Friday, February 19, 2010

We can Live >> We are New

 
A forest of crayons, surrounding a treasure. Crayons as a fortress--a strong hold. 
Sinking crayons in goo. Warrior crayons, clustering around for a battle. 
Crayons. And play-doh.

I can only imagine what my brother was doing when he made this. A result of a highly creative mind and a little boy very prone to stories, especially those of valor and bravery. Let's stick some crayons in some play-doh, and we'll build a story off of that.

Because he most certainly had a story for these crayons. He is not one to make something without reason. There was some tale in his head, spinning itself and forming itself in the picture you see above. 

Oh, what to remember the thoughts of childhood!

Don't you ever wonder what you did back then? Why you did it? What you thought? What you dreamed about? What were your aspirations then? What were your motives? Why didn't you like that? What was your reason for wanting this? Were you so innocent as believed?

Who were you?


Do you ever wonder that?

As we grow older, hazy memories begin to formulate in our minds from childhood. (I'm talking from a baby to around eight, here.) An image sparks some memory that we can't quite find. A scent brings back something--something that eludes us. A sound, a touch, a taste of something--they all remind us of something.

And usually those somethings elude us.

In our pre-teen and teen years, we begin to find our identity--who we are. But don't you ever wonder who you were? Certainly we did not change completely--but in our transition from children to young adults, our childlike innocence is somehow lost. We begin to wonder more deeply about things, and we begin to question.

These are not the simple questions of "Why do we need water?" or "Why is the sky blue and not green?" These are the questions of "Who am I?" "Why was I made?" "Do I really know that God exists?"

Those questions are the ones that bring doubt, and fear, as we begin to ponder what we do not know, and the magnitude of that. How do we know that what we believe is true? Further more, how do we know what we believe? Is it really so simple as saying, "this is what I know to be true?"

Lost within the haze of this world, we are surrounded by lies from the enemy. Lies that serve to plague us and cause us anguish, and strife, and confusion. We are horribly trapped within assumed ideas and ideals and thoughts and reasons--and our identity begins to become conformed. We lose ourselves in the midst, and it seems as if we are caught in a whirlwind of never-ending horror.

Until the light of TRUTH shines in and calms the storm.


Who are you? You are a person made in GOD'S own image. You were created intricately and uniquely and lovingly. The God of the whole universe, who created the stars and can count them by name--He is the one who made you.

In Him, you have nothing to fear.

If you trust in His word and His truth, then you will be able to protect yourself from the enemy. If you believe in Him, you will be saved.

Isn't that amazing?

In His Word can be found answers to the questions. Hidden between the lines, contained with one word, one phrase. Doubt can be cleared if you look in the Word of God. In the bible, truth can be found if you search for it--pursue it. And in truth comes peace.

And he is peace.


That childlike innocence, once so cherished, so longed for, can be regained. But not the same. We can become more than we once were. Instead of doubt >> faith. Fear >> trust. Despair >> hope. Sorrow >> Joy.

Death >> Life.


We were born again in Him--we were made new again. Our sins were washed away--our stains removed. Our past can not haunt us, nor taint us, nor mark us, nor name us, for in Him, we are new. We are new creations--we are new beings--we are new. We have been washed with the blood of Christ--we have been cleansed by his love. We have been remade in His image. We have been born again.

We can rejoice in that peace--that assurance--that comes from trusting in Him, and giving our life to Him. We can be free of guilt, or hurt, or anger. We can let go of past pains, and become all that we were meant to.

In Him, we can truly Live.

13 comments :

  1. Great post, Hannah. Sometimes I do wonder what I thought about back then.

    Alex

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  2. Thanks for the comment on my blog. I noticed that you said that you has emailed me, but I have yet to recieve anything. If you could email me at
    mcmunoz@att.net
    that would be great! thank you again!

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  3. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

    You say your writing is dying?

    It's actually gaining strength and truth.

    I REALLY needed this post today--thanks, bestie. Seriously, thanks. :)

    I was feeling super down about...well, everything. *hugs you* thanks. :)

    Love you FOREVER!!!!
    Bekah

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  4. Beautiful writing! I agree with Bekah. I enjoy everything you write.

    My mother saved everything I did from when I was first out of the hospital till...well even still today.
    Anyways, I will come across drawings that are just scribbles and it makes me wonder what I was trying to show or express on the paper. What did I image? What were my favorite things?
    What kind of person was I then?

    Excellent post!

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  5. Great post, Hannah! Sometimes I do wonder what I was like back then:]
    Thanks!

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  6. Hannah - that's wonderful. I was a handfull as a boy. I used to weigh whether or not the upcoming punishment for my potential indiscretion was worth the benefit of the crime. And often, I figured, it was. So my moral compass took a while to shape up. Thank you, God, for grace. :-) Bless you.

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  7. Beautiful post...very thought-provoking! :)

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  8. Very profound post, Hannah! What I found especially enthralling was that u started the post with the word, "A"! I'm so impress- jk. :D lol. Good post and I'll start working harder on my commenting consistency. *grins*

    Jake

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  9. Hi Hannah! Thanks for stopping by my blog:) I really enjoyed looking at yours and your pics are beautiful!!

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  10. Oooh hannah - first of all PLEASE congratulate your brother on his creativity - AWESOME!!
    Great post my friend...
    Hugs!

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