For the Hopeless

Christmas represents many things to many people.  

For me, at my current stage in life, 

the Christmas story is a clear picture of

  HOPE.  

Hope for today.
Hope for tomorrow.
Hope for eternity.

Why is it a message of hope?

Let's start with Mary, who depicted herself as a "lowly servant girl" in Luke chapter 1.  She considered herself a lowly servant girl, and yet the Lord chose to use her.  He had favor on her, for she was blameless in His sight.

I know what you're thinking.  Mary was a virgin and probably the "sweetest, most beautiful, most precious girl in school" back in Bethlehem.  Everybody probably loved her.  She would have been that girl in college you loved and hated simultaneously because she seemed so perfect and always had everything together.  No wonder God chose to use her.  She's June Cleaver for goodness sakes.

Or maybe she was more like Mary Poppins -- practically perfect in every way.  Precious line, but really Walt?  Just kidding, I'm sure Walt didn't write the script.  (Even though he could have, seeing as he died in 1966, and Mary Poppins was first released in 1964.)  But really, what woman wants to be compared to that?  But at least with Mary Poppins, she flies by means of an umbrella she obviously didn't purchase at Target.  That adds even just a hint of fantasy-level to the whole ordeal.

Now let's pause one second here.  It doesn't matter how Mary was regarded by others -- aka it didn't matter what others thought of her or what she thought of herself.  The Lord loved her, despite the fact that she considered herself unworthy.  Here's the reality.  We're all unworthy.

As Christians, we believe that when we accept Jesus into our hearts, our transgressions are completely wiped away.  We are FORGIVEN.  The Bible doesn't say we're only forgiven of certain things.  We are forgiven of EVERYTHING.  Let me not fail to mention, no one is excluded from the Message of hope that comes with the birth of Jesus.  In fact, it is quite clear that everyone is included.  See 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 and Colossians 3:9.  It doesn't matter what you've done.  I can't say it loud enough: It is through Christ that WE ARE MADE WORTHY.

It doesn't matter what you've done, where you've been, who you've slept with, what you've ate or drank or said.  It doesn't matter who you've hurt or who has hurt you or the pain you've endured or the pain you've caused.  It doesn't matter how hardened your heart might be.  It doesn't matter if you're wealthy or poor or Egyptian or American or Sudanese or Russian or Nicaraguan.  It doesn't matter what you look like or who you've dated.  It doesn't matter how many boys you've kissed.  It doesn't matter if you think you are a failure and your life is meaningless.  It doesn't matter if you feel like you have no hope.

Hear this.

YOU ARE INCLUDED IN THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST.

And in the Message of Christ, we're included in everything -- redemption, salvation, life abundantly on earth and in heaven, forgiveness of sin, mercy, grace, unconditional love every day of our lives and into eternity.  Perhaps the good, not-so-old, and really not-so-wholesome film Love Actually portrayed this message quite adequately, even though I realize it wasn't suggesting the Lord in any way, shape or form.

Don't you see?  To the Lord, you are PERFECT.

You think you can't be forgiven?

Ask God to forgive you.

Believe in the truth that NOTHING separates us from Christ.  I've mentioned this verse many times before but let me repeat these words of truth, because they are so powerful.

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?  Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow -- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below -- indeed, nothing in all creation will every be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:35-39 (New Living Translation)

Do you hear what God is saying?

My darling daughter, I don't care what you've done.  You are mine.  I created you.  I knit you together in your mother's womb, because you are my princess.  You are my daughter, my most prized possession.  I will fight for you, if you'll only hold still (Exodus 14:14).  Let me rescue you.  Let me forgive you.  Remember I forgive you the moment you ask, and yet, you continue to beat yourself up about these things for years and years.  You know, honey, I know you're going to make mistakes.  I know that.  But remember, "Who knows if you were made queen for just such a time as this?" (See Esther 14:14) And I'm asking you, on this Christmas Eve to remember the story of my Son.

