Chicken Drama- My Thoughts on the Chick-Fil-A Saga

Am I the only one who feels this has all gotten a bit out of hand?


It all started when Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy told a Baptist newspaper that his company operated on "biblical principles" and were supportive of the biblical definition of the family unit. What followed was a huge uproar from same-sex activists who saw Cathy's comments as hate speech filled with discrimination. 


I've watched as everyone has argued on social media, through blogs, Facebook, Twitter and even television news coverage. It's like a snowball rolling down the hill. First the comments were made, then there was the negative reaction to them, then people decided they wanted to boycott the restaurant with mayors of Chicago and Boston both openly saying that they didn't want any more of the popular chain popping up in their cities. Facebook groups were created called, "Support Chick-Fil-A", and then the real whopper came yesterday when I heard that there will also be a "Same Sex Kiss Day" where people will meet across the country and kiss a partner of the same sex on a Chick-Fil-A restaurant property. 


My thoughts are as follows..


Really?


First of all, what Cathy voiced was his viewpoint. The issue of gay marriage is just that, an issue or a topic. When a topic is discussed such as abortion, gun control, legalization of marijuana or anything else, people will have different viewpoints on the topic. 


What the gay community wants is tolerance, and I understand that, even though I don't support or agree with their position, I will tolerate it. I will not hate them, or say anything hateful about or to them because they have a human right to an opinion even though it may differ with my own. If asked to vote on said issue I would follow my opinions and make my choice based on what I believe. Part of being a respective part of society is that you respect each other's rights to individual opinions. 


I do think we should see the same courtesy for people who are on the other side of the issue as well. Where is the tolerance from the gay community? I'm a little confused as to how you can ask for tolerance, even demand it, but then refuse to give it. 


All this whole thing seems to have done to me is divide our country more. We are even more at each other's throats due to our differences of opinion. That is all we ever do as a country- disagree with one another and then claim that the disagreeing party is stupid, intolerant, prudish, close minded, or flat out wrong.


When did it become wrong to disagree? 


That is one of the things that makes life beautiful is that not everyone is just like you or me.  


Honestly, I don't even want to go out to the "Support Chick-Fil-A" day, because I just feel like that adds fuel to the fire. Hypes up the "us and them" mentality. That we have to go support on this day and we have to go attack for our rights on this day! All it does is divide us  as a people more and more.


I say have your opinions about Gay marriage. Take your stand. If questioned what you believe, feel free to tell. However, if someone doesn't agree with you, don't take up arms against them, instead respond with peace, compassion, and acceptance for them as a person. 


No one deserves to be rejected even if we don't agree with how they live their lives. 


What do you think?
Tell me about it in the comments below.. 

Atheists Don't Exist

"Functional Saviors Ain't Hip, They're a Real Waste" - Trip Lee


When I first heard that line in Trip Lee's song "New Dreams", I understood it, but not fully. Then I watched some of Tim Keller teaching about Idols. He referenced a commencement speech that an atheist had given. During the speech, the man said that there really is no such thing as an atheist (this really upset the atheist community!!), that we all serve some sort of God. Whether we choose to acknowledge a divine creator or not, we all wake up every day and worship something.

Take a minute and think of what you worship in your life. What is your God? What is the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning? When you succeed in it, you feel accomplished. When you fail in it, you feel devastated, and feel like you have no meaning. What thing in your life, if lost, would completely devastate you, and erase all meaning from your life?

It could be your children, your spouse, your career, the pursuit of success or fame. It could really be anything. Your parents approval, having material wealth, and the list goes on and on. All of these things are idols. They are "functional saviors". Things we give our hearts over to and beg them to fill us. We look for meaning in these things that weren't designed to give us meaning. The only problem with these functional saviors is that they never actually save us! If we are looking for our husband to save us, he may for a little while. He may make us feel loved and accepted for a short amount of time, but what if he leaves you for a younger woman? Your whole world would be over because your savior had just deemed you unworthy of love and affection and you would probably agree with him. What if you put your hope in gaining success? "If I just get promoted, I'll finally be loved and accepted.When I'm the boss, I'll feel like I'm worth something!"


What if that never happens? What then? Will you live your whole life feeling unworthy?

There is only one savior

one thing

that can make you whole.

I'm not talking about religion. There are numerous religions that will try to convince you to join them then leave you feeling worse than before because you aren't as righteous as they think you should be. All major religions put an emphasis on living a moral life, living a life of good works, THEN you will be rewarded by their god's favor.

Only one god

one savior

says, I'll take you, just as you are.

Just as you are you are worthy, lovely, and wonderful, because I said so.

One god, thought you were worth it to send his son to live a human life and die a human death on a cross for you. We are all hopeless without a savior. We will find something to save us, even if it is the wrong thing. However, if we use these "functional saviors", we eventually find ourselves empty again.

Let me give you an example of some of the functional saviors I've tried to use in my life.

