Finding Beauty in Every Season

As I write this, snow melts outside my window. It doesn't snow much in South Carolina, so when it does, I cherish it, because I know it’ll probably be at least another year before it come again.

Although the cold seasons are my favorite time of the year, I must admit: I've been having spring fever recently.

Memories of sunny days by the pool, flowers budding on trees, the aroma of honeysuckle, waking up to the chirping of birds, and catching fireflies in the evenings (you’re never too young) fill my mind as I stare out my window, watching leafless trees sway within breezes.

Yet there’s something wrong about this. Because not too long ago, I was sweating from the heat, dreaming of cozy days cuddled by the fire and reading a good book.

Why is it that, no matter what season it is, I am always wishing for the next?

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Guest Post: How to Turn Your Everyday Life into a Ministry by Photographer David Wahlman

Hi, everyone! I hope you're all having a great start to the new year. =) 

As you can probably tell, I haven't been blogging much this year so far. 

For starters, my MacBook is unfortunately at the laptop hospital (AKA Apple) getting some repair work done. I am also going to take a small step back from blogging this year (which means that--rather than blogging 3x a week, I will blog once or twice a week). 

I really hate doing this, but I've realized that I need to carve more time out to write. However, this also means that I will have a new book coming to you sooner (hopefully)!

Anyway, today I have a photographer from California--David Wahlman--here to discuss what it means to be a Christian in the workplace. 

(And yes, you can apply this to your school as well!)

♡ ♡ ♡

Does God Call Us to Be a Missionary at Home?:

So often individuals in the church hear the word ‘missions’ and think of trips overseas to help orphans and villages that have never heard the name of Christ. 

This is definitely an aspect of being on missions, but Jesus didn’t just limit us to far away places. You can be on mission right where you already are.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus promises the disciples the Holy Spirit and tells them to be His “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

So yes, the ends of the earth is a part of His commission, but we often forget that Jesus mentions Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria as well. 

If you know the geography of Israel, then his words would have a greater meaning. Jerusalem is reference to the place right were you are; the place you call home. 

Judea is the area surrounding Jerusalem; this could resemble your community or your city. Geographically, Samaria was right between Jerusalem and Judea and a ‘good’ Jew would not pass through Samaria, because they were ‘unclean’ and not ‘as good as’ the Jews of Jerusalem. 

I’ve heard Samaria being compared to the places or people you would not generally associate with or that you even consider your enemy. 

So, essential, Christ calls us to be on mission right where we are, the surrounding areas, where we aren’t accepted or loved, and to the ends of the earth. 

You don’t have to be overseas to be on mission for the Lord.

Being on Mission in the Workplace:

Many in the Church today (including myself at times) have a tendency to compartmentalize the areas of their life. We’ve got home, work, church, and social all separated. 

The truth is, if we truly believe that Christianity is suppose to be a lifestyle and that He has made us a new creation, not just for Sundays, then Christ is to be our all and in all. That includes your workplace.

I am owner and photographer of Wahlman Photography and for a long time I hadn’t considered how I could use my profession as a mission field. But when I finally thought about it and asked God, I realized that I can have a heavy impact. 

For a while I was primarily a wedding and portrait photographer. I was constantly dealing with people, the very apple of God’s eye. I had the chance to work with couples, families, individuals, and those getting married. 

What better opportunity for me to affirm them in the beauty of the way God created them and share Christ’s love! 

I may get the chance to share what biblical matrimony is to those getting married and God may use it to set a foundation for their marriage. In more recent days, I’ve begun to take more of a fine art photographer, creating series with very distinct themes and messages. 

Art in itself is a language; a way of communicating. I must be aware of and intentional about what my work is saying. I can also use this towards my mission, by communicating that which is of the Kingdom. 

There are many ways I could use my career for the purpose of Christ’s kingdom.

I’ll guarantee that--if you apply yourself and ask God for guidance, you’ll find a way to be on mission regardless of what you do. 

Whether you’re a salesman, business man, architect, truck driver, or plumber, you can find ways to glorify God. When you wake up in the morning, offer yourself as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).

Ask God each day how your attitude and actions can proclaim Christ at work. The biggest impact that your career can have on people is you. 

You are a light in the world. You are God’s temple. You are the salt of the earth. The way you interact with people, the way you carry yourself, and the words you say are the most impactful thing about your career. 

So don’t you dare think that just because your not overseas, you’re not on mission. 

We live in a fallen world and that includes the one right outside our door.

I implore you brothers and sisters to be men and women driven by the kingdom’s purpose. He wouldn’t have commanded you to glorify Him in all you do (Col 3:17, 23) if it wasn’t possible. 

