Becoming Analise

Part 3 … Outside influences. Many different things can happen in the world and in our lives that affect who we become. People can be affected by positive influences, such as the birth of a baby or the receiving of a new job. Negative influences, such as the death of a loved one, crime, or injustice in the world, can also affect who we become. We can allow these circumstances to bring us closer to or drive us further from the Lord. On a large scale, happenings in the world around us take their toll on who we become. I am sure every one of us has vivid memories of where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. This catastrophe brings up an array of memories for many different Americans. Each year, we turn on the news to see a replay of that fateful September day. We may have been affected by becoming more fearful or anxious about the world in which we live. It may have caused us to reach out to people in need and look beyond our own needs. It ...

Last time, I encouraged you to read Psalm 139 and contemplate God’s love for you, so let’s start there! Personally, Psalm 139 is one of the most encouraging and comforting Psalms.  It is filled with promises about how God intricately and personally knows every single detail of our existence because He made us and planned for our entry into the world. How humbling and mind-blowing is it to come to the realization that the God of the universe – who created every tree and mountain and planet and galaxy and person who ever lived and ever will live – knows us each by name, knows how many hairs are on our head, knows every time we sit and rise, knows all of our faults and still loves us, and knows the details of our every hidden thought. Our great and powerful God loves us enough to be that personal with us. This Psalm adequately portrays the significance of the role God plays in shaping who we become. As I mentioned last time, He set our lives in motion...

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut.” This was my career of choice as a kindergartener. This dream quickly vanished when our teacher brought in an astronaut who, during his presentation, asked us to brush our teeth without water to get a real taste of life on a spaceship with different kinds of limitations. I thought this was the most repulsive thing, and decided that being an astronaut was not for me!  “When I grow up, I want to be a model.” This was my declaration in first grade when I created a “Me Book” in class.  My grandmother always told me that I looked like a little model. That dream lasted for a few years until I entered the painfully awkward stage of middle school, where I decided that I should switch to a new dream. As women, we all have dreams of becoming different things. Many young girls dream of becoming a wife or ...