done a post about letting go already (check it out here!) so that's not what this one is about. And no, this isn't about death either. Maybe I'll do that one someday. Not now. No, what that young man inspired me to write about was living, truly living.

I am dying right now. Now don't freak out guys, because guess what? You are too! Every second we live is a second closer to death as well. Everyone dies. It's a fact of life. And it's ok. Lion King, remember? Circle of life, etc. What matters is what we do with the time we have left. There's this poem I've heard a few times called "The Dash" by Linda Ellis (found here). Basically on your tombstone there's this dash between the dates of birth and death. That one small little line summarizes your entire life. Because the date you were born and the date that you died aren't really as important as what you did with the time in between, no matter how short or how long. 

How much longer do you have? How much longer do I have? You know, neither one of us can know that. I might have 50 years or 50 seconds (though if I finish this post, it's probably not the second one!) So what does that mean? Well, there are only a few things left to do then. I could curl up into a ball and be constantly afraid of the end - not really my cup of tea. I could continue living life like I'm going to live forever - not ideal. Or I could live each and every day to the fullest. I'm feeling the third one. If I do that, then it doesn't matter which day is my last.

So here we are, at the crux of the issue: because we will die, we should live. I don't mean just watching life pass from the sidelines like some sort of Nick Carroway. I mean diving in, headfirst, even if the water feels like it's 20 degrees and it's winter. Because ultimately, it's what we are all called to do.

There are so many people in the world today who aren't living. Myself included sometimes. There are so many people who think they don't deserve to live. There are so many people who don't think they can. I was thinking about it the other day, when it hit me:
God created all of us for a reason. A task only we could do. We are all called to know, love, and serve Him. We are called to do that in different ways. The very fact that you and I are still here, are still breathing, are still talking, means that our job is not done. God says that we have more to do. He says, by our simply breathing, that we are SOO important that the world literally could not function without us. If it could, we wouldn't be here. We aren't done yet. And We are sooo important that without us His plan wouldn't go the same way. We are irreplaceable, and completely necessary. Just by still existing.
So you see, we are CALLED to live. Interesting huh?
Then what does it mean to live?

Anyone can survive. All that takes is breathing in and out. It's so easy that most of the time our bodies do it on autopilot. It's harder to live. Living takes action and movement and participation. Not just watching, but doing. Living means doing what you love. It means doing what you are called to do. It means doing what makes you happy. It means doing and being what God made you to be; what you were created for. It might not be what you think it will be, but if you watch, it'll be great.

Alright so how do you live? In short: serve. It doesn't have to be in the traditional way. Just do what you are meant to do to make the world a better place. That young man Zach? He was kind to everyone he met, always smiled, and left his music for people to share. It doesn't have to be big things. It just has to be you. It means you do the best you can each day because you don't know which one is your last. Yeah, some days you might mess up, but don't get bogged down by them. Just start over. Live each day being the best person you can be. That way if your last day does come suddenly, you won't regret time not spent. You won't regret not getting done everything that you could. You won't regret not serving others more. You won't regret not loving more. In short: you'll be ready.

Everybody dies. Not everybody lives. Live your life.
Matthew 6:43 says:
"Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

Live today. That way if tomorrow doesn't come, you know that you gave it your best shot. Make your dash something beautiful.
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Today's song is "Dare You to Move" by Switchfoot. It's all about living life, no matter the past, no matter the mistakes, no matter the future for that matter. It's where the title comes from today.

I dare you to move

I dare you to move

I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move

I dare you to move

Like today never happened

Today never happened before

Move. Live. Love. Serve. Don't let your dash pass by in a blink.
Jeremiah 29:11 says:
"For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope."

Listen to the plans, and live them. You're still breathing, so you're still called to live.
God loves you always.

Praying for you all!

Until next time,

~Wanted~

Chance Encounters

God gives us hope eternal!

Sometimes I find that I can't write anything at all. This is not one of those times. Yes, I know AP exams are up and I should be studying. Something happened tonight that was just beautiful. It really was, in a sense, miraculous. 

Mr. Solomon, if you ever read this, thank you. You have no idea how much God worked through you tonight.

Finding answers means forgetting questions right? 

Sometimes the answers will just walk right up to you and have a nice chat.

What am I talking about?

I'm talking about a

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Chance Encounter

Before I can even get to who Mr. Solomon is, I need to touch on events leading up to our meeting. Yes, be warned, for just this once you will get a glimpse into the life of Wanted. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Tonight I was called upon to speak to a confirmation class at my church about ways they could get involved. They had just gotten confirmed a little over a week beforehand, a major step in their lives as Catholics. I was glad to do it, and excited, but I was disappointed. Very few people were signing up for things, and no one signed up for adoration, my topic. I was sad because they had just committed to the Catholic life as adults, and had become sealed by the Holy Spirit, yet they didn't realize what a tremendous gift they had been given. How could they not see how blessed they were?

