One of them is the amount of gluten and dairy-free food that’s becoming more broadly available.
It’s a joy.
Food: 1
Sad things: 0
(What? I don’t know…it’s been a long day, so you’re just going to have to ride the Quinnterested-Brain-Train with me.)
Here’s one of my new Nashville favs:
Vegan Vee Bakery: West Nashville VV was on my summer bucket list to try.
Well, *smiling smugly* try it I did. (#feeltheYoda)
My Vegan Vee Favorite:
-Jam Filled Donut Muffin (just let those words, combined into ONE dessert, sink in for a sec)
Jelly-filled gluten-free donuts are, well, in short supply.
The remedy: Stock up at Vegan Vee.
Koko’s Skoop Shop: West Nashville (pair with your trip to Vegan Vee, which is less than 2 miles from Koko’s!)
Koko’s menu isn’t available online (yet), but we really enjoyed the fact that all of their ice cream is dairy-free, in addition to being nut & peanut-free and plant-based! And the gluten-free waffle cone was a mega-added-bonus.
It’s also just a really cute (dare I say “aesthetic”) location, right by a sand volleyball court, so bring your friends and work off that ice cream!
So go have a cute lil’ trip to West Nashville, eat some *actually healthy* ice cream, a jelly filled donut muffin (becausewhereELSE?), tour Vanderbilt or something smart like that, jaunt around music row real fast, and then go grab some din-din in the Gulch (Burger Republic is really good and has GF buns!)
Topics may vary from Jesus & gluten-free donuts to acting, the beach & aioli. Quinnterested is a place for me to think “out loud” about a bunch o’ interesting things. Soli Deo Gloria!
…I find quite a lot of things interesting, so prepare for a possibly wide range of blog topics 🙂
⇓ Here are some of my favorite things ⇓
*Jesus
*The Bible
*People
*The entertainment industry & its impact on the world (love/hate relationship)
*Large apples
*Aioli
*Any nut butters
*Food…apparently
*Reading inspiring, thought-provoking books, like Karen Kingsbury’s Angels Walking or Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society (it’s been one of my favorite books since I first stumbled upon it in middle school, and I’m not taking away it’s spot on my mental list of favorite books any time soon)
*When harmony + melody mesh together in a vibrant, seamless symphony
*Writing (bet ya couldn’t tell that from the last line)
*Laughter: pure, unadulterated giggles and full-blown belly laughs, the silent ab workouts and the snorts
*Theatre (when a moment is SO magically moving that your eyes water)
*Investing in ma small humans/world-changers …and lots more.
When I think about our friendship, I kind of have to laugh at how weird and cool God is. Karissa and I met at a callback almost 10 years, and have been friends pretty much since then. But we’ve only hung out in-person a handful of times! It just cracks me up how a dear sister-in-Christ and digital pen-pal can be someone I spend so little in-person time with!
There’s so much I could say about Karissa:
She’s a talented, driven actress and singer.
She just graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of the South with a double major and a minor.
Oh, and she’s moving to NYC in less than a month to be a full-time acting student.
But, more than anything, Karissa is a child of God who desires to be a vessel for Him, to love on and impact the world.
Karissa is a world-changer, no doubt, and I’m so thankful to have her in my life.
To all the “real people, not actors,” I’m thinking God’ll use this to touch you, too.
Karissa, you’re such an inspiration. Thank you for being you!
Quinnterested: What’s your dream?
Karissa: One of my biggest dreams is to go into this [entertainment industry] business and to be a light for the Lord…whether that’s in theatre/tv/film. You’re given talents and you’re supposed to use them.
Quinnterested: Why do you want to be a light?
Karissa: I think that, as Christians, we’re called to be light. And I think that everything is a ministry. You don’t have to be a preacher to minister to people. You don’t have to go to Bible college and get a degree in theology to be able to shepherd people to Christ.
My grandfather, who was a pastor, would always say, “Everything is a ministry.” Hearing him say that really stuck with me and made me open to any sort of career where I could be a light.
Quinnterested: How have you already pursued being a light in the industry?
Karissa: When I was choosing colleges, I wanted a place where I could grow as a performer and I also wanted a place where I could grow my faith, and grow emotionally, spiritually…all these facets of being me. Choosing the school that I chose gave me the opportunity to do that.
Even though I didn’t choose to go to the schools that focus solely on performing, I was still focusing on performing, but not just on performing. It was four formative years where the Lord showed me that my identity is in Him, and not in being an actor.
I’m reading this book right now–Rooted: The Hidden Places Where God Develops You, by Banning Liebscher. It’s about not rushing the process of growing and developing into…the God-given dream that you have.
That’s something I struggle with: trying to rush the process. The Lord is like, “Karissa, you need to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and you need to listen to what I’m saying and not jump the gun and do it all on your own, because I have a plan and your steps are ordered.”
Quinnterested: What’s your dream role?
Karissa: Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
Quinnterested: Has anyone ever discouraged you from pursuing your dreams?
Karissa: Yes…especially with careers in the arts, people are very discouraging…because it is a very hard business, and it is a business that doesn’t pay a lot all the time and it isn’t necessarily secure…But, when you know what you’re supposed to do and what the Lord has called you to do, you have to do it, no matter what anyone says.
Where He leads you, He will provide.
