1 Timothy 4:12 Girl

Some Thoughts on Tragedy and the Resurrection

March 23, 2016February 4, 2017 CourtneyLeave a comment

Yesterday, at Brussels International Airport, two bombs went off and killed over thirty people, with many scarred by the trauma of the event. (www.bbc.com)

But that’s not the first tragedy to strike the world. Just last year, ISIS struck Paris in a series of traumatic attacks. And, a couple of months back, California dealt with their own incident, this one a shooting. Not to mention that we have hundreds of refugees fleeing from danger in their own country and hundreds of our own citizens dealing with homelessness, poverty, disease, abuse, and about a thousand other tragedies.

Most of this doesn’t even surprise us when we see it. It’s just another hour of nightly news, which leaves us asking “Where is God in all of this?”

It has often been said that tragedy is the atheist’s best argument against God. After all, if God is good, why would He allow suffering?

The truth is, we often don’t know. We can’t always explain the reason behind every tragedy. While I believe that God can work through tragedy, I don’t believe He ever causes it. It is simply the result of living in a fallen world. Someday, God promises to take away the suffering of the world, and make it bright, beautiful, and new.

We have hope, even in a world that’s broken. Jesus experienced suffering on this earth too, as He died on the cross to wash away our sins. And, because He did, no matter what we go through in this life, we can have hope for the next. Hebrews 9:28 says “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t stay dead. God Himself looked tragedy straight in the eye so that in the end, none of us would have to. He was beat, flogged, and harassed, and nailed to the cross in hopes that each of us, when we came to the end of life, wouldn’t be faced with death but new life.

And, because of the cross, we have been given the freedom to go to God directly and approach Him with anything that may be weighing heavily on our heart.

God is bigger than the tragedies that we face in this life. I am not saying this to belittle what the people affected by Brussels went through, but to remind anyone reading this that we have hope beyond this life. As a popular worship song titled Your Love Neve Fails says, “there may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

This Easter week, let’s praise God for the life that He’s poured out for us and remain in prayer for all those around the world dealing with hardships.

A Letter To My Freshman Self

March 10, 2016February 4, 2017 CourtneyLeave a comment

Dear Freshman Courtney,

First of all, congratulations on making it this far! You’ve survived Jr. High! Now…on to high school! You’re going to face some of your greatest and worst moments during this period of your life, so strap your seatbelt and prepare for the ride!

I know how alone you’re going to feel in that art class, but hang in there! You’ll make it through! It can hard to feel that you’re on the outside of things, but it will be that very feeling that will help mold you into the strong, confident person that you’re going to become! It will also help you gain greater compassion for others who have been there.

I also know that you’re struggling in your faith right now. You’re getting older and beginning to wonder how it fits in your current stage of life (Believe me, it does!). You have a lot of questions and are going to spend a great trying to figure out answers to every ideological/political/religious issue under the sun (Because that’s just how your brain works). You’ll find answers to some of those questions. Others, you’re still trying to figure out.

That’s OK! You don’t have to have every single thing figured out about the world around you. But, don’t be afraid to ask questions! That’s how you grow! God can handle the questions; He’s a big God.

And that “grand moment” that you’re longing for will happen, but somewhere along the way you’ll come to find that each and every day you have the opportunity to make a difference. You don’t just have the opportunity to let your light shine and make a difference on stage or speaking in front of a crowd; you have that opportunity each and every day just by living your life. You’ll eventually start your own blog and twitter account, which will give you the opportunity to share you’re thoughts and opinions with the world. Believe me, you’ll get a kick out of that.

I should probably also warn you that the time between Freshman and Junior year is going to spin a little bit out of control. You’ll lose friends, deal with various situations, and struggle to stay strong. But don’t worry! There’s a light at the end of the tunnel (I was there, so you can trust me)! You’ll meet a really nice girl during the summer between 9^th and 10^th grade. You’ll become good friends and grow closer to some of your current friends. You’ll also become friends with a girl from Texas and communicate via video chat. The age of the technology…

It will take time, but you’ll finally move on from all of the stress that hit you in the face during that time period. You’ll begin taking a theater class, which will quickly become your favorite class. You’ll love the craziness and camaraderie, and become good friends with your classmates. You’ll perform plays, act out skits, and laugh a whole lot!

