The Chasm of Political Idolatry

Lately I have been feeling heart hurt, sad, and concerned about an issue I am seeing.

Sometimes I fear the divisiveness of American politics has been creeping into the body of Christ. It scares me. I am going to be honest and say that I fear it being something that will eventually cause a major division, and it probably is already doing so.

I see posts on social media from Christians making sweeping, and insulting statements about the party opposite them. And all I can think of are the incredible, God-fearing, and loving people on either side of those party lines whom I look up to, and the things they do for the Kingdom of God.

Our absolute FIRST priority, as Christians is to Christ and His church. One of the things that I have come to love about the body of Christ as I have grown is how much love there is despite different backgrounds, cultures, and ideals.

However, there is a chasm opening up, and I am not sure why people aren't seeing it. And I wonder how much it will become our undoing.

The obsession with Republican-Democratic politics is permeating everything, it seems. People hold so fast their parties and political ideals. They equate THEIR party, THEIR way of thinking as the only way, and woe to anyone who dare disagree with them about how to run an earthly nation.

One question I want to ask is this: as tightly as you are holding on to your political ideals, are you holding onto Christ even harder? Are you allowing the law of God's love to falter in the name of Politics? Are you weighing each careless word about someone who disagrees with you? Do you realize the power of those words and what they can do? (James 3:6)

The only WAY, ladies and gentlemen, is Christ. Everything else after that greatly pales in comparison.

Let me get even more honest here.

The way our economy is run is not going to matter in heaven. God has promised His followers that He would take care of and provide for them, no matter their circumstance. And that should be our main focus. You don't need to have massive amounts of stuff or money to do that. Then, we as the Church use those blessings to help others. If you get super worried about what the economy is going to do under so and so, I think you may be hanging your hope on people instead of God. (Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-32)

A wall is a wall. Defense is defense. There are many reasons why either side supports or doesn't support the wall. I'm not going to debate those points here. However, I am going to say this: security and defense, like the economy is earthly. There are so many ways to go about doing that, and wall or no, we can still have really good national defense.

 If we become so laser focused on that one point about why we should or should not have one, and allow our OPINIONS of that to cause strife within the body of Christ, then we seriously need to step back and consider our priorities. Is national security important? Absolutely, not saying it isn't. However, if that ideal becomes greater than our evangelism and care for our fellow brothers and sisters, and even those in the world, then I'd say you'd have a problem there.

I could go on and on about various political beliefs, but I think you get the picture.

As Christians, we need to exercise great wisdom. In a world where Satan is using Politics to divide, you better believe he is going to try and use the same tactic in the Church! And why wouldn't he? When you want to destroy a community or a relationship, you look for weak points, fissures, disagreements and amplify them, until they implode. Disagreements saddled with pride and ego are one of the quickest routes to destruction.

Be wise about what  you say or choose to involve yourself in. The world is watching us. If, within the church, we allow our political ideologies to wound and divide one another, we are making politics our idol. It is a dangerous game to try and fuse man-made ideals and market them as God's law. It is adding to the word of God, which we are implicitly commanded not to do. (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19) Anytime we do this, we cheapen God's word, and in turn, makes His church look like a joke to those on the outside. Why in the world would people want to join something that is just as divided and hateful as the world around them? And, more importantly, how do you think that makes Jesus feel when the name of His bride is marred in such a way?

"Love one another, for love is of God. He who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God. For God is love." (1 John 4:7-8).


 We have to be careful of the messages we send to the world. As much as it depends on you, do NOT be the reason someone chooses to refuse God.

Don't misunderstand. It is not wrong to have opinions. We all have them. But if we allow those opinions to cause us to say or do things that could cause divisions within the body of Christ, we have crossed a huge line. (John 17:21, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17) May God give us wisdom to always strive for our words and our actions to better lead others to the love God wants to share with them. Close the gap, cross that bridge, and be a light in a world where division is so prominent.

I'm Weird. You're Weird. We're all Weird. Let's Rejoice!

In Tim Burton's film, "Alice and Wonderland", I believe it had it right when Alice told the Mad Hatter that all the best people are mad and bonkers. I think I quite agree with that statement.

As Christians, this is precisely how the world sees us. They think we are crazy, much to our dismay, oftentimes.

I get it. Right now, things in our nation aren’t so good from a moral perspective. It is easy to worry, wondering what could happen. 

As time goes on, we begin to lose "our muchness", as the film also states.  I see far too many Christians getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty ways of the world. Discouragement abounds. We are becoming increasingly quiet about God's word. Many are losing their boldness and confidence.