Quinnterested: What steps should someone take to pursue acting?
Karissa: Classes are a must. I was taking a master class, and [the teacher said], “I still take class every week.” Training is the base of what you’re going to do.
-Your body is your only instrument in this profession, so taking care of your body as your temple is also a must.
-Work ethic is huge. Somebody recently told me that, in the business, you can have talent, but, if you don’t have a work ethic, you’re not going to get anywhere. Drive is super important.
-Just [have] a love for art and storytelling and for sharing your character/story with the audience to invoke that empathy. And hopefully that storytelling will change how they’re viewing that situation, or even change the world!
-Trusting the Lord: I think faith is so important, SO important in this profession. I would not still be pursuing it if I didn’t have my faith. There’s no way. Being told “No” is something that you have to get used to in the business. If your identity is in the Lord, your identity is in being a daughter.
You’re going to be told how/who you should be, but you have to hold true to who you are in Christ and in who He’s called you to be.
Quinnterested: What would you say to someone who feels led to the arts but is scared to pursue it?
Karissa: There’s like a fire in me that knows that it has to burn and change the world! I have to! I have to!
If you have that, and you have a work ethic paired with it, and you feel God calling you to that [the arts], then those are the three things that should let you have peace in the decision. A lot of it is passion, but a lot of it is Him making a way for you, and trusting Him through the rejections and periods of no job.
It’s a trust thing, but you should definitely pursue it.
Quinnterested: What’s one thing you’re working on in yourself right now?
Karissa: Trusting that His timing and where I am right now is where I’m supposed to be, [and] working towards patience and peace in that. This season is weird. It’s not at all what I expected upon graduation.
I think the biggest thing I’ve had trouble with is that I want to be a world-changer…right now. But the Lord says, “No, this is a step and this is a step and this is a step.”
Quinnterested: Who’s your favorite Biblical character?
Karissa: Esther. Her story is a reminder that the Lord’s plan is one that is good, and that He took one person and changed the world through her obedience to Him!
. . .
Are we noticing a theme? I think yes. Karissa, God is already impacting the world through you, and I don’t see that stopping. You keep embracing the child of His that you are, and He’ll keep doing what only He can do. What a combination!
Karissa, thanks again for doing this interview!
Friends, please be praying for Karissa as she embarks on this new journey and follows where God leads her!
I used to think Mourning Doves were “Morning” Doves.
They seemed super cute and happy.
Aww, they come out in the morning to introduce everybody to a new day! Adorbs. Sunshine and rainbow sprinkles.
But…”mourning”? That like goes opposite on the “Yay” scale.
And that, in somewhat-dramatized essence, has been my approach to sadness from the beginning of my life until (and occasionally including) fairly recently.
Tbh, watching Inside Out definitely helped. Such a great movie.
But, so did reading John 11 today.
We’ve talked about Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She’s one of my favorite people in the Bible. Her purity and divine see-through-it-ness has captivated me for a while.
In John 11, her brother dies.
Keep in mind, this happens after Mary has used expensive perfume to anoint Jesus, prophetically hinting at His upcoming death.
So, it *almost* goes without saying that Mary knew a thing or two about Jesus. I feel like she’d been given a good glimpse of the vastness and unmatchability of His story and power. I bet there were a lot of God-whispers in her life that she fully heard, embraced, and obediently followed.
So, when Lazarus was sick and the sisters sent word to Jesus about it, I bet you Mary knew full well that Jesus, somehow, could totally heal her brother.
But Jesus didn’t come.
And Lazarus died.
And Mary mourned.
Mary didn’t shy away from expressing her sorrow at her brother’s death. No, a ton of family/friends actually came and mourned with the girls.
And, when Martha had finished greeting Jesus, who’d finally arrived 4 days after Lazarus had been laying, dead, in a tomb, Martha went back to Mary and told her that Jesus was asking for her.
And John 11 says that Mary “got up quickly and went to Him”.
Isn’t the inclusion of that adverb (that’s the “ly”-thing, for all of us who’ve been out of English I for a few years) interesting?
It becomes even more “Oh!”-esque when we continue reading in the next verse, which talks about how the people who’d been mourning with her thought she must’ve been going to the tomb to mourn there, since she got up so quickly.
So quickly.
My emphasis comes from a place of admiring Mary’s faith and her resolve to embrace the mourning, but also to embrace the truth of who Jesus was/is.
We will all go through/have gone through times of mourning. It might look different for each of us.
You could be mourning the loss of a person, a sin you’re embarrassed to have committed, a friendship no longer strong, a part of yourself you feel is no longer there because of the actions someone else took…the list goes on. Point is, mourning doesn’t just mean someone died and you’re crying about it.
When I’m mourning, say, a sin I extra-wish I hadn’t committed, am I really going quickly to Jesus to make things right?
And, am I rushing to Jesus when a very dear person in my life is not there anymore?
Sometimes the devil tries to step in and throw shame/guilt/confusion/hopelessness our way.
The one Person that we receive unequaled healing/grace/peace from is the One that the devil tries to steer us away from…
You don’t deserve it. When we stood guilty and undeserving of grace, Jesus died for us. He says we’re worth it.
You can’t be helped. Tell that to my God who raises people from the dead. (Oops, spoiler-alert)
…Don’t let him.
