If I Had a Little Sister...

I'm about to turn 23. And I'm in graduate school until May. And then I'm basically an adult. With (hopefully) a job, a place of my own, bills of my own (just so excited about this), and endless possibilities of what I want to do and where I want to go.

If I want to move to Haiti, I can. If I want to work on behalf of the homeless, I will. If I want to lay around the house and do nothing....well considering those bills, I probably won't. But I could.

When did this all happen? How did I get to this point? Well it's been a whole lot of Jesus and lots of love, patience, forgiveness, understanding, and support from my family and friends. But lately I've been very reflective. If you know me personally, you know my life has taken some pretty drastic turns over the last year. I've made some mistakes and I've made some big decisions. I've leaned on Jesus and I've tried doing it my own way (hence the mistakes part). I've been able to look back and see some big lessons in my life and if I had a little sister, she would be getting an earful of unwarranted advice and would have a pretty great example of how to do things differently.

Side note: mom, please don't give me a little sister. I don't have time for that.

But let's say I did have a little sister....here's what I would tell her.

1. School isn't everything. School is important and can take you so far. My grades have allowed me to go through 5 years of college without any amount of debt, so you won't convince me school isn't important. But school isn't everything. It's far from it. I remember my freshman year of college...well parts of it. I remember sitting in my room for hours and hours and hours doing calculus homework. And you know where calculus got me...into a different major. What I've learned over the years is that the more I enjoy life and stay busy, the more I get done in school. When I realize I don't have hours and hours to do homework, I get it done a lot quicker. When I know I have something fun with my friends to do that night, my time spent doing schoolwork that day sucks a whole lot less. Enjoy school, but enjoy your life, too. You don't get these years back.

2. Boys also aren't everything. I know, big surprise. I was lucky enough to have a great relationship in high school with little drama and a whole lot of laughs. But I was the exception to that rule. And we didn't stay together after high school, so I then became the rule--not the exception. The chances that you will marry the guy you date when you're younger is slimmer than slim. It happens, but there's a great big world out there to explore. Go do that first. Go find yourself. Travel. Make friends. Live life. Grow. Change. Become the woman you're meant to be and then find a guy that loves the real you. The you that knows who you are and what you want. The you that God designed you to be. Don't waste your time in the drama, heartbreak, jealousy, and confusion of an immature relationship. Go on dates. Have fun. But grow up before getting serious.

3. Despite my last advice, you will get your heart broke. And that's okay. Don't fight it...let it hurt. I know that's opposite of everything our society tells us. "Move on. There's other fish in the sea. Be strong. Don't let people see you cry. Make him jealous." I call bull crap on all of that. Getting hurt sucks. A lot. So why do we try so hard to rush through this season? I know it sucks. Every girl who's ever lived knows it sucks. But it happens and it's okay to hurt. It's okay to cry for awhile. It's okay to watch sad movies and listen to songs about how guys are the worst. Let it happen. Feel it. And cling to God through it because He gets it too. If anyone knows heartbreak, its Him. Don't rush to the next guy just to feel like you're moving on. That's what happens when you rush heartbreak. It never heals. It just sits there in your soul and festers until the next guy breaks your heart because you weren't ready. It's okay to hurt. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. "For when I am weak, I am strong." In the story of David, God shows us that He will fight for us when we can't go on (1 Samuel 30). God shows us time and time again that pain is part of life and that's okay. One day at a time, it will hurt a little worse. You won't even know it's happening. One day you will look back and see the healing that happened that you didn't even know God was doing. But let God do that. Don't rush it.

4. It's better to feel everything than nothing at all. Don't put up too many walls because of heartbreak. One of my favorite prayers is that God would break my heart for what breaks His. And He sures does. Sometimes I can't walk around in public without tears coming to my eyes because of the sheer pain in the world. I feel everything. I'm trusting of people and that gets me hurt sometimes. I get attached and that also gets me hurt. But I've also had times where I guard myself from the world because the suffering is exhausting. And after experiencing both, I take the pain. I know people may say my heart is "too soft" like it's a bad thing, but I see it as a compliment. I would rather hurt every day than to miss all the joys and blessings that also come. When you put up walls, you don't just keep the bad out--you keep everything and everyone out. Beware of that. Jesus was a "man of many sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3). He chose pain, yet had so much joy and peace through the Father. Feel everything. Let it in. You will be truly blessed through it all.

