Hello 2016 - #Diamonds

Happy (belated) new year, everyone!

I know it has been a couple of months. I just haven't felt inspired enough to write or was too busy to think of writing here. However, I'll explain a little bit of how things have been and what we can potentially see in the future.

I came across these verses one morning as I was getting ready for the day.
It was a helpful reminder that I am a work in progress.

I found that the past few months have been a little roller coaster ride of mixed emotions. There have been times where I had been overly emotional because of things that people have said to me (it's a common thing for me); I don't always take well to criticism, especially when it doesn't come out as being constructive. I have questioned my own existence and whether or not God really has a plan for me. Fortunately, I have awesome friends to remind me how loved I am and that I'm still a work in progress.

There are a couple of songs that remind me about this truth. One of them is "Diamonds" by Hawk Nelson; this is from their most recent album, also titled, Diamonds. The song itself describes this idea that when we accept Jesus into our lives, that God takes us as coals and starts to make us into diamonds; all it takes is some heat and pressure over time to create the final result. It reminds me that even though I am not perfect, God is still working on me.

Another song from this album that came to mind is "Live Like You're Loved". The lyrics remind me that I am loved by God, and that it's okay for me to live like I'm free from my bondage of sin despite the struggles that I may be pushing through. I definitely feel comforted that he loves me enough that he died for us and offers us mercy and grace.

I know, it's a lot of Hawk Nelson to put in one post, but I believed that these songs spoke truth into my life when I felt like I needed to really hear it. I also like that I'm back into expressing my love and appreciation for music as it has this ability to penetrate and move us, and it's soothing to the soul. I really do believe that God uses music as a way to speak to me, to remind him of his truth and promises.

So, what's next from here? I think you can expect to see some more writings about music, and I'll try to keep you up to date on how things are going so far. There may also be a few surprises along the way.

Until next time!

-Alex