Monday, July 16, 2012

Adventures in Faith

God's Not Boring

An Introduction and Personal Testimony


Well, here we go! This is the 3rd time I've tried to start this post today. Let's hope it works out!

I've tried this blogging thing before, but it didn't really take off all too well. After one or two posts, things felt stagnant and I didn't really see the point in going on to be one of those trendy "bloggers" that the world is constantly buzzing about. At first, I really didn't have much to go on beyond a few party ideas that turned out to be a dead end when turning them into something I could blog about.

Beforehand, I just wanted to start a blog for the sake of starting one. Since I didn't have much reason for it beyond that, things were cast aside quickly. But over the last few months, things have certainly changed in my life! There is still something new to learn every day! And recently, I've had my heartstrings tugged about something that has led me to try again at this idea of starting a blog.

The Internet is a sea of opinions and information that people my age must sift through almost every day. Today, there are a ton of famous men and women, politicians, websites, magazines, and other types of media outlets out there sending one hundred different messages to us. More than ever before, teens use the web and allow what they consume to shape their ideas. Especially for young girls who are becoming women, it's hard to understand everything that God wants us to be with so many mixed messages.

It's also apparent that there are numerous websites and magazines targeting teen girls as their main audience that shouldn't (i.e. Cosmopolitan.) I'm sick of searching Google for hair tips or party ideas and coming across a site with the "100 Hair Tips You Need To Know," along with a massive advertisement for the magazine's latest article regarding...er, stuff...at the top of the page.

So, without further ado, I am presenting to you this blog as a means to share things with you girls (and guys, if you want to read!) from a Christian perspective. Here I will be writing insights of scripture, giving encouragement, talking about my walk with Christ and other things that have impacted myself as well as others.

But, I won't just be writing things about current issues and such. I'm hoping to also make this a place where girls can read about cute crafts, recipes, party ideas, and yes - even beauty & spa tips (from the Christian standpoint, and with emphasis on inner beauty of course!) Why? Because when a girl wants to look for creative ideas for her spa party, she shouldn't have to look through Cosmo. Enough said.

Alright, so it might not seem like anything drastically new in the Christian community; but I at least hope that you'll enjoy reading it. I don't even know if this blog will end up working out at all, but right now I at least hope that it is something that can uplift you where you are today!

Before I post anything else, I would first like to take the opportunity share my testimony with you and let you know a little about myself. I hope that if you're going through a rough time in your faith that you'll take the time to read this:

My name is Keely. I'm a singer and artist whose life lately has been filled with unfathomable twists and turns in God's direction on this journey. Ever since I was able to articulate I've been singing, and from the moment I first became a Christian I knew I was meant to use my talent to serve the Lord. I've been singing on the Worship Team at my home church for about a year and a half now, and recently I've even had the joy and privilege to be able to sing "God Bless America" before a crowd of 30,000 at Celebrate Freedom 22! Though, my life hasn't always been like this.

I became a Christian in November of 2007. I was raised in a Christian home and grew up constantly going to church, but I never really understood what the Gospel meant on a personal level. Believe it or not, Christian music bored me to death at the time; worship music especially. It all just felt like the "same lyrics" and the "same songs" played over and over again. And, it was partially true. After hearing the same Michael W. Smith song at church every Sunday and then again on the radio every other day of the week; who could blame me?

But, the problem went much deeper than that. Worship is so much more than just singing a few songs with catchy lyrics. Though, I couldn't see that. Around the time I became a preteen, I had closed myself off from what genuine Christianity really looked like and shunned all of the living examples of it; all because I didn't want to see that faith was more than words.

The secular world had presented me with the lie that their fleeting games and fame was what I needed for a life filled with adventure and fun. Church, on the other hand; was monotony to me. Compared to what Cosmo Girl and J-14 had planned for me, letting God take control of my life seemed to be a complete bore.

But then, I went to the concert. The tickets were a gift from my uncle. I believe the story is that they both asked in an attempt to get me into Christian music instead of what I was currently listening to. Both of them were very worried about how I would turn out at the time because I was having a really rough time in school and didn't have any true friends I could confide in. I begged and pleaded that they would take me to see Hannah Montana instead - but I ended up agreeing and going with them. After all, it was my 12th birthday. As much as I must have pouted that day, I didn't want to spend it alone.

When I went, something changed. The night is really a blur, but I know that when I went I saw a passion in the artists that the bands I was currently emulating lacked even in their most energy-packed momentsIt was nothing I had ever seen before - and I wanted it. God used that moment to change me in a way that only he can.

Barlowgirl was one of the first acts, and I had never before heard about or seen young women with such a dedication to purity or with so much utter joy that came from it. I saw the true strength in the people as role models, recognizing for the first time that their joy came from the strength they had found in Christ. Then it came time for TobyMac to come on, and his band was full of so much energy and excitement along with their declaration of Christ that I realized my preconceived notions about tonight had been dead wrong.

Jesus music was not boring.

