Just take a second

I'll be honest, writer's block is pretty much a common thing for me. I have all of these ideas but not the words needed to express them, or sometimes I can't seem to organize my thoughts at all. But make no mistake, this blog post is in no way shape or form the product of writer's block, or the absence of any ideas. In fact it's simply to illustrate the most accessible but assumably most forgotten way to worship: appreciation. To be still for even a second. With such busy lives, too often we forget to take a second and realize our God knows each and every star by name. We forget that he creates a new sunset every night for us to see. We forget that he can split the sea into two. We never stop to realize our God designed each and every plant, flower and animal from mighty lions all the way down to sugar ants barely noticeable to the human eye. And too often we even forget that he put the same, if not more, effort into making us. Beautiful and intricate, the same God who can calm waves and still the wind, who can heal the sick and injured, specifically designed us in His image. When you look around, it's easy to let the little things fly right past you. At the same time, taking a second to look at God's creation and realize the value in it is a way for us to grow in our relationship with Him. Just because he's God, it doesn't mean you can't one on one take time to show Him your appreciation and adornment for His creations!

But the greatest of these is love

When we think of the commandments God gives us to follow, it's certainly easy to become overwhelmed. "Do unto your neighbor," "Control your tongue," "Honor your mother and father." The list goes on and on. Throughout the entire Bible, commands are given to us as guidelines for living a life in alignment with God. But in a world feeding us so much information- from classes, to important deadlines, and "I was supposed to pick up the kids at what time?!"- God's reminders to us can quickly leave the forefront of our minds. However, they don't necessarily have to. The long agenda of guidelines can be summed up into one constant thought immovable from our minds and hearts.

"... But the greatest of these is love." Love. The commands given by the Bible can be summed up in this single word, small in size yet powerful in meaning. Love is our call to others. Love was Jesus's effect for us on the cross, and the cause that nailed Him there to begin with. Love gifted us with a Savior... "for God so loved the world, He sent His one and only son." Love is stronger than death, and crushes sin in it's grasp. Love isn't only a feeling, but rather an action. Love brings people together and becomes our unity with God. Love creates hope in us and lights the path before us. Love opens up doors for purpose. Without love, we are nothing. With love, we are God's everything. It's easy to be overcome by the immense amount of commands granted to us, but when you combine them down to a common call to action, love is always the answer. The single command to love indirectly includes all of the other commandments in themselves. For if we truly love, each and every other commandment is redundant. God is love, and we are called to walk along side Him in his mission to love.

Unsure of where I'm going, Sure of who goes with me

I was speaking to a man the other day about missions, and he told me a story and followed it with "We didn't know why we were there at the moment, but it turned out we were at the right place at the right time." And isn't that so true for all of us? We spend so much time worrying about where God is calling us and finding the right place to be, when in reality we're usually exactly where God wants us at that moment and time. And that doesn't mean we'll always recognize it, or always realize. I'm willing to bet most of the times we feel like we're the furthest from where God is calling us, when he changes our plans and we see His plan unfold right before us. All of a sudden the wrong place became very, very right. We won't always know. We won't always be sure of where God is calling us. But isn't that part of the beauty of it? Our lack of security in those decisions on where to go, it all illustrates our faith in God, our trust in His plan, our confidence in Him, and our willingness to go beyond our comfort. That right there, is beautiful. To step out into the world, unsure of where it will take you, but sure of the God who goes with you. And is there ever really a "right" place? I mean think about it, isn't any place the right place to be an example of Christ? Isn't any place the right place to witness? What would a wrong place look like? Because if the goals of your actions in that "right" place are to pursue God and lead others to Him, how is it ever justifiable that there is such wrong place to do so? We're always looking, searching, longing for that right place God is calling us. But if you take a second and look around you, why can't this be your right place? Who's to say you don't have a mission to fulfill here, people to impact, lives to change. Instead of looking for the "right" place to be to carry out God's plan, focus on existing where you are as you are, not overlooking the very opportunities around you. You insist on finding the right place to witness about God? Earth is that place. Wherever you are, in the midst of trouble or in the most joyous season of your lifetime, God is working in your heart and in your mind. No matter your physical place or where you're at emotionally, the perfect place to witness to God is exactly where you are NOW.

