Shine brighter than a shooting star, no matter where you are.

There have been two things on my heart lately -- broken people and positive thinking. They seem to be two completely different things, right? Wrong. They are both things that come from God. They are both things that can glorify God. And I personally think that's pretty great.

We all have hard days, weeks, months, and years. Honestly, I wouldn't classify this past year of mine as being something that was easy in any means. Since when were we promised that a Christian life was going to be easy? If everything in life went smoothly, the way we wanted, and in perfect rhythm to the beat that we enjoyed -- when would we ever need to rely on God? We wouldn't.

This past year I went through many downs as opposed to the ups. Let's start off with saying how I fell for boy after boy in the very beginning continuing to get my heart ripped apart and then I somehow ended up with someone who was just as broken (if not more), just as prideful (if not more), and who challenged me to a point I never thought possible. Let's continue by talking about the fact that my only brother, my only sibling, left for the Army and now lives a 17 hour road trip away from me. Or how about the fact that my best friend, since I was five years old, and I have had way too many trials and tribulations that one year should ever be allowed to take? Or the fact that my car finally decided to take a turn for the worse and force me to purchase a new car (that caused a huge trial on its own) and then to have that new car hit by someone who didn't even leave a note -- just a huge dent in my driver's side door that I have no money to fix it with? Or how about the fact that I deleted from my life (via Facebook) every single one of my friends from high school who I had spent the entirety of my high school years with -- best friends of mine for years who I had come to realize had actually caused way too many wounds in my heart to even begin counting? Imagine taking on that truth in your heart and let that sink in. Also, God had placed me in a relationship throughout this entire time of my life with a man that was opposite of me in so many ways that caused my issues and insecurities come out full throttle amidst all of these other things in my year. Did you think that was something that was easy? That caused me to sit back and actually deal with my issues, fears, insecurities, and things that I had made peace with in my heart for years. Or how about the huge fact that I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a 15 hour plane ride to another country to tell people about Jesus? This definitely was not easy. That took more courage then I think I've ever had to muster. How about the fact that I've now been in school for such a long amount of time that I am now going to have to eventually pay out of pocket? Do you think that hasn't caused me some stress or frustration at feeling I've wasted time in school not knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my life and am now paying for it? How about the fact that I've had to sit and realize how much of an ugly, broken, angry, mean individual I can be? How about the fact that I had to spend a night in an emergency room waiting for endless hours feeling completely hopeless as the boy that I love rolled around on the floor in pain and I could do nothing to help him, while questioning what was going on in my mind the entire time? Do you know the thoughts that raced through my mind? My list of hard times this past year can continue to be written down, but I think you get my point. None of us, especially as Christians, are going to have easy years. If we did, when would we ever find the time or the desire to spend time with God?

Now, we are all broken people. I don't know how many times I've talked about this, but I know it's been quite a bit. We are all different -- different pasts, different struggles, different insecurities, and all hold different types of bondage. And to top that off we all have different personalities, fears, and needs as well. God created us to be different. We are all so different because we are all a part of the body of Christ. We need each other to glorify God. We need to humble ourselves and deal with our issues, so that we can glorify and love the way that God desires us to. Another thing that I am a firm believer in -- opposite people attracting each other. God places all of us humans together in this world, all so different from each other, and expects us to love each other? I'm not just talking about romantic relationships either. I'm talking romantic, family, and friendships. I have a friend who told me this awhile back and I've continued to think about it day in and day out. She said that "God puts us with someone we have things in common with, but a lot of times our brokenness plays off of each other and forces us to no longer be able to ignore our issues. But, if we aren't careful we can allow Satan a foothold in these issues and push away the plan that the Lord created for us. It takes communication and the capability to be humble in your relationship to work through and recognize our broken areas and allow someone to love on them". When I look at this statement I think of every single relationship that God puts in our life. Yes, it initially is referring to a romantic relationship, but I think it can refer to every relationship we have in our lives. We are all broken and we all need each other. When issues start arising in relationships in your life -- why do you think that is? I'll tell you. 1. Ephesians 6:12 -- For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. We live in a world that is full of spiritual darkness and forces of evil. Evil that does whatever it can so that you allow it to take a foothold in your life and push away anything that may be glorifying to God. We have an enemy. We have an enemy that will do whatever it takes to stop you from becoming strong in the kingdom of God. We need to recognize this. 2. This one goes along with what my friend said awhile back -- when these issues arise, I see God in them. God wants our hearts to be transformed and He will do what it takes for that transformation. We must let Him. When things start to rear their ugly head more than usual, I see that as God wanting our hearts and there not being anything we can do to stop it. We must submit to Him. We must submit to Him our pain, our hurt, our bondage, and our wounds. We must submit to Him, so that our hearts can become transformed and bound up -- healed. Psalm 147:3 -- He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Can't we just let Him and stop seeing the negative in our lives? God is in transformation, in brokenness, and in hard times.

James 1:2-4 -- Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Corinthians 10:13 -- No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you cannot bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

It's right there in scripture. TRUTH. When we view things such as what I mentioned above as negative, half empty type things -- we are missing the point. We need to start looking at the bigger picture. We are all broken because we need each other. 1 Corinthians 12:14-15 -- Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body". Again, it's right there in scripture. We need each other. Our brokenness plays off of each other in such a beautiful way. It's glorifying to God. We need to always remember that Satan is at work in this world and that no matter what we do -- especially if we live a Christian life -- it will be hard because we are fighting a spiritual war. We also need to remember that with Christ by our side we will be victorious. Therefore, we will have hard days, weeks, months, and years -- but we will always have Christ to get us through.

We need to start recognizing how beautiful everything is. I can look up at my first paragraph describing everything 'hard' that I went through this year and I can still look at all of it as half full as opposed to empty. If I see God in it -- which He is in all of it -- I see beauty from ashes. Here's some examples -- my brother joined the Army and now he is doing something that he loves, fighting for our freedom, and I now have an opportunity to actually go on a road trip. My new car now has a huge dent in the side of it -- every time I see it I think of driving back to the house I was at and crying into the back of a Clemson shirt because I was so upset and then that boy being there to comfort me and being able to offer me his strength and encouraging words. I also think of India every time that I see that dent now because it happened after a meeting for the trip to India. Going about deleting those old friends from my life has caused me to really start to let God love on me and heal my wounded heart regardless of how hard it may have been. Then, my issues beginning to arise just meant that God was working on my transformation just like He promised He would do. Fights with my best friend -- has made our friendship more stronger than it ever was. And last but not least -- spending that night in the emergency room scared to death over what was going on -- him and I joined together and prayed for a half an hour straight and were fully able to rely on God in a moment of pain and fear and I was able to offer the support that He needed at the time; we were able to be vulnerable with one another. 

The glass is always half full if you can see God in it. 
Here's something for you -- God is always in it.

We were never told that life as Christians would be easy. Have faith in God -- He doesn't bring us to things that He won't bring us through. Again, if life were easy and people were perfect when would we ever desire to love on broken people and rely on a victorious God?
We wouldn't.