Trick or Treat?

Dear teenage sister,

Sister, you are beautiful. You bring smiles to faces of those around you. You hold the power to bless the world immensely by shining the light of Christ into the dark crevices of sorrow that mark the hallways of the teenage years you are walking through. You are seeking Christ and I commend you for that. He loves you and has so much life He wants to share with you. And you want to know what it is. I can see it. I can see it by the questions you ask, by your fervent desire to serve where you see brokenness, by the way you latch onto the Word taught on Sundays and Wednesdays. It is all of that makes you shine.

May I say something to you now that may sting? Something that may cause you to want to lay some bricks on the wall you've built to protect yourself? As I do, I ask that you listen with the same heart that is all that I mentioned above. Listen with a heart that desires Jesus first. And know, that what I have to say, I say in complete love. I care deeply about you, about who you are, about your dreams, and mostly about your relationship with Jesus. Alright...

Last night was Halloween. It's a super fun holiday. I never went trick-or-treating as a kid. We always opted for the Fall Festival at church. But, I love any excuse to wear a costume and eat sugar. As I cruised Facebook last night, I experienced the extremes. One post would boast of the cutest baby in a lamb costume you have ever seen. And with one flick of the mouse, the most beloved teenage girl in a "sexy" _________ costume.

Sweet girl. You are worth more than your body. Your value has very little to do with your skin. It has everything to do with your heart and the one who possesses it. Do I think that your choice of costume means you do not love Jesus. Absolutely not, I do not think that. No, rather I think that perhaps you have yet to grasp how very much He loves you. I think that you have yet to understand that loving Him is lived out in your actions. I think that, like me, you have trouble remembering that whose you are determines who you are. If you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then your identity is wrapped up in Him. He has clothed you in His righteousness. Sometimes we forget what it is we are wearing. We take off that robe of righteousness because we forget who gifted it to us. We forget what it means. We trade it in for the old clothes...which sometimes look like sexy bunnies or nurses or taco bell hot sauce packets. (Side note: why do we have to make everything sexy...hot sauce packets? Really?)

On dictionary.com, the first definition of "sexy" is "concerned predominately or excessively with sex". The second is "sexually interesting or exciting; radiating sexuality." WOAH! If anyone every referred to me as sexy, I'd be insulted. First of all, "concerned predominately with sex"? No. If we are concerned with sex above all else, something is wrong. We need to check our hearts. Am I saying that we should never think about sex? No. We are wired for it. It isn't a bad thing...in the correct context (which, ahem, is marriage...ONLY marriage). Am I saying that I have navigated the waters of hormones perfectly? I wish I could say that, but I cannot. But, how heartbreaking for it to ever be true of you or me that sex is our priority over Christ and outside of marriage, that sex is our priority over anything. And secondly, "radiating sexuality"? Oh, my sister, please go read the first paragraph of this letter again. I'll wait.....

....

....

In Exodus, Moses met with God and when he came down from the mountain, his face was radiating so brightly that the people freaked out. They had never seen anything like it. Daniel 12:3 says, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Radiate sexuality? No, beautiful one.
We should radiate Christ!

We all know that what we put in our bodies affects our outward appearance, yes? When you eat junk, it shows on your skin...breakouts, weight gain, weak nails, etc. It's the same with the heart. What we soak into our system, will be revealed through our actions and choices. If you are soaking in Jesus, then it will be evident on the outside. It will be evident in how you dress and present yourself to the world. Do you know what Proverbs 31 says about the woman who is seeking God? Verse 25 say "Strength and dignity are her clothing." Sister, when you are dressing for sex appeal, you are forfeiting dignity. Halloween isn't the only day this matters either. Every day. Every day, you get to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He has traded our rags for His strength and dignity. We get to wear it everyday and it will show off the beauty of Christ in you....and also, the beauty that He created as you (meaning your own beauty), far better than a short skirt or low cut top.

So what, then? Do we just skip Halloween? I mean, it's hard to find costumes for women that don't showcase our cleavage, mid-drifts, or butts. We like to say, too, that it is hard to find everyday clothes that don't do the same....this one is a lie. It is easy to find modest, cute clothes....but your eye has to look for them. You will find what you want to find. If you aren't finding modest clothes, maybe it's time for a heart check. But, in regards to Halloween, God is a creative God and He made you in His image. That creativity is in you. Raid Goodwill. Raid the fabric store. Go crazy with hair and makeup. You can work wonders with duct tape. Think out of the box. I promise you, it is in you to design the most clever costume your high school has ever seen. And people will talk about your creativity for much longer than they will talk about your sexy poodle costume.