Again, I get it. More and more people are rejecting God. People are rejecting us. It hurts. It’s easy to feel discouraged and wonder how the church could possibly grow at a time like this.  There is a part of you that wants to gain some sense of normalcy and keep your mouth shut. 

I’m here to tell you, whatever you do, don’t! God wants us to embrace our weirdness. Because, let’s face it; we are a weird people. The world doesn’t get it. They will never get it. Sure, there will be a few people that take a second look and join our weirdness.  But, we are weird and that is how it is. Very few people will want to take the road less traveled by. (Matthew 7:14.)

1 Peter 4:4 says, “With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same debauchery, and they mock you.”

We don't make sense to them. They are going to make fun of us. They are going to insult us. Yet, Jesus turns this into something positive.

“Blessed are you when others revile your and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12.)

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Peter 4:14.)

We are blessed when we stand up for what is right and others think us strange. We are supposed to be a strange people. While we don’t suffer in the US like others in the world, the treatment of Christians here is turning sour. Many are wondering why we won’t just shut up.

Find the joy and embrace your weirdness. Stop worrying so much, and just embrace hope and trust in God.  No matter what happens in this world, He will be right there. Whether you are mocked for your faith or even killed for it, God tells us not to be afraid of people. (Matthew 10:28.)

Despite the circumstances, there is joy. Give the world something else to think we are weird for. Find hope and joy in the stressful times. (Romans 12:12.) Find it in the uncertain times. Find the contentment  and joy when they are ridiculing you for your weirdness. Then you’ll be even weirder to them. And that is a bigger blessing than you realize. 

Heart of Worship Tuesday: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing/O Thou Fount”

Singing to God is a beautiful thing. Encouraging each other through song is one of the greatest blessings there is.

As Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.”

Singing is such an important part of our worship. Knowing this, why shouldn’t we also be mindful of what we are singing? When our hearts are engaged with the words' meaning, it makes our worship that much better. When we understand what we are singing, the more we encourage one another. (Eph. 5:19.)

Today, in this first installment, we will be looking at “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”.

This is on my list of favorite old hymns. Not only is the melody pretty, but the words are beautiful. Robert Robinson wrote it in 1757 . He  was formerly a pretty rough member of society. He was a gambler and a drunk. One night while attending an evangelistic meeting, the words of the minister got to his heart. After a few years, he finally changed his life and looked to God. He wrote this as a poem to go along with a sermon he gave. (1)

The first verse says,

“Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace.

Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, Mount of thy redeeming love.”

God is the “fount of every blessing”, is He not? He loves His people immensely. He blesses and takes care of us. Every good thing we have is from God. (James 1:17.) The greatest blessing we have from God is His love and mercy. As the verse says, “Streams of mercy never ceasing…”. God’s mercy and love is never ending. (Romans 8:31-39.)

The writer is asking God to teach him a “sonnet sung by flaming tongues above”. Sonnets are usually written as love poems. He wants to sing a love song that heavenly beings sing to their creator. He may think that if he could sing songs like the angels, the words He sings would be closer to being worthy of God. He wants to be focused on God’s love, “fixed upon it, Mount of thy redeeming love.”

This verse is all about awe and humbleness we have towards God’s love and mercy. It’s amazing isn’t it? God loved us, sinners, so much that He sent His son to die for us. (John 3:16.) If that isn’t love, I’d like to know what is.

“Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’ve come

And I hope by thy good pleasure safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger wandering from the throne of God

He to rescue me from danger interposed His precious blood.”

 According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an Ebenezer is defined as “a commemoration of divine assistance.” (2) The dictionary webpage also makes reference to 1st Samuel 7:12. Here, after the victory of the Israelites against the Philistines, the Prophet Samuel sets up a “stone of help” to commemorate God’s help in the battle. This would be comparable to statues or memorials honoring an event or person.

Spiritually speaking, the writer is putting up his own commemoration of God’s help towards him. He is saying that God is the only reason he has changed and made it this far. In the next part, it compares where He was before God. He was a stranger who insisted on staying away from God. But, Jesus patiently waited for him, as he does for us. When he finally came to his senses, the blood of Jesus was there to cleanse him.

So many people try so hard to avoid being convicted by God. One way or another, it will catch up with us. Whether in this life or the next, God will convict us that He is the one true God. (Romans 14:11.)

“O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be

Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering to thee.

