Never Give Up Because He Doesn't Give Up On You

   Have you ever gone on a mission and you were about to give up? One time my sister and I really wanted to see Avengers: Infinity War because we had not seen it yet. We decided to go on a hunt for the DVD at Red Boxes.
   We began our hunt with a lot of hope, even though we were hunting on a Saturday night (FYI don't go on a Red Box hunt for a movie that just came out on Red Box 1 week ago on a Saturday night). We searched in E Town first. We checked Giant and three Turkey Hills. The fourth Turkey Hill gave us hope because we saw that it was there. Unfortunately, it was on Blu-ray, which we did not have.
   My sister and I moved on to check two Turkey Hills in Mount Joy. One had it, but it was on Blu-ray again. At this point we had been searching for 30 minutes and checked 6 Red Boxes. Our hope was beginning to wane. But, I looked at my sister and I kept saying a quote from Star Wars: Rogue One, "rebellions are built on hope." My sister kept saying, "we are not rebelling." I laughed because I knew she would say that. We were both tired and both had thoughts about giving up. Then I decided we were not going to give up.
   Next we traveled to Columbia and checked two Turkey Hills there. Both of them had it... but it was on Blu-ray. At this point my sister and I were tired to the point where we were going crazy. However, we kept on saying the quote, "rebellions are built on hope." And, we kept encouraging each other. We had been searching for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

   We had one last chance to find this DVD and it was at the Sheetz in Marietta, which is probably the busiest place in Marietta. My sister and I got out of the car and checked the box. It had one last DVD. The DVD we had been searching for was there. We got it and protected it with our lives. It may have seemed like a crazy thing to do because no one would steal a Red Box DVD from two girls. But, we had worked hard to get that DVD. We never gave up hope and we were rewarded in the end.
   At this point you may be saying, "why does this story matter?" The answer is it really doesn't unless you think about this in a different way. Jesus came down to earth to die for our sins. He rebelled against the Pharisees and taught the true way to heaven. Jesus saw our sin and he could have just given up on us. But, he loved us so much that he couldn't give up on us. I'm sure that if we were in Jesus' position we would have given up on humans a long time ago because of how much we sin. Jesus didn't do that because each of us are precious to him. He loves us and protects us just like my sister and I protected that DVD. Jesus searches for us and calls out to us. He never gives up on us just like my sister and I didn't give up on getting the DVD.
   It seems like there is a pattern Jesus calls to us and we may get close to him but then we back slide. It's like when my sister and I got so close to having the DVD but it was just the Blu-ray version instead. In the end, we received what we were looking for because we didn't give up. We have to live our lives like we are running a race. No matter what obstacles come our way we have to keep pressing on. We cannot give up hope. Because, our rebellion against the world is built on hope.
   So, do you believe that Jesus is calling for you and loves you? Are you willing to continue to run the race and never give up hope?

   Hebrews 12:1, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 1:9

   Image from here.

Good Grain

   Imagine you had to go out and harvest items in order to make dinner. In Bible times they had to do just that. They did not have a store they could go to in order to buy food. They had to work for their food.
   One activity they had to do was grain threshing. It kind of reminds me of searching for gold in one of those strainer like pans. Except, rather than sifting, they threw the grain up in the air. Why did they throw the grain in the air? In Psalm 1 we find the answer: "Not so the wicked, They are like chaff, that the wind blows away." Chaff is not a word that we hear too often nowadays. Chaff is the parts of the grain we don't use in the bread. The grain is the good part that we need to make bread.
   Why should you care about grain and chaff? I am not saying you should. What I am saying is that there is another lesson in this activity. Each day you go out and work in some way, shape, or form. I am sure that you don't come home from work every day saying, "I can't wait to go back. I love my job." More than likely you wake up thinking, "Oh I have to deal with that situation again." Or, "I cannot believe I have to work with that person." Those thoughts are like the chaff. We must hold on to the grain, which are the good thoughts.
   We have a choice. We can choose to focus on the positive each day, the grain. Or, we can focus on the negative things, the chaff. I don't know about you but I don't want to focus on something that won't produce anything. Grain gives life because it makes bread. Chaff will just bring death if that is all we focus on.
   So, do you focus too much on the negative? What can you do to stop focusing on the negative chaff? How can you focus on the good grain today?

