C.Ryenne Thoughts

On June 24th there was a really cool celestial event where 4 planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) and the moon all lined up in the correct order. You could see it best at 45 minutes before sunrise and I was determined to see it. Here is what I wrote upon observing this beautiful scene:

This morning I got up at 4:30 to go and watch the “planet parade”. This event happened about 19 years ago and will not happen for another 18 years. It was absolutely stunning and awesome to be able to see something that God so intentionally created. And as I am sitting here, that is all I am hearing:

“I intentionally lined up the planets so that people like you could see. I intentionally made each blade of grass so small. I intentionally made something beautiful to start and end the day off with. I intentionally made you with all of your physical traits, all of your passions and desires, and all of your gifts, talents, and abilities.”

Next week is VBS at my church and the past two days have been a lot of tedious preparation. Such as cutting out shapes, making two very large paint pallets from a thick piece of cardboard, finding supplies from all over the church to put the classroom supply boxes together, decorating the church by hanging up spiral by spiral and banner by banner.

Doing all of this work can start out as fun (and praise God I didn’t have to do it alone) but when getting further into the meticulous routine, it starts to get tiring, dreadful, and you’d about want to do just anything else.

A lot of people can experience this at their day jobs, they are just so tired of doing the same thing again and again and again. One could call this burnout or need for a change, but it shows our humanity. Because we are human, we so easily experience the tiredness that comes from doing the same thing too many times.

Take a second to think about God creating the world. Think about how detailed the world we live in is.

Each blade of grass looks different and grows differently

There are 391,000 different flower species in the world

The sunset and sunrise never look quite the same

There are more than 8.7 million animal species

There are over 60,000 types of trees

Then think about God creating us – 7.7 billion people.

All different, sure some might look pretty similar but when you break it down to family history, physical traits, hobbies and interests, and talents and abilities it is hard to find anyone who is remotely the same.

God is so CREATIVE.

I don’t know about you but that is so incredibly awesome to think about.

He doesn’t get tired of creating new things and 7.7 billion people later, he’s still not tired of creating new people that he already loves!

HE INTENTIONALLY CREATED YOU

And I know it is cliche to say he knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7) or that you are beautifully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:13-14) but it is so true. Just thinking about counting the hairs on my head sounds tedious and thank God I don’t have to because He already knows.

God knew you before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5), not only knew you but intentionally and intricately created you.

Please do not let this world’s standard of beauty and talent hinder God’s love for you.

The more worldliness we let into our hearts and minds, the more we lose the pure, unquestionable identity that God gave us when we came into this world. The more we lose this identity, the more we drift from God, the more we harden our hearts, and the more we don’t want to hear anything about Him.

If you are ever doubting yourself or insecure about anything, go look in the Bible for God’s solid, steady love and support. It is woven into every single story.

If you need a place to start:

Genesis 3: God’s love is shown through the making of garments for Adam and Eve, as well as protecting them from living in sin forever.

The entirety of Judges: God’s love is shown in the provision of a new judge over and over again for over 400 years of Israel being stuck in a cycle of sin.

Ruth: God’s love is shown through the provision and kindness of Boaz to a foreigner.

1 Samuel 1: God’s love is shown through mercy and kindness to Hannah in the provision of a child.

Isaiah 40-43: God’s love is shown for Israel (also my favorite passages of scripture).

Daniel 3: God’s love is shown through redemption and a life-saving miracle.

Any of the Gospels: from Jesus’s birth to the healing of many, to the miracles performed, to the sins wiped away – so much love can be seen.

If you got anything from this, I hope you know you are intentionally created and loved by your Heavenly Father.

– C. Ryenne

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not Perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16