Not to worry

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
John 14:1

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."
John 14:15

Over and over throughout Scripture, we are commanded not to worry. We are told to simply trust God, not worry about what tomorrow may bring, and not be afraid.

This is one of the many things God has been speaking to my heart over the past few months. Basically, if I'm truly living a life sold out to God, I shouldn't be worrying about anything. Period. God promises he will take care of us, so I should take him at his Word and not sweat it. I have to trust, even when I can't see.

When I worry, not only am I calling God a liar (because he promises to meet our needs), but I'm disobeying his command to not worry. And, if I'm worrying about something, it's a pretty good indicator I am trying to have some degree of control over the situation, instead of leaving my life surrendered in God's hands. Worrying is also kind of pointless: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27). So true, yet so easy to forget in the moment.

Basically, when I worry, I'm just messing up left and right.

This isn't an easy lesson to learn and I know I'll never completely grasp it, no matter how hard I try. But nevertheless, I am going to try my best to live my entire life in this way. I do love the Lord, so I want to obey his Word. Which means no worrying. No matter how tempting it may be.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6

Tree collapses in South Knoxville

During yesterday's crazy storms, a huge tree collapsed near a home in South Knoxville. You have to watch this video on the incident. The sound bites are absolutely priceless. I dare you to watch it without laughing...

Farewell, Jason

Jason Dane Hovater

August 10, 1983 - July 13, 2008

Last Sunday our country lost one of its best.

Army Weapons Specialist Jason Hovater was killed in action in Afghanistan early Sunday morning, July 13, 2008. His body was laid to rest today with full military honors in the Tennessee Military Cemetery in Knoxville.

Some of the soldiers with him said he died trying to save his friends. Apparently he was in a safe location, saw three of his friends in a dangerous spot, grabbed his gear and went to help them, sacrificing his life in the process. Jason is truly a hero.

This hits close to home for me. This isn't simply another East Tennessee soldier killed in action (and each soldier lost is a great loss). Jason was a soldier with a passionate love for the Lord and a personal acquaintance of mine. I went to church with Jason at New Covenant Fellowship for about three years. While we weren't close friends, I still knew him and have been truly saddened and touched by his passing. I still can't fully wrap my mind around the fact that he's gone.

And I can attest that everything I've heard about Jason in the various reports and tributes following his death is true. Jason loved the Lord, he loved Jenna, he loved his family, he loved music and worshipping the Lord, he loved his country, he loved to laugh and make others laugh, he flat out loved life. And he was full of life. I think that's one of the things that seems so hard about his death. One can't help but ask, "Why?" He was so full of life and had so much going for him. The only answer to that is simply to trust that God has his reasons. He is worshipping in the very presence of the Lord at this very moment. I firmly believe that.

As a news intern at WBIR, I was able to help behind-the-scenes in the initial story we did on Jason's death. While it was sad and sometimes difficult to work on a story on Jason's death, it was also a privilege to be able to help show people who Jason was and help them see that Jason wasn't just another Army number. It was our hope that our story would show people the real Jason. It was and is my prayer that God will be glorified through Jason's life and death.

Here are some links to learn more about Jason and his story:
"East Tennessee soldier's body returns home"
"Friends and family say goodbye to soldier killed in Afghanistan"
"Hundreds gather to lay to final rest fallen Lake City soldier"
"East Tennessee soldier killed in Afghanistan laid to rest"

I also want to encourage people to watch this interview with Jason's wife, Jenna. I thought Jenna did an absolutely outstanding job with the interview. I am so proud of her. I can't even begin to imagine the pain she is going through right now, but she's standing strong and clinging to God to help get her through. My prayers are definitely with her and Jason's entire family.

Farewell, Jason. You are a hero. Although it seems to us that your life was cut short way too soon, you made a difference here and you will be greatly missed. I will see you again someday.

For the love of rain

I'd never been a big fan of rain...until recently. I've always preferred the sunshine. Last year's drought has given me an entirely new appreciation for rain. As the earth became incredibly dry last summer, I found myself welcoming any forecast of rain and enjoying it when it came. When we were nearly 14 inches below normal rainfall last year, I would have welcomed a particularly rainy year for 2008 in order to help repair some of the damage from the drought. This year's below average rainfall has only increased my joy at seeing rain. I guess there is some truth to the old adage, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

I now love to watch the rain fall. Even if it means that I have to walk around campus in it or rearrange outdoor plans. So what if I have to get a little wet or be a little flexible? At least the earth is getting some of the nourishment it needs.

So while I still love sunshiney days, I don't mind if there's a rainy one mixed in every once in a while. ;) It takes the sunny days and the rainy ones to achieve the balance needed for things to grow.

And really that could apply to life itself. It takes the seasons of joy and "sunshine"--the good times--and the times of gray skies, rain and storms--often the not-so-good times--to help shape us into the people God desires us to be. And just as we should learn to appreciate both sunshine and rain here on the earth, we should learn to welcome the good and the hard times in our walks with Christ and not let anything steal our joy. We should praise Him at all times and in all circumstances.

In a writing mood

So why am I suddenly publishing three new blog posts in one day after weeks of silence? I'm in a writing mood. I can't even put my finger on what I want to write--I'm just itching to put my fingers to the keyboard or pen to paper. I like blogging, so hopefully I'll get back in the habit of frequent blogging and really put my page to use. My mind is quickly coming up with new ideas for blog posts, so hopefully I'll actually have the time to turn those ideas into posts when inspiration hits. Any suggestions on what I should write?

