Disclaimer: This post  is a long one. Inspired by discussion, requested by curious friends, and  dedicated to a fellow skeptic.. Though all opinions are exclusively mine, and admittedly somewhat biased. At least it's honest.
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The A word makes me cringe. Over the years, I have developed an increasing dislike of the term.  It's supposed to be used as a form of loving endearment, but most of the time I think it's utilized as temporary substitute for authentic support and community.  Affirmation is an often misused, misunderstood, and manipulated principle. 

 affirm.  (af-firm). verb.  /əˈfərm/ - [with object] to offer (someone) emotional support or encouragement. [Oxford]

I am a huge fan of offering emotional support and encouragement to people. And as a Christian, I truly believe that scripture commands us to honor, to edify, and to encourage one another.  I would like to think that I am a positive and supportive voice in the lives of my friends and family. I try to let people know that I love them, that I value them, and that I believe in them. Still, I cannot seem to embrace the term affirmation.

In my experience, there are two types of people in life: lovers- those who are encouraged by affirmation immediately... and skeptics-  those who dissect affirmation to determine if it is sincere. Contrary to what you might think, I am actually a very affirming person at heart. However, in the world of Christian affirmation, I am a slowly recovering skeptic.

Affirmation, in my experience, is the intentional practice of telling people what you like about them. Most commonly this verbal praise comes in three forms:

1. The  end of the year, semester, conference, [insert appropriate time frame here] gathering-  People sit in a circle, give one another cards and little trinkets, and tell each other how awesome they are.  Ex: "Kera was so great to be around you this semester. I know we haven't spent much time together, but you are so special. I wanted to tell you that. Here's a card with a picture of a dog that I think represents the "specialness" of your personality."


2. The affirmation sandwich- Someone says two or three nice things about you, inserts a hefty amount of heart crushing criticism, and then says two or three more nice things reasserting that they care about you and believe you can do better. Ex: "Kera, I think you are doing a fantastic job. You are always faithful with being here, and you always add wisdom and humor to our discussions. I just wanted to make you aware of the fact that you are extremely immature and annoying. You should probably work on that because many people can't stand to be around you. But, remember you are still awesome. And I appreciate you hard work. By the way, I love you and I believe in you.


3.  The priming before asking a favor-  Your friend, relative, distant acquaintance needs something. You have it or can do it. Before asking for the favor, they butter you up knowing that it increases the probability of  success.  Ex: "Kera you are amazing and so kind and generous. I wish I could be more like you. Could you possibly lend me your car?

Because I have more often experienced the term "affirmation" linked to one of the above scenarios than in the context of an authentic expression of a supportive community, I am an over analytical skeptic. I tend to be a resistant receiver of affirmation. Affirmation makes me uncomfortable. Why? Well, partly because I am admittedly insecure. Mostly, because I think our culture has lost the meaning behind the concept.

**A small caveat before my critics start attacking, I am not saying that an authentic attempt at affirmation cannot take place in an end of the year affirmation circle or during an affirmation sandwich or in the process of asking a favor.  [edit: in fact, I've had a few good experiences at end of  semester affirmations- I'll include at least one story in tomorrow's blog.] I am also not suggesting that people do not benefit from hearing affirming things in those scenarios. I am simply offering an alternative perspective. You might say I am offering a challenge to a greater affirming culture.

Perhaps it is best said this way: I would rather experience the adjective than use the verb any day. I pray that I am someone who is affirming, regardless of whether I ever openly use the label affirmation or consciously use the verb. Affirmation needs to be so much more than something we do on occasion; it needs to be a posture that we take, it needs to be an innate part of who we are. 

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:23-25

Looking at the original language of this passage: a more accurate translation would be "let us examine one another to stimulate/provoke love and good deeds.... calling out/exhorting/encouraging one another" The call here is to remind one another of the hope we possess in Christ, and to spur one another on towards being the people God called us to be. This passage has an underlying excitement in recalling the purpose of the Church community, and that excitement is what produces encouragement which leads to cultivating excitement and the will to persevere in the lives of others.

Yet, as you see, the encouraging is always done in the context of relationship, in the midst of community. It doesn't say set aside a time to tell each other nice things about one another; it says do not stop gathering together. It says when you gather together, think of ways to remind one another of the hope that you have in the Gospel and why it is important to continue loving and serving others. Affirmation becomes integrated into the culture, and it is expressed through the collective of a supportive community. 

