Love Through Listening

“Kayla! Kayla! I need to tell you something!” The five year old exclaimed, her eyes looking urgent. She seemed bursting to tell me her news. Her long, curly black hair swept down her back, her hands motioning in her excitement. The second I asked her what she wanted to tell me, she went into an explanation about the movie Strawberry Shortcake, as if it was the most important thing in the world.

To me, it seemed like a big buildup for something so little. To her, it meant everything. She felt what she had to say was important, and she wanted someone to listen.

Recently, God has been impressing upon me how important it is to show love for people by listening to them. And not just by hearing what the person is saying, but truly listening--caring about what they have to say, praying for them about it, and following up with it, as a way to show them your love and God’s love for them.

That kind of listening can be hard. It takes time and effort. You have to work towards it--it doesn’t usually come naturally. And sometimes, it gets really discouraging. It doesn’t feel worth the effort to listen. But, when you have the ability to show God’s love to someone through listening to them, isn’t it worth it?

Kayla Joy

Identity In Christ

I paused for a minute before putting my temporary drivers license in my purse, staring at it. It seems to have all my information on it--from information to my name and address, to details such as my eye color. It’s an identification card, yet it fails to include the most important identifying information there is about me: that my identity is found in Christ.

Because of what Christ has done, my identity is no longer defined by things this world finds important. My identity is found in Him. When this world tells me that I’m a failure, He gently reminds me that “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9). When this world tells me that it’s all about looks, He says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:3-4). When this world tries to identify me by worldly standards, I’m constantly reminded that my identity isn’t found in this world, but in Christ, thanks to what He’s done for me.

Kayla Joy

Willingly Being Shaped

I rolled the play-dough between my hands, twisting and twirling it until it reached a shape I was satisfied with. I wasn't sure what I was going to make yet; I was paying more attention to ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the creations the girl I was babysitting was making. I absentmindedly formed my piece of play-dough together, wrapping it into a circle. "Hey!" the little girl suddenly called out, pointing at my play-dough, "You made a nest!" I glanced down at my play-dough, only to realize she was right. It really did look like a bird's nest! The whole time I'd been forming the play-dough, I didn't have any slight idea of what I was going to make. A bird's nest certainly never popped in my mind!

Thankfully, it's not that way with God. When He created us, He knew what He was doing. We weren't a mistake. We weren't a spur of the moment kind of idea. He didn't need someone else to point out to Him what He had created. He knew what He was doing when He created us. And, amazingly, He didn't only make us, but He keeps working on shaping and forming us into who He wants us to be, if we're willing to be molded by Him.

Isaiah 64:8 says, "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand." I love how the verse doesn't say, "You were the potter" but that it says, "You are the potter". He didn't just create us and leave us on our own. He's actively shaping us, forming us, and molding us. 

Often, this shaping stretches us. It can make us step out of our comfort zone. It can be painful. But as long He's the potter, He sees the big picture, and He has a plan. Are you willing to let Him shape you daily? 

Kayla Joy 

Leaping For Joy Daily

“Come on Sam Sam,” I said, tugging on my dog’s leash, “She’s not home.” He continued to pull on the leash, trying to direct me up her sidewalk. With dramatic whining, it was obvious what my dog wanted; he wanted to see one of his absolute favorite people in the whole wide world, who just so happens to be an elderly lady that adores him. His love does have some part to do with all the treats she freely gives, and all the kisses she smothers him with. But no matter she does; he loves her. He jumps wildly in the air every time he gets to see her, and he wags his tail practically non-stop for the rest of the day after seeing her. It’s the only thing on his mind when we come near her house on walks, and he never fails to tug toward her steps. He doesn’t care if her door is shut, the lights aren’t on, and the car isn’t in the driveway. He still leaps for joy at even the thought of seeing her, no matter how small the chance.



We have the privilege of being able to spend time with God whenever we want. Day or night, weekend or weekday. He’s the Creator of the world, the King of the universe and yet... are we as excited at spending time with God as my dog is about seeing this lady? I know I fail at this often. Sometimes, I get caught in the trap of thinking it’s a chore to get my daily devotions done. When really, it’s a privilege that we’re even allowed to spend time in His presence, let alone whenever or however often we want! Are we leaping for joy when we spend time with God, or are we dragging our feet the other direction, thinking of what else we should be doing with our time? 



