The Last Hours of the Thief

{Photo credit to Waiting for the Word and Flickr Creative Commons}

 So I was at my youth group last night, and (long story short) someone was talking about the thief on the cross who repented, and that yes of course he was saved even though it was his last hours, because his heart truly realised what he'd done and was genuinely sorry, etc.

 And suddenly, sitting there on the floor, it hit me out of nowhere.

 What must have been going on in the thief's heart as he strained through his last hours on the cross, until the soldiers finally came and broke his legs.

 What a paradox those hours must have been!! Here he was, in the worst hours of his entire life, in excruciating pain, suffering for all the wrong he'd done. I can't imagine how dreadful that would be! And yet, it was also the best few hours of his life. He had been forgiven. Completely cleansed. He had been promised by the Messiah an eternity in heaven. What joy flooded his heart? What unexplainable relief and peace washed over him as he found what he had been longing for all his life?What revelations did he have as his entire life was put in perspective, as the history he had surely been taught suddenly make sense? What discoveries did he make about the character of God, who's very Son lay gasping a few feet away for having done nothing wrong? 

 Of course, I can only speculate. But it was just so cool to think of what must have been going on for that thief who Jesus forgave because he humbly repented. I'm looking forward to getting to heaven and asking him about it!

Cassie xoxoxo

P.S. See Luke 23:26-46 for the full story.

How to fight off liking a guy // Part 3

The Specifics // Part 2

1. Be willing to listen and learn from God. Trust me on this one: God has something to teach you every time you fight off liking a guy. I literally have a list on my iPod titled "Things God has taught me through my boy struggles." Items include 'that I need to give those thoughts to God,' 'God has such an amazing man in store for me,' 'telling parents helps so much,' 'I must treat and encourage all the Body equally' and 'friends is best and [sometimes] hardest.' There is a lesson with ever struggle. I've learnt to keep my ears open to God when I'm faced with trying not to like a guy. They're such growing seasons, no matter how hard and frustrating. Be willing to listen and learn from God.
2. Be willing to listen and learn from others. My mum reminds me that I'm too young to think about a life partner (yeh, I know, duh. But a good kick of blatant logic does help sometimes). My friend reminds me of the importance of Scripture in our daily battle. And if you have a friend who you know thinks the same way about this stuff, and maybe has more experience to boot, go ask for help!*
3. Choose to focus on others. When you focus on others and serve them, that's letting God work through you to be a blessing. It's forcing your mind away from your wants, your desires, you yearnings, you obsessions. Seek out ways to encourage others. Give of yourself. Treat others like you feel like treating that boy. Looking actively for how to bless others is a powerful weapon against obsession! 
4. Look for the big picture. The here and now isn't everything! What will you think looking back on this in ten years time? What happens when you slowly (or suddenly) come to realise that he's actually not that like-worthy? Looking at the big picture relieves some of the pressure of the right-now. It puts things into perspective.
5. Don't give up! I've fought off liking guys for a few weeks. I've fought off liking guys for a few months. There are guys I've been attracted to for years and still have to wrestle my mind off sometimes. Sometimes I do feel like giving up (that happened recently). But in the end, the fight to glorify God instead of boys in your life is worth it. You learn things. You grow. You become the person you will be next month, next year. You realise afresh how great our God is, and why His is worthy of our whole heart and mind. And be encouraged: when God started teaching me this stuff, it took years for me to get a hang of. But now, more than 5 years later, I find it way, WAY easier to identify and combat a potential crush. When God started teaching me this stuff, I could go minutes before catching myself thinking romantic thoughts. Now, I mostly catch a thought like that almost before it fully forms, and certainly within a few seconds. When God started teaching me this stuff, I wouldn't realise I was attracted until I was deep in. Now, I can identify any out-of-the-ordinary emotions very quickly, keep tabs on them and be ready to swing my defences into action if I realise it's getting beyond the realm of attraction or admiration. So don't give up! Keep relying on God for everything, and you'll get there, whether it be in a few days or a few months.

I hope these posts show you some helpful things. Please comment and let me know what you think, or what tips you have!

Cassie xoxoxo

*And hey, if you want to shoot me an email and ask me, go ahead!

