Advice – Page 31 – The Will to Wake Up

Made in God’s Image

What keeps you from believing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?

You are made in God’s image.

If you grew up in the church, you probably heard that phrase a lot. Following that, you’d hear at least verse 14 from Psalm 119, if not the entire chapter.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Maybe that verse sends shivers down your spine as you take in the realization that you were made by God, the most powerful being in all existence.

Or maybe, like me, the phrase “made in God’s image” has grown dull over the years. It has lost its significance to you.

But if you think about it, how can this powerful truth ever lose meaning? Here are a few reasons I can think of:

Distractions

My mom used to read Psalm 119 on my birthday every year as a reminder of who I truly am. But I would always squirm at the part about our innermost parts being knit and all those “gory” details that stood out in my young mind.

Sometimes words and culture’s definition of what it means to be human distracts us from the wonder and complexity of being made in God’s image. These days, there’s all this emphasis on how humans have destroyed everything and we should be ashamed of our existence.

Before I contradict those words, I will say that we should do more to protect our environment, but we should not be held responsible for the mistakes of our ancestors. Living in constant guilt doesn’t solve any problems and harms our self-worth.

Anyway, as beings made in God’s image, we should not live in fear. God sees us as His perfect creation living in a fallen world, which is why we do not always live up to who we truly are. But God’s grace allows us to still be in relationship with our Creator once we repent from our sins.

If we let the criticisms others make about us define us, then we are losing sight of who God says we are. God is perfect, thus being made in His image means we were created with a perfect purpose. Nothing can change that.

2. Repetition Leading to Boredom

As I mentioned earlier, that one verse is the only one people seem to focus on when providing evidence of how we are made in God’s image. While that’s a great Psalm, there are many other places where the Bible proves our worth.

For example, right away in Genesis we see that God created us with a plan and purpose. He calls us “very good” after telling us to take care of everything else He has made. We are different from all other creation because we have a job to do. God entrusts us with the world and wants us to follow His plans for us.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Genesis 1:26

There are many other verses throughout the Bible, some in Paul’s letters of encouragement and instruction, which reminds us of who we belong to. Even in the verses where it isn’t spelled out for us, the fact that Jesus sacrificed His own life for us shows how loved, valued, and special we are to God.

3. Denial

The third and final reason we don’t always fully accept that we are made in God’s image is because we can’t bring ourselves to comprehend the true meaning behind those words.

We are made in God’s image.

Write that on a sticky note and put it on your mirror. Remind yourself of that fact daily, and support it with Bible verses.

No matter what the world tells you, you have a purpose. You are valuable. And the more you read God’s love letter to you–the Bible– the more you’ll begin to believe His truths about you.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

Hope for the Lows in Life

Are you going through a hard time right now? Hopefully my story can encourage you.

To be honest, I’ve been really discouraged lately.

I know, shocking, coming from a person who runs an encouragement blog. But here’s the thing, so often we like to share our stories of how we struggled in the past and got through it, by God’s grace. But we never like to admit that we’re currently going through a rough time.

And let’s be real, ever since last March, we’ve all been through a series of difficulties. Especially for those of us who hate change. Or are learning to embrace it. (Emphasis on learning!)

There are a lot of Christian writers and singers I look up to. And they are amazing, God-filled people. I have benefitted from their words so much. But sometimes, it’s hard because I see them and I wonder why I’m still stuck on a rollercoaster in my faith journey while they seem to have figured it all out. (I’m sure they don’t have it all figured out, but sometimes it feels like they do!)

I’m definitely not as well-known or experienced as the people I admire, but I want to still be open with you about the things I go through. I want you to remember that you are not alone in your struggles. I’m still figuring things out too. One of the major things that’s been burdening me is actually my writing.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. When I was a kid, I filled up little books with all my stories and decorated them with stickers. As I’ve gotten older, writing has become cathartic for me. When I write, all my problems seem to have meaning, like they happened so that I can share my story. It’s the fuel to my (story’s) fire. When I write, I finally feel like I have a purpose.

So you can imagine the heartbreak of reading one negative review after another by my writing professor. I know I can be too thin-skinned, but it still hurts. Based on her comments, I’d be a better editor than an actual writer.