You’ll also start going to a new church and feel very at home there. It will start out meeting in a movie theater and they’ll play really cool Christian electro-music. You’ll walk in and it will feel unlike any church you’ve ever been to. You’ll learn a lot from your new church, Christian blogs, and a really cool online Christian magazine called RELEVANT.

Finally, you’ll arrive here, writing this letter to yourself. You’ll make great friends, gain wonderful opportunities, and have some really cool classes. Oh sure, you’ll have your off days. But, you’ll grow to become confident and outgoing, beginning to see life as God’s story. And, if you had never experienced each chapter before this one, you may never have arrived where you are today.

Sincerely,

2016-Courtney

Waiting And Trusting

March 1, 2016September 9, 2018 Courtney4 Comments

Hey everyone! I’m back in the blogging world! Sorry for the long hiatus (apparently my last post was twenty-two days ago…eek!). I’ve been keeping busy with school and revising a book that I’m writing (or, should I say re-writing?).

But, I’m back and I finally came up with a topic to write about (YAY!!!). This post is going to be about…wait for it…wait for it…It’s going to be about waiting! Yeah…I tried to throw in a little joke there.

Lately, as I’m getting older and closer to becoming an adult, I’ve been hyper-focused on my dreams and goals. A couple of years ago, things like a future career seemed so far off. Something to worry about in the distant future. But, suddenly, everything feels super close, which raises a million unanswerable questions to surface. Will my writing career sink or swim? And if it does work out, how? Should I make this change or that change to my book? Are my characters distinct enough? Are they relatable?

And then there are the more universal concerns.

In a couple of years I’m going to be living on my own, will I be able to handle it? I still only have my permit and haven’t even been practicing my driving lately. Will I ever get the hang of it? And, what will college be like? Will I be able to handle college math (My worst subject)?

I find myself caught between now and the future, half wishing I could ride in the crazy scientist from Back To The Future‘s time machine and be assured that everything will fall into place. But, I have something better than a time machine: God’s word.

As Christians, we’re not left alone to worry about the future. God speaks about this topic numerous times throughout Scripture.

““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?” Matthew 6:25-27

““For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”” Jeremiah 29:11

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

God has our whole lives planned out, and His plans for us are beyond our wildest dreams! We may not be able to see the future, but God can. Plus, if we could see into the future, we’d miss all of the surprises that come with living! As scary as it can often be, it’s also exciting to know that God has good things planned for us that we can’t yet fathom. At times, we may wish that everything would just happen right now. But, sometimes He sees things we can’t and has us wait for a reason.

Two years ago, I would have loved to perform a song that I wrote right then and there; but God had me wait until it I got better at singing and composing the instrumental for it. As hard as it was at the time, I’m now thankful that He had me wait. I trust that this is true for all my other goals/dreams/aspirations as well. God may be growing us during times of waiting, and asking us to trust Him with what you can’t see. He may be planning opportunities that can only be found further down the path of life. We don’t always know why God asks us to wait, but we can know this-

We never have to wait alone, because God is always with us, and always has our best interest at heart. ❤️

This song, While I’m Waiting, is from the well-known Christian movie, Fireproof. I think the song fits this topic pretty perfectly. 🙂

The Best Kind of Love

February 8, 2016February 4, 2017 Courtney5 Comments

Valentines day.

A day when couples celebrate their romance and singles celebrate Netflix.

Or, at least, that’s how it’s how it is often characterized. Admittedly, I’ve been single for my whole life, so I honestly don’t have much helpful advice in regards to relationships, except to follow the Bible, ask for wisdom from wise mentors, never compromise, and pray a lot.

But, I do have a thing or two to say about love. Because regardless of whether or not you’ve ever been in a relationship, if you’re a Christian, you’ve been given the best kind of love. A love that took human form and willingly allowed Himself to be “pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our sins” (Isaiah 53:5).

A Love that left Heaven in all of it’s glory to unite us to Him.

A Love that allowed every person the opportunity to find Him and live in Heaven with Him for all eternity.

