When I was a junior in high school, I had to make a box and this box was to be descriptive of me. The outside signified what people saw, and the way people viewed me. The inside was my space to show who I was; what really made up Whitney? The outside of my box contained words like NICE, SMART, QUIET, SINCERE, 2-FACED, TRUSTWORTHY, FAITHFUL, etc... there were good and bad words and it all could have been true, but it was only the things that people thought about me. I had put pictures of SOCCER, FRIENDS and ME on the outside... People saw purpose on my box, but it was all things that I appeared to be. Yes, the things that appear on the outside are reflective of some things on the inside but the outside of my box didn't tell the whole story of me. After opening the box, the reader would find out that I was MISSING SOMEONE, LONELY, TRYING TO FIND MY PLACE, HOPEFUL, CARING, SMART, SEARCHING FOR PURPOSE, etc...
There were both good and bad memories associated with that box... It was my favorite project that year because I got to EXPRESS myself.
I was looking back over that box last night because my brother is a junior this year and he came home with his box... it got me thinking about how much I've changed from that project 3 years ago. After 2 years of college, I am still the same little girl at heart, searching for purpose but now I know that the very thing I'm looking for lies is One. His name is Jesus and all my searching has lead me to Him.
All my joy, all my hope is wrapped up in this Jewish Man from Nazareth. All my desire is summed up in His (John 17:24-26): me. He desires me! That is where my worth is found. I realize now what I didn't then: Jesus really does satisfy. I may not be perfect at walking this out, but at least I've found the path to walk in and every time I stray from this path, He's given me the Holy Spirit to guide me back onto road.
I don't know what people would say about me now that would cover the outside of my box, and I don't know what pictures I would put, or what quotes or song lyrics I would use to describe the way people see me... but I know that my Jesus loves me and has given up His life in order that I might live. If this Friend of mine gave up His life for me, then I want my life to be hidden in His. I want Him to increase and me to decrease because when I find His life, I'll find mine. I want the characteristics of Jesus' life to be the very core of my box. The things that make up Jesus' life are the things I want to make up the inside and outside of my "box". His is the only life worth living.
There were both good and bad memories associated with that box... It was my favorite project that year because I got to EXPRESS myself.
I was looking back over that box last night because my brother is a junior this year and he came home with his box... it got me thinking about how much I've changed from that project 3 years ago. After 2 years of college, I am still the same little girl at heart, searching for purpose but now I know that the very thing I'm looking for lies is One. His name is Jesus and all my searching has lead me to Him.
All my joy, all my hope is wrapped up in this Jewish Man from Nazareth. All my desire is summed up in His (John 17:24-26): me. He desires me! That is where my worth is found. I realize now what I didn't then: Jesus really does satisfy. I may not be perfect at walking this out, but at least I've found the path to walk in and every time I stray from this path, He's given me the Holy Spirit to guide me back onto road.
I don't know what people would say about me now that would cover the outside of my box, and I don't know what pictures I would put, or what quotes or song lyrics I would use to describe the way people see me... but I know that my Jesus loves me and has given up His life in order that I might live. If this Friend of mine gave up His life for me, then I want my life to be hidden in His. I want Him to increase and me to decrease because when I find His life, I'll find mine. I want the characteristics of Jesus' life to be the very core of my box. The things that make up Jesus' life are the things I want to make up the inside and outside of my "box". His is the only life worth living.