Kayla Joy

Sweet Failure

I walked up to the house, slowing down, doubts filling my mind. I don’t even know his name. He’s probably going to have no clue what I’m doing. He’s not going to want to talk. He waved happily, encouraging me.

Just a month back, I’d never even noticed the man before. Sure, I’d passed the house thousands of times while walking to a guitar or piano lesson, but I’d always been lost in my own thoughts. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I noticed him, frail looking, slightly bent over, sitting in a chair on his porch and watching. He was always watching, watching people go past, watching cars zoom by, watching birds flutter from branch to branch. That day was the first day I’d actually noticed him. He grinned from ear to ear as I passed, sat straighter in his chair, and waved. I smiled and waved back, and that was it. I didn’t think I’d see him again, and I didn’t think much of it. But, before long, I noticed him every time I walked past. Whenever I made eye contact with him and smiled, he always looked as if seeing me walk past was the greatest joy he’d had all week long.

It didn’t take long before questions started filling my mind. What was his life like? Was he married? Had he ever picked up a Bible? Was he lonely? After a few weeks of waving at him as I walked past, I felt I needed to do something for him. I baked him sugar cookies the night before my music lesson, and was about to deliver them to him. 



As I walked up his steps, I fumbled for the container of cookies I’d stuck in my purse. Unbuttoning the purse, I introduced myself, pulled the cookies out and mentioned I’d made some cookies for him. He smiled, but said he was diabetic and couldn’t have them. I stood there awkwardly with my cookies, thinking how stupid it must have seemed to him to be offer a diabetic sugar cookies. Unlike I suspected, however, this didn’t stop him from talking. Instead, he seemed delighted to have someone to talk to. He launched into an explanation of his medical problems. He showed off a scar on the top of his head, and he seemed to truly appreciate having someone to listen to him. When I needed to go, I told him I’d bring something he could eat the next time I walked by. He smiled and waved while I walked away, seeming truly happy.

I thought I was going to give him some cookies, but when that turned into a failed attempt, I was able to give him what he really needed: my time. God can use even our failed attempts to show us what's really needed. It doesn't catch Him by surprise, even if it catches us by surprise. He doesn't get stumped by failed attempts, not even failed sugar cookie attempts.

Kayla Joy 



P.S. To those curious, the sugar cookies ended up going to some happily surprised construction workers!

Beautifully Sticking Out

My eyes scanned our backyard, trying to find something interesting to take a picture of. We have clusters of flowers in our front yard, but I wanted something else, something more unusual. My eyes fell to the abandoned place behind our shed. It used to be a garden, but the soil was too rough for flowers to take root, and instead it had been mainly forgotten about, besides for the growing weeds. Yet, in the midst of the weeds, a single black eyed susan flower stood out, standing tall. Faint colors of purple swirled in the middle, and the bright yellow petals spread out in every direction. The instant I saw it, I knew there was something different about it. It stood out from all the rest, and there was no denying it.

We’re living in this world, but we’re told to stand out. You can’t fit in with the world’s pattern and live for Jesus. It’s a choice between the two--the world, or Jesus. If you pick Jesus, you will stand out. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Just like that black eyed susan growing among weeds, is our love for Jesus so noticeable that we stick out? Can others see Jesus’ love for others through our smiles? Are we so filled with Jesus that people can’t help but ask what’s different about us? 


Kayla Joy

Who We Are Serving

<sup>“Here! Dat’s for you!” Strawberry blonde bangs fell in her hair as the three year old handed me a wilted clover flower. Even her eyes were smiling as she waited for me to take the flower. In that short moment, my heart melted instantly. The flower may have been wilted, it may not have been the most sacrificial present in history, but to her, she was offering all she had at the moment.

How many times in life do we only give the minimal required effort? It’s really easy to convince yourself that you can do a decent job instead of a bang up job and no one will even notice the difference. Whether it’s in school, a job, or just life in general, it’s common to not want to give your all.

