Just For Us

I heard a news story the other day talking about modern-day pop songs versus those a decade or so ago and older.  Basically what it said was that the only real difference from the previous generations to this one is that the modern songs are just louder and less creative or original.

And it’s not just music.  It seems like a lot of the movies lately have been remakes.

I feel like as a culture we’re getting less and less original.

Everywhere we turn there’s and advertisement showing us the clothes we need to buy or the new toys we need, what car we should be driving, and it all gives us a false sense of who we think we should be.

But I don’t want you to get me wrong.  I like a lot of the music now.  It’s catchy.  I find myself singing along with them as I’m driving down the road.  They’re pretty easy to remember these days.

But I find myself craving originality.

And maybe I’m completely alone on this, but some of the best books I’ve ever read are the books that were written hundreds of years ago.  But to be completely fair, they’re some of the worst books I’ve read, as well.

I used to be a reader or movie-watcher who would automatically pass on the book or movie if it happened to fall within the sci-fy genre, but now I find myself watching more of those movies and reading more of the books because the level of creativity that it takes to come up with a story so intricate in most instances is, in my mind, incredible.  I went to watch Snow White and the Huntsman with my friends, a movie I would normally not even consider, and the more I think about it, the more I like it.  And, no, it’s not just because Thor was in it (although that did help!)

But I’m getting tired of being unoriginal.

See, I have this sneaking suspicion that God looks down on us sometimes and thinks, Hey, Julie, I didn’t create you to be like her.  I didn’t create you to sing like her or to write like him.  I know you want to play guitar as good as him, but maybe that’s not what I really want you to focus on.  I’ve created you and you’re the only one who can fill those shoes.

It’s kind of daunting to think about really.

There is only one person on this earth created to fulfill certain plans.

And that’s me.

And it’s you, too.

So today go forward with confidence.  Confidence is that little voice in the back of your head saying that you belong.  And I’m here to tell you that you’re here because you belong.

You have a purpose.  You have gifts and special plans.  He says so there in Jeremiah 29:11-13.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

He’s got plans for us.

Just for us.

So what are we going to do with them?