Happiness Can Be Found

This is a scary time. There is no beating around the bush about that, at least not for me. Companies, businesses, airports, and schools around the world are shutting down in the hopes of preventing further spread of a previously unknown virus. Everyone is being asked to stay home and away from family and friends. Stores are running out of essential items. Uncertainty, fear, and anxiety is running wild.

So yes, I'm scared. I'm anxious. I'm uncertain about the near future. And frankly, I'm sad. I'm sad that I can't see my family as much as before. I'm sad that I can't just call up a friend and ask to go get coffee or dinner. I'm sad I can't go to my office and see my coworkers. I'm sad I can't see a huge portion of my clients. I'm sad for anyone who is having to put exciting life moments on hold. I'm sad for my teacher friends who are away from their students and may not get to see them before the school year ends. I'm sad for those same students, some of which were poised to graduate in just a couple of months and now one of the biggest and most exciting moments of their lives has gone from an exclamation point to a question mark.

For me personally, my mental health has taken a toll. Through this crazy and uncertain time, I have discovered a new and scary phobia that I was not aware of before. I have never been faced with such a widespread, close-to-home health concern such as this one, and this new phobia has now surfaced and chosen to present itself through anxiety-like symptoms that I had not experienced before.

It's hard to smile these days.

But you know what? I have smiled. I've smiled and laughed and happy cried on several occasions throughout this past week riddled with fear and anxiety. Not at first - in the beginning, it was mostly crying because I was scared, finding myself short of breath after seeing too much negativity on social media, being terrified to go to work like normal or to go out just to get a couple of necessary things from the store.

It wasn't until I was at my parents house participating in a livestream devotional that I realized why things changed. During this devotional, we were asked how we define the difference between feeling anxious about tomorrow's struggles and being prepared for tomorrow's struggles. And my mom and I had the same train of thought, which I'll summarize:

When I'm anxious about something, it's almost as if I'm paralyzed. I can't move, I can't breathe, I can't process - all I can do is think about worst-case scenarios, so much so that the fear overwhelms and suffocates me. But when I prepare for what tomorrow brings - yes, I'm still worried, but I'm actively choosing to take steps toward processing. Answering questions such as "Okay, so what can I do if this happens?" or "How am I going to react when that happens?" I'm acknowledging that the uncertainty of tomorrow is terrifying, but I'm choosing to remember that I can do something about it.

It took me realizing that I was letting the fear swallow me up and drown me in despair when I could just stop. Stop looking at all the negativity and start seeking the positivity. And let me tell you, there is so. Much. Positivity.

There are countless workers who are going out and continuing to do their jobs so the rest of us don't have to. There are businesses offering free services and extended hours to accommodate new needs. There are schools offering free meals to kids and families who otherwise might go hungry. There are friends and family members checking in on each other just to make sure everyone is doing okay. There are teachers posting their certifications on social media and offering their guidance for parents who are now having to homeschool their children. There are school teachers and university professors working for hours getting their curriculum online so their students can still learn and get the credits they need. There are fitness instructors sharing in-home workout videos or even inviting their entire apartment complex to join them for workouts from their patios. There are celebrities sharing videos to make people laugh and smile. There are church leaders continuing to spread hope and peace to their congregations in a time when these messages are needed most. There are neighbors offering their services to those who live around them that may not have the ability or health to do things themselves. There are neighborhoods around the world finding ways to connect with each other while staying physically away.

And I didn't notice any of this until I started looking for it.

My dad added a great comment during our devotional. He said there is a saying that goes, "Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes He calms the sailor."

I'm choosing to believe that right now, He is helping us find peace in a raging storm. And He is doing this through people. People actively choosing kindness over fear. People choosing to smile and thank the store clerk helping them with their groceries rather than snapping at them about how empty their shelves are. People choosing to find ways to still share their specific expertise and skills to help those who need it. People choosing to heed the warnings and stay indoors when it's breaking their hearts not to be around their loved ones. People choosing to seek out joy rather than letting their fear suffocate them.

I'll admit, I was one of those people who, just one week ago, was saying things like "Everyone needs to calm down", "We're overreacting", "Why is everyone panicking?" Now, I've changed my tune. Because preparing for tomorrow and everything it may bring doesn't mean our feelings of fear and worry are invalid. Listen to me right now: it's okay to be afraid. But you can choose to take that fear and channel it into determination to find the light in all this darkness. Because I promise you, there is light out there! Go look for it!

