Broken Baby

Yesterday I was going through my younger siblings toys, organizing and throwing out junk and broken ones. I came across a baby doll that had obviously encountered a dog or other animal of similar taste at some point because one leg had been chewed off. I threw it away, only to receive protest from Olivia when she saw it in the trash. I explained to her that it was broken, but she continued to protest–she likes playing pretend with the baby doll, even though it is broken. Finally she walked away, but her words remained and echoed in my heart and mind.

Other broken toys she understood being thrown away, but there was something about  the baby; she couldn't stand to think of it being in the trash.

But how often do we have this mentality in "real life?" If something isn't perfect, unbroken, and "whole," we subconsciously label it "garbage." Is it any wonder, then, that so many view the brokenness in this world with disdain and/or disgust? That, for many, when a mother is told there is a chance her child could be born with a disability, it is almost assumed that she will get an abortion and end her child's life.
When something is broken, we throw it away. If something is scarred, we attempt to cover it up or hide it. If something is different from the "norm" in some way, it is considered a negative thing.
But what does God say about brokenness?

Matthew 5:3-4
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
Jesus displayed a heart of compassion for the broken, healing many. Did He physically heal everyone? No. We know that ultimately, we will be healed. But as we walk on this earth some of us have been chosen to show even more clearly His grace, and His strength in our weaknesses. Sometimes we don't understand why He allows things, but we can find comfort in knowing that the suffering, pain and hardships in this life will one day pass away, and this flesh is only temporary: 

Revelation 21:4"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

And in the midst of suffering we know that "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34:18).

But how are we to deal with brokenness? What should our response be?

Psalm 82:3"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and
 oppressed." 

As Christians, God has given us the blessing of spreading His love and hope, and the privilege to be His hands and feet. He has commissioned us to reach the broken!
I'm reminded of the song "Blessings" by Laura Story. There is beauty in brokenness! Light shines even brighter when it is in the midst of darkness.

Isn't it amazing that God can use the simplicity of a child to reveal His heart? I realized that my thinking was faulty. Will I keep every broken toy/object? No, certainly not, this is only an illustration/object lesson. though I may think more about re-purposing beforehand. (;
But God used this to show me a bit of His heart. And it was a learning experience for both Olivia and I. I told her that she was right, just because something is broken doesn't mean we should throw it away, and God makes people different this way sometimes. We took her baby out of the trash, and I showed her a video of Nick Vujicic to help her understand and to familiarize her with the reality of brokenness in the world. She watched it with great interest. After the video she took her baby (we found clothes for it and dressed it) and played with it for awhile. Sweet little one! I see God at work in her even at her age, and I'm looking forward to seeing how God will use her!

Here is a link to the music video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrV_ZvwZRvw

Thanks for reading! Blessings to you!

                               Victoria Christine

A Second Chance

On April 1st, there was an accident out in front of our house. Several people were involved, but none were seriously injured . The person at fault was badly shaken up. I saw her pacing and could see she was ready to snap. I stood to the side, just watching. And did nothing.

Later that day I wrote in my journal asking God to forgive me for not reaching out to the woman.
I went on: "She was scared, I could have been your arms. I missed that opportunity. Oh Lord, don't let me do that again. Give me another chance. I ask for opportunities but don't take the ones You give! No wonder You use others. Don't give up on me Father!"
Then, today I wrote "Lord, You are wonderful! Grant me the strength and all I need in order to bring glory to You. Teach me, use me and make Your presence known in my life. Have Your way in me! Let me be a light for You. Also, provide opportunities for me to reach out, show me them clearly, and help me to see and seize the opportunity to reach out to the broken.
In Jesus name I pray,
                      Amen."

Earlier today, I was upstairs staining a shelf in the (house) barn loft when I heard the screeching of tires on pavement. My mom, younger sister Olivia and I paused as my mom and I listened intently. After a few seconds my mom said simply "No boom." Olivia and I were silent for awhile, then Olivia asked "Mommy, what did you mean when you said 'no boom?'"
When she received no reply (my mom was busy with something) and asked again, I answered, explaining what most of us had learned since moving next to a busy highway: if we hear tires screeching and then a boom (or it can be vice versa) we know there has been an accident. No boom/crash, no accident. Satisfied with this explanation, Olivia went on with whatever she was doing, and I fell silent again.