5. You deserve nothing. You are not entitled to anything. Despite the fact that dad may call you a princess and the world says you can have anything you want, you deserve nothing. You do not deserve respect from anyone. You do not deserve a job, a place to live, food, money, or any of these other things that we so easily call "blessings." What about the people around the world that love God wholeheartedly but do not have these things? Do they not deserve it? No they don't, and neither do you. The Gospel shows us that we are sinners and are entitled to nothing. In fact, God willingly gave His Son despite the fact that we don't deserve it. You are a sinner. You are not better than anyone. If you want respect, give it first. If you want love, show it first. If you want a raise at your job, earn it. Make yourself a servant of others and work hard for everything. You are the daughter of a King, but by the world's standards, you are not a princess.

6. Learn how to not only forgive others, but to forgive yourself too. God sees you as blameless through Jesus Christ because He wants better for you than to live in guilt and regret. Who are you to put a label on yourself or someone else that God doesn't? Forgive people always. And when you're at fault, recognize your mistakes. Always ask for forgiveness from God, the people you affected, and from yourself. Then move on. God does and you should too.

7. Find a mentor. Or three. You're going to need people in your life to speak truth. Who tells you what's hard to hear. And it's always hard, but always good for you. Look at the women in your church. Look at coaches and teachers and family. Find people who you admire and that radiate Jesus, and ask them to disciple you. You need it. You may think you have everything figured out, but we are our own worst enemy. We easily deceive ourselves into thinking that whatever we are doing is right, and you need a woman who can shoot you straight. Never underestimate the power of the Bible, a loving mentor, honest conversation, and coffee. That combination will change your life time and time again.

8. Don't save your outfits for a special occasion. I'm infamous for throwing on jean shorts and a basic tee just because I don't want to pull out my new shirt or dress just yet...I'm saving it. Holy cow, just wear it. Every day should be celebration and when you think you look good, you feel good. Now with that in mind, be careful of what you wear. Belly shirts and mini skirts may be fashionable, but what image are you wanting to portray? People will treat you in whatever way you give them permission to. If you want respect, dress that way. If you want meaningless and empty attention from guys and to be hated by girls, go ahead and dress that way too. But clothes are important. And they are meant to be worn so go put on that new dress. The day you've been saving it for may never come, so enjoy it! (I say this with complete knowledge of one dress in my closet I've been saving...)

9. Life isn't fair. The quicker you accept this, the more joy you will find in life. Again, you don't deserve anything and neither does anyone else. Terrible, terrible things happen to good people, and sometimes the worst people get all the glory. There's sin in the world so crap happens. Don't try to reason it or make sense of it. Do what you can to change it, then rest in the promise that God will conquer this sin one day. Move on. He will handle it.

10. Never underestimate the power of a smile. For you and for others. Whether you feel like it or not, just smile to someone. Not in a flirty way. But show kindness through a smile. I've had countless situations where someone else's simple smile turned my own attitude around. Do that for others.

11. Confidence, confidence, confidence. I hate fake. But with confidence, follow the saying "fake it til you make it." It doesn't matter whether you are confident or not. All that matters is that people think you are confident. Hold your head up whenever you walk. Look people in the eyes. Smile. A little confidence goes a long way.

12. Take your shoes off when you go into someone else's home. And call people "Mrs." "Miss" and "Mr." Using "sir" and "ma'am" isn't outdated. Show respect to people at any cost.

13. Cherish your friendships. Make friends and lots of them. But find just two or three to really invest in. Make sure they build you up. Girls have this nasty habit of tearing each other down. Be happy for each other. Celebrate each other's successes (even if you are jealous). Cry with each other. Find friends who make you a better person. And sometimes realize that friends won't really last forever. God gives us people for "such a time as this." I've experience heartache because I've held on too tightly to friends who were never suppose to stick around. Accept the fact that sometimes you're BFF's were really just "best friends for awhile." You will find a handful of friends who will stick by you your whole life, and others will come and go. But cherish each friendship regardless. The friendship will only be as strong as you make it, and trust me, you will need friends.