A Love that made all who accept it one giant, diverse family.

This love is the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. John 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This is exactly what God did for us.

But, the picture gets even more beautiful. Because of this amazing, out-of-this-world love, Christians are given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of this counter-cultural kind of love. We’re invited into the family of God and called to invite others into this masterpiece. Following God is ultimately a call to love and be loved.

Maybe you’re single this valentines day. Perhaps you’re dealing with a breakup or unrequited feelings. Whatever your relationship status this Valentines Day, I want you to remember that you are loved. God’s love never fails, and I’m willing to bet that you have a handful of other people who care about you too. If you want something to do this Valentines Day, perhaps you could go out with a group of friends and celebrate your friendship. Or, you could spread the love by volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. There are a lot of ways to celebrate love this Valentines Day.

And, the first place to look is up. ❤️

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11. (NIV)

What Does Jesus Look Like?

February 4, 2016February 4, 2017 Courtney2 Comments

If someone had never opened a Bible, what would they think about Jesus?

Would they see Him as loudmouthed, always spouting off right-and-wrong and shaking His fist at the crowds? Or, would they see Him as loving, deeply interested with who each individual was as a person, and wanting to see them live a beautiful and vibrant life?

Would they see Him as fearful, convinced that if A+B doesn’t happen, the whole world as we know it will come to an end? Or, would they see Him as calm, knowing that whatever happens, God has the ultimate authority?

Would they see Him as exclusive, only welcoming some people? Or, would they see Him as radically inclusive, building the most diverse family ever known to mankind?

As you read these, different people may have come to mind, but how about if they saw you? What do your actions communicate about Jesus?

A couple of months ago, Buzzfeed came out with highly controversial video titled “I’m Christian But I’m Not…” While I understand the concerns that many expressed about the video, it serves as a huge wake up call. Rather than having a knee-jerk-reaction, it would be helpful to ask ourselves why so many of them felt a need to clarify their faith. It seems that Christianity currently has such a tarnished reputation that people felt a need to explain themselves.

This shouldn’t be the case. When Jesus was on earth, He was radical. But, not in the way that many today would expect. He was radical in love. He loved the very people that the rest of society shunned. He turned both church tables and people’s perceptions of God upside-down. They expected powerful leader, not a carpenter-preacher. Rather than law, He preached grace. Rather than power, He taught humility.

As Christ’s representatives, we’re called to do the same. We’re called to love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable. Now, obviously we’re not perfect. If we were, we wouldn’t need Jesus. We’ll never be able to flawlessly immitate Jesus here on earth, but if we show love and grace, we’ve demonstrated the most important attributes of His character.

The most powerful sermon we’ll ever preach is the one that we live with our lives. Thus, I challenge you to live grace.

To show it to even the most difficult of people.

To love people where they are.

To live in such a way that anyone who saw you would get a window into the amazing love and grace of our Savior. 🙂

When God Closes a Door…

January 28, 2016February 4, 2017 Courtney4 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I was given a reminder.

This wasn’t just any reminder either. It wasn’t a reminder about homework or about chores.

It was a reminder about a time when a door was dramatically slammed in my face. It was a reminder about something that happened that came completely out of nowhere. It was a reminder about something that I had to leave behind.

It was a weird feeling, as memories that I haven’t even thought of in a long time flooded back to a less-then-pleasant time in my life. I didn’t understand why things had to happen the way they did; why everything had to change so drastically and so suddenly.

A couple of months later, I finally understood. I found out some details that pertained to my situation and “thanked God I didn’t get what I thought that I deserved”, in the words of Carrie Underwood’s song, Good in Goodbye. Today, I realize that what happened was for the best.

Oftentimes, when God closes a door, we don’t understand why. We want things to happen our way in our timing. We plead with God, we ask why, and we we analyze our situation to death. Nonetheless, I’ve found that every time God has closed a door, it’s been for the best. The times that God has said “no” and “wait” have always been times that have led me to something better. Whether it be with an opportunity or relationship, God always knows what is best for us.