Never let me wander from thee, never leave the God I love.

Take my heart, O, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.”

Because of our sinful nature, we can never ever repay what God did for us. We can never live up to what we are supposed to be. But, that is what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is for. Jesus’ goodness and perfection is our salvation.

 The writer is aware of his sin, and how alluring it is. He is asking God to help him not to walk away from Him back into the world that he once knew. He is asking God to take his heart and seal it in heaven. It makes me think of the verse, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

This is something that should be prayerfully on our minds every day. We should always be praying that God helps us to keep our focus on Him, and not be enticed back into the world. We should all be aware of just how tempting it is to sin. We should all be aware of the one who is out to destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8.)

What we have is a prayerful song. The singer is humbly coming before God realizing how unworthy he is to do so. We all are. It is a song praising God for His goodness and mercy. It is a song praising Him for loving us in our imperfection. Let us never forget how blessed we are to have received God’s love and mercy. Let us never forget what a call we have to serve God each day.

Sung by the Fiddlesticks

1.      1.  http://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/hymns-the-songs-and-the-stories/come-thou-fount-of-every-blessing-the-song-and-the-story.html

2. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ebenezer

Why I Don't Do "Sexy"

Sexy:  (adj) 1. Concerned predominately or excessively with sex; risqué.

2. Sexually interesting or exciting; radiating sexuality.

3. Excitingly appealing; glamorous.

Victoria’s Secret. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Abercrombie and Fitch. American Apparel. Miss America, even.

We see these things and one word reverberates that describes it all:

Sexy.

This word is used to describe things that are glorifying sexuality. The word denotes an idea of being proud and revealing your body to the world. It describes one who walks around flaunting herself.

Here is my question: Is ‘sexy’ something the Christian woman should aspire to be?

People may try to use the excuse that, if God made them, shouldn’t they be proud in how they created them? We are, after all, “fearfully and wonderfully made.” What’s wrong with showing pride in that? Why not strut our stuff? Why not be proud of your assets?

Here are the reasons why we don’t embrace the Sexy mindset.

1.       We aren’t out to be obsessed with appearance.

In a world where people are coveting the life of the Kardashians, we have forgotten something.  Our hearts.

In the verses about modesty, it says that our main concern should not be on our appearance, but our hearts. To God, ‘gentle and quiet spirits’ are precious to Him. (1st Peter 3:4.) Gentle and quiet spirits are humble, kind, and see to the needs of others before self. How much different is that from the mindset people have today?

1st Timothy 2:9-10 says: “Likewise also that the women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…but with what is proper for women who profess Godliness-with good works.” (emp. Added.)

Philippians 2:3 says: “Do nothing of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others before yourselves.” (emp. Added.)

How much different would our society be if women focused serving God and others before how they look? Many women hate to go out without their makeup and hair done perfectly!

For thousands of years, women have gone to extreme measures to be beautiful. It is so easy for us to base our worth on our appearance. When we focus too much on how we look, less focus is put on God. Our appearance becomes an idol.

2.       We aren’t to “parade” ourselves.

If there is one quality that doesn’t fit in with the Christian lifestyle, it is Pride. Part of sexiness is parading your body or outfit around for the whole world to see. It is exuding a “Look at me!” attitude. We’ve all seen people like this. Not only does it not fit in with the idea of modesty, but it isn’t loving either. “Love does not parade itself. It is not filled with pride…” (1st Corinthians 13:4.)

This may be one of the main reasons for modesty. Modesty represents a quiet humility that God commands of us. (1 Peter 3:4.) If we are to be noticed for anything, the bible says, it should be for the good things that we do. Not our outfit or our body. Our clothes should allow our actions to speak louder.

3.       Our Bodies are Not Our Own.

Our bodies are the temple of the Living God. (1st Corinthians 6:19-20.) They are to be used as vessels for God’s glory. (Colossians 3:17.) “Sexy” puts the focus on us rather than God.  “Sexy” makes an idol of ourselves and the idea that we have to be perfect all the time. 

When our focus is on Him, we are set free from the idea that we have to please anyone but Him. We aren’t out to make other women jealous. We aren’t held to the idea that if men don’t find us attractive, we don’t have value. We aren’t held to pride in ourselves and our beauty. In the end, none of these things will bring true fulfillment like Christ can. All of these things will lose their luster and turn to dust.

4.       Sexy has one place. And one place only…

God made us to be attractive and beautiful. If there is any place where being sexy glorifies God, it is in the marriage bed. There, we are cherished by someone who loves us. One day, if it is meant to be, you will marry and meet the love of your life.