One of my favorite Bible verses, Colossians 3:23-24, says, “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” That Bible verse changes my thought process completely. Instead of convincing myself that a little bit of effort will be enough--that no one will notice a difference anyways--it reminds me Who I’m serving. Instead of being tempted to give as little as possible, it reminds me to give everything I have to serve God, even if it seems as small as what the three year old gave me. When you keep it in perspective and realize that you’re serving the King of kings, the Creator of the universe, the Lord of all, it’s much easier to put forward all of your efforts in whatever you do.

Kayla Joy</sup>

Etched In His Heart

I was walking back from my piano lesson, enjoying the summer day. Unlike the walk to the lesson, where I had been speed walking due to not leaving enough time, I was able to dawdle, pick flowers, and smile at passersby. I was halfway home when two boys, around eight years old, came zipping by on their bikes, one with a huge smile. As they passed, the one who was smiling waved and happily said, “Hi! It’s you again!”


For a moment, I was puzzled. I didn’t recognize either of the boys, I certainly didn’t know them from anywhere. In fact, I didn’t think I’d seen them in my life before. And then it hit me; I must have passed by them on the way to my piano lesson. While I had been distracted with not having enough time, I didn’t even remember walking by them. And that’s when a curious thought hit me; how many other people had I passed by? How many other people--each with talents, heartbreaking moments, joy, and struggles--had I only given a quick smile to, not even sketching their faces into my memory?

Mark 5:24b-34 says, “A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,  because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’  Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’

‘You see the people crowding against you,’ his disciples answered, ‘and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’’ But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”

In this passage, Jesus is following Jairus, a synagogue leader who has begged Jesus to heal his dying daughter. A huge crowd is following after them, pressing against everyone. You can just imagine the chaos of the moment; people chattering away, some expressing confidence in Jesus’s healing powers and others doubting, children pressed against their mother, town folk itching for a chance to see a miracle performed. And yet, throughout all of it, Jesus stopped. He took time for a single woman, one who was hurting and broken. Even when his disciples told him to move on, thinking he was crazy for wondering who touched his clothes, Jesus stopped. He kept looking around to see who had touched Him. And He didn’t stop until He found her.

Jesus does the same for us. We aren’t random strangers who come and go. He knows our struggles--He’s right along side us through it. He knows our heartbreaks--He’s comforting us through them. He knows we’re sinful and messed up--He died for that. To anybody else, you might be a stranger passing by on the street, a face that will be forgotten in an hour. To the King of the universe, you were worth dying for.

Kayla Joy

The King On His Throne

Being a young girl, probably around five years of age, I was delighted to finally be entrusted with the duty of placing groceries on the check out lane at the grocery store. It took, to my small mind, many hours of ‘training’ before I finally learned the important skill of stacking groceries--heavy, strong items on the bottom, squish-able items such as bread on the top. For one of the first times ever, my mom had allowed me to put all of the groceries on the lane, by myself.

At the end of putting the groceries on, I proudly declared, “And now for the king on his throne!” My mom, who had been distracted with paying for the groceries a moment ago, glanced nervously my way, only to discover a loaf of bread balanced precariously on a wobbly tower of groceries. My unsteady “throne” consisted of dozens of groceries piled high in one spot with a loaf of bread swaying on the top. She quickly dismantled the “king on his throne” and I learned from that day on that king’s don’t belong on thrones at grocery stores.

In the midst of tragedies--the Sandy Hook shooting, the Boston Marathon bombing--it’s easy to lose hope. It’s easy to get caught up with the worries of this world. Throughout all of it, we can’t forget that God is still on His throne. He hasn’t left. He’s seeing everything that’s happening, and He knew it would happen way before it ever did. Psalms 47:8 says, “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.” Thankfully, God’s throne isn’t wobbly like the one I created. His throne is never-ending.

