Meant To Soar

"Love makes a heart flutter like a butterfly.  Just like love, when it first takes off its flight is a little unstable and new but so thrilling and exciting it cannot contain itself.  It's probably even a little scared.  But as it gets used to the exhilarating sensation of its wings gracing through the warm air it begins to know this is where it belongs.  Nothing can stop it now.  Now it soars."

-Alicia Hinkley

Love has a funny way of sweeping us off our feet as we cling there to a wall, hanging on for dear life.  But all the while God has been transforming us - changing everything about us except our core.  How we look.  How we process life.  How we do life.  Our perspectives will be new.  Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, our shell breaks free, but not without a fight, and we take to the air.  He was preparing us for that one special moment as our romance with Him truly did sweep us off our feet into the grand open air.

For some this process is slow and painstaking, but for others it is virtually instantaneous.  New and thrilling and exciting.  Yes, even a little scary at times.  In a good way.  True love runs deep.  It is more than a feeling, but a foundation.  And with that foundation life has a whole new look to it.  We can see things from above or sideways or under if we want to.  Or all of the above.  Instead of being forever confined to crawl along the ground.  Now we can fly.  And soar.  Through life.  Through pain.  Through the sun and the rain alike.  We can take on the world!  At least, it sure feels that way.

Life and love may have their struggles but it is so breathtakingly beautiful through it all, whether we can see it or not.  I can only imagine the smile brought to God's face as He watches His masterpiece in us unfold each day.  Isn't that just amazing?!

Brown-Eyed, Blue-Eye Wannabe

Just a young girl, she wakes up before school and stretches long from a good night sleep. Fumbling to get herself together she makes her way to the bathroom and climbs up on the stool placed strategically in front of the mirror. But something is wrong. Her face begins to twist a little as a frown appears on her face. You see, as far as she was concerned, God had made a mistake on her. She had been born with an inadequacy in her book. Something needed to change. It may seem trivial to us, but to her this was a horrible feature she could not overcome on her own.. Her entire family had brilliant blue eyes; she had been left with deep brown eyes. And this was her daily routine. Every day she begged and pleaded with God to change the color of her eyes to a beautiful blue as she stared at herself in the mirror slightly distraught. Her prayer was never answered.


This is the story that captured my heart when I was still a young girl - only eight years of age. I knew I had to do something - I absolutely had to be involved in ministry in some way. Naturally, the story does not end here. This is the story of Amy Carmichael. A young girl who did not understand why God had made her the way that He did. And how many of us feel the same way? How many times do you look in the mirror and doubt why you look a certain way, act a certain way, or can't do certain things that others can? Too often, I can guarantee you that. Yet this is nothing new. Moses questioned God four different times in the matter of a few verses in Exodus 3 and 4. God had immaculate plans for him to do His ministry, yet Moses questioned that, feeling completely inadequate and full of fear of what may or may not happen. Still, God uses him in extraordinary ways.


Here's the clincher - God knows your so-called shortcomings. He knows them, and you, intimately. This does not stop the fact that He will call you to do great things. None of your weaknesses are too great for God's strength. Instead, God makes provisions for where we think we cannot follow through (Aaron's ministry alongside Moses) to grow us into the person He needs us to be. We are human. He knows that. He wants to use that. We are His plan for the world!


So what became of Amy, the brown-eyed, blue-eye wannabe? As Amy became an adult she slowly began to realize God had a plan for her and became satisfied with exactly how God made her in every detail. There was a dying and hurting world that she could minister to in a unique way. To make a long story short, she got heavily involved in sharing the gospel in India. Because of her deep brown eyes she was able to put makeup on her lighter skin and become part of the culture with the people. She had an "in" that many did not have. And she was one of the first to bring the gospel into an area the gospel had never touched before as she built a trust with the people. There was a very clear reason she was born with brown eyes and not blue. The one thing that she tried to pray away for years God used to His advantage. Likewise, God used the trouble Moses had in speaking to show His might - among other things, He helped him overcome this seemingly large disadvantage and become one of the greatest vehicles for bringing God's chosen people, Israel, into the Promised Land.


So let me ask you this: what are the shortcomings you think you have? Are you surrendering them to God so that He can use you and overcome what seem to be failures and faults? And lastly, what kind of ministry will God enable you to accomplish for Him through all this? Doubting who God made you to be only robs yourself of the blessing He has in store for you. He will use you to do phenomenal things if you let Him. I plead with you to trust Him with every little detail - He is more than capable!!