Perhaps you’re going through a time like this right now. Perhaps God is shutting a door that you’re struggling to pry back open. You cry out to God asking “Why?” You ask how this could possibly be good. If this describes a situation in your life, hold on. God has a greater plan for you than you can even imagine right now. That closed door will end up being the very door that steers you to find an open window. You may not see the light right now, but believe that it’s there. God never closes a door unless He has something better for us, and endings are always portals to new beginnings.

If God says no to something, it’s because He sees what we can’t. We can only see the here-and-now, but God sees the big picture. In the movie Do You Believe life is compared to a tapestry. Our lives are all intertwined, threaded together to create a masterpiece. From our perspective, we only see a mess of scattered threads, but from God sees the full tapestry, in all of it’s wonder and beauty. Each event is one chapter in the story of humanity, and every end leads to something far better.

So, next time God closes a window, take heart. God is opening a window somewhere else that is more amazing than you could ever imagine. 🙂

God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knows.-Tim Keller

Unity, Love, and The Church

January 20, 2016February 4, 2017 Courtney2 Comments

If you’ve been hanging around my blog for a while, than you probably have seen that I’ve spent a little bit of time talking about the LGBT topic. You’ve probably also seen that I stand in a bit of an odd place on the issue. I hold a traditional interpretation of Scriptures’ boundaries on the issue, however, I support a lot of the causes of the movement, such as stomping out gay bullying and creating a safer environment for LGBT teens.

Personally, I believe that this is an issue that should concern us all as the body of Christ. I’m aware that there’s a variety of opinions about topic, and if you want to know more about my personal stance, you can look up Wesley Hill and Matthew Franklin Jones, or look up any of my previous posts on this topic.

But, that isn’t really what I’m going to address in this specific post. Because regardless of your stance, I think we can all agree that we have a problem right now.

Hundreds of teenagers are being kicked out of their homes for having a gay orientation (Or same-sex attraction. Whichever term you prefer)

Interview: LGBT Youth and Homelessness

According to http://www.speakforthem.org, suicide is the leading cause of death for LGBT youth

According to http://www.bullyingstatistics.org, nine out of ten LGBT youth report being bullied for their orientation.

Houston, we have a problem.

It’s not just a “gay” problem either; It’s a people problem. The people being affected are living, breathing, human beings created by God, just like me and you. Right now, hurting people are being even more deeply wounded by those closest to them. Not to mention that according to Spiritual Friendship, many of the teens being kicked out of there homes are celibate, being deserted by their families simply for having feelings!

So, how should we, as Christians, engage in this dilemma? Some may feel that the only way to do so is to support gay marriage, but I don’t believe this is the main issue. I think some of the biggest problems that we have right now are

Within Side B churches (Churches that don’t affirm gay marriage) gay behavior is often viewed as the worst sin
A lot of gay Christian teens and young adults are combating high levels of fear and anxiety, worried that their attractions somehow disqualify them from being a Christian.
Many LGBT youth deal with bullying and scrutiny from family, friends, and classmates.

These are all areas that we can work on regardless of our beliefs.

Pertaining to the first problem, Jesus always reached out to those whom society shunned, including an adulteress (John 4), a tax collector (Mathew 9:9-13), and many more. Jesus did not always agree with a person’s actions, but He still saw them as a person. He made us all equal under the law and reached out to all of us through grace. We have no reason to believe that He wouldn’t do the same today.

Concerning the second problem, many leaders are finally beginning to speak out about this problem (Praise God!). Andy Stanley recently stated that “church should be the safest place in the world for gay teens“, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Also, many people who grew up in the paradox of being both gay and Christian are beginning to speak out on blogs. Spiritual Friendship, a project dedicated to finding a positive narrative and calling for LGBT Christians, is probably one of the largest.

As I’ve done a lot of research on this topic, I’ve found far too many testimonies of people who have grown up head-deep in fear. Teenagers (and adults) who identify as gay need to know that they are loved by both God and the church. And, they have so many amazing options within orthodoxy, such as close friendships, and possibly even sharing a house with a friend. Churches that are Side B and promote celibacy as the best option for gay individuals need to make it widely known that this does not mean a lack of love, denial of feelings, or loneliness. In fact, many gay celibate Christians would say it’s the exact opposite. I have read countless blogs from people who say that celibacy is actually a great avenue for love and community.

