Purpose – Page 2 – The Will to Wake Up

Hope is Not a Fantasy

Inspirational singer-songwriter, Meyta, shares the redemption story behind his new album, Reverse Psychology.

“I’ve always had the instinct to create this album,” singer-songwriter Meyta recalls, referring to his newly released Reverse Psychology. “I just didn’t have the skills to create it. Then as time progressed, I thought, ‘Oh, finally, I can make this thing’.”

But then two years ago, God prompted Meyta to take a break from music. That’s not a message most artists want to hear, especially when they have the pressing desire to produce a specific album, as Meyta had. It required significant faith and trust to leave his music career in God’s hands, but after clinging to God on what, at times, was a perilous journey toward healing, he knew God would prove Himself faithful.

True to God’s character, Meyta’s year off wasn’t wasted. In fact, the growth Meyta experienced during this break was what prepared him for bringing his dream to life – Reverse Psychology.

“During that time, I got a lot of inner healing in my soul of things that I didn’t even realize I was dealing with,” he shares. “At the end of the year, the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘You’re ready’. A week later, I was contacted by my (now) manager.”

Though this album presents an exciting new step in Meyta’s artistic journey, his passion for music existed even before he devoted his life to Christ.

Meyta’s music career started about eight years ago. As his talents developed, he created the stage name “Meyta”, which means purpose. Even while an agnostic, he perceived that people suffering from mental illness felt worthless because they didn’t understand that they had a purpose in life. Ironically, he was questioning his own purpose at the time, which led to an accidental overdose that caused him to be temporarily paralyzed and hear demonic voices.

“I decided to call out to Jesus and the demons’ voices left and I wasn’t paralyzed anymore,” he says. “I began to realize that my purpose was actually just to be best friends with God. That’s when I started making music for Him.”

In order to write this album, Meyta reflected on his mindset during his most vulnerable season. Through the peace and healing Jesus has brought him over the four years since his overdose, he’s able to revisit that pain with compassion and insight, allowing him to encourage others through his story.

Recently, Jesus has put a specific phrase in Meyta’s mind: hope is not a fantasy. In fact, anyone can have hope and healing when they place their faith in Jesus. While Meyta’s music is centered on mental health, and he approaches deep subject matters with grace and empathy, his message is counter-cultural in that he believes anyone can be made whole again through Jesus.

There is profound comfort found in the lyrics of Meyta’s songs, such as in “You are My Child”, in which a person approaches God with shame, and God counteracts his doubts: “You are my child / I will always love you / I will never forsake you”.

But Meyta also recognizes that accepting the truth of God’s love can be a challenge, especially when lies fill our minds. “Choose to Live” depicts the struggle of someone grappling with overwhelming brokenness: “Right now I’m defeated, and broken within / And I’m convinced I won’t be happy again”.

“A lot of artists tell (their listeners) to stay in those emotions,” Meyta explains. “The challenge is that there really is hope. You don’t have to be stuck in those emotions.”

Hope and purpose are intermingled for Meyta and they are rooted in one source: Jesus.

“When I gave my life to Jesus, I realized that He’s been waiting to heal me from my deep depression and my deep anxiety,” he says. “I would wake up and I’d just start laughing because I realized I’d been lied to. I didn’t realize that I could have hope. I was just laughing out of joy.”

“Choose to Live” continues with the speaker remembering that hope comes in the morning, as it did for Meyta: “But I know in the morning my mind will change / My life has value / So I choose to live”.

To those who feel discouraged or doubtful of Jesus’ loving purpose for them, Meyta turns to his own redemption story as proof of Jesus’ mercy.

“If He’s able to take a boy that’s depressed out of his mind and trying to escape through everything…(and) I was really at the point of giving up,” he says. “If He was able to give me hope for the first time ever, then He’s able to really flip around anyone’s life.”