14. Enjoy today. Don't wait for tomorrow. Don't rush from one thing to the next. Don't wait for the right moment. Be patient with life and take it as it comes. Tomorrow has enough to worry about (Matthew 6:34). If you have a big dream, go after it now. Don't say you'll do things when you're less busy...it won't happen. Don't stress about school or work or friends so much that you can't enjoy the life God has given you today. You will graduate. You will find a husband. You will get a job. Those things aren't what start your life. Your life is happening right now. And you won't get this moment back. Let that sink in for a second. I mean really think about it. If you realize that simple fact, you can't help but find some sort of joy today. You have to.

15. Find God. Every. Single. Day. I'm still working on this, but let me tell you what, it's the most important. Read. Pray. Talk about Him with others. Do something for Him. Don't just act like a Christian. Don't just say the right things. Believe them. When I look back, the thing that made the single biggest difference in the highs and lows of my life was a daily walk with God. No joke. No matter what was going on in my life, if I pursued God every day, I could tell a difference. Even when you don't feel like it, do it anyway. Set aside a time every day and when you miss it, find another time that day. No excuses. He is all that matters.

A Good Advocate

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

**1 John 2:1-3**

A few weeks ago, I was able to attend Advocacy Day at the Missouri capitol in Jefferson City. As a social work student, I was given this opportunity and immediately jumped at the chance. While I love many areas of social work, the work of policy, legislation, and the government are not quite up to par when compared to other skills and knowledge. While there, I met some politicians, lobbyists, and representatives. Other than their outdated suites and fake smiles, one thing they all had in common were their role as advocates.

Advocate = a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

As a future social worker, one of the many hats we wear is the advocate. We fight for the causes of the vulnerable. We give a voice to the meek. We empower the powerless. We shine a light on the forgotten and we justify the victims. As an advocate, we take the pain, suffering, and hurts of others and find a way to defend them.

At Advocacy Day this year, there was a Disability Rights rally in the capitol while we were there. As I stood and watched people get so passionate over a cause, I couldn't help but think about Jesus as my own advocate. One after another, people stood up to defend each other and to fight for justice. In 1 John 2, Jesus Christ Himself is called our advocate.

Here's what I envision when I think of Jesus as my advocate...
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I picture Jesus standing at a podium before the Righteous Judge, His Father, and me standing guilty beside Jesus in a courtroom. God is sitting so high and powerful before us that I seem like a tiny fleck in His presence. A long list is before Jesus, and as soon as I realize what this list is, I get sick to my stomach. These are my sins. One by one, my sins are revealed out loud to the face of God. I cannot even look up into His eyes because of my shame. But for some reason, God's face never changes. As a Perfect Judge, I would expect some angry, wrath, or punishment to be brewing in God's mind...but I never see it as I cautiously look up from the floor. Because when Jesus finishes reading my list, the next words bring me to my knees. As I await my sentencing, Jesus takes my hand to steady my nerves. He simply says, "Father, the wages of sin are death, but it is finished."

IT IS FINISHED.

After my sins have been read, I can hardly stand to be in the same room as two so Holy. I cannot believe the wrongs I have allowed myself to do throughout my 22 years of life. I am so embarrassed to stand in front of God that I want to literally run away and hide in a hole. But then Jesus says, "it is finished." And as I look up to make sure it's real, God says the last thing I would expect Him to ever say at this time..."Well done, my good and faithful servant."
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Are you like me and cannot even imagine this? After all I've done, He says "good job" and that's it? I don't get a lecture? I don't at least get a slap on the hand?

No.

It is finished.

The "well done" is not because of anything single thing that I have accomplished or earned. There is nothing I can do to earn forgiveness or earn more of it. I can stand confidently before God because of my advocate. The one who pleads, begs, and fights for me and my cause...my salvation and my heart. Each and every day, Jesus stands next to the Father and advocates for me. Every time I sin, it's like Jesus is reminding the Judge, "forgive her Father, for I take her sin and it is finished. Let me have her sins. Let me have her baggage. Let me have her pain. I have already won her life through My death on the Cross."