A little later (maybe 30 mins. to an hour), as I was just finishing with the shelf, I heard a loud crash/boom. This time was for real. I ran downstairs and outside and looked around.
The noise had come from a driver hitting the curb and two road signs which now lay in the middle of the road. My mom and I moved the signs off the road and then decided to go across the road to where the driver had pulled over. An elderly woman was at the wheel, and two men who'd witnessed the accident were there with her and had already called for an ambulance. She had a pretty ugly cut on her forehead and scrapes up her arms and on her face, but nothing too major. She had some memory loss and couldn't remember exactly what happened. Obviously distraught and still somewhat dazed, yet clearly aware of her surroundings, she sat half in/half out of the car as my mom talked to her and hugged her for awhile, assuring her that she'd be okay. Then as she stepped back I came forward and asked if she'd like me to pray with her. She readily agreed and I leaned into the car as I prayed, with her listening silently while holding napkins to the cut on her forehead. We stayed with her until the paramedics and police arrived (seemed like it was forever!), then left.

Of course, I was reminded of the opportunity I'd skipped out on nearly two weeks ago, and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am that God answered my prayers, and for this assurance that He hasn't and will not give up on me, even when I fail Him.
Now I want to encourage you: God hasn't given up on you either! Ask Him for opportunities to "be the light" and "be his hands and feet" like all these songs we often thoughtlessly sing, and believe me, He will bring about those opportunities. But seize  that opportunity! Don't let Satan hold you in fear, don't let him reason you out of it, because he'll try. Thoughts like "She'll be alright. Her family is on the way. It's none of my business. I'll just be in the way." will come. Most of the time, they're just excuses that Satan willingly provides at your convenience.

Be who you were meant to be! His hands, His feet, His light shining in the darkness. It's scary at first, and maybe awkward at times, but don't let that stop you. You never know when a simple smile, a word of encouragement, a prayer, a hug or even a pat on the back will change a person's life.

I came across these verses randomly this morning and barely skimmed over them but outlined them for future reference, and am reminded of them now:


“Is this not the fast which I choose,
         To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
         To undo the bands of the yoke,
         And to let the oppressed go free
         And break every yoke?

7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
         And bring the homeless poor into the house;
         When you see the naked, to cover him;
         And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

8“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
         And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
         And your righteousness will go before you;
         The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
         You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
         If you remove the yoke from your midst,
         The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,

10And if you give yourself to the hungry
         And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
         Then your light will rise in darkness
         And your gloom will become like midday.

11“And the LORD will continually guide you,
         And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
         And give strength to your bones;
         And you will be like a watered garden,
         And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

12“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
         You will raise up the age-old foundations;
         And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
         The restorer of the streets in which to dwell."

-Isaiah 58:6-12

            Blessings to you today!
                                        Victoria Christine

The Greatest Gift

I was raised in a large homeschooling family, and among my siblings I witnessed many different forms or expressions of artistry and creativity–my older sister can play just about any instrument within minutes of picking it up for the first time and also happens to be a prodigy when armed with a paintbrush or pencil. My older brother is a computer genius, my younger brother is very intelligent and gifted in mechanical things, my younger sister has the voice of an angel–and the list goes on.
For years I struggled to see in me what I saw in them nearly every day: A gift. A passion. Talent.
I felt as if somehow I'd been "skipped in the gift distribution factory in heaven." I cried over the issue and poured my heart out to God time and time again. I wasn't particularly smart, certainly didn't feel creative, and wasn't demonstrating any special talent or ability, unlike my siblings.
Then, by God's grace I was introduced to a medium altogether unfamiliar to me, but one which soon had me enthralled with its possibilities: the camera.
Not an expensive one, but a simple, cheap camera. My parents, and really everyone I believe, was shocked. Technical particulars aside, I began composing images which expressed creativity and imagination. I surprised myself!
People started noticing. After years of playing around with a cheap camera which was intended to be used for simple snapshots, a kind neighbor and another observant friend gave me two more "point-and-shoot" cameras. Then one day a friend who'd received a nicer camera as a gift offered me the use of his camera until I could save up enough to purchase my own. Armed with this camera I joined a photography group. At the group I met other photographers who offered their assistance, and one even offered me a position in her business as an assistant. I accepted the help, but declined the position. I did not even own a camera suitable for the position! Before I was able to save up the necessary amount, however, my sister purchased for me the camera I'd been saving for and gave it to me as a gift.
Photography has become more than simply an outlet for creativity. It has become my passion! I face new challenges with every shoot, and make many mistakes, but I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to my Lord for revealing in HIS time the gifts that He'd assigned me.

