Tag: love

A Ripple Effect

How are the people in your life influencing you?

When you were growing up, did you ever have that one friend that your parents were worried you’d end up like? Maybe they didn’t follow the rules or they were disrespectful. Your parents didn’t want you to spend too much time with that friend because they didn’t want you to become like them. Whether or not you learned this the hard way, as an adult, you likely know it to be true that the people closest to you are the ones who have the greatest influence over you.

What I bet you didn’t know is that the Bible affirms the decision to be wise and cautious about who you let into your close circle. I’ve been reading through Proverbs recently, and I’ve come across a few key reminders about who to be friends with.

  1. Don’t get too close to too many people

A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

This doesn’t mean we should turn away a person who needs a friend necessarily, but it’s a good reminder that physically as humans we don’t have the energy or resources to be a good friend to a lot of people. We can be there for them, pray for them, and show God’s love to them, but we can’t be everybody’s ride-or-die companion. When we allow too many people into our close circles, the filter we place over our friends’ advice and opinions grows weaker. But if we pour a lot into a few deep relationships, we’ll feel encouraged and strengthened in our faith.

2. Seek friends who are honest and loyal

Better is open rebuke

Than love that is concealed.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,

But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Proverbs 27:5-6

Two of the most important qualities in a friend are honesty and loyalty. You know you are close to someone when you can openly share what you think would help them grow as a person and as a friend. And when your friend needs to confront you about something, you don’t feel hurt or betrayed, but rather cared for by their consideration to help you improve too. If all your friends simply flatter you or only remain on the surface level, then perhaps they really aren’t such close friends.

Though honesty may hurt sometimes, you know that a relationship is strong when you can be truly vulnerable and open about everything.

3. A good friend is there through the dark times

A friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

You may have heard this verse before because it’s so good and widely shared. Expanding on the idea of loyalty, the people in your close circle need to be there for you when you are going through difficult times. But you also have to be willing– actually, wanting– to be there for them even when they aren’t at their best either. That’s why we can’t have too many people in our close circle, because we can’t always be there for everyone all the time. But when you walk through the fire with someone, your relationship will grow stronger.

4. Seek friends who give wise counsel

He who walks with wise men will be wise,

But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 13:20

Your friends should be the ones you can turn to when you need help solving a problem. Now, no one is perfect or gives the best advice every time, but it’s important to be around people who share your morals and who give thought to their answers to your questions. These people who are in the Word, who pray and seek God’s counsel, will be the ones who will help you make the best decisions and will help you grow in maturity and wisdom as well.

5. Last but not least, choose friends who exhibit qualities you want to have

Do not associate with a man given to anger;

Or go with a hot-tempered man,

Or you will learn his ways

And find a snare for yourself.

Proverbs 22:24-25

Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

Coming full circle here, when you are around people who are critical, angry, and judgemental, you will become like them. Whether it’s your annoyance over their bad habits or how their qualities seem less upsetting the longer you spend with them, the truth is, one of the most important things you can do in life is surrounding yourself with people who mirror God-like qualities. You don’t want to be living in fear of your friends or becoming like them. Rather, you should be in relationships that sharpen you and your faith.

Now, you might be thinking that you should still allow difficult people into your inner circle to help them. But here’s the thing, if you become like them, then you will start harming others. There’s a ripple effect; if you grow close to an angry person and become angry yourself, then the people around you will start being like that too. Of course, you should still be kind and welcoming to difficult people, but you shouldn’t allow them to be big influencers in your life.

Based on what I’ve been saying, you might be frustrated by humans’ ability to become like the people they’re around. But this trait is actually a good thing when it comes to the most important relationship we have: our relationship with Jesus.

You see, the more time you spend with the most amazing friend you have (Jesus), you will become more like Him. And that’s our ultimate goal as believers, right? The more time you spend with Jesus, the more you’ll see that ripple effect of love and compassion pour into the lives of the people around you.

So today, think about who you consider to be your closest friends. Do you share any qualities with them? Do they positively influence you?

And most importantly, spend time with Jesus and thank Him for being our best friend.

Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.