   Philippians 4:8 and Proverbs 17:22

   Image from here.

Complaining when we are Blessed

   We are all blessed. We have homes, food, electricity, families, friends, etc. Oh! And let's not forget that we also have war, terrorists, abortions, and so many other problems in the world. At this point you are probably wondering where I am going with this but stay with me.
   Why aren't we happy when we have all of these things put together? That's right, because we have a lot of bad stuff. See, humans have a problem. We have a problem because we tend to look at the negative side rather than the positive side of things. We find one little thing that is wrong in something or someone and we complain about that, rather than look at all of the good things.
   Let me give you an example. Picture two friends walking down the street. We will call them Joe and Moe. Joe looks around and sees a child playing with a puppy. Joe says: "aw, isn't that so cute. The child gets to play with a puppy." Moe looks at the child and puppy and says: "where are the child's parents? I cannot believe someone would be so irresponsible and let their child run around on her own!"
   The two continue to walk down the street and they see a man give money to a homeless man who is sitting at the corner. Joe says: "How nice is it that people are willing to give up what they have to give to others." Moe says: "more than likely the homeless man is just going to use the money to buy alcohol."
   The men turn a corner and Joe looks up, "it is so great that we get nice weather to walk and talk together." Moe looks up, "there's a few clouds up there. It will probably rain soon and our day will be ruined."
   Which person would you rather spend your time with? Now, I'm not saying that we have to be like Snow White and be a ray of sunshine all the time. We do need to be realistic at times whenever a friend is having a problem or if we are having a problem. But, we should not be looking for the negative in everything and everyone. God has given us so much. Isn't it time we focus on what he has given us rather than what is wrong with what we have, or what is wrong in the world?
   So, do you look for the downfalls in everything and everyone? What can you do in order to look for the good? Will you be thankful for whatever you have?
   Ephesians 4:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, James 5:9

Murphy's Law

   This year in 2020 has been an interesting one. Many people thought 2020 would be a great year. They had goals for 2020. They may have wanted to have a certain amount of churches open by that time. Maybe they wanted to be in a certain job or position. No matter what you were hoping for in 2020, with everything that has gone on, I'm sure it hasn't gone the way you were expecting or planning.

   I know 2020 hasn't gone the way I was expecting. I've semi acquainted this year with the year of Murphy's law for myself (anything that can go wrong will go wrong). I have gotten the flu, gotten strep, lost the ability to coach a Jr. High team and a collegiate team team in the spring, had to learn how to do zoom meetings with students, had to learn how to do looms to present things, been quarantined for 3 months, and had to roll with many changes to my workplace to name a few things. I'm sure you have faced some of the same challenges and probably many others. It seems like 2020 has taken a lot from us. It's taken our health, freedom, loved ones, security, jobs, and much more. Many people probably wonder: where is God in all of this? Why would God allow this to happen?
   It's easy to focus on all the negative things that have happened this year. But, what about the good things that have happened? Look back at this year thus far. I challenge you to really think about positive things that have happened this year. For myself I got closer with my co-workers, got to spend time with my family, was able to create many different activities for students, got to relax, spent more time with God, was able to paint and write, was able to support my family in a time of need, and much more. It's funny how quarantine and the different things that have happened this year have actually helped me slow down and build better relationships with those around me. It's also reminded me that even though "normal" life may be hard at times we should be thankful for what we have. We should be thankful because we never know when those things may be taken away. We should be thankful because when those things happen we have someone to lean on. God promises us that he will never leave us or forsake us.
   So, even though 2020 may seem like Murphy's law thus far, will you choose to look for the positive? Will you trust in God and his plan?
Proverbs 3:5-6 and Philippians 4:8

Image from here.

Kids These Days

   "Kids these days are so lazy." "Kids don't know how to do anything they will need for life." "Back in my day we went outside at sunrise and were not back till sunset. We fell down and were fine." "Millennials need to have their phones. It's like their phone is another appendage." These are just a few quotes I have heard people say about kids and Millennials today.

