by Emily Howsden | Jan 15, 2018
Today I took the time to watch the full “I Have a Dream” speech by the famous Reverend Martin Luther King Junior on August 28, 1963. I had seen tidbits before and of course heard all of the most famous lines, but I felt it absolutely necessary that I listen to the speech in its entirety before speaking about it.
The speech starts with Dr. King saying, “I am happy to join with you today, in what will go down in history, as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” This opening sentence of the “I Have a Dream” speech got my attention, and brought me grief.
I believe that 55 years later, our country has yet to embrace the magnitude of “liberty and justice for all.” I’m saddened that perhaps August 23, 1963 is still the greatest demonstration of freedom in our nation. Here we are, 55 years later, and what has really changed?
“One hundred years later, the negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of a negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. 100 years later, the negro lives on a lonely island of poverty, in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity…” said Dr. King
As Christians, when we hear or see this injustice, what do we do? Do we stand idly by and wait for someone else to change things? Psalm 9:9 says, “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” We are to be like the Lord, or of the Lord, which means it is each and every one of our responsibilities to stand up for the oppressed.
Fifty-five years ago, Dr. King said, “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time, to lift our nation from the quicksand of racial injustice, to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time, to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”
Now, it is our time to complete the work of our brother in Christ, Martin Luther King. As he said, “1963 is not an end, but a beginning.” This can start with you. Do you look at your fellow brother or sister in Christ differently because of their skin color? Do you treat them differently? If you do, God offers forgiveness for our sins. Prejudice and racism are sins that can be forgiven, if you repent.
Dr. King not only spoke about the need for change, he also instructed American citizens and the world how to go about the process of bringing change.
He said, “In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds, let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom, by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests, to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights, of meeting physical force with soul force.”
I can’t think of an instance where his words of wisdom shouldn’t or couldn’t be applied. “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom, by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” America today is a country full of bitterness and hatred. Can I say some of the bitterness or hatred is warranted? Absolutely. Cases of injustice where our country has failed groups of people are plenty. That is where we, all races and tribes and tongues are to rise above the bitterness and hatred. Rise above it by stopping it in our tracks if we witness it. Rise above it by refusing to participate in any form of talk of superiority where race is involved. Rise above the flawed and sinful nature of our world that so desperately needs the love of our Savior. No questions asked, just rise above it.
When the world fails us and people, as imperfect as we are, inevitably get it wrong, this is where we cannot fail to look to our Lord and savior who offers eternal freedom, peace and hope.
Dr. King said, “Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” I share that dream with him. The dream that we would look past the color of our fellow man’s skin, and look to their soul and fight for their earthly and eternal freedom, just as the Lord fought for ours.
by Emily Howsden | Jan 8, 2018
I hope each of you had the chance to have a restful and glorious holiday season and you find yourself ready to tackle another year!
I am one of the people who loves to start each new year with goals in mind and a new fervor to tackle them, full steam ahead.
There is something about the turn of the clock from 11:59 to midnight, just as a clock does every night, but on December 31 I get all kinds of nostalgic and feel ready to conquer the New Year.
Last year, I remember telling myself that 2017 would be the year that I say yes to doing things that I would otherwise hesitate to do. I started saying yes to some of those things that “scared” me or seemed foreign to me in 2016, and the Lord showed me how He takes care of His children, if only we’ll listen and obey Him.
There have been many times in my life when I’ve felt an urging to try something, but it’s been scary and out of my comfort zone. For example, applying for the job I now have. I hadn’t been job searching, and it scared me to take a leap and apply for a job where I knew no one. But I listened, and He rewarded me.
A hobby I fell in love with in 2016 was photography. I hoped and dreamed that eventually I could get the courage, along with my husband, to turn photography into a small family business. Since 2017 was the year of doing and saying “Yes” to the things that scared me, we took the leap in early Spring and began having some of our first paid photo shoots.
It was amazing how before each shoot I would inevitably feel inadequate and hope that I could capture the moments our clients were expecting. But each time when the voices of doubt from the devil crept into my mind, there was a still small voice, the Lord’s voice, offering reassurance and reminding me to trust in Him.
It seems silly that as a Christian I would ever need reminding to trust in Him, the one who is all-knowing and placed the stars and the moon in the sky.
