Let Us Not Forget to Remember: The Power of Presence

With Christmas behind us, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on why Christmas is so special. 

Two weeks ago, I talked about why we love traditions and how Christmas reminds us of God's faithfulness.

However, there is another reason why Christmas is special. I always wondered why we made such a big deal of Christmas as Christians. I mean isn't Easter where we celebrate the big stuff, the fact that He died for our sins and rose again from the dead!

Yes, Easter rocks. It's when we celebrate the victory.  However, Christmas is where we celebrate that God came in the first place. 

We celebrate that He is here. He is alive, and He came for us. 

He left heaven and was born as a baby to come for us. 

In an age of technology, we have the simulation of presence all the time.  The distance between people gets shorter with Facetime and technology. 

However, there is nothing like presence. Trust me I've been dating someone long distance for a little bit now, and it's hard.  You can talk to them all you want over the phone, and even see them on camera, but it doesn't compare to their presence. 

When God came to earth, He gave us his presence.  Before yes we communed with Him, in magnificent ways.  There was fire, there were mountaintop experiences, but at Christmas, He came and visited us.  He was here.

Not only that, He came so that we could have communion with him forever.

and because he came all those years ago, we can experience the power of His presence today and every day. 

So, yes Easter still has a significant place in my heart, but Christmas just got a little more special, because I don't know about you....but there are many moments I need to remember that He is here.

So, let us not forget to remember the power of His presence.

Let Us Not Forget to Remember: God never changes

What is it that we like about the holiday season? Is it the sweets, the chocolate? The days off work? Time spent with family?

While all of those are valid reasons and probably true, but I would venture to guess that there is another reason that is a big part of it. 

Tradition.


We may be caught in traffic every day for no reason. We may be up to our eyeballs in shopping lists, and our calendar may be full with lots of Christmas parties.

However, there is something about knowing that some things never change.

It's the one time of year where you here old songs, and I mean old songs on the radio.  It's one of those times where you do the same thing every year because it's a tradition.   There's the same old tree, with the old ornaments and there is something calm about that. It's a time for nostalgia for doing things the same way because that's the way it always was.

Why?

I believe there is a deep deep longing inside each of us that wants stability.  We are in a world that is constantly changing and yet inside we long for stillness. We wish the world would just slow down for a minute. 

Why?

Because we are longing for Jesus.  Our heart longs for stability and stillness because we have a God-sized hole.  We are longing because we are caught in the already but not yet of the redemption story.  God did come and set us free, however, He will come again and redeem all of heaven and earth.  We long for this, and all of creation is crying out for a savior. 

The world is crazy and things are constantly changing, but I praise God because He is faithful.  I praise God because He never changes.  This knowledge provides me with a peace that the world can not simply give.

He is the one thing I can count on. 

Even Christmas, as sure as it is, will change on us.  Family members will leave us.   People will get married and have to split time.  Kids will grow out of there favorite Christmas pajamas.

So when you are overwhelmed by change this year, or longing for stability.... 

let us not forget to remember that when the world is constantly changing, we have a God that never changes, a God that is the same yesterday, as He was today, as He will be forever. 

Praise God! Lord, help me never to forget.

Let Us Not Forget to Remember: God's plans are better than our own!

Starting in 2017, I branded every year with a motto.  It gave me some sort of goal to shape the planning of that year.

In 2017, it was my "Live It Up Year." Wow! 2017 was amazing.  I felt at the beginning of this year that nothing could top it.  I traveled to Italy and tried the best pasta you could ever imagine, I got lost in Venice, I sang in the Vatican, I went on a ski trip with my friends, I traveled to Greece with my family, I got to lead worship with a full orchestra in the Adirondack mountains, I won a scholarship, and I worked for the GRAMMY's and got to go to ACL and the GRAMMY Christmas party.

Well, It seems like I have to follow my own advice because I've forgotten how awesome that year was!

This brings me to this year, 2018, I mean how could I top last year? I had to come up with a motto. So I landed on "Dream God-sized dreams!" I knew a lot was going to change this year with me graduating and all and I didn't want to sell God short.