You are beautiful. Let that show. Let Christ shine through you. Have you ever seen alabaster? It is a stone that all sorts of beautiful markings. It's alright on it's own, but when you put a candle in an alabaster jar, all of it's beauty becomes evident. Those beautiful marking were always there, but it took an internal light for them to be evident. Painting or bedazzilng the outside of an alabaster jar would do nothing to reveal it's beauty. In fact it would hide it underneath a layer of cheap sparkles. It is the same with us. We have been formed with beauty marks of our own. It can be hard to identify them until Christ becomes the light in you. Then, the world will be stunned by the beauty they see in you.

Continue to seek Him. Be predominately concerned with Christ. Radiate His glory. You are beautiful.

With all love and grace,
Erin

To The God-worshipers

Dear Worship Leader,

Thank you for clearing a path through the clutter of the days, through the veil of flesh to the throne of God. Leading is never easy, but the task you have before you...we have before us, is of eternal importance, and is equally difficult. To clear away the foliage of another's heart so that they can see where they are going...it is an impossible task. But, only in so much as we attempt to do it in our own power. The sweet truth is that the very King whose throne we are journeying to in our worship, steps off His throne to clear the foliage for us. He journeys with us, drawing hearts to Himself.

Last night, I had the joy of worshipping under the leadership of All Sons and Daughters and Tim Timmons. If you have not heard of them, go now. Download, stream, get thee to the store...however you take your music, do it. The songs they write are nothing short of Spirit-inspired. But, the true beauty of their leadership is their pastoral heart. Yesterday, Leslie of All Sons and Daughters said, "A prophet is someone who believes God has something to say to the people. A worship leader is someone who believes the people have something to say to God." David shared a quote as well, "To worship is to give God His breath back."

Let's lead our people from where they are to God's feet. Let's write songs to help people say what they need to say to God. And what is that? Well, it is different for your people than for mine. They have lived different lives, have different heartaches, different joys. So write and sing from there, but always take it the goodness and holiness of God. Don't leave them in the "Why" but lead them to the "Who".  Let's use the breath in our lungs to declare our need and our love for our great God!

Leslie also shared Psalm 22 from the Message, last night and I want to pass it on to you...

^22-24 Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship,
    and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:
Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers;
    give glory, you sons of Jacob;
    adore him, you daughters of Israel.
He has never let you down,
    never looked the other way
    when you were being kicked around.
He has never wandered off to do his own thing;
    he has been right there, listening.

^25-26 Here in this great gathering for worship
    I have discovered this praise-life.
And I’ll do what I promised right here
    in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God’s table
    and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
    is here, praising him.
“Live it up, from head to toe.
    Don’t ever quit!”

^27-28 From the four corners of the earth
    people are coming to their senses,
    are running back to God.
Long-lost families
    are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge;
    from now on he has the last word.

²⁹ All the power-mongers are before him
    —worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
    —worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
    —worshiping!

^30-31 Our children and their children
    will get in on this
As the word is passed along
    from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived
    will hear the good news—
    that God does what he says.

As one who will never get it together,

Erin

Like it's 1999

Dear Nineteen-Nineties,

I miss you. You were tight, crunk, dank. I mean, your music was totally dope. You kept me singing along to everyone from Backstreet Boys and The Spice Girls to KC and JoJo to Cake to Presidents of the United States (she's lump she lump she's in my head...) to U2. And your country hits have yet to be rivaled. This pop-country fusion is a mess. People don't know if they are listening to No Doubt or Reba...they all sound the same these days. I weep for the passing of the country golden days.

And let me not be negligent in mentioning your quality sitcoms. Never have I seen such stellar 30 minute entertainment. Obviously, one of the most cherished is The Fresh Prince of Bellaire. Jazz, Hillary, Carlton...the whole crew. That one episode where Ashley is discovered and almost becomes a pop star and Judge Banks doesn't like it. Ashley sure told him with that rendition of RESPECT. And people are still trying to recreate the "carlton" dance move. It is unusual. And Full House. I loved that family. Oh man, remember when Stephanie drove the car through the kitchen?! Good times....good times, indeed.

MTV and CMT actually played music videos. High School Chick Flicks were aplenty. Lisa Frank was the star of the classroom. Roller Blades ruled the streets. Saturday morning cartoons were at their height of awesomeness. I mean, Adventures of the Gummi Bears(gummi bears bouncing here and there and everywhere)...duh. And like, totally awesome Tale Spin and Dark Wing Duck. Chip and Dale:Rescue Rangers. For sure.  

But of course, there are some things you can leave out if you decided to come around again. For instance, your jeans. We don't need to do that again. And Furbies. You tried to bring those back recently, and let me just say, no. Keep that to yourself. Same for Tamogachi pets. We just don't need that.

So, 90's, come visit anytime. Bring Reba and Martina. Bring The Fresh Prince and Dark Wing Duck. Bring Sugar Ray if you want. You were truly dope.

