thoughts on faith and friends... inspired by Beyonce?

April is the time of year when the students I work with get so tired and worn out that i just want to yell at them and tell them to sleep... knowing that they won't listen (and that a few years ago i would not have either), but instead stay up writing papers till 4 am, or studying for a 9am test till 6 am. I actually had a student tell me today that, "hey, I got 3 hours of sleep" ... and was smiling as if that was a major accomplishment.

5 years ago I would probably have been in the same boat that they were... but hearing that coming from a sophomore has really reminded me to enjoy the quiet and restful times we have in life. I am going on a trip tomorrow to see some friends and I have been doing some packing and cleaning tonight. After a while I just sat down on the couch and turned on my iPod. I closed my eyes and just listened and the song "Halo", by Beyonce came on. I didn't even realize I had downloaded that song... but I actually started listening into the words and it reminded me of the people in our lives who break down our walls and lift us out of our pits. Our encourager... our angels. Take a peek at the words and see who it makes you think of...

Lyrics to "Halo" by Beyonce:

Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light

I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

Actually, as I read through these words again, don't just think about the people in your life that encourage you... what about the God that encourages you? The God that puts people in your life to encourage you... in the oddest way, Beyonce reminds me that He is everywhere, that my friends are everywhere. These special people I am going to visit this weekend are wonderful. I have not seen most of them for a year at least, others not since Daddy's funeral. During college they were my companions, my confidants, some of them are still my sisters (Omega Phi Alpha)... but as we have gotten older and everyone has moved I have learned to value friendship even more... and about Godly friendships... because these aren't just friends, they are my brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have our issues, temptations, trials, and distractions... but we also have each other and a direct line to God to pray for each other... and I'm so thankful for that.

So back to thinking of God in this song...

"Remember those walls I built..." As humans, we build up our defences... but just as the walls of Jericho fell down through an act of faith (Joshua 6), ours do to. Our faith allows us peace as they fall, and gives us foresight in knowing that He will always be there.

"I found a way to let you in..." This should really be at the beginning... because in a relationship with God it has to be, and the Word makes it so plain... "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

"Hit me like a ray of sun Burning through my darkest night" After we make the choice to allow Him in, we receive the benefit of His light that will break through any darkness.

"... God is the light and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1John 1: 5-7)

"Everywhere I'm looking now I'm surrounded by your embrace... You know you're my saving grace" This part of the song is so evident to me in my life. During the past year God has placed people in my path when I needed them... even if I didn't know it at the time. His hand over my life and the direction of my paths feels like protection... and I don't know about you, but to me a hug can feel like protection.. like you are not alone. As for the saving grace part, well once again, the Word speaks for itself. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift from God..." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"You're everything I need and more" Really, no words are needed... this says it all. "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:19)

So... what do we learn here? Thank God and look out for those people in your life that wear a halo, and watch yourself... because to someone else, they may be seeing a halo on you. Maybe that should be a goal... to be a halo'd helper to someone else.

<3 - Kacey