Back tracking a little bit more... The past few weeks have been a bit rough. There has been so much going on in the nation, and in the lives of those around me, that it's been a lot to take in. I know it's not all my problem, but I like to help others, it's what I do. Seeing so much pain made me ask MANY questions. (Hence the post "...why?".) And it also got me worried. About the world, about my friends. About the future. Especially about the last one. There are quite a few changes coming in my life really soon, and I'm excited about them, but at the same time I'm very afraid. I'll touch more on this later.

After the talks, we went and had a Bible study with some kids from our youth group. While it was good, and I did learn a few things, it wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted to know more about what God said and why He said it, and what we did tonight wasn't really that. So I had fun, but I ended up wanting to just get something to eat, and go home.

God had other plans.

My friends and I all went out because we hadn't really had time to eat before our talks. As we walked into the restaurant, each one of us carried with us something that needed resolving. For me it was my worry. For another it was their self doubt. Yet another worried about their future. And there were more. None of us really thought that there would be any resolution, and I can guarantee NONE of us saw what God had planned coming. There we sat, having fun but feeling unsatisfied.

Then along came Mr. Solomon.

At first, we weren't sure what to think. Here was a stranger walking up to us and trying to strike up a conversation, right as we were leaving. Honestly I just wanted to go home. We tried to hurry up our conversation, so we could go. He asked us how we were, and what grade we were in. As we talked to him, he asked us what he wanted to be.

That was when the conversation changed.

When one of my friends answered that they wanted to be a youth minister, he smiled. He said did she know why? She answered, but it wasn't the answer he wanted. He asked us if we knew why, but none of us could give the answer he wanted. He said look up Matthew 28:18 to the end. He said we'd have our answer then. It read:
Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

We were all stunned. He went on to explain why that was so important, and why it mattered that people do what my friend wanted to do. He then did it for 2 more of my friends, asking them what they wanted to do, and telling them why they wanted to do it, and what was important about it. I wish I could tell you all of it, but I don't remember it word for word, and it would be the longest post EVER.

As we listened, we sat in awe of this complete stranger who initially creeped us out, but now was revealing to us some of the deepest yearnings of our hearts. He told us about how to combat sin in the world we are about to face, and about facing it with the armor of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17) He told us that no matter what, we should never fear because God is with us. If God is with us, than who can be against? The devil is soo afraid of Him, that as long as we stand with Him, and cling to Him, we have nothing to fear.

Those words stuck in my head: "Do not fear". All those broken friends. All those problems. All those worries about the future. I'd love to say they melted away, but that's not what happened. They were still there. But I wasn't afraid anymore. I was peaceful. I was reminded this night that I need to trust in God. Nothing is too great for Him. I might not understand why He does what He does, but it happens for a reason. He will never do anything to hurt us, and in the end we will be fine because we have Him. As long as we speak His words, and lead the life he wishes for us; as long as, like Mr. Solomon told us, we are crucified to ourselves and rise in Christ, then we need not be afraid, for God is with us. There is nothing that can break His power.

Our conversation with Mr. Solomon ended with him telling us to always remember Psalm 1:1-3. He said that it was the motto of his family, and if we follow that, then we will be successful in life, because we will be doing what God wants. By the time he was done talking, none of us wanted to leave. We had all entered the restaurant with different things on our minds, different loads on our chests, but we all left it rejoicing, with huge smiles on our faces. God had come to us in a way we never expected, and it turned our night around dramatically. We learned more in that conversation then we did the entire rest of the day beforehand. It was nothing short of a miracle.

Looking back on it, it's divine providence that things happened the way they did. If we had eaten beforehand, or had chosen another place, we never would have met Mr. Solomon. Not only that, but Mr. Solomon's name itself was too much of a coincidence to be .... well a coincidence! King Solomon was, in the Bible, the wisest person who ever lived. He was meek and humble, and good to all (at least in the beginning).  A man whose very name is associated with wisdom came to us tonight to tell us what God wanted us to hear. It's too much to have simply been a random happenstance.

So how does this relate to any of you? I'm glad you asked! We weren't expecting God to talk to us tonight, and we were DEFINITELY not expecting Him to talk to us through a stranger. The Holy Spirit WAS at work tonight after all. Remember when I talked about prayer and listening? This is proof of it. God will always be there for us, and always answer our prayers. We just have to be open to receiving it. If we had pushed away Mr. Solomon, like we wanted to at first, we never would have heard exactly what we needed to hear in that moment. God works that way.

