Hey everyone!!
How have you all been? I hope that you all have been well and ready to face yet another Monday. It's funny how we think Mondays will last forever when in reality, they go just as fast as any other day. So, don't forget, whenever life starts throwing lemons at you, be brave! You failed your math test? You lost a friend or in the process of losing one? Whatever the situation is, there's always a reason for everything in life. Just like how Shizuku in "Whisper of the Heart" braved the world by doing what she loved and what made her live life a bit more fulfillingly, sometimes we just need to find something that we can have fun doing, while blessing others too!
Like "Whisper of the Heart" and other Studio Ghibli films, you can't help but notice a common theme among them. Of course, they all have their individual charms that make each movie memorable. And of course you won't forget all of that money you spent at an anime convention/store so that you can proudly mount their faces on the walls of your bedroom or on a keychain that will most likely break in the next month. But, a common message that I caught on is the fact that in each movie, the main character had a least one, if not nearly during the whole movie's span, a struggling crisis of searching for "home." By this I mean that they wanted to find a place where they belonged, a person to understand their feelings, or just somewhere where they could be appreciated.
Watching those movies as an insecure, awkward middle schooler really spoke to me. They taught me to be genuine, to pursue what I love, and to not be afraid. Similarly, in life, it is incredibly important to be yourself. I know that you've probably heard this millions of times throughout your life, but that's exactly why you need to hear it so often. Throughout life, other people and even our own selves tell us how we should look or act.
Therefore, I think that it is really important to know how special we were made when God formed us.
I wanted to write a verse out of Psalm 139 to show you what I mean, but I'll just show you the whole thing instead. Please read this knowing how much you are loved!
(From Bible Gateway)
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b] Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.[c] 21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
You were made with purpose in mind and your existence was made with a big plan in mind! Don't ever compare your story, your body, your face, or anything else to other people. That is their story and not yours. All you need to do is to focus on the Lord and depend on Him to provide and take care of you. He'll take care of every detail in your life and when you put your whole trust in Him. you'll be able to see the results of a life given to Him.
But also know that we need to work hard. God doesn't like laziness, there can be a lot of selfishness attached to laziness. I find myself falling into a bad habit of laziness a lot and I want to break that habit. Use your time wisely, use it to bless other and to give glory to Him. Soon, you'll see that your life isn't really about you-it's about Him.
I hope that you enjoyed this post and was able to get something about it! Feel free to leave comments or questions too!
Much love and keep dreaming,
Momo
Joshua 1:9