Tag: Life

What’s Worth Celebrating?

Are you having trouble finding reasons to celebrate this Christmas?

Christmastime: The season of joyful singing, generous giving, and reflections of gratitude over the past year. We celebrate Jesus coming to save us and how our world has been fantastic ever since He left…right?

Well, we may not exactly feel that way this year. COVID has forced us to look past ourselves and the coverups of the mistreatment and pain many, if not all of us, experience over the course of our lives. We can’t hide behind bright lights, festive parties, and overspending.

And while vulnerability and honesty are valuable and important things we long for, we can’t help but have a bitter taste in our mouths as we struggle to find what’s worth celebrating these days.

So, what are we really celebrating when our world doesn’t feel like it’s been saved?

The one thing that can’t be changed: God’s love.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. You’re already tired of hearing the word “love”. Love is overused and over-simplified through Hallmark movies, seasonal proposals, and the occasional hopeless romantic in your life who is making a desperate search for a companion for the holidays. But the truth is, when we take the time to realize what love really is, we are able to have something worth celebrating.

Love, in the grandest form, is sacrificial. And Jesus surely made the ultimate sacrifice for us. When He came down as a poor, homeless baby, He knew what lie ahead of Him. Temptation, betrayal, mockery, and ultimate death on a cross. He knew He had to literally step into every single possible situation we might experience so that He can empathize with us. And though this mission was risky and unpleasant, He was willing to do whatever it took to show us how much He loves us.

But yet, though Jesus came to offer hope, justice, and compassion, our world seems to be lacking every quality of Jesus. In fact, life feels like it’s getting worse most of the time.

So how come it doesn’t feel like Jesus’ sacrifice paid off?

Well, the simple answer would be that Jesus isn’t done restoring our world. It will reach a breaking point and Jesus will return to redeem us once and for all.

But what are we to do in the meantime? Why couldn’t Jesus get the job done the first time?

I’m sure Jesus could, but He knew that allowing us to live in a broken world would cause us to value His love even more. When we experience hardships, especially at the hands of others, we are able to better appreciate being in a relationship with someone (Jesus) who loves us no matter what and always works for our good.

Christmas isn’t about celebrating an idealistic world that hasn’t come yet, though we can certainly anticipate a day with no more pain. Christmas isn’t about celebrating what we wish the world could be and feeling resentful that we haven’t achieved these goals yet.

Christmas is about living in our present, often difficult, circumstances and celebrating that even though we are flawed human beings, the God of the universe was (and is) willing to sacrifice everything just to be in a relationship with us. We are celebrating that His love for us reaches no end and we have the capability to extend that love to others, particularly around the holidays.

This Christmas, you can have a smile on your face and unexplainable joy in your heart as you remember how much Jesus loves you and is alongside you through your journey.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Romans 11:29

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:4-5

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him…

John 1:9-10

If you have an children in your life and are searching for a heartwarming, yet straightforward version of the Christmas story, here is a book I co-authored that shares the true meaning of Christmas!

To check out this book: https://www.blurb.com/b/10989294

Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy Birthday… By Hannah Chung

Photo book

Book Preview

Jesus, Heal Our Land

Our broken world needs healing more than ever, but how can we obtain that?

I came across a verse this evening that really resonated with me.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Now, for a bit of context before we dive into this passage, God is speaking to Solomon right after Solomon dedicated his newly constructed temple to the Lord. Clearly, the Israelites already have a track record of not listening to God after asking for a worldly, human ruler in place of God and constantly looking to other ungodly people groups to gain “inspiration” for how to live. However, even after everything, out of the endless love in His heart, God promises His people that He will listen when they call out to Him.

As you can see, our world is no better than the world during 2 Chronicles. There is so much man-made destruction of relationships, identity, nature, and internal wellbeing. People are dying every day at the hands of others’ selfishness. Others are suffering for the sake of wealth or status or even tradition. None of these things would be happening if God were recognized as our leader because God is just, merciful, and loving. We need deep healing in our land.

You might think that we are too far gone. And truthfully, I often feel that way as well. But God is always willing to give us a second (or millionth) chance. When we cry out, He listens. But we need to be in the right “heart space” in order to have this intimate relationship with God.