A chance encounter brought us the answers we had been searching for. Be aware of how God is moving in your life. Be kind to everyone. Again, don't judge people. You never know who God might send to help you. God will ALWAYS be there for you, no matter what. It's up to us to listen to Him, and pay attention the messages He sends us through the people around us. That's why everyone is so important, because God can work through all of us. If we had passed off Mr. Solomon, we would have missed God's message, all because we judged him before we knew him. Instead we heard a miracle in action.
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So what is Psalm 1:1-3?

Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, Nor go the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy; God's law they study day and night.
They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers.

 Be the tree rooted in God's law and love. Live out His ways in your life. Put the messages together: Follow Him, Trust Him, Listen for the Answers, and Don't Judge Others. In doing so He will do marvelous things in your life. I don't just guarantee it, He does:

Matthew 28:20

"And behold I will be with you always, until the end of the age."

The song tonight comes from God's message to me: 

Be Not Afraid by John Michael Talbot

Be Not Afraid

I go before you always

Come follow me

And I will give you rest

Following Christ the way He calls us to will give us peace and joy beyond our imagination. Listen, and be ready for your own chance encounters. God's just waiting to talk to you. It's up to you to be open to the answer.

---

I feel like tonight was the ending of this series of posts, and the beginning of something new. God gave me a lot to think about tonight. I hope He did for you too.

It's time to put the messages together. It's time to start dying to ourselves that we might live. It's time to put on the armor of God. It's time to be a Christian.

Praying for you always,

~Wanted~

Deception, Disgrace

Couldn't have said it any better myself.

Well when it rains, it pours! I went from an idea desert to monsoon season! There's a lot going on in the world today, so there's a lot to write about. 

I'm really not good at doing this whole introduction thing. Usually I try to find an interesting or clever way of introducing topics. Every once in a while I don't really know how to do it. And this is one of those times. Tonight's going to go a little differently than usual though, so hang on tight.

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Judging

I know the song usually comes at the end, and is only a set of lyrics (as you may or may not know, I have a separate page for the songs!), but tonight's post wouldn't work any other way. The song must come first.

*Disclaimer* 

I do not own the song or this video! Only sharing to get a point across! All rights reserved to their respective parties, no copyright infringement intended.

Did you watch it?

Good.

"He is not one of us"

It's pretty obvious how this relates to the topic, right? The people (or I suppose animals) are passing down judgement upon the person (*cough* animal *cough*) in this video. They feel that they have been hurt. They see the mistakes of another, and are quick to cast him out of their midst.

It's an easy thing to do. I'm guilty of it myself. I used to avoid the "troublemakers" as much as I could. I didn't include them in my activities. Even at Church. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I really judged people. LOOONG before I even knew them. I was afraid of getting in trouble. I was afraid of getting hurt. I was afraid of becoming something I wasn't. Not to say that we should always hang out with "bad" people. If it's a danger to yourself, or you know it's not good for you, as a rule don't do it. I'm just saying that avoiding all people that you don't see as perfect is not the right way to go about life.

We all do it from time to time though. The most common example is cliques. We only hang out with those people who have something in common with us. Football players, drama kids, skate kids, techies, smart kids, film kids, etc. all have their own groups. A lot of time it's hard to break into those boundaries. Even then often those who try are shot down, or worse, made fun of. They don't fit with us. They're not "one of us". Yes, even the kids at Church do it. And that is THE WORST of all. Church is where we go to be accepted. It's a safe place. A place where all are welcome, faults and all. Broken piano, remember? When people get rejected at Church, they might never come back. They might spiral. They might do any number of things. All because they didn't fit our definition of "one of us".

"Evil as plain as the scar on his face"

Many times the people we leave out are the people we see as risky. As "evil". We don't want to get involved. We don't want to take the time to get to know them. We just want to see their faults. We just want to see their surface. We see the druggie. The girl who sleeps around. The gangster. The clown. The bully. The weird kid. The troublemaker. And why would we want to see anything else? It's easy to write them off. It's easy to ignore them. 

When we look at them on the surface see what we think are scars. Their sins. Their faults. Their failures. But more often than not we miss their real scars. Maybe they aren't scars on their faces. Maybe their scars are on their hearts. Soo many times people don't cause trouble just to do it. They do it to hide their troubles, to lose their troubles. To cover their scars.

