MLK and Rosa Parks: Perspective in Personality

Last year was such a time of growth for me! I’ve been discovering who I am and how God created me. A big part of this was figuring out my personality and learning to accept myself as an introvert. I started reading this book called “Quiet…In A World That Can’t Stop Talking.” It just talks about introverts today in a world where extroversion is the standard. One of the first stories is talks about is the relationship of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. MLK was clearly a leader, outspoken, and a world changer. Rosa Parks was also a leader and a world changer, but the way she went about it was different because of her personality. She took a quiet stand ,refusing to move on that bus. The power of that ACTION is what started a movement; not the words she used. It’s the inspiring speeches of King Jr. and the actions of Parks that moved a nation. Together, their opposite personalities were more powerful than both of them being loud leaders. I’m so encouraged by this story. At times I feel like my personality isn’t as great because I’m not outspoken and loud. Especially as a leader of high school students, I don’t stand out as much; I’m not the crazy leader dancing around and up on stage. Conversations and one-on-ones I can have with students are gold to me. I’ll be the first to say being an introvert in an extroverted world is not easy. It takes more effort to put myself out there for job interviews and not feel bad “promoting” myself. It takes more effort to reach out to people and be social all the time, when I’m content being alone most times. It’s not that I’m anti-social. Not at all. In fact, during this “blizzard” we had last week, I was going crazy being alone! It’s just that being social takes energy from me and I need those alone times to recharge. I love that God made such opposite personalities and knew that both would be needed just as equally. If the listeners and thinkers weren’t there to brainstorm and create new ideas, businesses wouldn’t thrive. And if the outspoken leaders weren’t there to speak for the thinkers, their ideas might never be put into action. We need each other. I don’t know why sometimes we think we can do this alone. We can’t. We need community. We need family. We need Christ…leading us, growing us, walking with us. As I look ahead to the next few months, I’m so excited! God used that rough spot in my life to break me down, grow me, and bring me closer to Him. And now I can move forward. Can’t wait for this next chapter and see how God wants to work!

An Observation on the Waves and the Fire

I recently just got back from a winter retreat with our high school students. I was amazed by the ways God moved and how He spoke. For me, it was an incredible time to get away and just BE in the presence of my savior. Well needed alone time. The Lord gave me some great insight and thoughts while I was there. There was one day while we were there that I had a piece of a song stuck in my head. It's a newer song from The Rend Collective Experiment. "Fire before us, you're the brightest. You will lead us through the storm. Safe to shore." Those three sentences kept playing on repeat. I wrote them out and started drawing. I drew flames, then drew waves. And being the great artist I am (ha not) they looked exactly the same. "Isn't it interesting that fire and waves look the same. Fire refines and waves bring us to the shore. They're so similar. God uses both the fire and waves to bring us to Him. But too, God is the fire and He is the waves. His light burns the brightest and His waves bring us safe to shore. Fire and waves (trials) are not meant to hurt us, but are for our benefit. We view them as bad things, but I think God uses them as good things. If we trust in Him, He knows He can rescue us from them. He knows we will be better because of them. He sees through the fire and waves....It may feel like you are being whipped around and drug out in the ocean, but God calls us out upon the water. Jesus is there, all along. He's walking on the waves. He wants us to walk with Him on the waves, but sometimes we sink in our own power. The storm doesn't last forever. Storms always end. There is always a peace at the end of a storm" [My journaling from that day.] This picture of fire and waves, has just stuck in my head this last week or so. It's a perspective changer. If we view the waves and the flames as opportunities to grow, instead of difficult things to endure, it changes everything.

2014: A year of Light

2014 for me is a new beginning. 2013 was a year of hardships and darkness. I'm incredibly thankful for the journey and I've grown so much. I've learned so much about myself and grown in my relationship with Jesus. I wouldn't trade that year for anything, but it's not something I'd like to have to go through again. I'm incredibly excited for what God has in store this year! Already, He's been teaching me and leading me. He has captured my heart and taken me over. One word that I want this year to be about it "Light." 2013 was a year of darkness. 2014 will hopefully be a year of light. I'm so ready to continue on this crazy adventure with my savior and serve Him. Can't wait for the months ahead!