So, what does Mary do next?
She reaches Jesus, falls at His feet, and says (I bet she was actually cry-shouting),
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
No shame, no filter.
Just a broken, young one saying it how she knows it is.
And Jesus “was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”
Mary knew He could do it. But she was still broken, eyes and nose sore from crying, and she told Him what she felt.
Mary was just really real with Jesus. And He didn’t yell at her for that. He saw her precious heart, and He met her where she was, in her faith and trauma and all the nasty, sad stuff.
Actually, her honesty nudged Jesus to tears. Literally, Jesus wept. (According to the shortest verse of the Bible. #Bibletrivia)
Thankfully, Mary’s story doesn’t end there.
Jesus, still probably pretty emotional, goes to Lazarus’ tomb and loudly proclaims, “Lazarus, come out!” And, sure enough, out walks a previously-dead man, still wrapped in his grave clothes.
And a dead man is no longer dead, because of Jesus.
As a result, many Jews believed in Jesus. Because, um, he just brought a dead person back to life.
If Lazarus had been sick and Jesus had hurried back to Mary and Martha’s house to whip out a quick Hello Kitty bandaid and kiss his bloody knee (*slight* misinterpretation of “sick” here), would the people have believed? Maybe some. But, as many as believed after he did something they’d surely never seen before? I think not.
So, whatever reason you’re mourning for, whether it’s something you did or not (those are very different, p.s., and I don’t say that lightly), let’s both learn from Mary and embrace the mourning, be honest with the Dead-Raiser, and keep the faith that He is who He says He is.
The mourning won’t last.
Go to Jesus in prayer. Quickly. I don’t know what He’s going to do about it, but He knows about it. And He’s got this. (His actions literally defied death on multiple occasions…you’re in the right Hands: the Hands that shaped the universe and the people who live in it.)
Hannah and I have been friends for around…5?…years (math is hard), and, earlier this month, she moved to YWAM’s (Youth With A Mission’s) Kansas City branch to work with students at the base. Hannah has been involved with YWAM for a few years now, and I’ve been blessed to see her grow a ton! She is bravely willing to speak truth in love and has a beautiful relationship with Jesus.
Let’s all be more like Hannah.
She also dropped some major truth bombs throughout our interview, so put on your inspiration glasses (what?), and let’s GO!
Hannah teaching in Tanzania
Quinnterested: What’s your dream?
Hannah: One of the dreams I’ve had is to be a missionary. That’s something that started when I was a little girl, and something that I’ve never really felt qualified to do. And so, up until this point, I just didn’t think I’d be good at it, so I didn’t do it.
In 2017, during DTS (Discipleship Training School) at YWAM (Youth With A Mission), someone said: “God didn’t call the qualified, He qualified the called,” and that really put things into perspective for me; That it wasn’t so much about me actually being qualified to do it, but about me having the desire to say yes to the Lord and His plan for my life.
Quinnterested: What does being a missionary mean to you?
Hannah: Being a missionary means that I am sharing about God’s love everywhere I go. It doesn’t always mean saying Jesus’ Name or talking about God. It’s just that I’m always loving like God would, and sharing His love with other people.
Quinnterested: Has anyone ever discouraged you from pursuing your dreams?
Hannah: A little bit, especially with long-term planning. At first, my dad was really nervous about me being at YWAM, because he didn’t want my needs to not be met. But, as the year went on, he started to see the Lord provide. He is still nervous at times, but not as nervous, because God keeps following through on His promises. As a whole, my family is very supportive, but I know that there are some concerns about long-term plans and if I will have everything I need, being in missions. I have the same concerns, but I’ve seen the Lord provide in ways that I’ve never seen Him before, because of the needs that I have.
Quinnterested: What would you say to someone who’s afraid of pursing their dream?
Hannah: I would say go in fear. And what I mean by that is just don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams even when you’re afraid. Even if you’re terrified, you’re still growing even while you’re doing it.
Quinnterested: How does your faith help you be fearless?
Hannah: Getting into the Word and really proclaiming the truth about what God says about you has been really powerful.
Quinnterested: What’s one thing you hope you learn in this next season of pursuing your dream?
Hannah: I want to get better at friendship. and pursuing other people above the goal/task/whatever else is going on.
Quinnterested: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Hannah: I tend to be a goal-oriented person, instead of a people-person…my mind works in to-do lists, and it’s hard to measure people’s progress in checklists. I want to keep learning how to love them in the way that they need, and not so much in the way I need.
Say again, please?
I want to keep learning how to love them in the way that they need, and not so much in the way I need.
Don’t we all?
Thank you, Hannah, for doing this interview with me!
Friends, please commit to praying for Hannah as she embarks on this new, exciting time of her life! As a friend at church pointed out the other day, “We know a real missionary!” 🙂
Each week of the series, we’ll get to hear from someone in my life who…
1. Has a dream
2. Is actively pursuing that dream
We’ll also hear what they have to say on their relationships with Christ, and on the relationship between God & their dreams.
I really hope we all learn from these fabulous people.
(I might be *slightly* biased, but I think they are indeed fabulous.)
. . .
This week’s interviewee is Margaret Tant.
Margaret is a very dear sister-in-Christ to me. We’ve been close friends for about 3-4 years now, and she is such an inspirational, joyful blessing to have in my life.