Maybe that girl who's a cutter has to take care of all of her siblings. Maybe that druggie has an abusive father. Maybe that alcoholic's family member died, and he doesn't know how to cope. Maybe the clown just wants someone to notice him for once. Maybe the troublemaker just wants someone to see how hurt he is, and this is the only way he can think of to get attention. We don't know people until we know their hearts. How can we judge them with that? If we only knew that... Wouldn't you want to help them? 

What if you were that cutter? That druggie? That party girl?

Wouldn't you want help?

"Disgrace" "Do not forget what we cannot forgive"

There's a story in the Bible about a woman caught in adultery. The penalty at that time was death. I suppose that's sort of how it is today. Think about it. Someone messes up. Falls down, even once. They are ostracized, and their reputation "dies". They experience social death. After all, who wants to be seen with that?

People gathered around the woman, ready to kill her, holding their stones. What stones do we cast? Stares? Gossip? Just avoiding someone? Not defending them? Letting things happen that we know shouldn't?

Jesus stopped them. He told them that whoever was sinless should throw the first stone. Can any one of us say that we have never messed up? Can any one of us say that we are really better than anyone else? Can we really say that if everyone knew everything about us, they'd all feel the same way? Are any of us innocent?

One by one, people walked away. Jesus told her that no one condemns her, and neither did He. He forgave her of her sins, told her to sin no more, and sent her on her way. He didn't judge her. She WAS in disgrace. But he forgave her. Sometimes we don't want to forgive what people have done. Sometimes that's because it's easier. It's easier to cast the blame on others so that we don't have to focus on our own failures. We don't want to look at what's wrong with us, so we take it out on others. If it was good enough for God to forgive the woman, why isn't it good enough for us to forgive those who hurt?

"He is not part of us, not our kind"

If Catholic really means universal, then how can we act like that? How can we act contrary to what Jesus showed us by His example. EVERYONE is our kind. We are all sinners. We are all broken. (Again, PIANO!) Not a single one of us is better than anyone else. 

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So what do we do?

First:

Look inward. Why are we so judgmental? What are we avoiding in ourselves? When we can face our own fears, faults, and failures, then we can start to look outward. Plank in our own eyes ringing any bells?

Second:

Look outward. Look past the surface of the actions of others. Stand in their shoes. That crud you see on the outside could just be a cover up to the gaping hole they have inside. 

This doesn't mean you have to get involved in everyone's lives. Far from it. If it's unhealthy to hang with certain people, (which often it is) then DON'T. Rule of thumb: play it safe. There is so much you can do for people without getting personally involved though. Stop gossiping about them, and stop others as well. Just cutting out the talk can go a long way. Stop the stares, and the offhand comments. Stop the bullying when you see it. Small actions can go a long way. Then you can help others without them even knowing it. You can be there for them without having to face things that you aren't ready for.

Most of all, PRAY. It is the single biggest thing we can do, especially when we can't get involved personally. Pray a lot and pray often.

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Matthew 7 : 1-5 says:

"Stop judging, that you may not be judged.

For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye?

You hypocrite,  remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."

Follow these words. Judging others hurts. Being judged hurts. Our little actions can make a big difference. If we follow Christ's example, then we can end the cycle of judging. Then we won't be judged either.

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I'll end with another song from the Lion King II

"He lives in you

He lives in me

He watches over

Everything we see

Into the water

Into the truth

In your reflection

He lives in you"

God looks to all of us to do His work, and His life is in all of us. With that in mind, how could we ever put another down?

Praying for you always!

Until next time,

~Wanted~

... why?

  

How could one word carry so much?

I've had writer's block for a long time, and I think it's finally starting to fade. I miss you all! Hope you're still here with me! Life's going great, and the end of school is so close I can almost taste it!

Tonight's topic is rough, as you could probably tell by the title and the picture. So I'll just dive on in.

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Finding Answers

Do you know the amount of pain that is going on as you read this, and I write it? There are people who want to die. There are people suffering so badly they with they didn't exist. There are people being abused. There are people dying. There are people waiting to be killed. There are kids waiting for the dad to come home and he never will. There are hearts being broken and words going unspoken that will change lives forever.

So, Much. Pain.

And what is the first response? The most natural response, after maybe anger, or fear, or confusion. Asking. People ask all kinds of things: Why are you doing this to me? Why did daddy leave? Why doesn't anyone understand me? Why can't people just leave me alone? 

So. Many. Questions.

The biggest of which is put to God:

Why God?

Why me? Why did they leave? Why did she take my heart? Why do I hate myself? Why did he divorce her? Did I do something wrong? Was it something I said?