Here we are, now at the beginning of another year, and Casey, my husband, and I had the busiest fall and beginning of winter ever, all thanks to our photography business that kept us busy almost all weekends and a lot of weeknights. I have so enjoyed exploring this world of photography and taking photos in which people will truly find delight.
Now, I can’t help but ask, what is one thing that you have always thought, “It would be cool to do this” or “I bet I could do that”? I’m here to tell you that you can, and you should. Make 2018 be the year that on January 8, 2019, you look back and can’t believe where the year took you once you said “Yes” to your dream and “Get out of here” to the voices of doubt that mean nothing.
They mean nothing because you are a conqueror and coheir of Christ, as Romans 8:17 reminds us, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
Make 2018 the year that you look back on and say a year from now that you began your journey to your best and most fearless self!
by Emily Howsden | Dec 18, 2017
Last week my husband spent the week in Utah with his family due to the death of his Grandpa. It was a sad time in their family and a time when everyone needed to be together for support and to share happy memories of their beloved grandpa.
However, back in Oklahoma, Casey’s absence was extremely eye-opening. Just an hour after I dropped him off at the airport, I found myself singing “I’ll have a blue Christmas” as I finished Christmas shopping for our families. Can you believe it? I spent the week counting down the hours until he would be back, wishing he were back sooner. I watched Christmas movies, baked cookies for work and for a neighbor, wrapped presents and went to bed early.
None of the above mentioned things were very much fun though. Without Casey to enjoy these things with, they were just kind of “blah.”
This is when I began to think about those who spend their holidays without their loved ones, for whatever reason it may be. Last week I interviewed a man who returned just in time from his deployment overseas to spend Christmas with his family. Both he and I found it hard to keep our eyes dry as he talked about all of the things he missed most about his family in his absence.
In another instance, I talked with a friend at church whose husband is currently deployed. She is one of the strongest people I know as she carries on as normal for her daughter and herself. She is brave and someone I look up to tremendously.
Talking to this man who so selflessly serves our country and my friend who also serves our country, but as a military wife, put my longing for Casey to return into perspective.
I have been fortunate to not have to spend Christmas away from my loved ones in my lifetime, something I learned that I have taken for granted over the years. The year my brother was deployed was incredibly different and not as fun as years past where the oldest of our family was present.
I began to think about the loss of Casey’s Grandpa and how many families will spend this Christmas without loved ones who in past Christmases filled chairs and big spaces in their hearts. I can’t begin to imagine the pain they experience the first Christmas, birthday or significant holiday without the person they love dearly.
Then in church yesterday, our family pastor delivered a message about finding joy in Christ, regardless of the horrors and less-than-joyful things the world throws our way. He talked about how Christmas is sold as a season of joy, but can, in fact, be the exact opposite for those experiencing loss or separation from loved ones.
It troubled my heart, as I can’t imagine another week away from Casey ever again, to think about how the enemy robs my brothers and sisters in Christ of their joy, especially in the season when we celebrate our Savior’s coming to Earth in humanly flesh.
I am a problem solver. I just can’t sit by idly and not try to fix things for people, sometimes to a fault. So, naturally I was thinking of ways I could help those around me whom I know might be suffering this Christmas season.
Aside from the absolute peace the Lord provides when we think there is no point in seeking joy in our lives, I thought of a few things that might help ease the pain of loss or separation from loved ones at Christmas.
- Invite someone to join your family’s celebration. If your family is anything like mine, a few extra people could probably go unnoticed in our crowd! What might seem like just a small gesture of hospitality could mean that someone else doesn’t have to spend Christmas alone, longing for community or some form of family Christmas.
- Send a Christmas card with a personal tiding of joy and cheer. This might be something that someone like myself with a love language of words of affirmation might only appreciate, but I truly enjoy each Christmas card my husband and I receive. It makes me feel special, and I appreciate the kind gesture.
- Gift them with something not of monetary value. Schedule a weekly coffee meeting with someone who may be widowed or their spouse might be deployed or not around for some reason. This would be something great for those who value quality time, also one of my love languages.
- Bake them something yummy. It could be because I’m Baptist, or southern, or most likely a combination of both, but down here, food is a love language of its own. I baked a couple of batches of cookies last week and gave one to my neighbors and then brought another to the office. If baking or cooking are things that don’t terrify you, it’s always nice receiving something that’s been made with love.
