The Director

I've had the privilege of being an extra in the television show "Longmire" the past two summers. For those of you that don't know of this show, I highly recommend watching it. It's a modern-day Western/ Crime show, set in Wyoming. It's filmed, however, in New Mexico (which is how I fell into being an extra in the show.) I am a natural-born performer, and have always been interested in all things film and television. I was in theater in high school, minored in filmed studies in college.... I just love it. All of it.

Anyway, as I was watching the film crew "make magic" the other day, I couldn't help but draw a religious parallel. (I can do a religious reading of just about anything. This is no lie. Just ask my Children's Lit or Film Studies professors.) I guess that's just the way my mind works, but hey, I'm not complaining.

I thought to myself, "If my life is a movie, what role(s) does God play in it?" Here is what I came up with so far:

As far as film production goes, it's a given that God is the director. Just as He is "the author and perfecter of our faith," just as He writes our story, He - in the same manner - directs our movie. The director has the ultimate vision. He has a plan and an exact idea of what He wants, even if no one else is able to see it. Just as the director knows what will look best on screen, the Lord knows what is best for each of us, and plans accordingly. His plans may not be evident to us, but we have faith that He will create a masterpiece, because He has never disappointed us before. As the director, God can guide us and direct us to ensure we give our best performance here on Earth. He even gives us unlimited merciful "takes," when we mess up our lines - aka when we fail Him. He is the overall seer of our lives.

In the actual movie, God would play the leading role. There's a line from a movie I always think of that says something about being "the leading lady in my own life." I love that line, but then I think to myself "Huh uh. In my life, in my movie, I am not the lead." I'm sorry, but I'm not. God is the Lord of my life and only HE is magnificent enough to be the lead in my movie. It's funny, because regarding performing, I love to be the center of attention. I love the feeling of being on stage or being the one making everyone laugh in a group setting. Away from that, though - and especially pertaining to religion - I HATE being in the limelight. I honestly want all attention to be on God. If anyone sees good in me, I want the credit to go to God - the source of all good. "My life" is so much bigger than just the time I have on Earth, and God is and will always, eternally, be the star and the true God of my life - my entire life. What I'm trying to say, I guess, is my life isn't actually my life at all. It belongs to God and will forevermore. He is the true star of my movie; He is the true star of every movie and everything.

And finally, I think it is important to remember that God is also the film critic. I wanted to think of some post-production metaphor and couldn't come up with anything, but I think this works better, anyway. It's so true! God is the judge of our lives, and only Him. He decides if we were good, bad, or ugly. ( <--- data-blogger-escaped--="" data-blogger-escaped-a="" data-blogger-escaped-and="" data-blogger-escaped-be="" data-blogger-escaped-best="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-christ="" data-blogger-escaped-do="" data-blogger-escaped-done="" data-blogger-escaped-ell="" data-blogger-escaped-every="" data-blogger-escaped-faithful="" data-blogger-escaped-for="" data-blogger-escaped-get="" data-blogger-escaped-god="" data-blogger-escaped-good="" data-blogger-escaped-him.="" data-blogger-escaped-imperative="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-is="" data-blogger-escaped-it="" data-blogger-escaped-kind="" data-blogger-escaped-life="" data-blogger-escaped-like="" data-blogger-escaped-live="" data-blogger-escaped-loving.="" data-blogger-escaped-must="" data-blogger-escaped-our="" data-blogger-escaped-perform="" data-blogger-escaped-pleasing="" data-blogger-escaped-read:="" data-blogger-escaped-review="" data-blogger-escaped-s="" data-blogger-escaped-servant.="" data-blogger-escaped-so="" data-blogger-escaped-strive="" data-blogger-escaped-that="" data-blogger-escaped-this="" data-blogger-escaped-to="" data-blogger-escaped-unto="" data-blogger-escaped-way.="" data-blogger-escaped-we="" data-blogger-escaped-when="" data-blogger-escaped-why="" data-blogger-escaped-will="">
That's a wrap.

-becca

The Downfall of the Bretheren

First things first, I had the privilege of meeting my mom's old youth minister from when she was in junior high, this weekend. And he is awesome and very, very wise (My mom must have learned a lot from him, because she is also both of those things.), but he kept referring to the Church as "The Bretheren," and it - for whatever reason - stuck with me. It is my new favorite saying. Hence, the title.


On a serious note, I have been dealing with an issue lately that I think would make a great topic for this week. It has been weighing heavily on my mind, and if I'm being completely honest, I feel that it is almost a taboo topic within the church; no one ever talks about it..... that is, conflict within the church itself. 


Sigh....

I am currently in the midst of a feud (?) between two different groups of church members. I put a question mark, because I am not actually sure if feud is the best word to describe this conflict. However, it's the best word I could think of, so.... If you know me at all, you may know that conflict is the bane of my existence. I know you're thinking, "Ummm... who likes conflict?!" And, true. But for me, it is worse than anything. I do not do well with it and honestly, I don't handle it well, either! So, imagine how I feel in this particular instance. Conflict within the CHURCH?? It's giving me major anxiety. 

