Dear beautiful little girl in my daughter's class at school...

Dear beautiful little girl in my daughter's class at school,

Your friend came home from school the other day with nothing eaten but half a sandwich, because she wants to be small, like you.

She has been memorizing moves from Swan Lake so that she is able to talk about your dance class with you.

She also asked to learn how to ski because that's what you did on your birthday.

She's made a pile of cards and precious little girl notes asking if you like her, yes/no with smiley faces and sad faces on them that you will never receive.

Your friend sometimes comes home wondering why you didn't stand up for her on the playground when the other girls made fun of her, or when a little boy pushed her down.

She asks me why you tell her you're her best friend, then make her play games by herself at recess.

Dear little beautiful girl in my daughter's class at school,

It has not mattered what I have said to my daughter to convince her that she is more than worthy of your love. That she has been made different, for a purpose and is so important to this world. It has not mattered what foods I have placed in her lunch, or in front of her at home for her to eat, she is still struggling to understand that her body size does not matter.

I have to admit, it have taken a lot of this on as a mother, and try to choose to believe I have done and am doing all I can to raise a wonderful, gifted, brilliant little girl in this harsh, unforgiving cold world.

Might it be too much to ask that you allow my little girl to be exactly who she is? For me to ask you to allow her to follow you, as you are a leader, and build her up instead of breaking her impressionable little soul? I believe this time spent in grade two will build her into the person she is meant to be, but could you give her a breather, some compassion, some encouragement once in a while?

I will work on building her up, if you agree not to tear her down.

I know you are not a bully; I know you are just doing what little girls do, for I too was a little girl once... but I need to warn you: little girls that tear down others end up being big people that tear others down too, and you are so much more beautiful and better than that. You too are loved, you too will go on to do great things...

Father God, show young leaders how to be good leaders. Surround them with examples of your love and your character so they know when they are walking your path, or have fallen in the ditch. Protect the followers, give them wisdom and discernment to know whom to follow and where. Beyond all of this, draw them both into your heart, into a close place of knowing you, and being known. You have loved us so much, even when we didn't want your love... help me to love those that hurt and tease and ridicule the children you have given me. Help me to accept the process that will build my daughter into the woman of God you have called her to be.
Amen

God is Sovereign

All the peoples of the earth

    are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases

    with the powers of heaven

    and the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand

    or say to him: “What have you done?”

(Daniel 4:35)

Our God is in heaven;
    he does whatever pleases him.

(Psalm 115:3)

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen.

(1 Timothy 6:14b-15)

If we truly believe God is sovereign, then to blame another human being when things go wrong also gives them credit when things go right.

Recently I had to ask forgiveness from someone to whom I blamed for putting me out of commission for about 2 months. They planted a seed which I watered, gave sunlight to, and carefully transplanted into the deepest of sacred spaces of my soul. Roots grew quickly, new thoughts and patterns began to develop and then a dandelion emerged. Once the plant was recognized as a weed, it was just as quickly drawn out by the root and discarded.

The seed was a lie. A lie that attacked the core of who I was, who I am. A lie that happily journeyed with me into fictional places of my mind, leading with just enough truth to keep me chasing it for answers. 

Words spoken out loud bring light. Words that are lies which have taken root like to stay hidden, creeping in the darkened hallways of the mind. Once spoken out, a few things happen; You realize how ridiculous the lie sounds in the open air, and to your own ears. You also have another person that has heard your words and assesses them through their lens. Wise discerning council will either confirm or reject what you have just said. This is a gift.

For two months I hid. I believed and nurtured a lie. For two months, my participation in work, family, and friendships all slowly deteriorated. (Hiding is not something I am good at.) Once the lie was known, blame came. I blamed the giver of the seed, the ones who helped nurture and water it, who pointed me to the best keeper of the seed. But blame was not the point. The seed of why it took root so quickly, or why I hid, wasn't the point.

None of the most immediate answers was the point... they rarely are.

With every physical lesson learned on earth there is an equally learned lesson in the spiritual realm. Sometimes revelation of both is given, sometimes we are given a glimpse into the higher purpose and we are able to actually chew on the truth that very little of this has anything to do with us. This is a humbling place to be. In pain, in sorrow, knowing God is sovereign and will do what he wills ... for his purpose, moving through those who are willing to be used, and sometimes it truly feels like you were used... and not in a good or fun way... but in a higher purpose and God ordained way. 

