Identity Crisis

In an effort to find out who someone is when meeting them for the first time, our natural inclination is to ask, "What do you do for a living?" or "What are you majoring in?" We're really asking about the person. We are in no way getting a better idea of who they are. If you were to ask someone, "Who is Michael Jordan?" the answer would immediately be, "A famous basketball player." But that is not who he is. As a society, we tend not to think of identity correctly. No wonder so many people have no idea who they are.

The whole identity issue wraps around the question, "Do we see ourselves and others around us the way in which God sees us?" For many, the answer is no. I can tell you all the things identity is not, but I think it would be wiser to tell you what it is. The Bible has a lot to say about identity, and four promises how identity is determined through Christ.

1) Identity is determined by birth. 1 Peter 1:3, 23b says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...that is, through the living and enduring word of God."

2) Identity is determined by faith. Galations 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

3) Identity is determined by choices. 1 John 3:9 says, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

4) Identity is determined by actions. 2 Peter 1:4 says, "For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world..." Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

Even with all these wonderful promises of a set identity in Christ, people still feel unworthy. The problem is, if you don't feel worthy, you will never be able to thrive. Since when have you ever heard a butterfly called a "converted caterpillar?" Well then, don't go around calling Christians "converted sinners." Remember, you are a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come.

We don't have to work to be someone we already are - our spiritual identity is secure. Now go ahead and feel worthy. You are more than worthy, because God made you that way. Define yourself in terms of Biblical truth.

So I have a question for you. Who are you?

Compassion

I have recently noticed that many people seem to waltz through life with relatively little concern for the cares of others. It is so easy to get caught up in our own troubles and ignore everyone else's. As students, we are often found to be the most guilty. Our lives are so much about ourselves right now as we pursue our education for our futures that we fail to look at the world around us and realize just how much need is out there. Perhaps a reason is that we are so inundated with news of need that we have become numb to the reality. However, I suspect that is a more lenient explanation than we deserve. The more accurate (and harsh) explanation is probably that we have just stopped caring enough to look beyond ourselves. 

The first step towards changing our self-focused lives is to exhibit compassion. Compassion is "a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." When we display compassion, we genuinely feel what the other person is going through, and it can go so far as to literally suffer with the person. As Rachel Joy Scott once said, "Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer."

Yet compassion is pretty worthless if we stop there. We have to act. We cannot simply feel compassionate toward someone's situation, but we must do something about it. Feeling sorry for the poor, starving children around the world will do absolutely nothing to alleviate their suffering. So get involved. You have way more time on your hands than you think you have. God blesses those who help others. Can you trust Him enough to give up a day or a few dollars, knowing that He will eventually return your generosity in full, often in ways you would not have expected? 

So how can you make compassion a lifestyle behavior? A few things to think about: first, compassionate service makes no distinctions between the large and the small. Volunteer any and all time you have. Give what you are able to. Every little bit truly does help. Secondly, compassionate service is free from the need to calculate the results. Forget what is in it for you. Do it all for the other person. Thirdly, compassionate service creates community, both with those you serve and with those who serve alongside you. Some of the closest bonds are formed when you volunteer, and you never know who you will meet. Finally, be compassionate even if you do not feel like it. There will be days when you honestly cannot stand the idea of thinking about someone else. Those are the days when you should especially look for ways to serve. Your day will become so much brighter as a result.

Service is a choice, a commitment. It is never easy, it takes a lot of time and resources, but it is always worth it. I have never looked back and wished I had not volunteered. Instead, I have looked back and wished I could have done more. It might be difficult, but serving others is always the right choice. When somebody I helped looks me in the eye with a huge smile on their face and says, “Thank you,” I cannot help but smile back. It is a great feeling—the knowledge that I am doing what is right—that makes me continue to volunteer with my whole heart involved. I know that for my present and my future, I will live to make a positive difference. I hope you will, too. 

When It Rains

I don't know about you, but for the longest time, I hated when it rained. Plans I had made months in advance could suddenly be cancelled. It always felt like a disappointment, rather than an adventure. Yet as I've gotten older, I have begun to see why the rain is so beautiful, and why, even if my plans do have to change as a result, they often change for the better.

I've learned that it rains on everyone. How you decide to respond to the rain is up to you. Sometimes rain can be uncomfortable, maybe even painful. But if we stay inside waiting for it to pass, complaining about the horrible weather all the while, we will lose special opportunities to learn how to dance in the rain. Life often brings difficult choreography, but our attitude in the way we respond will determine whether we give up dancing altogether or come out dancing stronger.

Sure, a little rain never did hurt anyone. But what about when it pours? What happens when the rain just won't stop and you're exhausted from dealing with it? God promises us He will not give us more than we can endure. The reason He's sending the rain is to force us to grow. Without it, why would we ever bother stepping outside of our comfort zones? If we don't open our doors and walk outside, we will miss the amazing adventures God has in store for our lives. Even worse, we will miss the rainbow that often follows a downpour.

So what are you waiting for? Leave the umbrella at home. You won't be needing it on this adventure. Learn how to count your blessings and dance in the rain. When you finally learn how to, it will turn your world upside-down. Instead of wishing the rain would go away and not come again another day, you will look forward to it. To me, there's no greater joy than to walk outside on a rainy day and twirl.

I hope you, too, decide to twirl in the rain.