This was a super last-minute interview, but I’m so glad I got to interview her!
If I may be so bold (I mean, you literally put this in bold, so that doesn’t seem like a problem for you, Q), please stay until the end. We had some very special guests “hijack” the interview, and their responses are quite good.
I love this family.
Margaret as Rebecca Shackelford in Remember the Goal
Setting the scene: We’re sitting in comfy chairs in Margaret’s living room.
Two very active on-lookers/commentators (namely, Margaret’s 14 and 8-year old sisters) join us.
I’m playing my daily Spotify mix in the background. It’s a lively time to be alive.
Quinnterested: What’s your dream?
Margaret: Pursuing film, something to do with music, and [to] write a book someday.
Quinnterested: How do you feel about those dreams?
Margaret: Really excited. I always have wanted to do stuff in politics, but, the more acting I’ve done, I realize that that might be my dream, more than politics.
Quinnterested: Why?
Margaret: It’s just something about singing and acting [that] is freeing–it’s liberating. This is so cliche, but you just can express yourself in a way that you can’t with anything else.
Quinnterested: Why do you think you gravitate towards those creative outlets?
Margaret: Again, it’s cliche, but I like telling stories and being able to recreate characters in my own unique way. Rather than picturing how a certain actor would portray it, I want to portray it in my own way.
Sometimes acting is not acting. I’m learning how to truly act and respond in a way that’s authentic to yourself. Don’t think about how Chris Hemsworth might read this script–think about how you read it.
Quinnterested: How have you seen God open doors for your dreams?
Margaret: Obviously the first big role ever was RTG (Remember the Goal), and that was honestly a God-thing, because it honestly just fell in my lap. I was busy, and my friend just texted me about the audition, and I was like, “I’ll audition.” …I didn’t think I’d get it. That was honestly the biggest door that opened, and I think I also realized my passion for [acting].
And, since then, [another open door is] just having good people around you and a great network who care about you as an actor–my agent is constantly giving me tips.
Quinnterested: How do you take steps to pursue your dreams?
Margaret: I submit for everything I can find that seems good. I use social media a lot to navigate all that. You have to always be on top of it and seek [opportunities] out.
Quinnterested: How do you find the balance between pursuing acting jobs and letting God lead?
Margaret: I feel like it’s really hard to hear [God leading], unless there are certain circumstances where you can see that. If I got the opportunity to do a film but there were scenes that I wouldn’t want to portray, that would probably be my boundary.
Quinnterested: How do you draw those boundaries?
Margaret: I mean, gosh. I wouldn’t want to portray anything that goes against the Bible. It has to line up with biblical principles, and there’s no compromising on that. But that doesn’t always mean just being in the Christian film industry, because I think you can make an even bigger impact in Hollywood.
Quinnterested: What impact do you want to make?
Margaret: Just a positive, uplifting impact. I want to speak truth.
Quinnterested: Tell me more about the book.
Margaret: Good question. I’ve always wanted to write a book of some sort. I don’t think it would be a biography…*Margaret inserts straight-forward comment about how she thinks her life is, apparently, boring (note: it’s not)*…but maybe about an opportunity I had, or about how something impacted me in a certain way. I don’t know what it would be on. *Margaret continues to brainstorm* Or maybe a devotional.
Quinnterested: Has anyone ever discouraged you from pursuing your dreams?
Margaret: Honestly, we’re all our own biggest critics. I haven’t vocalized that dream [of writing a book] to a ton of people, because I know it’s a dream that will probably happen later, because I’m not focused on that right now.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten flack from people. But, I will acknowledge it’s not an easy process–making your dreams come alive. You can’t really listen to other outside voices–you just kinda have to go for it and ignore those other people.
Quinnterested: What one word/sentence would you share with someone who’s afraid of pursing their dream?
Margaret: We’ve all been afraid at some point of doing something or starting something new. You can either live in that fear for the rest of your life, or just go for your dreams right now, [saying] “If I fail, I fail.” I don’t even like saying it’s failing. Failing is just [part of] the journey. I would just say go for it. We’re all scared of stuff…don’t be afraid of failing. If you are, you’re not gonna go through with what you’re gonna do.
Quinnterested: Anything else?
Margaret: One more thing about fear: Once you push through your fear, it’s very liberating. There’s a lot of freedom on the other side of that. If you get through one fear, your confidence level goes up.
Quinnterested: How does your faith help you be fearless?
Margaret: Most people who are afraid to fail. But your identity is not in your failures, or in what you’re trying to do. Your identity is in Christ. You fail everyday; That’s inevitable. I think [it’s important to] just realize that, at the end of the day, your failures don’t define you.
. . .
At this point, Margaret’s sisters were pretty much answering every question while Margaret was.
So we thought it’d be a good time to turn the tables and hear from them.
Quinnterested: Anything you have to add?
Lauren (14): My dream is to become an EMT, just because I love it and I want to help the world in this way. I don’t care if I’m famous or not. I’m not very grossed out by the sight of blood.
In the future, I think there’ll be more robots working than people. I could totally like go against everything–how they’re going to change the world. If people right now pursue their dreams, some people have dreams that they can actually help the world stay how it is now.