I believe that even the simplest photographs can tell a story. Whether it is expressed through a tear in a subject's eye, the beauty of a rose or the innocence of a sleeping babe, photography presents the potential to bring glory to the Divine Designer and Author of creativity. It has the potential to bring awareness to the needs of the world, and to inspire the passive and indifferent life to one of passion and enterprise.

I encourage you who are reading this to consider this truth: Just because you've not discovered your gifts, or are not yet aware of them, does not mean that you have none, or will never discover them. God in His perfect timing, will reveal them to you. He does not ask you to serve Him with everything you think you don't have, but with what you know you do. And as you serve, you might just be amazed with the gifts you see emerge in your life. We ourselves do not deserve credit for the gifts we possess, but the Creator–whose Spirit within gives us the ability to do wonderful things and to express true creativity–is the One deserving of all glory and honor. But truly, the greatest gift to be received is the presence of the Spirit of God within our hearts. If you have not yet received this gift, I urge you to accept!

Blessings!
              ~Victoria Christine

Lose Weight, Get in Shape

My breath made little clouds on the glass as I stood motionless staring out the window only half-comprehending the snowflakes each in their own unique design falling by the millions outside our cozy home. The world was a wonderland alive in my imagination.  
Okay, so I have to be more honest than that. Truth is, I was home alone, bored out of my mind, and resisting the urge to re-activate my Facebook account. But for me, often boredom can be a good thing (okay, sometimes). It forces me to be still. It quiets my ever-active self and makes my heart and mind more alert to the working of the Spirit.

In this case, my mind wandered to weight loss and getting in shape. Don't laugh, this is serious. Okay you can laugh, but in all honesty this is what I was thinking of. Then, a thought came to me: Losing weight does not equal getting in shape.
I pondered it for a short time, and then went on my way. Then, just an hour or two later, I had another dull moment. Something nagged at me. What was it that I was thinking of earlier? I'd tacked it to the bulletin board in my mind (Human Pinterest?) for future reference and soon was able to sift through the appointments and to-do's and recall what I'd been pondering. Then I pondered some more. Then a verse came to mind, and I turned to my journal to write down what I was thinking. It was something like this:

"Losing weight does not equal getting in shape.

Hebrews 12:1 says "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,..."

While losing weight is the first step, we've got the whole race ahead of us! We can't just abstain from the unhealthy, we have to be proactive. So get your running shoes on.
Nonetheless, lest you think we might win this race of our own accord, let me continue with the verse after the one quoted above. "...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

We are runners, but He is the One who qualifies us to race."

So like I said, get your running shoes on. Through Him you've lost weight, but now it's time to get in shape. They go hand-in-hand. Run the race!

~Victoria Christine

 

A True Princess

"A True Princess

I stopped trying to look the perfect princess,

that handsome princess is no longer in my dreams;

it’s not that I think I deserve any less,

but I’ve learned what being a true princess means.

A princess may not be beautiful or fair,

a real prince may not be most handsome of all;

the princess may not make people stop and stare,

and the true prince may not be so fine and tall…

But a true princess has such beauty inside;

beauty that will never fade with age or time.

That prince in a palace he may not reside,

but to his dear princess he’d give his last dime.

A real princess will love her prince forever,

a true prince is faithful through laughter and pain;

Side-by-side they will serve the King together,

joyfully every after will they remain!"

In a world where love is painted as a feeling, often based on beauty or appearance, I think it's very important that we have a clear picture of what true love looks like. 