Kayla Joy

Stories Untold

I walked up to the desk, grabbed a pencil, and quickly printed my name on the list, not happy that the week of OGT testing had come. Scanning the row of seats, I felt compelled to take a seat in the middle row, next to a girl who looked less than delighted to be up early on a Monday morning. I took a seat next to her, giving her a quick smile. She didn’t look like someone I would typically hang out with--her short hair was dyed bright purple and pink, piercings covered her lips, and her jeans contained dozens of purposeful rips. Still, I was determined to at least get a smile out of her before the end of the week.

As the days of the week passed slowly on, bit by bit, she started talking more to me. It started out just as small talk, chatting about siblings and pets, but by the end of the week, she was telling me all about her struggles and sorrows. When I thought all I would get out of her was a smile if I was lucky, she was pouring out some of her biggest sorrows, just needing someone to listen to her.

She’s not the only one who needs someone to listen. She’s not the only one with a story to tell. Will we walk through our daily lives in a hurried rush, or will we make time to show God’s love through listening?

Kayla Joy

God's Constancy in our Ever Changing World

As I watched my dog play in the backyard in mid-fifty degree weather today, I couldn’t help but reflect on the crazy weather changes we’ve been having. Just yesterday I had been watching snowflakes steadily race each other to the ground, and today I was nudging my bare feet against the soft ground. It’s crazy how fast weather can change, but that’s definitely not all that changes.

Changes are constantly happening. In weather, jobs, economy, health, politics, money, relationships, school, safety--you name it, it’s changing. We live in an ever-changing world whether we like it or not.

As human beings, most of us don’t like change. There’s something unsettling about having to learn a new way of doing something, no matter how small the change is. It seems like by the time we finally get used to the change, it changes all over again.

In this ever-changing world, I love that fact that God never changes. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” No matter what we’re going through in life, no matter how many things are changing at once, we can rely on Him to remain a constant. He remains the same. Always.

Kayla Joy

Waiting

“Check him--give him a half halt if you need to,” my instructor reminded me. I quickly pulled back on my reins, then released to complete the half halt. Ringlets of dust were left imprinted in the dirt with each step he made as he slowed his trot down. The horse I was riding, Harry, is commonly referred to as “Harry--the horse in a hurry” in my family. He lives up to this nickname as he would love to take his riders for a gallop every second of horseback riding lessons. He’s a little pony with a never-ending tank of energy. With a lot of dedicated work and patience, I can get him to slow down. Eventually, his head will lower, his shoulders will relax, and his trot will slow into a comfortable gait. When he slows down, he seems to be enjoying himself more. Slowing down and waiting isn’t something that comes naturally to my little Harry, but it’s certainly something he’s capable of doing.

Aren’t we often like this little pony? We rush through our day, checking items off our list, only to write more items on the ever-growing list. Somehow, through it all, we miss spending time to slow down. We miss spending time waiting on God and being willing to listen to Him. I know I’m certainly guilty of this. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." As you rush around trying to find the ‘perfect‘ valentine’s gift for your loved one this year, remember to be still and wait for the Lord in the midst of busyness.


Kayla Joy

Giving God Glory

A blast of cold air came whistling through the car as my dad opened the door. As he stepped out to fill our car with gas, I couldn’t help but notice a woman. Her blonde hair was tightly wound into a bun and she was dressed in a bright orange outfit, her shirt marked with the gas station’s logo. She was braving the bitter cold to do her job--pick up litter scattered around the gas station. She bent over to pick up a crushed coca cola can, carefully grasping it by the tips of her fingers, and disposed of it in the trashcan next to my dad. Cheerfully, she said hello, then proceeded to lift the heavy trash bag and carry it off. Though this might seem like a rather ordinary thing to see, something about her stuck out to me. She wasn’t grumbling about being given this rather gross job--she cheerfully went about it with a smile on her face. 

 

Dealing with trash definitely isn’t a fun job--no matter how you look at it. Yet, she wasn’t about to let that get in her way. She made a choice to be cheerful despite of the circumstances. As Christians, don’t we have a similar choice to make? We can do a job as unlikable as picking up trash moping the entire time, or we can choose to glorify God while doing it. One of my favorite Bible verses is 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

No matter if we’re feeding orphans in Africa or simply doing our everyday job--how we do it matters. Are we doing all of it for the glory of God? 


Kayla Joy