The Art of Not Letting Circumstance Define You

When my alarm went off on Friday morning, the very first thought that ran through my head was this, 

“Now is the time to seize the day. Don’t be afraid and don’t delay. Nothing can break us, no one can make us give our rights away. Arise and seize the day!” 

If you don’t know 90s movie musicals like I do, that’s a song from Newsies. 1992. Christian Bale. Vinnie from Doogie Howser. Bliss. And their voices were in my head. 

No joke. 

I had tickets to see the musical, Newsies, at the Smith Center. I couldn’t wait. I sang the songs from the movie all morning long. My poor co-workers thought I was crazy, as I sang songs about New York and bringing Pulitzer down! 

I was on a high and I couldn’t wait for the curtain to rise. And then it happened. 

I work in a call center. One of the calls that came in was with someone who was both drunk and high. The callers were discussing sensitive issues. I was having a hard time with the call, but thought I could manage... until I took my next break.

Gone were the funny songs. Gone was the laughing and dancing. In their place was a cloud; dark, painful, seeing the worst in humanity.

I tried to shake it off, remembering that this wasn't MY call, it wasn't MY life, and that I serve a God who is much bigger than this. It just wouldn't go away.

Then, when I was almost home, I got a call from a good friend. He and I were discussing church, our goals, how to help people grow and seek Jesus more effectively. When I hung up, I rolled down the window, grinning at the warmth of the sun on my arms, got myself a Cherry Slush from Sonic, and felt like all was right in the world... and prepared to go have the time of my life at Newsies.

What?!
I mean... really?
Am I so fickle... am I so centered on my circumstances, that I let outside events dictate how I feel, and ultimately... who I am?

As I was getting ready that night, I started thinking. Do I really believe what God says? Do I believe what He says about me? About the other people in this world? About Himself?

I know the answers to those questions are "Yes." Maybe I should say, "Yes, mostly."

Because God says that I am the apple of His eye. That I am a treasured work of art--despite external circumstances. God says that He cares so much about the other people in this world--even those who are drunk and high and who people want to give up on--that He was willing to give His own life to bring them to Him. That they, too, are cherished. And He says that He is good, and purposeful, and works things together in the right way (albeit, maybe not the most comfortable way), and that He will never change, ever, and never leave me alone. Ever.

And if I can just learn to rely on THAT truth, instead of the things that I see during the day that can cause all kinds of uproar, I might end up feeling a little less... insane. A little more consistent. A little more the kind of person that He wants to shape me to be.

The more that I seek Jesus, the more these circumstances slide off of me and don't form who I am. The more that I seek Jesus, I see how deeply He is seeking me, and instead of allowing myself to absorb the anger and despair I see every day, I can feel His love and compassion for the circumstances that brought this about. When I'm confronted with the cultural mindset of poverty in the United States, I can choose not to judge, but instead to care. When I see people verbally abusing each other because that's all they've ever been taught, instead of cringing, I can pray. And I can live my life in such a way that can show love to people who've never felt anything other than condemnation and judgement.

This is not easy. This does not come easily to me.
But this is what Jesus would want in our world. More people loving. More people caring about others. More people depending on Him instead of letting our circumstances dictate who we are.

I will not be the same person I was on Friday, because Friday taught me something. Friday taught me that I need Jesus as my rock. So next Friday, when I have a call with someone who is drunk and high, I can commit to take one very difficult step closer to Jesus. I will grow. I will change. I will fight to lean more on Jesus and less on circumstance.

And it will be worth it.

What are your goals?

I hate resolutions.  Seriously.  Resolutions are so often ridiculous and rarely, if ever, kept.

However… I need some kind of pressure to be motivated to DO anything, so I like goals.  Tasks.  Things that need to be accomplished WITH a due date.  And a new year is a really good time to set year-long goals.

Unfortunately, that just happens to coincide with New Year’s Resolutions.  Phoey.

Let’s review some of what makes a good goal.

It’s specific.  It’s not, “Exercise more.”  It’s, “Be able to run a mile without stopping.”

It’s achievable.  It’s not, “Read 500 400+ page books.”  It’s, “Read at least 2 books a month.”

It’s challenging.  It’s not, “Speak in Toastmasters when I can.”  It’s, “Compete in a Toastmaster’s speech competition.”