Unto us a child was born, in a manger, in a stable in the small town of Bethlehem on a starry, starry night.  He entered the world in a less than regal state, and yet He was to be a King.  He lived and taught among the prostitutes, the broken-hearted, the lepers, the unwanted, because He wanted them.  He loved them, for they were his Father's children.  And because of this great love, He eventually suffered a brutal death upon a cross, so that ALL of our sins would forever be forgiven, if only we would ask forgiveness.

Obviously the photo above is not of baby Jesus, but it is of a baby -- my favorite off of the top results for newborn babies on Google Images, in fact.  I'm ridiculous, I know.  I admit it.  (#andiaintashamed for you Twitter users out there.)  Upon looking at this picture, I could not help but be filled with hope.  I am so hopeful for the incredible life that lies before that precious child.  That is the hope that comes with following Jesus, for He came to bring us new life -- life free from sin.  (See Romans 8.)  He knows we are unable to conquer sin alone, but with Him, all things are possible.

I don't care how deeply entrenched in sin you are this Christmas, you are included in this message of hope.  The Lord claims this about His daughters...

 "You are all fair, my love; there is no flaw in you." -Song of Songs 4:7

I wish I could literally jump out of the computer screen and hold the hands of every hurting woman out there, and tell you face-to-face, "There is HOPE."

Just kidding.  This hope isn't going to be found in a jar -- even though I hear the Hope-in-a-Jar moisturizer from Sephora is quite excellent.  It isn't going to be found in losing weight; however, that doesn't dismiss the fact that we must be good stewards of the bodies we've been given and keep them in healthy.  This hope isn't going to be found in a man or a friend or a puppy or money or your job or the possibilities of your 'next big break.'

This HOPE, the eternal joy you're looking for, is found in the story we hear so many times this season -- the story of a baby boy named Jesus, the son of God.  He lived a perfect life and died, because He loved us.  He loves you.  He has and will.  Always and forever.

"There is more than enough room in my Father's home.  If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" -John 14:2 (New Living Translation)

Merry Christmas! All my love!

For the Spelling Bee Queens and Everyone Else

The past couple of weeks, I have had the utmost privilege of volunteering at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City with a few of my friends, one of whom blogs as well!  Read her stuff -- she's wonderful!  These sweet friends of mine have been venturing up to City Rescue since the beginning of the semester, and every time they talked about it, I could not get over how much I loved their stories.  

So they were so nice to let me join them a few weeks ago, and needless to say, I absolutely fell in love.  I've heard it said we are at our happiest when we are living out God's plan for our lives.  Now if you aren't much for religion, obviously you'd refute that statement; however, I believe it to be completely accurate.  I'm not saying I know that through volunteering at City Rescue for three weeks, I have discovered the hidden layers of the Lord's plan for my life.  But I do think that a picture has been reinforced in both my mind and heart about what why I love the things I do.

Nonetheless, yesterday I was playing "Spelling Bee" with a few of my little elementary school friends at City Rescue.  At first I was so excited, because who doesn't love a good spelling bee?!  But soon after we began, I realized that of our two competitors, one was much more advanced in his spelling capabilities than the other.  I was somewhat at a lost as to how to handle the situation.  I could tell the boy who was having trouble spelling certain words was beginning to feel inadequate.  Then Mr. Spelling Stud announced that he had recently obtained 7 Honor Rolls, which honestly I was quite confused how one individual could make 7 Honor Rolls before having entered 4th grade.

But whatever the case may have been, my other little friend stood up and slowly walked away with his head down.  I wanted to start crying.  I felt awful.  Oh "the best laid plans..."  Note to self: NEVER have spelling bees with opponents on such drastically different levels.

I told Spelling Stud that we should probably take a break from our fictional Bee for a bit and walked over to my other spelling friend.  By that point he had sat down all by his lonesome, eyes fixed to the ground beneath him.  I asked him if we could read a story together, and he didn't even look up.  But being the somewhat persistent individual I am, I took his silence to be a yes.  So I picked up a book at random, sat down next to him, and began to read.

We made it through the first couple of pages with minimal conversation -- a little chat about animals.  (For some reason, animals seem to be my go-to topic of conversation with children.  It's weird, but whatever.)  But at the turn of page four, he spoke softly. 

