Cinderella

On Saturday I had the pleasure of going to see the new movie Cinderella. I honestly have never really been a fan of Cinderella. It probably scared me as a child, like most Disney movies, and I just never learned to appreciate it. Honestly I have never been a fan of Disney Princesses. My favorite Disney movies have always been The Lion King & Mulan. I never liked the idea that I needed a prince in my life to make my story complete. I still don't. I absolutely hate the Ariel gives up her voice in order to be with her prince.

I teach and often preach about how girls need to be independent and not dependent on a man in their lives but fully dependent on the King of Kings who died for them. I believe when we are ready God places the opportunity in our lives for us to fall in love completely and enter into a life long commitment with that "Prince Charming" of our dreams.

So back to Cinderella. This beautiful young maiden whose life completely falls apart when after losing her mother, her father marries again and then he too passes away. The jealous step-mother can't stand her so treats her as a servant. And out of loyalty to the family home she chooses to stay and push through the pain this woman causes her.

On her dying bed her mother told her to always remember to have courage and be kind. Ella took these words to heart and let them drive her life. Most people would have given up but she pushed on until her breaking point when her step mother destroyed her dress, which had been her mother's, and her chance to see her friend again at the ball.

Now I don't believe in Fairy Godmother's but I do believe in the Holy Spirit who is our ever-present help in times of trouble. So adding a little personality to that idea and some sparkle is always fun to watch. Ella rediscovered her love for courage and kindness and got to go to the ball. There she ran into her friend Kitt whom she had met previously in the woods only to discover he was the Prince everyone else was trying to impress. They danced and talked then she ran away so he wouldn't see her turn back into the normal maiden she was before.

As we know the story continues into a search throughout the kingdom for the beautiful princess who wore the glass slippers. Ella, was trapped in the attic and had no idea the prince was in her home. But good wins out in the end and Ella gets to slip on her glass slipper again, and wins the Prince's heart. When she walks up to him she said, I'm not a princess, this is who I am if the shoe fits will you be willing to take me as I am? He said most definitely. And then they lived happily ever after.

Will you take me just as I am? How beautiful of a statement is that? The prince has seen her at her finest and now at her worst, and yet he is willing to take her covered in soot and ashes just as much as he was willing in her sparkle and jewels. This is the kind of love and "Prince Charming" we should all be looking for. We shouldn't have to change who we are to attract the attention of man. Ella had Kitt's attention from the very beginning when she begged him not to shoot the stag in the woods.

Ladies, you do not have to change for a man. And Disney...thank you for giving our young ladies some examples of strong girls to look up to.

Cinderella, Elsa & Anna, Mulan, Nala (yeah I know she is a lion but still she is fierce), Merida (Brave), and Belle.

Have courage and be kind! Don't change who you are for anyone, the right guy will take you just as you are!

The Word of God for the People of God

Thanks be to God!

A year or so ago I started texting my high school youth each morning I'm in the office a scripture. I was way better at remembering to do it then but I still try to do it every day, and sometimes they get it really late in the day. The youth have told me multiple times that whatever scripture I sent was exactly what they needed to hear.

When I started I would just randomly open the Bible and find something that seemed right and send that. This year I have been using this as my own devotion time as well. So I am currently reading through Proverbs, we finished Psalms last semester.

The way I go about it, is I start reading where we left off yesterday and then I read until a scripture is flagged in my mind that they need to hear that day. Sometimes it is something that a certain student comes to mind and I know I need to send it, sometimes it is just really good advice (most of Proverbs is) and sometimes it is something that I need to hear and can't get off my mind so I share it.

That is what today's scripture did, it was something I couldn't get off my mind even as I read past it.

"When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God." - Proverbs 14:32

It is always fun to talk about calamity and death in the morning but there was just something about this little verse that I couldn't get my mind off of.

How do I react when calamity attacks my life? I would like to think that I react like the righteous and will seek refuge in God all the way to death. But if I am truly honest with myself I know that there are times that reaching out to God is closer to the last thing I do than the first. That is hard to admit since my life revolves around ministry, God, and scripture.

Sometimes though it seems easier to talk to someone who will text back or answer my phone call rather than say another prayer that I have to wait patiently to get a response. And sometimes it is easier to fall apart than to open the Bible and seek God's wisdom. And sometimes I can't see past the tears in my eyes or the sadness in my heart to look to where God is in the situation.

But why is that? Why am I willing to fall apart rather than run to the arms of my creator? Why am I willing to drown in my heartache rather than open the book that has the words my heart so desperately needs?

I don't really have answer I just know I'm feeling convicted today. 

Where do you find yourself turning when calamity rears its ugly head?