Don't fight the battle alone

How often do we tend to throw out the term "God won't give you anything you can't handle!" at the sure sign of trouble? When life gets rough, it's a common phrase Christians throw around like common knowledge, that we may face hardships but nothing we can't overcome. God won't give us anything too large for our own strength, right?
Wrong. If you really, really think about it, we get obstacles thrown at us left and right which could easily knock us out in an instance. And in reality, the world- life itself- is too much for us to handle. But that's simply the catch. There's a disclaimer to add here. Life, full of its obstacles and hardships, is indeed no easy journey- alone. When faced with all of the hurts of life, left to our own strength, we wouldn't make it past the first round of the fight. But because we have a God who walks with us every step of the way, those same difficulties are possible to overcome. The world will always throw things at us of which we have no where near the capability to handle- but God does. And His strength through us has the power to heal every wound, mend every broken part of us. God picks us up from where we've fallen with failures and struggles, where sin thought it had been victorious. Not because we have the strength or the might to face life alone, but because we have a God who is life, who defeated death, and who meets us in the midst of our pain to lead us on. Call me crazy, but don't you think if Jesus had the power to defeat sin and overcome death, he has the power to save you from your pain? If he can heal the blind and split the roaring seas into two, who's to say he can't defeat the battles you're facing? To say "God won't give you anything you can't handle" is merely an understatement. Yes, life will come and it will knock you off your feet. But when you face life head on with the King of kings and The Lord of lords on your side, there's no telling the depths of what you can overcome. It's not about life being easy, or being strong and facing life alone. It's about knowing that when life gets too hard to handle, you can turn to a God who can bear all of the weight and continue to walk alongside you on your journey. It's about knowing that nothing is too hard for our God to handle. It's about knowing you don't have to face your challenges alone.

He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” (‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭27‬ NLT)

It is finished

Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭2-7‬ NLT)

Every Easter people around the world come together as one to worship not only a living God but a victorious one. However, how many of those people return to worship the next week? The week after that? For many followers of Christ, living out faith is only applicable on two occasions: Christmas and Easter. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with having people worship and hear the word of God, would it not be better to have the same crowds weekly that most churches only witness to on two occasions? What we see here in the story of Jesus's resurrection is not only a story of victory over death and sin, not only a battle in the grave for all of humanity, but there is also a calling straight from heaven directed to each and every one of us.

When Mary approaches the grave and finds an angel there, the angel orders her to go and tell the disciples. Beyond to go, Mary must also remember- something we so often lack the ability to do. As followers of Christ, it is our mission to tell the world of the great love God has for us and the grace we now receive because of Jesus's victory over sin. Like Mary, we must go. We must go beyond our comfort zones, outside of our neighborhoods, to the ends of the earth to share who God is and what he has done for us. We must share. Because in reality, if we receive God's love to the fullest, and we believe His word to be true, how could we keep quiet? How could we keep that amazing gift of grace and forgiveness to ourselves. It contradicts itself to call ourselves followers of God, who teaches love, if we do not also spread His love around us.

The angel that morning also told Mary to remember. You and I, I'm willing to bet we have a hard time with that sometimes. Ever forget the keys on the counter, leave your purse in the car, misplace someone's name? Too often we forget the smallest things but no, God's love is all too powerful to be simply forgotten. Many of us hear the Easter message and by Monday morning we are back to normal, only to come back and hear the story once more a year later. However, we live because Jesus rose to life. Without the crucifixion on the cross, without the empty tomb, and without a celebration of victory we would not live to see days as great as we do. Darkness held the world in its fingertips until Jesus rose from the ashes to bear light. We cannot go day by day without remembering the Savior who made those days possible. As the year goes on, sure people may stay in their boundaries or become absent minded of the victory Jesus held over the grave, however as followers of Christ we must lead by example and continue to go. Day by day, don't only remember how great God's love is for you, but share that truth with those around you so that they too can experience the abundance of grace gifted to us. It is finished, indeed!

