A Cellist in the Tuba Section

Imagine that you hear about a fall dance at school. A friend tells you that everyone will be dressing up for this dance, so you find a really cute cow costume assuming that she meant it was a Halloween dance. You're dressed up in your cow costume and you get out of the car, and...everyone is wearing dresses and suits. This is a formal dance, and you are standing outside in a cow costume. Imagine how out of place you would look and feel in that situation. Maybe you would wait outside for your mom to pick you back up, or you'd walk home, or maybe you would brave it out and pretend that you're a royal cow. Regardless, there would be no way to hide how out of place you are if you go in to that dance. However, as a Christ follower, the difference between our lives and the lives of people who haven't yet begun a relationship with Christ should be that different. It's important to note: I'm not saying that non-Christians have all the fun while Christians are staunc...

Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (ESV) I think so often, we look at this passage and we assume that preaching to all the nations means we need to go to a third-world country somewhere with a rainforest or cannibalistic tribes who need to experience Jesus. However, everyone you interact with needs Jesus, so your mission field right now may be your school, the place where you work, your home, the local library, or even the grocery store. God will open amazing opportunities for you wherever He has placed you in this season. Don't be so caught up with discovering some future mission that you miss the mission He has for you today. And if you don't see results today or next month or in ten years, don't be discouraged. Sometimes we never get to see the fruit...

Jesus was a plain-looking man. Think about that. Sounds pretty normal at first. However, Jesus literally designed his own face. After all, He is God, so He could have created his human body to meet every male beauty standard there was. He could have chosen to draw people to him because of his appearance, but He didn't. He chose to give himself a plain face. Isaiah 53:2 says For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. (ESV) I believe this holds several important lessons for us today as women who are often held to impossible beauty standards. First, this is a wonderful example of humility. Jesus chose to humble himself and give himself a plain face. Secondly, it is an example for priorities in our lives. Internal perfection is more important than external perfection. Use your internal beauty to draw others to you rather than obsessing about your exte...