forget who you think you are

A couple of years ago a friend gave me a mix cd. One of the last songs on the CD was called "Run to You" by The Rocket Summer. I remember really loving the song itself, but being thrown off by the singer's voice and so I told my friend that I wasn't really a fan and that was that. (Clarification: His voice is not bad at all, it just wasn't in my normal style of music.)

But, this friend was (is) a friend whose musical opinion I trust, and so one day while I was downloading some new music, I decided to try out The Rocket Summer album "Do You Feel." One listen through and I admitted that my first impression had been completely wrong. The Rocket Summer is so good you guys. SO GOOD.

The Rocket Summer is technically just Bryce Avery. And can I just tell you, this man is so full of joy. The first time I saw him live I cried. He was up on the stage singing and praying all at once...his love for Jesus was pouring out all over the place, but his music was so real. He does not play "worship" music. He sings about life, and because he love Jesus so much, his lyrics are often infused with the truth of the gospel.

Yesterday I was blessed enough to go to Chicago for the day with a few friends for the Heavy and Light tour. The tour was part of the To Write Love On Her Arms movement to erase the stigma that comes with essentially admitting that you are broken and need help, specifically those struggling with depression, anxiety, and drug and alcohol addiction. I really love TWLOHA and totally support everything they stand for and the work that they do. If you would like to learn more about their story and vision click here.

Jon Foreman and Fiction Family were the main performers of the evening (don't even get me started), but right before they played, Bryce Avery graced the stage with one of the most wonderful acoustic sets I have ever heard.

One of the songs he played was a newer one called "Just For a Moment Forget Who You Are." If any song touched the people in the Chicago House of Blues that night, it was this one. I put the video here, but imagine a stripped down keyboard version that makes your heart want to break into a million little pieces. 

And sick of cliches about second chances, but it's time to live or time to fade

somewhere in this place there is hope

keep your eyes open where you roam

because you never know when your life's about to change

Just for a moment start to forget about the scar

and forget who you think you are

don't say another word

you were meant for greatness

-

All the fear within your world, you can take it

And greatness isn't what you think

it's not being up on that screen

it's not convincing people you don't fall apart

it's just loving and serving and being who you are

because who you are is perfect

you were made in an image of greatness

"You were made in an image of greatness." What the heck...why do I forget about that? I was made in the image of God. When I am living out of wounds and lies that tell me that I am inadequate for the work God has given me. That people don't really love me. That I will never be as good as so and so. That if I could just fix that one little messy part of my heart then I would be set. Then I am living out of my own understanding without any recognition of who God is and what he has promised.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

There if anyone is Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone the new has come. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

...put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator...

Colossions 3:10

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises so that through the, you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world cause by evil desires.

2 Peter 1:3-4

God's word is FILLED with promises for his people. I'm just going to be honest and say that because of past scars, I lived with a fairly consistent belief that I am not good enough. Or even if I am, that someone else is better. I have formed so many lies about who I am and unfortunately some days I forget they are lies and I live like they are truths. The most important part of every day for me is reminding myself of who I am in Christ. God's truth is the best arsenal we have against the lies that try to paralyze us. 

I do not have it all together all the time. I fall apart. I think that we would all get on a little bit better if we just admitted that flat out. We recently talked about creating an environment of grace and truth on our campuses. The Chicago House of Blues last night was a very real example of an environment of grace. Grown men who are well-loved and super talented shared with the crowd that they too are broken. Many of them said that the songs they were singing came out of dark times in their lives. If we as leaders cannot admit that life is really hard and our "stuff" gets us down sometimes, then how do we think we'll ever be able to really share Christ's love? I have experienced SO MUCH of Christ's love through those really hard battles in my life. 

I struggle, but I know who I am in Christ. And I just want the students I meet with to know that too. And my roommates. And my friends. And my siblings. And the woman in front of me at the grocery store. And my crazy neighbors who are literally awake and active 24/7.  Even if they already share in a relationship with Christ, I want them to know how much they are loved! And I am starting to realize that the first step in this is being very real about where I am, how I've been wounded, and most importantly how He is healing or has healed me. 

Last night was more emotional for me than I would have imagined, but so so wonderful. In this world we often make people who battle deep depression and anxiety feel like they are too messed up. We put them on a different level of brokenness and treat them like fragile pieces of glass. 

Listen up. We are ALL broken. We ALL have operated out of a past wound at one point or another. We ALL need love. I am in no way belittling the battle of depression or anxiety, because I have stood by people I really care about as they go through the pain of depression and I have seen the healing that counseling can provide. I just want people to stop pretending that they don't need help. Myself included. Guys, we need help. It's ok. 

I am really encouraged by the idea of real community and fellowship with one another. My roommates and I have started meeting together for an hour Sunday mornings before church for a time of accountability, encouragement, and prayer. It is understood that you can share anything during that time. We only started this semester, so I am excited to see what becomes of this time and how it changes our relationships with each other. We have created an environment of grace and truth in our own home. 

This is long and a little rambling, so I apologize, I just feel motivated to love people more deeply and sacrificially than I have been...mostly because I have been reminded of who I really am.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus, who went before us, has enter on our behalf.

 Hebrews 6:19

Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes form God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant –not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in god, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:16-19