   I have heard it all I tell you. I've heard that Millennials are lazy, don't care about issues, don't know how to have human interactions, are addicted to tech, and the list goes on and on. You know why I have heard this? First off I am a teacher... it's kind of my job to listen and talk about kids. Second I am a Millennial. I get lumped into this group of "lazy, uncaring, tech teens." And, believe it or not, I do see some of what people are saying about Millennials. But, what bugs me is when people think this is true of all Millennials, or they don't look at the good Millennials do.
   Millennials have the power to be amazing. We can impact the world more than any generation before us (that's not a knock on past generations; we will get to why we have that impact).
   Here is a list of good I have found in Millennials:

   1. We work behind the scenes. Believe it or not, some Millennials have character. Some of us don't like to be in the spotlight. We know how to work hard for something we believe in. You just don't see it... or maybe you were not looking...
   2. We use tech to better the world. What are you reading right now? A blog. This blog is probably on a computer, tablet, or phone. This blog has been alive for 3 years now. This blog has had over 7,000 views. This blog has reached people in Russia, Africa, England, the Caribbean, India, and so many more places! If just this one blog can do that imagine all the other blogs, websites, Facebook pages, Instagrams, twitters, etc. That have the power to reach the lost! It's true that this can be used for bad reasons but good can be done by using technology!
   3. We stand up for what we believe in. This can seem bad if you know we are talking about things that are against God. But, there are Christian Millennials out there. We stand up in an oppressed world and use our voice for God. Meanwhile we have older generations saying we are lazy and don't do anything for others? How do you think this makes us feel? Please stop lumping all Millennials together!
   So what's the point of all this? First off it is to make you realize you cannot lump one generation into a little box. Not everyone is like the kids you think about when you heard about Millennials. Second it is to make you see the good that Millennials can do. Finally it is to make you realize that you can have an impact on this generation.

   This generation is so used to being ragged on. That is why we get so defensive to attacks. Well, what if instead of attacking us you came alongside us? What if you chose to listen to us? I will tell you that Millennials can be some of the smartest people you may ever talk to. We have ideas and we are willing to share our ideas as long as we don't feel attacked. If we feel attacked you will still hear our ideas but in a probably not nice way.
   Also, we are looking for something to stand up for. We look for causes and are very loyal to the causes we choose. But, when we don't have people to guide us and help us with those causes we turn to bad causes. Millennials need guides. We don't need drill Sergeants  who demand that we do things, there is a difference. Guides give suggestions and then help us in the path we choose. Sergeants tell us to do things... which, to Millennials, sounds a lot like an attack.
   Bottom line: you help us and we will help you. If you are loyal to us we will be loyal to you. Rather than attacking us why don't we band together and make a real impact on the world for Jesus like we are called to do?
   So, do you lump all Millennials together? How can you help Millennials now that you know how to? Will you choose to change how you deal with the younger generation? If you are a Millennial, will you choose a cause that will make a difference? Will you be the change you want to see in the world?

   Philippians 2:4, 1 John 3:17, John 16:33

   Image found here.

I'm Fine

   When I was younger I fell into a trap. People would ask me, "how are you?" I would reply with, "I'm fine." It didn't matter if I had a fantastic day or if I had a horrible day. I always said, "I'm fine."

   When I was in college I met a friend who helped me change this answer. She asked me, "how are you?" I answered, "I'm fine." She could tell I wasn't fine and said, "you know what fine stands for? Freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional." I had never heard that before. She told me it was from a movie. It got me thinking about how many people actually feel that way when they say, "I'm fine."

   More than likely you don't always feel this way when you say, "I'm fine." But, many times, people are not honest with others about how they are feeling. I think we do this for a few reasons. 1. When most people ask "How are you doing?" People don't really care, they just know it is polite to ask. 2. We don't want to bring anyone down, seem like we are complaining, we cannot tell people how we are really feeling, or we don't trust that person. You may be asking, "why does it matter when I ask this question, or how I answer it?" Please stay with me.