Drugs

Love (Men)

Career

All may give you a temporary good feeling, but they just can't fill you. No matter how great they are, they just won't last forever..

Except the savior on the cross.

You see the cross means everything to a christian. It's more than just a charm to wear around your neck and if you don't get it, then you don't get God.

Jesus came to show us God. To show how he really feels about us. He doesn't see us how we see ourselves. He sees us as his dearly loved children, if only we would believe him and turn from our sins. The sins that hurt us and leave us wounded. He wants us to leave those, trust him, and believe what he says about us in his word. That we are accepted, loved, and destined for more. He payed the ultimate price so you could live the ultimate life and be his forever. Never to have your heart hurt by a functional savior again.

He's in the business of healing hearts and changing lives.

Doubting Thomas- Doubting Me

John 20 (NLT)


The Resurrection
20 Early on Sunday morning,[a] while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

16 “Mary!” Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 That Sunday evening[b] the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

I have always loved this story because I can relate to it.

 In so many places, The Bible describes situations that perfectly mirror our lives today. Take the disciples for example; ordinary men from humble beginnings who desired more. They risked everything to follow the one they believed in. This Jesus who claimed to be the Son of God, the Messiah, he was different than anyone else they had ever met. He sent demons out of people who were possessed, he loved the unlovable and even gave sight to the blind. Think how difficult it must have been to see their master, teacher, messiah hanging on a cross? someone they had talked with and walked with; Their saving grace; Their hope- defeated by evil and hanging on a cross; or so they thought. It took faith to be Jesus' disciple and it took an enormous amount of faith to believe Mary's claims that she had seen the risen Jesus Christ. Faith. recurring theme over and over. We miss it in todays day and age. Sin and its effects on our world have made us hopeless cynics who don't see faith as an essential ingredient to life. We have faith, but in all the wrong things. Lets read the scripture.


Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),[c] was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”



Other people are telling Thomas, "We've seen him, He is alive!!" Look at Thomas's response, "Unless I see the nail wounds in his hands." Unless I see, unless I touch. 

Is there faith there? I don't see it. 

That's how a lot of us live our lives. Only if I see God, only if I can touch God will I believe. We don't realize that he has been touching us all along. The light of Jesus, new life, freedom from sin and darkness(you know darkness- the pain, rejection, hopelessness that creeps in), it has been accessible to us all along through The Bible- God's word. To go from walking in darkness, (insecurity, doubt, feelings of low self worth, hopelessness) to walking in light (freedom knowing you are God's child and are made right with him, not through your good deeds, but simply because you believe in Jesus's death and resurrection as a gift) is ready and available to anyone who has FAITH. 

I like how the passage ends. Throughout the bible it is hammered home, have faith, have faith, you must have faith. It's impossible to please God without faith, faith, faith, and more faith. Never does it say, God will show himself to you in a physical form and then you will know him. Nor does it say you will ask God to poof in front of you and then he will. There is something to the concept of believing in what you can not see that gives you the blessing of Jesus. It's like he knew that there would come a time when people would not see him. They would still need to believe. Why would he have said that in verse 29 if he didn't know that a time would come when we would need faith.

The time is now and what we need is faith. Faith that there is a God and faith that the bible is his word, is truth, and is the only way to a real peace and happiness that won't let us down. There are numerous reasons to believe and have faith. Don't be a cynic or a "Doubting Thomas" and miss out on what a faith in Jesus has to offer you. It's worth it to explore.

I Know He Watches Me

Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely?
And long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion.
A constant friend is he
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches over me

His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow
And I know
he watches me.

As I grow in my knowledge and relationship with Jesus, these words ring ever more true. The only hope for my soul and my heart is found in Jesus.

His word speaks truth and love into a world where there is darkness and pain. Why should I feel discouraged? Why should I weep and feel disheartened when tough times come? Jesus is my portion; my daily bread. A constant friend who loves at all times, heals, restores, forgives, comforts and guides is he. If he watches even the birds, how much more will he watch over me?

I'm so thankful for THE TRUTH of God's word.

50 years

I just had a really neat experience and, it being too long for a status update or a tweet, I figured I would blog it. That makes two blogs in one day! Which means I am on a roll, right?


Anyways,

The church where I work has two members that are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this weekend. The husband asked me to come look at something in the room where they were setting up. As I went to check some stain on the carpet, my eyes were distracted by some old photos. I saw two young people holding hands, looking very different from their current grey-haired selves.


I took a few minutes and took in how special it was.


Then I was led into another room. After inspecting said stain on the carpet, the husband showed me some even older photographs on a table, set up for everyone to see. They were pictures of his parents and her parents, each taken on their 50th wedding anniversary. One picture was even of his parents' parents at their 50th wedding anniversary. "Wow", is what I was thinking. What a legacy to leave behind for your children. The legacy of hard work, sacrifice, and never giving up on a person you love.