When you want to pursue your dreams, it will help the world, no matter what you want to do. If you want to become a health inspector at a factory–that can really help the world. Do it. Pursue your dream, no matter what it is. *Spoken from the heart* (Lily Kate, Margaret’s 8 year-old sister, sarcastically comments)
Lauren (cont.): Whenever I have a dream, I go for that dream. I don’t let anything stop me.
Yeah, well, you’ll see. If I fail, *I don’t think I have yet* Lauren matter-of-factly comments, I will start again, and then keep trying until I do it.
Like Thomas Jefferson with the lightbulb. *Wait, did he do the lightbulb?* We then pause and have an anxious discussion about who invented the lightbulb.
Lauren (cont.): He tried 100 times, I think, and then, on the 99th time, he got it right. Look at us now: We’d probably lived in a pitch black world. He literally changed the world. If I stick with my dreams, I could change the world.
*Lily Kate (LK), who, technically, was promised an interview before Lauren was, decides to add her questions to the interview mix*
LK: What would your dream be if you could do it at home?
Lauren: Homeschool your kids
LK: Can you go to private school?
Lauren: Yeah, but they’re still not the best place.
LK: What inspired you to be an EMT?
Lauren: Well, I really like the medical field, and I’ve seen a lot of shows where the nurses are stressed out–I can deal with that stress. I could totally operate surgery. Of course, I’d be scared if the patient I’m operating on died, but I wouldn’t be stressed out–I’d be calm the whole time. Calm is way better than stress. Calm is when you’re thinking about what you need to do and it’s good. Stress is when you’re like thinking about what could go wrong. It’s not the best thing to have on your mind when you’re doing a really serious surgery. Obviously I can’t go work in a hospital right now, but, being an EMT right now—you don’t have to be a trained nurse to do it. If you’re in a situation where you see someone who got in a really bad car accident and you can fix that, and the ambulance won’t get there in time and you know they’re gonna die, helping them could either save their life or not do anything. Like, I could be doing EMT work now–hospitals and ambulances are not everywhere.
We snuck in Lily Kate’s interview before she went to take a bath (and to belt loudly, radiating passionate lyrics from the second floor to the rest of the house, while preparing to bath).
Quinnterested: What’s your dream?
Lily Kate (8): To be a famous gymnast. I do [think I can pursue my dream]. Well, I taught myself how to a cartwheel at four and a round off at four.
*Lauren has now taken over asking similar interview questions, so I can focus on typing…or just because she wanted to…Either way, I’ll take it.*
Lauren: How have you taken steps to pursue your dream? [And maybe another question?]
Lily Kate: Right now, I just want to practice it so whenever I am famous, I can be really good and not mess up. Also, I’m trying to save up [money] to turn our toy room into a gym room.
Lauren: [Something about how being a gymnast will affect LK’s life]
Lily Kate: It’ll affect me by a lot, because you can win a lot of stuff, and I like winning.
Lauren: What do you like about it?
Lily Kate: I really like it because it’s risk-taking, which I love doing, but it’s also safe, because you have mats, but whenever you move up you don’t, so that’s the risk-taking part.
*It’s a little spicy. Got a little kick.* Lily Kate comments on the chicken she’s eating on a fork like a popsicle right now.
Lily Kate (cont.): I want to prove to my sister that I’m actually a good decorator for cupcakes.
*I believe that you’re good, but just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean that accidents aren’t gonna happen. If I have this whole blueprint in my mind, I get very–*
*–protective*
*–protective about it…*
*Back to the interview*
Lauren: When you pursue your dream, what is your end goal? Gymnastics is not really life-saving. What are you gonna do with your dream when you live it out?
Lily Kate: Whenever I live it out, I will probably go into more baking than gymnastics. Just because that’s like the only thing that’s keeping me good. I wanna do baking with my free time, because whenever you do gymnastics and you’re in competitions, you have to do a lot of traveling. If I have the time i will probably bake, but it just depends on how many kids you’ll have. Because, if I’m away, then I don’t have to take care of them.
(Inspired by Lily Kate’s matter-of-fact comment on kids, I extended the interview a little to hear about another dream these three sisters all have.)
Quinnterested: This is a little off-topic, but you all want to get married. What do you look for in a future husband?
Lily Kate: Um, funny. And nice. Cute. Someone I like. *Squeaky giggles*
*Good qualities* Margaret comments
Lily Kate (cont.): Someone that I can have in common stuff with.
Lauren: You don’t want to have too many things in common to where all you do is the things you love. You do want to kinda go off-road and try new things. For example, I want to be a mom, bake, and be an EMT. If he likes other things, then I can like choose to go along with those, if I want, but they’re just more options.
Quinnterested: Other qualities?
Lauren: Sarcastic, like me. But not too sarcastic, where you’re not even sure if he’s being sarcastic or not. I am pretty sarcastic most of the time, but sometimes I am serious. Funny….
Definitely a Christian, but some people are like super Christian; Literally all they do is spend their entire day with this routine. We are given a world to enjoy, and we should actually use the things we are given for praising God instead of all the time praying.
I think the best way to end this most-interesting interview is to leave you with an original (at least, that’s what we’ve been told) quote from—you guessed it—Lily Kate.
“Wishes come true, but not all of us live the dream.”
