I listened to sports talk radio on the way to work this morning (that’s what happens when you carpool with a boy), and the North Georgia news came on with the latest headlines: Woman stabs two year old daughter to death, rain causes increase of salmonella in local river, local college student goes missing.
The stories brought me deeper and deeper into my seat until I could barely see over the dash. I didn’t know what to do with the sadness that had just come through the speakers.
“If it bleeds, it leads.” Right? The news serves as a constant multi-media reminder that the world is ugly and that there’s really not much we can do about it. It’s impossible for me to turn on the evening news without walking away shaken and deeply scared about everything from what’s in my fridge to what could be waiting outside of my door. Bad news dominates – there’s not room for much else.
But we do it too. So often, when catching up with a friend or my mom, I give them the worst news first: This happened yesterday, I’m stressed out about this, this isn’t going well. I skip telling stories of the good things, preferring to swim around in them until something bad happens. Only then do I come up for air and share the news. My headlines tell a small fraction of the story. And I know I’m not the only one.
But why do we do this?
Do we think that positive headlines are less compelling or that difficult things are more important? Maybe they are. But I know that, at least for me, the bloody headlines of the news, and the ones I sometimes use to summarize my life, aren’t inspiring the change I’m hoping for.
I’m embracing the reality of struggle – in the world and in my own life – but that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for joy.
In fact, I think that the presence of struggle is even more reason to embrace the realities of joy –shouting them from the rooftops and telling anyone who will listen about the sparkle and pop of this beautiful life.
And so I’m working on becoming a billboard for the hopeful headlines. I want to champion the cause of the unsung heroes and see the overlooked stories of love. I want to bring our attention to what we have instead of always lamenting about what’s missing. I want to tell the thousands of good stories that swirl around the hard ones like brilliant threads of color.
I want to tell them because I need them.
This is why testimony is so powerful. It reminds us what God is capable of. Hearing how he provided or the beautiful ways that he loves my roommate, reminds me of his character and that I can expect that love from him too.
This week, lets take some time and brag a bit – not about ourselves or what we’ve accomplished, but about how good God is and about all of the amazing people and opportunities he’s put in our lives.
He deserves it and we always need reminders that he’s good.
Here are a few of my headlines this week:
– I’m in love. That’s all there is to it. I wake up every single day, amazed by the man who loves me.
– I got to volunteer at the Humane Society this weekend and found the cutest dog in the entire world.
– One of my closest friends is getting married this weekend to a fantastic Canadian man, and I am going to cry like a baby.
– Several of my best friends are coming into town for the wedding, and again, I’m going to cry like a baby. I cannot wait.
– My birthday is coming up (May 15th). I’m turning 25!
And that’s just the beginning…
What are your headlines this week?
That puppy is amazing!!!!!!! I love it!
Right!?
Stephanie, your blog is one of my favs!! I love reading what you have to say… always so uplifting!!
This past Monday (May 6th) was my birthday, I turned 28!! We’re May buddies!! 🙂
Kadi, you’re so sweet. Thank you so much!! 🙂 Happy Birthday! May is the best month for a birthday. 🙂
Monday night at my small group I felt really uncomfortable when it was prayer time because, unlike the past two years, I found myself full of joy and praise, and how do these things measure up against cancer and deep spiritual turmoil? I think we’re embarrassed by blessings because we fear others’ reaction to them (even if that fear is unwarranted). Have you ever experienced this? It’s really the first time I’ve felt it.
My headlines? I booked a flight to Europe for the summer. I can’t tell you how excited I am!
Catherine, I totally know what you’re talking about – that moment when you’re having a really good day but don’t want to admit it for fear of being insensitive… I think that there’s definitely a way to be sensitive to the hard things that other people are going through, and getting to celebrate the good things that God’s up to. It’s really helpful, when I’m in a hard season, to be reminded that it wont always be this way. Europe?! That’s so fantastic!!!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who gets a little overwhelmed when watching or hearing the negative headlines in the news! It’s so crazy that even the negative headlines that have nothing to do with us (which are probably most of them) somehow always leave us feeling down and defeated.
I think Satan really uses the news too…I mean, aspects of negativity in the news are full of headlines promoting hate and anger…and as much as I hate to admit it, these emotions are easier for me to express sometimes than love and joy. Love is deep, wide, and sloppy at its core…it truly challenges us to love our enemies and embrace a more “grace” oriented life, and honestly sometimes that’s hard to do.
But hate and negativity is just so…clean.
There’s a precision to hate (and negativity), and for some reason that easy precision is super attractive to us….hate cuts right where it needs to and doesn’t challenge us to embrace that “grace” oriented life like love does. It’s just easier, so it’s no wonder the world feeds off it through the media and each other as well.
I accept your challenge, Stephanie! I truly believe that it may be easier to hate and be negative…but it’s stronger to love and be positive.
For me, I’m engaged to a woman that I’m crazy in love with! And I’m so excited for her coming journey starting in September that will send her out to 11 countries on the World Race :o)
I’m also totally in love with my two beautiful daughters…next to God they are my reason(s) in life and I honestly don’t know what I did before them!
Thanks for this awesome post!
Jeremy… what great insight. I love that you called love “sloppy.” It absolutely is. This is beautifully written. I’m so happy for all of the lovely things in your life. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m going to Mexico with my family in just over 2 weeks from now. I can’t wait!
That sounds so fun!
I just turned 25 on Thursday and was a bridesmaid on Sunday!!!! 🙂
That’s so fun!! Happy Birthday Susan! 🙂
– I drove over an hour to a sold out show I didn’t have a ticket for and ended up in the fourth row.
– I learned that I am not ready to be a parent but having google in your pocket is very, very handy.
– Either Dad or I have a new job every time we talk. That makes doing business together extra fun.
– In my group of friends, the organ donation counselor gets us to laugh the fastest and the hardest.
– No matter what time I get to sleep, getting up in the morning is the worst part of the day. (Well, I already knew that but it was reinforced this week).
I’m graduating from high school in 4 weeks, and my family is in the process of adopting two little girls!