Why? Why let bad things happen to good people? What did I do to deserve it? Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why is there suffering at all? Why don't you just take my pain away? Why not, if you're all good like you say?!? Why did they have to die? Why can't it all just stop?

 And so many other questions like that.

Why?

Why let the horrors in the news happen?

To tell you the truth, I have no answer. I don't. I've been asking all of them too. And I've gotten mad at God. That's ok to do you know? To get mad at Him. God wants our everything. If we're happy, He wants our happiness. If we're sad, He wants our sorrows. If we're angry, He wants our anger. He wants us to scream at Him at the top of our lungs if that's how we feel. 

Why is that? Because being with God is a relationship. Prayer, is a relationship. Think of it like your best friend. Do you ever get mad at him/her? Of course! Do you fight? Of Course! And it's not healthy to hold that back, because your friendship could break up. When you're happy, you guys celebrate. When you're sad, he/she comforts you. When you're upset they ask what's wrong. So too with God and prayer. Yell at Him if that's where you are. He'll help you fix it.

Why is it that we get no answers then? Aren't relationships two sided? We ask, and ask and ask, but it seems most of the time all I get is a busy signal. Maybe that's just me. It's like you're trying to find someone, but you just keep missing them. I feel like He's not answering. He is, I just don't realize it. There's 2 parts to it.

First, is that you have to listen.

Funny right? But it's true. Have you ever tried calling someone at the same time as you? One of 2 things happens. You either get a busy signal, or it goes straight to voice mail.  So you try calling again, and the same thing happens. Neither one of you is going to get through to the other until one stops calling. Prayer is like that. You have to stop asking questions and wait. God is going to give you an answer. The only way you can hear it is if you stop focusing on what you have to say, and start focusing on His response. You can't think about what you're going to say and listen at the same time. Otherwise you miss parts. Important parts. Listen.

Second, is that the answer is not always what you'd expect.

God's will for us is perfect. He wants what's best for us. Why does that include pain? I don't know, but it does. When we pray for an end to our pain, does He give it? Sometimes, sure, if it's time for it to end. But when it's not His will, he won't. Most of the time what He'll do is show you WHY you go through your pain. The answer might not be immediate. It might unfold over years in subtle ways and little insights. Many times it does. That's why it's so important to listen and be vigilant. It can be hard to hear the answer. The answer will come, for you and me both. We just have to keep our eyes open for it.

So why do bad things happen?

I don't know. I asked and asked and asked, and the answer wasn't coming.

Until one day, when I was sitting in Mass. I was silent just long enough to realize that I wasn't listening. That I was guilty of over-dialing. Shutting down for just a few moments, I realized that in order to get my answers, I needed to stop asking why. I needed silence. Only then could God speak. The phone started ringing.

Be Silent. The answers will come.

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One of my favorite songs is "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. There are a couple lyrics that popped into my head as I was sitting in Mass that day:

"And finding answers is forgetting all of the questions we call home."

I had never been able to understand what that quote meant before that moment. It was one part of a beautiful song that remained a mystery. It hit me then: to find the answers, we've got to "forget" our questions. We've got to let them go. When we let go of our fears, our confusion, our questions, and just let God speak, great things happen. When we just let Him work, we get the answers we seek.

If you ever get the chance, listen to the whole song. It speaks to someone who's asking why, in their own life. He finds His answers, but it takes time. You will too. Here's the chorus:

 "And I've lost who I am, 

and I can't understand
Why my heart is so broken,
rejecting your love,  without, 

love gone wrong; lifeless words carry on 

But I know, all I know's that the end's beginning 

who I am from the start, 

take me home to my heart 

Let me go and I will run, 

I will not be silent,  all this time 

spent in vain; wasted years wasted gain
All is lost but hope remains and this war's not over
There's a light, there's a son 

taking all these shattered ones
To the place we belong
AND HIS LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL"

Pain.... well it sucks. Suffering? Yeah, that too. 

I still don't know why God lets these things happen. It's tough.

Maybe I'll never have all the answers. But I'll never know unless I try.

Now I'm going to start listening.

Psalm 46:10 says "Be Still, and know that I am God."

Be still. Be silent. Listen.

He'll answer your "Why" in ways more amazing then you could even imagine, if you're paying attention.

Forget the questions, Find your answers.

Praying for you always!

Until Next Time,

~Wanted~

How Can I....?

  

A People of God

HAPPY HOLY WEEK!

We've made it to a week of prayer and meditation, and I have much to say (no surprise there!) I won't have time to post everything in this special season, but I will be putting up my thoughts, so never fear!

Short introduction today, I'll get right into it. 