I suppose you could say I feel stuck. I feel like the things that used to define me are disintegrating around me. And maybe that’s to remind me to allow God to define me instead of activities or talents. I’m in a time of my life where change is on the horizon and I know I must let go of certain things in this season. Some relationships, some dreams.

But the thing is, I know that God gave me a passion for writing. As I debated being an English major, a Theology major, or a Psychology major, I searched my Bible for answers. And I know I heard God’s voice tell me to pursue English.

But some days, it just seems easier to give up.

I keep reminding myself of a visual I saw during a Bible study, where the author said that our journey with God isn’t going to be one straight vertical line, or even a staircase. It’s going to be full of ups and downs and that’s perfectly normal.

But during these times that feel neverending, full of discouragement, extremely low…it’s hard to remember that there’s another turnaround up ahead that’s going to be better.

One time, when I was feeling similarly, I kept seeing verses or hearing messages from people with the three word phrase “Don’t give up”. I even saw a book at the store titled that and I immediately bought it, knowing it was a sign from God. God places verses, people, and sometimes even social media posts in our path so that we can keep moving forward when the enemy tries holding us back. He doesn’t want us to fulfill our purposes, and that’s why he does everything he can to make us feel discouraged.

That’s why my main goal in life is to encourage people through the words God gives me. We have to stand together to fight against the enemy. We can’t do this alone.

I’m sure you have many things to do today, so I won’t keep you much longer. I’ll just leave you with one final story.

At that same Bible study, where I previously mentioned the imagery of our journey with God, I was struggling as the leader. I had the “great idea” of bringing together four people who had nothing in common to try to grow together in God’s word. At first, I felt like I was failing. The enemy whispered in my ear, “Just give up. Everyone knows you tried, but you just couldn’t do it.”

But I kept going, in part thanks to the people in my group who encouraged me by continuing to show up, and thanks to mentors speaking God’s truth to me.

And you know what? Over a year later, with many necessary changes, my Bible study has flourished into a close-knit group where we’ve been able to share vulnerably, learn from each other, and grow closer to God. Starting that Bible study was one of the toughest tests of my perseverance so far. No one would’ve blamed me if I had given up. (Well, except for me!) But I didn’t. I didn’t give up.

And I won’t give up now.

I know I’m not the only one feeling discouraged today. You might be too, or a loved one is. But you know what? We are only letting the enemy win every time we believe one of his lies about us. When we are walking in line with God’s will, nothing can stop us. Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. ❤

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

For no word from God will ever fail.
Luke 1:37

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

The Trap that Comes with Doing Good

What activities have you committed to that now drain you?

I don’t know about you, but I have an overcommitment problem. I hear about something that sounds really good or needs my help, and I agree to participate. But then, over time, I struggle to feel motivated in that activity and my energy gets drained. I’ve often contemplated the reason this cycle keeps happening in my life, and a few possibilities come to mind. One, which I shared last week, would be trying to please people, having a difficult time saying no. Another would be not wanting to miss out.

But the one I’m going to be diving into today is my desire to be good, to please God, to redeem myself, through works. And besides the fact that this makes us think we no longer need salvation, it also causes us to distance ourselves from God.

Now, when you agree to lead a small group at church or take on another job to help someone, you probably don’t go into it thinking that you are doing it in order to “be good” or to “save yourself”. You probably do it thinking, “Oh, this sounds like a good cause, and God likes it when we help others, so I’ll do this.” Or maybe you do it for your own benefit or because you care about people.

But the truth is, when we go into things with the mindset that we’re in control of our lives and that God wants us to take care of ourselves (rather than relying on Him), we end up living for the wrong things and feel spiritually drained.

In my family, self-sufficiency is a high priority. Growing up, I was complimented as being independent by teachers and school counselors. I loved (and still fall into the trap of loving) the feeling of being in control and not needing to rely on anyone.

While we shouldn’t relying on people to make us satisfied or happy, we need to be in desperate want of Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus is one where we are needy, empty without Him. He’s the only one who should define us and who can fulfill us.

When we take opportunities that make us feel like we’re earning our keep, so to speak, we lose sight on the amazing gift of grace God gives us. And eventually, we end up feeling worthless and exhausted when those opportunities cease filling our tank.

