Lately, I’ve been listening. I hear single friends, still single, who are not happy with that. And I start to feel sorry for them, and then I realise: I’m still single too. Same boat. That doesn’t bother me as much as what I hear that way, way too often accompanies this state: low self esteem.
Get this straight. Get it now.
You have something to say. Your words are beautiful and valuable. I want to hear them if no one else.
You are beautiful. You may think no one wants to see your face, but I do.
You are unique, and because of that, the world doesn’t have enough of you yet. Keep bringing your unique gifts.
People may tell you you’re not smart enough, not gifted enough, not beautiful enough. Don’t listen to them. They are dead wrong.
I want to hear you. I want to see you. I want to share our hopes, our dreams, and our thoughts together. And I mean that.
So, in America, election day is over…votes tallied, outcome decided. Barack Obama is now President-Elect. A lot of us didn’t want that. As I go about school and work today, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some depressed folks in my circles. But that’s not the real issue. No matter who’s President, or what party he(/she? one day) comes from, our faith stays the same. God doesn’t have a term of office. God’s eternal, and what He says overrides any presidential proclamation. And now for the self-accusation: would I talk this way if McCain had won the election? Because I should. No matter who wins. If Barney the Dinosaur was sworn in tomorrow, what I say and do should be the same. Here are some lyrics that I like to remember all the time, not just during election season or when things go bad.
“Let Love Win”
~Daniel Kirkley
Sometimes
I look way up at the starlight
I wonder how things got turned around
And whether all that’s lost
Will all be found
Lately
I think the world has gone crazy
How did we all get so far away
From letting love write the pages of our lives
I’m praying tonight
Chorus
That every man has bread
And every child a bed
That those of us who have enough
Might find it hard to rest
Until every hand is held
A lovesick world, made well
Oh God, begin with me
An instrument of peace
Let love win… Amen
There are moments
I wish I’d find my heart broken
Tasting the tears of the suffering who
Must surely know much more of you than I
I’m praying tonight
Chorus
Maybe it’s too much to ask
Maybe it’s not nearly enough
Maybe the light of the world
Can hear the prayer of just one…
And I’m only one…
Bring hatred to it’s knees
Let love be all we need
Oh God begin with me
I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you. You bring joy to my life, and I believe God sent you. Here’s why:
The minute I see you come through the door, I’m excited to see you
Your presence brings a smile to my face and lifts my spirits
The sound of your voice is like music, gentle and expressive
When you’re playful, all the world seems light
When you’re excited about something, it makes me excited too
When you’re sad or hurt, I feel a wave of compassion sweep over me til all I want is to put a smile back on your face, to do whatever I can to help you
When you’re angry, it makes me want to go after whatever made you angry and deal with it personally
When you do something for me, I’m touched deeply. It makes me want to do something for you, anything I can, as well as to help anyone else I may come across
When I do something for you, I can’t wait to see the look on your face. Your smile is my reward in full
When we hug, I feel strength flowing into me and I know that I can take on whatever life throws at me
When I’m having a hard day, and I see you, I forget all about the problems I may have had
I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than just work hard by your side. Our cooperation makes even the heaviest things seem light, and the toughest jobs seem easy and fun
I always want to be gentle with you, never harsh
I always want to be loving with you, never hateful
I always want to speak kindly to you, never spitefully
I always want to put your will over my own
You always show up at the right time
There is no “bad time” to call me. If I can hear my phone, I will answer it
I appreciate all your talents, no matter what they may be. I know that God has gifted you enormously
So you see, my friend I had to write this letter to tell you all these things. I wanted to be sure you knew them, and how much I appreciate you, because there is no way I could ever say all this in daily life.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for just being you!
Allowed to think this way, feel these feelings, say these words?
Allowed to express myself this way or that way? To love this person or that?
All my life I’ve been encouraged to break away from the world, refuse to follow the crowd. Did my encouragers not see? Did they not realise their humanity? Did they not see that a day would come when I might have to reject their ideas in my search for absolute truth? Did they not realise they would one day be the “crowd” I’d break away from?
I’ve come to see this. What if their ideas are flawed? Should I break from them and the crowd? These encouragers want me to think for myself, to be accountable to God, not men; can they handle it if I am? Can they stand the fruit of their teaching? If I choose and they disagree with my choice, can they accept that as the expression of their teaching in me?
I am allowed. But should I? Paul says everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. In his book Showdown, Ted Dekker tells of children who are taught to base all they do on the discovery of love, its understanding.
The discovery of love. Should I, then, exercise my freedom, my ultimate allowance, my free will, within the limits imposed by love and its discovery? Should I live, then, on a continual quest for a fuller understanding of love, rejecting actions that would turn me from my quest? Should I stop worrying so much about legalistic jots and tittles and instead pierce straight to the heart of law: love?
“Wish I…” is gone. “Wish I…” died yesterday. “I will…” lives here now.
What’s “Wish I…”? That’s not strong. That’s not victory. That’s defeatism.
“Wish I…” is a challenge for a new day. “Wish I…” is fear talking, not hope.
“Wish I…” is dead. “I will…” killed it. “All things are possible…” killed it. “Victory in Jesus” killed it. I don’t need to listen to “Wish I…” or its cousin “I can’t…” ever again.
Jump.
As It Has Been Said…
I am hanging on every word You're saying/Even if You don't want to speak tonight/That's alright, alright with me/'Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside Heaven's door/And listen to Your breathing/It's where I want to be, yeah
~"Breathing", Lifehouse
