My Special Place

There's a place located in Whitnall Park that offers a variety of beautiful sights and sounds one can experience on a beautiful day. 10 years ago, I happened upon this place that is located by the Root River Parkway, where I fell in love. It took some time, quite a bit to be honest, but it happened. I'd like to share this place with you all because it might touch home to any number of people. This is a place that I would go in the summer, spring, winter and fall to write, draw, photograph, paint, think, get away, etc. A place I claimed as "my own" never bringing friends with me (which is quite odd because I am always with friends)

It became a place I enjoyed visiting,experiencing the wildlife, breeze, flowers, and small waterfall. This waterfall grew to be an outlet for me when things were stressful.

There's really nothing overly special about this place. It's beautiful yes, but I can admit I've seen much more amazing sights in my day. However, it's special to me for one reason in particular. It's where I first truly started having a dialogue with God. It wasn't necessarily a good one. In fact you could say I was angry with him. My Aunt had been diagnosed with cancer that was inoperable, I had already witnessed numerous friends dying at a young age, my Grandfather passed away, and then ultimately my parents decided to get a divorce all before age 18.

I had grown up going to church. I went through the motions of course. I was confirmed in a Methodist Church, and understood the basics, but really never felt any real connection with God.

When I visited this place, I got into nature, submersed myself in it, and I couldn't help but feel his presence somewhat. In that, I felt comfort, but as I said, also anger, for all the "bad" things going on in my life. "Why would God let this happen?" I cried in this spot a great number of times, was happy, asked God to fix things, heal my heart, heal my families' hearts, and to provide me with a new sense of direction. Did he ever.

Around this time my aunt really started communicating with me about her church, and offering me Christian books, music, etc. I listened to it from time to time, read some of them, but still was feeling some disconnect. I wasn't denying God, I just wasn't feeling connected. I took one book in particular to this place near Root river, "The Purpose Driven Life," and began reading, reflecting, praying...for me. Not for everyone else this time, not to make things better in my life, but to truly know God. I wanted to feel I had a real relationship with him. Around this time, after the divorce, my Father had started attending Elmbrook church, and asked me to come with. I started coming, and enjoyed the services, and found out that a few of my friends also went there.

A good friend of mine asked me to come with to the Ave, a young adult ministry, and it was there, that I really started being pulled even closer to God. During this time, I also started going to my "spot" much more often. I wanted to really focus on what I was reading, what I wanted to say to God, what I wanted to sort out in my own mind. By reading on my own, I felt more confident in knowing who I really was, what I thought I should be, and in having faith that all things would work out for the best.

I then started going to Impact. A place where I could listen to worship music, talk with people, and listen to a message in a much more relaxed setting than your typical "sunday church service." From that point on my life will not ever be the same.

I was blessed to come a few years back to this twenty somethings ministry called Impact when Jason Webb was the pastor. I loved the music, the message, the people, and quickly found myself being connected with some great people. Each of these people has impacted me greatly, and each in their own way. Each one has been unique in the effect they have had on me, and each one equally important. Whether its been learning from their mistakes, mine, giving advice, pulling me in when I've strayed, or allowing me to pull them back in, getting advice, enjoying a coffee, dinner, laugh, cry, or hug...they all mean the world to me. I witnessed what it meant to be a Christian. I was even inspired to be rebaptized on my first Spring Retreat with a few others from Impact. I see on a daily basis from my friends that I have met through Impact, what it meant to be God's children...and that is truly when everything finally clicked.

All of this progression, my step to becoming a solid Christian, rooted from me finding a place where I could be one on one with God. When that first happened, as I said it wasn't friendly. I was angry. But I now see so much greatness from all of this, and from how he brought me close to Him.

Anyways, I wanted to share this place with all of you, and hope that you all have one of your own, and if not that you find one. Thank you for your friendship, and all you have done in my life, ragardless if you were aware of it or not. I Love you all.

Who am I?

Today I was able to go see the worship service for Impact at the State Fair with my father, and really enjoyed it. The topic today was on identity. The purpose was to really gain an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and what that truly means. It got me thinking about how often times we answer the question of "who we are" by the possessions that we own, the title of our job, where we live, our social class, our name, cultural background...any number of things besides the one that really counts... that we are Sons and Daughters of God.

What better description can you use to say who you are? No corvette (Although a very nice ride), Account Executive position (Although the pay is nice), or Famous last name (Alright, Timberlake or Braun would be pretty cool) compares to being created in his image, and yet all too often we forget it.

It's easy for us to turn the Bible into what we think is adequate for our own standard of living. To say hey, Jesus died for our sins, I'm in the clear. But the relationship that God wants with us is so much more powerful than just knowing his story. It's easy to shrug off the things we don't agree with sometimes (I know I am guilty of it all too often), but to live in his Likeness simply does not match up with that.

If we are created in God's image, should we not try to live each day in representation of that? I think so. If you're feeling as though your sense of identity is lost, and you don't know where you're going in life, it probably is... and you probably don't.

Try to take a look within, take some quiet time, listen, reflect, and try to grasp what it means to be created by the Father. You might start to see things a little clearer...you'd be surprised. I encourage you to spend some time with God. Talk to him.

Jim left us with a good statement to end service stating that we should live our lives each day in His image so that it is very evident who our maker is. Let's make sure that the things that we do in our lives are in representation of God. If someone was on the outside looking in, and saw the trees, birds, animals, plants, and humans... make sure they would be able to say that humans are undoubtedly God's children.

I was reminded of these lyrics to a Casting Crowns song after service today...

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wondering heart.

Not because of who I am.
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done.
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord you catch me when I'm falling,
And you told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again
Who am I?
That the voice that calm the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am.
But because what of youve done.
Not because of what I've done.
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord you catch me when I'm falling,
And you told me who I am.
I am yours.

Not because of who I am.
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done.
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord you catch me when I'm falling,
You told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cuz I am yours.
I am yours.

Faith in Rough Times

The world is full of suffering. Each and every day, things go wrong, people die, crimes are committed. I often found myself questioning, how God can let so many things like this continue to happen over and over again. Why doesn't he stop them? The answer is, he will. God promises a world for us like that--heaven. This new Earth, as God originally intended it to be will be where we can be without pain. In the meantime we must deal with suffering, evil, and trust that God will bring good out of the bad things that happen in the world. I know from my own accounts, each and every "negative" thing that has happened in my life, has shaped and molded me into who I am today. Would I be motivated to get my masters had my mothers illness not happened? Probably not, and in turn I have molded a career path that would not have completely satisfied or utilized my skill sets into one that I can feel I am doing God's work. I now know that I should be in community counseling. Every obstacle in my life has pointed me in that direction. I need to be helping people--want to be helping people. I can look at the losses and gains that have come in my life, and each and every one of them has molded me as a person, shaped my faith, and drawn me closer to God. I could have gone either way with the life obstacles that have faced me. I could have been angry with God, I could have completely given up. However, God knows what we can handle, and he will not give us more than we can handle. If we try to look for the positive that can come out of the negative in the world, it's a much brighter world to live in.


" I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." Isaiah 43:1-2