The first in a series on Holy Week, I give you:

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Standing With God

A Good Friday Reflection

So much has been going through my mind this week, but one thought in particular keeps coming back. What God did for us, this mystery, is unfathomable. I can't wrap my mind around it at all. There's a song we sing at Church at this time of year that says "Would you take the place of this man?" All I can think is no, I wouldn't. Why? Because I'm imperfect. My sacrifice wouldn't mean as much. Because I'd be too scared and afraid. Because I don't know if I'd overcome the peer pressure to help him. How would I act in that situation? I don't know. I hope I'd be able to help Him in some way. But would I take His place? No, because it's not mine to take.

So of course, what does God do? He casts me as His son during the reenactment of the Stations at my Church. Funny how He works that way. I didn't want to be, but He needed someone for the job, and I was the one who could do it. That reminds me of someone else I know of...

I'm ALWAYS (well almost now!) cast as Simon whenever I'm in a reenactment of the Stations of the Cross. Don't ask me why, I don't know. It just happens. I bet there's a message in that somewhere that I'm missing. Simon is an interesting character. We don't know much about Him. He was an innocent bystander. He didn't want anything to do with what was going on that day, but was dragged into it against his will. Initially he resisted helping God, but then he took up God's cross, and helped Him get to the end. In the movie the Passion of Christ we see Simon have a change of heart by the time they reach the top of the hill. Then he doesn't want to leave Jesus, but is forced to. I'd like to think that he realized just who he was helping, and what a deed he had done. 

So would I take the place of that Son of Man? No. But I could be Simon. I could help Him. I could walk with Him, and bear some of the load. I'm not strong enough to work alone. I'm not strong enough to take on the burden of the world. I'd like to be, but I'm not. None of us are. I certainly can't redeem myself, but I could help God in the redemption of others. I can't be Jesus, but I can be Simon. We all can.

What was so special about Simon? What did the guards that day see in him? Was he particularly strong? Did he look uninvolved, and for that reason they picked him? Was he the only one there who could do the job? Whatever the reason the guards chose him. 

Or at least it seemed like it.

Who chose Simon?

God did.

It wasn't chance that brought Simon to that road that day. It was in God's plan for him to be in that place and in that time. God moved the hearts of the soldiers, however hard, to chose that man. Simon was literally the only man who could have helped Jesus that day, because God put him in His path to do so. Only someone hand picked could possibly be up to the job! 

Each and every one of us..... is Simon too. God puts us where we need to be, when we need to be there. It's not just chance that you live in the world today. Each day is a gift. There is a special job only you can do today, and tomorrow, and every day. God has hand picked you and I to help Him carry His cross. And what might that be? The burden of the world's pain and sin. While we can't take the full brunt like He did, we can help with our small pieces, just as Simon helped Christ for a short time in His walk. Our help can help others, who can then help others, etc. Then our cross-bearing not only helps Christ, but the whole world in the process.

Maybe Simon needed help, just as much as he was helping. At first Simon was indifferent to the situation at hand. He didn't want trouble, he just wanted to go home. Then Jesus literally stepped into his life, and changed that. Simon underwent a change of heart while he was helping Jesus. Do you think he went home the same man he was that morning? He couldn't. He had an encounter with the infinite, and that changed his soul. He must have realized that what he did helped him just as much, or even more, than it helped God. He learned what it meant to love. What it meant to sacrifice yourself. What it means to follow God. What it means to turn the other cheek. Though they may not have said a single word to each other, Jesus and Simon shared moments that likely defined who Simon was.

When we follow God, when He pulls us in, when we help others, more often than not it is we ourselves who are changed. Service helps the one serving just as much as those being served. When we step in and help God carry His cross in our own lives, we invite Him to share ours as well. He takes our burdens, our fears, our pain, and gives us healing, hope, and freedom. As we partake of His cross, He enters our hearts and changes us into something new. How can we not love more when we know we are loved? How can we not be joyful when we know what awaits us? How can we not serve when we know how we have been served? How can we not stand up when we know how we have been stood up for? Jesus changes us when we allow Him in, when we take up our crosses and follow Him. As we help the world heal, we in turn open ourselves up to healing. We need help just as much as we do the helping. 

Simon was one of the few people that stuck with Jesus to the end. So many of His followers deserted Him. Even Peter denied Him and ran away. But Simon, a passerby, stayed with God to the finish. He stood with God. While he was forced to in the beginning, eventually he had a choice, and he chose to stay. Many of us don't have a choice to follow God initially, we're just introduced to Him as kids. But everyone in their life has the chance to chose. Do you stand with Him or against Him? Simon did, and it changed his life. Let it change yours too.

