HalleYOOLAH!

 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!" -Matthew 11:25-26

Don't you miss being a kid? When life was about playing Polly Pockets, talking to your stuffed animals, not feeling bad about eating cookies, and singing Disney songs while dancing around the house in your onesie? Now we gotta worry about how we'll pay our tuition, rent, and find a career. We gain more life-experience so we don't need our parents to take care of us anymore and be what Ne-Yo wants us to be - Miss Indepennnnndent, that's why I love herrr...

But the more experience we gain, the more responsibilities we take on for ourselves and eventually for our own family and sooner than later it's a big ol' burden on our shoulders. What a relief that our Savior says: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." -Matthew 11:28-30

What is your burden right now? What's heavy on your heart? What are you having doubts about? 

Are you trying to lighten the load by figuring things out on your own? Doing more? Trying harder?

Right now my heavy burden comes from tryna make everyone happy. Don't offend people. Don't make this person mad at you. Be everyone's friend. Saying "no" will make them mad at you. It's my responsibility to do and be what everyone else wants. In my ministry, this looks like taking on more tasks, reading more books, gaining more experience so I'll stop being inadequate and know all there is to know about youth ministry. There's nothing wrong with gaining experience and life skills, but it becomes a problem when we become TOO independent and stop depending on our Lord, our Father. 

We are still his children, but at this stage in our lives we are pressured to grow-up FAST. Then we think we "got it" when we don't. We act like we don't need Him, but we do. And this is what I love about kids and young people: They know they still need someone to care for them. Yeah, teenagers act like they know it all but in reality they know they are useless and can't really live without their parents still. 

At my old job, I used to work with this little boy I'll call EP (his initials). EP used to hate showering and getting ready for bed. But I worked with him long enough to the point where he trusted me as someone who cared for him. Then it would start getting easier to get him to shower and get ready for bed by having him do random things. To him, it was random, but to me, I had a plan. I would use his Yoda to talk to him in a "Yoda voice" and say things like "Shower, You must." And he would shower! And then I'd sing him a song about brushing his teeth using a T-rex puppet, and he would brush his teeth while singing the song! But he knew he needed help and had someone who cared for him enough that he trusted me enough to do the random things I told him to. 

So remember that you don't have to have it all together, all the answers, everything under control, and all the life experience. As long as you remember you'll never be too grown to be independent from God the Father, you're right where you need to be. Trust him not only with the big life decisions, but EVERYTHING. As soon as something troubles you, who do you turn to? Yourself, your boyfriend, girlfriend, bestie, google, yo mama, or your ABBA FATHER? No wonder why Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light. We are never alone - we know God our Father loves as his children, Jesus walks with us understanding every aspect of our human life, and the Holy Spirit is our counselor. 

So enjoy the videos below and understand why God reveals His truth to the childlike and says the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children! HalleYOOOLAH!

You have to hear this girl in the beginning and her prayer at the end. Okay I cried a little.