But of course, not all opportunities are bad. God purposely puts certain opportunities in our paths so that we can grow closer to Him and help others. You might be asking, “How can I know if an opportunity is one I should take?”

For us who are already in many commitments, think about which ones might be hard work, but still feel fulfilling. You can still see God working through you in them. Then think about the ones that truly drain you. Those are the ones that you may need to let go of. When we are doing things for God, we will always have motivation.

Here are a few key questions to ask yourself about the commitments you already have or before saying yes to another opportunity:

Why am I doing/considering doing this? Is it to make myself feel like a better person or is it because I know God wants me to do it?
Will I still have time for rest when adding this to my schedule?
Will I sacrifice time with God by doing this?
How am I allowing this opportunity to shape how I see myself?
And then ultimately pray, read the Bible, and listen to God for direction before making a decision.

I hope these tips help you as you continue your journey with God! The most important thing to remember is that we will never be perfect until we go to Heaven, so we shouldn’t be striving for perfection now or holding ourselves to extreme expectations. Instead, we must allow God’s grace and peace to fill our hearts each day.

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.
2 Corinthians 3:5

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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Side note: In relation to these themes, I’d highly recommend listening to the song Beautiful Things, by Worship Together. God is making beautiful things through you!

The True Meaning of Innocence

Do you feel burdened by mistakes you’ve made in the past? Here is some encouragement.

I’ve noticed throughout my lifetime that innocence has been given a negative connotation. Often people associate innocence with naivety, unintelligence, and a lack of maturity. Who would want to be considered innocent with that definition?

And to make things even more confusing, the Bible actually encourages us to be innocent. But the Bible also promotes wisdom, so isn’t there a contradiction here?

No, because the true definition of biblical innocence is not the same as our culture’s.

To me, part of the definition of innocent is that it’s the opposite of being guilty. That sounds overly simplified, but let me explain.

Imagine yourself in a courtroom. You’d rather be innocent than guilty, right? When we’re guilty, we are burdened, ashamed, and ridiculed. We are condemned. We are punished.

Hopefully you’ve never been prosecuted and brought to trial, but there are still many other examples of how guilt can ruin our lives.

Perhaps you made a mistake with your words that offended someone, and you feel terrible about it. Maybe you did something bigger, like causing a major inconvenience for someone, or hurting a relationship. Or maybe you feel guilty for not doing something God told you to do.

Close your eyes for a moment and clench your fists, as though you are holding onto that guilt. How does that make you feel? What do you feel guilty of? How long ago did this take place?

Now open your eyes, keeping your hands the way they are, and read this sentence aloud:

Jesus paid the price for my mistakes, and now I am free.

Repeat that sentence until you feel like you can open up your hands and release those burdens that have been weighing so heavily on your heart.

I have made many mistakes in my life that have affected the way I’ve seen myself, others, and even God. But God doesn’t want us to live in fear of making mistakes or burdened by our past sins. Instead, God wants us to be free to live abundant, fruitful lives through Him. When we finally let go of that guilt, we are innocent. We are no longer bothered by what has happened in the past and we fully accept ourselves as who God says we are.

To me, being innocent is allowing ourselves to live joyful lives and to see ourselves as the beloved children of God. We can understand the world and be wise while being free from our regrets.

He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.
Job 22:30

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

Who Defines You?

Do you often feel used or deemed worthless by others? Do you feel burned out by trying to live up to others’ expectations?

I don’t know about you, but I can often exhibit people-pleasing tendencies. If you aren’t sure if you are a people-pleaser, consider this list of statements and see if any resonate with you:

I feel worn out because of other people’s demands, yet I can’t say no
I often feel used by others
I get my fulfillment through making others happy
I often just go with what others want, even when I have a different opinion
I hide my own feelings if they differ from others
I get hurt by criticism really easily, even if it’s constructive
I try to figure out what other people think of me, because that affects my self-esteem
I allow others to decide how worthy I am

If a few of those (or all) really clicked with you, then you have probably had issues setting boundaries and you’ve been really hurt by others for either not appreciating you or for things they have said that you’ve let get to you.

Here’s the thing, yes part of it might be on them for not being diplomatic or for not realizing how you feel. But you need to be honest with yourself and realize that if you’re allowing others to determine how much you are worth, then you are going to be in an endless cycle of feeling less-than. You will never measure up to everyone’s standards of excellence.

