Life advice – Page 7 – The Will to Wake Up

Intentional Community

How do you feel after spending time with those in your community?

Have you ever gotten home from a social event (or turned your computer off after an online one) and felt instantly drained? Or perhaps you were left feeling elated, wanting to share the love you experienced with someone else?

Community is a tricky thing. We were all created for community, yet because of our broken world, we don’t often get “community” right. Sometimes, when we are told that we should be part of a community, we choose to stay around people who make us feel bad about ourselves or drained our energy. However, that’s not the kind of community God intended for us.

The scripture often used to support the idea of God creating us for community is from Genesis, when God created Eve to take care of the Earth with Adam. When Adam first meets Eve, he is so excited that he verbal rejoices.

This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh.
Genesis 2:23

Adam declares that Eve is just like him. In fact, their humanity is what connects them. Even after the fall, we are still connected to one another. However, we have to be more intentional about honoring that truth.

God created community so that we can worship Him together and reflect His love to one another. Ideally, any group of people would be able to feel refreshed and rejuvenated after spending time together. However, sadly that is not the case, which means not only do we need to be intentional about loving each other, we also have to be intentional about what communities we join.

Have you ever spent so much time with someone that you begin to become more like them? I realized the other day that the voice in my head often sounds like whoever I am spending the most time with! A little scary to think about sometimes…

Even the way we see ourselves reflects who we are around. When we are with encouraging people, we will feel more confident. If we are with negative people, we may experience more stress and irritation with the world.

When you are trying to figure out whether or not you should stay in a community, let God’s Spirit speak to you through your feelings. After spending time with them, are you feeling more alive, more affirmed in how God sees you? Or are you feeling discouraged and drained, used even?

God wants us to be loving to everyone, including the people who make us feel frustrated. However, we can love difficult people from afar. Sometimes God does call us to spend a lot of time with difficult people, and if that’s the case, it’s important to also surround yourself with healthy people. But God would never want you to force yourself to stay in a relationship that hurts you or others.

Today, if you are part of a community that reflects the characteristics of God, thank God and reach out to these people to show your appreciation. If you are not part of a community, ask God to show you who you should connect with in order to fill that void in your life.

You belong, regardless of what others have made you believe in the past. You deserve to be surrounded by people who see you the way God sees you: chosen, loved, and made in His image.

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them.
Genesis 1:27

More Than You Can Bear

Are you feeling overwhelmed, wondering where Jesus is in the midst of all you’re going through?

Sometimes, life just feels like too much. One thing after another, spiraling into a season of chaos. And when one stressful season ends, it feels as though another is just around the corner. During these times of uncertainty, you may only have the energy to ask God one simple thing: “Why?”.

To be honest, I’ve been asking God “why” a lot recently. Why this school, why these feelings, why don’t I understand?

What are some questions you have for God? Maybe they are related to your mental or physical health, or perhaps an important relationship in your life. There are countless things to question God about; the tough thing is waiting for an answer.

Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed by the burden of wanting to do whatever I can to help others, yet not knowing where to start. I was reading about how my generation, Gen Z, is considered a “lost generation” due to the high levels of anxiety, depression, and overall despair. Everyone feels…alone. All they want is to feel something, which leads to an assortment of harmful behaviors that take the place of being fully cared for and embraced.

Do you ever read Bible verses that make you frustrated? Often these are verses that are designed to make us feel better, yet when they don’t, they almost feel like a mockery of our pain. We read verses about Jesus carrying our burdens and our joy being complete through Him, but when we feel hopeless, heavy, and tired, these promises become empty words.

So often, we expect Jesus to be like another person: fallible. We avoid calling out to Him because we assume our emotions are too much for Him or that He won’t follow through in time, if ever. And when we do call out, sometimes nothing changes for a while.

All we have left is our weak, exhausted soul calling out for help and clarity.

When I hear about all the things people are struggling with, I want to scream at the top of my lungs, “Where are you, Jesus?”. But for some reason, that feels wrong. How can I scream at the One who is the source of my joy and peace? He literally saved me. Shouldn’t that be enough?