Today is Good Friday and the thought of Jesus as my advocate is burning in my mind and heart. Jesus fights for me every day, but no fight was greater than His defeat of sin and death. My list of sins is far too long, yet He takes my hand and says "it is finished." When I realize this like I do now, I cannot hold back the tears of thankfulness. When I stand before God, I will hear the words I have always longed for, but it will not be because of me. When God says "well done," He will be thinking of His Son but looking at me. He will be looking at me with His grace-filled eyes with the love of His Son in His heart.

It is finished.

Pieces

My life has been a whirlwind of epiphanies lately. God has been teaching me more than I can keep up with and it's so hard to keep up with all His lessons. I've had to admit sins in my life, forgive myself and others, and start to see myself how Jesus sees me. Tonight, this song really connected with me. I hope you find comfort and belonging in the lyrics like I did.

Pieces by Meredith Andrews
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It's a complex puzzle you call your life
It's an uphill climb, it's a constant fight
And it wears you down
Feeling like you're alone, like you don't belong
And you won't be loved if you don't measure up
And you wear your scars
Like they're who you are

Give Him your wounds, your bruised and broken pieces
All your questions, all your secrets
You don't have to hide who you are
You belong to someone greater
Than all your past mistakes and failures
Rest in who He is
He knows how to make your pieces fit

He's the light on the road when you're lost in the dark
And He won't run away if you show your heart
Wants you to believe it
You can taste that freedom

When you give Him your wounds, your bruised and broken pieces
All your questions, all your secrets
You don't have to hide who you are
You belong to someone greater
Than all your past mistakes and failures
Rest in who He is
He knows how to make your pieces fit

You are completely known
You are completely loved
This is where you belong

Give Him your wounds, your bruised and broken pieces
All your questions, all your secrets
You don't have to hide who you are
You belong to someone greater
Than all your past mistakes and failures
Rest in who He is
He knows how to make your pieces fit 

An Honest Journal Entry

So I've been keeping a rather interesting journal lately (but more on that another day). Here is an honest, raw, and humble entry I wrote yesterday. I pray you find comfort, peace, or strength in it somehow.

"For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).

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Dear God,

Thank You for this season of my life. It's definitely not easy, but it has been an incredible growing opportunity that I know You are using. Thank You for helping me move on, but Father, I need some help truly forgiving myself. I need help finding my identity in You and You alone. I keep seeking approval from everyone around me. I want them to validate my choices and to support my decisions, but I'm letting their opinions have far too much weight. God, help me find the balance between keeping my reputation and testimony with those in my life and putting my future in their hands. Give me the courage to live my life with only Your opinion, plan, and will as my guide and standard. Give me the Holy Spirit to decipher Your words and will in my life.

Thank You, Father, for never giving up on me when I confuse Your will. Thank You that my future is not limited to what I have been. I'm struggling to see how I will ever be known as someone different than "the girl who was engaged." God, I know You call me "lovely, daughter, forgiven, blessed, conqueror, beloved..." but it's difficult for me to hear them with the voice in my head calling me, "liar, guilty, embarrassment, naive, immature, shameful..." There's a disconnect between what I know and what I believe. Please help Your words plant themselves in my heart. I can't move on fully without Your help.

Father, help those around me move on as well. To me, this seems like I'm requesting a miracle, but I'm going to ask it from You anyway. I know my actions have caused a lot of pain for many people, but please give them comfort, reassurance, and strength. Please forgive me for causing this to people. Please forgive me for the confusion my actions have caused for those around me, but please begin to reveal Your plan...even if in small ways. God, I know I cannot wait for everyone to approve of me, but I'm asking for Your protection as I navigate this journey with You. Give me patience to wait on Your will, but also allow Your will to be seen by those around me so they know it is of You. Let me be a light to those around me. Let them see the work You're doing and have been doing in my heart. Holy Spirit, speak and act through me, because my efforts will fail, but Yours will not. God, if you allow it, give me opportunities to share my story with other people. Allow my mistakes, struggles, and sins to make an impact for Your Kingdom. "When I am weak, you are strong." I want this to be a cry of my heart. I want a burden to make a change against the hurt in this world. If I can ease the aches of one girl through my broken engagement or past relationships, God, I will praise you for every tear I shed. Thank You for being my comfort and making my pain have purpose, but I pray for the young girls who do not know the love and security offered by You. Guide me to how I should help them. God, show yourself to them in big ways so they will realize that no relationship or guy can fill the holes in our hearts that was created for You.