As Christians, we are called to share our hope with those around us. Meyta believes that living out our callings, using whatever unique gifts God has given us, is one way to encourage others. Another is to be intentional about our relationships and share how God has changed us.

Meyta’s genuine care and concern for his listeners is evident in his future goals as a musician, particularly with considering the possibility of touring.

“Being able to look those people in the eye – that’s what excites me,” he says with a smile.

Though the journey has been painful, confusing, and even near-death, Meyta trusts that he wouldn’t have grown into the person he is today, both as a musician and follower of Jesus, without these experiences.

As an artist, he’s had to overcome comparison, competition, and feeling insignificant. He wants others struggling with these issues to realize that believing their turn will never come is a lie. Life will unfold in beautiful and surprising ways when we switch our mindsets away from our personal goals and instead ask God to speak into our lives.

“Who am I to compare myself to someone’s chapter twenty when I’m at chapter ten?” he adds.

After trial and error, taking a year off from producing music, and embracing much personal healing, Meyta is proud to finally unveil Reverse Psychology, which embodies his own coming-of-age story of finding hope. His favorite song in his album is “All You’ve Ever Known”.

“All You’ve Ever Known” encapsulates the heart of Reverse Psychology, which is the transformation from being deceived by the cheap offerings of this world to embarking on a quest for truth and purpose, ultimately found in God’s love. Though “All You’ve Ever Known” focuses on facing harsh realities, it’s also singed with promise as the speaker fervently pursues the belief that there is more to life than suffering.

“That song means so much to me. I love how it’s kind of ambiguous for people to figure out for themselves,” Meyta says. “Every time I listen to it, it means something different to me.”

Meyta hopes that listeners will not only enjoy his music and be moved by his personal story, but also identify with the lyrics for themselves. And most of all, Meyta calls us to remember that hope is within reach when we least expect it as long as we don’t give up.

Find Meyta’s music on your favorite music-streaming platform: Reverse Psychology

Follow Meyta on Instagram: @wehavemeyta

We know that suffering produces perseverance;perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Seeking Hope in the Rain

Hope when healing feels out of reach.

I’m not sure where you are on the healing journey, but most of us know what it’s like to experience a relapse, a step backwards. We find ourselves in desperate need of healing and help and most of all, Jesus.

The image I often associate with my initial breaking point is fifteen-year-old Hannah listening to somber music while walking her dog during a downpour. She was lonely, discouraged, and doubting. And yesterday, I found myself there once again. Five years older, but suddenly not feeling any wiser.

Maybe you’ve asked yourself the same questions I did: Am I a complete failure for cycling back to the same place? Where do I go from here? Did I even heal at all? What does God think of me right now?

And in the middle of immense grief — grief over things I couldn’t even describe — I suddenly felt a surge of hope. I hurried home and journaled. As I wrote, I didn’t have exact solutions to my problems, but I did feel lighter.

I continue to have hope because I realized I wasn’t in the same place again. I will never be in the exact same place again. The setting, the outfit, the feelings — they may all appear the same. But I am not who I was at the beginning of this journey, and neither are you.

Life is like a staircase. Each day we spend with Jesus, asking for His insight and help in our lives, we take one step up the staircase. When there are days of taking steps backward, we aren’t negating entire months or years of steps. Our progress is not hindered by one setback to the degree it often seems. We aren’t jumping off the banister for forgetting to pray or making a mistake.

Instead, a step backwards causes us to pause and remember our need for God. The longer we climb this staircase, the less likely we are to keep moving backwards after a misstep. It will become natural to turn to God in the face of defeat, depression, or disaster.

You may see immediate or gradual changes in your reactions to setbacks. The next day might seem brighter. You may be able to smile at yourself in the mirror again. You may even be able to praise God in the middle of your suffering.

But even if you can’t see those changes yet, God has not left you in the same dark place. He hears your cries and is right by your side. Your feelings don’t dictate His feelings for you. Whether you feel like a pathetic failure or have fully embraced your status as an infinitely loved child of God, your identity never changes. You will always be God’s beloved child.

