Whiplash

It all happens in an instant. You aren’t expecting it. At all. You’re bebopping along, things are going pretty decently, when WHAM.

And like that, your life has changed.

I call it whiplash, which is the result of something forceful and unexpected. Typically it happens during a vehicle accident. Today it happened through the ding of my phone, reminding me I had a text.

And that text, after reading it, has the potential to change a lot of things. Things I wasn’t prepared for. Whiplash.

So what do you do when life gives you whiplash? You’ll get over it. You keep moving forward. You keep moving on.

But please remember, friends, that you aren’t alone. Even when you’re waiting for the next “whiplash” to happen, scared and cowering at life and all of it’s surprises, know that God is with you. He will always be with you. Whiplash or no.

Taking A Stand

50 years after the march in Selma, Alabama and we are still taking a stand against segregation. I’m afraid there will always be segregation.

I was about fifteen years old and about as nervous as the girl sitting at the opposite picnic table from me. It was a youth group gathering at my church outside on the lawn and all the other students my age were out playing games, totally oblivious to me and that other girl sitting in awkward silence; watching. Not invited in the group. Excluded. Completely ignored.

The girl and I spoke every once in a while in that time of sitting . She was even more timid than I was as I tried to draw her into conversation. I don’t remember how that day ended. I just remembered feeling isolated, even by the youth group leaders.

I continued going to youth group every Sunday morning and was nudged to join the youth group choir by my parents. So I went. And I had never felt more isolated.

You may be wondering why I didn’t take the initiative to talk to my fellow peers or ask to sit with any of them. I did. I tried. I usually got a smile in return but then, like a magnet, they would return to their original group with their backs turned, interest in making a new friend gone. What made it worse was, at least in choir, our leader took part in these cliques.

During those three or four years, I didn’t know how to take a stand.

I remember how one day while practicing for a musical, I was asked to take part in standing front and center on stage and help lift one of the actors up during a song. It obviously wasn’t a big part. And a very brief part at that. But I was so excited to get to be seen. I was so excited that I was finally noticed. In the middle of me taking my stance to raise the actor into the air with a few other students, I was pushed aside by one of the clique girls. She told me she could do it better than me.

Now that I’m an adult, I still can’t honestly say I know how to stand up for myself. I have stood up for other people. And I have become more confident and assertive.

About a year ago, I was in the youth group area of my church. The same area I had felt so alone in years ago as I had attended youth group and choir. I walked into one of the classrooms for a glass of water before helping out with Sunday school. I could hear voices inside the classroom before coming in. When I did enter the room, the voices stopped. And the stares began. It was my youth choir leader and a few of those I had attended choir with, including the girl who had pushed me away during the musical practice. My mind raced back to those times when I had tried to interact, when I had tried to become friends with them. But then their blatant stares made me realize something: They hadn’t changed. But I had. I smiled and said “hello”, got my water and left. I wondered what in the world was wrong with them.

Because you know what, fellow friends of mine who feel segregated? We aren’t in the wrong. We may be timid or have skin a shade darker or may just be a little different from the clique. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a voice. It doesn’t mean we can’t take action.

So please. Help me. Take the stand with me. Segregation of all sorts needs to be thrown out the window. Within our schools, within our communities and (it’s so unfortunate to have to say this) within our churches.

So let’s do it. Let’s start taking a stand.

 

 

You Can

Last week I received a letter with some heartbreaking news concerning a close friend of mine. We live far away from each other, and we’ve both been so busy recently it has been hard to get a chance to chat through a phone call or even messaging each other.

Through the letter, my friend disclosed everything they’ve been going through and the mistakes they’ve made.

I took the news rather hard. I first took the situation as “My friend messed up pretty bad, is in a dark place, and there’s just not a whole lot I can do.” But please let me share with you what I’ve learned this past week: If you ever feel like you’re in a position where you can’t help… Remember that actually, you can.

One of my mistakes was immediately thinking about how hurt I was and how sad I felt. It didn’t occur to me for a few minutes that my friend felt much much worse. By placing my feet in my friend’s shoes, I allowed my eyes to be opened to why they are feeling lonely, why they’re in such a dark place. It’s a good place to start when handling a tough situation, and makes it easier to take that step towards forgiveness.