Despite Imperfections

When we think about our actions in comparison to God's, it's definitely easy to lose hope of any possible salvation. I mean let's be honest God is perfect and holy and beautiful.. And us? We're just average daily sinners who fall short of the cross. But that's not where the story ends. Though we may sin, though we may destroy, though we corrupt, because of God's grace and his mercy we are made new and whole. You see, God made us in his image. Yes: you are beautiful and worthy and perfect not because of anything you've done but because of God's image through you. You are- regardless of the sins you commit on a day to day basis. Though we may see ourselves personally as failures, as people who are unworthy of forgiveness, God sees us as his beautiful children and he sees our hearts and our desires. He knows the effort we give to follow him and he knows that sometimes we'll give into sin. None of that changes the fact that we are his sons and daughters of whom he'll never stop pursuing no matter how far we run or how deep we hide. God loves us now. Not who we were, or a future "better" version of us. He loves us as we are- imperfect people perfect because of his love shown through us. There's no need to impress God, because he already knows how valuable and special you are in his kingdom. There's no need to impress people, because God never said to. God never said to impress people, only to love them. So love the people around you and cherish them. God made them just as perfect and beautiful as he made you. Just as much time is given to them as God gives to you. As brothers and sisters in Christ, love and care for each other just as Jesus led by example. All of us are valuable to God, so hold that same worth among each other.

The Power of a Smile

As human beings, our faces say a lot about us. Whether we're aged, tired, worn down. Roughed up, toughened up, or flawed. The emotions and features on a face are stories. Though each is powerful, none is more than that of a smile. 

For years people have argued that smiling is contagious, and I have to admit I agree. Whether you want to or not, there's a special need to smile when you're surrounded by happy people regardless of how upset you may be. People often say "fake it till you make it," with negative connotation, but again they may just be overlooking some truth. Because with each smile, one's mood lightens. Forced at first, that very smile turns genuine and reflects the true emotions behind it. What an amazing thought that something as small as a smile can convey such emotion and depth. 

We smile out of happiness. Out of joy, bliss, excitement. We smile during positive times. Then ironically speaking, why do we so often lack smiles? The Bible shares with us the greatest story of them all, God's one and only son laying down his life for the forgiveness of sins of people in the past, present, and those who have yet to even breathe life. What a story of hope and joy, right? Eternal life, with one who is perfect and holy and flawless and full of love. Where is the negativity in that? Where is the pessimism? If God's truth is a reality, and we believe it to be, we should be optimistic, no? A life full of smiles? Not so much the case. We know God loves us and we often know he has a plan for us, but maybe sometimes we can't see the thought so clearly. Maybe sometimes doubt gets in the way. Maybe pain and suffering or loss fog up the ideal truth God shares with us. But just because there's a little fog, just because the idea is hard to see, doesn't mean it isn't there. God's love and plan for us always exists whether we see it to be true or not. Therefor maybe we need a little redirection every once in a while. Maybe we should focus so greatly on God and His goodness that we have no reason NOT to smile. Because not only do smiles reflect us and our feelings, but they impact others. And I'm willing to bet that the world would be more willing to listen to Christians if it was clear on our faces the wonders of God and His never failing love for us. Live out your faith. Wear it where the world can see it. Smile and be a living example of God's love.

Perfect Weakness

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

We are all imperfect humans made perfect through God. Just as a parent loves their child, our father in heaven loves us all the more. Though life has it's seasons of both abundance and drought, God is always present. When we succed it's easy to see God at work in out lives, but during the season of drought, the season where failure is more present than anything, God is still at work. God urges is to call on Him when life is too rough to bare. What better display of His power? Our weakness as humans is the perfect opportunity to showcase the strength we achieve through Christ. Just as the lyrics go, "Sin was strong but Jesus is stronger." Our weakness is inevitable. We'll all fail eventually in our lives. But we find strength knowing that our God is right there guiding us along the path to Him. His hope is our strength. So don't be ashamed of your flaws or your imperfections. Using our struggles in life and our recovery from them is the greatest testimony to draw people closer to Chirst. Our imperfections only display the perfection of our God once he steps into our life.