But here’s the thing: Jesus doesn’t expect us to be satisfied just with His earthly appearance and sacrifice thousands of years ago. That’s why He’s given us the Holy Spirit, called our Advocate, to speak on behalf of us.

Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit…they are all-powerful, incomparable, divine beings who want to be in relationship with you.

The Holy Spirit is inside you, feeling everything you’re feeling, enraged about everything that bothers you, and desperately fighting for you. And when you take the time to listen, really listen, and look for the ways Jesus is showing you He’s there, maybe this burden won’t feel so lonely.

Last night, I wrote in my prayer journal, as I always do, yet I couldn’t feel Jesus. I couldn’t really feel anything except frustration and fear. I asked Jesus what I should do, but I didn’t hear anything. A little while later, I opened up my Bible to continue reading Nehemiah.

In that chapter, Nehemiah was assigning tasks to those helping him do God’s work of restoring a city that had previously been oppressed. One particular character caught my eye, a “faithful person who feared God more than most”. This man was given an important task, a task that was clearly not for the faint of heart. However, Nehemiah, through the guidance of God, knew he could handle it because of his obedience and dedication to God.

Right in that moment, I felt Jesus speaking to me, reminding me that He has given me this life because He knows that I can make good use of it. He knows that it’s hard, but He has equipped me with everything I need to carry on.

I believe that Jesus is telling you the same thing. No matter what you are going through, Jesus is right beside you. He is waiting for you to call out to Him. He wants everything, even your toughest questions. He’s making a way for you, even if you can’t see it yet.

I encourage you to make the time to simply rest with Jesus. Allow yourself to step away from the world and let His Spirit of peace fill your mind and heart. You never know what may come out of it, perhaps even a change in perspective and a renewal of hope.

Jesus promises to never give us more than we can bear. He knows you, He loves you, and He is ready to transform you into the person you are meant to be.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

A song recommendation if you need encouragement: It’s Gonna Get Better, by The Young Escape: https://youtu.be/DDSNoibW41M

You Can’t Understand…and That’s Okay

Have you ever told a friend going through a hard time that you understand what they’re going through? Perhaps, though your words were meant well, they were received poorly. Here is some advice and encouragement for your relationships!

Have you ever had someone close to you experience a hardship, potential life or death, and you wanted to do everything in your power to be there for them? You wanted to hold them close, tell them that everything’s going to be okay, and that you understand. You formulate the right text to send or the words to speak, words laced with the love you have for this person. To you, this just feels right.

However, to your despair, they give a short response or even say, “But you don’t understand.”

And those words hurt. They hurt a lot. They hurt because you just poured your heart out to a loved one and you feel like you can understand because you’ve either had a similar experience or you feel other people’s pain deeply.

I know what it’s like to truly believe I understand what someone’s going through, and then have my words received poorly. When that happens, it makes me want to run in the opposite direction and never open my mouth again. Or I want to defend myself, citing evidence as to why I understand exactly what’s going on.

But you know what I’ve learned after trial and error? We actually don’t understand. And maybe that’s okay.

I believe that even if you were placed in the exact same situation at the exact same time in the exact same setting, you would still experience the hardship differently.

I was teaching a group of Sunday schoolers (ages 3-6) last week, and I asked them why they thought God made a diversity of humans and animals.

One little boy answered, “Because it’s more beautiful that way.”

Clearly, small minds do not mean small ideas.

This child was definitely onto something with his response. It is beautiful that we can weave our stories into the lives of others and watch an intricate legacy form. Life is simply more interesting because of our differences.

But the fact that we all see things differently can be scary because we don’t always know how others will react. However, by being sensitive to other people’s experiences and perspectives, we can grow into more empathetic and wise individuals.

While we generally want to understand out of our care and concern for others, we also may have a selfish reason for saying “I understand”. When we bring ourselves into the conversation, we are taking the focus off the person in need and pointing the spotlight onto us.