I am so thankful that the rain doesn’t last forever. Sometimes, the relief comes in pockets of sunlight between storms. Today, a rainbow stretched across the sky as rain pattered down my back. And I smiled because I took time to notice its beauty even as the rain persisted. With my eyes fixed on hope, the rain seemed less intense.

I pray that however you feel today, you can find courage and hope in knowing that God’s opinion of you never wavers. He will always love you and want you to come back to Him. The rain won’t last forever. But don’t be afraid to search for the rainbows even through the rainy seasons.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7:24-25

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:3-5

Journey to Inspiration

My revelations after coming out of a writer’s block.

I hit a writer’s block in December. By hit, I really do mean collided, smashed, and totaled my little writing vehicle. I like to picture it as a tiny, sky blue Bug with floral bumper stickers.

Early last summer, I created a goal to write for at least 15 minutes a day. I was working on a novel, one I was sure I’d finish, and this goal motivated me to continue working on it. For six months, I successfully kept this goal.

Until I realized I needed to scrap my novel and start a new project.

My cumulation of over eight months of work boiled down into one short story — I’d like to call it a novella, because it was quite a number of pages, but certainly not enough to be a novel — and then there was nowhere else to go with it. I should’ve been proud of that novella, and I was, deep down. But I was also deeply disappointed in myself. I felt like a failure for letting go of a project after spending so much time on it.

My feelings of inadequacy, my desire to crank out a perfect draft in one take, and my longing to be immersed in a fresh new story were the cement slabs of my writer’s block.

Have you ever been in that place? So drained of inspiration, and yet craving the feeling of being inspired again. I believe that inspiration comes from God, just as every good and perfect gift does. But inspiration is a bit like faith. God will help us develop a strong faith, but we have to be willing to do the work too.

To clarify, faith and salvation are two different things. Salvation is all about the work Jesus has already done for us. We don’t have to do anything except desire a relationship with Him and ask for this gift. While faith is a product of our relationship with Jesus, and Jesus is always there with us, we can’t grow in our faith if we aren’t willing to listen to Him, spend time with Him, or obey Him.

Faith requires sacrifice, courage, and patience. We often don’t make the right decision or think the kind thought the first time around. Jesus may call us to give of our time, energy, resources, and comfort in order to follow His will and love others. We may lose friends or opportunities because our priorities don’t align with the world’s. But isn’t it worth it to live a purposeful life, filled with the love of Jesus?

Inspiration requires sacrifice, courage, and patience too. We may endure many long, harrowing nights before we have a writing session where our fingers are flying and our hearts are full of anticipation. Our choices may not make sense to others, especially when we choose write instead of going out. (Though please, my fellow writers, make time to live your life outside of your writing too!) And often we don’t have instant gratification from our work.

But isn’t it worth it?

When I am inspired, I feel closest to God. I feel empowered and determined to use my writing to encourage others and to learn more about the world and myself. Spending time with complex characters makes me in awe of God for creating each of us so uniquely and knowing us so intimately. It is a profound experience that can lead to beautiful creations, if we are willing to embark on the journey to inspiration.

This month, I started a new writing goal, and I’m excited to say that I’ve stuck with it so far! My new writing project concerns this blog. While I love writing encouragement and faith-based nonfiction, my heart is found in fiction writing. I will continue writing these regular blog posts, but I’m also excited to announce that I will be adding a fiction section to this blog within the coming months! I hope that it brings you as much joy as it’s brought me.

No matter where you are on your journey, whether it is your spiritual journey, writing journey, or another journey, I hope you know that you are not alone. Jesus is walking right beside you, eager to help you grow into the person He created you to be.

Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.
1 Corinthians 16:6-7

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

Called to Belong

What if calling doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it seems?

Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but I often feel immense pressure at the beginning of the year to have my life figured out. Strategizing the perfect goals, tidying up the house, rearranging priorities. This is the season for transformation!

