Radical Renewal

Life is so short. Life is so fragile. Ever think about how much longer you have on this earth? Ever think that you could die any day, any minute? How would you be remembered? 

I worry about this. What if what I'm doing is not enough? Am I serving enough? Am I loving enough? The easy answer to these questions is no. There's nothing I can do to be enough; God is Who's enough. He sent His Son Jesus to be enough for me. I am nothing. It is by God's grace that I will live eternally with him. I can't help but think though, what impact, what impression, am I leaving on this world? 

There are times where I get a glimpse of how different my life would be if a close friend or family member died. It terrifies me, yet it comes up a lot. There's nothing I can do to prevent them from dying, but I can enjoy them while they're here. And I can tell them how much they mean to me. I find a loss for words when I try to tell my friends my life would end if theirs did. Call me clingy, but I love SO many people. I don't have to know you very well to earnestly care about what's going on in your life. My heart aches for people I can't help, for people that were made "different" than what we would consider "normal." 

I want to stop living for myself and start living for what's worth it. I don't want to live selfishly. I don't want to be a "lukewarm" Christian. I don't want to live in worry. I want to trust that God knows what's best for me. I want to trust that His Will will be done. I want to love others and serve others, because Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. I want to be the light of Christ. I want others to see Him through me. I want people to come to Jesus. 

So maybe this is my Christmas wish, or my New Years' resolution. I don't know. I just want to start living radically, and for a purpose. Revival starts now.

"So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Revelation 3:16 

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. the world and all who live in it."

Psalm 24:1

Why Christmas Can Be the Most Lonely Time of Year

Around Christmas, many of us are preparing by decorating, getting the tree, buying presents for our family and friends, going to church amid a busy schedule, and baking cookies. We go out to coffee with our friends to get the limited time Christmas drinks. We drive around looking at lights with our friends. We go see a holiday concert at a local high school. We do so many things with the people we know and love.

From the inside, this is all such great things. Spending time together, enjoying each others' company, celebrating the Christmas season. You might even throw in a service event in there for people that are less fortunate: Feed My Starving Children, Toys for Tots, Operation Christmas Child, etc. From the inside, you're doing everything right.

From the outside though, it's a completely different world. You see people getting coffee together, yet you go alone. You see people going to church together, yet you are the only one going to church today. You see "white girls" baking cookies together and having a good time, but you're at home baking them all alone. Being on the outside is lonely.

You see lovers spend time together at the Holidazzle or visiting the big oak tree in Bloomington covered in lights. You witness couples making gifts for each other, then exchanging them. You see couples cuddle up with each other by the fire and watch Christmas movies. You see long distance couples get a chance to see each other for the first time in months, because that's their only Christmas wish.

From the outside, it is so easy to be alone during Christmas. I'm not cuddling up by the fire, watching a movie with my lover. I'm not celebrating two Christmas' because I'm dating someone. I'm either working, studying, or watching Netflix. :)

I'm not the only lonely one during this time though. There are many people who have to spend Christmas alone. There are elderly who have lost their husband or wife. There are children who have parents in prison. There are military families who won't see their dad this Christmas. There are homeless who don't even have a family.

What about them? Who do they have? What do they have to look forward to this Christmas?

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth. God sent Jesus into the world through Mary. Knowing that Jesus came for a purpose, to save us from our sins, gives us hope. We aren't alone this Christmas. We have Jesus. And because of that, we should never have to feel alone.