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Fix Your Eyes On The Unseen

If you know me, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of the TV show Glee. I hopped on that particular band wagon a little late, but once I was on, there was no getting off until the very end of the ride.

One of the episodes starts off with one of the main characters, Finn, deciding to make a grilled cheese sandwich. When he opens up the grill, he stops. There, in the bread, is "the face of God". He literally sees Jesus in the burn marks of his grilled cheese sandwich. Finn decides to appropriately name it "Grilled Cheesus".

Throughout the rest of the episode, Finn decides that this is a sign from God, and he starts to pray to this sandwich. He doesn't quite understand how it works, though; he thinks it's like a genie and he only gets three "prayers". He prays for relatively pointless things like winning a football game, getting to second base with his girlfriend, and being made quarterback again.

When the third "wish" comes true, however, Finn panics because it didn't work out the way he expected it to. During the next football game, the current quarterback gets injured and is unable to play for a while, making Finn the quarterback once again in his absence. Freaked out, thinking he caused his friend to get hurt, Finn goes to the school counselor and confesses that he's been praying to a grilled cheese sandwich that has special powers. The counselor politely admonishes him, saying, "God works in all kinds of mysterious ways. But I'm pretty sure he doesn't spend a lot of time speaking to us through sandwiches."

Finn feels extremely disappointed and lost. "It was sort of cool," he says, "feeling like I had this direct line to God. Now I just feel like everyone else."

I think we've all been guilty of this. It's hard believing in something we can't see, hear, or feel. Maybe you didn't see Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich and immediately started praying to it, but I'm sure you've had those moments in your life where you're absolutely certain God is speaking to you. And when that happens, you desperately cling to that hope, that channel of communication that has seemingly opened up in front of you. Suddenly, you're special. God is speaking directly to you. How often does that happen? That's why it's so upsetting when that "special connection" is taken away.

As hard as it is, we as Christians just have to trust. We have to have faith that God is listening when we pray to Him. We have to trust that He's always there by our side. He's not going to spend a lot of time showing Himself to us or speaking directly to us. It's our job to just have faith.

"When we view life through the eyes of the heart, we are able to recognize God and understand the limits of temporary experiences. We are not overcome by temptation, we endure hardship, we value souls over material things, we seek purpose over passing pleasures, and we draw close to God Himself."

And the good news? We're not alone. We all struggle with faith; that's kind of part of the package. But we're all struggling together.

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"You've got to believe in something more than you can touch, taste, or see. Life is too hard to go through it alone without something to hold on to; something sacred."

Confessions of a Sleep Deprived College Student

I've realized that, lately, when people ask me how I am, I typically respond with a shrug and say, "I'm tired." I figure, I'm in college, that's a reasonable and expected answer, right?

But how often is that actually true? Well, I can tell you, as I lie in bed at 3:00 in the morning, that it happens more often than I would like. And for someone who likes to go to bed at a reasonable hour and get plenty of sleep, it's not a fun feeling.

Sometimes, though, it's not because of lack of sleep. Sometimes, I'm just tired from life.

There are days when stress levels are high, my mood is low, and everything loses its excitement. I just trudge through the day, waiting for the moment when I can just go back to bed, sleep everything away, and wake up cheerful and hopeful again.

There are days when I'm tired of being single. When I'm tired of feeling unwanted even though I do occasionally get asked out on dates. When I'm tired of having feelings for the same person for too many years. There are days when I feel trapped by all the happy couples, and I just feel lonely.

There are days when I question God. There are days where I just lie in bed, crying, asking God for a sign that He's there by my side because I feel lost; asking Him about His plans because I just don't understand.

A lot of us have those days, I'm sure.

But you want to know the wonderful thing about all this?

Those kinds of days don't happen very often. Those kinds of days are rare in comparison to the other days.

The days where I wake up when the sun lights up my room, not to the intruding sounds of an alarm. The days where I smile at those who I pass throughout my day, occasionally throwing out a cheerful "Hi!" The days where I laugh until I can't breathe and tears are pouring out of my eyes. The days where I'm surrounded by people who love me for who I am, no strings attached. The days when I'm almost disappointed that the day is over and I have to sleep, but sigh blissfully once I finally get under the covers.

Because I love my life. I am truly content with where my life is going. I have a family who has never failed to show me how much they love and support me. I have friends who I know I will have for a lifetime. I'm learning about a profession that I continually fall in love with. I have a great job, a boss who I can truly call a friend, and co-workers who make long days fun.