While making goals, trying to be healthier, and considering our callings are good things, they can cause fear and doubt to rise into our hearts:

Why don’t I know my calling? Is my calling going to be as interesting or exciting as this other person’s calling? Does God even have a calling for me? What if my calling isn’t something I’ll like? The questions spin us into chaos!

We will be given multiple callings in our lives. Some feel smaller than others, such as reaching out to an overlooked person or giving a donation spontaneously. Others, especially those about our career paths, relationships, homes, and families, feel significant. Especially because we often find our identities in these aspects of our lives, whether or not we’re in a romantic relationship, how successful our job is, or how close we are to our families.

But none of these callings relate to true identity, the calling at the core of our beings.

Through [Jesus] we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ⁶And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

⁷To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:5-7

Whether or not you’re a Gentile, we are all called to be God’s holy people. While the title sounds unobtainable, we are given this opportunity by being “called to belong to Jesus Christ”.

It is not by our own works that we become God’s people. When we accept the love of Christ, we belong to Him. Simply by being loved by Jesus, we are given a calling above all other callings. And the best part is that this calling impacts all future callings as well.

When we receive the love of Jesus, we desire time with Him. Through that time, we learn to think and act as the Spirit leads. We are no longer bound by human constraints or timetables. We are free to follow Jesus one step at a time.

I hope this reminder brings you encouragement. I know that this may not solve an impending question or decision in your life. But I pray that as you remember God’s love for you, you act out of His grace and wisdom. God offers the Spirit to all who ask, and believe me, we serve a generous God.

I also hope that you are not overwhelmed as you consider the callings God has placed on your life. It’s a miracle that God chooses to give us gifts, talents, and callings, but they aren’t our ticket to Heaven or the determiner for our identity.

Your identity is found in belonging to Jesus. His love, grace, and mercy found in His sacrifice and redemption washes over your story. You already have your calling and you will always be loved by the One who calls you by name.

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11

Choosing a Life of Purpose

What difference does living a life with Jesus make?

When we consider whether or not to believe in Jesus, essentially dedicating our lives to following Him, we are often motivated by the end goal: an eternity in Heaven with Him. Though eternity is certainly far longer than our earthly lives, it’s important to remember the present reasons for why we should start our relationship with Him now.

But what difference does living our earthly lives with Jesus really make?

I’ve been trying to figure out the best analogy to answer this question for a long time, and it finally came to me this morning. I hope it resonates with you as it did with me.

As some of you may know, I work part-time as an assistant horseback riding teacher. During a lesson yesterday, we were talking about a beautiful, festive merry-go-round in the city nearby. When my boss asked one of the kids whether she’d want to ride it, she responded, “Why would I want to ride that merry-go-round when I’m riding a real horse right now?”

This question stuck with me throughout the night and with careful contemplation, I realized its relevant imagery in understanding the difference between a life with and without Jesus.

A life without Jesus is similar to riding a merry-go-round. It may not be harmful — in fact, it could even be fun for a while. Pretty lights, lots of choices in stead (a unicorn or cat anyone?), and chipper music. However, after a while, you’re bound to realize you’ve just been going around in circles without a clear destination.

Depth lacks in this life as well. You can’t build a relationship with your metal horse. Your purpose for being on the ride is limited to mere enjoyment, temporary pleasures. And once you realize you aren’t going anywhere, you’ll feel stagnant and purposeless.

However, a life with Jesus could be compared to riding a real horse. Anyone who has been around horses knows that the bond between the rider and horse relies on trust, vulnerability, and courage. But most of all, love.

There is nothing quite like the relationship between horse and rider. They often understand each other on a deeper emotional level than even humans can perceive each other.

And the options of what to do with your horse are boundless too. They may help you get where you need to go or provide an opportunity to exercise. Horses have a knack for developing character as well. Even if you’re just riding for pleasure, there are natural benefits that come from spending time with horses.

