Jesus Wept And So Can You.

I’ve always been tough.

Maybe it was growing up in between two boys. Maybe it was being the middle child. Maybe I was born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline?

No matter where it comes from, it’s always been apart of who I am, how I function. Along with this toughness comes a lack of emotions — or at least, a lack of being able to identify and cope with them. If I’m not in my usual state of joy, it’s hard for me to dissect what I feel and why I feel it.

I don’t really cry.

At least, I didn’t used to. Unless I was physically harmed — like stepping through my brother’s fishing hook — the waterworks rarely happened.

The older I grow, the more susceptible I am to crying. It used to really freak me out. What is this water coming out of my face? Where did it come from?

This is how crying works for me: I have to be above an 8 on any emotional scale. So if I’m 8+ happy, sad or mad, tears start to flow (or at least trickle a bit).

When I saw 20+ people come to Christ in a church service, I cried. When I watched the end of Taken when (spoiler alert) Liam Neeson reunites with his daughter and she says, “You came for me,” I couldn’t help but tear up. When I hear stories about genocide and human trafficking, I almost blubber.

Jesus wept, so I can too.

I used to think crying was a sign of weakness, that if I cried, I was just being an average girl who was being overly sensitive. That’s completely untrue.

In John 11:35, perhaps the shortest verse of the Bible, it says, “Jesus wept.”

He mourned the death of his dear friend Lazarus. Though he later raised Lazarus from the dead, he still wept over the pain he felt and saw in Lazarus’ sisters.

Crying is not a symptom of weakness, but a symptom of being moved. It’s like we can’t bottle up the pain/joy/anger we feel, so it starts to flow out of us. It’s the product of being overwhelmed — whether good or bad — and not keeping it to ourselves.

So I’m okay with crying a bit more these days, because God’s really been moving through me lately. He’s frustrated me and given me joy, He’s protected me and tested me. I don’t have to feel weak, but know that I am strong enough to express my emotions.

 

You are an Influencer {On the Impact We Leave}.

Infuencer. It’s a term in the PR/Mkt field.

When working on a campaign, we look for people who already have an impact in their communities to boost our brand, image or mission.

For example, if Torchy’s Tacos was aiming to target millennials in the DFW area, they would search for Dallas food bloggers with a strong following who might already be featuring #tacotuesdays. Then they would create a partnership in hopes to spread awareness of their services and products among DFW young singles. Aka I am the perfect candidate because we know how much I love and consume tacos.

I’m an influencer.

As a young woman who has a steady following on this blog, my new Dallas one and social media, people are already listening and engaging in what I have to say. They want to know my stories, my highlights, my trials, my life. They want to keep up-to-date on my latest advice and lessons and whatever else I may share.

It’s an honor to be an influencer, but it is also a burden. It means I have to represent myself well, and also represent whatever entity I belong to well: that can be my employer, my family, my church, my Jesus. I have to choose my words and actions carefully, I have to consider how I dress, how I love and how I serve.

We are all influencers.

Each of us has a following, a community. You don’t need to blog or Instagram to have people look up to you, or to look at you at all. You’re an influencer at your work, school, home, on the road, at the grocery store, and more. You’re an influencer as a human being.

I encourage you to consider who you are and whose you are, to dissect where you’re plugged into and who you may impact daily. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you leave an aftertaste, a scent. Is it tasty? Does it smell good? Is it kind? Is it hurtful? Is it welcoming? Is it hostile?

I hope you leave a delightful taste when you leave a room. I hope your scent lures people in and makes them feel at home. I hope your smile is never forced and always sought out. I hope your generosity is always known and never taken advantage of. I hope you realize that you can and will and do change the world, and you are perfectly capable of being the best influencer out there.

Home Sweet Home: On Travel & The Holy Temple.

home is a really weird concept to me.

I now live in the same house I grew up in. It’s this really adorable two-story in Richardson. I’m the same bedroom. But it looks a lot different now than when I was five. I can still recognize who is coming up the stairs by the patter of their steps. It’s home to me.

But Waco used to be my home. It was familiar and comfortable and safe. Then I turned Florence into my home. It was welcoming and breezy and warm. Even Nashville was my home for a bit, it felt kind and pure.

