sense my sarcasm.
everybody knows that.
however, what people may not know is how badly it affected this state.
furthermore, i'm sure they're are many people questioning God in all of this.
and just as many leaving Him completely out.
people don't really care about what you or i think about the snow.
but opinions are like armpits: everybody has them.
and most of them stink.
i'm not here to give you my opinion.
i am simply here to tell you a story of what happened in my life the past few days.
and the revelation i have had about Jesus through them.
getting stranded and stuck on 280 didn't really affect my mood that much.
actually, i laughed at the fact that i was stuck in the middle of thousands of cars with nowhere to escape.
i know. really? i laughed?
but i did. because i could have gone home.
instead, after my 8 o clock A.M. meeting with one of my pastors, i decided to do errands. and before i knew it, i was browsing around Nordstrom Rack- until i noticed i was the only person in there.
for those of you who know me, this should be no shock at all. i would be shopping in the middle of a snowstorm that shuts the entire state down. it's so "ME" of me.
fast forward to 8 hours later.
after attempting to drive on several back roads (God bless my honda civic) snow, ice and nightfall looming upon me, abandoned cars everywhere, i turned around and ended up at a shopping center not far from where i was.
i had heard several people say that all the hotels in the area were booked, to which my mind flashed back to several hours earlier, when i laughed at the thought of actually reserving a room when i was 10 miles from my house. (there's a FIRST time for everything!)
i walked over to the Hampton Inn, the hotel across the street to hang out somewhere warm. i figured i may as well be with other people- after all, we're all experiencing the same thing.
looking back on it…how true is this…
there is something cathartic about the presence of people.
so i sat down by a few ladies who were near the door. they were drinking coffee.
we all began to share our experiences. i then decided to put my name on a waiting list for a room- but wasn't too concerned if i didn't get one. i would sleep in the lobby if i had to.
the first thing jesus taught me in this situation:
I carry His presence with me everywhere i go.
i made a decision, in the midst of adversity, distress, and plenty of negativity: to be positive.
i know. it sounds so cliche. oh, you were positive in an annoying, distressful situation?
Congrats!
(insert fake applause here.)
suddenly i realized: i'm in a room full of scared, helpless, defenseless people.
i have an opportunity here! to be JESUS to them.
compassionate. kind. caring. generous. joy.
while i don't deserve ANY kind of praise for simply doing what i am to do as a follower of Christ: to M O D E L him…
it did wake me up to just how much influence we have and we carry everywhere we go as believers.
why?
because we carry HIS presence with us. and if we are willing to let it, it lights up any place.
how simple it is to model Christ.
but too often we forget.
a smile, an offer, a laugh, a hug, a kind word of encouragement or thanks…
it goes a LONG way. these things shine so much light into darkness.
fast forward to the miracle of actually, with 30 people ahead of me on a list: getting a room at the Hampton Inn.
as everybody i had spent the afternoon with congratulated me on the luck of getting a room, a thought flowed through me…
what would jesus do in this situation?
well He would invite them. invite strangers to sleep in a hotel room with you? would jesus really do that?
well, i'm glad you asked. yes, yes he would.
here, God gave me another opportunity to model Christ.
i turned to Mary and Laura, the ladies i had spent most of my time in the lobby with, chatting over coffee and cookies- and offered them to stay in my room with me.
willingly, they both thanked me and said yes, but only if we can split the room.
as they packed their things up to go up to the room, i stayed at the desk and paid for the room.
when we got upstairs, yet again they offered to pay me for the room.
let me say again that this is in no way a way to promote my good doing. but rather to expose…
how so often, i am blind to being Jesus everywhere i go, in the simplest ways and sometimes the most distressing of times.
you see, i don't want to live a tamed, non dangerous life.
if i carry the most powerful King's presence inside of ME…i'm gonna use it.
let it shine.
and see the incredible beauty of how shocking it is to people.
in the aftermath, discussing our own stories…
more than 5 people reacted with this:
you shared a hotel room with strangers?
seriously?
that's sketchy.
my response?
a smile.
to the world…that's sketchy.
to me, it's showing Jesus to them.
i don't want normal. i don't want complacency. i don't want to simply exist in this world…
i want to shake it with the POWER and the PRESENCE OF CHRIST, MY KING.
some people may say… that's impossible.
some may say it doesn't affect anything.
people can say anything they want. and they WILL.
to King Jesus, that's normal.
but nothing stopped Him.
everywhere He went.
Love. Joy. Peace. Graciousness. Kindness.
to strangers. to people he didn't know. to the defenseless and the scared.
he never stopped.
and neither will i.
i came out of the "snowmageddon" with opened realization to the power of …
HIS PRESENCE!
i took this picture when the snow first started falling.
as i look at it now, it really brings tears to my eyes.
our feet. our bodies. our mouth. our hearts.
Jesus lives inside of us all.
And we have a choice.
To let it show everywhere we go.
Or keep it locked inside.
"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
1 j o h n 4:16.
next time you doubt yourself…next time the enemy tries to keep you from sharing the love and presence of Jesus with other people lingering in the darkness…
remember the promise and truth of this verse.
A B i D E- to remain, to stay, to continue.
He never leaves us.
With us always.
Let it shine.
Let it out.
AND ROCK THE WORLD WITH CHRIST'S GLORIOUS PRESENCE.
you are the hope.
"how beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news…"
X O X O,
C A i T L i N
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