Have you ever listened to your friend’s dilemma and instantly responded with a story of your own that relates? I am certainly guilty of this. Often, we are more comfortable talking about ourselves than others, maybe for fear of saying the wrong thing or wanting to prove that we don’t have life easy either.

But you have nothing to prove. If you are in a mutual friendship or relationship with someone, they will know that your life isn’t easy. Your time to share will come, but it doesn’t need to be at the same time as theirs.

You also don’t have to prove that you care about your loved one. I guarantee that they will feel more loved by your constant presence, willingness to listen, and thoughtful questions rather than you trying to relate your life to theirs.

It is easier to say “I understand”, but assuming you already understand prevents you from learning more about your loved one or the situation they are in. The more you allow yourself to admit “Hey, maybe I don’t fully understand, but I want to understand”, the more you will actually begin to look at the world from multiple perspectives.

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t try to understand others. You certainly should! However, the best way to understand is going into situations with an open mind to whatever God is trying to teach you from this experience. He places us in each others’ lives intentionally, and He will not waste your efforts, especially when they come from a loving heart.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10

The Story Behind “There is More Ahead of You”

Here is the story behind my new book, There is More Ahead of You! For a book description, check out my homepage!

I have exciting news–I wrote and self-published a book! This has been a dream of mine for so long and I am so delighted to finally share my work publicly. This blog has been the stepping stone for learning how to write for a wider audience and to see what kind of writing I am most passionate about. For details related to the book, check out my homepage or the bottom of this post!

To be honest, if you had asked me if I thought I’d be publishing a book this fall prior to September, I would’ve said “I wish, but no”. It would’ve seemed like an impossible idea, considering I’m still in my first quarter of college. But that just goes to show how God works!

This isn’t the type of book I planned to write either. It combines a newfound hobby (digital art) and my desire to encourage others in a short story designed to help readers feel seen and understood.

All the way until I started this blog two years ago, I dreamed of writing fictional young adult novels centered around relationships, adventure, and faith. However, while relaxing to calming music and doodling on my iPad, God sent me inspiration in the form of an orange blob.

Yep, that’s not a typo–an orange blob started it all.

My first drawing featured the orange blob person surrounded by smoke, symbolizing the overwhelming sensation and heaviness life often casts upon us. At first, I considered making this person more realistic, but I realized that anyone can put themselves in the place of this blob, rather than just a person who happens to resemble the appearance of this character. Plus, it didn’t require detailed art, but rather abstract ideas.

After that, I spent several hours drawing whatever came to me. I made a rough outline of what I hoped readers would take away from the story and soon enough, the entire book came together.

What took longer than making the book was figuring out how to publish it–or rather, mustering up the confidence to consider publishing it.

I went back and forth on the idea for a few weeks. Everything seemed so complicated and the process wasn’t cheap, though it was cheaper than trying to publish a novel and easier than searching for a publisher.

But once I got the assurance from several trusted loved ones and acted on this new calling, things fell into place. I found a way to make the book slightly cheaper (unfortunately books are costly to manufacture, but I wanted anyone to be able to access my book). One thing all authors need to buy is an ISBN code (an identification barcode), and I found a way to get one for free through the publishing website. These simple signs confirmed that God wants me to do this.

I’m still unsure what God wants to do through this book, but I trust that He will turn my simple words and pictures into something far greater than anything I can imagine.

While the messages of the story are meant to be uplifting and encouraging, I know I couldn’t have written them under happy, easy circumstances. For various reasons, the past several months have been draining and frustrating for me. Often, I even want to give up, though I know that I must keep going in order to fulfill God’s purpose for my life and see what He is doing through all of this.

Though I’m likely the most excited about my book coming out, I hope that this can be a sign for you to keep going too. I believe that God is trying to show both of us that even when things don’t make sense, He will create something beautiful out of our painful, confusing situations.

God wants to use your story. God wants to use you. He can see the incredible potential you have and He made you intentionally to use your gifts for wondrous things.