Wisdom from Unlikely Sources

When most of us think about wisdom, or who we would go to for a piece of advice, it's safe to say we usually think of people with power or status. Maybe a pastor, a teacher or guidance counselor, maybe even parents. Usually we seek people with more experience and a title. But sometimes wisdom can be found in the least likely of sources. For instance yesterday I was taking photography for a wedding in Downtown Orlando. I stopped and offered a homeless man some water and then continued my journey when he began talking more. As I came back he began to thank me but then started talking about his past life. He talked about his love for photography too and all the places he had taken pictures. It was a conversation I knew he was dying to have. Not too long after he began talking about smiles. Words you can use to get people to smile for photos. And again, soon after that, he then told me about the importance of making people smile. How it's a priority for him and the lengths you have to go to see someone smile sometimes, but he assured me it's worth it. Some of the things he told me I had never heard before. And then it clicked- the reason I had never heard that wisdom before, is because I had never seeked wisdom from that source before. If we want new advice, we must change our source. Similarly so, if we are tired of the world's failing wisdom, it's evidence that we need to seek God's wisdom. God's word never fails, never lies, never destroys. His word is love and salvation. His word saves and heals and comforts. If we are tired of hearing the same answers from the world, maybe it's time we start looking for answers from God. And to my other point- God works strongly in the least of these. So why do we so often ignore them? People all have stories. Not everyone has wisdom. But when we look towards new sources, we can surprise ourselves. Even the people you'd least expect can share wisdom that you'd never hear elsewhere. So seek wisdom from different people and be open to listen, but most importantly seek wisdom from the God who loves and cares for you.

Lost Generation

Alright now, before I make the ladies upset, I will say women have a strong influence on families and relationships. Their actions are important and do make a difference, however the male influence is remarkably stronger in various instances. Yes feminists, males do have a stronger impact on most of the values and morals handed down to children. And while I applaud single parent homes for taking the responsibility of both parents, there are some cases which simply can not be replicated.

Let's go back over 100 years to 1866. A book titled "Applied Christianity" was written and quotes "The tendency has been gaining strength to withdraw education from an association with religion, to eliminate religion wholly from education..." as well as "This deprivation of morals is due in part to defects in our systems of education." Let's face it, knowledge is what controls our society. So it's safe to say any problems we face likely stem from our prior knowledge. Present day in public schools teachers must teach textbook style, not freely about their opinions or religion. They teach unbiased and leave it up to kids to decide. The lack of morals being tought at a young age, stems all the way to lack of morals in place as we grow older. Lack of morals is fatal to any healthy relationships. Studies have shown that in 1950 4% of births were to unmarried women, and in 1991 the percentage shot to 29.5%. Clearly there is a change of moral taking place. Present day we aren't taught Christian values in school, neither by media. In fact we are taught the exact opposite, leaving this generation without healthy guidance. This is where the role of the parent, specifically the father comes in. A co-parent alliance has the power to strengthen or weaken a child emotionally and physically, but the effects of a father are lasting impressions that carry down many generations. Fathers closely influence education (factors for a successful life on Earth) and religion (factors for success both on Earth and eternally). "American men used to know what it meant to be a father." BUT, due to secularization in our society, many men lack the proper role model to lead by example. Our society learns more from logic and equality, "what pleases everyone", temporary happiness, than it does from God and His word. As the rates for single-parent homes, unmarried child births, and divorce skyrocket, men are becoming less prepared to change the statistics and instead fall into a repeating cycle. As media influences children more than parents themselves, they take in information later harmful to their own relationships. If women and men become bound closer by the word of God, their relationship can prosper and teach their children by example the way to live and love. Fathers have the ultimate job in regards to their children's future. If fathers are influenced by society that will show through their children. When in hands of a good father, their knowledge is more likely to be centered around Christ. Like I said earlier, we are centered around knowledge. What we learn will be shown in our actions. What we take in, we will later teach to others. So where are we learning from? What are we influenced by? Society or our God?