My heart breaks for the mother. And the father. And the brother who have lost their son and brother...and their son and brother...and their son and brother. 

It seems unspeakable--unbelievable--that a mother can bear four sons. And rear four sons. And lose three sons while they're young.

And how, as a brother, can you watch one brother die. And then another. Then feel some sense of a new normal when the other is suddenly ripped from life. How do you then, as the remaining brother, rejoice? Rejoice knowing that the three are forever gone from earth, yet are celebrating, and laughing, and dancing with God? How do you eat, and sleep, and breathe? Does life feel like death is coming for you next?

For this mother, and father, and brother Lord, grant the next breath...and the next breath. The next step...and the next step. The next heart beat and mending. As the heart beats, may grace palpitate through their soul.

Heart beat. Breath. Grace. Step. 

Heart beat. Breath. Grace. Step. 

--

My prayers are with the Phillips family who have lost far more than anybody should ever have to bear. 

#Awareness

I constantly see it...posts on social media complaining about the different social media/celebrity efforts to bring awareness to certain current events and social injustices. People constantly complaining that “your hashtag isn’t really doing anything to help anybody.” Or “I’m tired of seeing people jump on a bandwagon and not really care to do anything else about the issue.”

While there are certainly people who jump on the latest hashtag/awareness trend, the efforts of raising awareness are certainly not frivolous. Without awareness, there many different campaigns, organizations, and movements that would have a hard time furthering whatever it is they are doing.

Without awareness, the fight against human trafficking and slavery--for example--would be at least a few steps behind where it is now. Because people in the US have been made aware about the continuing existence of slavery and trafficking abroad and at home, they have gone on to fight this evil. Working in outreaches in strip clubs and the street. Visiting and making calls to local representatives in order to fight with the government against modern slavery, and more. These things, in many cases, would not be happening (or would be extremely slow in happening) were it not for the various hashtags and other awareness campaigns making the rounds on social media.

Yes, we cannot simply stop at the awareness piece. And yes, these hashtag awareness campaigns are not actually going in and physically rescuing or feeding or physically fighting for someone, but they are fighting for a light to be shone on something so that others who are equipped to rescue, feed, and fight can do so. And that’s an extremely important piece to the puzzle in fighting injustices.

Societies Perception of Beauty (Pt. 1)

It never fails, whenever I click on one of those ever-present links on Facebook--you know, the ones about "13 Secrets from *blank* movie" (or other random hooks like that)--there is always another type of article linked on the side. Articles about the "ugly-duckling child stars that turned into hotties." Or, articles about seeing which "hot star this child turned into."

It's just another aspect of our societies warped views on beauty. Why does a child *need* to be physically beautiful/good looking? They're a child for goodness sake. They're meant to be playing with their friends, and reading, and imagining magical and adventurous worlds. 

Our society is so focused on outer beauty, that it is seeping into younger and younger age brackets.  (Following statistics from ANAD--Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)

• 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures

• 69% of girls in 5th-12th grade reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of a perfect body shape
• 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner 
• 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat 

Young girls are seeing these articles...seeing the importance that is, years later, being placed on a celebrities outer beauty while young. Young girls are feeling the need to focus on their outer beauty sooner, because, if these beautiful celebrities are being called "ugly ducklings" as children, then young girls are susceptible to being held up to the same standards of beauty. It's not fair. It's not healthy. And it's robbing children of the right to their childhood. 

The Power of Empowering One

On a Friday afternoon, a little girl learned that the Salvation Army had to halt packing gifts for children who otherwise wouldn't receive anything this Christmas. And this one  little girl came up with an idea to sell handmade salt-dough ornaments and use all of the proceeds to buy gifts.

By that same evening, she had raised nearly $1000.  A little girl. A “go gettem’” attitude. And a big heart.

In four days, Avery had raised over $3000! And people kept giving.

I want to be like Avery when I grow up. Hearing a need and being willing to act on the Lord's call, just like Avery did. I believe is a huge testament to the work that the Lord is doing in her life. And I also believe that this is a testament of her parents empowering her to love and serve others. To say yes to God.

And the people giving? Generosity abounded. No matter the size of the person's donation--$5 or $200--they were making a huge investment. Not only are they investing in this one specific project--providing money for gifts and therefore showing love to the recipients--but they're investing in the long term...investing in the development of Avery's generous spirit.