So what does this look like? What does it mean to be an affirming community? Well, I think there are several practical ways that we can be encouraging to one another.  

Here are seven ways to be affirming, and some things that a skeptic would like you to consider.

1. Verbal Praise.  Yes, sometimes it is nice to hear a pep talk. Or to receive a little appreciation. My biggest peeves with verbal affirmations. They aren't often aren't specific enough: I get that you think I'm awesome, but why? They often have bad timing: see any of the aforementioned examples.  Too many verbal praises can create an aura of insincerity- stop telling me I did a good job if I did a mediocre job, tell me I did a good job when I actually do a good job. Words have power, use them wisely and effectively.


2. Gifts of Appreciation. Whether it be a card or something cool, giving a small token of appreciation is a good way to show someone that you care. My biggest issue with gifts: we wait until its obligatory instead of giving gifts of appreciation randomly just because. I'll be honest, I often forget birthdays and I am not big on holidays. Yet, it isn't uncommon for me to buy someone coffee or dinner or a book or a concert ticket or something I randomly see at the store that reminds me of them.... just because I like them.  Can't I just give gifts to special people as an encouragement to brighten an average day? The same can be said of acts of service- why do we do nice things because the situation demands it necessary as opposed to organically all the time? Quite frankly, I need that seemingly random email to see how I am way more than I need the happy birthday facebook message.


3. Quality time. Nice words or great gifts can never replace quality time. If you like me, show me you like me by making time for me. If  you are a friend, take the time to just hang out with me. If you are a mentor and you believe in me, take the time to help me grow.  The early church did things together, and support/encouragement comes from the context relationship.  As a wise friend of mine always says, you need to put into the quantity time to get the quality times. I think you need to put in the quantity time to be able to give quality affirmations as well. How can you encourage me to be who God called me to be if you haven't made the time to get to know me? 


4. Accountability. Dare I even mention this in a post on affirmation? Yes, I do because I think it is important. I find the most encouragement from those who are not afraid to correct me. Because I am a skeptic, I need to know that some wouldn't lie to me before I accept their praise. They need to be as willing to challenge me to grow and to correct me when I am wrong. Too often I think we over focus on affirmation by being nice to one another- over emphasizing the saying nice things and the giving of gifts- but we forget that part of exhorting people to be the best they can be is showing tough love and tough encouragement. Some of the most affirming moments in my life have been the moments when someone has cared enough to bravely say "Kera, I love you. You are being dumb... here is why... and I believe you can do better, because I know you and you are... [insert uplifting, truthful, prophetic things here]." Affirmation should not just be about making people feel good about themselves; it should always be about motivating people to go deeper in their faith- inspiring them to be excited about what God is doing, encouraging them to love and to serve Him with all that they are.  [Two quick caveats on accountability: A)  it is not easier to offer tough love in an affirmation sandwich. Be honest, and upfront. Show tough love with compassion, but don't try to diminish the negative effects by adding fluffy nice filler  because it does detract from what you are about to say and hinders the credibility of your praise. B) I focused primarily on receiving tough love, but asking someone to hold you accountable definitely is affirming to them as well.  Accountability requires relationship, and one way to affirm someone is to ask them to speak into your life. Give them permission to give you a little tough love or a needed pep talk.  And, keep them updated about both your achievements and shortcomings- they'll be encouraged as they celebrate with you and by the fact that you value their advice.]


5. Trust/Delegation. The biggest way you can show that you believe in someone is not by telling them how much you believe in them, but by showing them. If you want to affirm someone, give them an opportunity to be awesome. Don't simply tell them they sing well, ask them to come lead worship. Don't just say they write well, suggest that they put the gift into practice by contributing to your blog.  Simply saying I believe in your ability to lead isn't enough, you need to give people space to actually lead. One of the biggest affirmations in life is knowing someone trusts you to step up and put your giftings into practice. 


6. Prayer.  What and who you pray for is an indication of your priorities in life. If you want to be supportive of someone, pray for them. Ask Him to show you how to be encouraging because He comes up with better ideas than you ever could. And letting someone know you are praying for them , either with them or privately in your own time, is one of the greatest means of support you could ever give a person.


