What's In a Name?

photo from National Geographic

I started this blog, somethingbeautiful, in honor of my precious sister, Irina.  You can read more about that here, but the inspiration for the name is from Something Beautiful, a song by Need To Breathe.  It was one Irina listened to most often on her ipod.  

What's in the name here, though?  Why name my entire blog somethingbeautiful? 

Because I think that is what our lives here on this earth are all about.  

If we are willing to give God all we have...not just the good, but also the bad, the worse, and the ugly... He will make it beautiful.    

He can because He has the power to do it, unlike any of us.  And, He wants to.  You may not even know Him, but He knows you.  

Did you know that?  

He knows you, and He loves you just the same.  He even likes you.

This is who He is and what He does.  He restores.  He redeems.  Makes new.  Brings beauty from ashes.  

He makes our lives - with all their hurts, disappointments, failures, grief and pain - make sense.  Not because we can say, "This happened because x,y,z", but because even if you don't have the answers, you know the One who does.  

Even better, when we give it to Him, He makes it beautiful, and other people see Him.  They see His beauty and His glory and His love through your weakness, struggle, and pain.  

Hey now, this is my desire

Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful

To touch me, I know that I'm in reach

'Cause I am down on my knees.

I'm waiting for something beautiful

Oh, something beautiful

So, that's why I'm here, in this space.  To share with You how, in my messy and broken life, He takes it all and makes it beautiful when I hold it with open hands.   

He is so gracious and kind, friend.  Strong.  Mighty.  Merciful.  Self-existent.  Creator.  Sustainer.  Redeemer.  Restorer.  Matchless. Unpredictable, and yet unfailing.     

Best of all?  Unlike everyone and everything else in this broken world, He.never.fails.  

There is no one like Him!  Do you want to know how I know all that?  Because I have spent the last 10 years of my life with Him and not once,  not once, has He failed me or left my side.  

If you have met Him, you would know.  That said, this is not some secret club.  The invitation is for anyone - anyone - who will humbly accept it for the gift that it is.  

You don't have to have it all together to know Him.  All you have to do is show up, just like you are. 

  

If you're still thinking of this whole thing as a religion....as being about what you "do" or "don't do",  you're missing out.  This is about a relationship with a Person, unlike any person we can see or touch.    

This relationship will change you, and you won't really be able to explain how.  You will just know that when you're with Him, things are different.  You're different.  

In a really, really good way.  

Join me?