   When we ask: "how are you doing?" We should care about the person enough to expect them to give an honest answer. Philippians 2:4 says: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." We are to care about people. Over and over in the Bible we are told to love others. We can love others by caring about them enough to ask "how are you?" And actually expect an honest answer. We also have to actively listen to the answer then, if the person wants it, give advice. We must remember that if we give advice we cannot expect the person to take it. We must care about people enough to love and listen.

   When we respond to: "how are you doing?" We must remember to be real with others. Hebrews 10:23-25 says: "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." It is important for us to encourage one another. How can we do that if we are not real with others? I'm not saying that every time someone asks, "how are you doing?" We should say mean things about others and go on and on about all of our woes. I've said it before and I'll say it again: there is a difference between venting and complaining. Venting is healthy because you are sharing with someone who can encourage you. Complaining is when you are trying to make someone look bad by saying horrible things about them to everyone, in essence you are gossiping even if what you are saying is true.

   Are we to use discretion when we answer, "how are you doing?" Yes, we should not tell a random stranger how we are doing and we should not tell someone who is directly involved with the situation. But, we can at least answer the person honestly. If we are not doing that we'll we say, "I'm struggling." And leave it at that. If we are doing great just say, "I'm feeling great." Then maybe you can share why you are feel great to glorify God.

   So, when you ask someone "how are you doing?" Will you care about their answer? When someone asks you that question will you be real with them? Will you encourage others by helping them feel better and telling them things in your life that glorify God?

   Image from here.

A Compliment a Day

   Okay, if you know me or if you have read my blogs you probably know that I like teaching and working with kids. What you may not know is that I also like animals, specifically dogs. I have a dog named Yoyo. He is a Pomeranian-sheltie. He is spoiled rotten, even if he is bad, but most dog owners would probably guess that.
   Yoyo is super cute. Because of that fact, he hears he is cute every day. It may not even be from his family. We could be out on a walk and random people will say "your dog is so cute!"
   I'm not complaining about this at all. I love my dog, and he is cute. What I am wondering is why we like complimenting dogs and animals so much more than humans? I mean, I could go a whole day, even a whole week, without receiving a compliment. Yet, animals get compliments all the time. I love animals, but sometimes I feel we put them ahead of people.
   Why do we do that? I think it may have something to do with the fact that we work with people every day and we can actually communicate with them. But I also think it may have something to do with the way we were brought up/our differences. Some of us don't need positive reinforcement in words to feel good. Those people may not give compliments as much. But, I am sure that, even if your love language is not words of affirmation, you still don't mind getting a compliment.
   Why should we give compliments? One reason is because it shows others that we care and we love them. Another reason is that it is scientifically proven that, if you receive a compliment and give a compliment, you will be happier. Plus, in the Bible we are called to build each other up.
How can we give others compliments when it is hard or we are not good at it? Start off small: choose a specific time each day to give someone a compliment. If you forget easily, set an alarm on your phone. At that time either give someone a compliment in person, in a note, call them, or text them. Then you can keep adding to that until it comes naturally.
   What shouldn’t we do when giving compliments? Please don't make it an empty compliment like: "Oh you are so nice. Your shirt looks good." Add some substance so that person knows you truly care. You could say something like: "I really like how you sacrifice your time by making coffee for everyone every day. It brightens the workplace. I also like your cross necklace. It helps me remember to think about Jesus." This kind of compliment tells someone to keep up the good work and encourages them to work harder.
   So, do you need to give others more positive feedback? How can you get better at giving compliments? Who can you give a compliment to today?

   1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 4:29

What to do when you are Sukkerpunched

   Do you ever feel like you are being sukkerpunched? I’m not talking little love taps. I am talking about someone or something is punching you as hard as they/it can. It may not be that you are literally being punched but it sure feels like it.

   Maybe someone was unfair to you at work. Your friend had to cancel when you had a meeting together. Your dad needs your help with a project but you have to get things done for work. Your grandma is having health problems. You try to do your best everywhere but you feel like you are failing for one reason or another. That is five punches all at once. And, because you care about all of these things/people, the punches just keep on coming.

   What could be worse than that? I’ll tell you: these punches are not just coming from others but also from yourself. Many times we end up beating ourselves up over everything we do wrong. We are our own worst critic.