One would think that church would be the one place where conflict was kept to a minimum, but I have found the case to be quite the contrary. I have seen more conflict in churches than I have almost anywhere else. I believe part of the reason for this is because members of the church have a hard time deciphering if speaking up (communicating their concerns to the other party) would be considered beneficial or "going rogue." Many people do not want to "make waves" ( <---ha....pun...) or be seen as disrespectful. I get that! Still, if no one makes a sound, how will the conflict be solved? I know from personal experience, ignoring a problem will not make it go away. Running from a conflict does not work; that is my first instinct every time I am in a personal conflict and never has it ever worked out for me. *Note to self: quit doing that. 


So how do we deal with conflict between church members?


First of all, we must realize some of the most common catalysts for conflict within the church. Things like:

- Disagreement with leaders of the church/ the way(s) in which they are leading
- An offense that has yet to be forgiven
- Blatant sinning among believers

There are countless reasons why quarrels start, but those are just a few I have seen personally. And although there may be tons of reasons a conflict breaks out, there is just one reason why it perpetuates:

PRIDE.

There is a reason why C.S. Lewis referred to pride as "the great sin." Pride affects everyone; Christians are not exempt. I am not exempt. I will do a whole schpeel on pride sometime; it is totally worth at least a post. I do believe it is the downfall of Christianity, and the reason we often cannot get past an internal conflict. Knowing this, the root of our conflict, can help resolve and maybe even dissolve this problem.

The next thing we need to do in order to alleviate this problem is realize the effects it is having on us. Most times when a conflict arises in the church, it leads to a common result:

GOSSIP.

You cannot have one without the other. It's just like smoke and fire: where there is a conflict, there will be gossip. There will be people talking about it, dwelling on it, feeding off of it. Conflict is not only in itself detrimental to the church, it also causes more sins within the church family - a family (let me just reiterate) thats sole purpose is to love and build each other up in Christ! Yeesh! 

Knowing both the cause and effects of conflict in the church and how realistically terrible of a problem it is to us, let's focus on some steps to take to help resolve this issue.

Like I stated before, I think it is imperative for us Christians to actively seek resolution. This issue will feed off of itself and never resolve if we stand idle. First, I believe that we need to evaluate ourselves, our hearts, and what part we each individually play in the conflict. It goes back to the pride thing. We each need to realize what we are doing wrong, rather than "calling out" the other party for their wrongdoings. I believe that the crucial first step to conflict resolution is to work on ourselves and realize what we can change about ourselves to make this situation better, rather than only realizing what the other party has done to hurt us. In doing so, we can work on developing a Christlike attitude - faithful, forgiving, loving, kind, the list goes on. Not only are we getting back to the real goal of Christians, we also may just become so engulfed in becoming more like Christ that we inadvertently distract ourselves from the (trivial) issue at hand. Ta-da! Everything really does work out when we wholeheartedly seek the Kingdom of God. 

If everyone is seeking to resolve their own faults, the conflict should resolve, but it does take two to tango and two to resolve a conflict. If one party is still noticing the other party's eye plank (so to speak) a little too vividly, the conflict may still linger. While we can't force the other party to obtain the right mindset, if we personally have realized our own faults, tried to be forgiving and kind, and the conflict is still there, it is now time to verbally communicate. I actually hate this, which explains so much about why my conflicts never really resolve... I just run from them....but this really is a mandatory step in a tough conflict. It is best to go to the other party (lovingly, not angrily) and voice your concern, your hurt, and just move past it, already! Plus, the added benefit of communicating with the other party is that the gossip "middle man" is alleviated. By hashing it out with the other party instead of going to friends or anyone else that is not the direct party, people who don't need to know about the quarrel won't, and the gossip fire will die down. Always remember, though, your concerns should be brought of in the same loving manner that Christ represents. Now is no time to be stubborn - no time to "win" the argument. You want to resolve the matter and remind each other that in the end, you are both working toward the same goal. Fighting with your own teammate never helps win the game.

Lastly, always pray. God can help us through any issue. It's no lie that we can go to Him with anything, even things we are ashamed of. I know I do not like to admit to fighting with my own teammates. The truth is, though, it happens. And when it does, God is here to help us through it. He wants the best for us, and He always listens when we call. He is always, always here to help us and to bring us all peace, because He is good!


Conflict within the church is a hard thing to deal with. It feels like an act of betrayal, when you are at odds with a person (or more than one person) in your Christian family. And honestly, it tarnishes the reputation of Christians altogether. It really is a nasty problem. If we humble ourselves, really (and I mean really) focus on love, and remember we are all teammates, we can resolve this issue and move mountains with our joined forces. 


Peace and Blessins,
becca

Making Lemonade

We've all had an experience we seemingly cannot get past. Maybe someone has hurt us so deeply that the pain still stays in our hearts. Maybe a terrible event has left us thinking about nothing else. Maybe, even, a series of disappointments has left us down and out.

Lemons....