You see, bad days are inevitable. They're going to happen no matter how hard you try to avoid them. But what you can control is how you come out of them. You can choose to dwell in all the bad, or you can find the silver linings in life.

These blessings are God's way of saying, "Hey, I hear you. I know you're hurting. I know you're confused and lost. I know you're wondering what I'm doing. But I'm here. I'm right here. Trust me."

From 1 Kings 19:11-13: "Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. "

Winds can tear us apart, earthquakes can shake us, fires can burn us. But if we only focus on those moments, we can't hear the gentle whisper of God's voice. Maybe God is trying to talk to you, to tell you that everything is going to be okay.

Are you listening?

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"The cacophony of our lives can turn any scene into a seeming chaos - sights and sounds begging for our attention and demanding our energy. The difference is that when God is ready to speak, few people 'let down their wings' and stand in silent stillness, waiting for the voice that matters... Sense the sacred moments that call for stillness."

Pull Over and Ask For Directions

Most people have heard the stereotypical story about the couple that is traveling, and they get lost. The wife tells the husband to pull over and ask for directions, but he's too stubborn and tries to figure out the right way on his own.

A couple of months ago, I got into my car and realized that I really needed gas. My gas meter was on the last line before "empty", and it likes to fluctuate occasionally so I wasn't really sure how much gas I actually had left. So I made my way to the nearest gas station, which happened to be at a Wal-Mart. I get there and notice all the pumps are being used. I admit that it probably wasn't the smartest idea to go to a Wal-Mart at noon on a Saturday, but I was desperate...

So instead of waiting for someone to get done, I drove to another gas station, which was in the direction that I had come from but further down the road. One pump was open. I roll into the spot, hit "Debit"... and nothing.

Frustrated, I decide to try the station even further down the street. At this station, I tried three different machines, and none would accept my card. Practically in tears at this point, I get back in my car and start it, driving back out and making my way back toward the first gas station to see if it was emptier now. That's when I notice that my gas meter chose that moment to drop down to just above "empty". My car started beeping, saying "low fuel". Panicking, I pull over into a parking lot and turn off my car. I then proceeded to just sit there and feel bad about myself for about five minutes, trying to decide what to do. At that point, I decided to call it quits before I actually had a break down. Long story short, I made it back home with just enough gas to make it to Wal-Mart the next morning.

Later that week, I went to pick up my parents from the airport after they had been gone for the week. I tell them my sad tale, and when I finish, my dad turns to me and says, "Next time that happens, go talk to an attendant and ask for help."

Yeah, that probably would have been the smart thing to do. But in my state of panic, I ignored that little voice in my head and just tried anything else I thought would work.

And lately, I got to thinking. How often do I do that? Avoid asking for help because I want to fix it myself? Because I don't want to seem like I don't know what I'm doing?

The answer is a lot.

I'm one of those people that tries everything herself before admitting defeat and asking for help. For some reason, I feel like people will look down on me. It makes me feel incompetent, not in control.

But honestly, what's wrong with that? What's wrong with imperfection? We're human. Those two words are practically synonymous. It's actually a good thing when you can admit that you need help. It's a sign of humility and courage.

A better question is: how often do I do that with God? How often in my life do I try to fix my problems on my own and forget that I have an all-powerful heavenly father who is just waiting for me to turn to Him for help? He's always there, always willing to help or just listen. But I just forget.

I am now going to borrow one of my dad's points from one of his sermons (again) because he always has good points.

There's a scene in the movie The Lion King where Rafiki comes to Simba and tries to convince him to return back to his homeland and take the throne. Simba, full of shame and guilt, refuses, saying he's no king. Rafiki then shows Simba a vision of his father Mufasa. In the vision, Mufasa tells Simba, "You've forgotten me." Simba, shocked, denies the accusation. Mufasa then reiterates: "You've forgotten who you are."

Mufasa wanted Simba to remember whose son he was, who he belonged to.

Just like God wants us to remember who we belong to. We are God's children. Children shouldn't be afraid to ask their parents for help.

Life is hard. I'm sure we've all figured that out one way or another. It's even harder when you try to go through it alone. To quote a lyric from a musical (still a theater girl at heart), "Someone is on your side. No one is alone."

Don't make the mistake of avoiding help. Sometimes just admitting that you need it can make a world of difference.

And when you're feeling lost, pull over and ask for directions. God knows the right way; He's just waiting for you to ask.