1 Corinthians 15:33

The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Proverbs 12:26

Truly Alive

Do you feel fully alive, or are you waiting for something to happen before you can live life to the fullest?

“The past is gone, you don’t know how many tomorrows you have left, so make the most of the present. Don’t die while you’re still breathing.”

I saw that quote yesterday, and it stopped me in my tracks. A lot of us think that waiting means we can’t do anything. But if you think about it, we’re always in a season of waiting.

Here’s a classic example, though I know everybody’s story is different.

An elementary schooler is waiting to someday graduate from school. Once they graduate, they are waiting on figuring out which college they are going to. Once they graduate from college, they are waiting on getting their first job. Once they get their first job, they are waiting for the day when they can retire.

There’s never going to be a time when you’re not waiting for that next stage of life to happen. It’s just inevitable.

But that doesn’t mean that you get to skip through all the in between stuff. All of it, whether it’s getting through secondary school, working towards a degree, starting a family, or changing career paths, is meaningful. The enjoyment, the lessons, and the significance of those stages of life shouldn’t be discounted simply because they occur before you reach a place in your life where you want to be.

It can be really easy to let life pass before our eyes, especially during a global pandemic when everything else has been put on pause. But our lives are never paused, even when we are experiencing unforeseen difficulties. As the old proverb goes, time stops for no one.

The truth is, we will get from life what we make from it. Now, I know you may want to argue and say that we can’t decide what happens to us. And you’re right, we have no control over that.

But we can decide how experiences affect us. We get to decide whether we will learn the lesson God’s trying to teach us or if something is going to ruin the rest of our lives.

Think about all those fairytales from your childhood. Both the villain and the protagonist experienced hardships, usually in the form of the loss of an ability or an important person in their lives. Yet the reason why the protagonist had a happy ending and a joyful demeanor was because they were willing to persevere and believe there was still good in the world. The villain could’ve had all those blessings too, if they were willing to never let go of the hope that things truly can get better.

No matter how tempting it may feel to just sit around and tell yourself that you have to wait before you will be joyful, remember that we don’t have to wait to worship. We don’t have to wait to experience joy. We don’t have to wait before we can see God’s work at hand.

Instead, we need to be present in the here and now. We need to cherish what we do have while we still have it.

Live today. Say what you have to say, do something you’ve been putting off, laugh because why not? There are so many possibilities for today, for everyday.

Every day can be special and meaningful if you let it.

Open your heart to the possibility of truly living, right here, no matter where you are, and let God take care of the rest.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Philippians 4:4

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jeremiah 29:11

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 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:

  1. I feel worn out because of other people’s demands, yet I can’t say no
  2. I often feel used by others
  3. I get my fulfillment through making others happy
  4. I often just go with what others want, even when I have a different opinion
  5. I hide my own feelings if they differ from others
  6. I get hurt by criticism really easily, even if it’s constructive
  7. I try to figure out what other people think of me, because that affects my self-esteem
  8. 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

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

Outside vs. Inside

What do you focus on more, your physical or spiritual health?

I got inspiration for today’s Encouragement Thursday while I was brushing my teeth this morning. But don’t let that scare you away! I’m not going to be giving a lecture on flossing or explain the dangers of not brushing thoroughly.

I was actually thinking about how when we go to the dentist, they often have to scrap the backs of our teeth really thoroughly, but the part that the world sees is usually barely touched. We often overlook the part that other people don’t see and focus on making the outside shine.

But of course the day before we visit the dentist, we floss, scrub, and inspect every inch of our teeth, even the back. We want to impress the dentist, or at least avoid a lecture, right?

Okay, back to the regularly scheduled program with inspirational messages instead of expository ones 🙂

A lot of times we hear the reminder that we shouldn’t focus on the outward appearance as much as our personality and passions. And that’s a really good message. Right now, though, you might be thinking, “Hannah, I’ve heard that one before”. But that’s not the one I’m going to be focusing on today.

I have a question for you: How long is your morning routine? Nightly? That includes picking out your outfit, doing your hair, showering…brushing your teeth. All that jazz.

If you really think about it, it’s got to be at least an hour, right? Maybe longer?