"How does he have 7 Honor Rolls, and I only have 1?  He's better at everything than me -- football, basketball, everything."

My heart broke.  I am so passionate about individuals understanding their self-worth in the eyes of the Lord, because it is a truth that is powerful enough to cast away any and all feelings of self-doubt and self-hate.  Up unto this point, I have really only done a great deal of thinking about this regarding women -- obviously, as I am a woman myself.  I didn't know how to help this little boy feel validated in who he was, because he was overwhelmed by the fact that this other little kid was better than him at a few specific things.  I just wanted to scream out...

But right align with my second nature, I opened my mouth.  "You know, there are always going to be people who are better than we are at certain things.  There is always going to be someone who is smarter than me, wealthier than me, prettier than me, etc.  But that is why we shouldn't compare ourselves to anyone else. We have characteristics that are completely unique to ourselves.  There is never going to be another person like you.  The Lord created you perfectly -- in His image.  And I would venture to say he is not better at you in EVERYTHING.  So we're just going to sit here until you can think of something."

Silence.  Apparently I don't know how to handle silence.  So I began reading again.

About three minutes later, the soft voice next to me spoke again, "Spiro."

"Spiro?  What's that?"  

"Video game.  I'm on at least level 5.  I think he's only on 4."

Cutest thing in the world.  I could hardly keep from giggling, because this child could not have been any more precious.  This whole event made me realize a couple of things.  I have so much room to grow in wisdom before raising my children.  Also, it reminded me of the story in John, where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

I think so many times in life, we are ashamed by decisions we have made, roads we have taken.  We're embarrassed by the fact that we are inadequate.  We look at the people around us and are easily overwhelmed by how perfect they seem and how imperfect we are.  Whether that is because they make more money, seem to have a happier family, have a beach-ready body year-round, never experienced acne, or know a larger number of spelling words than you do... ;)


We allow the world to convince us that we aren't good enough.  We are told lies like if you date that boy, you will be happy.  This diet will solve all your problems.  If only you graduate from this university, you'll be set for life.  We hear these things so frequently, that it is so easy to be deceived by them.  So we try them all out -- search for happiness, joy, contentment -- in all the wrong places only until we're left with more scars than we can count.


When Peter said to Jesus, "You will never ever wash my feet," so much went along with that statement.  I think he was saying, "Me, Jesus?  No, I do not deserve that.  I am filthy.  My life has been nothing but failure after failure.  Who am I that you would wash my feet?  You can't.  I don't deserve it.  I can't even spell."


But Jesus didn't take that response as a possible answer, "Unless, I wash you, you won't belong to me."


Sometimes I imagine what Jesus would say to me over coffee.


"Cait, you know I love you -- for you.  I didn't create you, hoping you'd end up like Suzy Jane or Mary Lee or Lilly Grace.  No, I created you, because I wanted YOU to be YOU.  I have a Suzy Jane who can whip up the perfect pumpkin pie in a matter of minutes, and I have a Mary Lee who is an expert on political theories in the Middle East.  I created you for a different purpose -- a purpose distinctively for you.  And if you spend all your time comparing yourself to these other people, you're going miss out on the wonderful things I have in store for you.  Don't you understand how beautiful I think you are?  I would go to the end of the world just to win your heart.  I love you, can't you tell??  Quit pretending to be someone you aren't, but embrace EVERY OUNCE of who you are.  Can't you see?  I love you despite all your imperfections?  Always and forever!!!!"

"Yes, my darling, you are a princess in my eyes.  But no need to make yourself up like one.  You're beautiful just the way you are."

It's so easy let the world convince us that all the qualities and characteristics we lack are the things that define us.  She's not good at tennis.  Or he doesn't know the first thing about playing guitar.  But I refuse to let the things I am not be what defines me.  As followers of Jesus, we have been washed clean (psalm 51), and we belong to the Lord.  And "we are God's masterpiece.  He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do all the good things He planned in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).  Furthermore, "He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

Pray about who you can encourage to trust in the truth that we were each created for GREATNESS.  And then encourage them.  More to come.  All my love!