I’m in a writing class (there’s a pro-tip coming ahead if you’re also a writer) and we comment on other people’s short stories. As a people pleaser, I often get upset when people don’t like what I’ve written, or even when they’ve found a tiny flaw that doesn’t satisfy them. I’ve allowed their ideas, these random-people-who-I’ve-never-met’s ideas, affect how I view myself as a writer. I am so easily discouraged that I dread reading their comments, even when many of them have both positive and critical things to say.

But here’s the thing: they don’t know me. They don’t know my story. They have their own struggles that they are dealing with. And they have different perspectives. So I should listen to what they are saying, but take it with a grain of salt.

As I read the most recent comments, I noticed a similarity between them and ones from previous work. None of them agree with each other. One person likes the opening monologue while another thinks it’s boring. One person feels like a character is their best friend while another can’t relate to them.

My bottom line is this: Whether you are a writer or not, you can’t please everyone. There’s just no physical way.

And the truth is, no person can fully understand you or your whole story. Only God knows you deeply and loves you.

Imagine you see this gorgeous painting that you want to further understand. You wouldn’t let some fifth-grader who just got dragged into an art museum explain the artist’s intent behind their work, would you? Not if you wanted the truthful, deep, thought-provoking answer dripping with love and affection for their masterpiece.

That’s why you shouldn’t let the people you meet online, your coworkers, or even people close to you define you. No one can express how much you are truly worth like your Creator can. He’s the only one who knows your full purpose, how intricately designed you are, and how long it took Him to breathe you into being.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Never let yourself believe otherwise.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.
Isaiah 48:10-11

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 2:7

In a New Light

Have you ever felt so burdened by the weight of this world that you forgot to look for the Light?

Do any of you have that one part of town that you think you know super well? You could almost drive blindfolded you know the streets so well. And sometimes that means you take unnecessary risks because you don’t have your guard up.

Well, I’d have to say that I’m pretty confident driving in neighborhoods. I’m not a confident driver in the least, but maybe it’s the 25 mph that does it for me. Anyway, I was driving home tonight and, being 8:14 pm, it was very dark. As I drove down a street that I’ve been on hundreds of times, I suddenly decided that tonight would be the night to find a new short cut.

So I turn onto this smaller road and come to a crossroads. A part of my brain says to turn back, no longer recognizing the area, but I decide to turn left and see where that takes me. I’m almost certain I’ll be on the main road again in no time!

But as I turn down that road, I feel very…lost. And wondering if my shortcut is really saving any time.

Then all of a sudden the light clicks on. Literally, I came to a bigger intersection and there were several lampposts. And I realize that I’m not lost, I’ve just driven the long way around on a bunch of roads I’ve seen a million times. I just didn’t recognize where I was in my journey while driving in the dark. If it had been light out, I would’ve known where I was going.

So many times in the Bible, Jesus is referred to the Light of the world. We are called to be the light among darkness too. But how can being “the light” help us?

First of all, since we know that Jesus is the ultimate Light, by following in Jesus’ footsteps, we will know what the next right decision should be in our lives. We will become like the One we serve and people will wonder what’s so special about us. And when we tell them, they can experience God’s love too.

Second, when we have Jesus, through the Bible and in other ways, lighting our path, we will have a better sense of where we are going. It can be so easy to get bogged down by the darkness in our world, whether through social media, a discouraging piece of news, or a heartbreaking diagnosis. But God always has a plan for us. We can’t listen to the messages that we aren’t good enough or that we have to be perfect in order to be worth anything. Because the truth is, when we see things the way God sees it, we have a better understanding of where we are in our journey.

For some of us, we may be reaching the end. For others, it’s just the beginning. But God will use you through everything that happens to you.

So today, take a step back from whatever you’re struggling with. Realize that this isn’t going to be forever. This is just one small part of a bigger picture. You are going to do great things no matter what. Keep holding onto your faith and hope by looking for the Light in the darkness.

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
Matthew 17:5

Inner Beauty is Most Valuable

Do you struggle with feeling good about your appearance? Here’s some encouragement.