Lastly, we need to be just as involved in the fight against bullying as the mainstream culture. It’s a huge problem right now and many teens are afraid to go to school because of this. Some even feel that their lives do not matter. Groups like The Trevor Project have stepped in to help LGBT teens struggling with depression and I applaud them for it. Christians are often very vocal about organizations that they disagree with, but what about the ones that we can (and should) support? I don’t think any of us condone bullying, but right now, Christians aren’t doing a whole lot to stop these tragedies. We can’t be apathetic about this. In many endeavors, Christians have been the loudest voice and we need to use that same passion for the vulnerable. Imagine how shocked the world would be if Christians, in armies, got passionately involved in the fight against bullying and suicide. It would be incredible!

My vision for the church is that someday, gay individuals will feel comfortable sitting in a church, and coming out won’t be the scariest thing a gay Christian will ever have to go through.

Someday, it is widely known that God’s grace extends to all.

Someday, I hope and believe that the problem of bullying and suicide will lessen.

Someday, we will all be seen as nearly navigating the affects of the fall, and doing so together as a church family. People will not judge or condemn on the basis of attraction, but have the courage to embrace each other in the love of Christ and say “You are my brother.”

We cannot afford to step back in this pivotal time in history. To quote the lyrics from Those Who Can’t Speak by Tenth Avenue North, Derek Minor, and KB

“I don’t want my son to say I was one of the ones
that watched 27 million suffer and never say no, no, I won’t be that
I don’t deserve a mic if I ain’t got no feedback.”

How will Christians of the 21st century be remembered? Will future generations be able to say that we sought justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with our Lord (Micah 6:8)? I want to be able to tell young people in 2060 that I did my part in making the world a safer place for all people; that I dared to be an Atticus (To Kill A Mockingbird) even though it wasn’t always the popular thing to do. I want to be known for taking a stand.

And, change starts by standing together. 🙂

The Liebster Award!

January 17, 2016February 4, 2017 Courtney2 Comments

Good morning everyone! I hope you’re all having a great Sunday! I have big news to announce…Dainty M nominated me for the Liebster Award! The Liebster Award is an award given out to bloggers as a form of encouragement. It is passed on from blogger to blogger and each person who receives it must answer the nominator’s questions. The rules for it are

Post the award to her blog
Answer the nominating blogger’s ten question interview
Nominate 3-10 other bloggers with fewer than 3,000 followers whom she wants to encourage
Create ten questions for the new nominees.

Thus, here are my answers to Dainty M’s questions!

What was your first blog post? (insert the link)

It was called Summer Goals. https://1timothy412girl.wordpress.com/2015/06/13/summer-goals/

In case you’re wondering after you finish reading it, I did eventually get my permit 🙂

2. Describe your happy place

Ok, this might be kind of nerdy, but I really enjoy retreating to my room, turning on the Christmas lights over my bed, and writing. I also love diving into a good book. Currently, I’m reading Above The Line: Take One by Karen Kingsbury for fun and The Outsiders for school. So far both of them are good.

3. What challenges have you faced being a blogger?

I think one of the biggest challenges that any type of writer faces is the challenge to stay true to yourself. There’s always that inner critic who makes you question whether you should be writing about something else, or if anyone else will like the topic you chose to write about. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that it’s important to stay true to yourself, true to your artistic vision, and true to what you believe God is prompting you to write. Another challenge of blogging is time management. Since I’m still in school, I sometimes have the dilemma of coming up with a really great blog post while I still have piles of schoolwork to complete. I think that time management is a key word for the writer.

4. What’s your favorite food?

I know this is seriously unhealthy, but I love cake! I don’t like chocolate, but vanilla cakes are amazing! Especially the icing between the layers! Yeah…I have a bit of a sweet tooth.

5. Who supports your writing the most?

This answer may sound a tad cliche, but I’d have to say my parents. My mom has been helping me improve my writing since I was a little girl and when I published my first book a couple of years back, my dad had me help with yard work to earn money for the expenses. My mom also always reads the books that I’ve written and has recently encouraged me to try sending in articles to magazines to get my name out there. I’m very blessed to have parents who support my writing career.
6. What is your favorite Bible verse?