   I don’t know about you, but I have had so many times in my life where I have beaten myself up for one reason or another. Most of the time I try to look at the positive side but it is hard to do when you are being punched all around.

What can we do if we are constantly being punched by others and ourselves? There are a few things I have found that help in these times.

   1. Look at the positive: though there be clouds in life you know behind the clouds there is always the sun. You may not be able to see it, but you know it is still there. No matter what situation you are in positive things can come out of it. You may not be able to see the positive at the time; but I’m sure if you look back at some of your hardest times you can see that good things did come out of them.

   2. Realize that when you feel like you are being hit a lot that it is either a test from God or a trial because the Devil doesn’t want you to grow/trust in God: there are times where just one bad thing happens after another. A good friend of mine once said that Satan attacks those who he sees as a threat. The closer we get to God the more we learn about him and want to share with others. Satan doesn’t like that and tries to dissuade us from our mission, but we cannot let him. We must stay positive.

   3. Going through trials helps us grow. Think about it: anytime you have gone through something bad and come through it did you end up learning more and becoming better? More than likely you answered yes. While we may not like whatever we are going through, we know that it helps us grow and learn.

   4. Know that everything happens for a reason: God does have a plan. We may not know what that reason or plan is but we know he works everything together for good. We just need to trust him.

   So, the next time you feel sukkerpunched what will you do? Will you think positively, realize that Satan doesn’t want you to grow, realize that going through trials helps you grow, and know that everything happens for a reason?

   Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 Peter 5:10, Romans 5:1-5

Mountains of Change

   Eric Matthews: “There’s going to be a lot of changes in your life, Cory. It’s not the changes that matter, it’s how you react to the changes. I mean, that’s what makes you who you are” (Boy Meets World). (Link to Youtube video here check out 14:44-17:22 in the video)

   There is a season of change coming up for many people. School is about to start for kids and for college students, parents have to get used to their children going back to school or leaving for college, and everyone needs to get out of the summer vacation mindset.

   I do not know what your season of change holds. Maybe you season is not changing as much as some other peoples’. However, at some point in your life things will change. I know for myself, I have a big season of change coming up. I will be teaching, substituting, and coaching this fall. It is a scary/exciting thought. I want to do my best but I am not sure I can handle it. Do you ever feel that way? Do you ever feel like you have a huge mountain in front of you that looks like it is impossible to climb?

   In life we go through a series of mountains and valleys. It feels great when we are going down the mountain and start walking across the valley because we are comfortable. We have been in a specific season for a while and we are used to our schedule. However, then we see the next mountain we need to climb and we get scared. Sometimes, we may even try to go around the mountain. However, if you have ever seen a mountain range, you know that typically mountain ranges are huge. We can try to delay the inevitable but if God is calling us to climb the mountain we will one way or another.

   Change is scary, which is why many people avoid it. However, if we do not change, we do not grow. If we do not change, we are never going to be the best we can be. If we do not change, we are not helping others. If we do not change, we will not learn more about God.

God wants us to be our best. That is why we need to change and grow. We may think the mountain is so high that we will never reach the top. Eric in Boy Meets World makes a great point. He says it is how you react to the changes that make you who you are.

   We can choose to climb the mountain with a negative attitude. We can complain, kick, scream, crawl, etc. As Christians, is that the way we should approach life? Should we kick and scream like a child? No! We should walk with God and trust him. We need to look at the mountain with confidence and say I can do this. I’m not saying that as we are climbing it will be easy. In the hard times, we need to remember that Jesus walks with us. He may have to carry us, or even drag us, sometimes; but, we still need to walk with him and have a good outlook while we are walking. That way other people will look at us and see how different we are. That is how we will spread the Gospel to the lost world.

   So, will you choose to trust God in your season of change? Will you have a good outlook as you are climbing your mountain? Will you walk with Jesus no matter what?

   Joshua 1:9, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 12:1-2

A Birthday Reflection

   There are many times I reflect on what has happened in my life. Some specific times are when the New Year rolls around and when my birthday comes. Since today is my birthday I decided to look back on my life and see how much has changed.

   Through the past year I have had many ups and downs. However, this year, I decided to lean on God rather than worry. Because I did that, I learned different lessons about different times in life.