-Lily Kate, 8 years old
Feel free to do with that what you will. Just remember, you’re on this earth for a reason, and God has given/will give you everything you need to do what He has for you to accomplish.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
What’s your dream? Comment below with how you’re pursuing it!
That’s almost precisely what was written on high schooler John Smith’s medical paper.
Not back in Jesus’ time. (But maybe I don’t need to clarify that…”John Smith” doesn’t have the most biblical-ring to it, does it?)
Note: That sort of thing did happen in Jesus’ time of walking on the earth, and you can read about it more in Mark 5. It’s awesome.
But, yeah, this John Smith story was 4 years ago. In 2015.
John Smith is now alive and is living for Jesus.
But, in 2015, he was dead for 45 minutes.
And Jesus, who heard the prayers of one dedicated mother, brought the boy back to life.
It’s so cool to see a movie about modern-day miracles come out on THE MOST miraculous anniversary of all: the weekend we celebrate what we, as followers of the Way/Jesus Christ, base our faith on:
The resurrection of the Savior of the world
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah indeed.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people,and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strengthHe exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 1:18-21
Go see Breakthrough if it’s playing near you. It’s a vital reminder of the preciousness of life and the power of Jesus and prayer.
Oh, and maybe bring Kleenex.
I’m thankful to serve and celebrate a miracle-working Savior who rose from the grave, just like He said He would. (Mark 8:31)
(That’s a sure-fire way to begin a blog post, innit?)
What is this…language? So much happening in so few words.
Today, we’re diving into the story of two men who were imprisoned and then, suddenly, divinely set free.
Open your heart and your minds, friends. This is a good one.
Setting the scene:
Timing: Not long after Jesus died
Location: Philippi (Greece)
Picture a little girl. She’s enslaved to human masters, but she’s also enslaved to a demon that allows her to predict the future.
One day, several guys who believed in Jesus, two of whom were Paul and Silas, were walking to the place of prayer. The little girl started following them, saying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
At this point, the Bible does a little time hop and jumps immediately to several days later, when our little possessed gal is still proclaiming this truth about our boys.
The Bible (Acts 16) says Paul “became so troubled” that he, in Jesus’ all-powerful Name, commanded the demon to leave the girl.
“In the Name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!”
At that moment the spirit left her.
Acts 16:18
That’s a pretty awesome work of God, right?
And that’s not even the part we’re going to really focus on today–that’s just for context.
So, apparently this girl’s demonic power was a big selling point for her (can you even imagine? That sentence was so awful to even write.)
Important enough for her “owners” to get super ticked off at Paul and Silas for taking away her “power”.
So much compassion, amiright? #causallydemonfree
Long story short, our disciples end up…
getting thrown into prison.
in an inner cell.
with their feet fastened in the stocks.
And, when Cinderella was about to be turned into a pumpkin in some other dimension (translation: “Around midnight”), Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
(Can I just say I really like the details included in Acts 16? K, thanks.)
Our S&P boys (S + P = Silas and Paul…keep up, yo) were letting their bright, inner lights shine for all around them to see.
Regardless of their probably still-bleeding skin (see Acts 16:22-23), these men chose, no matter what, to remember God. And to take advantage of their situation by ministering to the people around them while praising God.
Love it.
A super cool thing happens next:
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.
Acts 16:26
I know I continue to keep you in suspense for “the part” or “the moment”…
Well, get ready, because here it comes!
The prison has, miraculously, just fallen apart.
Literally, all the prisoners were as free to go as…dementors.
(That was cheap, I know. But you know I had to fit Prison Mike in here somewhere.)
What do our praising-God boys do?
Well, the camera actually shifts to the jailer—-the man who was “commanded to guard them carefully.” (Acts 16:23)
This is a great day for the prisoners.
Not so much for the jailer. Right?
I mean, his job is literally to keep people in jail.
Granted, the prison breaking open was out of Mr. Jailer’s control.
But who’s about to get blamed for it?
Yep, that’s right: Mr. Jailer.
(Also, S/O to me for fitting in two *not-super-well-placed* The Office gifs. That’s a new record.)
(*cue “Celebrate” song*)
K, time to take the *attempted* humor down a notch. This next part warrants our serious attention.
The jailer knows he’ll have to take the fall for the jail break. For him, that probably means death. And his pride tells him it’d be better to end his life before his boss does.
He’s about to do just that when he hears a voice.
He squints through the probable dust and sees the two biggest culprits to whom he was assigned.
They’re still there.
Yes, their doors are open. They most definitely could’ve left.
But they’re still there.
The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Acts 16:27-34
Paul and Silas were still there.
Because, no matter what, the thing Jesus had planned for them was more important than their own agenda. Even if their own agenda looked pretty unselfishly like leaving a dirty jail to go tend to their wounds.
But that’s not what God had planned.
The jailer’s life was more important to God.
And Paul and Silas chose to honor that.
God sees you. Whether you feel more like Paul or more like Mr. Jailer, your life is insaaaaaanely important to Him.
Why?
Well, for tofu’s sake, He invented you! You didn’t exist before He drew you up on His perfect sketch pad.
You were even created in His image. (Genesis 1:27)
Did you know that both Paul and the jailer were equally loved by God?
Let’s jump back to the story and see what Paul and Silas do.