So how long do you spend with God every day? That’s not just reading the Bible verse of the day or saying a quick prayer before eating. That’s going into the Word and finding out what God wants you to know. That’s praying from the heart for others you care about. That’s telling God how you feel at the beginning and end of each day.

I’ve got to admit, often I spend more time getting ready than being with God. If you were to cut one thing from your schedule and it was a choice between showering and reading the Bible, which would be your choice? Or how about brushing your teeth or doing your hair before leaving the house?

You might say, “It’s not realistic to expect me to not do my hair just to pray!”

But listen to me. If you really believe that your relationship with God is the most important thing in your life, then you’re going to need that daily connection just as much, actually more, than a shower. You’re going to not be able to live fully, to feel ready for the day, until you spend time with God.

And maybe you are just super rushed in the morning because of your job or kids, or you’re just not a morning person. So maybe all you have time for is a prayer, and that’s okay. Spend time with God at night.

God just wants your time, whether that’s in the morning, at night, or sometime in between. Just make that time for Him. Invest in Him. And you will start seeing your life change for the better. Maybe things don’t physically change, but your mindset will start to change, and you’ll begin to realize that God’s been talking to you all along.

for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

The Past Me: A Different Look at Comparison

Do you struggle to live up to your own standards? Do you feel like you don’t have the freedom to change?

So last post, we were talking about the dangers of comparing ourselves with others. When we fixate ourselves on other people’s accomplishments and thus feel insignificant and incapable, then we lose sight of our worth and our joy. You may have heard similar teaching in the past, but I hope it was an encouraging reminder.

Today, though, we will be talking about a different sort of comparison that I have struggled with a lot recently.

Have you been through a life-altering event?

When I asked that question, some of you may have immediately thought, “Yes”, and proceeded to think of the story related to your answer. Others of you may have thought, “Nothing that significant”. But let me tell you something, any event, even something that might be meaningless to another person, can be life-altering.

Your mindset affects much of your life, yes? They say 10% of how you feel is related to the actual event and the 90% is how you react to it. (Don’t quote me on that, but it’s pretty mind-blowing to think how much our attitude affects our life.)

Anything that has changed the way you view a person, situation, or life in general is a life-altering event. It has changed how you see the world.

Okay, back to the comparison thing. Stay with me here, and it will all make sense!

Last time I talked about how I was comparing myself to my riding partners and how that stole my joy and excitement about riding. Well, I eventually realized what it was doing to my self-esteem and enjoyment of one of my favorite hobbies. I slowly began to regain my appreciation for the sport and felt more fulfilled. But then, about a month ago, I fell off of a horse who I had previously trusted. I know that happens to every rider, and I’ve fallen off under worse circumstances before, but it still caused me to build up this fear towards riding again.

And as the past month has gone by, I’ve struggled with being disappointment in my regression in riding. I’ve taken on some poor habits that I had worked through and I’ve lost my excitement about riding again.

I’ve been so angry at myself. So frustrated. I keep comparing myself to how I used to ride and how I’ve changed since then.

And you might be thinking, Hannah, it’s not that big of a deal. You’re fine. Or, it makes sense that you are afraid. You shouldn’t be mad about that.

But haven’t you ever had a life-altering event change your perspective, and suddenly you can’t enter a situation, activity, or relationship the same way?

We all think that change is such a bad thing. But the issue is not the change in us. It’s how we try to enter these spaces as the same people we used to be.

I heard a message on the radio that really spoke to me. When we walk into a room, sometimes we get a weird vibe that makes us want to leave and re-enter. Sometimes, we have to re-enter the rooms of our relationships, situations, and activities. We need a fresh start now that we are not the same as we used to be. We should have different expectations for ourselves.

We need to stop comparing ourselves to a past version that no longer exists. We often get told to not judge others based on how they used to be. But now we need to extend that same grace to ourselves.

The reason these life-altering experiences happened may not be known to you yet. But they all have a purpose. God is shaping us into the people we are meant to be, and we have to trust that.

No matter how we change, we will always be loved by God. That never changes.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

2 Corinthians 13:5

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