Sex is not dirty. Nor is it bad. The bible never says this, unless it is done in a way that goes against God’s word.

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”-Hebrews 13:4

The allure of the world is strong. It is normal to want to be desired. To an extent, that is okay when you have that longing in the confines of scripture. God made marriage to have those needs fulfilled. 

But you know, you ARE cherished by God, our heavenly Father! You were made by Him, and He loves you. There is no need to try to measure up or be like everyone else. There is no need to.

Simple Truths-More than just Kid Stuff

I have always loved cartoons,  animation, and stories for children. That is one thing that hasn’t changed about me. More than likely, it never will.  I hear people say all the time, “Oh, that movie was cute, but it is just for kids.”

The truth is, there are things like Disney movies that ring such simple truths. I think as adults, we often want to ignore them. We think there is nothing we can learn from them because we’ve “heard it all before”.

Adults are stubborn. I think we often write off these “cute movies” or books because we often don’t want to face reality. 

We don’t want to hear that “a little kindness goes a long way”. 

We don’t want to hear that “Love is putting others needs before your own.” 

We don’t want to hear that we must persevere and keep trying. We don't want to hear that when it is easier to give up. 

We don’t want to hear that we need to stand up for what we believe in, or what is right.

We often turn a blind eye and stay silent when others are hurting, abused, or in need. We tell ourselves to mind our own business.

We walk away from someone just because they aren’t giving us a thrill anymore. They aren’t making ME happy. (Note: I am not talking about abusive situations. Please, if you can help it, don't stay in an abusive situation.)

We stay silent because it’s easier than dealing with conflict.

We give up because it feels better to be comfortable than to grow.

Each one of the things above are things we tell ourselves every day. We try to do everything we can to avoid these situations.

As Christians, we have to stop avoiding them. Not only are these things “kid-movie worthy”, but they’re also biblical. Pride prevents us from being convicted.

Kindness and agape (self-sacrificial) love are commandments of God. (1st Corinthians 13:4-8, Ephesians 4:32.)

We are to speak up with the truth that will save the world. We are not to be ashamed. (Ephesians 4:15, Galatians 6:1, Matthew 28:19, Romans 1:16.)

We are to grow, examine our hearts, and be open to conviction. (2nd Corinthians 13:5, 1 John 1:9, 1 Tim. 4:15, 2 Peter 3:18.)

I am not saying that everyone should have to watch Disney movies or cartoons. I am saying that sometimes the “simplest truths” are the most important. And, the fact that they are first from God makes them all the more important.

Put On Your War Paint!!!!!

One of my sisters faced a difficult situation yesterday. You could see in her face that she was heartbroken.

One thing I remember Mom saying to her was, “When you wake up, put on your war paint!” 

She meant that, the next day, get up and do your makeup. Make your hair pretty. Despite whatever may be going on, it helps to keep taking care of yourself. It helps to keep doing what you need to do. Cry if you need to, get angry. Rest. But, keep moving forward, no matter what.

It made me think about the situation in our nation right now with the election. We are at a crossroads in our nation’s history. We are at a questionable time in Church history as well. There is no telling what is around the corner.

I know two things. First, God is still in charge. Second, as the Church we need to get up and work. We need to also get down on our knees and pray like we have never prayed before. As my Mom said to my sister, we need to get our war paint on, spiritually speaking.

Forget politics as they apply to secular issues for the moment (economics, healthcare, etc.). While I have opinions on those things, in the light of God’s word, they  don’t matter in the end.

 It doesn’t matter who is president. It doesn’t matter if we don’t care for our Government Officials. Our job, as Christians, is to obey the law of the land. We are to respect our leaders and the rules. We are to be in submission to them.  (Romans 13:1-7)

As Christians, our ultimate job is to spread the Gospel. Our purpose is to tell others about God. What the US doesn’t need right now is more Christians obsessed with politics. No. What the US needs is for the Church to be the Church.

We need to get our hands dirty. (Eph. 4:28, James 2:17.)

We need to Study God’s Word. (2nd Tim. 2:15, 2 Tim. 3:14-17.)

We need to preach the Gospel. (Matt. 28:19.)

We need to help the poor. We are the Church. The government is not. Stop trying to make it their job. (Luke 3:11, Luke 12:23, Matt. 25:35-40)

Visit, help, mentor, or even adopt those in foster care. (James 1:27.)