The Holy Spirit was alive in the place, and I remember feeling like God was so close to me I could reach out and touch him. And somehow, I did. There was no instantaneous rush to any altar. I actually don't remember exactly when I finally decided, because I didn't exactly kneel anywhere and say the sinner's prayer. All I know is that after we went home I found myself up late that night reevaluating who I was and in turn asking God to make my life real. I had seen who he was, and I wanted that. I wanted all of him! And in the following few days, it would be as if a massive gap in my heart was being filled as I realized I had found what I was looking for.

In those few days afterwards, I also experienced this seemingly unending excitement and over pouring of bubbly feelings. I guess you could say it was a spiritual high, though it wasn't quite that just-got-home-from-church-camp feeling. I became a completely new person in every sense of the word. Thanksgiving break coincided with it all, so I had a full week where I couldn't stop feeding myself more of the Gospel. I consumed my bible like a buffet. Suddenly, all I wanted to listen to was the very genre I thought I hated. I became crazily on fire for God and wanted to witness to all of the people in my life who didn't know him. I suddenly wanted to go to church as much as I could.

But then I returned to school, and the spiritual high of reaching my mountain top began toning itself down as I lost my footing and began descending towards a spiritual low. This was when I would be faced with the real decisions about my faith. My friends realized I was different when I came back for those short weeks before Christmas break would ensue. I was now a "crazy bible basher" to them. They laughed at me and teased me now because I took a stand for purity. People scoffed at me for reading my bible at lunch. I realized then that I didn't really have a friend in those people, which hurt a lot. It didn't take away their ridiculing, either. But, as much as I felt the pain of scorn - it didn't keep me from telling people about my new found joy.

And now that I had a friend in God, I had a longing to find someone else at school who was a strong Christian too. All year long, I'd been hanging out with people who were either so-so Christians (i.e. people who went to church on Sunday but were the same kids at school whose mouths you were convinced had been surgically replaced with one from a sailor) or people who didn't like the idea of anyone having faith at all. So, I prayed for a friend. I prayed for a strong, Christian friend who would last. Someone who would want to be part of this with me. I prayed, and so did my parents.

 Little did I know, God had bigger plans; for there was someone else praying for the same thing.

During one of the rehearsals for our school play right after I had "turned around," I decided to pull out my Walkman phone and begin listening to one of the songs I had downloaded from my TobyMac CD. No one else around me knew the song. In fact, a few people thought it was lame. But one of the girls playing another character in my same family of sparkly blue ghosts came up to me with a smile on her face.

"Hey, I know that song!" She told me, "We played it at church camp last summer."

Her name was Katie. We ended up talking and becoming friends. I was happy to know that there was another Christian there with me. And only a few weeks later, on our opening night I would find Katie - rattled with nerves - and ask her if we could pray before the show. And we did. All that year and part of the next, we continued to do that before every play, concert, or recital that we were in together. In the darkest of my times at that school, God would always seem to bring her into the hallway at the times I needed to be reminded of his plan for me the most.
There were things I struggled with that year, but the Lord helped me to overcome them. There did come to be a point in my 7th grade year that things became simply too much to handle, and my parents made the decision to homeschool me. I still didn't have my friend's phone number, email address, or anything of the sort. I assumed that unless there was something miraculous, after I left school that day I would loose contact with her forever. But right then - as my parents and I walked down a deserted hallway to get my the last of teacher's signatures on my exit slip - I said a prayer in my head.

And right from around the hallway came Katie.

Since then I've grown a lot. I'm nearly 17 now, and I've had to hand my life over to God in more ways than I'd originally bargained for; but that's okay. It's all been for the better. I've had to hand over many of my previous idols to him for shredding as well - but that's something I will talk about on a later day. I'm far from perfect, but now I'm using my talents for his glory.

And, I still talk and pray with Katie. I could have never guessed what kind of sisterhood I was in for. She took me to her church and introduced me to her friends and her youth group. That church is now my home church, and those friends are now my very best friends. My parents now go to church there too! I've learned what it truly looks like when a young person is on fire for Christ, and I've also learned that it is not a boring ride. And now Katie and I still sing together - we sing for the Lord! We've been on numerous adventures in this faith, and I know that they will continue. It may not always be easy - but I know that because I found God, I found my home.

So, that's my story. What does that mean for you? Well, I just wanted to say that if you're struggling in your faith right now there is hope. There was a point in my life when I felt I had absolutely no other Christians in my life outside of my own family that I could talk to. Keep on praying, because the God of all Creation hears you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

And if you are still searching to fill that void you feel inside - seek after God. Don't seek after the things in this world that will pass away just because you were told about it in some sparkly magazine. If you've already gone through the motions, that doesn't mean that Christianity has failed you. Seek after Christ. You'll find what you're looking for. If you want acceptance, open your heart and he will help you find your true home.

And if you're young, especially if you're a younger girl - stand strong! You were made for wonderful things. The trials of this life are tough, but they are temporary! As cliché  as it sounds, God has better things in store for you. Things might not be a constant stream of puppies and unicorns, but know that God loves you and desires to use you for his purpose! (And I promise that his purpose is a very good one, even if it's not what you think he has in store!)


"'For I know the plans I have for you;' says the LORD. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11



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