I know that you [God] can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Job 42:2

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Jeremiah 32:27

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

If you would like to purchase a copy of my book, check out this link!

https://www.blurb.com/b/10890467-there-is-more-ahead-of-you

Your support and encouragement mean the world to me! Thank you for being here ❤

Dreaming of a Better Tomorrow

Is there a dream or a passion that you long to pursue, yet fear of displeasing God or others is holding you back?

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “follow your dreams”. Christians enjoy bashing this phrase because it doesn’t indicate aligning your life with God’s will. While I agree that God’s will should come first in our lives, we also need to realize that our dreams and passions are often from God and should be heard. In fact, we can fall into the trap of using our interpretation of God’s will as an excuse to not go out and do what would make a difference.

How often have you not done something because you thought, “Oh, I haven’t heard explicitly from God that I’m supposed to do this, so it must mean I shouldn’t”?

We limit ourselves when we believe that God’s will fits into a box. If we don’t have the exact qualifications, then we don’t believe we’ll ever be capable. If we don’t have the financial support, then God must be calling someone else with more money.

We use these human excuses to prevent us from actually doing God’s will. We allow our fear of failure diminish the possibility of having an extraordinary legacy.

Here’s the thing: A lot of times, we don’t follow our dreams out of good intention. We think that we can’t enjoy doing God’s will.

Your heart is in the right place. However, I want to free you from this line of thinking.

God has given you your specific gifts and passions for a reason. In the world God created before brokenness entered, there were jobs for people to do, but He made sure they were meaningful. I’ll take the liberty of assuming that Adam enjoyed naming all the animals and Eve appreciated interacting with the creatures of the garden. A portion of their daily life was centered around being with God. That is within our calling as well.

You may be wondering if your dreams are in line with God’s will because certainly there are things that God wouldn’t tell you to do. Here are a few factors I take into consideration when determining whether or not I should pursue a dream:

It does not go against anything in the Bible.
You have a sense of peace, even if the circumstances seem impossible.
You have had people or opportunities that have affirmed this gifting.
After praying about it, some of your fears weaken.
You believe it could make a difference, even if the difference seems small.

God never changes, which means He will always encourage you to do things that bring restoration, hope, love, and truth into the world. Don’t let a dream labeled as “hard” or “unobtainable” discourage you. If something has never been done before, then perhaps you’ll be the first to do it. No one can make the exact same impact as you.

On a more personal note, a dream I’ve had since childhood has been writing books. Clearly I love writing, and over time, my passion for encouraging others has caused this love to deepen. A few weeks ago, God gave me the inspiration and time to create a short story photo book designed to encourage people. After it came together, I felt like God wanted me to publish it.

Yet scrolling through countless advice articles, watching helpful videos, and looking at my bank account, my enthusiasm began to dwindle. I waited for the proof (the author’s first copy) to come in the mail, but I decided it was just too hard and not good enough to publish.

But after showing the book to a few trusted people in my life, I began to sense God leading me towards publishing it again. The thought of bringing hope to others through my writing lifted a burden off my shoulders and ignited a fire within my heart. Once I said yes to the call, doors have begun opening up for me.

I know it won’t be easy. I doubt it will be a bestseller. But if it brings hope and light into at least one life, I know it will all be worth it.

You may not see the fruit of your hard work or the “proof of success” within your dream field. That can be extremely discouraging, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t making a difference. It just means that God is calling you to trust Him. Behind the scenes, He is always working. Nothing is impossible for you with God by your side.

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.
Hebrews 6:18

Second Thoughts

Are you worried that you made the wrong decision, even after following God’s call?

I thought I made the right choice.

But sitting at my desk, head in my hands, tears streaming down my face, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

Backtrack one year prior, when I was pouring over my college applications, I felt God’s hand over the entire process. I was certain the college I chose was the one. I had little to no doubt that this was the career path for me.