However, I was disappointed.

To me, God-sized dreams were having my musical performed in New York, or getting a job in New York, or having some nice awesome pad with amazing roommates.

To me, a God-sized dream was having a job come in my timing, and everything to work out the way I want it.

Whoa, how selfish am I?  I had forgotten God's voice.

Elijah was on the mountain and where was God's voice? It didn't come in the fire no, or the wind no, or the earthquake no!  It came in the still small voice.

I love what God asks here in 1 kings 19, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

What are you doing here, Kenady?  Why were you looking for me in the fire, and the earthquake, when my still small voice is better.

I forgot that God-sized dreams cannot be limited by my expectations no matter how big my expectations are.

And guess what? My Kenady-sized dreams may have not come true but what I got is so much better.

I graduated from an awesome school.  I've gotten to do three amazing readings of my musical, and joined this amazing mastermind group that inspires me to produce! I get to be an officer for the Texas Business Hall of Fame with some awesome people.



I still got to Camp-of-the-Woods and let me tell you, the Lord redeemed and worked so much in my life there!

I met an amazing Godly man who reminds me that simple things are often the sweetest, and I got a job at an amazing place, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, that provided me with a camp years back that I cherished in high school.

I got to sing and dance! I got to worship, and I made/continued friendships that I hope will last a lifetime!

God is good.

So in short, I may not have been dancing in Venice or performing on Broadway this year, but the God-sized dreams that God had for me were so much better.

This year was truly amazing and awe-inspiring! What will 2019 be like?

So let us not forget to remember his still small voice, and that his plans are way better than our own!

Let us not Forget to Remember: What Gods Already Done.

One of the inspirations for this blog were the Israelites! Those annoying Israelites!

They sat complaining in the desert! They wanted food, and then when they got the food they didn't like the food! They wanted a home, but they didn't want to have to fight to get it! They loved God and then they hated Him. They were the epitome of whatever Katy Perry was talking about in that song.

Reading through those chapters of the bible I got annoyed.  Those Israelites are quite the whiny bunch!

But then I look in the mirror and realize that the reason I hate them so much is they often look a lot like me.  I am the discontented, whiny, hot and cold Israelite.

Why? Because I forget to remember.

Then I noticed that generally, the Israelites would complain in a season of wilderness, but that the season of wilderness was generally right after a season of Providence.

So the ticket to not being a whiny Israelite is to look and remember what God has already done.

For example: When we are tempted to complain about manna, we should remember that God had just rescued us from slavery! He had thrown crazy plagues on the Egyptians and He had split the red sea in two!

Wow! So instead of being flabbergasted by what had just happened. They are focused on the manna in the wilderness.   There are hills and valleys in this life, but we make the valleys a lot deeper by not remembering what happened on the hill.

Wildernesses generally directly proceed times of great success.

Take Graduation for example. You are so excited about what God has done, and the amazing education you've just received, and all the awesome memories you've made.  Then fast forward a few months and we're complaining because the reality isn't what it's cracked up to be. We're doing our time eating manna while we are waiting for the promised land.

However, we have a choice. We can complain about the manna, where we are right now. Or we can remember all the amazing things God has just done.

I've never been married but I'm sure it's the same way.  You have this wonderful special wedding where all your friends and family bless your relationship before God and men, and then you have this amazing vacation where you spend time loving and doting on one another.  Then you come home to a little more honeymoon as everything is new and fresh.  And then, probably about a year in. All the newness fades. The morning breath is real, the finances are tight, the house is dirty, and you're both busy and stressed. That's when the real marriage starts, and the real beauty is at.  But at that moment you can choose to run, or complain that your wife/husband is not who you thought or expected. Or you can remember all that God has already done to get you to that point.

Let alone God has already died for us so that we can be free.  He is our true husband who has done all to win us and cherish the church that is his bride.

It's in the wilderness we get to remember what he has already done.  That he is already paid the price, and we've been set free. We were enslaved and He moved heaven and hell to rescue us.