Father, continue to shape me into Your daughter. Whatever it takes, form me into the lovely woman I long to become. I know the adventure to this is long and full of battles to overcome, but God, I know it's already won with You. Thank You that I'm already lovely in Your eyes and that I am given the freedom to be what I already am. Help me believe this truth. Help me "live according to my calling." Help me live lovely, because You already say I am, and help me live a life of agape.

Your sinful, but forgiven, daughter,
Krysta

Light Always Casts Shadows

Lately I feel like I have been learning the lesson of intentionality.
Life is all about choices, and unless you intentionally make choices, they will be made for you. It's one of those hard facts of life. Days will come whether I want them to or not, and how I spend it is up to me. But I don't want to be caught having life happen to me. I want to make life happen. I want to intentionally spend my time with Jesus every single day. I want to intentionally grow the relationships I have in my life. I want to intentionally serve the people God places in my place. I want to intentionally set time aside for exercise and sleep and small groups.

Well, I haven't been getting what I want. Shocker, right? But that's no one's fault but mine, because I've been letting life happen to me.

Sleep...I'll get time for that eventually. Lunch...maybe I'll get a break. Relationships...I'll text them back at some point in the next week. Exercise...that would be nice. Work...I just take things as they come and just continually add things to my to-do list without checking anything off.

But I'm getting to the point--finally--that I see how this is my own doing. That I see that all of this is my choice. It's not my busyness or my crazy schedule. It's how I am choosing to spend my time. It's my choices and priorities. 

Which leads me to the second lesson I've been learning...walking in the light.

1 John 1:5-10
"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 

 I will never be able to take control of my life. Ever. Things happen that I don't expect. I wake up having one schedule and throughout the day it quickly goes out the window in order to accommodate a new list of tasks. No matter how much life surprises me, it never surprises God. Nothing is thrown at me that wasn't first sifted through His hands. Although I cannot (and should never) be in control, I can let Him have control and see the wonderful fruits of His work. But He won't do that unless I ask. I believe wholeheartedly that God gives us the choice. Life is full of intentional choices, right? I can choose His way or I can choose mine. My way is chaos and life happening to me, but His way is in the light. And walking in the light is beautiful and meaningful and full of life...and terrifying.

Think of a gorgeous day in the spring (it's difficult to imagine what that feels like with all this winter weather but try anyway). The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. And you are in the park. Now look around...do you see all the shadows? The sun casts shadows everywhere. That's what walking in the light of Jesus does too. Walking in the light casts the shadows of sin in our life. It clearly shows us what is standing between us and God, just like shadows show how the large tree is blocking the sun from the ground behind it. And I cannot eliminate those shadows from sin until I recognize it. I can turn my back for awhile and act like everything is fine, but the shadows are still there. The sin is there and it is blocking the light from parts of my life. It is putting Jesus in a box and keeping Him from a full relationship with me. And that's my choice.

Do you see how intentionality and walking in the light go hand-and-hand for me? "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." My sin is there. But until I address the shadows, life will continue to happen to me. I have to give it to Jesus and allow Him to take control so that I can have a life of purpose. So that I can make life happen for Him instead of allowing life to happen to me.

Walking in the light is scary. Light always casts the shadows of sin. Being intentional is scary. You have to own up to things and take responsibility for your own life and mistakes. But going through life without meaning scares me way more. I want to hear when I die, "Well done, my good and faithful daughter. You lived a life that was lovely to Me."