When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Acts 16:35-40
Did you catch that ending? Paul and Silas (is it worth ADHD-ly mentioning that basically every time I write “Paul and” I end up writing “Paula”? #themoreyouknow) were Roman citizens, which means they were entitled to a fair trial, not just jail time.
However, Paul and Silas went to jail.
Maybe because they knew it’d be an epic opportunity to praise God, and to see God at work in a little, grimy jail with a lost jailer.
Reminds me a little of the lost sheep parable Jesus tells in Matthew 18. One sheep in the one hundred total sheep was so.important. that the shepherd went to find it.
We are the one.
God is our shepherd.
You are loved. And I am, too.
Rest in that today, friend.
When have you felt God go “out of His way” to search for you? #mysearchandrescue
I’m a conditionally good flyer. Meaning, I love flying when you can see cool things beneath and around the outside of the plane.
My “aww, flying’s the best”-ness stops when we hit a rough patch in the air (isn’t that a weird concept? The air has…bumps? #science) and I can’t see what’s happening outside.
Hence the “conditionally”.
Turbulence & flying in a giant cloud = me not in my most peaceful state
In October of 2017, my parents and a dear friend and I went on a trip to NYC. It was such a blessing! We got to eat some delicious food, see a couple of beautiful Broadway shows, and just enjoy that crazy city. Mega shoutout to my parents for making that happen. ❤
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On the flight back, we hit some rough air.
Rough to the extent that I think the pilot instructed the flight attendants to stop serving snacks.
Not my fav announcement.
My friend and I were both a little nervous as we looked out the window.
The next part is a little blurry in my and my friend’s memory, but here’s the basics of what happened next:
We watched through the window as our plane approached the dark clouds that were threatening our ride’s peacefulness. They were just looming near where our plane was headed, like bullies in a school hallway, intentionally blocking the door to our next class. (I do have confidence that the metaphors will eventually get better. #maybenexttime)
Then, all of a sudden, we saw a rainbow.
Not a full-blown, double rainbow that looks extraordinary in pictures.
But it was there.
And it was our rainbow.
I believe God put it there for us. Maybe for others, but definitely for us.
Because, when the flight got bumpy and our hearts started beating a little more wildly, that rainbow showed up.
And the coolest part?
When those bully clouds grew in size and looked like they were about to chew up our lil’ plane,
the rainbow grew, too.
*applause break for God*
My friend’s thoughts:
It was like this moment of “I’m not in control of this situation right now, but God is and I can put my faith in Him and know He is with us always and His promises are true.”
In the midst of the scary, and the darkness, and that creepy feeling that something bad’s about to go down…
Because the light came for us and stayed right by our side.
. . .
Let’s dig into this rainbow dealio real fast.
In 2019, the year I’m writing this, rainbows have a few meanings.
In this blog, here’s what they mean:
In Genesis 9:16, God used a rainbow (fun fact: I think it was the first recorded rainbow. #knowledge) to symbolize a promise He made to never again flood the earth like He did in Noah’s time. Remember that whole Noah’s Ark story?
It really happened.
But, the rainbow symbolized that it’ll never happen again.
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.
Genesis 9:16
In other words…
The Rainbow: A physical sign of God’s faithfulness.
. . .
I haven’t been in many dark seasons. Thankfully.
But the darkest season I’ve been in was, honestly, terrible.
I’m not comparing it to anyone else’s “valley” season. Your story and your seasons are your own; I’m just coming from where I was, and maybe you can meet me there from where you are/were.
The point is, the season was, for me, dark indeed.
But right when I was at the point of truly needing something from God to pull me through, God showed up.
He reminded me of His grace,
His perfect love and provision,
and His purpose for me and my life.
He shined in the darkness, meeting me where I was, loving me too much to leave me there.
He provided the rainbow: Metaphorically, in challenging life seasons, and literally, on the plane.
He was with me. And the same faithful God who was with me is with you, too. If you don’t know Him as your Lord and Savior, I pray that you will.
There’s nothing better than knowing the One who knows you better than you know yourself.
Look for the rainbow:
The sign of hope and the reminder of God’s presence in your life.
Whatever season you’re in right now, I hope you see God’s rainbow for you today.
And, if you feel like you’re at your darkest and you’ve searched for your rainbow to no avail,
remember, sometimes you can’t quite see it until you’re at your darkness.
For example…
Go in a small, enclosed room.
Turn the light on.
Turn on your phone’s flashlight.
Now turn the room’s light off.
Shut the door.
Big difference, right?
(S/O to whoever came up with that illustrative activity! It ’twasn’t me.)
The light shines in the darkness.
God is with us through every season, whether we feel it or not.
If you feel…
abandoned
scared
sad
confused
lost
empty
weak
…look for the rainbow
God’s still there.
Do you have a rainbow story of God being with you in the darkness?
A few years ago I discovered a website that had 31 days of prayers for your future husband. I’ve been using the site as a guide on-and-off since then.
Often while praying for my future dude, I’d become convicted by the Holy Spirit.
“Help him be devoted to Your Word and accountable before You,” I’d pray.
“What about you?” the Holy Spirit replied.
“Mmmm. Touche.”
Recently the site went inactive *insert sad face*, so I thought God and I could just write our own, one that combines prayers for our future husband with prayers for ourselves. If that sounds selfish, just remember that, when you’re praying for your future husband to be humble, you’re praying for yourself to be humble, too. So, kinda more the opposite of selfish.