So let's stop complaining about the stupid manna, and rejoice that we have the perfect Husband who has set us free!

Let Us Not Forget to Remember: God's Not Done Yet.

A few weeks ago beautiful flowers were delivered to me.  All the flowers were in full bloom except my favorite ones: Lilies.  They were just about to bloom.

This did not disappoint me. This excited me! I got to watch all my lilies bloom one by one.  It was magical and beautiful! Getting to watch my flowers grow into full beauty right before my eyes was the best part! It was a joy seeing my flowers grow and change every day. I rejoiced in the process. 

Why don't we look at our lives like that?  

Colossians 1:9–12

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (ESV)

Sometimes I look at seasons of my life and I see flowers that have yet to bloom.  

When I look at my life now and compare it to my dreams and the callings that the Lord has put on my life, there is a stark difference. 

I begin to wonder. Am I in the wrong place? Did I hear God's call wrong? Are my dreams too big? Am I being too hopeful to believe that God wants those things for me?

That is when I must remember the flowers. God has a perfect design.  God is in the process of making things bloom, and it is our privilege that we get to watch.  

God's not done yet. 

1 Thessalonians 5:24

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (ESV)

If God called you, He will make it happen.  He doesn't say that He will maybe do it, or might do it, or even that He could do it or that He would do it.  He says that He will surely do it. 

And for someone as suspicious as me, that's quite encouraging. God can't lie so when He says He's sure. He's sure!! 

Wow, God's not done yet! 

God knows what he is doing, and we are right where we are supposed to be.  

So, let's look at our unopened lilies with expectancy, not dread or frustration. Let's have patience with joy knowing that we get the privilege of watching our flowers bloom.  

Sometimes the most joy is in the process, and so today let's remember that. 

Let's not forget to remember that God is not done yet. 

Lord, Let us be content with where we are and expectant of where you are taking us. Let us look at our flowers yet to bloom and give us patience with joy as we know you are not finished with us yet and there is so much beauty yet to come. 

Let us not forget to remember: God defines us

I stare into the face of the interviewer as he asks, "Tell me about yourself"

Well, where do I start?

I put on my best outfit and made sure my resume was combed as well as my hair-do. I researched the company, and read the job description. Yet, their questions...

As a college graduate, I guess I was naive to think that I wouldn't end up here.

I guess I thought that a job would fall right into my lap.  Wow, stupid me.

But the lack of a job isn't what has me down, it's the lack of direction I feel. 

Who am I really, and who do I want to be?

I'm not sure where I'll be in 5-10 years, and that's just as scary as it is exhilarating.  I always wanted a life of adventure, the life of performing and the life that God had called me too, but I didn't know that there'd be so many hills and valleys.

Who am I? Who do I want to be?

Well for starters, I am scared and angry.  I'm a servant of the Lord who is just waiting for the Lord to give her direction, and I feel like He is silent.  It is moments like these when I would define myself as:

Lost, confused, broken, hurt, angry, and somewhat like failure.

Yet, in the car today I was listening to Lauren Daigle's song "You Say"

"You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours"

It struck me that I was once again, I was letting my circumstances define me rather than the Lord.

Job or no Job, I'm a child of God

In times of waiting, I'm a child of God

In times of surrender, I'm a child of God

In times of doubt, I'm a child of God

In times of victory, I'm a child of God

Our circumstances don't define us any more than they define God.

Wow, how great is that.

So let us not forget to remember, that no matter where we are in life, God defines us as his own.

Let us not Forget to Remember: No Fear in Love

The verse "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" 1 John 4:18 has always baffled me. 

It seemed the more I loved people, the more I began to fear it.  For, people that I loved or wanted would let me down, making it harder each time to open up my heart.  

Fear and I go way back.  It was practically an imaginary friend.  Fear told me to not trust the dark, and to never go alone.  Fear told me to hold back.  Fear told me don't love because you might not receive it in return.  

Fear became so close to me. Fear was so near that I wondered if love was even possible. 

Fear, I resented.  Fear held me back. I tried to turn my back on fear, but I had failed to truly embrace courage.  

