There is a Redeemer.

Choices. 
We face them every day. No, every minute of every day.  
You start your day by choosing  to get out of bed.  Some days this is easier than others. 
Then you choose whether or not you shower; you choose whether or not to eat breakfast and what that breakfast might be. 
You choose to go to work or school--or choose not to. 
You choose to talk to that person about that thing--or not to. 
You choose to see the bright side of things--or to see the negative. 


Sometimes trials come your way that seem too heavy to bear.  Yet, you choose how to deal with it. 
Some choose to distract themselves. 
Some choose to just give up.
Others choose to seek a solution to their problems. 
Some of those people end up finding what everyone everywhere truly desires: LOVE. 

Now I'm not talking about lust. Not sex. I'm talking true, genuine, pure love. 
Unconditional acceptance. 
Purpose. 
We all long to be desired, but does that kind of love actually exist?
Again, I'm not talking about desire in the sexual sense. I'm talking about wanting someone to desire us--our true selves.  Why is it that it seems like every heroine of every good chick flick has some strange quirk about her that some handsome man falls in love with? It's because we write stories that we wish were real life. We want someone to find our whole being lovable--quirks, faults, and all. 
This is where the good news comes in. The good news is that that love DOES exist. And better yet, it comes from the greatest source possible.
God, the Creator of the vast universe and of each intricate aspect of each one of us, desires each of us just as we are--quirks, faults, and all.  
He loves us enough to lead us along in life until we reach that point of utter brokenness and surrender.  
He loves us enough to even let us hate Him at times because He knows the end of the story. He knows that maybe a broken heart is just what we need to see how much we need Him.  That's when we choose Him. 
That's when we invite Him in. 
He doesn't do this because He's selfish. 
He does this because He knows that we have no chance of Life outside of Him. 


He IS Life. 


But in order for Him to impart that to us, we have to choose to walk with Him. This choice is the most important one we will ever make. It sounds easy enough, yet it is so difficult. It's difficult because it's not just one choice. It's a choice that consists of hundreds of little choices along the way each and every day.
In order to make these choices, we have to understand His love enough to want Him. 


Many people like to question this Love by saying, "If God really loved us, the world wouldn't be so screwed up."
However, if things were all "la-di-da" all the time, when would we ever feel like seeking something greater? 
A bigger purpose? 
A better Love? 
Everyone always asks "why do bad things happen?" 
I believe the answer is simple: for His glory because He is Love. 
Although I don't pretend to understand some of the things that go on in this dark world, I know God well enough to know His plan is best. Period. 
Ecclesiastes says chapter 3 that there is a time for everything under heaven. It also says in verse 11 of that chapter that 
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." 
We cannot even begin to imagine the end of the story--what the picture of the world from start to finish will look like. 
But I know it's beautiful. 
I know that God, who is the definition of Love, is going to redeem it all. 
I know this because of the Resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ. Christ being murdered was the devil's greatest plan...after all, what would be better for him than to kill God Himself?
But the devil's greatest plan was redeemed by God into His greatest plan: the plan for salvation of the whole human race from the devil's schemes.
God is The Redeemer--the ultimate Redeemer.  
He wants to redeem you and your life.
Will you let him?
Even if you already have accepted Him, letting Him invade your life is a daily choice.
This is the choice we all have to make.


Invite Him in. Let Him change you. 
You won't regret it. 






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Counting the days.

In exactly 4 weeks I will be back in Michigan for the school year. The truth is: I CAN'T WAIT! My question is, why? Everyone always counts the days until summer, but I've been counting the days until school starts again. It's strange how you can spend your entire life in one place and yet feel homesick for elsewhere.

Sure, I will always love Santa Cruz. After all, I spent my entire childhood here. Also, this summer has been rather fantastic when I think about it.
I got to spend a whole month in Thailand with amazing people serving my Awesome God;
I got to spend almost a week in the mountains with my family;
and I get to spend the rest of my summer working by the beach full time.
Wow, it actually sounds like an amazing summer, so why am I not content with the way things are?
Maybe I just have had the wrong perspective on things. No, not maybe...I know I have.
I'll admit I have not had the best week in the world, but it's because I keep seeing all the things wrong--in myself, my family, my coworkers, my friends, and just my life in general.
I don't like drowning in negativity, yet I keep finding myself sinking into it again.  But that's not how we were meant to live.
I know God has so much better for us.
I know that God is good and is in control, so why is it I don't spend all my time focusing on that?
I know the end of the story, so why am I so concerned with details?

So as I begin my final month in California, my prayer is for a brighter outlook, a more joyful spirit, and a more thankful heart.



"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18



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