People saw Avery's desire to raise money...nobody had to give money. At this time of the year, many people are already giving above what they usually give to their churches or favorite charities. But, people gave anyways, and in doing so, they showed a little girl the importance of what she was choosing to do--serving without any expectations. Giving simply to benefit others. People's kindness in giving donations  will most likely serve as an example to Avery for a very long time. It will be an impetus for more giving in her future. For a posture of generosity.

I believe that there's a whole generation of kids--young and old--itching to give...itching to serve. Lets show them how important it is. Let's invest in their ideas. Support them. Empower them. You never know what one child can do to transform lives and show others the love of God. 

(To see more about Avery and her amazing generosity, check out this local news story)  

Favorite Music of 2013

A lot of really good music has come out this year...so I thought I'd make a list (in no particular order) of some of my favorite music this year.

Inland by Jars of Clay: Jars of Clay will forever and always be one of my favorite groups. Their debut album is one of my favorite albums in the entire world...none of their later albums have been able to live up to it (although many of them were very good). Inland gets pretty close to being as good (maybe if I didn't feel so nostalgic about the debut album, I could say that Inland is just as good). I don't think I've ever listened to an album that so skillfully gives insights into humans and the intricacies of relationships. Favorite song on the album: Inland. (Awesome John Donne reference)


Bad Blood by Bastille: Gosh, this album is amazing. I haven't stopped listening to Bad Blood since it came out. The first time I heard Bastille, I heard a stripped back, more orchestral, version of Flaws and I cried. Immediately, I knew that they were special and I needed their album. Their album lived up to the high expectations I had. Bad Blood has a mix of upbeat, fun songs and slower, insightful songs--all with an electric feel. Dan Smith so skillfully weaves in literary and historical allusions (which I love)--he's an amazing writer. Obsessed. The whole album is amazing, and I can't pick just one favorite.


Halcyon Days by Ellie Goulding: Technically, Halcyon came out in late 2012, but was re-released with several bonus tracks, so I'm including it in my list! The first time I heard Ellie Goulding, I wasn't a huge fan of her voice, certain notes she hit rubbed me the wrong way. I don't even recall how I started listening to her after that, but I'm glad I did--her voice is absolutely incredible and she's one of my favorite female singers now. Halcyon Days is one of those albums that I turn the volume up really high and just get work done. Such a fun album, but there are also some really beautiful, slower songs. My favorite song on here is Anything Could Happen...I'm pretty sure that this is one of the best pop songs ever. 


Pure Heroine by Lorde: This will be on loads of people's lists this year. It's such a good album. Everybody has heard Royals, but Lorde's album is so much better than just that one song. This was another, when I heard Royals back in May, I knew this girl had talent and was about to make it big. I'm so excited for her! She's such a talented writer...I think it's amazing how she's explained so well in her music what it's like to be a teenager and grow up. It's not the fluff that so much of media makes people thing youth is. My favorite songs on here are probably Team and Buzzcut Season.

Joy of Nothing by Foy Vance: Bless Ed Sheeran for tweeting about Foy Vance. Foy Vance is a middle-aged, North Irish man with an amazing soulful voice. Joy of Nothing gets better with each listen and the whole album is a work of art. Foy conveys real, true emotion in every single song. I can't pick a favorite on this album, either.

Glorious Ruins by Hillsong: I highly anticipated this album, and it didn't let down! I love that this album includes songs that just make me want to burst with joy while worshiping God and then there are the more quiet, reflective, worshipful moments. Definitely my favorite worship album from this past year. I love all of the songs on here, but the title track is probably one of my favorites...I mean this is beautiful: "I'll walk through the fire/With my head lifted high/And my spirit revived in Your story/And I'll look to the cross/As my failure is lost/In the light of Your glorious grace."

English Rain by Gabrielle Aplin: Joelle (my sister) introduced me to Gabrielle Aplin's music this year and we have since both been gobbling up her music. I had to have English Rain imported because it wasn't being released in the US until sometime next year. All of the songs on here are beautifully written poems, really. Gabrielle sings all of the songs in her clear, ethereal voice and conveys doubts, questioning, sorrow, pain, and love. Certain parts of this album are so sublime while other songs are more simple. My favorite song is either Gabrielle's cover of Power of Love or else Human. Beautiful.