I used God as my security blanket. Instead, of being filled with the rich love of the Lord, and letting that be an outpouring of my life.  I barricaded my heart.  I was content in the Lord yes, but I was selfish with his love. 

Using God as a security blanket is indeed selfish.  Then, I realized something. Fear is selfish, too. If you struggle with clinical anxiety, I'm not talking about you.  But I am talking about those of us that make security an idol.  That, my friends, is what hinders love. 

In this light, the verse makes perfect sense.  Love is bold and brave.  Love means getting out of your comfort zone.  Love means loving even if there is a chance that you won't be loved in return.  There is no fear in love because in it's purest nature love is selfless.

Now, this doesn't mean we should abandon all wisdom.  I'm not saying recklessly give your heart away.  No,  trust God to show you how to love...the verse goes on to say that "We love because he first loves us."  God fills us with every need.  God is the best friend you could ever have, He is the best spouse, and He is an almighty God.  He has everything we need, and that should make us brave.  

So why doesn't it?  Contentment in the Lord means being okay with being alone, but it also means being brave when your not. 

So, let us not forget to remember that God called us to love, and to be so content with his love that we can love without fear. 

Graduation-Commencement: What I learned, and What's Next?

I graduated last week, with a two for one deal.  I got my MBA and B.S. in Music Business all in one fail swoop.  I walked across the stage, and just like that, I was handed two very expensive sheets of paper.  It was over. It was done. 

Graduation is the closing of a chapter.  Graduation signifies that you have become ready to face the next season and the next chapter of life.  I believe that many of us see graduation as the end when it is just the beginning.  It's called commencement for a reason.

Over the last season of my life with my commencement approaching, everyone asks what's next? They ask about the future, and what you have to look forward to.  This is a beginning after all. 

However, today I ask, why has no one asked, "What have you learned?"  I have graduated from this college season, that should ultimately prepare me for my new beginning. 

Two many times, I've seen people quick to hurry to their "next," without taking the time to reflect on what got us there. 

Through faith, I know that God has prepared me for my next, my next-next, and my next-next-next.  Therefore, sometimes the past is the key to discovering what's next.

The past season of my life at college is a story of tremendous growth with the Lord.  I want to talk about that! And sure, if you then want to hear what's next, I'll gladly tell you what I know.  I know some details, but mainly I know what's next is mainly the same, tremendous growth with the Lord through different circumstances. 

So, you ask, What did I learn?

I learned how to deal with roommate conflict (living with four other girls in an apartment is never easy)

I learned that no one is perfect...not even my best friends

I learned that I'm not perfect...I'm selfish and prideful, what a tough pill to swallow.

I learned that when you plan an event, it almost never goes the way you plan, just like life.

I learned that God is the greatest friend of all.

I learned how to celebrate and rejoice when immense blessings come into my life

I learned how to grieve and mourn at the feet of Jesus when heartache is present

I learned how to better lead my peers, through positivity and grit.

I learned that professors are some of the greatest friends and role models life could offer.

I learned that at the end of the day, it's just me and God, and that's better than okay.

I learned that God knows what you need, and ultimately He is enough for me.

I learned how to work better with others, through countless trial and error.

I learned how to be a better friend.

I learned how to be a better daughter.

I learned how to be a better student.

I was tested, I was molded, and I was changed. 

I gained freedom from lies, and strongholds in my life, and I gained knowledge in how to fight and persevere through the thorns in my side. 

Looking back, I see many trials that I've been through the past five years, but then I see the person God has made me be through those, and I wouldn't change them for the world. 

I'm on the path to being mature and complete, like James 1:2-4. 

So, What's next? 

I'm on the path of redemption.  I want to be a small part in redeeming the world.

I'm on the path of God's glory.  God will be glorified in my life, whether I'm apart of it or not.

I'm on a path of trials but ultimately victory, because my God is on my team. 

I know some details, but not all.  However, I know the big picture. 

This path leads me closer to God, and that is a victory.  God is enough.  And as long as I'm on a journey with God, becoming more mature and complete, that's okay with me.