- Finally pray for peace in their hearts. Pray that the God of all peace and understanding provide them with a peace that soothes their hearts. Pray that they would run toward the open arms of our Father in the absence of their loved one, and that they would find the fulfillment of His love for us as His children.
Christmas is a magical time of the year, for most. Consider someone around you today whom you can spread some cheer or just give a shoulder on which they might need to cry. Be there for someone this holiday season. It’s the best Christmas gift I can think of giving.
by Emily Howsden | Dec 11, 2017
One of the most talked about, or “swept under the rug” topics in America might just be how to bridge the gap between generations in the church.
This is something that I’m sure most, if not all, churches have encountered at some point in time. Churches today most likely have five generations under their roofs: The Silent Generation (born 1925-1945); Baby Boomers (1946-1964); Generation X (1965-1979); Millennials (1980-2000) and Generation Z (2000-present). Of course, everywhere you look online the years for each generation fluctuate, but the years I have listed are close enough for at least a point of reference.
In a lot of churches, it might be easier to stick the older generations in a “Traditional” service and younger generations in a “Contemporary” service, but we can and should make the effort to do more to come together as believers.
I think there are many ways that we can bridge the gap of generational separation, if we so choose (if we so choose being the key words in that last statement). I’ve talked to peers and heard what they would do if it were up to them to make this change, and here a few of mine and their suggestions.
- Engage in a multi-generational bible study.
This is something that is easier than it sounds. Think about it, Bible studies are generally focused on groups that all have something in common, for example, a men’s Bible study, a new mother’s Bible study, etc. One thing we all have in common as believers is our love for the Lord, which has no age limit. We all live in the same world today, whether that looks different for other generations or not, anything we learn about how to be a light in the world today is applicable to all ages.
- Engage in discipleship/mentorship.
This concept is at the heartbeat of my home church and should be at the forefront of any Christ-follower’s life. For us to adequately “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,” (Matt. 28:19) that starts in and near our homes. Meet once a week with someone who is a “spiritual parent” if you will, or meet with someone that you can enrich their walk with Christ through the time you spend together. Discipleship is important, we can learn much from each other when it is done how God intended. When we disciple others, we are making disciples that in turn, make more disciples.
- Make a habit of sharing testimonies.
This is something that I know will especially resonate with Millennials, the over sharers. But beyond just that generation, everyone benefits when one believer in Christ is open and transparent about the journey the Lord has led them throughout their life. When you hear someone else’s testimony you bond together because you hear their heart. It can be uncomfortable, and not everything about someone’s testimony needs to shared in mixed company or big groups, but a level of transparency is appreciated and helps groups bond together.
- Engage in church-wide service projects.
Anyone who has ever been on a mission trip or church-wide service project can tell you that when you work together, either physically or spiritually to meet a common goal, a bond is made. When I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua in college, age practically meant nothing among us who were serving. We worked alongside each other in extreme heat, we laughed with each other and rejoiced in salvations of the people we visited, and at the end of each day we came together as a team to tell each other about what the Lord had done in each of our lives that day. The same goes for a community beautification project, sorting food in the church care center, or any other project that needs assistance.
- Start a cross-generational prayer ministry.
Nothing touches my heart more than when someone tells me they are praying for me and I know that they specifically set time out of their day to lift my name to the Lord. One of the best people I know at doing this very thing is my Grandma, or Grams as I like to call her. I am convinced that my Grams has a direct-line to God when she prays. The power of prayer for each other as Christians should not be underestimated. Through prayer we can accomplish much and provide support in times where nothing else can be done. Having many generations engage in prayer for each other can not only help the people being prayed over, but it bonds people together.
I hope some of these ideas seem like tangible ways to bridge the generation gap in your life or home church.
When we build walls because people are “different” than we are, we as Christians are doing ourselves a great disservice by not learning from each other.
Younger generations, soak in all the knowledge you can from older generations, they’ve been there and done that! Older generations, don’t hesitate to learn from someone younger than yourself, you might be surprised at the things they know!
Most of all, love each other without limitations or borders. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:37-39)
by Emily Howsden | Dec 4, 2017
As I mentioned last week, one of my favorite parts of Christmas aside from the Lord’s birth and time with family is buying presents. Each year, the day after Thanksgiving I start brainstorming ideas of what gift will bring who joy?
I don’t participate in Black Friday shopping, because I don’t think my heart could stand it, but Cyber Monday is one of my favorite days to try and knock out all Christmas shopping from the comfort of my home.