As I walked out and went back to my area of the church to finish working, I was brought to tears. Here I am, this young wife, barely even an adult, struggling with the thought of if my marriage will make it to 50 years or not. It is incredibly hard to stay committed to someone when things don't always go your way. Getting married at a young age has taught me so much, but it has put me through a lot also. My husband and I are both committed to staying together, but that doesn't mean there isn't the occasional painful bump.

I just was taken aback and wondered, what kind of people are we these days? Are we still the kind of people who stay committed? Are we the kind who surrender themselves and love selflessly? Can we, can I do that? Marriage is the craziest thing in the world. Telling yourself that regardless of how you feel, you will pursue another's best interest at all cost. Sometimes, it totally goes against the grain. Living for yourself is easy.

Lately I've been looking for purpose. I realized today that even when I feel like I'm a little unsure of what I will do with this life I live I can be certain of a few things.


A. I will live it with and for Jesus Christ.

B. I will strive and seek to be more like him.

C. I will do whatever it takes to see that my son can look back at those pictures and say,

yeah, dad went through a rough patch, or mom sure was crazy.. but look at how they turned out.


Maybe we are just an unfinished book; a painting that has just begun. An artist doesn't throw down his brush after a few strokes if the masterpiece hasn't come together just right. He works on it. Everything beautiful takes time to create.


The actions we make today set us up for our future and the futures of our children. Depending on what you do, you could set your self up for a fifty year anniversary, or a fifty year life sentence to prison. What kind of legacy will we leave? What pictures for our children to see?

The Me I Am VS. the Me I Want to Be

Has anyone else ever felt this way?

Like, there is a you that you want to be, but you aren't that person just yet.

Even Paul said in the bible, Romans 7:15, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." (NLT).

This is a problem that has been around for ages. Lately, I've noticed it an uncomfortable amount in my life. There are things that I want to do and goals I want to achieve, but all of that gives way to my emotions. There truly is a war that rages for our minds. If you let your emotions(which shift and change like the winds blow) control you, you will get rocked around a lot.

This has been something God has been teaching me recently. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I am emotional (bordering on extremely emotional- I like to call it, "big-heart syndrome"), but I have to be more. I have to take charge- to lead my heart and mind to still waters, and not let them be rocked by whatever happens in my day to day life.

That is why Jesus gave the parable of the man who built his house on solid rock vs. the man who built a house on sand.

Check out Matthew 7:24(NLT)

Building on a Solid Foundation
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

My translation..

Anyone who hears or reads the word of God and accepts it as truth will have the strength to make it through any trial. When hard times come or they have a horrible day, they will not lose hope, because their hope is not in their earthly circumstances, but in God alone.

It really is a daily fight.

Each day, I have to tell myself I believe in God and his promises. Building my life on those promises takes faith. When my emotions start to rock the ship of my mental well being, I just remind myself who is in control of all things. That's why it's important to memorize scripture, so that when you feel that urge to dive into the sea of self-pity, you can combat that with truth from the bible. That you are made for more. You have a purpose beyond what you can think or imagine.

I also realize that I have to cut myself some slack. There is "no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ"(Romans 8:1). So as I'm on the path to becoming the me I want to be, I have to be patient with myself; I'm only human. I'm trusting that God is using everything I'm going through right now to teach me something and draw me closer to him. I spend time every day trying to get closer to God, to learn more about him, and to follow him more diligently. Creating a deeper and more passionate relationship and giving me more and more motivation to try to spread his love and hope to anyone who needs it.

Calm the Storm

Matthew 8:23-27

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he(Jesus) got into the boat and his disciples followed him.24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
This passage made me realize something this morning as I read it, and I just wanted to share it.

The boat is like my life. I play the role of a disciple, probably Thomas, because I am such a stinkin' skeptic. I'm in it and I know Jesus is with me; the Son of God; God in the flesh. I'm going through a storm and I'm freaking out. I literally sometimes feel like I am going to drown. Jesus (being wiser than I) knows that everything is going to be okay because he knows that we are in the care of our capable heavenly father. I scream out to him, "Jesus! HELLLOOOOOO! What is going on here? I'm dying here! Where are you?"

I think it's interesting that it says Jesus was sleeping. There is literally a tempest going on right next to him, but he is content enough to sleep. We are supposed to live like Jesus and are fully enabled to do so when we accept him into our lives. What an example of faith! To be able to basically sit back, and relax, knowing that we are in the care of a God who made the oceans and can certainly calm them.

He says gently and calmly, "Oh, you of little faith, didn't you know that I was with you the whole time? Don't you know that since I'm with you, everything will all be fine? Why don't you trust me? Why don't you trust me to take care of you no matter how grim the situation looks? Where is your faith in me?"

I know Jesus is with me and he is my helper. I know that I shouldn't worry because God has a master plan for everything and that even the hard times are here for a reason. I know there is beauty and purpose even in the ugliest and stickiest situations. I think it shows how little we trust Jesus when we panic through our trials. He can calm the storm either internally or externally with the flick of his wrist. He is more powerful than any force we can encounter and his word can calm even the toughest internal storm if we take the time to read it and build our lives on it.