Of course, riding a real horse comes with more risks than riding on a merry-go-round. You could fall off or get injured. You often don’t know what to expect, though the longer you spend with a horse, the less surprising rides become. But aren’t the risks worth it when the reward is developing a more intimate relationship and living a more fulfilling life?

Some may say no. They may prefer the life with limits. For believers, all we can do in that situation is show them love and pray that someday they will be stirred towards venturing beyond their comfort zones.

The real question is, what really matters to you? Are you willing to climb onto a real horse and embrace the unknowns that follow?

The beauty is that Jesus doesn’t want us to go on this journey alone. We can ask Him to give us the strength, courage, and vulnerability to overcome all the obstacles in our paths. Jesus loves you far more than anyone (even your favorite pet) can love you, and He understands you to a depth you can’t even comprehend.

Today, even if you have already made the decision to follow Him, still consider whether you truly trust your life in Jesus’ hands. I hope that this reflection reminds you that even though there are many frightening things in this broken world, Jesus will guide you and comfort you through it all. He is worthy of our trust.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NIV)

They said to him, “Just who are you anyway?”

Jesus said, “What I’ve said from the start. I have so many things to say that concern you, judgments to make that affect you, but if you don’t accept the trustworthiness of the One who commanded my words and acts, none of it matters. That is who you are questioning—not me but the One who sent me.”

They still didn’t get it, didn’t realize that he was referring to the Father. So Jesus tried again. “When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am—that I’m not making this up, but speaking only what the Father taught me. The One who sent me stays with me. He doesn’t abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him.”
John 8:25-29 (MSG)

Hope Amidst Rejection

Jesus is right there, even in your most broken moments.

Rejection shows up in a variety of forms.

At times, it may be losing or not getting a job. Other times, it may be a friend or romantic interest/partner who no longer wants a relationship with you. Rejection can stem back to childhood, when a family member didn’t accept you or love you as they should’ve.

We can even show ourselves rejection through harmful self-talk or criticizing ourselves when we make mistakes.

But you don’t need me to tell you what rejection is. You’ve likely felt it’s sting before, whether through harsh words or unkind actions, or even silence and ignorance themselves.

Nobody is free from being rejected at one time or another, including Jesus. If that’s hard to wrap your head around, think about all the people in your life who haven’t accepted His love, even though He offers it openhandedly. Remember the people in the Bible who spoke falsely about Jesus, who even participated in His brutal murder. Jesus knows what it’s like to feel alone and unwanted.

Yet Jesus is the epitome of courage and faithfulness. When He is alone in the Garden of Gethsemane right before His crucifixion, He calls out to God, blood tears pooling on His forehead. Even in His loneliest moment, He knows who is always with Him.

Jesus doesn’t pretend that the pain from rejection isn’t real or that we shouldn’t grieve our broken hearts. In fact, He’s with us in those dark, intimate moments when we feel lost without belonging.

When Jesus sends out 72 disciples to venture into outside towns and share the good news, He warns them that they may face rejection and hostility. He also provides them words of comfort: “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16 NIV).

The next time you are heartbroken over feeling rejected, remember that Jesus experiences those emotions alongside you, especially when you are rejected for your faith and/or for who God created you to be. You don’t have to listen to the voices who tell you that you’re not good or worthy enough. Remember what Gods calls you — His precious, beloved child. You will always, always belong to Him the moment you accept His love into your heart.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ²Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:1-2

The Power of Reversing

Reorienting our self-talk to be centered on God’s promises for us.

Isn’t it funny how the same words can mean one thing if read from top to bottom and mean the opposite if read from bottom to top?

That’s the magic of reversible poetry, which has been my favorite puzzle recently. For reference, here is an example I wrote last night:

This is where your journey lies

Restarting here

Washed-up dreams,

Lonely crevices

Emptiness and despair

You no longer know

Audacious hope,

This joy inside

It abandons you.

Don’t ever believe

Inspiration will find you.