Can you think back over the years and remember your favorite Christmas present? I can think of a few that I especially cherished and think about with fond memories.
First, I remember the Christmas where my twin and I had a rather large box under the tree addressed to us. Usually if the present was addressed to the both of us it meant that it was going to be something especially awesome.
Finally, Christmas Day came when we would open presents. We had stared in anticipation at this gift for nearly a month now, and the time had come. As each family member divided up their presents in piles, we could hardly contain our excitement. Then, all of the sudden it was our turn.
Much to our surprise and delight, Mom and Dad got us an Easy Bake Oven! I can still picture what the box looked like as we tore away the wrapping paper. We had asked for and hoped for this present and now it was ours! We were the proud owners of an Easy Bake Oven.
To be fair to all of the other presents that year, maybe we should have saved the big one under the tree for last, because when we got that oven, we immediately wanted to begin baking all of the tiny treats our hearts desired. For the rest of Christmas break that year it seemed like all we did was bake and play with our Beanie Babies and Barbies while we waited for our treats to come out of the oven. What a Christmas that was.
If I can remember correctly, we were around nine or 10 years old that year. How would we ever top this Christmas?
Another Christmas, when my twin and I were absolutely floored with our gifts, was either the year before or the year after the Easy Bake. For a while, we watched how our older sister Grace would love and take care of her American Girl Doll, Kirsten. Plus, we read Kirsten’s books that Grace had.
We had read other American Girl books and became enthralled with the historical stories of how each doll came to be. Oh how we both longed to be able to have a doll of our own and dress her up to our heart’s desire.
Kirsten was special because she looked like Grace. She was a pioneer doll, if I remember correctly, and had long braided hair. At the time, I had a short, blonde, “bob” haircut that hit my face around my chin. Abby, my twin, had a similar haircut but with dark brown hair. Of course, we had each picked out dolls that looked like us and, if we were to be so lucky, we would call our own one day.
I selected Kit Kittredge, a girl who grew up in the Midwest during the Great Depression era. She was a tomboy, and I related to her in that way. She was spunky and always up for an adventure, and I admired and loved her for those reasons.
Abby chose Molly McIntire, a World War 2-era doll. I remember reading in Molly’s story that they started freedom gardens, and I was fascinated when reading about all sorts of other war-time efforts Americans made. This might be from where my love for World War 2 history comes…also, my love for alliterations!
So, there we were Christmas morning. We had opened many of our presents, yet both Abby and I still had a few left. See, I think, for our birthday that November, we had both received the full book set that was embellished with gold tip pages and beautifully illustrated. Abby got Molly’s collection, and I got Kit’s. This may have been a present from our Grams, or mom and dad. Nonetheless, it was a treasured gift and, we hoped, a foreshadowing of what was to come.
By the time Christmas came around, I think we had both made a good dent in the reading the stories of the dolls, and became even more infatuated with the characters. However, each present we opened was not a doll, and there wasn’t even a present under the tree, even remotely shaped like a doll. That is, until we opened our “last present.” Much to our surprise, we got American Girl Doll BRUSHES. We had both seen these brushes because Grace often brushed Kirsten’s hair.
This could only mean one thing…and right as it clicked in our minds, there they were, Molly and Kit dolls, being carried by our parents, AND THEY WERE OURS! I can still remember the joy I felt. Kit and I were inseparable, as were Abby and Molly.
The dolls joined us nearly everywhere, and for most birthdays, we would ask for additional outfits and other fun trinkets for our prized possessions. To this day, Kit sits in my closet in my “grown up” home, poised and waiting for the day that I have children, so I can pass her and her books along to them. She was easily the best gift of my childhood.
Both the Easy Bake Over, and even more so the American Girl Doll were presents I remember wanting so badly it hurt, and our parent’s made it happen. They granted our heart’s desires and I guarantee they took joy in seeing how happy Abby and I were.
I can’t help but compare that kind of love for us with the love our Lord and Savior poured out for us when He gave us His Son. It was the ultimate sacrifice, but He takes joy in our joy. He wants to grant us the desires of our hearts if only we accept the desire of His heart, which is for us to have a personal relationship with Him.
As Christmas rolls around and you select presents for your loved ones, consider the greatest gift of all. It tops an Easy Bake Oven and American Girl Doll, hands down.