And where better to learn than through God’s own instruction?

Humble Yourselves

The first command God gives Solomon for the Israelites relates to humility. Pride (the opposite of humility) is one of our biggest separators from God. When we recognize that our worth comes from God alone, we accept that we need His grace and forgiveness in order to live fully. We cannot do anything by our own strength. The glory must truly go to God.

Pray

Prayer comes in many forms. The traditional list of prayer requests often feels lengthy and unnecessary. But prayers are really just a conversation with God. We need to build in time for listening and accepting the convictions He gives us. That often requires discomfort, but it’s worth it for the sake of growth. And if we have followed the first step, humbling ourselves, then we are more likely to be able to take the changes God wants for us. We are also given the opportunity to experience joy through gratitude during these times of prayer.

Unique ways to pray:

Prayer journaling

Writing letters to God

Singing

Taking a walk through nature and listening for God

Popcorn prayers (going back and forth with another person to list off what needs prayer)

Reading scripture

Seek My Face

We can’t just expect God to be waiting to serve us at our hands and feet. We need to make intentional effort to have a relationship with God too. By reading the Bible, listening for God, and truly having the desire to know Him, we will be able to seek His face. God loves a willing, inquisitive heart and will reward the efforts you make to find Him.

Turn from Your Wicked Ways

Something our culture doesn’t like to hear is that we do actually do things that aren’t right. Shocking, I know.

But seriously, while God loves us no matter what, He doesn’t want us to stay buried in our lives of sin. He wants to free us from the chains sin places on us. Knowing what is a sin and being willing to accept that we aren’t perfect requires all the previous steps (humility and knowing God’s character).

The awesome thing is that when we do things that are wrong, God doesn’t inflict shame upon us the way the world does. Rather, we are given hope that things can get better and that we are designed for greater things.

I hope you will join me in praying for our broken world. My heart goes out to all of you who have truly felt the weight of the world on your shoulders. You are loved. Don’t give up showing God’s light, we need it more than ever.

Life’s Cheap Replacements

What do we really need?

I’ve learned a lot from college so far, but one thing I didn’t anticipate learning was the importance of seat cushions.

That’s right, seat cushions. Considering the price we pay for living expenses on campus, you’d think they could splurge for more than a hard, plastic chair that squeaks. But nope, guess not. And after hours of studying, calling, drawing, and reading in that chair, my back got pretty upset with me.

When I got home, I returned to my much more comfortable chair. However, it also doesn’t have adequate back support. I had purchased a seat cushion for my chair at school, but it got packed away with the other boxes of things saved for next year. So what did I do?

Over the course of a week, I tried a variety of methods. First, I added a slim, silky blanket. Not sure what I thought that would do. Then I added a sherpa, an extra-thick and cushy blanket. That added a bit of support. Then I placed a pillow vertically against the back of the chair. Finally, I put another pillow on top of it, horizontally this time, for shoulder support.

By the time I got done, I barely had any room to sit! And the thing is, this design leaves very little room for finding the perfect seat position, meaning my back still gets sore, just not as quickly.

Now, you’re probably wondering two things: When am I going to stop talking about seat cushions and why didn’t I just search for my real seat cushion?

To answer your first question, trust me, this does have a point. To the second, I suppose it was laziness or the thought that maybe I could figure this out on my own. The more things I added, the more assurance I had that I’d be able to create a masterpiece of a chair.

The truth is, we do this a lot in our spiritual lives too. We feel an ache for God, but we fill that empty space in our hearts with something other than Him. Perhaps it’s material wealth, a relationship, or an adventurous lifestyle. Or maybe it’s a career, a fantasy, or even helping those in need.

None of those things are inherently evil, but when they are used to replace God, they leave us feeling betrayed. We get frustrated with ourselves because we’ve tried everything we can, only to end up tired and confused.

When we look at these cheap replacements for Jesus, we wonder why we’d ever go for what’s empty over what’s priceless. But perhaps our reasons are as simple as mine when it came to the chair. We’re tired already. We don’t want to do the work that it takes to build an intimate relationship with Jesus. Perhaps we feel like we’ve tried the whole “faith thing” and it didn’t feel the way we wanted it to.