How to fight off liking a guy // Part 2

The Specifics // Part 1

1. Swap the thoughts you catch yourself thinking for prayer, scripture, or truth. I think I've said this before: we can't just push out bad thoughts, we must exchange them for good thoughts. When you catch your mind wandering, dreaming over a guy, try praying, quoting scripture or reminding yourself of truth (i.e. God is more than enough for me).
2. Be aware of Satan's tactics. Unfortunately, this one comes mostly by experience. But let me just say, Satan has many tactics to tap us off the course. It may be outright, or it may be subtle. Keep your eyes open, and claim God's truth over you.
3. Tell someone you trust. This one is so helpful! I can't say I tell my mum or one of my best friends every little thing I'm struggling with in this area, but when it's bigger, or when it's been going on for a while, one of the biggest reliefs is telling someone you trust. It removes the secrecy aspect, brings things into the light (in some cases, just doing that breaks it's power), and most often yields in helpful advice or accountability. It is unbelievably helpful (even while somewhat uncomfortable) to have someone saying, "so, how are things going with so-and-so?"
4. Avoid things that stir up those thoughts (don't spur it on). OK, this is big. When fighting off a crush, we must not do things to stir it up! That may mean any manner of things. Maybe it's taking his photo off your phone lock screen, or not listening to that so that so reminds you of him, or not Internet-stalking him. ;P For me, it's meant any manner of things, from choosing not to seek him out at a gathering, to not going along to drop my brother at his place where I might just, maybe see him. It's meant not chatting to him online all the time, not playing memories over and over (you with me here?!), not sitting right next to him, not holding his gaze a split second too long, nor too deeply. If you've purposed to fight this fire, FIGHT IT, don't fan it!

{Please comment and let me know what you think, or any ideas you have!!}

How to fight off liking a guy // Part 1

Ok, so a reader, to my excitement, took the time to request a few posts. This was one, and when she mentioned it I suddenly realised that, guess what? I hadn't actually a done a post with some of my how-to for fighting off liking a guy. Oh yes, I've suggested things for a myriad of other topics, and I say (or imply) multiple times that you should fight of liking a guy, but Oh my goodness, I've not actually done a post about it. (I have said some stuff in the "My thoughts specifically on crushes" page, but that actually needs a bit of revision, so here's the first step with that.) So thank you, dear reader, and here is part 1 of your answer.

The Basics

1. I can't tell you how. Yup, you're probably familiar with this kind of answer now. There is no cookie-cutter method. This is an individual journey, and each one is different. Besides that, you learn more and more each time (that's right, fighting off liking one guy isn't a life-time cure!). So in the following points I will suggest things I've found helpful, but I don't promise a perfect cure-all!
2. Acknowledge it. I think one of the most important things in this process, and certainly the foundational step, is to be self-aware. Eavesdrop on your thoughts, pay attention to your emotions. No, I'm not saying that we are purely 'natural' creatures or that we can't resist our body's processes, but don't write off anything you're feeling! Be conscious of yourself, and acknowledge what you're feeling. (Note: this is a growing process! You learn to observe and acknowledge yourself better through experience.)
3. Pray and submit. When you realise that you're drifting towards liking a guy, your thoughts are wandering off course, you're getting distracted, you get a jolt of adrenaline whenever you hear of a certain guy, or whatever, drop to your knees! This step only comes second because you can't do it without acknowledging first. It is of utmost importance. Talk to God; let Him know what you're feeling, and submit it all to Him. Give over your heart, your mind, your feelings, your attention.
4. Fight to stay close to God. The whole reason we fight off liking guys is because it distracts us from God and our true purpose - to glorify Him. God is so much better than any guy, and that's why we choose to focus on Him. Remember that! Fight for it! Refuse to be swayed! Actively pursue God!
5. Choose to fight it. This is a choice. It won't be easy. It will probably be frustrating. It may take a short time, or it might take a long time. But whatever the cost, choose to fight! Make a stand!

Notice/Focus

 This is something I've been thinking recently. The meaning? It's OK to notice Godly guys. It's OK to admire them. But it's not OK to focus on them. Our focus must be on God. We can use guys as a spring-board to God ("Oh, that's sweet... Lord, thank you for your kindness to me"). That's something I'll be working on more. Join me?

Cassie xoxoxo

Tarnished Love

Photo credit to THOR and Flickr Creative Commons

My brother and I were flicking channels tonight, and came across The Bachelor. Now I'd heard of this show before, and guessed it was probably some faulty search of a guy for his 'true love.' Well, tonight I actually paused to watch it for a few minutes. Turns out, I'd guessed right. One bachelor looking for love, a pile of single gals dying to win his affections. By the time I'd watched less than 15 minutes, I had disgust coursing through me as steadily as my blood. I feel like yelling, "What????!!!! WHY???!!!!"