But adjusting to a life so different from the one I’ve led for most of my life has been difficult. There are so many changes, so many unpleasant and uncomfortable things. I know I’m not the only one questioning my decision making skills.

Perhaps you are in a similar predicament. Maybe you made a thoughtful choice, but now you aren’t reaping any rewards. Or you thought that this change would finally be the key to turning your life around, yet things are looking all too familiar out your window.

Whatever you’re going through, I want you to remember something: God doesn’t change. If we listen Him and we follow His call, He doesn’t just say, “Oh never mind, my bad, you were actually supposed to do this instead. Whoops.”

No, God never makes mistakes. He didn’t make a mistake when He made you. He also didn’t make a mistake when He led you to whatever path you’re on right now.

You know how they say doubts aren’t actually a bad thing? In fact, asking those deeper questions that come with our doubts can actually strengthen our faith. Well, what if second thoughts regarding your decisions aren’t actually bad?

What if, instead of suffering from regret, you use these uncomfortable feelings to learn more about yourself. What about this situation do you want to change? Why are you unhappy about your circumstances? How can you still find rest when your world is shaking? Can you see how God is working through this, or do you need to pray to ask Him to show you His plan?

Just because you’re having second thoughts doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice. That’s just as true of doubts about your faith. Just because you have doubts doesn’t mean you don’t have faith anymore.

You do have the ability to listen to God. You do have the capability to make good decisions. You are strong in your faith.

And anything that tells you that your life is a mistake is wrong. It’s a lie from the enemy.

Today, have hope in that no matter what you’re going through, God is right there beside you. He knows what will happen and He will take care of you. Someday, everything will come together, even if it’s not on this side of Heaven. So for now, just take life one step at a time and remember that you are not in this alone.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 16:13

Also, happy 2 year anniversary to this blog! I’m a little late (it was September 21st), and I plan to do a post related to it later. So thankful for all of you!

One Step at a Time

Are you overwhelmed by the chaos of life?

First of all, can I just say how excited I am to be writing an Encouragement Thursday article this week? I have taken a break from them since moving and starting classes, but they bring me so much joy, especially when I get to hear how they’ve encouraged you.

You are the reason why I keep writing! (Apart from God’s calling of course ;)) So I’m very thankful to be able to be part of this community alongside you.

Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled program, the reason you originally clicked on this article! 🙂

What words come to mind when you think about fall? I think about the colorful leaves, the changing seasons, and the busyness that comes with all these changes.

When things get busy, it’s easy to get stuck in our heads. We get so focused on our goals and all the things we want to be or do and haven’t achieved yet. We forget to look around at the bright autumn leaves or feel the soothing drops of rain against our faces. When our fingers are wrapped around our dreams too tightly, we miss out on living in the present. In our minds, we are already in the future.

But living in future isn’t real, is it? This future that we’ve created for ourselves hasn’t happened. It may never happen. We get all stressed out about it, but it isn’t here yet.

And when we are so set on one idea of what our life is supposed to look like, we begin to lose our true passion and desire for it. It feels obligatory; do we really want this future or did we predestine it for ourselves?

Well, I have some good news. We can’t predestine anything. God is the One who has prepared the path ahead of us and when we listen to Him, our lives will begin to feel purposeful again.

Sometimes, we don’t take a break because we are avoiding something. Maybe we don’t feel ready to say goodbye so we bury ourselves in our work instead. Or perhaps we don’t want to accept that things are different, so we focus our energy on incorporating the past into the future.

We don’t want to feel weak, and for some strange reason, resting is seen as a weakness in our culture.

But here’s the thing: Jesus even demonstrated the need for rest.

I know you’re probably expecting me to bring up the 7th day of creation, but I actually found a new story that has resonated deeper with me on the subject of rest and processing grief.

Jesus was very close to his cousin, John the Baptist. John was the one preaching about Jesus, after all. Surely the tight-knit relationship between their mothers affected their bond as well. So when Jesus found out about his loved one dying a brutal death, it weighted heavily on Him.