Several other's that I've been loving or I am still working on thoroughly listening to: In a Perfect World (Kodaline), Fire Within (Birdy), If You Wait (London Grammar), Midnight In the Garden (Lily Kershaw). And haters gonna hate, but I'm loving Midnight Memories by One Direction right now (it's a fun, 'guilty pleasure' listen).

Also, I have to mention that one of my favorite songs this year is "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United. Beautiful, powerful song. This song is always such a worship moment for me...and it's pretty much daily my prayer.

You should check out all of this different music!

"I'm not Bono!"

When I was a child, I wanted to help people. I was that 6^th grade kid who wanted to start a disaster relief fundraiser when the tsunami hit Indonesia. One time, when the power was out at our house because of a snow storm (read: an inch or two of snow on the ground), somebody mentioned the homeless in our city and I'm pretty sure I burst out crying right then and there thinking of these people huddled somewhere in the cold. This isn't to pat myself on the back...it's just how I was as a child. And I think it's how lots of children are. Children have big dreams. Big dreams of making a difference and they don’t think of being held back.

Somewhere along the way though, we grow up and our thought process changes. We let things stand in the way of stepping out to help others and attempting to positively impact someone's life. 

I've noticed that there appears to be two groups of people. (1) Those who believe they can help, and, therefore, do. And (2) those who let fears stand in the way of helping, then don’t.

Most people are the latter--thinking that they’re inadequate and therefore can’t do anything to make a difference.  As we age, these fears of certain deficiencies inundate us, and, the train of thought that follows is “I can't make a difference unless I've got enough *blank* (influence, money, or resources, etc.).I'm not Bono*! Nobody will pay attention to anything I attempt to make a difference.” Or, even more seriously, people think that they’re so messed up, that God cannot actually use them to make a difference. They let these fears hold them back, possibly from something that God has called them to.

Basically, the fear of lacking holds us back. There's no way that God can use us to make a difference in somebody's life, so besides the occasional service project, why even attempt?

We let so much stand in the way of following the Lord's leading. We don't step up and into situations to serve because we let our fears of inadequacies get in the way. But listen, we are never too messed up, screwed up, sinful, under resourced, poor, un-influential, or ill equipped for the Lord to use us.

If the Lord is calling me to something, you'd better believe He'll equip me, teach me, lead me. So how dare I look at the Lord and tell Him that there's no way I can or will do what He wants and is calling me to do--there's no way He can use me? Because, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."

God is calling masses of believers to step outside of their comfort zones. People of differing backgrounds who have experienced different joys and heartaches and who have their own area of influence. God is calling us here, and now. Are we going to get past any inadequacy we feel we have in order to step into a role of mercy to the hurting in the world? Because once we do that, God is going to use us for His glory. Use us to impact the hurting world.

*Note: I use Bono as an example because he's someone who has not only the money to get things done, but the influence not only to draw attention to certain issues but also to encourage others to act.

(Via Christine Caine's Facebook page)

"Why ya gotta be so mean?"

There's so much mean in the world.

Every day we see snide remarks online--Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. We read mean comments in magazines and newspapers. We hear ugly comments on TV. Mean is everywhere...it doesn't take long at all to find it.

What do snide, flippant comments add to human kind? To this world? It's a serious question.

What do my mean comments add to the world? 

Why do I feel that it's alright to tear somebody down? Sure, my witty, but biting tweet about, lets say, a singer I dislike will probably go unseen by its subject, but does that make it any less wrong?

What if they did see it?

My spur-of-the-moment comment could be the one thing that ruins their day. Or it could be what causes them to feel self-conscious. 

There's a fine line between stating an opinion about likes/dislikes and using my dislike in a witty way at another person's expense. 

The victim of my senseless words is someone's child, sibling, friend. Most importantly, they're somebody that God loves. 

What does my comment say about me? Because most often, what I say about others reflects more of me than them.

So, again...what does my comment add to the world? Because I'd rather physically bite my tongue or cover my mouth to keep a little bit of mean out of the world. The world doesn't need any more of that...there's already far too much of it. 

So why don't we all keep a little bit of ugly out of the world by holding back mean comments. And let's build up others by speaking beautiful words of them. Because, couldn't the world use a bit more beauty?

(Picture found on Pinterest)