7. Bragging.  People always mock me because I tell stories using peoples' names. Within a short time of knowing me, you probably begin to feel like you know my closest friends even if you have never met them. I'll tell you how awesome they are and why I love them. I share specific stories, and get really excited about how fantastic God's plan is for their life. I'll tell you that my friend who is like my adoptive older sister is a great preacher and is destined to rock people's lives through exhortation, that my roommate is a fantastic musician who God is going to use in crazy ways to bring people into His presence, that one my best friends is this brilliant thinker with a incredible heart who is destined to spread hope overseas by meeting spiritual, physical and emotional needs of those longing for relief.... I can go on and on because there are so many people I love that you need to know about. Any time two of my unconnected friends meet for the first time, they already know how much I value the person they are encountering. Aren't you encouraged when you are introduced to someone new and they say "I have heard great things about you. Kera told me about.... " I know I am. If we are encouraging someone to their face, we need to be honoring the person in their absences as well.

All this to say, I don't actually dislike affirmation. I dislike that we can say "well I verbally affirmed you, isn't that's enough? ". The truth is that an momentary affirmation isn't enough. It doesn't make up for the fact that the Body of Christ is supposed to be a united organism that encourages one another continually to love, to serve, and to recall that we have a hope greater than our reality.

Some may argue that I am just nitpicking on semantics. Well, I kind of am....

Semantic Saturation- the phenomenon that occurs when a word becomes cognitively meaningless due to repetition.

For me, the word affirmation has a bit of semantic saturation attached [metaphorically/hyperbolically speaking]. It is used so often in Christian circles that it is beginning to lose its meaning.  We need to talk about affirmation less and simply be affirming more. Because without the presence of continual, supportive community, affirmation is just another obsolete buzzword.  And sadly, we often mistake using the buzzword for cultivating the concept.

All this to say, as a community of Christ.... we need to examine one another, to encourage one another to press onward, to stir excitement about what God is doing and has yet to do, to call out the gifts in one another life,  to help one another put those gifts into practice, to sincerely brag about the brothers and sisters God has blessed us with. Any way you look at, we are called to be supportive and that support comes from a trusting relationship. Trust is established through honesty, proximately, and consistency. Personally, the term affirmation and I often meet without those three factors at play, and thus the term sometimes causes a knee jerk reaction.

I do wish that I loved the terminology more, but I know I'm not the only one who finds themselves cringing  at the mention of the A word.  Despite my ill feelings and skeptic nature, I do wholeheartedly believe that we need to be more affirming people and to submit ourselves to the support of an affirming community. My prayer is that I can be a part of the culture change. That God would use me to as an authentically encouraging presence- speaking life into and cultivating enthusiasm in the lives of others.

"Welcome to our world. You're mortal just like the rest of us. And, I don't feel bad for you."

In the midst of me whining, my roommate offered no sympathy. Instead she reminded me that I human, and that I too have my limitations.  Due to prolonged recovery from a series of illnesses, I've recently been faced with challenges I've never experienced before.

1. Sleep deprivation- normally I am well rested and ready to go after 4-6 hours of sleep. Any less, I need caffeine. Any more, I feel groggy. 
2. Memorization/Studying-  I have semi-photographic memory, which means I remember things the way I see them. When studying for tests, I don't memorize the information- I make an outline and I remember writing it and the way it looked on the page. 

via wikicommons

The problem: recently I have needed at least 8 hours of sleep and I have done poorly on tests because my mental pictures are reappearing rather cloudy (kinda like the photo). I need more rest and more time to study. For me, it's been a strange and unnerving few weeks because my body and my mind are not functioning the way I am used to them working.

Learned laziness. A psychological term used to describe the learned behavior that one can obtain a desired reward without exerting much effort. If one learns the amount of effort required for a certain reward, one will satisfy that minimum threshold. No additional effort will be exerted unless required by additional rewards.

I am the personification of this concept, but  nowadays who isn't? I'm intelligent and have an great memory, so sometimes I put off studying. Others are incredibly athletic by nature, so they put less effort into training. Some are musically gifted, so they practice less than those of us who are tone deaf. Regardless of its manifestation, I think we have all learned a little bit of laziness.

Yes, I am a mere mortal. But, I am a mere mortal designed by a perfect infinite God. And I may be special and unique, but so is everyone else. The important thing is not to compare ourselves to others, but to be the best person we can be. I should always be investing maximum effort to love God and to love people.

God is reminding me that He has crafted me with these little quirks.  They aren't shortcuts that make my life easier, but streamlined paths that allow me to exert greater energy into more challenging aspects of my life.

