you are seen

Sometimes life requires getting down on our knees and giving it up, and that's not an easy thing to do.

Sometimes we hear God's voice say, "hey, come here," and that's even harder because we think: Why on Earth would God want me? I am broken, I am flawed, I'm not worthy. He obviously hasn't accounted for the things I've said, done, thought, etc.

If you've ever thought that listen to this.

I feel like I don't need to say much because the song says it all, but I will say that God sees you, and he LOVES you. He loves you so deeply and so unconditionally and so fiercely. He sees you as a treasure, you are hand-crafted by him--the most high God.

We see ourselves through the lens of a broken and flawed world. A world that says that you're not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough. A world that says that you've messed too many times to be "good." A world that says you have too much baggage, and no chance of getting rid of it.

But God wipes that clean. God takes broken and flawed people, and reshapes them. God specializes in broken people, who live in a broken world, and he loves them. Oh, how he loves them.

You are never too far, too messy, too weighed down with baggage, too broken for God to love you. He loves you, he sees you, he WANTS you. He calls to you in your brokenness and sees something far greater for you.

#goals

hair goals
family goals
body goals
makeup goals
girlfriend goals
boyfriend goals
goals
goals
goals

How many times have you seen one of these so-called "goals" on social media? I'll be the first to admit that I've seen them, and said them, often. We all have goals. Things we want to accomplish for ourselves, or for others.

I'm not saying that it's bad to have goals. Goals are GOOD. They keep us motivated, they give us something to shoot for, and when they're achieved, they give us a sense of pride and accomplishment! Goals are not bad, but they "why" behind our goals are what gets us into trouble.

Do we have body goals so that that guy/girl will notice us? Do we have family goals so that we will feel like we measure up among our social circles? Do we have makeup goals so that those girls will finally be friends with us? Do we have goals for our significant other so that we will feel fulfilled by that relationship?

A lot of times these desires turn into unhealthy pursuits that hurt us. We starve ourselves, we get ourselves into bad relationships, we settle for things we shouldn't, we compromise who God made us to be in order to live up to a goal.

I'm not going to pretend that I've never said/thought about accomplishing some of these goals. I think about it constantly--if I want someone to notice me, like me, be friends with me I must first pull myself together and achieve these goals for myself. It's hard not to think that way when the media bombards young women and young men with pictures and descriptions of what they should strive to be like, look like, and act like.

But God--the creator of the universe, of heaven and earth, of the land we walk on, the oceans we swim in, the stars we wonder at--looks at us and sees such beauty. When God formed us, he did so with a plan in mind. He does not look at us and say, "I wish she'd put some makeup on that face I created," or "I wish he/she would do something about that body I created. They aren't doing my work justice." God sees his creation with such pride. He sees beauty and purpose and perfection in the human beings that he created. He saw us before anyone else saw us. He knew us before anyone else knew us. He loved us before anyone else loved us. To him, these "goals" only get in the way of the purpose for his divinely created and dearly loved people.

I'll end my rant with this: you, yes you, are spectacularly made. You are amazing. God sees you. God knows you. His goals for you go far beyond your hair, your face, or your body, and his love for you knows no bounds.

Amen. That is something I can get behind.

to the friends I didn't see coming

Everyone told me all about you. They hyped you up. They promised me that you'd be funny and sweet and kind and wonderful. They said I'd love you for life, and you'd love me right back. I mean they really hyped you up.

I was skeptical. I was scared. I had scars from past friendships gone wrong. I am a bit stubborn, a bit guarded, a bit (okay a lot) overbearing. I didn't all they way believe everyone who told me about you. I took their words with a grain of salt. I didn't let it sit too deeply in my heart. I tried to stay rational. Not everything works out. Friendships end. Not everyone will get you. Don't let them in too quickly. Keep your distance. Play it cool. Play it cool. Play it cool.

I was wrong. I admit it. I'll eat my words. I'll swallow my pride. I'll say "they were right."

You, my dear friends, are a gift. A very wonderful, smart, kind, funny gift. You make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me laugh until I cry. I am forever grateful for your understanding hearts, your ridiculous jokes, your warm hugs, your late night hang-outs.

I didn't expect how good you'd be to me. I didn't expect to love you like sisters. I didn't expect to know everything about you. I didn't expect that I'd love you fiercely and fight for you wholeheartedly and support you unendingly.

I don't remember the moment I met you. I don't remember the moment that I realized I'd want to spend the next four years being your friend. God--in His infinite wisdom and grace and mercy and goodness--simply set you before me (thank you Jesus).

So to you, sweet friends, I say thank you. I cherish our friendship. I cherish YOU.

//Don't worry about me, family. I miss you like WOAH, but I found a sweet, sweet second family to watch over me when I'm a thousand mile away from you//

//And to you, who wait and sit and wait some more for those people who "just get it," God sees you. He's got your people. They might just be living somewhere else--waiting for you too//