Visit the sick and lonely. (Matt. 25:35-40, 2nd Cor. 1:3-5.)

Love the abused and broken.  (2nd Cor. 1:3-5, Romans 12:15.)

Give unconditional love to all despite their sins or circumstances. (1 Cor. 13:4-7.)

Tell them of the healing and forgiveness that God can give. (2 Cor. 1:3-5.)

Get on our knees and pray for this nation and the world. (1 Tim. 2:1-4.)

This is putting on our war paint. This is how a Christian goes to battle. This is putting on the full armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-18.) Getting up and working and being an example changes things.

We can scream until we are blue in the face about the morals in this nation. The screaming isn’t working. 

We cannot make an impact unless we are what God has called us to be. We must be ready each moment for opportunities we receive. We must be ready to work. We must stop being afraid. 

This is what Christians need to be doing right now, no matter what happens this year. Now until Jesus comes back. It’s time to paint up for battle!

Singles, BE GRATEFUL!

Ah, Valentine’s day. That day of the year when couples drown each other in love.

 And also the day that singles lament their singleness.

I am single. But, I hate it when people get so down in the dumps about being single on the holiday. I remember a few years ago my first boyfriend broke up with me just before Valentine’s day. If anyone had a reason to hate the holiday that year, it would have been me.

I was staying with some friends at the time. The two of them went and bought me a Hawaiian pizza for me to have all to myself. While I was still in deep hurt, I also so felt so blessed and thankful that they did something like that for me.

Even now, I have no disdain for the holiday. I never have. Valentine’s day doesn’t make me lament the love I don’t have. Actually, quite the opposite. If anything, it reminds me of how blessed I am. 

While I don’t have a lover, I have many who love me. I have a wonderful family that is always there for me. I have precious little sisters who make my heart overflow. I have fantastic friends that have blessed my life in so many ways. God is my constant. He is faithful. He loves me and takes care of me.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:8)

“Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand so that at a proper time, He will life you up. Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Everyone wants a special someone. I know I do. I will find him eventually. But I don’t want to spend my life being sad about being single. I don’t want to be angry or depressed when Valentine’s rolls around. On Valentine’s day, I want to see the immense love that is  around me right now.

On Valentine’s Day, celebrate God’s love, and the love of those around you. Do it year ‘round. Whether you are single or not, be thankful for the love you have. Return it tenfold!

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10)

It's the Little Things....

I am sure a lot of us feel this way sometimes. I recently began to wonder if I was doing enough for God.  I began to pray for more opportunities. Of course, I was thinking big scale-like mission trips.

So I prayed about it. I asked Him to help me not forsake opportunities to give, to love, to share. I wanted to do all the big things. Not out of pride, but because I really, really want God to use me to my full capacity. I want to serve Him and honor Him.

However, the more I looked at my life, the more I realized that I am in no place to do the “big things” yet. I began feeling bad about it. My circumstances at the moment prevent me from doing those things right now.

Then it began to occur to me...maybe I just need to stop worrying about what I can’t do for now. What if I just need to look at the opportunities around me?

I think about my little sisters at the children’s home. These little girls have been neglected, abused, and who knows what else.  I love them so much. What if right now, God wants me to minister to and love the little girls at the home?

I had a conversation with my Aunt tonight about my concerns about whether I was doing enough. She reminded me the impact of the “little things”. She talked about how she has seen God work, from her simply being kind or being there for someone. We need to work with what we have. We can bear much fruit by serving with our whole heart. Having a willing, servant’s heart is the key. Keeping eyes open for opportunities around us is also key.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”-Colossians 3:23

When we fully submit to God, we say, “I am available for You to use me in anyway. Anything You want me to do, I will do it.”

Sometimes, the Lord needs you where you already are.  It can be difficult when you want to do the big things. I continue to pray that someday I will be able to serve in a mission field. However, God is showing me right now that there are a group of girls who need my love and example.

My foster sisters have come to mean the world to me. They need that unconditional love and support. They need to see God.  I must show that love to them. It could happen one day they give their lives to Christ. Then they can tell the world what God has done for them. It would have started with the fact that we loved them.

Believe it or not, loving those around us and giving them the gospel is a great place to start. Even if something seems little, it can lead to big things.

If you are in the same spot as me, remember- you don’t have to be doing the “big things” now. Pray about it. If you have that big of a heart for missions, or anything else, God will offer the opportunity when the time is right. Just maybe not right now. Patience is a virtue.

It's Okay to be Sensitive...