A Letter to My Girls

This is a letter I wrote to my middle school girls because I can't be with them at church tonight. For some reason, I thought I should share.
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My sweet girls,

I'm sorry I can't be with you tonight, but I bet I know what you each are thinking about...Valentine's Day. I remember all the same emotions and thoughts you are having. I have had them all. Excitement, anxiety, nervousness, jealously, sadness, hope, and hopelessness. Maybe you have a boyfriend, maybe a crush, or maybe you think Valentine's Day is stupid and you stay away from love. All of this is okay! There have been years I had a Valentine's date and years I haven't had a Valentine at all. Some years were awesome and some really sucked. I've had my heart broke and I've been in love. As you all know too well, life is unpredictable in the best and worst ways. One day you love life...the next day is so hard that you don't know how you will make it through the day. Can I tell you something? Valentine's Day is the same way. February 14th will either be incredible or it will suck. Rarely is there an in between. It's hard when your crush doesn't like you back. It sucks when your Valentine lets you down. And watching other couples is sometimes gross and annoying. But then February 15th comes and the hype is over just like that. The thing you were either so excited about or absolutely dreading is over in one short day.

So why do we get so worked up over this one day? The answer is simple. Love. Valentine's Day brings the hope of love. And love is a dangerously powerful emotion. We all want it. We all crave it. We all need it. Love makes us happy. Gives us hope. Makes us feel special and important. Makes us feel like someone cares. Makes us girls feel beautiful. Love is an entirely unique emotion. There's a reason there isn't a day devoted to excitement or sadness. Love encompasses almost every other emotion somehow or some way. Love is what everyone thinks about, dreams about, works for, and fights for.

But love should never be confined to one day. Love should be a lifestyle. It was Jesus' entire life...and death. God is love. Out of love He made you before you were born. Because of love He watches over you and knows your heart perfectly. He knows every hair on your head and thought in your brain. Because He loves you, He wants a relationship with you. And not just any relationship. He wants a relationship so much better than any relationship you can imagine or dream up. Because He loves you, He made sure you had a choice to have that relationship. You girls hear me say it all the time, but life is all about choices. And it's up to you. But because He loves you, God's son Jesus left a perfect, wonderful Heaven to live a life with us in an imperfect world. Because He loves you, He suffered every day to teach us and we can now read all about it in the Bible. Because He loves you, He realized our sin was keeping us from that relationship with God and wanted to do something about it. He loves you so much He knew He had to do something to prove His love. Because He loves you, He willingly died for sins He never committed. He was perfect, but He sacrificed His life in your place. The wages of sins is death. We are sinful, but He didn't want us to have the death we deserved. Because He loves you, He died in your place so that you can have a choice. Before Jesus, sin kept us from God. We didn't have a choice. But because Jesus took our death, we can choose. But the crazy thing is that Jesus died knowing that choice could you mean you don't choose Him. He loves you so much that it didn't matter what you would do one day with your choice. He didn't wait for us to promise to choose Him. He didn't wait for us to get our acts together and be perfect. The only thing that mattered to Him was that you had the choice. He loves you. Like crazy. And He's waiting. He always has been and always will be. But if you haven't made the choice for yourself, you're missing out on so much. Don't wait.

You see, we confine love to one day...Valentine's. But every day for God is about love. He gave us the Bible so that we can read His love notes every single day, anytime we wanted or needed. He wants you to talk to Him every day, and unlike boys, He never gets tired of listening to us. He shows us He loves us all the time in friends, sunsets, and food to eat. These are called blessings and they will last far longer than any teddy bear, chocolate, or flowers.

But it's your choice. I can't make it for you. I would have already if I could because I know how great this love is. God loves you and wants you. So whether you end up having a great Valentine's Day or not, remember there is someone who is willingly to shower you with love, comfort, strength, hope, and attention every single day of the year. Crushes are fun! Getting valentines are fun! Enjoy it! But on February 15th when all the excitement is over, remember the one who designed love in the first place. Remember the one who proved His love with more than words or candy. He proved it by taking your place in death and offering you the choice of eternal life with God. He proves His love and never lets you down. He doesn't promise perfect days, but He promises that His love will never leave or go away.

