Sometimes the mountains in our lives can feel way too steep and it feels so much better to just pretend that they aren’t there. I am a master at doing this and always have been. But here’s a fun fact: just because you ignored those mountains in your life doesn’t mean they go away. One day, they pile up to the point that hope or faith sound like long-lost friends.

If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy, I can only conclude that I was not made for here. I first heard this incredibly personal lyric on an old Brooke Fraser (now Ligertwood) CD when I was 12 years old. I remember hearing the rest of the song and feeling understood in a way I never anticipated before. Suddenly, something deep inside me felt seen and spoken for as I hungrily listened. The statement behind the lyrics comes from C.S. Lewis, the man this song is named after. His version goes a little like this: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

Our country has been living through days and weeks full of heartbreak. We have seen life-altering events take place that have left people both speechless and driven to speak out. It has been a very difficult time for many families and individuals to wrap our heads around these horrifying events and the actions needed to prevent them from happening again. I am not writing this to air out my political views or voice my personal feelings. Quite honestly, that is irrelevant compared to the fact that God so badly wants to show us all His comfort and love in times such as these. That is what I want to share with you today because we all desperately need this revelation in one way or another.

It’s such a simple thought, but just ponder it: faith is the heart and soul of our relationship with God. It is the igniter that brought us to the cross and moved us to commit to Him. It is the lens through which we see the world and the litmus test we use to turn conviction into life-change. It is a tool we use to search our hearts and the baton we must be desperate to pass on to as many people as we can possibly manage.

This past week, God has been revealing two things to me, and those are #1: Everything happens for a reason, and #2: NOTHING surprises God. If I am being honest, last week was the worst handful of days I’ve had in a long time. I faced a couple of really big trials and just like anyone else, I was experiencing a lot of confusion and anger. When things aren’t going our way or things happen in our lives we don’t understand, we tend to let that situation take hold of our joy. I will admit I did that for a while. I almost let the situations in my life win by letting myself become discouraged and wallowing in it, but then I realized something.

First of all, if those verses didn’t make you excited to cultivate a relationship with Jesus, I’mma need you to go back and read that again. Okay, now that you’ve re-read those juicy promises from the Lord, I want you to take a second to close your eyes and remember the moment you decided to ask Jesus into your heart. Fully immerse yourself in that memory of the Holy Spirit tugging you into a love you didn’t fully understand, but wholeheartedly wanted to know. What did it look like, sound like, feel like? Was anyone else there with you, leading you in a prayer, or were you totally by yourself?

In this fast-paced life, it is so easy to get distracted, go off course, become overwhelmed by all our responsibility, and stop believing in ourselves. Lately, God has really been showing me what pure, true, and genuine belief is. I have been learning that when you truly believe in something, like God’s power in you, you are close to unstoppable. It seems like at this point in my life everyone is in a race to get the best GPA or the best job or find that perfect relationship, but God is saying a little something different to me.

Wait. It’s the one command from God that none of us want to hear. We’re taught from a young age to be busy, because sitting still means we’re anti-social, lacking drive, and building an unimpressive resumé. We’re hard-wired to believe that forward motion is the only avenue to success. It’s the only way to feel satisfied. So when God says “Wait,” we automatically see it as the proverbial kiss of death or a test of our will.

For some of you guys this morning, this might be the 100th time you’ve heard the gospel, but for others, this might be the first time you discover it for what it truly is. For the ones that have heard this story 100 times, I pray that this 101st time reawakens your passion and love for what Jesus has done. I feel like many people wonder– what’s so great about this Jesus guy that He started this whole revolution of followers and miracles? The answer is simple. The legacy He left is undeniable and it’s beautiful to see how He continues to change lives with the power of His compassion and love, which just as strong today as it was in the days he walked this earth.

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that youth LOVE talking about Netflix. It seems like every week they come to meetings and discuss what they’ve been watching, quote funny or notable parts, and hash out their fan theories. Recently, one show in particular dominated their weekly Netflix review. Upon finding out I had no opinion to add because I don’t watch it, they wanted to know why. Usually, I’m up on stuff like that, so for me to say, “Oh, I don’t watch that, and I don’t plan on it,” was a rare occurrence.

Growing up, I know I truly found myself in Christ, but I could never get away from feeling extremely unworthy. This has been my struggle my whole life. Though my relationship with God has been strong, there are so many times I have found myself trying to find my worth in something other than my Savior.

I remember stepping out to center stage in my high school auditorium, lights in my eyes, and every chair empty but three. I was a bright-eyed freshman who wanted nothing more than to make the student-run spring musical. I thought it was a big deal because, unlike the faculty-supervised winter musical, not everyone that auditioned made it. Only the best made that coveted cast list, and I had been practicing for days to make sure that my name was on it, no matter the part.

At the start of a new year, we tend to think that we should be living amazing lives. If you are, that’s great! If you aren’t, I want to first tell you that it’s okay, but I also want to challenge you with a question: What are you measuring your success by?

Prayer is my jam this week. Why? I was challenged by a new friend to take part in a seven-day prayer challenge, designed to deepen and enrich prayer life by focusing it past all the requests and drivel that tends to bog down our time with God. Over the past few days, changing and repurposing certain details of my prayer time has reignited my desire to share my heart and time with Jesus.

In this season of New Years we are all seeking and expecting some sort of change. As a society we are eager for results and satisfaction. We see a common trend of people pursuing the change they want right after the turn of the new year and putting all sorts of work in, but than more often than not, most give up or their desire fades out.

Millennials, we’ve all heard it before: in a world of constant connection, we’re disconnected, we’re transient, and we’re disjointed. And those that are looking to hurl the first stone resoundingly blame technology. But here’s the thing, it’s not just millennials. The struggle to connect seems to be the common theme for all of us. Trust me, I get it. There’s not a day that goes by that I can avoid the newsfeeds; especially when most of my young career has centered around social media and new tactics to be seen in a world of endless content.