If you are an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), I’m sure you’ve had people tell you to toughen up.  I'm sure you've  been ridiculed for being moved by something that seems insignificant.

 People say things like, “I don’t know what you’re getting so emotional about. It’s not like we can do anything about it!” You may have also encountered dishonesty because others didn’t “want to hurt your feelings”.  (When the truth is, it hurts more when you find out about their dishonesty.)

Being sensitive is often considered negative in our society. You are usually expected to always be tough, strong, and independent. Many consider sensitivity to be a weakness.

In some ways, we do have to learn to adapt and toughen up in some situations.  Yet, I want to make the point that there is nothing wrong with your sensitivity. It can even be useful in Christ’s cause. There is nothing sinful or  wrong about it. It’s just you being you.

This year, Disney/Pixar released the film Inside Out. The film was about personified emotions living inside a girl named Riley’s mind. Their names were Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust and Fear. Joy, the emotion who put herself in charge, does everything she can to keep Riley happy and joyful. She rarely lets Sadness do anything, and doesn’t see the purpose in having her there. Sadness has a tendency to be glum, pessimistic, and lethargic. But Sadness is also intelligent, intuitive, and empathetic.

Sadness. She can't even today.

Throughout the movie, Joy begins to see that Sadness has her place. Sadness had the ability to empathize with and comfort others. She could help Riley connect with her loved ones on a deeper level. We can learn things from our sadness, and all our emotions. This includes how we express our emotions and comfort others.

Sadness comforts Bing Bong.

This mirrors real life. People who are sensitive are also often  empathetic. They feel what others are feeling, and can be incredible comforters and encouragers.  People who are sensitive can change the world. 

Barnabas was an encourager, and was loving to his brethren (Acts 4:36.) Jeremiah wept for his people who had fallen into sin (Jeremiah 13:17.) People who feel deeply can do great things for God and for the church. If you fall into the category of “bleeding hearts”, guess what? You’re in good company.

While we have this sensitivity, we must be careful to not let it rule us. Sensitivity can lead to cowardice and dishonesty. We must fight to develop a thicker skin to keep moving forward in Christ’s cause. We must continue to hope and trust God that he will not leave us. With that knowledge, keep using that big, beautiful heart to change the world!

End of Year Thoughts Part 4: A Little More About Love

1. Find Someone You could Love for Who they are-not who they could be.

This is most important. I think both of us, me and my ex, idealized each other. I couldn’t live up to what he was looking for. I realized too, that he wasn’t what I wanted either.

The greatest lie you can tell yourself is that there is no one else. No two people will ever be a completely perfect fit--but, that doesn't mean you should settle.  Be honest with yourself about everyone that you date.

I didn’t think I could change my ex. Yet, I saw things  in the beginning in the relationship that made me think he wanted to change. He thought the same of me.

Lesson: don’t stay with someone just because of who you think they might be later. That is incredibly dangerous territory. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a crash and burn to remind you what is right. 

2. Find Someone Who Is on the Same Page as You in Regards to Spiritual Matters and the Future.

Spiritually we were not on the same page. His morals did not align with mine. I was so focused on avoiding conflict and keeping the peace that I wouldn’t stand up for what I believed. It led me to allow things I never should have.

Find someone who will encourage your dreams; not someone who will tell you they are pointless or unattainable. Find someone who is willing to go through the journey of life with you. This isn’t to say that hobbies or interests need to be exactly the same. (I want my doll collecting and scrapbooking to be my thing.) Yet, It would be cool to find someone that shares my interest for things like books and the arts.

I also want to say that our ideals for a family didn’t align that well either. There were  aspects of having a family that were important to me. He was not interested or didn't agree with them. There were a few things about raising children that would have been a huge issue later. 

3. Lastly, Guard Your Heart.

It is so easy to lose your mind with someone you have attraction to. Infatuation can be powerful, as I have found. Whenever the time comes again, I am going to pray that my heart won’t become so enamored by them. I want to be able to give myself as clear a head as possible to make the best decision for both of us.

As Christians, the main relationship we must focus on is our relationship with God. Even when you get the guy, God should always come first.

A true man of God will treat you in the way you should be treated, and love you the way you should be loved. He will pray for you and with you. He will want to praise God with you. He will be eagerly willing to study God’s word with you. He will push you to be the best Christian you can be, as you do the same for Him! (1st Peter 3:7, Ephesians 5:25)

Next Article: End of  Year Thoughts Part Five: Life