I really do hope you have the best Valentine's Day ever. But like choosing Jesus, having a good Valentine's Day is your choice. Make it a great day. Have fun. Smile. Laugh. Don't put all your hope and dreams on what you get. Remember, love is a lifestyle. Go do something nice for someone else instead of waiting on a guy to do something for you. Making someone else's day always makes you feel better. Love isn't a just a feeling. Love is action. So go give love to people around you. But above all else I hope you see and accept the love waiting on you from Jesus. He is a Valentine that will never disappoint.

I'm always here for you girls,
Krysta

Miracles for Many

Do you sometimes read the Bible and wonder, "God, where is my miracle?" 
You've heard the stories. Jesus heals a leper. Jesus feeds 5,000. Jesus raises the dead. Jesus calms the storm. Jesus calls out demons.
And here I am just trying to figure out how I'm going to survive my last semester of undergraduate studies. My life seems to fail in comparison to lives of many people Jesus has touched. Can you imagine how the life of the man, Lazarus, who was dead and then Jesus brought back to life changed (John 11:38-43)? Can you imagine how the disciples felt to be in the presence of a man who literally calmed every furious wind and engulfing waves in the sea (Luke 8:22-35)?
I read these stories in the comfort of my bedroom while drinking tea. An exciting day for me can mean getting Taco Bell for dinner. Not quite as miraculous.
Or maybe I'm missing it. Maybe I'm blind to the great works of God every single day. Maybe I have a very skewed definition of miracles to begin with.

A miracle according to Merriam-Webster is "an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment."
Something out of the ordinary. Something that either can or cannot be explained. A plot twist and game-changer that was not expected by our own plan.

Okay. So I've had one or two of those. I have joked that my life encompasses every single thing that I said would never happen, but really the joke is on me. I grew up knowing my future career. My future college. My future husband. My future home. I had my life planned out perfectly, and here I am with a completely different vision.

I always said I would never NOT coach....I don't have time for coaching anymore.
I always said I would never work with middle schoolers and teenagers...many of my biggest dreams involve that age group.
I always thought I would never leave Springfield...I now have no idea where I will end up and that's totally okay.
I always thought my high school sweetheart would be my husband...here I am out of an entirely different engagement and single again and it's all good.
I always thought I didn't want kids...I dream of adoption every single day.

Do you get my point? My life is nothing short of the miraculous intervention of Jesus and I wouldn't change it for the world. The life I envisioned is nothing like what I have, and yet I am confident that Jesus is giving me a life much more full than any I could imagine.
He saves me from my own foolish plans every day. That's a miracle.
And He saved me from sin years ago and continues to do that to this day. That's a miracle. This miracle alone should be enough for us all.

So, then what's the difference? What's the difference between me and the people in the Bible? Why do their miracles seem so much bigger? It's what they do with it.

God gives us miracles in order to tell others about it...to glorify Himself. God gives us these game-changer miracles in order to change the world.

Look at the story in Mark 5: 1-20. Jesus heals another man with a demon and this man was so amazed and thankful that he asks to be a disciple of Jesus. But Jesus' response in verse 19 is, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Jesus knew this man would have the biggest impact on the the world by telling his miracle to everyone around him. The other disciples didn't have a story to tell like this man's. He had a unique miracle to share, and I bet you do too.

So the difference is what you do with your life because ultimately your life is a miracle in itself. You are here. You are alive. Have you ever thought about all it takes to keep you alive? Seriously, stop and think about every single thing  your body goes through every second to maintain life. Who did that? No one could have orchestrated that but God. It's too complex and unexplainable. You are a miracle. And I bet you have those miracle moments. The difference is these people let the miracles change them and now people get to read about it for the rest of time. I guess that's why I keep this blog. It is accounts of my own miracles. Of what I'm learning. Of what Jesus is doing in my life.

What's your miracle? I'd love to hear it and Jesus would love you to share it. It is yours for a reason. I bet it came with some pain and heartache and hard work, but it's yours. So practice sharing it. Share it with me at krysta.baker@yahoo.com. I can't wait to praise Jesus with you for His work.