The Beauty of Nature

Just thought I'd post a few photos I've taken of nature. I'm easily inspired by nature to be more than I think I can be. When God was completely finished with creation, He said it was "very good." It amazes me that I am one of His chosen works in progress, and that the story He is writing for my life will be beyond my wildest imagination. One of my favorite songs, "Fingerprints of God" by Steven Curtis Chapman, talks about this. Part of the song is below:

"Never has there been and never again
Will there be another you
Fashioned by God’s hand
And perfectly planned
To be just who you are
And what He’s been creating
Since the first beat of your heart
Is a living, breathing, priceless work of art

Just look at you
You’re a wonder in the making
Oh and God’s not through, no
In fact, He’s just getting started

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it’s true
You’re a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you’re covered with the fingerprints of God"


Now there's reason to be inspired!

Pursuit of Happiness

In church two weeks ago, the pastor opened up his sermon with the question, "Are you happy?" My immediate inclination was to say yes. After all, I tend to be a very happy, optimistic person. But then he got me thinking. If I were to be honest with myself, I would have to admit that I had not been happy recently. In fact, at the beginning of this term (about the first month), I was miserable. I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do with my life, I could not figure out what I was doing at this college, and I questioned just about everything (besides God ~ He and I had already been through a time of questioning several years ago). I remember being so upset at myself for feeling that way. After all, I was supposed to be this responsible, mature, put-together adult now, and then I was the one unable to keep my emotions under control. My sweet dad laughed at me, and told me that what I was feeling was normal and he would be worried if I did not feel that way. I'll never forget that. It was just what I needed to hear.


There was another time when I sat at my computer desk and positively sobbed while talking to my brother over IM. I remember telling him that I was so scared that I would end up wasting my life. He replied, "A life is an extremely difficult thing to waste when you care about not wasting it." I'll never forget that either.


And then I started to recover. Mom had told me to "bloom where you're planted" and I gradually began to blossom. It has taken time, but life has gotten better a little every day. I read a Psalm every night before falling asleep, and I took its promises to heart. When Psalm 30:11 said that God has "turned my mourning into dancing" I decided to live that out. And I began to remember happiness.


You see, I have found that happiness has little to do with what I have, but a lot to do with what I make of what I have. I am here, in this place, for a reason. I can't change it, and I don't think I am supposed to, so I might as well make the most of the time. If I throw myself into my task at hand, and focus on the positive aspects of life, I end up becoming happy without realizing it or even trying. Happiness comes about on its own without my conscious influence.

So am I happy? Yes, I am. And I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Moments of Wonder

Yesterday we had the most glorious weather. It was 60 degrees, partly sunny, and breezy. The wind that gently hurried me along my way was exhilarating. I felt I could go twirl on some obliging mountain and sing The Hills Are Alive. I took a ten-minute walk in the late afternoon around campus to enjoy the brief respite from winter. While I walked, I paid careful attention to the colors around me. Nature is simply breathtaking, and I noticed things I had not in a long time ~ the way that the tops of trees sway while their trunks remain firmly rooted; the lone bird singing on the roof of a dreary academic building; the white clouds softly painted across the blue sky; the layer of acorns on top of the brown mulch; the individual blades of green grass. I took the time to pray and thank God for His creation. He reminded me that as I face the insanity of the next few weeks, He will give me strength to get through (Isaiah 40:28-31). He often shows me the most amazing moments of wonder in the midst of the most stressful situations. Every day I search for something beautiful. When I recall it before falling asleep, I have often found not just one, but many, beautiful things. I think moments of wonder are God's way of saying He loves us and He's right here with us in the midst of it all. I'm incredibly grateful for those moments. It's because of them that I can take a deep breath and keep dancing through life.

Musings

I'm not supposed to do this on my own "with God's help" ~ I'm supposed to let God do it for me. Not that I don't have to live my life or make choices, etc., but that it's not all up to me. It's up to God. He gives me victory over struggle and sin, and when I'm tempted to do what I'm not supposed to do, I'm not giving in. I'm going to change my mindset, I'm going to count my blessings, and I'm going to have hope. I'm going to keep pushing through even when it hurts, and along the way, I'm going to have joy in the journey. He will help me to conquer my fear and worry ("I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" -Phil. 4:13), and will be with me every step of the way.

God shouldn't be my #1 in life. He should be my life. When we give everything over to Him, He's going to do great things in our lives. I can't wait to find out what happens. It's going to be one awfully big adventure.

Promise

What is the purpose of my life? To glorify God in all that I am, do think, and act. To love Him with all of my heart, soul, and mind. To share His message of hope with those around me. To serve others.

Does God care about ballet? About dance? I believe God cares about my faith and my relationship with Him. If I can live out my faith to the glory of God while dancing, whether that is in a Christian performing company or a secular performing company or even teaching, then I believe God cares about dance. He wants me to be a bright light wherever I am - whether it's on stage performing or at home or at work or at school - He wants me to honor Him with my actions, words, and thoughts. And if I do that, I believe He'll use me in ways I could never have imagined. He is capable of doing exceedingly abundantly beyond anything I could ever ask or even think, and I believe He can work through me to show Himself strong and to be glorified.

I don't want to set a plan for my life; rather I want to trust Him with everything I have. I don't know where He'll lead me or how He'll use me, but I've given my all to Him. I know that His plan for my life is perfect and it will be for my good and for His glory. I am so excited to see what God has in store for my life, and whatever happens, I will not fear and I will praise Him. He is an awesome God who has never failed me and who has done more for me than I ever deserved. He is worthy of all my praise, and I will praise Him with my life - whether it includes dance or not.