The second mistake I made was not praying right then and there. You may not be a believer, but for me, prayer is vital. It’s not rubbing a genies lamp… Everything isn’t magically going to get better. But prayer is opening your heart to the One who created it, and that is powerful. It also shows how much you care for the situation you’re praying for… For me, praying for my friend’s problems is a way of showing my care and concern for them. Prayer also brings peace and helps you clear your head. The problems won’t vanish, but some (if not all) of your anxiety will.

Lastly, I’m glad to say I finally made a good choice towards the situation. I forgave and extended my friendship by contacting them through a lengthy message. I promised I would continue to be their friend, and offered any encouragement or help I could provide. They recognize and feel grateful for that friendship, and I feel like they may be headed in the right direction now.

Everything I said above seems so orderly and prompt, as if it’s a check list to zip through. I honestly didn’t intend for it to be that way. I also never intended this post to be a “look what I did.”

I wanted to share this with you because I know it’s hard. It’s hard to watch someone you love struggling. It’s hard to know what to do and how to react. But please remember that you can. You can be that person who tries to understand. Who is concerned. Who wants to help. You can be a friend.

The Waiting Game

While everyone is exclaiming over a bouquet of roses from their loved one or taking selfies with a teddy bear holding a heart, I’ll be sitting here waiting.

Not for true love. Jesus Christ displayed that long ago. I never had to wait for that.

I’ve been waiting for the next thing. The next step God wants me to take. Just when I think I got the hang of it, it’s time to wait again. I get really really frustrated waiting. I feel useless and get on the brink of wondering what in the world God is trying to haphazardly piece together during these periods.

And then it dawned on me today. God isn’t haphazardly doing ANYTHING. He isn’t trying to randomly come up with a purpose to pacify me. The waiting game is much much different than that.

It’s the time where God strengthens your heart, tests your trust, and refines who you are. 

If you’re in the middle of a waiting period right now, you’re not the only one. It can be a frustrating time, but it can also be a time to learn patience and prepare yourself for what’s coming next.

There are numerous things on what we could be waiting on, so I’m not going begin a list. But if you’re waiting this Valentine’s Day, good for you. The action of waiting speaks louder than words because it displays where you’re placing your value.

And don’t give in to the temptation of quitting this waiting game. What you’re waiting for could be just around the corner. And besides…you never win a game by quitting.

Kisses From Katie

If I could meet and make a new best friend right this instant, I would choose Katie Davis. In a heartbeat.

How do I begin to count the reasons why?

I just completed her New York Times Bestseller, “Kisses From Katie” and I honestly can’t come up with adequate words to describe how incredible her story is. I try to explain it to others, but I can never seem to relay how convicting and inspiring her journey has been. I suppose it’s just one of those stories you have to read on your own to find out what I mean. The book is so easy to read, in no ways boring, and not a thick novel to labor through.

Synopsis: 18 year old Katie Davis is a ordinary teenage girl called to Uganda by an extraordinary God. Katie weaves incredible stories of what she’s done and who she has encountered while describing her passionate love for the Ugandan people and her 14 girls who she adopts over a short period of time. Her love and faith in Jesus are the backbone of this book and evident in every page.

I’m balancing the book on my knee right now and trying to figure out what else I can possibly say to convince you to read this book.

I can’t really. But I will finish with a small excerpt of one of the several things that struck my heart while I was reading:

“One of the questions that surprised me most was this: ‘Mommy, if Jesus comes to live inside my heart, will I explode?’

‘No!’ I proclaimed as the children and i headed to the Nile River for a few of them to be baptized that day.

Then I thought about the question a bit more. ‘Yes, if Jesus comes to live in your heart, you will explode.’ That is exactly what we should do if Jesus comes to live inside our hearts. We will explode with love, with compassion, with hurt for those who are hurting, and with joy for those who rejoice. we will explode with a desire to be more, to be better, to be close to the One who made us…. He was, He is everything I need” (“Kisses from Katie”, p 108).

Shouldn’t our relationship with Jesus be that way? I know what she’s talking about. I hope you do, too.

Because we should be exploding with love for each other. And for Jesus.

 

French Fries

First world problems. I hate not only when people just use this term, but use it seriously, as if they’re real problems.