Not many people can use the phrase “home” easily. But I’m quick to the punch. If I’m settled (which can take only a few weeks) and I feel safe, I’m ready to call it so.

The more I wander this earth, the more I realize that God is my home. Heaven is my home. I’m not made for this world. I’m called to a higher, purer, holier place than this. Heaven is safe and familiar and comfortable. It’s welcoming and breezy and warm. It’s kind and pure.

but i’m god’s home, too.

Ephesians 2 says that the Body of Believers are “joined together in Christ, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.”

“Through Christ, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”

I often forget I am a holy temple for the Lord. Sometimes my words, thoughts and actions don’t reflect it. Sometimes a curse word slips, or a lie, or I think a mean thought about someone. But I am built to be Christ’s temple. What an honor!

We are The Holy Spirit’s dwelling place. When I think of dwelling, I think safety and peace and comfort. I think of a refuge and a safe haven. I feel calm and warm and at ease.

We are the place The Holy Spirit feels safety and peace and comfort. We are its refuge, safe haven. We make the Spirit feel calm and warm and at ease.

So wherever I flee, wherever I roam, wherever I call home, I can know that 1) my true home is Heaven and 2) I’m the Holy Spirit’s home.

God is for us. God is with us. God is in us.

Do Something: Thoughts on How to Respond to the Syrian Crisis.

Photo courtesy of The Odyssey

There’s a lot happening in syria right now.

I’d like to start off by saying 1) this is not a place to scrutinize Trump’s latest attacks on Syria and 2) I am the furthest thing from a political genius. Also, please follow the underlined linked phrases in this post for more information from reputable sources.

As a journalism major, I think there is so much value in engaging in conversations about current events. As a Christ follower, I think it’s vital we understand such events and discover how God wants us to respond in whatever is happening in our world.

In case you missed it, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons in an attack on his own people last week. According to my research, at least 70 people died. The “fog of chemicals enveloped men, women and children, leaving many to suffocate, choke or foam at the mouth (Chicago Tribune).”

I watched videos and read articles that described the attack and gave a recap on the Syrian crisis. And oh my goodness, my heart absolutely ached for this nation, for its people and for our world.

One particular article from CNN told the story about a man who lost 25 relatives, including his wife and twins, in the attack. I cannot even fathom the heartbreak, devastation and utter loss this man must feel. I mourned for this man and his family, and for all of the other victims in the attack.

so what can we do?

My dear friend Rosie and I discussed how Christian Americans (and also just Americans) can feel disconnected to tragedies that happen on the other side of the world. We read articles and hear stories and our hearts break, but it seems like we are too far away to do anything.

We decided on a few basic steps in response to the crisis:

1. Educate yourself. We cannot ignore what is happening in our nation and in our world. Watch the news, research articles (avoid “fake news” sites  –lol– that are not credible) and be hungry to know more.
2. Talk about it.  We must engage in conversation about worldwide tragedies — like the Palm Sunday attacks — because we are all God’s people and we all matter. If we do not discuss them, then we essentially act like 1) they do not matter and 2) they did not even happen.
3. Pray. Pray. Pray. We each pray in different ways, but we Believers pray to the same God. And He is the God who hears us, intercedes for us, directs us and loves us. He’s the God who protects, delivers and defends.

But wait. There’s even more.

There are refugees that live in the United States at this moment. And not only ones from Syria, but other nations who are also trying to escape terror in their countries. According to the Star-Telegram last May, at the time, Texas led the nation in number of refugees resettled. Dallas resettled nearly 700 last year.

There are so many nonprofits and ministries that engage the crisis by reaching out to local refugees, because they need love, care and attention, too. They need basics like clothes, toiletries, toys and books for school. There are also multiple charities collecting donations to aid Syrian refugees.

So guess what? You can do something.*

god calls his followers to do something.

He doesn’t necessarily call each of us to quit our jobs, pack our bags and fly to Syria. But He does call us to do something, absolutely anything to help the people He loves, and the people we are also called to love.

So start with baby steps. Start by learning. Start by talking. Start by praying. Start with what you have — a compassionate heart that reflects our Creator’s — and who you have — God, your church, your community of Believers.

Just do something.

*If you do not know of a ministry or nonprofit you can get plugged into, shoot me an email or comment below. We’ll find you something.