I Went Viral!

With 822,000 hits and counting, it is still surreal to think that a blog post of mine went viral. I just keep thinking to myself “I’m just a kid!” as I watch my article slowly reach more and more people.

I have been actively lurking through Facebook, reading through people’s thoughts and opinions of my article. It has been such a blessing to see people from all sides of the political spectrum letting go of their biases and simply focusing on people who are hurting. I have found the majority of these to be so gracious and appreciative, regardless of beliefs.

In contrast, a good number of comments on my actual blog itself have not been the most kind. I have been both blessed and cursed with a confidence that dips into arrogance at times, so the unkind comments do little to affect me personally. They do irritate me, though. I feel as though many of the people leaving unkind comments either missed the entire message of my article, did not read the many sources I linked or did not read my article all together.

I do appreciate the disagreements that have been very respectful and provoked me to thought. I did a good bit of research but I am young and have no doubt that I missed many things in my blog post. I am extremely grateful to the many people who have gently pointed out my mistakes! Truth is a journey and we must always be learning.

As a college student, I don’t have as much time as I would like to respond to all the comments and emails I have been receiving but I have been reading them. People have reached out to me to thank me for being  accurate and for being their voice. People have reached out to me to let me know why my article was distasteful and how I have promoted stereotypes. Either way, I am touched that people thought my article worthy enough to read and then take the extra mile to contact me with their thoughts. I will hopefully be getting around to responding the all the emails I have received and respond to a number of the comments on my blog.

All in all, I feel deeply blessed by God. I dream of being a successful journalist and helping reach hundreds of thousands of people with stories that need to be heard. The fact that I’m only 19 and a simple blog post of mine reached almost a million people is astounding to me. I do not feel talented enough to speak to almost a million people, but I don’t think I ever will- or even should.

God chose David to be king for his humility, not his skills. This is something we must all remember.

5 Reasons Why Cats Are The Best

1. You have to work for the approval of cats.

 

This might seen like a turn off but, in reality, the fact that an owner has to work for the approval of their cat is a blessing. It gives owners a way of judging just how much they’ve bonded with their. A finicky cat that chooses to sit on the lap of its’ owner shows how an owner’s love can really win the animal over.

2. Cats always feel like fluffy little angels.

You can’t compare the luxurious fur of a feline to the greasy strands of a dog’s fur. Cat’s clean themselves better, and this adds to the pleasure of stroking a cute kitty.

3. The internet loves cats.

If you own a cat, you have the opportunity to be the owner of a fuzzy internet star.

4. Catnip.

A little bit of catnip guarantees immense entertainment. Researchers think that catnip triggers the “happy” receptor in a cats brain, which is what causes them to go nuts. Watching a cat space out brings joy to everyone involved.

5. Cats’ have blessed little purr boxes.

Nobody knows why cats purr. Yeah, it’s weird but nobody really cares because purring is awesome. Stroking the chin of a purring cat is an instant stress reliever. There is no deeper contentment than cuddling up with a purring cat.

 

Shadow Sides

We live in a fallen world where the death that comes with sin has perverted everything around us. I think a part of this perversion takes our greatest God-given gift and mutates it into one of our deepest, if not our worst, struggle.

I find that my mind is both my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. With my mind I have the ability to analyze and have a deep understanding of people. With my mind I am able to write music, poetry, and books. God has blessed me with a mind that understands concepts and how things connect.

None of these gifts come without a price, though. My mind has also taken me to some of the darkest places I have ever been. My mind has held me captive with hopelessness. My mind has twisted me into someone I’m not. My mind has been lost to the addiction that comes with depression.

The Bible states that Satan only wishes to steal and kill and destroy. I don’t think we realize that our talents are anything but off-limits when it comes to Satan’s hatred. He aims to mangle us and destroy everything we are because we are made in the image of God.

This is why Satan targets our greatest gifts or talents. God has implanted each and every one of us with a unique and intentional gift. Some of us have a beautiful heart. Some of us have unparalleled passion. Some of us have the ability to entertain and make others laugh.

What better revenge than to take these gifts and twist them into a horrific ailment?

A beautiful heart becomes anxiety. An unparalleled passion becomes a disconnection from others. The gift of entertainment transforms into a fear of man.

In my case, a creative mind transformed into crippling depression.

I want to remind you that your gifts were not designed for malfunction. Your gifts were not designed with the purpose that their shadow sides would win out in the end.

God has given you special gifts so that they will be used to serve others and fulfill the very special mission He has for you. We see in Jeremiah 1:5 that God knows not only who we are but what role He has for us before we even exist.

The gifts of God are your destiny, not their shadow sides that comes from the perversion of Sin and Satan.