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"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Jesus Loves the Little Children (And Dogs)

My family has two dogs: Princess and Hershey. We used to have three, but our oldest one, Jasmine, passed away a couple of years ago. The funny thing is, Jasmine is the only dog we actually bought.

A few years after we got Jasmine, we started to notice that another dog kept showing up in our backyard. Every time, we would lead her back out of the fence, and every time, she would find her way back in. Eventually, we decided to just let her stay. She didn't have a collar, and she seemed a little malnourished, so we assumed that she may have been mistreated. She was ecstatic when she realized we were letting her stay, and that happiness showed every time we went outside. She would jump all over us and try to lick our faces.

What we hadn't considered was that Princess, as she had now been named, was pregnant. She was so skinny that we never noticed. One day we came home and there were three puppies lying with her under the dog house. The next morning, two more showed up. One of them was so cute that we had to keep her. And that's how we got Hershey.

To this day, Princess never fails to show her appreciation and trust in us. She barely sees us through a window and she perks up, ready to run to the door the second we move toward it. She always wants to be as close to us as possible whenever she can.

That's the thing about dogs. For most of them, you show them one act of kindness and suddenly they love you with everything they have. Their lives revolve around you, and they want to show you how much they appreciate you at every opportunity.

Children are like that, too. Not exactly in the same way, but they also have this trust in people that can come from only a few encounters, sometimes even less. They're nonjudgmental, seeing all people the same (which is why we have to teach them the "stranger danger" rule occasionally). But sometimes, they surprise us.

My boss' daughter once overheard her mom talking to someone who was helping remodel our library. She heard him talking about how he was struggling to find another job after he got done with this one. That night, it was her turn to pray at the dinner table, and she prayed for him. The next day, my boss told the man what her daughter had prayed for. He seemed a little skeptical but appreciated the gesture. However, he found her the next day and told her about how he had gotten a call about a new job opportunity that would be really good for him. He looked at my boss and said, "Tell your daughter: prayers work."

It sometimes baffles me how just one small act from a child can change someone's life. It's incredible. It also makes me wonder: if a little girl is willing to pray for a complete stranger, why can't I bring myself to pray for even the people closest to me?

We all know that stereotypical phrase that's been drilled into us born-and-raised Christians since we can remember: "I'll be praying for you." But often times I find myself using that as a habitual response. Just a "yeah, I hear what you have to say, and I'm sorry you're going through that", not an actual genuine promise.

Lately I've been thinking about the innocence of children. And dogs, I guess, even though that sounds kind of weird. They both are willing to put trust in someone based on how much love is shown to them, even if it's just giving them a toy or providing them with food and shelter.

If they can trust in someone with so little, why is it so hard for me to put my trust in a God who sent His own son to die for me? I mean, that's no small act, that's the act to beat all other acts. And yet, as I've grown older, it almost seems to get harder.

My dad mentioned that when he was a kid, he used to think that the reason we're taught to close our eyes during prayers is because Jesus would literally come into the room, and we weren't supposed to see him. He even remembers peeking through his fingers occasionally to see if he could spot Jesus.

Me? I find it hard to close my eyes and sit still for more than a minute. I eventually have to open my eyes once in a while, sway back and forth if I'm standing up, my fingers even start to twitch sometimes. And it's not because I think there's some heavenly force in the room. It's because I'm impatient. Half the time I'm pretty sure I'm not even paying attention to the prayer. I'm losing the true meaning behind the act of closing our eyes, folding our hands, and sitting still.

Jesus once scolded his disciples for not letting the little children approach him, saying "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." In my Bible, this is what the little devotional thought said about this particular passage:

"Adults are not as trusting as little children. To feel secure, all children need is a loving look and gentle touch from someone who cares. Complete intellectual understanding is not one of their requirements. They believe us if they trust us. Jesus said that people should believe in him with this kind of childlike faith. We should not have to understand all the mysteries of the universe; it should be enough to know that God loves us and provides forgiveness for our sins."

If Princess can still show so much devotion for the people who had pity on her and gave her some food and a home, why can't I show my devotion for a God who has given me that and so much more? If my boss' daughter can show kindness to a man she had only met once, why do I sometimes neglect to do that myself?

I feel like I can't stress this enough in my posts: God loves us. He has provided for us since we weren't even on this earth yet. He has given us more than any of us could have ever asked for. So why do I still find it hard to trust Him? I'm pretty sure if Princess can basically devote her life to a few humans who showed her kindness, I can do the same.