I’ve seen a lot of posts recently about people sharing vulnerably their stories that deal with lack of self-esteem related to their bodies. I think many of us, some more severely than others, have struggled to see ourselves as worthy, especially in relation to our appearance. With all our culture’s standards, it can be difficult to remember how valuable we are. There are so many verses about not focusing on the outward appearance, such as (and not limited to):

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror.
James 1:23

Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Matthew 7:20

These verses can serve as both a comfort and a warning. You might ask, “But Hannah, I don’t particularly like my appearance. I’m not going into the modeling business or some career that mostly focuses on outward beauty. I’m not like that person over there who clearly works hard at their appearance.”

First of all, we have no idea how much a person cares about what they look like. They might be just as insecure as one of us and we shouldn’t judge based on how beautiful we perceive them to be.

And second, we can be just as guilty of focusing too much on our outward appearance when we criticize ourselves as someone who thinks they are overly gorgeous and makes sure everyone knows it. (And that person, by the way, is probably doing that to seek validation, so they probably aren’t even as secure as you may think)

It’s so important to take care of ourselves and to love who we are because God made us that way. But it’s also important to just not focus too much on what we look like. When we place working or stressing over our appearance above who we are as a person and what we’re doing for God’s kingdom, then we miss out on what God has planned for us. We lose sight of what’s truly important in our lives.

And in the end, our bodies will fade away. All that’s left will be our souls. So why don’t we take the time to work on what will last forever instead of the temporary, especially if our bodies cause us grief?

Instead of asking yourself, what food should I eat to make my body attractive or why don’t I look as beautiful as that person over there, ask yourself these questions:

Am I living in a way that honors God?
Do the people around me feel loved?
Am I doing things that I feel passionate about?
Am I taking time to rest?
What am I doing to serve others?

That’s not to say don’t take care of yourself. It just means that once you start focusing on living out God’s will, then your body will not be the center of your life anymore. People will start noticing you for your amazing character traits instead of your looks.

But these verses are also meant to be a comfort. God sees us in a way no one else can. We (and others) see ourselves through a broken mirror, broken by sin, broken by society’s expectations, broken by lies. We are broken until we allow God to heal us, to make us who we are meant to be.

You are loved and worthy and beautiful no matter what you look like. Never forget that.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Choose the Path of Humiliation

How has pride gotten in the way of your relationship with God?

I mentioned last week that sometimes God speaks to us in a loud, booming voice, right? One you simply can’t ignore?

I had also mentioned that I have heard God speak in that way, and I thought I’d share what I believe He was showing me.

Recently, I was very stressed, feeling like I had been in a few situations that were very embarrassing. But after talking about those situations with a close family member, she suggested that perhaps God was trying to teach me about humility. I often struggle with correction, and being humble is important in order to better our relationships with others and with God. Keeping that in the back of my mind, I kept living out my life, and then this weekend our last sermon from a beloved pastor was about humility, how Jesus calls us to become humble servants like Him.

After all, He is the greatest, and even He served others. One line that the pastor said that really stood out to me was this: We need to choose the path of humiliation.

That’s what we need to choose, not just what we “allow” to happen to us. Jesus chose that path, after all. He was mocked, despised, and ultimately killed. But still, He remains holy and the One we need to worship. The One who loves us despite all that we have done to Him and continue to do through sinning.

Then, after that sermon, I led my weekly Bible study, and we were discussing gratitude and righteousness. One very wise member noted that the thing that she thinks separates her from God the most is her ego, her pride. And as she shared a bit of what she’s been struggling with lately, I realized that God was just repeating the message in bold, flashing lights, “You must become humble in order to be a true disciple of Jesus. In order to reach your full potential”.

In our society today, we emphasize being proud of who we are. We flaunt our successes and look down on others who haven’t done all we’ve done. We like feeling “good” about ourselves.

The issue with pride is that when we feel like we can do everything on our own, then we ignore the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. We think we don’t need God or anyone else, and that causes others to feel worse about themselves.

And here’s the thing, we can recognize our ultimate worth, the love God has given us, and how valuable we are without being prideful.

God wants us to have self-love. After all, He showed us how valuable we are when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

But ultimately we have to realize that the reason why we have value isn’t because of anything we did. It’s because of what Jesus did for us. It’s because of God deciding that the world needed us. It’s because we are made in God’s image.