“I didn’t want that pickle on my sandwich. I asked them not to put it on there TWICE!”

“I hate it when my phone charger won’t reach my bed.”

“I’m hungry. But not for any of the food in my house.”

“I hate it when I don’t know what to wear, but my closet is full of clothes.”

These are real “first world problems” that I’ve heard people complain about. It is absolutely ridiculous how spoiled most of us Americans are. How we are so attached to our stuff or to the way that we want something to be that we can’t even appreciate all the blessings (or should I say ‘junk’) that we already do have?

But then I became the hypocrite. About two weeks ago, my mom and I stopped by the McDonald’s drive thru for a quick lunch. When we got home with our meal, I pulled out my french fries and was sad to see that they were only half full. I love McDonald’s french fries. So I snatched up my laptop, whipped it open and promptly sent a complaint on the McDonald’s website about my lack of fries.

I honestly didn’t think much of it. I mean, I had paid for a medium fry, it was my right to have a full medium fry. Sometime a little later, I received an e-mail back from the website about how sorry they were for my lack of fries. How they would get to the issue immediately by contacting the particular franchise I had ordered from. Still in my stuck up mode, I was surprised I didn’t get a free meal or at least a free french fry for the “trouble.”

I wasn’t convicted yet by the Holy Spirit. Not until I got my second e-mail from the McDonald’s franchise themselves. The subject line simply said “French Fries.” I opened up the e-mail and began to read:

“Thank you for taking the time to give me some feedback on your visits to my restaurant. I am sorry that we have disappointed you and left you unsatisfied in the portion of fries. Fries are an incredibly important part of my business and we must get them right. I am sorry that we have let you down. I hope that you will give us a chance to serve you and your family again in the the future.”

I started to crack up. How silly and ridiculous had this become? How silly and ridiculous had I become? Here this poor guy (the owner of this particular McDonalds) was giving this heartfelt apology over FRIES. I felt idiotic. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. For being so selfish. For somehow believing I had this right to complain about a few less fries in my carton. And if anyone has the right to complain, it should be Katie or Jackie or the man holding a sign I met on the side of the street.

Katie Davis is a young woman who was born and raised in America, but was called to live in Uganda to serve hundreds of both needy children and adults. She was only 19 when she set out on her own. Since then, (and only being 25 now) she has adopted 13 young girls, has started an organization titled “Amazima”, wrote a New York Times best seller (“Kisses From Katie”), has her own blog, and daily shelters and cares over those who are sick and dying…. I know I’m missing other amazing things she has done. I personally couldn’t do everything she has undertaken. You should hear some of her heartbreaking stories. The one about parents who have fallen to their knees in front of her in deep gratitude for being able to take their children to school because of Katie’s help. Or the little girl that was brought to Katie after watching her mother die from AIDS right in front of her. Or the sleepless nights she stays up to watch over children who are riddled with infection and are able to somehow make it after her tireless efforts. Please. Read her book. Go to her blog. I’m only halfway finished with “Kisses From Katie” (I’m planning on writing a review) and I am blown away by her story, her adventure.

Jackie Anderson is a personal friend of mine. She is 83 years old and has gone through just about everything you can imagine. When she was 21 or 22 (I’m drawing a blank here!) and a young mother, Jackie was in a horrific car accident that resulted in the loss of her right leg. Since then she has raised 5 rambunctious children, has been in and out of hospital visits for her leg (it has caused her so many problems through the years), took care of her dying mother in her own home, was harshly attacked (twice), diagnosed with stage 3 Kidney failure, has fallen more times than I can count, has diabetes, has been to the hospital for high blood pressure, fell and dislocated her shoulder and is almost completely blind in one eye. That’s just the short version. But Jackie has never once complained. Not within my ear shot, anyway. And yet I don’t know how she keeps going sometimes. But she does. And always with a smile.

The man holding a sign on the sidewalk jolted my heart. He was middle aged, dressed in dirty clothes and looked utterly hopeless. I honestly don’t recall what the sign even said. My heart went out to him and I wheeled my car around and grabbed him a sandwich. Usually I just hand the bag through my car window as I pass. But this time I parked near by, got out, and walked over his bag of food. I gave him the food then stuck out my hand to make introductions. I wanted to meet this man. I wanted him to know that someone cared for him, that someone was going to be praying for him. And I did let him know that. He thanked me profusely, and it has brought tears to my eyes thinking back on how thankful he was for a McDonald’s sandwich and some french fries.