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The title comes from tonight's song, Everything by Lifehouse. This song helped inspire me to want to be Simon in my life. Read the lyrics, listen to the song, meditate on it. See His love in action.

And how can I stand here with you,
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me,
How could it be,
Any better than this? 

How can we stand with God and not be moved by Him? How can we not be changed as we help Him carry His cross? Be Simon. Let Him change you. And help change the lives of others too. How could it be any better?

Luke 23:26 says:

"As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus."

Maybe we can't take the place of the Son of Man, but we can take the place of Simon.

Praying for you always! 

Until Next Time,

~Wanted~

Who You Is

 

Someone's Got To, might as well be YOU

Howdy y'all! (Always wanted to say that on here! haha) Man I'm really spoiling you guys! I'm actually starting to post on a regular basis! Don't expect this too often. Didn't have any homework tonight and decided to write instead. 

Over the weekend I saw a movie for the first time, one that everyone should see. If you haven't seen it yet, you should. It's called : To Save a Life. It touches on just about every topic a teen could possibly struggle with in a beautiful and realistic way. I loved it. 2 hours of a great message. Sure the acting isn't perfect, and some of it you can see coming. Still, I wish that I had seen it sooner. It gave me A LOT to think about. There might be a few posts that come out of that movie.

This will be the first. There was a quote in that movie that really stuck out to me. If you've seen it you probably know the one I'm talking about. The main character starts going to a youth group at his church, but all he sees are pretenders. People who go to church so they can look good, but don't believe a word. He gets up in front of them and says:

"What's the point in all this if you don't let it change you?"

As I referred to in my last post, the greatest danger to Christianity is not from the outside, but within. Fakers: those who say they are Christian, but certainly don't show the world that by their actions.

And so we go....

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Actions And Words

My freshman year the principal gathered all the freshman together and talked to us about what to expect in high school. I really don't remember much of it, though I'm sure that it's something we've all heard before. One thing he said has stuck with me since then though, and that is the quote on which this post's title is based (however horrid the grammar be!). He said (not sure who said it first!) "Be who you is, cuz if you be who you ain't, then you ain't who you is." 

Ok..... what's that mean?

It means be who you are. Be real. Don't put on a mask. Insert other cliche here.

But really, that's what it's saying. You have to be who you are. Don't let what others say influence you if you know what you are doing is right. Don't let others tell you who you are. Be it. Because if you don't be yourself, then you aren't anyone. You aren't the mask you put on, because you know in your heart that's not you. But you aren't yourself either, how can you be? You aren't anyone. Be who you are, because if you don't then you really aren't anyone.

Why do I bring that up now? Well let me stall with more questions because you all know how much I love doing that! Bwahahahahaha!! ... but really....

What does it mean to be a Christian? A follower of Jesus Christ, etc. yeah I get that. But what does it mean? What does it mean that a man who was so much more than a man died for you? What does accepting Him in your life do to change you? What makes you any different? That's the core question, is it not? What makes you different?

There was a man. A man who carried the burden of the whole world. He knew the wrongs we had done. He knew many of us wouldn't even be sorry. He didn't care. He would take that chance if it meant that some of us would be free. So he paid the ultimate price: He died. But He didn't just die. That would've been too easy. Oh no, He first was rejected by almost everyone He knew. He was publicly humiliated. He was mocked. He was spit upon. Then He was brutally tortured and made to carry the instrument of His death. Finally He was raised up on His cross, and left there to die - suffering for hours on end - while crowds looked on in hatred, laughing and jeering. The people who had just days before celebrated Him were now relishing His death. Imagine that sadness of His heart to see humanity at one of its lowest points. 

THAT is Jesus. THAT is what He did for you.

Why? Because He loves you. It's as simple as that cliche. He loves you. So much so that He would die for you even knowing what sins you would commit, how you would turn away from Him, what whirlpools you would choose, etc.. None of that mattered to Him if it meant that you would have even the smallest chance of happiness. 

THIS is the essence of Christianity. Self-Sacrifice. Agape Love. To die to oneself so that God can shine through and you can show others His love.

A Christian is joyful. And why not? The God who created the cosmos and the very laws of physics that govern them is his best friend! He doesn't need to worry about this life because there is something so much better waiting for him.   (Note: Joy does not equal happinness, but that's another topic.) 

A Christian follows the commandments because they want to know, love, and serve God. They want to be free (see The Rules). 