So don’t let people tell you that you aren’t worth anything, because you are. You are loved enough to have the most powerful being in the entire universe die for you.

But that also means that when you are faced with the choice of serving or being served, you need to go the route that Jesus took. Be willing to help someone out, even when it’s not fun, rewarding, or even pleasant. It means that when you get embarrassed or feel like someone’s more accomplished than you, you just have to let those feelings go. You have to realize that even if they are more accomplished in one area of life than you, you are still just as valuable as them and you don’t have to be jealous, because God’s got His own unique plan for you that is completely different than theirs.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:10

“How Are You Doing?”

When was the last time you asked someone, “How are you doing?”

I’m going to admit, one of my guilty pleasures is rom-coms. I don’t know why since I wouldn’t consider myself the “most romantic person in the world”. But if there’s a really good rom-com out there, I will likely watch it and enjoy it.

The most recent one I’ve watched is the third movie about Lara Jean in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. She and her boyfriend, Peter, have gone through many ups and downs since they initially got together at the end of the first movie. They’ve matured and have grown significantly closer. In fact, they even plan on going to college together and staying together forever. (Might be sad if they weren’t planning on the latter, now that I think about it).

Anyway, the “big event” of this movie is (spoiler alert!) Lara Jean not getting into the college that they were planning to attend together. The issue is, because they were both planning on going for so long, Lara Jean doesn’t have the heart to tell Peter. So he buys her a Stanford tree hat, decorates his car, and takes her out on a special date to celebrate her acceptance (since he is unaware of her rejection). So you’d think that by the time she does tell him, he’d be pretty upset, right? Probably annoyed, angry, maybe even ready to break up?

But his answer stunned me. And moved me greatly. I don’t often cry during movies, and I thought I would at the end of this one since it’s the last in the series, but the moment I almost cried was at Peter’s response to Lara Jean’s heart-wrenching confession that she didn’t make it into Stanford.

He looks at her with such care and concern as she starts rambling on and on about how she can fix the situation. He stops her and says in a soft, empathetic voice, “How are you doing?”

I’m sure he knows at this moment that his dreams are crushed as much as hers. He had his hopes set on her going to Stanford too. But he doesn’t let that affect the way he reacts. Instead, he puts his care and love for her over his disappointment.

Wow. Okay, let’s regroup for a minute here. (Also go watch the movie after if I haven’t spoiled too much of it for you).

So you might be thinking, “Aw, what a great boyfriend! Next?”

No. We need to really think about this lesson embedded in this scene. Like, how many times have you been dreading telling someone something you knew would disappoint them and you were greeted with a harsh, or even just discouraged, response?

Probably many times.

But how many times have you been given love and admiration for the courage it took you to share that news? How many times were you asked, before any opinions were shared, how you were doing?

And let me flip that question around a bit. When was the last time you responded to disappointing news with care and concern instead of worry or anger?

I think the reason this scene meant so much to me is because I really wanted someone to just ask me how I was doing. I also felt guilty that I haven’t always reacted with such maturity and love to others when faced in similar situations. I’m more inclined to share my opinions on the news rather than hear their side of the story.

Now, I know there are many instances where they say not to ask that question, like right after someone died or something like that. Often that just overwhelms a person.

But I think you’ll know deep down in your heart when it’s the right time to ask if you really stop and let yourself step into the other person’s shoes.

Is there someone who needs to be asked how they’re doing? Like, how they’re really doing?

I know it can be awkward, but sometimes you just have to be the first person to make a move. You have to be the one to start that act of kindness. And if you think about it, that’s only four words. Four simple words to completely change a conversation, even a relationship, around.

So the next time you are tempted to get annoyed at someone’s bad news, think about the situation from their perspective and respond with empathy. Or, if you feel like there’s someone being overlooked or overworked, reach out and see if you can be there for them.

You never know how you might be able to change a life today.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

God’s Voices

What are some ways you’ve heard God? Maybe you feel like you never have. Here’s some advice related to that!

There are two descriptions (to my knowledge…) of God’s voice in the Bible. I don’t mean description in the sense that someone recorded hearing God (there are way more than two examples of that!!), but two main descriptions of what His voice sounds like.