But here’s the thing: Building any sort of lasting relationship takes time and effort. If it does with people, then certainly it will with God. Our relationship with God is arguably the most complex, intricate, and confusing relationship we’ll ever have. But isn’t the wholeness, the love, and the forgiveness He offers worth whatever sacrifices it takes?

Today, ask yourself what areas in your life are being used to replace God. Maybe it’s something small, easy to remove. Or perhaps it’s your lifestyle. You don’t have to let go of your entire way of being, but you may need to make changes in order to see where your priorities really are.

More than anything, Jesus wants this relationship with you. He’s ready to meet you wherever you’re at. So stop waiting around for things to get better on their own and start chasing Jesus like He’s chasing you.

Meanwhile, I’ll be hunting for my seat cushion. 😉

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 4:8-10

What If…It’s Gonna Be Okay?

Hope for when life is confusing.

I don’t know about you, but for me, when life doesn’t go the way I hoped, I start questioning all my decisions. I get angry at myself for not choosing the opposite choice, assuring myself that if I had only known better, things wouldn’t have ended up this way. If I had picked a different school, became friends with someone else, researched more before making a choice…the list of what ifs could go on and on.

But what if…

The reason why you didn’t know was so that you could grow?

Just think about it. If you hadn’t made that mistake, would you still be the person you are today? If you hadn’t gotten into that rough situation, would you still be the compassionate and understanding individual you are now? You may not feel strong, but the truth is, with every difficult season, you are growing into a stronger person.

And what’s the worst that could happen if you dare to believe that the future is bright? What if this isn’t the end? What if this is the beginning of something amazing?

I once heard that the one thing that elevates humans above other species is our imagination. This imagination can cause our minds to run wild with fears, doubts, and questions. Questions that trap us in the past, ruminating over all the scenarios that could have been.

But I like to think of imagination as one of life’s greatest blessings. What if your imagination allows you to see the potential in others, the light that God has placed inside each of us? What if your imagination restores your hope in yourself?

You can be rest assured that no matter what your life looks like right now, yes, you are capable of good things. Yes, there is more ahead of you. Yes, you aren’t a mistake.

Today, on the day dedicated to gratitude, I want you to soak in the goodness of God’s promises. He calls you chosen. Forgiven. Blessed. Chosen. Loved.

When we focus on all we have to be grateful for, our hope is restored. We aren’t sugarcoating the past or only focusing on its downfalls. We are recognizing how both the good and the painful have shaped us into who we are today.

And that person, no matter how you are showing up today, is amazing.

So thankful for you. ❤

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Behind You, Beside You, Before You

Is your calling from God difficult to understand?

I’ve always seen the value in honesty, and while this blog is dedicated to encouragement, I need to be real with you about my struggles as well as my joys and past lessons learned. It’s really easy finding the morals in the stories that are so far off, they no longer feel like real life, but merely distant history. But perhaps, as we journey together, we can find hope within the current hardships.

Over the past four months, I have really struggled with my mental health. At first, it was related to triggering events over the summer that left me feeling hopeless. I was looking forward to college as an escape from the issues burdening me over the summer. However, college was definitely not what I thought it would be at all.

I want to highlight that I have made many incredible friends who have truly shown God’s love to me and I would never want to undermine the impact they, as well as understanding professors, have lent me during this time.

Yet many of the things I had eagerly anticipated fell through the cracks. A certain friendship that I had hoped would bring joy and encouragement ended up causing me to experience anxiety attacks and many sleepless nights. I began to feel unsafe, unsure of what to do from here.

Lately, I’ve been reading through the book of Isaiah, which I shared on a previous post. I always associate Isaiah with the idea of being “sent” by God.

I love the verse, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

I believe that we all have a calling and that God wants to work through whoever is willing. But what I have struggled to comprehend is the fact that God does not always send us to places where we feel fulfilled or loved or worthy. God does not always send us to people who want to embrace us and accept the gifts we bring.

For Isaiah, his calling was incredibly unpleasant. He had to warn the people of the impending destruction of their entire way of life. No one would like him after that. No one would want to listen to him either.