I’ve heard the gruesome story of John’s death many times, but I never paid attention to Jesus’ response until rereading the story last night.

Here it is according to the gospel of Matthew:

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.
Matthew 14:13

Read that again. What did Jesus do? He withdrew privately to a solitary place. Jesus knew His limits. He knew that He needed to take the time to process His grief. He was aware of the need for rest and encourages us to follow in His footsteps.

And what did that rest do for Him?

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14

That’s right! It strengthened Him enough to continue healing others and even feed the five thousand later on in the passage.

When we are just going, going, going, we miss out on the opportunity to present our best selves. We can’t fully pour into others without first pouring into ourselves. The way to pour into ourselves is drinking the living water Jesus provides. Reading the Bible, praying, listening to encouraging music, journaling, participating in a life-giving hobby or activity…the list could go on. Simply being present no matter where you’re at.

I often struggle with wanting to go full-speed ahead into things…which leads to immediate burn out. Once things don’t happen at the speed I want them to, I get discouraged and question my calling and abilities. God doesn’t want us to do that. Instead, He wants us to be present where He’s calling us in the moment. Not in the future, because the future will come soon enough, but right where He wants us now.

Each day you are taking one step closer to where God wants you to be. But those steps don’t have to be giant leaps. They can be little, itty bitty steps. And that’s okay. In fact, that’s amazing. Just take life one step at a time, and it will begin to feel less overwhelming.

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Psalm 33:11

Take a Deep Breath

Have you been feeling burned out lately? Here is an invitation to rest and invite God’s peace to fill your troubled heart today.

Do you ever just feel…burned out?

Maybe everything is crumbling around you. Perhaps you have had an increased workload or a new person is in your life who demands a lot of your attention and energy. Or maybe things are just…normal?

Honestly, don’t feel bad if normal is exhausting. Especially now, life still amidst a pandemic, living in a world full of brokenness and selfishness and division.

But maybe that isn’t the whole world. Maybe, despite things feeling as though they are getting worse, there is still room for gentleness.

Last weekend was particularly rough for me. I won’t go into detail, but I witnessed the reality of our broken world. I felt powerless as people in need surrounded me and all I could do was take care of my own safety. And even then, I couldn’t protect a friend when she was harassed by a stranger. As I turned left and right, I saw how truly divided we have become. We think we’ve made progress in loving others and cultivating peace, but have we really? This weekend has planted an image in my mind of what Jesus meant when He described the evil we will face in the world.

Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar lately, a fresh slap of reality right in the face. It hurts, doesn’t it?

When you get hurt, it isn’t usually the initial contact that stings the most. It’s the sharpness that penetrates through your body until it’s all you can think about. It resonates deeply within you, leaving a lasting imprint. A scar that symbolizes a point in your journey.

But that is what it is–a point. It’s not the beginning, it’s not the end. It’s not the whole story. Your life has scars and it will get more scars as you keep going. But with every scar comes the rebuilding of skin, a healing process.

Though the healing process brings revival and joy back into your life, it doesn’t always feel beneficial at first. Be gentle with yourself as you take a look at what is causing the pain in your life. Change is hard and it’s important to just take it one step at a time.

Close your eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. Recently, I’ve seen the value of breath prayers, aligning your heart with God’s through a few simple words and actions. When you inhale, you will pray a few words. As you exhale, you will finish the prayer.

Pray with me:

Inhale: Jesus, my Protector

Exhale: Fill me with Your peace.

Allow yourself to feel the meaning of these words. Jesus offers us unexplainable, never ending peace with Him. No matter what’s going on, you can rest in His faithfulness.

But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalm 18:6

Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving. Then God’s peace, which goes far beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your hearts and minds in union with the Messiah Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Loving Your Neighbor

We’ve all heard the familiar verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” However, what does this look like in real life?

For some, it means passing a stranger on the street and greeting them warmly. For others, it means donating their time and talents assisting those in need. It can be easy to see why it’s important to show others God’s love, especially since we know how wonderful it feels to be shown that love in return.