The first is powerful. After all, God’s voice is what spoke everything into being! And when He’s announcing His Son to the world at Jesus’ baptism, I picture a booming, authoritative voice.

The second one is a still, small voice, like a whisper in the wind. That description comes from 1 Kings, when God is speaking to Elijah. I picture a rusting of leaves, a small gust of wind causing water to ripple.

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you right now. I believe that I’ve heard God speak to me directly with both of those voices. Now, not *exactly* audibly, but in a way that I knew was God.

But let me make this clear: it’s totally okay if you haven’t heard God in the ways I’ve described. It all happens when it needs to happen, you know? God will speak to us in His own different ways.

Where I live, we don’t often get snow, or if we do, it’s only a few inches that melt within a day or two. We rarely get an actual snow storm. But this weekend, a snow storm hit us on Friday night. I was awake long after many went to sleep, just looking out the window and listening to the roaring winds tear across the street. It was as though the wind had had enough and was changing everything around, exhibiting all it could do.

That sound and image will forever be what I think of when picturing God’s “powerful voice”.

That next morning, I went outside before most people were awake and watched the snow fall all around me. There was a gentle breeze that played with my hair as it blew by. Everything felt peaceful, serene. That’s what I think of when I picture God’s still, small voice.

I hope you can think of your own personalized image/sound of what God’s voice means to you. That will help you identify it when God’s speaking to you.

There are always seasons where it feels like God’s message is being loudly proclaimed from the rooftops at every twist and turn we take. Other times, it will feel like we are all alone in our struggles, with no direction.

But the truth is, God is speaking through every moment in our lives. God never leaves us. It’s just that His voice sounds different for each of us.

I’m going to make a Frozen 2 reference here, so hopefully you’ve seen this movie! Towards the beginning of the movie, Elsa hears this voice during the night. As she ventures out of her comfort zone, she starts feeling led towards it and the voice becomes stronger.

When explaining it to her sister, Anna, who can’t exactly figure out why her sister would want to ruin their newly restored life, Elsa has a priceless answer. (At least to me)

She explains that she hears a voice calling her. She can feel that the voice is good and it’s trying to guide her.

Okay, that may not sound profound at first, but hear me out.

Elsa is the only one who can hear that voice. That doesn’t mean that she’s more special than Anna or any of the other characters (despite what little kids might tell you). That just means that that’s the way the “voices” knew they could reach her. Anna still has her own journey, but she is guided by others who are better suited to her personality. Anna goes to the trolls or Kristoff, basically any person she is somewhat close to, for help.

The thing that’s similar between the two of them is that the way they were reached out to was a way that they knew they could trust. Anna trusts people; Elsa trusts…pretty much no one but the voices, so I guess it’s a good thing they spoke out :).

Now you’re probably wondering what magical voices have to do with God, but here’s where we can apply this to our own lives. You see, God is much greater than those fantasy voices. God is in control of our lives and He wants us to pay attention to all that He’s doing. He reaches out to us in ways that will be meaningful to us personally.

So when you’re trying to hear God, here are a few tips:

Don’t miss the obvious. God might be screaming something to you and you just won’t admit that that’s God because A) it seems too obvious or B) maybe it’s something you don’t want to hear. But don’t miss these opportunities to listen to God and perhaps make some changes in you life.
Realize that God’s way of talking to you will be different than the way He speaks to others. God has spoken to me through dreams, which I know He’s done for some people, but not many I’m close to. He’s also spoken to me through specific Bible verses, which is a more common way (in my opinion) of hearing from God.
The best way to hear from God is to spend more time with Him. You’re never going to know what God thinks until you take that intentional time out of your day to be with Him. Pray, read the Bible, reflect on all God’s done for you. Then you’ll start hearing Him.

I know it can be stressful when we feel like God is silent. But I promise you, He’s not. He’s always there. To finish up my Frozen 2 references (don’t worry, I doubt it will expand past this post), I want to use Anna as an example.

At the beginning, Anna tells Elsa that she will always have her. Then she proves it by trying to fight a fire (without powers I might add) and chases off giants in an attempt to find her sister.

God has proven His faithfulness time and time again. We often neglect to think about that during the times when we feel distant from God. But I’d encourage you to reread His promises and think about all the ways He’s truly been there for you in the past. God never changes. He loves you and will fight for you.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6