Rather disparaging, until read like this…

Inspiration will find you

Don’t ever believe

It abandons you.

This joy inside

Audacious hope,

You no longer know

Emptiness and despair

Lonely crevices

Washed-up dreams,

Restarting here

Is where your journey lies.

Sometimes, our self-talk sounds a bit like the first poem. It may beat us down, telling us that there is no hope, and that all the problems around us are a result of God abandoning us. However, God’s voice says the opposite.

While the world constantly tells us that we are alone, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, reminding us over and over through peace that we are never alone. When we see others who live out our dreams and fantasies, the inner critic prompts us to compare ourselves in shame. But God reminds us that we are chosen and created on purpose. Our stories are still being written. We have reason to be hopeful.

The frustrating part is that our inner critic, often the voice of the enemy, shouts and screams while the voice of God tends to be gentler. We have to listen for it. But the good news is that the enemy is not very creative. Often, he merely reverses the promises of God into lies that make us feel betrayed and abandoned.

Today, write out the frequent phrases or words that spin around in your head and cause you grief or anxiety. Then, write the reverse of them.

For example, my mind often tells me that I am forgotten. However, the truth is that I am remembered and predestined by God to do His amazing work.

Then, read through your Bible, or use an online Bible resource (such as Biblegateway) to look up the key words in your phrases and see what the Bible says specifically about your situation. More often than not, you will be able to slowly overcome these lies and realize that there is so much more ahead for you.

God’s got you in His hands. You are never alone. ❤

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:27-29

Signs of Wholeness

Wholeness comes as we allow Jesus to impact our identity. But what does wholeness look like?

Have you ever been in a dark room right after hearing a scary story on the news or watching a creepy movie on TV? Or perhaps you needed to get somewhere at night and you are worried about tripping or losing your way.

No matter your age, you likely feel more comfortable and confident with a light as your guide.

Have you ever felt unsure of what next step to take in your life? Or like you’re wandering around alone in the dark?

The lamp of the body is the eye. If then your eye is healthy, your whole body will be filled with light, but if your eye is evil, your whole body will be filled with darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23

Before we encounter Jesus, we can live vibrant lives, but they will be lacking an important spark. There is an aching hole in our hearts that can only be filled by Jesus’ light.

Jesus is our comforter, companion, source of confidence, and the one we can turn to when we make mistakes. As we journey together to become more of who God created us to be, we should ultimately become more and more whole.

But what is wholeness and what does it look like?

To me, wholeness means being completely yourself, unashamed and unburdened, while living fully into your purpose. Because we live in a broken world, we likely won’t feel whole all of the time. But we can celebrate the “green flags” in our lives that remind us that we are on the right track.

As we follow Jesus, we are becoming who we are meant to be, and that is so beautiful.

Signs you are becoming more whole

You don’t feel as easily swayed by peer pressure or the fear of missing out
You are not ashamed of your appearance, your mistakes, your passions, or who you are in Christ
You are able to set boundaries with kindness and “no” becomes a regular part of your vocabulary
You are able to let go of things that are out of your control
You don’t feel the need to rush the process
Time with God becomes a habit and an enjoyable part of your day
You feel less and less like you have to hide things from God
You respect yourself and those around you
Though you may feel lonely at times, you are comforted in the reminder that you are really never alone
You feel strong enough to serve others with Jesus’ love
Negative self-talk ceases
You don’t feel burdened by resentment or tied down by vengefulness
It isn’t painful to celebrate other people’s victories; you know that you are not behind even if you aren’t on the same track as them
No matter what you are doing, you know that you have a purpose
You are eager to pursue God’s will, even if it isn’t clear yet
Perhaps others are beginning to notice positive changes in you 🙂

I hope this list isn’t overwhelming for you, but rather encouraging. It isn’t a checklist to complete, but rather a reminder that you are growing and changing even when your goals feel out of reach. Celebrate the small successes — they really aren’t so small. Ask God for joy for the journey, even when life is redundant or difficult, and trust that you will be sustained even in your sadness, anger, or grief.