I often take for granted blessings like my short sleep cycle and my visual memory. In their absence though,  I am being reminded of their benefits: less time asleep allows for more time drawing closer to God and for sharing His love with others. A fantastic memory enables me to remember details to share with others, to pray over, and to ponder throughout my day.  These are specifically designed features of who I am that help me to be the person I was created to be. 

Through this strange season, I find myself longing for these funny little aspects of my life to return so that I can serve God in my fullest capacity. I find myself wanting to exert maximum effort, even if it yields what seems like minimal reward. I want to do whatever I can to fully devote myself to glorifying God with whatever remains of my short mortal existence.

A revision of an assignment for one of my classes, this blog is a reflection on the role of worship in the Book of Revelation. I found it interesting, so I thought I would share. The two books referenced are Charts on Revelation by Dr. Mark Wilson and The Revelation to John commentary by Stephen S. Smalley.
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Since God is worthy of all honor and praise,  it should be no surprise that worship is a major theme of the book of Revelation. The four living creatures, the elders, the angels, the heavenly voices, the great multitude, the saints, and the nations are all depicted worshiping God. The seven hymns in Revelation declare that: God is Holy (Rev. 4); worthy (Rev. 5); the source of salvation (Rev. 7); powerful to reward and to judge (Rev 11); marvelous, true and righteous (Rev 15); just in his judgments (Rev 16); and holy, victorious, reigning, and glorious (Rev 19) (Wilson, 74). Utilizing a combination of doxologies, acclamations, amen choruses, victory hymns, hymns of thanksgiving, praise hymns, and other songs, the book of Revelation lays a foundation of worshiping God both in heaven and on earth.

“The rejection of John’s attempt to worship the angel… and the command to ‘Worship God’ instead, is more likely to be related to one of the main themes of the Apocalypse. The seer is conscious of the insidious danger to Christian witness of idolatry, which has been in mind during the visions concerning Babylon…  A clear choice must be made between ‘Babylon’ and ‘Jerusalem’; and true worship means obedience to the one God, not to those like the beast who claim divine status, or even to God’s heavenly agents.” (Smalley, 486).

Since a couple people have commented that my last few posts have been rather serious and introspective, I thought I'd pause my deep thoughts momentarily for a happy little post... just so you know I'm not taking myself too seriously. Here are two videos that have recently made me smile.

1. This awesome video made by my friend Natacha recapping beach retreat.  



2. This funny video by some random guy I don't know about small groups. 

 

And, though I tend to be fairly reflective and introspective on this particular blog, I also post random things that make me think or make me smile on my Tumblr - with little, if any, commentary. (if you are interested, click the link above)

There you go, social media overload. =]

Flames by "fir0002/flagstaffotos" via Wikicommons

As usual, God seemingly heard my ranting and offered me a response to last night's blog post. Okay, in all actuality, I don't think my personal frustrations had anything to do with today's chapel service- but I do know that God spoke to me through the message.

I'm currently in Virginia Beach for modular week at Regent University. And, the professor teaching my Revelation class had a double duty today as he shared a message at our midweek chapel. Speaking on 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Dr. Wilson exhorted us not to "put a lid on the Spirit's fire". 

Sharing the imagery of a camp fire being extinguished and anecdotes of successful ministers straying toward apostasy, Dr. Wilson reminded us that a once vibrant faith can be suppressed if we confine the Holy Spirit to operating within our own parameters. Specifically, he shared how an academic pursuit to know about God can replace knowing God. He discussed how denominations and ministries may hinder the Spirit through doctrine or practice- citing the Baptist mission board's stance against speaking in tongues and modern Pentecostalism's tendency to distance itself from spiritual gifts in order to become more culturally acceptable. He went on to explain how our infatuation with technology may also be hindering our ability to connect with the Spirit because of our hesitancy to unplug.

By no means was Dr. Wilson advocating an intentional focus on manifestations of the Spirit or attacking any denominations or suggesting we stop using our smart phones and laptops.... he was simply illustrating how easy it is to "put a lid" on the Spirit and the consequences doing so have on our own faith and the work of the Church.  The next verse in 1 Thessalonians 5 warns people not to prohibit prophetic utterances.

