HeTunes

I came home today and felt like just sitting down and playing my guitar, so I did. I brought it down to Fort Lauderdale with me for my last semester and picked it up every once in a while. Since I've been home, I haven't really devoted much time to playing, except for today. I opened my guitar case and got the tuner ready (because I knew it would need some fine tuning). Fine tuning….ha ha- that's an understatement. My guitar was so out of tune that the strings were registering under names that weren't even their own. Finding this quite humorous, I somehow drew this conclusion.

Lately, I've been feeling so "out of tune." Not that moving back to Lake Placid was a bad thing, but it has definitely required a change of schedule. I talked a few weeks back about how God gave me new friendships in Fort Lauderdale to be more dependent upon Him instead of on others. You would think that after all that drama, I would have learned my lesson. Apparently not. These past few days, I've been more concerned with spending time with friends or doing my own thing to even give God the time of day. And while it breaks my heart, because I know that deep down it isn't what I want, I can't imagine how much it breaks His. Reminds me of the "How He Loves Us" song. Mrs. Denise mentioned on Sunday morning of the incredible, unconditional, unending, undying, and passionate love Jesus has for us. That I even have the audacity to simply "fit" God into my day instead of building it around Him is just insane!!!

It's like Paul wrote in Romans about doing what he didn't want and not doing what he did want to do (that might have sounded a little confusing, but see Romans 7:14-25). Imagine going into a relationship and pouring hours and days and weeks and months of time, energy, love, emotions, etc. And then imagine the person that you have devoted all this to, just ignoring each and every gesture of love you sent their way. It would be heart-breaking, absolutely heart-wrenching. I can't imagine how it would hurt; yet, I do it to my Creator…more often than once! I know this is just the Devil trying to get in the way of my growth in Christ, but this time, I'm going to recognize the enemy and do something about it.

Just as a musician tunes up a guitar, so God will tune me up and set me back on the right track. I might not get there right away and I might bounce back and forth before striking the right note, but I'll get there. My tuner? His word. I am just so thankful that I serve a God who is the Master Musician, who has created a beautiful song for my life. Forgive me, Father, for thinking my own music is better than yours. You can't tell a guitar is out of tune by simply looking at its appearance, you have to pick it up and play it. In the same way, people can hide how they feel and pretend to be something they aren't. It might look good, but oh boy, is it agonizing to the ears! When we are out of tune with Christ, we can never be as we were created, no matter how good we look on the outside. A guitar can look like a guitar, but if it is out of tune, it doesn't make music the way it was created to.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the fake, American Christianity. I'm tired of people pretending that they have it all together when they are falling apart. Isn't that what the church is for- to help the broken? To restore peace to the restless? To give hope for the hopeless? Isn't that what Christianity is about in the first place??? Every Wednesday, every Sunday, when we join together should be an opportunity for us to minster to each other, pray for each other- keep each other accountable. I don't think once someone at church has asked me how my devotional life is going; on that same subject, I haven't really done that much either. Isn't that silly? When we greet each other on Sunday mornings, maybe we can ask if we need to pray for something instead of just the "Hey. How are you?" We know the answer we'll get from that one- "I'm fine, how about you?" (Oh-how original- lol).

What if our church started acting like a church instead of a bunch of perfect people who were too busy to do what we were created to do? That might sound harsh, but that's what God laid on my heart. I'm just gonna say it right here- I don't have it all together, nor do I want to ever pretend so. But, Jesus can take my brokenness and use it, if I lay it at His feet. The little pieces that I have, He uses to create something amazing. For sure, I am a work in progress!

We have to stop living a life that is content with "lukewarm Christianity," myself included. I know that if we all really tune in to what Christ has in store for us, we'll be much more effective in reaching the lost and ministering to fellow believers. God never used perfect people in the Bible. If He used people that didn't need His help, He wouldn't get the glory. Look all throughout the Bible and discover story after story of people that did the impossible because God was on their side. Then He gets the glory, instead of us. Let's stop being fake. Let's stop living safe. Tune into what God has- and prepare to live the most incredible musical melodies ever experienced (each one unique and captivating in its own way)! When people hear the music, they can't help but be moved and join in- and soon enough, this choir of believers will be worshipping the Lord of Lords in a land far, far away from hurt and pain and sorrow, and everything else the world throws at us. In fact, these things won't even be in view. Let the music begin! : )

Last Day at the Club

This post comes a little late- after all this packing up, moving, unpacking, and getting adjusted to a new schedule. Just wanted to post these pictures from the Boys and Girls Club where I've been volunteering for this past semester (the second picture definitely tells the truth- lol). They have been working on a show called "The Mystery of Gachet," and have developed into quite the playwrights, actors, actresses, dancers, and vocalists. I'm sure their shows next Friday and Saturday will not disappoint! It was a great honor to be a part of their hard work for the past few months, and I look forward to working with them hopefully next year when I return to the Fort ; ).