Sadly this is far too scarcely seen in society today. People see the "Cafeteria Catholics" who pick and choose what they want to believe and how they practice it. People see the "Sunday Christian" who is holy for that day of the week, but goes out partying, drinking, etc. the night before. People see the "Holier Than Thou" Christian, who seeks to make himself look better than everyone else. People see the "judgemental Christian" who is always putting down those who are different. People see the "Two-faced Christian" who act one way at Church and another way with friends. People see the "youth group Christian" - the kid who is always involved in His church, but never pays attention to it and doesn't care a lick about what any of it means.   They see the fakers who go to Church once a year because they think that covers them. They see far too many examples of what a Christian is not, but never what a Christian is: A Follower of Christ.

 If this is all you see of what it means to be a Christian, I'd agree with you: there's no point to it. If that's what it is, then you really are no better for being a Christian. In fact in some ways its worse because you are being something you're not. What's the point of all of this if you don't let it change you?

Be who you is.

If you're going to be a Christian, be one. Do it with your all. Don't just go to church on Sundays. Pray on your own. Study the Bible. More importantly than anything else, ACT LIKE ONE. A Follower of Christ is an Imitator of Christ, showing the world what God's love is. Wearing a cross or a crucifix does not make you a Christian - sorry if you thought so. It looks nice, but it's an empty statement if there's no action to back it up. How is it Christian to bully a kid at school? How is it Christian to lie? How is it Christian to use girls for your own pleasure? How is is Christ-like to cheat on a test? How is it Christ-like to cut someone off in traffic? How is it Christ-like to  neglect others in your life? How does any of that show God's love? 

A Christian shouldn't need to wear a cross for people to know he is one. St. Francis said "Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words." By our very actions the world should be able to see who we are, and what we stand for: the God of Love, and loving others. By showing love to others, by sacrificing even small things each day, by something as simple as a smile we can demonstrate to the world we are Christians. The cross is a reminder to you of what you stand for. It shouldn't be something that draws attention to you, but draws attention to God. If that's your reasoning, go for it. Otherwise words and crosses are cheap. Prove it. Be another Christ to someone.

Because if you  be who you aint...

If we continue to let the stereotypes stand, then we really are not changed. If you know Christ, REALLY know Him, there is no way your life won't change. I'm not saying it's easy - far from it. It will take sacrifices. It will take strength you never knew you had. But all of that is worth it, and it pales in comparison to what He did and continues to do for you each day. 

If you say you are a Christian, but don't follow through with actions, your life's going to feel empty. A shell. Empty words. Empty promises. You'll either be empty because:  you really aren't and are just saying so to look cool , in which case you are just wearing a mask; or you are a Christian but never do anything, so your faith will stagnate and feel hollow. St. Paul said that faith without works is dead. It takes both. Don't just say you are a Christian, LIVE IT.

Then you ain't who you is.

I have a challenge for you all. Everyone - Followers and Fakers alike. Be real this next week. Just try it for seven days. See what happens. Being fake helps no one, least of all you. If you are going to follow God, do it. Go all in. You have nothing to lose. Be Bold. Take that next step. Let God into your heart and let Him work in and through you this week. I promise if you take it to heart marvelous things will happen. Not necessarily huge things, or noticable things, but marvelous things nonetheless. Everytime I recommit I see it too.

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Being a Christian is not something you just do for a day and then it's over. Like I said, it ain't easy.

It takes a daily renewal.

Everyday when you wake up in the morning, you have to decide: Will you follow Christ today, or will you follow something else? The choice is up to you. I don't claim to be perfect. Often times I find myself choosing others paths just as often as not. I fall. But being a Christian doesn't mean you're perfect. Far from it. Being a Christian means that you admit that you are not perfect, and can't do it alone. Being a Christian does not mean you are better than anyone else. It means you admit that you need help. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you are stronger than anyone else. It means that you need God to strengthen you. 

Starting over with each new day, working towards God, working for His will. That is a Christian.  A daily renewal. A daily decision to sacrifice yourself for others. Agape love. That is what being a Christian is all about.    

Christians need to step up to the plate and show the world what Christ was and is really all about. Not the masks we wear to impress the world. Who cares about them when you've got God? The only way to change the way things are now is to take action ourselves. We are the only Christ some people will ever see. Make it a good one.

So now I ask you, reader:

"What is the point of all this if you don't let it change you?"

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I think the only verse that could work here is John 3:16.

God loved us.   So what?  What do we do in response? That's for you to decide.

Tonight I leave you with Hosanna by Hillsong United:

I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a new revival
Stirring as we

pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity


Rise up to take your place. Love like He loved you. Be who you is.


Praying for you all!


Until Next Time,


~Wanted~