A Cellist in the Tuba Section

Hebrews 2:18  For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. These passages are discussing Jesus: God in the form of a human. God, out of His great love for us, chose to come to earth as a human to save us, and since Jesus walked in human form, He understands what it feels like to face temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), to lose a loved one (John 11:1-44), to be betrayed (John 13:21-30). Jesus relates to the experiences you are going through because He experienced similar things. So, when you feel as though there is absolutely no one who understands, remind yourself that you can always run to Jesus, and He will always understand. An...

The internet has a lot of options for finding sermons or Bible-based resources. However, some sources are more helpful than others. Below, I have compiled a list of some resources that I have found helpful (I'm not getting any money off promoting these sources, I just genuinely want to share them with y'all). They deal with loneliness, relationships (platonic and romantic), and other problems teen girls are facing. I hope you enjoy this list, and feel free to suggest other resources in the comments, or directly to me by filling out the contact form on the right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7h5BHax06c  This sermon talks about relationships, and is the first part of a series on relationships. It's very helpful, humorous, and sparked ideas for my post "God's Desire for Community". The second sermon in the series, found on YouTube as well, brings up the idea of dating yourself, which has totally changed my perspective on singleness and really helped me...

Psalm 147:1-3 Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (ESV) Have you ever had a day where nothing seemed to go your way? You got tons of homework, your friends ignored you, your crush won't talk to you, you got in a fight with your parents, or your car broke down. Maybe all of the above? When you're in the middle of that kind of day it can be really hard to know what to do. When I have an awful day, I find that I fall into the trap of impatience, and start getting mad that I'm still in a season of singleness, even if the cause of my bad day has nothing to do with relationships. The reason I want a boyfriend on those bad days: I want someone to comfort me. What I have to remember in the middle of a bad day is that I already have a comforter. God is able to comfort us at any time an...

Change is really, really hard, and unfortunately, inevitable in life. For me, the hardest periods of change have been when I have had to create new relationships. For example, I switched from a private school to a public school at the beginning of 5th grade, and it was hard for me to learn how to make friends and what was and wasn't socially acceptable at public school. For example, at my private school, people kept secrets. At public school, I soon learned, secrets became gossip about two seconds after you told them. Making friends after everyone found out who I was crushing on was a very difficult thing for me to do. Then, there was the transition to junior high, where all my friends were in different classes than me, and new students were transferring in from other local elementary schools. I had to make new friends, which was really hard for my awkward, introverted 7th-grade self. And finally, in high school, drama often lead to some friend break-ups. There were really hard ...

Have you ever been betrayed by someone you trusted deeply? Maybe your best friend promised you they wouldn't tell anyone about the guy you like, but soon the whole school knows. Or maybe it was a family member that you trusted to support you, and they let you down. Unfortunately, feeling betrayed is a common experience for people. We as humans fall short of the expectations of other humans. Even Jesus was betrayed by a friend when Judas plotted with the chief priests. So, the next time you face the pain of betrayal, remember that you can take it to Jesus. He understands the pain of your heart, and He is enough to sustain you through this time of deep heartache and loneliness. Psalm 55:20-22 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous ...

Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." (ESV) Luke 10:1  After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go."  (ESV) Acts 4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common." (ESV) What do all these verses from throughout the Bible all have in common? They all deal with community. In the beginning, God saw that Adam being alone was not good. So, He provided Eve. When Jesus sent his disciples out to minister to nearby communities, He sent them out with a partner. Finally, we have the example of the early church. They stuck together and provided for each others' needs. So this week, no matter how outcast-ed and lonely you may feel, know that that f...

My sophomore year I joined the school band as an upright bass player. My first instrument, and the one I have most mastered, is the cello. I had been playing bass for just two months when I started in my school band. Many other band members had been playing their respective instruments since 3rd or 4th grade. I was the newbie and the only classical string player (although there was an electric bass player whose presence I am still grateful for). Being new and strange led me to feel like the other band members didn't like that I had joined the band. This caused me to play very, very quietly. I was terrified of what the other kids would think of my playing. I was particularly worried about upsetting a senior who played tuba, which is the section I was seated in. I felt that she was irritated by my mere presence when in reality she was just very shy which is why she didn't say anything to me. One of my first lessons with the band director, he told me, "You can either have a ...