Friday Food For Thought #2

It really hard to decypher through all the voices that talk at us. We have the media, teachers, parents, loved ones, significant others, best friends, and even strangers telling us all different things about who we are, who we should be, and what we should be doing. For myself, one of those voices is my own. I tell myself a lot of things ranging from good things to negative things.  

These voices were at full force the day before and the morning of my drivers test. Most of you reading this will likely know the whole battle that occurred to get me to drive. I was scared to death of it. I did not pass my first test and I did not drive again for two or so years. The night before my test I kept repeating how scared I was, to the point I was almost paralyzed. Even though I knew that I am a good driver and that I had practiced enough, I did not think I could pass.  I did not think it would be possible that I could ever actually pass. 

Part of this was simply not being confident enough. Part of it was the fact that I had come so far from where I had been a few months prior, which was on the verge of a mental breakdown if anyone even hinted at suggesting that I drive. I was so proud that I was actually emotionally ready to drive, but I also knew my confidence would be shattered if I did not pass. I also had the weight of all these people who just wanted me to pass. The morning of my test the song "The Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns came on. In a really quick  summary, this song talks about all the voices that tell you that you cannot do something. It talks about people in the bible who overcame the voices. One of these comparisons is to David and Goliath. This is the story in the bible of the David, who was tiny fighting the giant Goliath with just a sling and a stone, while all the other warriors were too frightened to do so. Despite his size and the odds, David brought down Goliath.  I brought down my Goliath, with strength from this song, and passed my drivers test. 

Why do you think it is so hard to listen to God's voice, the Voice of Truth? Do you find it hard? What voices give you the most trouble? What ways do you have to fight your giants, and listen to the Voice of Truth? 

Let me know in the comments below, or you can contact me via the contact form on the right side of my blog.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and weekend.

~ Breanna 

What is Going on in This World?

So, I find myself here as I have many times before asking what is going on in the world. All of a sudden there has been a rash of bad news at what seems to be around every corner. Either it is fires, murders, terrorists, earthquakes, cheating husbands, cheating wives, addictions, deaths, and of course cancer, cancer and yet more cancer.  

Of course, this bad news is nothing new. It happens in waves like this, it has always happened like this throughout history. I do not know what it was about today that made me dwell on it, but as I was driving home all this negativity hit me extremely hard. I did not cry about it, at least not yet (normally I am a very emotional person). Instead, I just kind of drove on half numb to everything. I almost feel like giving up.  Why fight to be optimistic in this world that is so extremely messed up? It does not matter how great the random good news is, it seems to be outweighed by all the horrible things in life. It is like the little flame inside of us keeps getting almost snuffed out by every stomp of bad news.

In this past week presidents and celebrities keep coming out with their announcements of having cancer. It seems no one is immune to it. Two of my classmates have died in this past week of different causes. Role models have fallen from grace as well. All of it is troubling, and taxing. I know that everyone says it, but this world is truly messy. This world is unfair, it can be sickening, and it is more often than not downright frightening. 

The thing that hits me even harder than all the negativity is that the solution is extremely simple. Yes, the world is messy, but in the end that does not really matter. Everyone's sin has been washed away the second that Jesus died for all of us. So though we should strive to do good, we are all sinners. All of us. We have no right to judge others, or condemn them. We should try to not get caught up in the terrors and evils of this world. They have already been conquered.

In Chris Tomlins song "At The Cross (Love Ran Red)" he speaks to this concept. Part of the lyrics are "Where your love ran red, and my sin washed white". Jesus's blood ran red. Red, a color that has an evil, stomach turning connotation, washes our sins white. White, being a color that represents purity and renewal in our culture in the United States.  Jesus's blood did not stain us, instead it purified us. 

Yes, that is a mind blowing concept. Blood making us pure, when usually it makes us feel dirty. In an odd way it seems kind of perfect that shedding blood would be the way to make a messy society clean. God loved us, all of us, so much that he did something he would not even make us do. In Genisis God tests Abraham to see if he will obey him. He asks Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Issac. Abraham goes to do so, but God stops him and gives an animal to offer instead. God however loves us (let me be clear that us means EVERYONE ON THIS PLANET. GAYS, LESBIANS, HINDUS, MUSLIMS, BLACK, WHITE, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRATS, EUROPEANS, AFRICANS, ALL DENOMINATIONS OF  CHRISTIANS, ATHEISTS, GREEN ALIENS WHATEVER)  so unconditionally that he gave his only begotten son as the final sacrifice. He forgives us relentlessly, just as we should forgive each other.

I find that I tend to love unconditionally. It takes a lot to lose my love once you have it, no matter how many times I am hurt. To imagine the fact that God does this with all of us is insane to me, but at the same time I know what it is like to love that deeply. Which to me is proof of God's existance. 

As I sat here before making this post I listened to a Casting Crowns Christmas song (even though it is August). I listened to it because of these lyrics "And in despair I bowed my head,There is no peace on earth I said, For hate is strong and mocks the song, Of peace on earth, good will to men" . This is honestly how I felt before writing this post. However, the next verses answer, 
"But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth)

Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth)
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Then ringing singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men"

God is not dead, and he has already won.  As it says in Revelation 21:4-5 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." 5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  

We are made new from this messy world in Jesus and in God. Our lights are still burning, and they will not be put out. Keep on shining, and remember who holds on to us. 

Thanks for reading.

~Breanna