Guest Post: #Blessed

{Today's guest post is from my friend Maelyn! She's a sophomore at Baylor and was an "intern" at my church over the summer. Maelyn was also a leader at an awsome weekend retreat at my church. She has encouraged me like crazy and I hope this post encourages you too! She has allowed me to take a post from her beautiful blog (http://laughterloveandgod.wordpress.com) check it out!}

My friends & I made it home from Chilis #goodmeal #goodfriends #goodlife #blessed

**In case you didn’t know {Mom}, a hashtag is a category/topic/phrase used to define/describe/go along with whatever you post, see visual aid above.**

I am an avid social media user. I am particularly passionate about Instagram.

Instagram is cool because it makes me feel cool {yes. I did just say that}. It takes simple meals I’ve microwaved, the sunrise seen from my window, the cup{s} of I coffee consume, and makes them look 74829374239x cooler than before. Basically, it takes normal, little things, and makes them a bigger deal.

Lately, I’ve noticed how #blessed has been popping up all over my news feeds.

Some people think it’s a problem. Or just think it’s overused. I myself contribute to this excessive #blessed-ing.

“Ran into this beauty at the library, haven’t seen her in ages! #blessed”

“Worshipping under the stars with fellow Baylor students #blessed”

“Got to sleep in 15 extra minutes this morning #blessed”

I think maybe the reason social media users are weary of #blessed is because they don’t think pictures or statuses posted include authentic blessings. At least, that is sometimes how I feel.

But today, as I was walking to class in the rain with my Rangers ball cap on, inadvertently smiling to myself because 1) I love hats 2)  I love rain 3) it was a beautiful combination of the two, I had an epiphany.

Who  am I to judge how someone feels blessed? No, Instagrammer, you can’t feel blessed during an 8 mile run. You can only feel blessed by {insert medium here: the sunrise, baking warm cookies, cheering your team on, etc.}

Now doesn’t that just sound silly?

God made us differently. We love Him and feel His love in different ways. We hear His voice, are aware of His presence, and see His work in our lives in ways that are unique to us. It’s like God has a specific love language for each and every one of us.

I feel God’s love most when I am in nature. Sunsets, hikes, stars, lightning, oceans,  they all get me. But I also feel God’s love when something spontaneously makes my day: a class is cancelled, a friend brings me breakfast, I was able to squeeze in a power nap. I also feel God’s love through people: reuniting with a long lost friend, engaging in a Spirit-led conversation with my small group, etc.

All of these things make me feel #blessed. But you may not feel #blessed by nature, or by naps, or by talking. You may feel #blessed through serving others, or receiving gifts, or alone time.

God is a straight up genius. He wired us in distinct ways. He knows our wiring so well, He knows us so well. He knows how to speak to us, to love us, to inspire us, to still us, to grab our attention.

The God of the World knows me, He loves me, and He wants me to know I am loved. That makes me feel #blessed.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. Psalm 139:1

Guest Post: God Gives Hope

{This is the first Guest Post on God's Grace! My good friend Hope [disclaimer: Hope is not her real name] has been gracious enough to share her beautiful story on my blog! I hope that her story can encourage all of you!} 
 

When I started high school, I had no idea what to expect. I was transitioning from a private school with 75 eighth graders to public high school with over a thousand freshmen. With no friends there, it was a really daunting thing.

Then, my friends gradually starting fighting and falling apart. Of course, I was always stuck in the middle which is a difficult thing.

One of my friends started going through depression and I was the only one she trusted enough to tell everything to. Mixed with my own loneliness and past pains, it pushed me into my own depression.

It was a really dark time. I couldn't really sleep. I barely ate at all. I started doubting my self-worth and God's love for me.

That led to me cutting myself several times. I didn't cut really big; I didn't want people to notice and say anything about it. I even started considering suicide. I thought no one would REALLY care if I was gone.

This went on for several months. I continued to go to church, but it was just to appease my parents and it felt pretty empty to me. I never wanted to be around anyone, especially Christians; I thought that if they knew what was going on, they would judge me and hate me.

At Easter time, I went to a special service with my family. My church always does something really big.

This time, they paired up with Pixar to come up with some really cool special effects. It showed the outside of an old, charming old house. Then they showed the inside, and it was a disgusting mess. With the music, that really touched my heart. I walked out in tears.

Somewhere between Easter and summer, my mom found out about me cutting myself. She sent me to counseling, which made me feel like there was something wrong with me. But when I went, it actually helped quite a bit. The counselor read 1 Kings 18:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 to me and that really hit home.

After that, I kept coming coming across Jeremiah 29:11 and it kept me going. 

I still didn't really like going to church though, especially the student service. But somehow, I got roped into going to the summer camp that my church has for high schoolers. I was dreading spending a week at the beach with hundreds of people that I didn't know.

It turns out, that God would use that camp to change my life. The people I met were amazing, the services were incredible, and the music was inspiring. I decided to rededicate my life to Christ. I called my mom in the middle of the night to tell her and we cried together.

In front of hundreds, possibly thousands, of people, I was re-baptized in the ocean.

Since then, I've met wonderful new friends and repaired some of my old relationships as well. I have found my calling and will follow God's purpose for my life.

I would tell anyone who is going through depression that they're not alone. There are others that have gone through what they have and God loves them very much, and he cries every time we hurt.

Life doesn't get better, but God makes us stronger so that we can move mountains.