I want to frame this scripture passage and hang it on my wall, so that when I go through what I would call a "storm", I will remember that Jesus is with me and will calm it for me if I just have faith in him and trust that he is with me so everything is okay.

What Matters?

What matters the most at the end of the day? The question crossed my mind.

Is it the money I've earned as a result of hard work,

is it the career I've tried so hard to find? Is it whether or not I've got a fat bank account? A car? A nice house? Is it whether I'm successful, popular, liked by all, or famous?

What matters? To me...

Seeing the silliness in the kid's faces and knowing that I can be a mom and sister that allows them to be free and encourages them to be goofs. Helping them know that they are great and worthy of love just as the are. Knowing that I can change who they become by how I treat them.

 Enjoying the simple things like watermelon in the sun on a beach day. Teaching my son to stop and smell the roses.

 Playing. Never being too busy, tired or stressed to take time to play and engage with the people I love. Enjoying every second and living in the moment despite circumstances. That is being free!

Loving the people that God placed in my path with all that I can. Always being willing to give to build them up.

 Being a friend to all. Even when we don't look, feel, or act the same. 

Being a family, even when we don't look or feel perfect. Loving each other in spite of our differences. Not holding each other to preconceived standards that the other can't meet. Just living together and loving, no matter what comes.

Seeing the beauty and wonder in a child's eyes and doing everything I can to feel the same way about life as they do. Realizing that I am God's child and that he delights in me the way the little ones I have delight in my presence. Seeing the beauty in everything. Not having a doom and gloom perspective, but seeing where I can act to make the world better and loving the beauty God put into it.

Making time for family and loving them regardless of time, space, or distance. Being who you are and not trying to be someone else.

 Knowing the God who made you. Spending time with him. Knowing that he wants a relationship with you and partaking in it. Not giving him your leftovers, but giving him all of you. Passionately knowing, loving, and experiencing God and serving in his kingdom

Being who you are and loving others the way they are.

Knowing how totally awesome you are. Regardless of where you came from and what you've done. There is forgiveness and a fresh start in Jesus. You are awesome just as you are because you've been made in the image of an awesome God. Be your own biggest fan, stop doubting yourself and putting yourself down, and know that you are one bad mama jamma.

Taking time to marvel at the world God made. Realize how intricate and complex the world we live in is and know that it's not by accident. Then.. just gaze in amazement.

Being brave! Doing what you never thought possible because you stepped out in faith and tried!

"Forget the fear it's just a crutch that tries to hold you back and turn your dreams to dust."

-Fireflight, from the song "Unbreakable"

Exploring and trying new things! Even when you feel unprepared!

Being silly! 

Remembering the good times you have together with family and friends, and remembering just how you felt when you look at a picture. 

Being proud of yourself when you accomplish something. 

Knowing where to go for wisdom and knowing where your help comes from!

Laughing and making other's laugh. 

(working out and letting your leg hair grow for three months to take this pic ;) )

These are not the only things that matter in life, but just a few things that are important and special to me that I wanted to take some time to highlight. 

I hope you can relate/ benefit from my thoughts :)

Mother's Day

     This picture made me truly "laugh out loud". My husband even chuckled at a few as he listened to me ramble on while playing video games.  He has truly mastered the art of listening to me and letting me talk about extremely unimportant things while still being about to get a head shot. I love that guy.


     Anywho, it's almost Mother's Day! I'm trying to plan on what is the best thing I can do for my mom to show her my appreciation. I truly am blessed beyond measure to say that I have a mother that I am SURE loves me. Not everyone can say that but I know that no matter how much I screw up, my mom will still love me and accept me. I really appreciate her showing me God's love in that way and helping to mold me into the person I am today. 
     
     Mother's Day for me is about appreciating my own mother, whom I love dearly, but also about reveling in the fact that God decided to use a girl like me to raise a little man like my son. I had my son when I was sixteen years old. A lot of people would say that is a recipe for failure, but God had other plans. He has used my son to grow me into the woman he wants me to be- that he made me to be. I had never known true love or purpose until I became a mom. It has completely changed everything. I don't just have a body to take care of, I nourish a soul. My son needs me to be there for him. To love him, support him, and show him the way to know the God who made him. It is a huge responsibility but a huge privilege and joy. As Carter grows, he develops more and more into a man that I am proud to be a part of making. I love being his mom; taking him places, fixing his food, helping him learn. Being able to be his mother has brought everything into my life. I've learned about God's love. No matter what my son does, no matter what stupid choices he may make in his life, I'll never leave him high and dry. That's how God is with his children. 
   
