One of the most memorable moments of my time in D.C. was walking into the National Cathedral. It was absolutely breathtaking...so much that it brought tears to my friends eyes. Now that is beauty. Every inch of the building possessed some sort of creative and intricate detail. So much thought and time went into creating this cathedral. I know that some Christians today would say, "What a waste of money." This is probably something I would have said a year ago. We tend to think the money could have been used in a better way or given to a charity...maybe that is true. But being in the Cathedral brought a peace to my heart. It brought on a feeling and experience of realizing how beautiful God is. That He doesn't want us to be people who just get by...but people who create and enjoy. If we believe we are made in the image of God...we would be creators. My hope and belief is the people who constructed the building did it as a gift to the Lord (obviously this isn't a requirement) but caused from a sense of overwhelming love for Him. That every stone and tile was placed perfectly to fabricate a building so beautiful. It is a place built by human hands in hopes to make something delightful for the Lord, but knowing that is not something He needs. Beauty causes our hearts to skip a beat, and this proves that it is good. This life isn't all about "doing" or "striving"...sometimes it is about recognizing the simple gifts God provides. Such as beauty.
The D.C. trip came at a perfect time for my soul. God is restoring and teaching me about the need for creativity and fun in my life. Sometimes I get so caught up in the mundane that I forget I have the opportunity to enjoy it. One thing that brings a lot of joy to my life is music. No, I cannot play any instruments (once I could play frosty the snowman on the flutophone #whattup). But I love listening to music. It is one of those things that spices up life. It makes putting the clean dishes away fun...or keeps you alive when you are driving 3 to 4 hours on the highway. Not only is it enjoyable but it is necessary. It allows you to voice opinions and be vulnerable without standing up and saying, "hey, listen to my thoughts in boring sentence form." It gives you the chance to reveal real feelings, and they do not always have to be positive ones. It allows you to ache. And as a person who listens to tons of different artists..it gives me the chance to relate. One of the coolest things I read this week was Psalm 33:3 "Sing a new song of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy." I liked how it says skillfully. I believe in my heart that any singing or playing is music to the Lord. But this verse points to how it is good to practice, and be conscience of the music you play and create. When playing for the Lord you would want it to be your best, right?
This leads me to the best part of the trip....the twenty one pilots concert. What an incredible night. From waiting outside in the freezing cold with one of my best friends to meeting some amazing new girls while in line. I really respect the music these guys create. It always makes me think. It always helps me in moments of sadness or joy. I'm not sure if all of their lyrics are about God...but when I sing them they are. To me they show how it is hard to have a relationship with God. That some days you feel empty, and others you know the only reason for life is to glorify Him. So many of their songs have helped me cry out to the Lord. If you love their songs you must see them perform. They perform with purpose..and you can see the joy it brings them. For me it was amazing to sing the lyrics in a packed room of people. Especially the lyrics, "we're broken people." Talk about experiencing some freedom. My heart felt free admitting that to the Lord...and I felt I was in a room singing with people who really meant it. One of the interesting things Tyler said twice was "what are you searching for?" Of course that made me think. We are all searching for something different. In that moment I was so happy to know Jesus. So happy to know that my heart isn't restlessly searching anymore. Sure, I still don't know what I want to do with my life. Some days I feel completely lost. But one thing I know is that my hope is in something much bigger. That I am saved and called to help heal a broken world with Jesus. That is something worth finding. So I am thankful for the moments that God places in my life to refresh my soul and help me focus. I am super thankful that He does it in memorable ways. How can I forget jumping to some of my favorite songs and touching the world's grossest/wet arm (it was a girls ha). I am thankful for Jesus and that we are called to be creative, inspiring, and to embrace beauty.
So, if Tyler and Josh ever read this...thanks for doing what you love, you inspire. #thanks (I will regret that hashtag one day.)
“If I learned anything from thinking about my father, it's that there is a force in the world that doesn't want us to live good stories. It doesn't want us to face our issues, to face our fear and bring something beautiful into the world. I guess what I am saying is, I believe God wants us to create beautiful stories, and whatever it is that isn't God wants us to create meaningless stories, teaching the people around us that life just isn't worth living.” --Donald Miller
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