Children make it look so easy. Adults tend to overthink things. A lot. But maybe if we approach things in a childlike fashion, our relationship with God can be so much stronger. After all, Jesus loves the little children.

And dogs, too.

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"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

God Really Does Have a Plan For You

Isn't it funny how we always say "God has a plan for you", but we don't always believe it ourselves? Maybe it's just me. I know for a while that saying this phrase was more of an automatic response than anything else; just something to say when there was nothing else I could think of.

It's even funnier when you feel like you've figured out this plan. You're so sure you know exactly what God wants you to do that nothing can convince you otherwise.

That was me for about an entire year.

For a little while near the end of high school, I wanted to be an actress. I love acting, and I love every aspect of the theatre world. But then, senior year, something changed. I became inspired. I wanted to be a theatre teacher. It was all thanks to my theatre directors; they were some of the most influential people that I have had the pleasure to meet. I wanted it so bad that I even convinced myself that this is exactly what God wanted me to do with my life. This was my destiny, to be really dramatic.

So, I graduated feeling pretty confident in my decision. I was going to audition to be a theatre education major once auditions rolled around again (I had missed the first round). Unfortunately, this meant that I had to wait until the end of the first semester. But I didn't let that get me down. I was very determined. So, I waited, and I practiced my audition pieces, and I mentally prepared myself. I even went in as a theatre minor to try to immerse myself in that community as much as possible.

As the semester went along, I started to notice something. The theatre department was very, very close with one another. They were like one huge family. This made sense, of course. Considering how busy they are, they don't really get to hang out with anyone else. But for me, this was a problem. I couldn't see a place for me there. It's hard to just throw yourself in there without the proper welcome.

I started to question whether or not this was the right decision. The thing was, I was so convinced that this was God's plan for me that I had absolutely no back-up plan. I had no idea what I would do if this didn't work out. So the closer it got to my audition, the more I started to panic. The week of, I had multiple breakdowns where I would just curl up on my floor and cry and just ask God if I was doing the right thing.

The audition came and went. It actually went pretty well. I felt relieved to finally get that over with. But then it was time to wait. And wait. And wait. I eventually got told that I had been put on a shorter list, meaning that I had made it to the next round, so to speak, but there were still several people auditioning so I would have to wait longer. And I started to freak out. Again.

But, by this time, I had found a good group of friends. When I told them how I was feeling, they immediately assured me that everything would be fine, that God had a plan, that they were praying for me.

Then, one day, the letter came. I was at work, and my mom called me to tell me a letter addressed to me had come in the mailbox. I told her to bring it up to school since I was about to get off. By the time I walked out of work, I was literally shaking. My friends were anxiously waiting for me to tell them what the letter said. My mom and I went outside, and after taking a deep breath, I opened the letter.

I don't really remember exactly what the letter said. One word stood out to me. "Unfortunately..."

I stood there staring at the letter, feeling numb. My mom took a little longer, and then she just looked at me. I remember just looking up and saying, "I didn't make it." She didn't say anything; she didn't have to. I started fanning my face with the letter in a sad attempt to stop the breakdown I could feel coming on, but it was no use. I just broke.

My mom was fantastic. She just pulled me in her arms and held me. We were still in public, so she took me to the car. After a few minutes of just crying, she decided to take me home for a little while so I could cry in peace. We drove home in silence, with me crying off and on. By the time I got home, I was sort of calm. But as soon as I walked in my house, I let out one of those heart wrenching sobs that just shakes your whole body with the force of it. And I remember my dad just wrapping me in a hug, and I started to full out sob. I just couldn't stop. For about an hour after that, I just cried in my mom's arms on the couch, my dad sitting across from us; both of them just being the comforting presence that I needed.

I remember all the feelings I had. Sadness. Disappointment. Anger. And then just a sense of being completely lost. What was I supposed to do now?

I had texted all my friends so they would know what was going on. They all told me they were sincerely sorry and that they were there for me.

After a while, I had calmed down enough to head back to the dorm. My mom drove me back, and I slowly walked up the stairs. As I approached my room, though, I saw that there was something on my door. A lot of somethings, actually.

Sticky notes with encouraging words and song lyrics.

My friends had done this in the hour and a half that I was at home so it would be waiting for me when I got back. They also got me a milkshake and sprayed me with silly string. My roommate brought me cookies from work. They all sat down to watch a Disney movie with me. My cousin even came over and brought me ice cream.