   Last year, during the summer I decided to go on a friendship fast. This helped me learn how to have God as my best friend. I also learned how to trust in him and have peace in him. If you are at a point in your life where you are moving on to a different chapter in life and you may lose some friends. My suggestion to you would be to learn how to have God as your bff. This means spending time with him daily and talking with him anytime you want to because he is there for you.

   In fall I made the decision to play soccer one more time. During that time I also had student teaching toward the end of my soccer season. While in soccer, I had some times that I was free. In that free time I decided to meet with all of my teammates to get to know them more. That made a huge difference on and off the field. If you are at a time in your life where you are at a certain work place, college, or you are just used to doing something more than someone else is you can come alongside that person or people and mentor them. I wanted the new players on the team to have a good time and to grow. That is what we all can do to help others.

   In winter I graduated and had student teaching. This was a scary time for me because I was leaving a place that I had been at for so long. If you are about to leave a place you have been at for a while my advice to you is to enjoy the time you have there for as long as you can. Once that time is gone, you cannot get it back.

   In Spring I began to substitute at various schools. This was also a scary time for me because I did not know the schools, children, discipline codes, or teachers. I am thankful for this job but it is not an easy one. This lesson comes in the form of past lessons I have learned. 1. Look for the positive in everything. And 2. Get out of your comfort zone. If you are entering a new place or job look for the positive in everything because if you do not you may be wondering why you chose this job. Also, you need to learn that there are times you need to get out of your comfort zone and trust in God.

   So, as you can see it is not easy to always trust in God but that is what you need to do when you reach these points in life. Are you willing to trust God in everything? Will you look for the positive no matter what?

   Proverbs 3:5-6, Joshua 1:9, Proverbs 27:17

A Praise A Day: Looking Back at 2016

   Over the last year so much has happened. I’m sure a lot has happened to you just like a lot has happened to me. This year was a little different for me because I made a choice at the beginning of the year. I made a choice to look for the good in life every day.

   This idea began because of something a friend told me. She would get a sparkling cider bottle, which would be her “giving to God jug.” Any time she had problems that she would constantly worry about she would write it on a piece of paper and put it in the jug. There was no way she could get the paper out. Therefore, there was nothing she needed to worry about. I worry too, but my jug was a little different. Mine was about praises.

   If you do not know me, then you do not know that I am a pessimistic person. At least, I seem like one to a lot of people. In my mind I try to think positive but the negative tends to come out. This last year I decided that every day I would write down at least one praise per day. Some days I had a lot of praises to put in the jug. Other days it was difficult for me to come up with a praise but I still did.

   What I discovered is that I began to have more joy no matter what was happening. I also started to worry less about what would happen to me. I was able to see firsthand all the good things that God put in my life, which made me less worried about all the bad things. It is also fun to look at the jug and see it filled with praises. I also took the papers out of the jug at the end of the year and looked back on all of the praises I had (I chose one that I would be able to get the papers out of). This helped me see how much I have grown and how much I have to be thankful for.

   I’m not saying you need to write down all of the praises you have every day. And, maybe you are an optimistic person and you don’t need to work on finding praises. But, there may be something else you need to work on. I encourage you to choose one character trait you would like to work on this year. Then come up with something you are going to do in order to help you grow in that area of life. I promise you that when you look back at 2017 at the end of next year, if you have kept trying to grow, it will be worth it.

   Colossians 1:9-10, Romans 8:28, Psalm 103:2

Balancing Opposites

   What do all of these things have in common: sadness and happiness, brave and scared, and good and bad? If you said they are opposites you are correct. The neat thing about opposites is that you need to have both in order to appreciate the other.

   Let me give you an example. Let’s say I was at the park and that I was learning how to ride my bike. My parent is holding onto the bike for a while but then they let go. I balance for ten feet and then fall and scrape my knee. I just went from being joyful to being sad. But, after my parents clean up my cut, I get back on my bike. My parent holds the bike for a little and then lets go again. This time I stay up on the bike. Now I am happy because I have overcome the scrape. I know how to ride a bike; and it would not have felt as good without the struggle.