Wish you were here,
Erin

The Soul's "Amen"

Dear Audrey Assad,

Thank you. You have stepped into your calling as an artist beautifully. And because you have, The Kingdom of God has been strengthened. How do I know that? Well, because my spirit has been encouraged by your songs.

A few years ago, I was in a dark place...walled in by doubt and insecurity. It was in the midst of that season that I stumbled upon your music. I don't remember which song I heard first, but I remember listening to "Show Me" on repeat for days. It was all that my soul was crying out. That beautifully mangled picture of desperation. My soul knew that time was necessary. I needed to die. My faith needed to die, in order to find life. But oh, I wanted that ache to be over. Such glorious tension: "Mercy bend and breathe me back to life, but not before you show me how to die." I needed those words. They were tangled up in me but I couldn't untangle them on my own. You wrote them and my soul eked out a weary "Amen."

And then, that season passed. The walls of doubt little by little (and sometimes in mile long sections) tumbled down. My soul found words to praise and rejoice. And my heart learned that The Lord is good to me, even in the painful seasons. I began to claim that banner over my life. "God is good...in everything!" As I claimed it, you wrote it, recorded it, shared it. I took that song for my own. Again, your voice was on repeat day in and day out and I sang out with you. "The foxes in the vineyard will not steal my joy because You are good to me, good to me....Your goodness and mercy will follow me all my life. I trust in your promise." Those lyrics, they washed over me like a tidal wave. You wrote them and my soul, in emphatic agreement, proclaimed, "Amen!"

This last weekend, I attended The National Youth Workers Convention in San Diego. You lead us all in "Good to Me". It was a beautiful sound, a room full of strangers, some weary, some starting out in their calling...all singing of the goodness of God. Perhaps to some it was a prayer of desperation...clinging to a bit of truth in the midst of a storm. For other, it may have been a declaration of the Spring of their souls, rejoicing in the darkness passed and new light dawning. But, all sang of the promise of a God who is good in all things.

Thank you for writing "Show Me" and "Good to Me". My spirit needed those words, those melodies. And thank you for all the countless songs you have written, the ones shared and the ones kept between you and The Lord. Thank you for stepping with grace and dignity into your calling as an artist. The Kingdom has been strengthened because of your obedience.

With lifted eyes,

Erin

Not Mint to Be

Hello, Hello Toothpaste.

We met the other day at CVS. You were so cute in your pink and white get up. It is very flattering on you. You made a lot of promises about yourself that day: You are 99% natural, fight cavities, strengthen tooth enamel, and whiten my coffee-addict teeth. It all sounded so delightful. There was one bit of information you shared that I was not so sure about. It was that little bit that caused me to hesitate and wonder if I'd miss my longstanding relationship with Crest. But you caught me in the morning hours when my brain has not quite awoken to the world. Therefore, my risk assessing filters were not working properly. So, I threw caution to the wind and you and I left together.

Now, I will say, my teeth feel better after spending time with you. Maybe it's the natural ingredients or your peppy persona. Either way, my pearly whites love the way you make them feel. My taste buds however...They are not so impressed. In fact, they have scolded me greatly for making such a silly mistake. Here is what they have asked me to pass onto you:

"Hello, what were you thinking?! Mint is a delicate flavor not to be tossed willy-nilly into just any ol' batch of whatever flavors you may have leftover in the factory. Mint goes deliciously with vanilla and chocolate.  Mint with cucumber is even palatable. But, pink grapefruit? No. No. No. Grapefruit and mint should be kept far from one another. They are a volatile combination. The resulting flavor is something akin to NyQuil. That is right...nasty taste bud assaulting NyQuil. This oversight is extremely serious. In the future, please make wiser choices about the arranging of flavor marriages. You are responsible for creating beautiful relationships that will bless teeth and taste buds everywhere. From henceforht, I must insist that you refrain from sending such contradictory couples out into the dental universe."

I have done my duty and passed on the message. I know it seems harsh, but my taste buds do have a point. Pink Grapefruit Mint toothpaste should not exist. But, don't let this one thing get you down. It's just a bit of constructive criticism. Remember, you are super cute and my teeth love you.

Don't shoot the messenger,

Erin

Do Not Steal

Dear Christian,

When was the last time you told your story? Now, when I say story, I don't just mean, "Jesus saved me." No, no. I mean your STORY.

Colossians 1:13 says, "He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves."

Stop. Go back and read that about 10 times. I'll wait...

...
...
...

Good stuff, right? That is your story! A daring rescue from the grip of the enemy. A sweet welcome into the Kingdom of Light. 

I've heard you spin the story to center around yourself. You are significant. You matter. But, you are not the star of this epic adventure. Do not steal His glory. Please. 