      I know I'm rambling a little, but I'm just overwhelmed that God allowed me, as messed up as I was in my youth, to be responsible and blessed with a child. Mother's day for me will always be about enjoying the blessing I've been given. I'll make messes, play in the dirt, blow bubbles, leave the kitchen to sit, have patience, discipline with love and always give hugs because I know that one day that little tee ball player will leave my house and I won't be able to tuck him in at night. All I will be able to do then is cover him with prayers, aaaaand call him every day.. Too much??


*tear....lots of tears!!! :(((((  lol 

3 Reasons to Let God Love You

I'm not stupid. Well, let me rephrase that- I'm not stupid enough to think that everyone believes in God. I myself am unfortunately a skeptic of all things by nature, and have been skeptical of God at times too. You can either choose to base your life on the world view that there is a God- a supreme being, or you can choose to believe there's not. Whatever approach you take, I'm of the belief that there is a God who created all life. I also believe, unlike Westboro Baptist Church, that he is a God of love.

I can't deny that I have a heart that needs love. For a woman, love is as important as the air we breathe. Without love a woman can't focus, succeed, or even live. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world. There's extreme neglect, violence and abuse that happens every day. We will inevitably find our hearts in relationships that leave us broken. No matter how good of a man we have in our lives, he will somehow let us down at least every so often. So what do we do with this heart that needs love, but struggles to find it? The Bible is the word of God. When we read it, we hear from him and he can speak to our hearts. I'm going to give you three reasons why you should let God in to your heart, and let him love you.

God's love will never stop.

Relationships today end for any number of reasons; Love grows stale, it fades, hearts harden. This is not the case with the love of God for his children. No matter what we do God will still love us. There is absolutely nowhere you could go or no crime you could commit that would make God say, "Eh, I'm done with you." Look at this verse,

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears fortoday nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Romans 8:37-39

The book in the bible called Romans, was written by a guy named Paul. Before he changed his name to Paul and started following Jesus, he hated Christians. His name was Saul and Christians were afraid of him because he would pursue persecution for any of Jesus' followers. So, If God can love that guy, he can love us. He says that nothing can separate us from God's love. God has always been and will always been. He says,

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Jeremiah 31:2-4

2. God's love isn't based on your looks. You don't have to be a sex-pot, or a stud.

As a woman, I get so tired of trying to be enough. I'll admit it, I'm an occasional striver. It's horrible! Sometimes, I know I'm enough. That God loves me just the way I am, and that he is working in my heart and making me more like him. Sometimes I realize my beauty comes from being his daughter, and sometimes, I don't. I'll admit there have been times I've thought that if I was only skinnier, or bustier, or kinder, that I would be loved more- but that's not what God's love is based on. Once, God sent a man named Samuel to pick the next king of Israel. He went to a man named Jesse, and began to look over Jesse's sons for who would be most appropriate. Samuel saw that the sons of Jesse were strong but God kept telling Samuel he didn't want any of them to be the next king. Instead, God picked Jesse's youngest son, a shepherd named David. While Samuel was pondering this God said,

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him( the other sons). The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

God also says this about trying to pursue beauty at all costs,

Proverbs 31:30
New Living Translation (NLT)

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

That's comforting to know. God looks at my heart. He isn't going to look down and say, "Jessie, you are looking a bit pudgy today, therefore I will withhold my affection from you." If you want a love that will look beyond your appearance, and see YOU- God's love is it.

3. God loves us as our father.

A lot of us have grown up with strained relationships with our dads. As women, it can either make or break us to have a dad in our life who is there for us and teaches us about men and love. Statistics say about %40 of children grow up in "fatherless" homes. If you never knew your dad, or have a strained relationship with your dad, there is still a chance for you to have the Father-child relationship you were intended to.

God is our heavenly father.

Romans 8:15
New Living Translation (NLT)

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

2 Corinthians 6:18
New Living Translation (NLT)

18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

There are countless verses in the bible naming God as our father. I also know that God is perfect. That means he will never lose him temper and hurt my heart. He will take care of me. He will protect and provide like a father should.

Like the song says, "There's a God-shaped hole in all of us, and the restless soul is searching..it's a void only he can fill." I've tried to fill the hole in my heart with other things, but only the love of God can fill it. Maybe you're not sure about the whole Christian thing, or even the whole God thing. All I'm saying is in the bible, a love is promised from someone who delivers. On time, every time. He won't let you down or stand you up. He won't beat you down or leave you broken. Check him out. Maybe even, let him love you.

American Idol Tryouts- What to Expect

      Last year I tried out with thousands of singers for American Idol. It was definitely an exciting and interesting experience. I've decided to give a detailed account for anyone who has ever wondered what it's like to go through the process. 

       I signed up about two days prior and got an arm band. There was also some paperwork to fill out. On the morning of the audition, I arrived at around 5:30 A.M. to the coliseum where the auditions were being held. Of course, there was lots of traffic getting into the parking lot. Once I parked I got out and followed the groups of people that were walking towards the building. I went by myself, which I do not recommend. It was an exciting experience, and I regret not really having anyone to share it with. I had to talk to strangers and be that overexcited weird girl who talks to people she doesn't know. A role I play quite well I must say. 