 How sick is our world? I am appalled and saddened once again as I see how far we have fallen. We have destroyed the meaning of love. Love is sticking 25 swooning girls on a TV show to compete for the heart of a man who's willing to lead every single one on emotionally so he can find his 'soul mate?' Love is letting each one stare into his eyes, go deep, rival each other so they can say "he's mine?" I don't think so! How tarnished is that version of love! It makes me angry, it makes me deeply sad, it makes me sick in the pit of my stomach. How can we?!

 It also makes me incredibly thankful for Love. For God, who entered my life and the lives of so many others, and taught me "this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we aught to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16.) "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1.) I am sick because I know something so much better. And that is... unspeakably awesome.

Cassie xoxoxox

P.S. Please note, I mean no disrespect to the producers or participants of The Bachelor. I'm not blaming them for anything. As my friend always says, why should they hold to my standards since they aren't Christians? All I want to say is, as a Christian, how appalled I am at our culture; thought I started with The Bachelor, I'm stepping back and looking at the general idea of this 'love' as simply one example of our world's mixed-up mindset. 

On having it all.

"She's got it all!" 

 I've been musing a little over this recently. When did it start.... hmm, not really sure.... But it has just come into my head recently as I look in the mirror at myself - "You know, I could 'have it all!'" Let me tell you a story I think illustrate's this pondering perfectly...

I was invited to a 1950's-themed party recently. In keeping with my personality, I chose to go all-out with a costume, not just wear some read lipstick or whatever. So I coated my lashes in mascara, tied a scarf around my head and pulled out a purple swing-skirt that we've had in the dress-ups since I can remember. And then I found the darkest, most red-ish shade of lipstick in our house (we don't actually own straight, glaring red, I discovered), and painted my lips. And BANG. I transformed into a 50s rock 'n' roll teen - flaring skirt, voluminous hair, swinging hips, boys hanging of my arm and.... WAIT A MINUTE! No, I didn't go that far. But for a second, I caught a glimpse of what I could be, if I chose. I could 'have it all.' Tight cloths, a new boyfriend every week, a pouting mouth, and all those other things that were glorified back in the 50's rock 'n' roll culture, and still are now.

 I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, and asked myself, "Why aren't I like that, again?" Not because I was unsure of the answer, but because I knew it would do me good to hear it stated directly again. It's all to easy to lose sight of why we do what we do, are what we are, dress like we dress, act like we act, etc.

~~~~~~~~~

 I reminded myself that I am not of this world because the world is not all there is. There is more. There is God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." (1 John 1:1-4)

 I reminded myself that knowing this God is way, WAY, WAY better than anything the world has to offer. I have the King of the universe as my Friend and Security and Peace and Joy and Righteousness! He holds out eternal, priceless jewels; the world, stinking piles of temporary rubbish. "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:8-11)

 I reminded myself of who I was going to see at that party - God's gifts that I am so very privileged to know as friends. I smiled as I reminded myself that I have their respect. Their respect! How does the selfish attention of a dozen boys, or materialism compare to the respect of true friends who see deeper than the surface and love me for, and despite, what they see?! "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1)

~~~~~~~~~

I thought of 'having it all.' My insides curdled, all but that one tiny spot that lusts for it, that sin-nature that my God has conquered. I thought of amazing Grace, of ridiculous Love, of inexplicable Joy, of eternal Hope. My heart shone. My spirit glowed with joy and satisfaction. I DO have it all! No, not 'all,' ALL!! And I smiled at myself in the mirror because I am not of this world, I am not a sleazy 1950s teen. I am Cassie. Purity and God and ALL!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade." (1 Peter 1:3-4a)

Cassie xoxoxo


P.S. OK people, just got into Anthem Lights! These guys are incredible! In voice, and, above all, in their standards of faith! Far from being just the 'yeh, God's there, but I'm still gonna sing like I believe it's about me' these guys express such profound truths in their music. Check out "Hide Your Love Away" (and you MUST see the 'behind the song' for this!), " and "Follow Your Heart." These are basically two of my strongest convictions put into song. INCREDIBLE and such an encouragement! Also "That's What I'm Looking For" is awesome too!