I’m trying to evaluate my life and find goals that touch multiple areas.  I probably have more goals established than I should, but mine have become very specific--that Toastmaster’s competition one is real, folks.  I also still have a couple vague ideas that sound a lot like resolutions that I’m trying to figure out how to make into a goal.  I like that process, though.  It means that I get to spend time with the goal before I commit to it.  See if it is something I want to have happen this year.  If it fits my vision for the upcoming year, maybe if it fits where the church is going for the year, and what is happening in my life.  There are a lot of very good goals out there that I have not adopted, simply because they’re not a fit right now.

So what are your goals for 2015?  This isn’t my entire list, but here are a few of mine:

• Read at least 12 books this year, 6 novels, 6 ministry-specific (I get distracted very easily lately, so I need to remember that I LOVE reading)
• Compete in a Toastmaster’s speech competition
• Blog at least once a week for one year (started this month!)

Share your list!

What the Doctor and Aslan Have in Common

Today's post is brought to you by my inner nerd.  The Whovians* will thank me.

First, I want to take you to Doctor Who.  The Doctor is a Time Lord.  He's old (life times old).  He travels in a blue police box called the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) that's bigger on the inside and can go anywhere in space and time.  And when his body is dying, he can regenerate--he becomes a new Doctor... The same man and memories, but a different body, a different bent to life.



When the Doctor regenerates, regenerative energy releases from him... you can see the golden glow in these pictures of Doctors Ten and Eleven.  It's LIFE...  LIFE being breathed out of one man into the universe.  LIFE that truly brings salvation to the people of earth time and time again.

Take another trip with me.  This time let's go to Narnia.
Home of the White Witch, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Mr. Tumnus the Fawn, and Aslan... the Lion who is Lord over the land.  Not to throw out spoilers, but Aslan gives his life for people.  But because he so willingly made that sacrifice, he, too, was able to bring salvation.  For me, one of the most meaningful scenes in the movie is when Aslan, brought back to life after his sacrifice, finds Mr. Tumnus, the fawn who cared about little Lucy Pevensie, and was, for his loyalty to the true Narnia, turned to stone.  Aslan approaches the stone fawn, who's face is contorted in fear and pain, and breathes on him.  He breathes life.  Health.  Salvation.  Mr. Tumnus LIVES because of the breath of Aslan.

Folks...  we don't have the power to breathe on someone and see them saved or immediately made hopeful or turned from stone to life.  However, we DO have an incredible gift that we can share.  We have the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God, pneuma, the breath of life.  Our every breath, our every word, should drip with the Spirit, offering the gift of hope and LIFE.

The Doctor's regenerative energy came out of him as a natural process of his regeneration.  He didn't force it.  He simply breathed.  Aslan knew that he had a gift of life and simply gave it.  He didn't hesitate and stand back in fear, wondering if Mr. Tumnus would opt to remain frozen in stone forever.  He simply... breathed.

We have fear, I get that.  I experience it, too.  Fear that our friends and family will look at us like we're crazy.  Fear of rejection.  But I have to wonder...  Would it be better for me to have a friend say, "No thanks, I'm not into that?" or for God to ask me, with tears in His eyes, "WHY, Daughter?  I put YOU in her life to show my Spirit and my love to her, and you left her... alone.  Hopeless. Without Me.  Simply because you thought she might say no?" 

If we are willing to love people, to speak life, to serve and pray and speak and laugh and cry with others... then maybe Mr. Tumnus really can come back to life--or someone's stone-hard heart can soften and start beating again.


Side note:  If you're reading this and feel frozen like Mr. Tumnus... There IS hope.  There is a chance to thaw, to love, to rejoice, to LIVE again.  This life is found in Jesus.  Friend... Jesus loves you.  He cherishes you.  He has an adventure out there that's custom designed for you.  And He just wants you to believe.  

NOW is the time to believe...  to open up your heart and simply say, "Jesus... I need your help.  I want YOU to be involved in this crazy life I'm leading right now.  I want purpose.  I acknowledge that you are God, and I believe in You.  I want your change and hope and love in my life."  If you pray that, will you do me a favor?  Will you tell someone?  Tell me, tell your spouse, tell your BFF, tell a co-worker... just TELL someone.


*A Whovian is a fan of the TV Show "Doctor Who" - if you're not a fan, you should be!