Ask God and seek out how you can live on mission in every aspect of your life. The next step is doing. “Glorify” is a verb. “Love” is a verb. “Go” is a verb. “Witness” is a verb. 

Being on mission is a lifestyle of action and the time to start is today.

♡ ♡ ♡
Thanks for sharing this with us, David! This came at a perfect time for me, too, since I am currently trying to decide on whether or not I should write YA fiction in the secular market as well. For more information about David Wahlman's photography, be sure to check out his website here.
Readers: Do you think it's possible to turn any career and everyday life into a ministry? How could you, a teenager or student, follow this example in your school? Please share your thoughts below!

More Than a Christmas Carol

photo credit: moritzaust via photopin cc

Every Christmas and all throughout the world, people are acknowledging Christ. Christmas songs that proclaim Jesus’ birth are still played in shopping malls and sung on the lips of those who may not know Him. Jesus receives the kind of glory that He should in the month of December.

Of course, many of the carols we sing are simply traditions. They’re considered to be classics rather than hymnals that glorify our Savior. And unfortunately, even Christians—including myself—tend to forget the true meaning behind these songs that we habitually sing.

But they’re more than just songs to celebrate Christmas. The intention behind these songs was to remember our Savior’s birth.

Since it is easy for these carols to lose their meaning after hearing them dozens of times, I’ve decided to take one of my favorite ones and reflect on its lyrics, paraphrasing the truths behind each line.

Below are 5 takeaways from the song “O Holy Night”:

  

1)    Jesus is the light in our darkness.

“O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of Our dear Saviour’s birth.”

All throughout the Bible, God uses analogies and symbolism to illustrate Biblical truths. I believe that the birth of Jesus is one of the most beautiful examples of this.

It is no coincidence that the wise men were led into the city of Bethlehem by a bright and shining star. Similarly, in the midst of the darkness of our life, God will be our light. He can guide us through this world and bring hope, guidance, and peace in each step.

2)   In the midst of despair, we have a reason to celebrate.

“A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”

It’s a shame that the holidays can cause so much anxiety for us at times. It’s the exact opposite of how God wants us to respond to the birth of His son.

Jesus came to rescue us. He came to bring salvation for humanity, to offer hope in the midst of our weariness.

And this is the greatest gift of all. This is why we should be full of joy this season, celebrating our Savior’s birth.

3) In Christ, we are all created equal. In Christ, there is only love.

“Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother.

And in His name, all oppression shall cease.”

The one who belongs to Christ should never have a reason to feel rejected. God’s law is love—it is not rules. Those who follow Him should never have a reason to feel condemned.

Christmas offers the perfect opportunity for Christians to spread this love by reaching out to the needy and to those who may feel unloved, just as Christ did. It is our job to become a representation of this love, to become a light in this dark world, and to share this freedom with others without judging or discriminating.

4) The first Christmas was a precious and sacred night, despite the circumstances.

Even though Jesus was born to a nobody in small-town Bethlehem—in a stable, nonetheless—this was a moment to be glorified.

“O hear the angle voices

O night divine!

O night when Christ was born

O night divine!

O night, O night divine!”

Jesus was worth the highest honor and royalty treatment, and yet God allowed Him to enter into this world as if he were an average human.

Maybe God wanted us to realize that what the world deemed as significant really wasn’t significant at all. Despite the fact that Jesus’ birth was not triumphant in the material sense, it was still sacred. The earthly circumstances could not have taken away the peace and joy that were experienced in the stable on that night.   

And that alone should give us hope.

5) We get to praise His name forevermore. 

“Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we

Let all within us praise His holy name

Christ is the Lord!

Their name forever praise we”

When we think of Jesus’ birth, we can experience the same joy that pierced through the darkness 2000 years ago, despite what our circumstances may look like. And from the joy in our hearts will rise a desire to glorify Christ’s name forever—from now and into eternity, from earth and into heaven. 

As you sing the classic Christmas carols this season, I challenge you to look behind the words. Let’s receive the true Christmas spirit that God wanted us to have while we celebrate Christ’s birth, remembering that precious, holy night.

“Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine
Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine
Noel, Noel
O night, O holy night”

{I'm taking a blogging break until Monday, January 5th. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! =)}

Being Different From the Rest of Them

One of the hardest things about being a teenager is the pressure to fit in. To pretend to be someone you’re not. I came to this realization when I reached sixth grade, watching all of my former friends separate into cliques and obsess over makeup, boys, and drama. They became someone they weren't and only because it seemed like the thing to do since they were no longer considered a little kid anymore. 

 It was also at this time when I came to the realization that I wasn't like the rest of them. After a while, I started to not feel right about this. I mean, shouldn't I have been like the rest of the girls? There had to have been something wrong with me.

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