Hmm, that’s a hard one. Obviously one of my favorites is 1 Timothy 4:12 (Considering that’s the name of my blog!), but I also love Matthew 5:16 and Philipians 4:13. So, I guess I have three favorites. They’re all very inspirational and encourage me to make a difference in the world. 🙂
7. Who is your favorite musician?

Another hard one…I guess I would have to say Taylor Swift. If you look up some of her old videos on Youtube, you’ll find that she composed many of her songs when she was still a teenager. Some of my favorites songs by her are Change, Mine, Enchanted, and If This Was A Movie, but I like a lot of her songs (Yes, I’m indecisive!).
8. Describe your blog in one word.

Inspirational (I hope!)
9. Apart from writing, what other skills do you have?

Writing is my main passion, but I also love singing and acting. I used to be pretty good at basketball, but I haven’t played in years.
10. Movies or novels?

I honestly love both, but I’m going to have to go with books. I like how with books, you can really get inside of the characters heads and see their emotions. I also find beauty in an eloquently crafted sentence.

Now, to pass on this award, I nominate

Patty Ayres from christianpear
Grace Torgerson from lifeofgrace
Grace from soygracechoi
Grace from 0nmytoes
Natalie from summitcitysingle

The new questions are…

What did God teach you in 2015?
What are your goals for 2016?
What is your favorite book (Or series)?
Favorite movie?
Favorite month?
If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be?
Which person in the Bible do you most relate to?
What is your current favorite song?
What is your biggest dream?
What color best describes your personality and why?

Don’t Be Afraid to Dive

January 13, 2016February 4, 2017 CourtneyLeave a comment

Childhood summers.

Days filled with friends, relaxing, and the local swimming pool. The feeling of walking on sun-kissed pavement into the coolness of the water. You know you have to go all the way in, no matter how cold it feels. So you take a deep breath and go under, your hair drenched with water and chlorine. You see kids jumping off of the diving board, which looks like great fun. You get in line, climb the stairs, and look down into the water. Somehow, you muster up the courage to jump. You hold your breath and cannonball straight down into the water. Finally, you accomplish the next great hurdle of the swimming pool. Diving. You aren’t allowed to dive from the diving board (Ironically), so you go the edge of the swimming pool. You put your hands up, bend down, and fall headfirst.

You go headfirst into deep water. You don’t know what will happen. But, you come up again. You swim to the top, with a wave of determination rushing over you. And, you come up, greeted by sweet victory.

Diving can be scary. Letting ourselves fall seems counter-intuitive to everything instinct seems to tell us. We don’t want to let go. We don’t want to loose our grip on gravity.

It can be the same way with our faith sometimes. The thought of committing everything to a God who we can’t see or touch sounds foreign to us. The thought of letting go of the reigns sounds downright frightening. Nonetheless, I’ve come to find that when we surrender to God, we become more fully ourselves.

God made each of us with great potential, but what we do with that potential is up to us. He wants to work in our lives in ways that we could never even dream of, but whether or not we let Him is our choice. Surrendering to God does not mean losing ourselves, it means becoming more authentically us than ever before. God gave us our personality and passions for a a reason, He’s not going to call us to something that we hate. He takes seeds buried deep in our heart and waters them.

I’ve always loved stories and I’ve always known that someday I want to write professionally. When I became a Christian, I realized that I could use my passion for written word in a way that makes a difference, both in this life and the next.

Another thing that I’ve gotten into is lyric-writing. I wrote my first “song” when I was about seven or eight years old. When I got to high school, I began writing song lyrics as sort of a personal diary. As I’ve grown in my faith, my songs have reflected that. Someday, I hope to get those lyrics out there as songs that inspire and encourage others, just as songs by people like Britt Nicole have inspired me.

Whatever your goals, whatever your personality, and whatever your passions, I urge you to grab onto them, and dive into the ocean of faith. God can take those things further than you can dream, and use them in ways that are beyond what you can imagine.

So look into the water, bend down, and don’t be afraid to dive. 🙂