TO: YOU

Hi.

I’ve been on a mission recently. I’ve been writing letters. To strangers. Like crazy.

It’s a fun idea. Writing a little encouraging note and being secretive about where to place it and wondering who is going to pick it up and read it. Thinking about the smile that’s on their face as they read it.

But then I thought: Gosh. This is a little random. My envelopes, marked with “TO: YOU” are going to someone I’ve never talked to before, whom I will probably never meet in my life.

But TO: YOU, I promise there’s a reason for it. And I hope you see that reason once you tentatively tear open that envelope (probably casting glances around wondering if there’s a stalker near by). No, TO: YOU, I’m not following you around like a crazy person, I promise. But I do I mean what my little letter says.

And I mean it TO: YOU, my friends who are reading this right now.

So…

TO: YOU

You are important. You matter. You are unique. You are here to make a difference. You were created to make an impact. So chin up and smile, even if you’re having a bad day. Because it is a beautiful wonder to be living, to be breathing. So keep going because I believe in you. And God believes in you. You’ve got this.

LOVE, ME

The Last Goodbye

“The Last Goodbye”

I saw the light fade from the sky
On the wind I heard a sigh
As the snowflakes cover
My fallen brothers
I will say this last goodbye

Night is now falling
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away

Over hill and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams that run down to the sea

Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow and winter’s morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home

And though where the road then takes me,
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

Many places I have been
Many sorrows I have seen
But I don’t regret
Nor will I forget
All who took that road with me

Night is now falling
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away

Over hill, and under tree
Through lands where never light has shone
By silver streams that run down to the sea

To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
To turn at last to paths that lead home

And though where the road then takes me,
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

I bid you all a very fond farewell

-Billy Boyd-

One Last Time

The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies is the final installment to The Hobbit trilogy and the last we’ll ever see of the Baggins. I saw this epic conclusion today and went through a swing of emotions.

This was an action packed movie full of fighting and stand-offs. The special effects were spot on as always. I eagerly watched to see what would happen, sadly never having read the book before, and so was surprised by a few of the events. I was so caught up in watching Bibo’s final adventure that I was surprised when the story began to wrap up.

By the end, I was teary eyed when I recalled the magnificent Lord of the Rings movies as this film made a reference or two towards characters from the original trilogy. But it was with Thorin Oakenshield’s “Will you stand with me? One last time?” that I wanted to rewind time and go back to the days where the first Lord of the Rings movie came out and I would excitedly watch theaters fill up with eager LOTR fans.

Nothing can take the place of Lord of the Rings. It will always hold a special place in my heart. But The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies is definitely worth seeing, especially if you’re a fan of J. R.R Tolkein’s Middle Earth.

And if you haven’t heard Billy Boyd’s (actor who played Pippin Took in the LOTR trilogy)  “The Last Goodbye”… well, you’re just going to have to give it a listen. Check it out here if you’re interested. It’s beautiful.

“To these memories I will hold
With your blessing I will go
To turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me
I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day
To bid you farewell

I bid you all a very fond farewell”

-Billy Boyd, “The Last Goodbye”

There’s just something about endings that makes me want to go back to the beginnings.

Then Comes Marriage… A Love Story written by God

A cute article covering a rustic themed wedding

the3z

 

It could go without saying that the day we were married was the best day of our lives.  I am so excited to share all the highlights of our special day!

Brad and I were married on September 1, 2012.

We were so blessed to begin our life’s journey together surrounded by many of our family members and friends.  The day was full of love, happiness, and fun….and a little rain.

We had planned to be married outdoors before a cross on our church lawn, but with the constant threat of downpour we decided to move the ceremony indoors to the same building where our reception was also taking place.  We were married at The Fields Clubhouse in Bloomington, Indiana.  The Fields is a renovated barn used for all kinds of special occasions.

    

We attempted to design a wedding plan that was both elegant and rustic, accentuating our love of Jesus, one another, family, and nature.  Many of the…

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