"...don't hinder charismatic manifestation. To despise prophecy [or speaking in tongues or any other work of the Spirit] is to despise the Holy Spirit" - Dr. Wilson, (paraphrased excerpt)

"Do not quench the Spirit." Quench, as Dr. Wilson noted, has lost some meaning in our culture due to popular advertising campaigns that use the verb (hint: thirst). We are prone to think that to refrain from quenching the Spirit means to not do something contrary to the Spirit... but Dr. Wilson rightly pointed out that this epistle is written to people who have already drank of the Spirit. They already know God, and the command is not to avoid making the Spirit angry. The command is to not suppress what the Spirit is doing, and to continue to seek complete sanctification, to cling to what is good, and to draw closer to God.

The problem is that we often seek to avoid doing something wrong, rather than seeking complete sanctification through the Holy Spirit (v. 23). We seek a myriad of other things: a degree, acquired knowledge, denominational credentials, approval from our superiors, respect from our friends/families, success, a sense of being updated through social media and the interwebs... the list goes on and on.

Rather than being continually open to what the Spirit is doing and actively seeking to be increasingly aligned with His heart, we too often are defined by our circumstances and our own pursuits (many times even in the name of God), and so we stifle the Spirit and place our parameters above God's plans. As one of my classmates stated earlier today during his presentation, "putting anything above God is a form of apostasy. As harsh as that sounds and as much as we don't want to hear it, it's true."

Even as I type this, I want to refute his claim. I want to say "no, that's idolatry, NOT apostasy".  Why? Because idolatry I can live with, I can repent from and move onward.  Apostasy suggests renouncing one's faith and abandoning God. Idolatry is just putting something ahead of God momentarily, it isn't abandoning faith..... or wait, it is abandoning God in the moment for something we perceive to be more important or valuable, isn't it?

To put the Spirit in our  own box is to place our view of God above His own image. This is idolatry, and it is quenching the Spirit. To despise what the Spirit is doing or what He could possibly do is despising the Spirit Himself. And, to despise God by temporarily abandoning the Spirit by putting a lid on Him because our circumstances seemingly deem it necessary... that is a way of actively standing against our Lord. 

With all that said, and granted I am speaking through reflective analysis not through any sort of exegesis at the moment, I once again confess that I am guilty as charged. I have quenched the Spirit in favor of my own parameters and my own pursuits. Even in the few hours since hearing this message, I have made the same mistake. And as I type this, I find myself wondering: "Is it even possible not to quench the Spirit? Will there every be a day when I, a sinner, stop renouncing my God through my thoughts, words and deeds?" As I recall the depraved condition of my own heart, I am also reminded of the character of the God that I serve and therefore I have hope. His Spirit lives in me, and He continues to refine me.

As Paul writes to the Thessalonians just a few verses later: "God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful." (1 Thes. 5:24- NLT). Amen. Lord, please make it happen... thank you for being faithful, thank you for for not giving up on me- even when I fall short in the same ways repeatedly. Help me to not quench your Spirit, help me to seek complete sanctification, and help me to glorify your name in every situation and circumstance. Holy Spirit, please ignite my life and let your fire burn in any way you please...

Blogging is the last thing I should be doing right now, but I am writing to publicly share a prayer request and a humbling one at that. Last week, I read "The Reformed Pastor" for one of my classes. Hundreds of years ago, Richard Baxter's work exhorted pastors to "take heed to the oversight of themselves" and their flock.

At one point, Baxter warns that there are some preachers who need to preach to themselves because they do not fully know the impact of the message that they are sharing. To know, in biblical times, meant not only head knowledge, but also a posture of the heart and a ongoing profession of understanding through actions in daily life. Baxter goes on to say that the preacher who speaks on topics that he himself has yet to wrestle with is one of "the most unhappy creatures on earth". In the next section, Baxter reminds the preacher that the success of his ministry depends on the status of his own spiritual development and the condition of his own heart.

Friends, here is a confession, over the last few months, I have failed to take heed to my own personal oversight. Due to a series of circumstances- illness, financial setbacks, stressful relationships, and so on and so forth- I am at a place of exhaustion. However, I know that I am not yet at a place of surrender simply because of the wording of my last sentence. Let me rephrase, due to a lack of discipline on my part through that series of circumstances, I am at a point of exhaustion.

When talking to a friend about the last few weeks, she asked "Have you taken extra steps to make sure that you are putting on the full armor of God?" "Um, no, I have taken fewer steps to be honest". In the midst of chaos or perhaps even before the onset of the storm, my devotional life began fading, my prayers seemed less feverent, I began wondering if my faith was too idealistic, and my life slowly pulled away from being centered in the presence of God and began being centered in circumstance.