       I then found a place in the line outside of the building that was really, more of a corral of people smashed between barricades. I thought I had gotten there early, but there were already about three hundred people ahead of me. Waiting in line was fun! People had guitars and were singing. Every so often someone would break out into spontaneous song, singing their heart out. Sometimes it would make you go, "Ooooo, I stink compared to her," and sometimes it would make you say, "Yes! I have a chance!" If you like music, you would have loved it. My husband would have been ready to jump in front of a moving car. It was what I imagine Woodstock would have been like, only without the grass, and also the "grass". I got to sing and talk and make conversation with random people till about 10:30 A.M. Yes, it was tiring, but also fun and there was a very fun and musical atmosphere, if you can imagine such.
    
      At around 10:30 A.M. They moved us into the actual building. There we found seats according to our ticket numbers. Soon I finally got to see Ryan Seacrest! He came out for about three minutes. What a waste! He was also very very tiny from where I was sitting. They make you sing a song together and jump and wave at the camera- kind of like a dancing monkey. You have to look excited and blah blah blah. After that, there was more waiting. When I say more waiting I mean, MORE WAITING. I think I didn't actually move further in the process until about 2:30 P.M. They did have a snack bar, however by the time I got there, all of the decent snacks were gone. My lunch was a pretzel that did not taste good at all. You're not allowed to bring your own food. During the time we were sitting in our seats, they were calling us up by sections to go down on the floor of the coliseum to audition. You would go four at a time. They would point to one person and then that person got to sing about 10 seconds, if that, then on to the next. At the end they would say yes or no. All four of the people in my group were told no because our voices weren't strong enough. It was good criticism and I agreed with them. 
     
      However, to wait around all day just to be told no was a bit disheartening. Actually, a lot disheartening. That was my first rejection in my time as a singer. Thankfully I got to my car before I started crying like a baby. I think I finished up everything around 3:30 P.M. I immediately went to the nearest McDonalds and ordered one depressed girl lunch- supersized! As I ate, cried, and randomly blurted out rude and vengeful words, I really felt like I wanted to give up on singing. Then I realized, it was all just a learning experience- A painful and time consuming one, but a good one nonetheless. I noticed some of the people who did get picked. I remembered them singing beforehand and noted that they had had lots of confidence. I would say a good singer has to be someone with a lot of confidence. Next time when American Idol comes back, I'm going to give it a shot again. It was a super fun experience and one I wouldn't mind going through again.  
     My advice if you are going to go is, 

• bring a buddy
• bring some confidence
• have fun, see it as a fun opportunity, not your one shot to make it. 
• pick a song you can belt confidently that makes you happy
• Dress uniquely, but not strange
• Be CONFIDENT in you
• Be ready to wait and wait and wait, all day.
• Realize that there are at least 300 people there that can sing as good as you and about 350 that can probably sing better than you, so stand out if you can with your personality and song choice.
• If you get rejected, realize that you are one of thousands of people. Carrie Underwood got rejected too a few times before she was finally told yes. 

"Weigh" to Start the Day!

       I have been reading the book, Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow. My friend Sienna and I are doing it as a bible study. It's made me realize that a majority of the stress and drama in my life comes from my worries and anxieties about the future. Some things I can control and some that I can't. We have been studying Philippians 4:6. It says:

  

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

     I've read this verse a thousand times, yet I usually still do things my way. I worry about everything and pray as a last resort when I feel I can't take it anymore. There are quite a few things I'm worried about. It's stressful and I don't want to be bogged down by it. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gets where I'm coming from, and tells how to escape the crazy train, when he says:

^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

      He knows we go through a lot of stress. He's saying to trust him, do things his way, and we will be at peace. When worry or anxiety start to creep into your mind, instead of worrying about it, decide to follow Philippians 4:6. Don't worry, but instead pray about it. Don't just pray for what you need, thank God for what he has already done. If you look around at your circumstances, I'm sure you'll see(like I do) that you are extremely blessed already. God promises that if we follow the formula, 

(Prayer + Give Thanks) - Worry  = God's Peace

he will fill us with enough of his peace to get through whatever storm we are facing. The book recommended that we make a list of all of the positive things in our lives versus all of the negative things. As I made my list of negative things, I let out any frustration I was feeling. Then I looked them over. A lot of them stemmed from selfishness. I hated to admit it, but it was true. Then when I started to write my list of positives, I realized that it was much longer than the other. I recommend you do this too and meditate on it every morning. It's certainly helping me to keep my mind from worrying about what I don't have. By weighing the positive and negative, it starts to seem silly to dwell on the lighter load of negatives. 

The last part of the passage in Philippians tells us to think on whatever is "True, Noble, Lovely, Right, and Pure". If we take control of our thoughts and our worries and put them where they are supposed to be, I think we will experience less stress, and I am all for that. 