Music on my blog!

I've finally figured out how to add music to my blog! Not only will the music actually play while you're reading the material on my page, but it will play the entire song! Definitely a step up from the little iLike song snippets on Facebook! I chose some of my favorite quieter songs to provide a more soothing background. As most of you know, I love a good loud and upbeat tune, but I figured that might be a little bit of a jolt when you first arrive at my page. ;) So...I hope you enjoy the music while you're reading!

Surrender

Surrender.

The word itself sounds simple enough. Yet its meaning packs a powerful punch.

According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, surrender means:

Verb:
1) To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or
compulsion
2) To give up in favor of another
3) To give up or give back (something granted)
4) To give up or abandon
5) To give over or resign (oneself) to something, as to an emotion
6) Law To restore (an estate, for example), especially to give up (a lease)
before expiration of the term

Not an easy task.

As a follower of Christ, surrender must not simply be part of my vocabulary, it should be an active part of my life. My life is not my own, it was bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). My daily activities should reflect that.

In the above definitions, the act of surrender is a one time deal. For example, if two armies are fighting in a war and one surrenders, the war is over. Finished. The general of the surrendering army does not have to come back the next day and say, “Hey, we surrender again.”

However, for the Christian, surrender is not just a one-time experience. It must be a daily thing. So often, as Christians, we fall into the trap of living in past events. Sure, one may have surrendered every particle of his or her life—all their hopes and dreams, everything—to God years ago at church camp or at a church meeting, but does that still play an active role in his or her life today? Yes and no. Yes, it was a valid experience with God and one can wholeheartedly surrender everything to Him in that moment, and I’m not discounting that in any way. Been there, done that. But how many times since that moment have I re-seized control of my life? And how many new dreams and desires do I have that need to be surrendered? Or what about something as deceptively simple as the agenda I have for my day? The answer is yes, I have plenty of new dreams, plans and agendas to surrender, and unfortunately, I have taken back control of my life countless times, more than I care to remember. Surrender is not a one-time event.

Daily surrender is definitely Biblical. It is a form of dying to self. And this isn’t just about dying to the hopes and dreams we hold closely in our hearts. What about our time? Are we willing to surrender our day to the Lord and let him structure it for us? Heaven forbid we have to be inconvenienced and set aside some of our plans for the day because God has something else in mind. And what about dying to the fear of man and being a bold witness for Christ? Often, that can factor into our time as well. Are we willing to stop in the midst of what we’re doing to share the truth with someone, regardless of where we are and who might be listening/watching?

Jesus discusses this in Luke when he says:

Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
- Luke 9:23-24 NIV

I also liked the way these verses are worded in the Message translation:

Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?

In the same way that one should make sure his or her spiritual armor is in place or be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, one has to die to self and surrender to God on a daily basis.

Paul urges us in Romans to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices” to God:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
- Romans 12:1

Once again, I love the Message translation as well:

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

This also brings up a good point. It takes God’s help for us to completely surrender to him. We have to make a conscious decision to do it—but God meets us at that place. When we humble ourselves and let him take control, he gladly helps us to follow his lead. God wants all of us, every day.

The many synonyms for “surrender” listed on thesaurus.com also raise some interesting points. Some of the synonyms include: abandon, comply, resign, concede, relinquish, submit, vacate, waive, yield, abdicate, give over, give up, lay down. Almost all of these involve, to some extent, the giving up of one’s rights, which is exactly what God wants from us. When we surrender our lives to him—at salvation and every day—we are declaring that we have given up our rights to live our own lives. Yes, we certainly have rights as sons and daughters of God—but we relinquish our “right” to control our own lives and live them for ourselves.

I am preaching this to myself probably more than anyone else who might read this. God has really been working with me on this over the past week and a half, thus the inspiration to write. ;) He started the process by asking me to let go of the tight hold I had on the hopes and dreams buried deep inside my heart, and then challenged me to be willing to surrender my time and reputation—everything—for Him, every day. God has also really been stretching me in the area of waiting for Him. Just because he plants desires in my heart and gives me a tiny glimpse of what He has planned for the future, does not mean that the future is now. And I can’t—and shouldn’t try to—box God in and try to tell Him how He needs to work in my life.

I can be a bit of a control freak at times, so this is often difficult for me (and I’m not using my personality as an excuse—far from it). I have often found myself .tricked into believing I am completely surrendered to Christ, only to find myself clinging tightly to small areas of my heart that I don’t want to relinquish control over. Typically, the control is motivated by fear. I’m afraid of what might happen if I release control. In reality, that’s ridiculous. Even in my short twenty-one years on this earth, I’ve already learned time and time again that God definitely knows better than I do how to run my life. Left on my own, I only mess things up. But God, in his grace, can take my messed-up life and do something beautiful with it, in it, and through it.

God has particularly been working with me on the day-to-day act of surrender. I’ve discovered that daily surrender is a very conscious decision. At least in my own life, it simply hasn’t been enough to just say that I’m surrendered to God and not deliberately re-surrender myself to him everyday. If I don’t, I find myself unconsciously taking back control. So for the past week and a half, each day has involved an act of surrender. Goodness knows I don’t have it down yet, but with God’s help, I’m working on it. And I’ve found that although surrendering is a difficult and often scary process, the rewards far outweigh the pain. I’m never as at peace as I am when I’m surrendered to God. I want my life to be fully surrendered to Him at all times and in every way.