However, it’s not always easy to love everyone around us. And that’s how Jesus defines our “neighbors”: every single person you pass by, sit near in class, work alongside, or read about in the news.

One of the first things you’ll see when you open the Bible is the passage about God creating humankind.

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them.
Genesis 1:27

We are created in God’s image.

Let that sink in for a moment. You don’t have to do anything to be “enough” for this great honor. Yet somehow, God chose you to reflect His perfect qualities and experience His infinite love.

But you are not the only one who is made in God’s image. Just as you should view yourself as God’s perfect creation, a reflection of God’s character, take a look around you at your community. Every single one of them, regardless of their past, their mistakes, their differences…they are made in God’s image too.

So when you extend to them God’s love and mercy, you are essentially giving back to God what He gave to you. Even if that person never thanks you, you can know that you will always do the right thing when you display God’s loving kindness.

Sometimes, going the extra mile feels like too much. And if it’s draining you completely, then you do need to take time for rest. But the small things matter too. Saying a simple “hello” or reaching out with a caring message might change someone’s entire day.

If you are still hesitant to do something for someone else, ask yourself why. Does it feel like too much of a burden? Does this person not “deserve” your time?

Maybe they don’t. But you know who does deserve your time? God. He’s the One who gave you all the time you have! And each time you treat someone the way God would treat them, you are showing God that you are making the most of the gifts He’s given you. You are telling God that you love Him, even if that love can’t compare to how much He loves you.

Today, think of a way (it doesn’t have to be big!) to show others God’s love. Who knows? Perhaps you might even make a lasting connection.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:7-8

Living an Unseen Life

Do you often feel unappreciated or unnoticed when you do good things? Here is some advice and encouragement!

Have you ever made it through a long day, took a deep breath, and felt completely exhausted? As you reflected over the past 24 hours, your heart felt heavy as your mind replayed the moments where you were overlooked. Maybe your hard work didn’t seem to pay off. Maybe no one thanked you for your commitment and time. Or perhaps you felt used because no one else seemed to be doing responsible things and expected you to fix all their problems.

It can get wearisome doing the right thing, no matter what the “right thing” looks like. Sometimes, it’s reaching out to a person who denies their need for community. Other times, it’s standing up for the marginalized even when it’s not popular. Often, it’s when we are doing what Jesus would want us to do, which isn’t “the norm” in a society that doesn’t have the same values.

After everything I’ve said, there don’t seem to be many perks to doing the right thing though, huh? Especially because our efforts go unappreciated. But what if I told you that it’s better when we aren’t appreciated for our good works?

Before I go on, I want to give a disclaimer: it’s not bad to get appreciated. It’s human to seek validation and affection, and if you get those things, that doesn’t take away from your faith. However, I want to give encouragement for those of us who have felt unseen as we try to spread God’s love in a broken world.

When Jesus came here, He knew the discouragement we would face when being apprentices of Him. If you think about it, Jesus was only thanked a handful of times despite the countless sacrificial things He did. He understands our pain. That’s why Jesus addresses this issue during one of His sermons to His disciples.

Jesus says, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Though He’s specifically addressing assisting the needy, I believe this can be interpreted as any act we do to help others for the sake of Christ. Not only does this remind us that everything we do that gets overlooked by people is seen by God, it helps us refocus our intentions when doing generous things.

You see, when we do everything for Jesus, we aren’t just helping others learn more about Him, we are doing it for others rather than for ourselves. Yes, we can benefit and grow from serving, but shouldn’t our primary goal be helping those we’re serving? When we get so caught up over whether or not someone is watching, we forget the purpose behind our mission.

I’m going to leave you with this challenge: the next time you reflect over an opportunity to be there for someone, don’t feel bad about how it went, regardless of whether or not you were appreciated. Instead, feel blessed that you were able to help and that God is so proud of you.

Don’t grow weary in doing good. Eventually, you will begin to see what a difference you make in the world. ❤

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33