*Sigh, Parenthood

The Hucks Family Blog: *Sigh, Parenthood: Parenthood! It can make you crazy! EVERYTHING has a balance. You can do too much of a good thing or not enough of a good thing or even ...

Take Care to Take Care

The Hucks Family Blog: Take Care to Take Care:       This picture is from the summer of last year. The girl on the left is my best pal, Sienna. The girl on the right is a longer-haired m...

Get In the Zone.. No, Not Auto Zone..

The Hucks Family Blog: Get In the Zone.. No, Not Auto Zone..:      Wow. Look at that little guy... I mean, just look at him. So full of life, joy, and so perfectly attended at his educational establis...

When hard times come

Romans 5

     5 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.   


     Life can sometimes throw us some pretty sharp curve-balls. We think we have a master plan, that we've got things lined up just so. Then out of no where, something happens that shakes our entire way of thinking. We realize that what we wanted isn't what we have in front of us. Something completely wrong is happening to us  and we can not make any sense of it. 
        Something God is teaching me in a painful way is that we mostly only learn from painful experiences. The times when we are the most broken, the most crushed, those are the times when we truly feel like we need help. We need to be saved. We need a savior. I included the verses above because it is something I'm meditating on daily. I am doing my best to rejoice in this storm I'm going through because I know that God has a plan for all of this. I call it a storm because I know like the ever-changing weather, it will pass. God says in Romans 8:28 (I like Romans) that he causes all things to work together for the good of those that love him. So I know that even in this really uncomfortable time, he is working. He is growing, shaping, teaching, healing, and changing me. He is teaching me about his love and to remember that no matter what comes, he loves me and is a good God, so I can expect good things from him. After all, "he knows the plans he has for me,"..."plans for good and not for disaster, to give me a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:10-12). Just because I don't understand the purpose behind my pain, doesn't mean that there isn't one. I will trust that God is good even when my situation is bad. I will read his word and believe it. I will pray and be broken before him, trusting him to heal me and love me through the difficult times. 


I will find him on my knees.
Check out this video. 
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=find+you+on+my+knees+kari+jobe&oq=find+you+on+my+k&aq=0p&aqi=p-p1g9&aql=&gs_nf=1&gs_l=youtube-psuggest.3.0.35i39j0l9.129.2360.0.3368.16.16.3.0.0.0.151.1306.7j6.13.0.

Passion leads to Purpose

     Oprah's Life Class was on last night and a miracle from heaven happened. My husband actually picked that to watch! Not basketball, not Topgear (which I'll admit I do like, but sometimes we need girly TV!), but Oprah! This could also be because her special guest was Bishop T. D. Jakes, who I recently discovered I like more than I thought I did. Oprah's Life Class is basically Oprah attempting to reach people and help them grow to their fullest potential, basically the same thing she has always done on her show.
     I was excited to watch this episode because it was talking about finding your purpose in life. I have lived my life with and without purpose and realize that it's something that is definitely necessary. A few years ago I began a relationship with the God of the universe and became his child. That filled my life with extreme purpose, however, I still do feel myself occasionally stumped at what I am to do for a vocation. I wonder what job I am supposed to have to make the world better. I assume it has a lot to do with my age. I am, after all, only 22. Still very much in a young state, but also a mother and wife. Sometimes I forget that I'm not thirty. It is the craziest thing. I live my life like someone who is a bit older than I truly am. So, I have to cut myself some slack because I think this is the age that most of us spend trying to figure out what our true calling is as far as work goes.
      Bishop T. D. Jakes said something that I thought was very profound. He said that your passions in life will lead you to your purpose. Basically, don't ignore the things that you feel passionate about because they will point you to the career field where you will thrive the greatest. I've always realized that I didn't want to pursue money as much as I wanted to pursue happiness. At the moment I only work part-time so that I have the ability to be with my son when he gets out of school. It sacrifices a good bit of money and probably a few career options, but it is what I'm passionate about. Being there for my son is so important to me that I pursue it at all costs. I'd like to also find that for my career path. The thing that I am so passionate about doing that my soul cries out to do it over and over. When I ignore it, I feel like I'm shutting down a part of me. I feel like God has given us these passions as sort of a road map to figure out what we are called to do. The things you feel passionate about will lead you to the job you were meant to do. I guess I have some soul searching to do.
     He also said not to waste time striving to be something you're not. If you have talent in a certain area, but not passion then he said you may be missing something. Follow your hearts passions and you will find a rewarding career. I'm on my way with a lot of prayer and a little soul searching and I'm thankful that I tuned in to Oprah's Life Class and stayed up past my bedtime to watch. :)