However, Isaiah was willing, and God worked through him to bring forth many miracles.

Later on, Isaiah is given another message, the exciting news of the promised Messiah! But it took sharing the bad news before Isaiah could share the good news.

Not every single one of your callings will be uncomfortable. We can have hope in that. God will never leave us stranded.

As I’ve been trying to comprehend why the past few months have felt like a never-ending rollercoaster of surprising misfortunes, I came across this verse in Isaiah chapter 8: “Devise a plan; it will fail. Make a prediction; it will not happen. For God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:10)

One of my biggest reasons for feeling discouraged during this season is because so many of the things I truly believed would be huge blessings have ended up exactly the opposite of what I had anticipated. Yet this verse tells us that we can find hope when our plans and predictions don’t follow through. God’s presence is enough to make all things right and sustain us when we feel like we can’t take another step step further.

Later on in this passage, God instructs Isaiah to tell the people to not fear what the world fears. The world fears an effaced reputation, a loss in self-confidence, and ultimate desolation. But we know that our strength, our confidence, our identity, and our future is in God’s hands. We have nothing to fear.

Today, let God’s words to you resonate in your soul. God loves you so much and His plan is far greater than any battle you are fighting. He will go above you, before you, behind you, and beside you. ❤

I will wait for the Lord,

who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob.

I will wait for Him.

Isaiah 8:17

Life Doesn’t Make Sense

Have you recently experienced loss or disappointment that makes you question God’s plan?

I think we can all agree that life is really confusing sometimes.

We expect things to go well and other things to be terrible. Occasionally, life surprises us with unexpected blessings. Other times, we are met with grief and confusion.

Going into college, I was nervous about a lot of things. A few weeks ago, when I reread my list of college fears, I realized most of them didn’t happen. However, many of the things I was most excited about ended up being draining and discouraging.

When we lose something, whether it’s a person or an opportunity or even hope, we are reminded that we live in a broken world. That brokenness that we all experience is often masked behind a clean reputation or an optimistic attitude, but nonetheless it’s there.

Yet there will always be something in life that makes us crack. Heartbreak, rejection, failures, misunderstandings. The list could go on and on. We don’t go into relationships looking for heartbreak. We don’t take risks with the intent to fail. It’s just a part of life being...life.

And when we reach our lowest point, we are faced with a question: Yes, we did not purposely make this happen, but how are we going to react to it anyway?

When we are overwhelmed by disappointment, the world just feels like a dark, gloomy, and lonely place. We want to guard ourselves from any future setbacks. And quite honestly, that mindset makes sense. If you never love anyone, then you’ll never get your heart broken. If you never try new things, then you will never fail. But is that really the best way to live?

Today, I was reading from Isaiah chapter 5. The speaker shares a story of a man who owned a vineyard. This man invested everything into his vineyard with the expectation that the vineyard would produce good fruit. However, to his dismay, he was left with a shriveled up garden and nothing to show for his hard work. He responds with anger and despair, traits often tabooed in our society. But you know what? God meets him in his brokenness.

God knows what we are going through. When He created the world, there was no death or brokenness. Wholeness and wellness abounded. Peace and love brought all creatures together. Imagine His disappointment when this beautiful world was tarnished by sin.

Yet God never gave up hope. He continues to fight for us each and every day. In your quiet moments, your sobs muffled behind closed doors, God is there. When you get a life-altering phone call, God is there. When life just feels like too much and you don’t know why, God is there, fighting, advocating for you.

When we lean into our brokenness instead of pretending like it doesn’t exist, we can grow alongside those around us. When we accept brokenness and admit we need healing, our lives will transform, as will our relationships.

God never stops trying. We must never stop trying either. Through our sorrow we have the opportunity to bring comfort to others and experience God’s love through relationships.

Today, I challenge you to admit the things that are not perfect in your life. Allow yourself to feel frustration or sadness or whatever is weighing you down. But then, instead of isolating yourself, see how you can use these feelings to draw closer to God and to those who love you.

You are not alone. You have the most powerful being in the universe fighting for you. With God on your side, you will win every battle.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darknessand brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:9-14

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 ❤