So here I sit, in a sketchy hotel room- feeling extremely ill again, worried about the piles of late homework I need to complete, anxious about my finances, confused about my future, and insecure in myself and my faith.  As I sit here, I consciously know this isn't me and that I need that armor of God to fight through this strange season of life. My prayer is that over the next few days, He will recenter me and refresh me and retrain me to be disciplined and armored.

I ask for prayer because I believe that God has given me a message, and it's one worth sharing, but first I need to wrestle with it myself.  I need to learn it and to know it and to live it. And, I am unhappy right now because there is a beautiful revelation placed on my heart, but my heart, being the deceitful thing it is,  is waging war with the word of God working in my life. More specifically, when I say message, I am making a reference to two things at the moment. The first is very specifically a message for the present (literally one that preparing to speak as well as one my life should be exhibiting). Secondly, I am referring in a very vague sense to some of the things that God has revealed about my purpose and my future in ministry.

During his sermon this weekend, Pastor Mark Batterson said that "you may be the only Bible people ever read". I may be the only expression of this message that people ever see, and friends, I honestly am not living my life in such a way that it could be read from merely observing me. My prayer is that God does a renovation of my heart this week, so that my labor for his Kingdom is fruitful and so that His word and His name are glorified in my life.

The first step in working through an issue is recognizing the disparity between what should be and what is. Here is that humble recognition, I feel like there is more to be said- but for now I need to spend some time with God and some time completing my group assignment that is due tomorrow (in that order because I'm reminded that priorities matter).  I have a feeling this is to be continued.. 

I'm slightly hesitant to admit this, but I just cried saying goodbye to my car. Tomorrow morning a couple is coming to haul it away for parts/scrap. My beloved '98 Hyundai Accent, affectionately known as  Mighty  has run out of steam. Or mechanically speaking, his engine is blowing out and has began leaking oil into the radiator. I always joked that I love that car like it is my child, and tonight I find myself mourning its departure.

As I wiped tears away while sitting behind the steering wheel one last time, I realized how inaccurate that statement was. I do not love that car. The car, though it has a name, is only an object. I can love it, but only as much as one can love a material thing. What I am mourning is not the loss of a hunk of metal on wheels. I am mourning the departure of an object symbolic of God's provision, of a dozen or so major life lessons, of hours of prayer on road trips, of long conversations with great friends, of every opportunity I had to bless someone by picking up something or offering a ride.... the car is just a symbol. And the things it reminds me of are not really going anywhere. Or at least they don't have to.

From the dreams I had encouraging me to buy the car onward, God has been using that tiny thing as an object lesson in my life. I purchased the car hoping it would be a blessing to others, and it has, but it has also blessed me more than I could have ever imagined.  And, I know that there are more blessings ahead- both in my life and through my life.

Mighty has seen better days.

As I am in a season of life where I find myself questioning lots of things as I ponder my next steps, I feel like once again this car is symbolic object lesson. As I am trying to figure out how to transition and what to transition to, I find myself saying goodbye to an old source of comfort and security. And, I realize that just as I am dreading saying goodbye to the old, that nothing really changes because God is constant- which means that the new has lots to teach me and many memories to create...  and a new car has already been provided.

So, goodbye Mighty.  Thanks for playing a role in teaching me about prophecy, spiritual warfare, and community. Thanks for all the laughs and for all the humility. Thanks for all the roadtrips and all the memories. May you be recycled well. You will not be forgot.

My two cars: old and new.

Hello unnamed  98 Mustang that I acquired this week. Please do not break in any way shape or form in the near future because I hope to invite many people to travel in you. Thanks for being a powerful little beast, and for having a better stereo than my last car. I can't wait to see what God has in store for you, especially since I hate Mustang drivers and you were the cheapest, best, and least driven car that I could find. I look forward to getting to know you and to learning how to use you efficiently.

Finally, thanks Father God for always finding ways to teach me and to care for me. My amusing little attachment to my vehicle reminds me of how evident you are in my life. I trust that you will continue to provide, and I thank you for the opportunity to take a step of faith by purchasing a new vehicle. Please protect my heart from treating material possessions and memories as idols, and continue to remind me that you bless me so that I can in turn be a blessing to others. Please protect me when I am behind the wheel, and help me to surrender the driver's seat in my own life. In this period of transition, I invite you to take control and to teach me and to use me once again. I thank you for the Mustang and for your sense of humor... as I offer this new vehicle to you, for your service... I, once again, offer myself to you, for your service as well.