I've heard you downplay your story. As though there were such a thing as an insignificant rescue mission. Have you ever seen a story of a hero stepping out of their way in order to save a helpless one and not had your heart swell? Even the simplest version of the story stops us in our tracks and makes us wonder. Stop comparing your story to the next person's. You were rescued from the dominion of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of the Son. When you downplay what He has done for you, you are saying that the rescue is unimpressive. Do not steal His glory. Please.

Christian, the world needs to hear your story. Your friends need to hear your story. They need it because they need Him. They may be trapped in the fortress of sin, having been duped like every other person who has ever breathed in this spoiled air. They may not have heard that the fairy tales are a shadow of something true. Tell them. Remind them, there is a Royal One who left His throne to rescue the broken ones and make them whole. 

Tell your story and celebrate His heroics.

Waiting to hear from you,
Erin

Here I Raise My Ebenezer

Dear Future Erin,

I am writing to you so that you remember.

A month ago you started a new job. It is the job you have prayed for since you were a teenager. It is the job that you looked for when you graduated college. It is the job God said no to for years. And now, you have been doing this job for 32 days. You are tired. The long drives are hard and students are busy and you are not 22 anymore. But the fatigue does nothing to steal from the joy. You spend your days loving the Church. You spend your days on behalf of students. You spend your days living out your calling. And it is magnificent.

There are hard conversations and insecurities. Theirs and yours. There are misunderstandings and flesh-directed decisions. Theirs and yours. But there are also celebrations, hugs, prayers. There are dreams. Theirs and yours. There is laughter and life. Cherish these. All of these. The heavy as well as the light moments. Love them. Remember them.

Tonight you taught on Romans 10:13-21. Asking, why did Israel miss Jesus? And it was a heavy text, but a sweet one as well. There were moments of intensity sprinkled together with moments of silliness. You were nervous. High schoolers who have been raised in church are a much different audience than 3rd graders who have not. It has been years since you have taught this crowd. But The Holy Spirit is faithful. He spoke through you. He communicated clearly the message -- Don't miss Christ because you want Him to look a certain way. Don't cut Him off because He won't bless your striving. He is holding out His hands to you, saying, "Come. I have life for you. Come to me. Stop seeking wholeness in all those other 'and's'. It is not Jesus AND ______ that brings life. It is Jesus. Only. Come find Him."

There is something so weighty and so sweet about opening the Word with a room full of hearts. It is a sweet taste when The Spirit uses the gifts and personality He designed in you to communicate Truth to a room full of souls. Don't forget. Don't forget that He used you. That you called out for wisdom and direction and He came through. Don't forget the words spoken to you. "Your lesson reassured me." "I needed that." "Thank you."

The hard days of this job will come, just like they do in any job. The days will come when you feel safe in auto-pilot and are tempted to stop relying on the power of Christ that dwells in you. Don't let the hard days steal your joy. Remember this day. This month. Don't let the lie of self-sufficiency rob you of the joy that comes in relying on the all-sufficient God to do the work He has given you to do. Remember this day. This month.

Here I raise my Ebenezer. Hither by they help I've come.

Sealed in Christ,
Erin

Dear October

Dear October,

It has been awhile, 11 months to be exact. I've been wondering lately how you are feeling about the expectations placed on you. I mean, everyone builds you up to be so...Fall. Warmer colors and cooler temperatures. Sweaters and boots. Pumpkin Spice Lattes and football. But, you never seem to live up to those expectations. Oh sure, football happens and the PSL drowns the disappointment of the sweater-clad co-eds who were hoping for a legitimate excuse to wear their uggs in Houston, but in all honesty, I've rarely seen you live up to the Fall-bar everyone has set for you. How do you handle that?

Do you remember that song I wrote about you when I was in college? You know, the one about how I'd be ok if we could just get rid of you and maybe skip to December? Yeah. I'm sorry about that. I was in a funk that year when you visited and I blamed it on you. It wasn't your fault. I have actually learned to love you since then. My brief trip with you and the girls to Red River in 2010 was great! I finally got to see your true colors! They were beautiful. You should let them show more often. And then the next year, I started a new job working with kids and was excited to go to work since the first time since graduating college. And now, here I am, a month into another new job. My dream job. And I get to spend the weekend with you and my co-workers in San Diego. You are so good to me, October.

We have really come a long way, you and I. I used to dread your visits. Now, I look forward to your arrival.  I would like for you to bring cooler weather and warmer colors when you come, but I know there are somethings that you just can't help, like Houston climate. But it's ok. I'll wear my sweaters, drink my PSL, pretend to know what is going on in the world of football when surrounded by fans, and enjoy your company for 31 days. Maybe one day we can make it back to some place where you really shine...like St Louis; but until then I will always hold out hope that you will learn to be, even in Houston, who God intended you to be when He spoke you into the calendar.

Yours Truly.
Erin