   Opposites can be annoying but they do help us appreciate everything in life. Some people wonder why there are so many bad things happening in the world if God is so good. The answer is sin. Sin has entered the world and a lot of bad things happen. People get hurt, lose their homes, lose money, etc. But, out of the ashes of those bad things, good happens. When we overcome struggles we appreciate all the blessings we have in life.

   It also makes me think about the saying that opposites attract. That’s why we all have different personalities; because, it would be a very boring world if everyone acted the exact same way. And, when you think about couples, there is usually one person who is more outgoing than the other and that is okay.

   My final thought about opposites comes from Bambi 2. There is a song in the movie called There is Life. The song goes something like this: “After the rain, the sun reappear, there is life, after the pain, the joy will still be here, there is life, for it’s out of the darkness, that we learn to see, and out of the silence, that songs come to be.”

   So, are you ever tempted to focus on all of the bad in the world instead of the good? Are you thankful for all of the struggles in life because they help you appreciate the good?

   John 16:33, Revelation 21:4, Psalm 18:2

A Letter to My Current and Future Friends

   I’m going to start this out by saying that I’m human. I’m going to mess up and let you down. I will try not to, but I will. I just hope that you will forgive me when I do. As I will try to forgive you when you mess up and let me down.

   I want you to know that I will care about you and do all I can for you. But, I need to think of myself as well. I cannot be a starving baker where I get to the point that I burn out. I need to take care of myself before I can take care of others.

   I also need you to understand that I will not do anything that will jeopardize my relationship with God for you. God comes first in my life. If you cannot handle that, or understand that, ask me about my relationship with him; and I promise to answer whatever questions you may have to the best of my ability. But, just because you ask questions that may be difficult for me to answer does not mean that you will dissuade me from my relationship with God. I love Christ because he first loved me, even when I was in darkness. I may not understand everything about him; but I will keep seeking him. And, seeking the answers to the questions I have about him. I also want you to know that I am glad I don’t know everything about him. Because, if I did he would not be God; and I would not want to worship him.

   I also want you to know that I have flaws. I’m annoying at times, I have a temper from time to time, I have a roller coaster of emotions, I can be really crazy at times, I also can be really impatient, I’m very critical of myself, I sometimes have a low self-esteem, I don’t smile much, and I seem like a pessimist on the outside.

   But, I’m also kind, loyal, intelligent, wise, an introvert, honest, and good at giving advice. I try to get to know my friends for who they are; and love them in the way they need to be loved. I try to understand who people are, their beliefs, and where they come from. Everything I do, I do for a reason. I try to give one hundred percent in all I say and do. And, though people think I’m a pessimist I try to be optimistic. This is not to toot my own horn, or to highlight my strengths. I’m just pointing out what others have told me my strengths are. And, trying to say there are reasons why I am the way I am today. If you stick around long enough you may find out what those reasons are.

   If you cannot accept me for who I am then you may as well leave right now. But, I will tell you that I cannot promise that I will not still think of you from time to time. I also cannot promise that I will not pray for you when I think of you.

   I want to tell you that if you do leave it may break my heart for a little; but, eventually, I will forgive you. I will not hold anything against you because it takes two people to have a relationship. And, it takes two people, or more, to have an argument.

   But, I make this promise to you: if you do leave and you ever find yourself in trouble, or in need, feel free to contact me. I cannot promise that I will be able to do what you ask of me, or that I will be there right away. But, I do promise that I will do what I can for you, even if it is only to pray for you.

   Friendships are not easy at times; but these are my promises to you. I pray that I will keep these promises. But, I apologize in advanced if I fail you. Above all I will respect you, and I hope that you will do the same for me.

   I know that God opens and closes doors. And, he just so happened to open up a door so that I would meet you. I’m so excited to get to know you; and go on the journey of life with you. I hope that through this experience both you and I grow.

   Your friend,

      Kaitlyn Scheuing

   Have you had any difficult friendships? I know I have, that’s why I wrote this letter. Is there anything you could do to mend those friendships? Do you have anything you need to apologize for when it comes to relationships? Are you willing to be selfless enough to help others no matter the cost?

   Matthew 22:36-40, John 15:13, Proverbs 27:17, 1 Peter 4:8-10