We don’t have to pretend with God. Deep, honest, and vulnerable relationship with Him is perhaps the biggest step of growth itself.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:9-12

Abundant Life

Appreciating where you are right now.

What do you miss from the past?

The past can be any time, any place. A decade ago, a year ago, last month, yesterday. Perhaps even five minutes ago.

The past is a place where we can’t go back, but a place where our minds often drift.

Right now, I miss traveling. I miss seeing the sunset from the other side of the world. I miss hopping on and off buses that are clean and safe. I miss living out of a suitcase (knowing that it’s temporary). I miss living by the rule that I may never be here again, so why not try it?

It’s not that these things won’t ever happen again. But I’ll never be in the exact same place or situation, or as the same person even, as I was in those memories.

For the past few months, I’ve felt challenged to focus more on living in the present. I have one friend in particular who is really good at it — at least in my opinion. She considers the future, but doesn’t rush herself. She honors the past, but doesn’t live in it.

She cherishes the now.

What do you think you will miss from today? In a week, a year, a decade…what’s special about where you are right now?

Is it the people? Perhaps an older generation who you get to glean wisdom from every Sunday. Or a particular coworker or friend who makes life more fun. Maybe it’s the place where you are living, with a beautiful view, or on a street with kind neighbors. It could even be your health or the weather or the time you have today to rest.

Once you identify that thing or things, spend today appreciating it. Thank God for the gift of where you are now, even if it’s not where you thought you’d be or where you hope to be in the long term. Cherish the simple moments that are easily forgotten. Take photos and write down the details of today.

Not so that you can live in the past later when you are missing these things. Rather, so that you won’t have any regrets about not living fully today.

I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10

Created for Rest

We were created for rest. How can we live that out in our busy lives?

I’ll never forget the time one of my friends shared the insight that we were not created to work hard enough to deserve rest, but to participate in rest itself.

Rest doesn’t mean laying around all day being lazy. It means embracing each season without racing ahead. It means taking the time to be still with Jesus each day. It means doing things that fill your soul and bring you joy. It means setting boundaries, even when others don’t understand.

In our bustling society, rest is often considered luxurious. Rarely do we think of not resting as a sin. However, the author of Hebrews counteracts this popular belief:

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
Hebrews 4:1

In fact, by resting, we proclaim the good news of Jesus.

That may seem confusing, but hear me out. When we rest, we:

Admit that we can’t do everything on our own strength
Trust that God will fill in the gaps that we miss during our breaks
Abide in the peace that only God can bring
Show ourselves love by recognizing and taking care of our needs
Love others better because we feel restored ourselves

Last weekend, I went on a retreat for the first time in four years. I certainly underestimated all that God would do during a simple less-than-48-hour period of intentional listening and community and rest.

To be honest, I hardly slept on the well-worn mattress in a lodge shared with spiders. Rest didn’t take the form of sleep during this retreat. But by spending time with God and close friends, I was able to experience peace and remember what joy feels like. Going back into a tough week, I felt strengthened and approached my relationships with grace rather than the impatience that comes from burn-out.

When sharing about my retreat with one of my friends (the same one I quoted earlier, isn’t she brilliant? 😉 ), she remarked, “Isn’t it amazing all God can do when we give Him a weekend?”

Rest allows us to focus on what God is doing in our lives. When we are rushing through our tasks, falling asleep before we can say “amen”, we lose sight of the wonder of our God.

You may not have time to go on a retreat; clearly it took me four years to make space for one. However, there are ways to incorporate rest in your daily routine. Even just setting aside 10-20 minutes at the beginning and end of each day to reflect and spend time with God, or saving an hour each weekend to do what brings you joy may help you feel more refreshed and eager to pursue your faith.

Rest is a free gift from God. Let’s accept it together, shall we?

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