Laryngitis and Thugs

Well, I have a lot of things going on in my head right now. What an interesting month March has been for me and my little brain. We have endured some trying times and times of complete overload, however, peace is on the horizon. I'm finding it hard to focus at work today. I seem to have come down with laryngitis from using my vocal chords to sing so much over the past week. I participated in lengthy singing sessions four days last week, which apparently is too much for my little chords. I didn't sleep well last night and Carter woke up with a sore throat so I extended his spring break +1 extra day since dad is off today. I told him to rest in the bed all day and drink lots of water. Yeah right.
     Anyways, none of that was really important. I just feel very blah today. On top of this current state of blah, I have stumbled upon a website called "Charleston Thug Life". It is a blog written by some local guys that posts information, Facebook info, and pictures of guys they consider to be "thugs" running around South Carolina. While I understand where they are coming from, by trying to keep local residents aware of the people who could cause possible violent events, but it still rubs me the wrong way. There is such an "us" and "them" mentality in America today. I'm not saying I'm completely innocent, I just don't like it. I don't like the writer of this blog posting those pictures of them and writing cruel things between them. In one case the "thug" mentioned he almost got shot, and the author of the blog commented that society was unlucky that he had survived, like we would be better off if he had been killed.
     This whole Treyvon Martin thing has opened my eyes to things I really dislike about us. I get that a lot of young black guys commit crime. I get that- it can't be denied. But I just despise that due to these circumstances we come to see us as the good, right, just, and "those guys" as the crooked, wrong, and evil. I feel like blogging about how certain young people are throwing away their future by participating in certain violent acts and bad behavior for your own good, to keep you safe, does no good to society. They same guys are still out there doing the same wrong. Still blinded by whatever life they think they want to live. I just wish we as a society would see that in order to make our world better we have to help one another. To find out why a certain group of people behaves a certain way, and do what we can to help them change. I don't think intentionally separating ourselves or protecting ourselves from "them" will ever fix anything.
    Race has become a hot topic lately in America. We watched some stuff on Anderson Cooper last night about how kids view race. Most of them viewed their own race as superior to other races. One little kid even said he didn't think it was good for you to have friends of a different race. One thing I feel in my heart is very important for me to do from this point forward is to truly love my neighbor, no matter how ruthless, rude, unlawful, or bad he may be. I will also be trying harder to teach my son about the value of a human life regardless of the color of their skin or the actions they have committed.

What are your thoughts??

Trading Ashes for Beauty

     

Last night was the Maundy Thursday service at Riverbluff Church, the church I attend. I sing with the praise team and was thoroughly excited about using my voice to help people get closer to Jesus. As I sang the last song, "At the Foot of the Cross", I sang it from my heart. It's kind of my life story, and at the end- I cried (of course). When I think of where I have been versus where I am now, I am overwhelmed by the love of God to pursue such an undesirable mess and make it beautiful. Here are some of the lyrics,

"And you've won my heart,

yes you've won my heart,

now I can,

trade these ashes in for beauty,

and wear forgiveness like a crown,

coming to kiss the feet of mercy,

I lay every burden down,

at the foot of the cross."

My life has certainly been filled with times where I felt dirty and marred. I was a teenage parent- a statistic. I went looking for love in all the wrong places. My heart ached to feel love. I've abused drugs to fill a void that I had no idea how to fill, but I knew existed. I've felt not pretty enough- felt too this or too that. Feelings of low self-esteem and weakness have at times overtaken me. 

     However, there was a day, when I discovered something. This God thing was about more than just a man in the sky. The debate of evolution vs. creator didn't matter anymore to me when I realized the life changing power of the cross and the word of God. When I decided to give my heart to Jesus- decided to follow him, trusting him to be real, trusting his word to be truth, my life did a complete U-turn. The bible tells of the love of God for the people he created. That he loved us so much, he was willing to take our filth, our sin, the stuff that messes us up, and take it on himself. He bore all of the death, pain, and punishment deserved for my sinful behavior when he died on that cross. I no longer have to be in pain and separated from God because of the bad stuff I do. He has forgiven me of the wrong I've done, am currently doing, and will do in the future. He didn't do it for fun or for a show. He did it to win me back. He fought- for me. 

     When I accepted his word to be the truth, I learned that I was created in the image of God. A God more beautiful than anything we've ever seen. All of the beauty we experience on the earth is created to show us the beauty of God. He says I am created to look like him, therefore I am beautiful. He has loved me before time began, he pursues me, he desires to be the lover of my soul, to fill my void. He speaks softly to my heart and I am loved unconditionally by him. He has given me a fresh start and a hope in him. I've traded the ashes of my past life- the pain, unworthiness, the hole in my heart aching to be filled, for the beauty of Christ the son of God. God in human form, perfect and holy. He says since I have accepted him into my heart, that I am now like him. That makes me totally awesome. I can be a lover and a fighter for the good of all people, and I can try as best as I can to lead people to the only cure I've found for the yearning of our hearts. 
     Let yourself be loved by God. It will change your life. If you're not sure about him, why not check him out? I'd love to talk one on one. I'm no bible genius and I don't claim to have all of the answers. I do know, that when you give your life to God, you will find beauty, forgiveness, mercy, love, and a place to lay your burdens down in exchange for the hope and peace he gives you.