These proverbial lemons leave a sour taste in our mouths. It can be hard to move past these kinds of situations. They linger with us like citric acid in our teeth, and eat away at our joyous spirit. There is only one way, I have realized, to deal with lemons...bring it back to God.

I am naturally a very optimistic person, and I can usually find something good in every situation. However, I have been in situations that I have had a hard time moving past. In these situations, after I have tried everything in my power to see good and still failed, I flip the situation upside down and look at it with a fresh perspective. This perspective being: "what can this teach me about God?"

Now, it's easy to be engulfed in a great situation and think "what can this teach me about God?" If it is a great situation, the answer is probably something to the tune of "He's beautiful! He's good! He hears my prayers!" But how can a bad situation teach us about God's personality? How can we praise God even in times like these?

Hypothetically,
What if, say, you applied for a job- a job you had always wanted to do? You were so excited after your interview; you knew you had just nailed it. But then, what if immediately after the (awesome) interview, they called you to tell you that they had given the job to another applicant? Not only that, but you found out later down the road that they had lied to you about the reason why you did not receive the job. And what if, (game-changer) this job was with your church?? Ouch.

Forgive me, that really is the best hypothetical situation I could come up with. But even so, I'm sure it sparked a memory of a time I'm your life when you have been genuinely hurt or even betrayal- a hurt so deep that it still lingers.

Good. Take that memory, and reframe it in this way: "I am thankful for this situation, because it reminds me of how (fill in the blank) God is. For example, in my hypothetical situation, I would say "I am thankful for this situation, because it reminds me that my God is fair, kind, truthful, and completely pure of heart.

This may be an unusual way of dealing with situations...I don't know. But I do know it has worked for me. It helps me refocus on what I need to focus on, and it helps me get past what I do not. It also gives me a burst of joyous energy. So next time life hands you a Spiritual lemon, flip the situation and look at it in this new, refreshing way. Take those things and make some lemonade! :))


Hang loose dudes,
becca

Using Time Wisely

Wow...boring title. Sorry. I thought this topic would be especially great since... IT'S SUMMA SUMMA TIME, and we will all have a little more free time (hopefully.) I definitely will. Actually, I'm writing this from my cabin in the mountains where we get no internet or phone service, so I'll probably have to post it tomorrow when we go to Santa Fe. (But actually, I love not having any phone or Internet here; it's so much more relaxing. Plus, I can focus on important things with no extra distractions...except Pretty Little Liars.)

I, probably like some of you, am in a transition period - no job, no school, no boyfriends, nothing. (I like how I just made boyfriends plural, but I'm not going to change it. It makes me feel likes playa.) Anyway I have to say, I've actually really been enjoying this time in my life....maybe a little too much, some might argue. I needed it, though. I needed it to rest, work on feeling better physically (that's a story for a whole different post,) and mostly, to refocus on my one most important priority - God.

During this "free" time, I have really been able to think about what I am spending my time on. Do I spend my time pursuing God, or do I spend it on meaningless, perishable things - things of this world. Have you ever found yourself in this position: spending all your energy on things such as your potential career, or maybe pursuing - not even necessarily pursuing, just thinking a little too much about - that guy you think is oh-so-perfect? ( <--- data-blogger-escaped-accuse="" data-blogger-escaped-both="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-could="" data-blogger-escaped-i="" data-blogger-escaped-like="" data-blogger-escaped-myself="" data-blogger-escaped-of="" data-blogger-escaped-recently...okay="" data-blogger-escaped-recently...very="" data-blogger-escaped-these="" data-blogger-escaped-until="" data-blogger-escaped-up="" data-blogger-escaped-yesterday.="">
After thinking about it, I realized that I don't like that I unintentionally waste my time on things that aren't the everlasting God - the only thing worth pursuing. I feel like I'm not loving my Lord with all of my mind or my strength. So I've been trying to be more diligent about placing God, not only first, but as the ONLY thing in my life, retraining my mind to see that He really is the only, ONLY thing I need to worry and care about.

We all know:

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
- Matthew 6:33

We may even know the old camp song to the same verse....

...but how often do we really live by those words? If we truly seek God, see God and His beauty, and love God in ALL that we do, everything else will "fall into place." It will be given. I am guilty of not realizing this enough. I can get so overwhelmed by the theatrics of day-to-day life, that I forget to separate and prioritize what is eternal from what is not. God is eternal. Everything else is not.

So I've been trying to diligently see God in everything lately. If something or someone's character is especially beautiful, I praise Him. I try to think in every situation "What can this thing/person/situation teach me about my God?" And I've been actively seeking out every opportunity as an opportunity to serve Him. I have to say, it's definitely helping.

I know this is not groundbreaking advice, but it has helped refresh me Spiritually. I feel much better and much more at peace just focusing on the one thing that is true and everlasting, and knowing everything else will come after. I think it is a very strong and admirable quality in women of God to be diligent and focused, and I will definitely keep at it, because I want to be the strongest woman I can be for my King.

Peace and Blessings
-becca