To be a mere human and have the God of the universe work through you for His purposes and glory is the point. Please do not lessen the value in Him choosing whom He chooses, and in accepting this privilege also know that His will is not ours. His will is not always easy. His will is not always understood. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28) Notice HIS PURPOSE. Not our wants, our needs, but His purpose. 

ALWAYS search for the higher purpose, laying aside your own feelings, needs and wants aside. Blaming others when something goes wrong is just as crazy as giving them credit in your life when things go right. God alone is the author of it all. God wills through those who know their insignificance to show His significance through them. We are not the point. Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (Psalm 115:3)

Millennials flipped and shaken

I have become increasingly disgusted with the way the world seems bent to slam this generation for the bad hand they have been dealt, and am convinced that this just might be the generation to become part of a new movement set in motion by God to reveal something we have never known about Him...

Recently, I have come to know and work with a group of Millennials, and am delighted to share some of the observations I have made about them with you.

We will flip a few common beliefs about Millennials on their head, shake them around a bit, until your comfort level has shifted just enough for God to speak...


I'm not sure Millennials would want to be tagged as such. Do you like being a gen X'er or a Baby boomer? Assumptions being made about you because of your generation, blanket statements, and blocked ways of expanding your mind. Feels restricting right?

1. Millennials don't like to be limited to being millennials. Being boxed smudges out options, choices... and "A choice is more powerful when you have options".

Truth be known I am a closet millennial... I relate to them, and secretly love the nonchalant, care-free way about a millennial. The world is your playground, the optimism and unlimited potential in this thought is such a gift. It rests so beautifully with who their heavenly Father is, and what their Heavenly Father wants with them.

2. Non-tangible, unreachable, unseen things are a staple in a Millennials diet.
Millennials are good with plans being up in the air and allowing what happens, to happen.

Nailing down places, time and exact plans inside of a space can be seen as controlling. The misconception is that they are not committed. They ARE committed, they just are not committed to a "what", or even a "why"... they're commitment is held in the "Who". "What" feels too much like an institution, "Why" feels too gen X, "Who" sets their eyes on a relationship weather it be with themselves, another person, or God. God is not a cause or an institution and the "Why" lays face to the ground in the "Who" of Jesus Christ.

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

3. Millennials want to be part of a movement and know that in partaking of this overwhelming wave, their part will carry everyone one step closer to shore.

To know there are millions of people all working toward the same end and that that end will (optimism / faith) enhance the journey for others... that they have been part of something larger than themselves, breaths true significance into this generation. This opportunity may have been given to past generations, but millennials have the optimism / faith to know something good will happen. More than any other generation before them,  young adults can fix their eyes on what is unseen and know what they ask will be given.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 

4. Millennials are Entitled, and its not always a bad thing! (this point will make some of us uncomfortable)

They are "entitled" to the kingdom because it has been promised to them. It has been promised to us all, but once again this generation has been set up to know it will be given. Entitlement can be bad until it is true. Truth is, they do have a right to something. The word of God is all about unmerited entitlement to Gods favour. God gives His chosen people undeserved favour, because of Jesus Christ. The verse below should make all believers feel entitled! We have a right to the throne room of the creator, to look him straight in the face as Jesus whispers words of endearment over us to the Father.

 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10

5. Millennials would rather allow the Spirit of truth to speak than speak truth themselves.

Is is a misconception that not speaking direct truth into someones life is tolerating behaviour. This is not what is going on. There is a deep respect for another persons life experience and because the "Who" is more important then the "Why", truth is exposed verbally with an invitation rather than a push. Millennials know that is it not their job to point a finger, convict or condemn, but rather to create safe space where the Holy Spirit searches and knows the heart of man. It is more difficult to sit with someone in their pain then to point a finger. This generation knows it is impossible to search the heart of man as God does. They tolerate / rather wait, knowing God will do His part as they do theirs.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”" Proverbs 15:11

My prayer in exploring this generation with you is that you will no longer look at Millennials with the eyes of the world. That revelation is given, and expectancy is reborn in the generations that have come before them. There is hope, and there is a movement gripping the hearts of the millennial. Look at him or her through the eyes of redemption, through the eyes that have set up this generation to be the next one that experiences a new place in history where God moves so powerfully that it will be spoken about 1000 years from now. AMEN!