They all set everything else aside and put me first for just a few hours. Just because they knew that's exactly what I needed.

It was at that moment, where I felt pure joy and unconditional love from everyone around me, that I realized something. This was part of God's plan. I missed the first round of auditions and didn't get into the theatre department because God knew that's not what I needed. If I had made it in at the beginning, I may not have met the people who I now can't imagine living without. The people who, as soon as I told them that my dream had pretty much been shattered, dropped everything to make sure I was okay. The people who supported me through it all. That's what I needed.

God is pretty incredible, isn't he? He's sneaky, too. He occasionally let's you try out what you think is right, only to prove you wrong and say, "See? I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

This time, I'm putting my trust in God. If this isn't right either, then he'll let me know. He always does.

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"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know  this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

There Are No Small Roles

In theatre, we have this saying: There are no small roles, only small actors. However, once you get into the world of theatre, you start to realize that this is a big lie. At least the way it's worded. Of course there are small roles (and small actors, but that's another point). That's just the way it goes; there are lead roles, supporting roles, and then usually chorus people, who usually have no lines.

I think the problem is that people look at it too literally. Yes, there are small roles. But what I think it should say is that there are no insignificant roles. Even if you have one line in a show, that one line could have a big impact on the plot. I mean, just think: if the part was unimportant, why would the author take the time to put it in their play?

Last week we had a unity service at my church. We usually have an all-English service and then a bilingual service going on at the same time, but we decided to combine the two. We even had some other languages mixed in there as well.

The message last week, which was very well done by my church's youth minister, was an encouraging one about how the church is meant to be one body. He even used the sweaters Dr. Cliff Huxtable (played by the always hilarious Bill Cosby) wore on the Cosby show. If you haven't seen that show, at least go look at some of the sweaters Dr. Huxtable wore; they're pretty great. But the sweaters were made with all different kinds of fabric woven together into one piece; some didn't even look like they should ever belong there.

And that's the point, isn't it?

This morning, my dad used the literal example from the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes the church as one body, and that every part has its own role to play and that not a single one can take over for another part; they are all unique and made for their purpose. An eye can't be a leg, and vice versa. That's just not what they were meant to do. Our eyes have their own purpose, our hands have theirs, our legs have theirs, and so on. Everything has a job to do, and yet they are all connected in one unified purpose. Someone from our congregation said, "The church is not an organization, it's an organism."

That's just how we are, too. We were all created with gifts and talents that are unique and different. Everyone has a purpose in life, something they can do that will have some impact on the world, whether invisible or life changing.

In a previous post, I described a mission trip I participated in. We went to Cuba, and the main reason we were there was for a youth conference they have every summer. And there was one thing people kept telling us four young people in the group, before and during and after: "You guys are the main characters here." I see where they got that idea. I have never been on a mission trip where I have felt so important. I was asked to teach a theatre class. Not just help someone else teach, they wanted me to do the teaching. I've never done anything like that before, and especially not because someone asked me to. But I did. And it was an incredible experience. Not only that; the other three young people either taught a class or helped another teacher. And since it was a youth conference, the people there loved seeing young people from a different country that shared their beliefs.

At the same time, though, the adults were a huge part of that trip. They made all the plans, they taught several sermons and adult bible classes, one directed a choir, one taught a two-part class on marriage, the ladies even had to teach the children's class two Sundays in a row, and they had no idea they were going to do that. Some may believe that the young people were the main characters. That's fine. But I still believe that every single person on that trip was meant to be there for a reason. No one had an insignificant role.

This applies to our lives. God gave everyone a gift, something they are good at that can have an effect on someone or something else. It may be something that seems small and unimportant, but I promise that God had a reason for giving us our talents. We just have to learn how we can do those things in a way that honors our Father.

To finish off this post, I'll share a quick story. Two of my friends got rather small parts for a play that we were taking to a competition. They were bummed out because they hardly ever get the big roles that they really want. I was trying to encourage them, but they wouldn't really listen because I was getting lead roles and they felt that it wasn't fair for me to say those things. But when we performed our show for the judges, they got medals for portraying their roles so well. Hardly anyone in our cast got an award, but they did.

So even if you feel like you have a gift or talent that is insignificant, if you use those gifts to your best abilities, something great will come out of it. God wouldn't give you that talent unless he had a plan for you.

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"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."