Alrighty, let’s get starte–Wait, Quinnterested, what’s the story behind “SOG” in the title?
I’m glad you asked.
A couple of dear friends and I have long called our future husbands***(see bottom of page) by the nickname/codename “SOG,” which stands for Sam of God.
“So, there’s a *special* Sam in your life?” you might ask.
Uh, no. Not at the moment, anyway.
Here’s the origin: You might’ve heard of MOG, which stands for Man of God.
But…SOG?
Here’s the dealio:
I was *slightly*obsessed with the character Samwise Gamgee (from The Lord of the Rings) when we came up with this nickname ~circa 2009. In that hobbit-lovin’ season of my life, Samwise seemed like the ultimate man (well, hobbit) for me (maybe minus the height difference and weird feet, tbh.)
And, really, not a ton has changed.
So, SOG stuck. (<– not a bad tongue twister, eh?)
Back to our SOG prayer challenge.
Will you join me in lifting these (and other) prayers up to our gracious Father for the next three weeks?
As we begin, I want to encourage you to keep this verse at the center of your mind:
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:16b
By God’s grace, these prayers could mean more to your potential future spouse than you might ever know. So let’s do it, shall we?
21 Days of Praying for Your SOG, and YOU
Important note: With each prayer, pray it once for your SOG and again for yourself
Day 1: Pray for your SOG to know Jesus, if he doesn’t already.
Thoughts: If Jesus ain’t *cringes from bad grammar* our base, ain’t nothin’ gonna be better than that. (Q, first, that didn’t make sense. Second, why? Just…at least try to be cool. #butcoolisoverrated)
Day 2: Pray for your SOG to trust and follow Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Day 3: Pray for your SOG to embrace Jesus’s love for him.
Day 4: Pray for the Holy Spirit to bring fruit from your SOG’s relationship with Jesus.
Day 5: Pray for your SOG to love his/your family well.
Thoughts: Challenge yourself to love in action and in truth today, for God’s glory.
Day 6: Pray for your SOG to embrace humility and to be open to wise council.
Thoughts: Challenge yourself to put God and others first today, and to give credit where credit is due.
Day 7: Pray for your SOG to love and know truth.
Thoughts: Dig into the Word today–study the hard topics and find your source of truth from the Bible first, and then from other reliable sources.
Day 8: Pray for your SOG to lead you/your family well.
Thoughts: Focus on getting to know God better and wanting to obey Him more. Your SOG obviously isn’t your god, but learning to submit to those who are worthy of your respect, love, and trust is important.
Day 9: Pray for your SOG to stand up for what is right and true.
Thoughts: Study truth, and then be ready to stand up for what you know to be true.
Day 10: Pray for your SOG to feel loved right now, in this very moment, and to embrace the plans God has for him.
Thoughts: Right now, embrace how loved you are too, sister.
Day 11: Pray for your SOG to experience constant growth in his personal relationship with Jesus.
Thoughts: Knowing and lovin’ Jesus ain’t a one-time thing. (Again with the Southern-ness? Why?) Like any other “human” relationship, your relationship with Jesus is something to be nurtured and explored.
Day 12: Pray for your SOG to care more about what God thinks than what others think.
Thoughts: Speaking as an in-recovery people-pleaser, the kingdom of God needs less people-pleasers and more God-seekers.
Day 13: Pray for your SOG to be bold (and humble) in sharing his faith with others.
Thoughts: What are your intentions? How do you define love?
Day 14: Pray for your SOG to desire to always be learning more about Jesus.
Day 15: Pray for your SOG to desire to (and actually take initiative to) spend quality time with Jesus on a regular basis.
Day 16: Pray for your SOG to sharpen you, in love and humility.
Day 17: Pray for your SOG to have friends who will be godly influences on his life and will encourage and sharpen him in the Lord.
Day 18: Pray for your SOG to align with you on the most important values of your faith.
Thoughts: Major/Salvation issues are vital to agree on—decide early on what those are for you/your SOG by studying the Word together and knowing what God thinks/what the Bible says on various topics.
Day 19: Pray for your SOG to be intentional about building and nurturing important relationships.
Day 20: Pray for your SOG to be honest with you—about everything.
Day 21: Pray for your SOG to hunger & thirst for God’s Word.
BONUS Day: Pray for your SOG to find and live in a healthy balance of work and play.
Congratulations on completing your 3 weeks of intentional prayer! May God richly bless you, as well as any future spouse He may have in store for you.
You are loved!
***I realize that not all of us will get married. As much as I kind of don’t want to admit that possibility, it exists all the same. But not because some black void is deciding my future. Nor because my future exists solely in my bad-at-flirting hands. Thankfully, God, our loving Father and Creator, knows exactly what we need, so if He wants you to get married, then it’s for your own good. If not, (still maybe hard to swallow–as a currently-single person, I know) at least we know that His will is for our good and His glory. In a podcast I listened to the morning I started writing this, a pastor reminded listeners that, as created beings, we are ultimately not here to get married or to be single. Instead, we are here to serve God. So let’s move forward in that beautiful truth.
Note: I actually found another resource for a 31 day prayer guide! Check it out!
VV was on my summer bucket list to try.
Quinnterested 