So many of young people today were raised in broken homes, and due to that and the "fairytale" ideals that our culture presents, we may find ourselves with a very broken view of love and romance- what should be a beautiful work of art is now a mere disfigured copy. It's fake, and it won't remain through the test of time and trial. True romance, the way God intended it, has been throw out and left in the dust- only to be replaced by a temporary, conditional love.

Now, we can settle for the replica hanging in the living room, or we can go out and pick up the beautiful painting laying out in the dust, brush it off, and re-establish it in it's rightful place of honor in our lives and homes.

But what is true love? How did God design romance? I think if we want to know how God designed something, it's best to go back to when He first created it, before it was thrown out of it's intended place of honor. It's time to go back to the very beginning (a very good place to start... lol... sorry... I have the Sound of Music in my ears...), to His first painted picture of romance. 

Genesis- the book of beginning for all but One, is a wonderful book. It reveals to us our Creator and His perfect design. It adds such meaning to life in that we know who the One true God is and that we were created for a purpose. But in order to help you stay focused I will try to stay as close as possible to the subject at hand.  

Let's look at this picture:

"So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.'" - Genesis 1:27-28

"The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the LORD God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden-- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.' Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.' So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 'At last!' the man exclaimed. 'This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken from 'man.' This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." -Genesis 2:15-24

From this we can see God's design: One man + One woman, becoming one together, forever. As long as they both live, they are still one and in the Creator's eyes, there is no separation of the two. 

"But," you might say, "that was before sin entered the world!" Yes, you are right. But what did God do in sending Jesus to earth? He brought restoration. Through Christ, He restores not only the relationship between God and man, but in every relationship. He brings us back to our original design and purpose.

Rather than talk about what is NOT God's design, I've decided to focus on what IS God's design. We know what the real picture looks like, so why are we even concerned about the disfigured and smudged copy brought in not as God's design, but through sin? We can clearly see what God's design is, and so anything but that is obviously not His will.  

Adam KNEW when woman (Eve) came along and that they were perfect for each other (and that none of God's other creations were right for him), He didn't have to go looking, because God saw his need and provided.  Yes, there was only one woman, but it is plain to see that he knew she was what he was missing and that they were designed for each other- and he was the first man, he couldn't look at anyone else's example, or at examples in the bible.

God is just as capable of providing for those living in His care today as He was then! Today we think we have to go searching for the right one, but in reality if we are following God's design in other things (not just concerning love and romance), this too will fall into place.

It's not like Thomas Edison, okay?  I mean, just because he was a very persistent and -eventually- successful man in his work doesn't mean we need to attempt to apply his method of trial and error to romance. Date till you find your mate? No, I don't think so. This only sets us up for divorce when/if we marry. Follow God and He will place that right one on your path in His time, if His plan for you is that you marry (We know from other bible passages that not all will). He knows what's best for us, and His will may not be for you to marry. But know that if His will is for you to remain single then He will give you joy and satisfaction in that." 

I know, I know

I know I've posted a lot today, but most of it was on my facebook already- I just decided to post it on my blog too. :)

Do You See What Jesus Sees?

I see a small child roaming the streets, 

she's desperately looking for something to eat.

Yet she's looking for more than food alone,

she's looking for love and a place to call home.

I see a woman who lost her husband at war,

she's searching for a life worth living for.

She wonders if there's yet hope to live on, 

the day that he died she felt hope was gone.

I see a man who's bound in these chains,

he started drinking just to cover the pain. 

But now he's bound and he can't get away,

he struggles just to get through everyday. 

I see a teen who's just tryin' to fit in,

he knows what's right yet struggles with sin.

He seeks to be different, yet still be the same,

but now he's sick of playing these games. 

But what do we offer as we quickly pass by? 

We offer a church service or program to try.

Now tell honestly tell me is this what they need?

To be the recipient of your weekly good deed?

No, they need love and acceptance in Christ,

to know their sins have been paid with a price.

They need to see our Savior yet lives,

that He loves, accepts, and gladly forgives.

They need to see Him at work in our lives,

and through our love they'll then realize,

for through our love they know that we care,

and then truly the life of Jesus we share.