Throughout my life, I have been a survivor, a fighter, God’s child. This past year was perhaps the most challenging of my entire life. Between the ages of 68 and 69, I have conquered my fears and anger by growing my faith in God from a tiny mustard seed into a tall oak tree. Hope triumphed over pain, and my life is, once again, surrounded by the love of Jesus Christ. In His unconditional love, I am becoming the Christian woman He wants me to be.
In a world illuminated by nuclear power, who needs the light of a simple candle, of Jesus Christ? We all do. We are called to be the light, His light, in the darkness of our struggling world. When fear and anger were trying to overwhelm my soul, I stopped shouting and started listening for peace, hope, unity, and love. When I stopped questioning why our planet suddenly exploded in disease, I began doing acts of kindness and love. By doing so, my heart found its voice, and I felt the hand of God on my shoulder. He whispered in my ear, “There are no “ifs” in My world, only possibilities. Think of these problems as doors to open to a new life, and I will guide you. I am touching your heart so that your mind will gain wisdom and understanding.”
My saving grace was my musical talent. I have always loved teaching my students, but I never knew my ability would save me. In His infinite wisdom, God gave me the ability to move people’s hearts, but it moved my soul to swell with prayers. The more I prayed with music, the more things began to change. When I sang in the confines of my home, my voice poured out of me like a bucket filled with holes, and the lonely silence disappeared. Jesus Christ was by my side, saying, “My love never fails.” I realized that words cannot change us; they move us along our journey towards the light. Only our hearts can change because that is where Christ finds us.
Christ is not sitting in our living rooms waiting for us to put our troubles on the shelves of our lives. He’s waiting, quietly, for us to take those troubles off the shelves and give them to Him. It’s time we stand up for our faith and let everyone know God’s not dead! He lives in each of us if we only open our heart’s door to His knocking. “God is good all of the time, and all of the time, God is good.” (God’s Not Dead)
We know what’s been going wrong in our world; now, we need to learn from all of the good that’s possible. We need to dig deep into our souls to find the truth, the way, and the light. Accepting the past, loving the present, and looking forward with our eyes and hearts open to possibilities, we can wisely build a better future. There will always be room for optimistic gratitude. Stepping back from all of the noise, we will see what really makes us happy.
I’m changing the future by changing my present and by living each day as though it is my last. What seems impossible one day can be made possible on another day by simply changing my directions, decisions, and resolutions. My impact on others is determined by my actions, and my actions are moved by my faith in Jesus Christ. As long as we love others, He is reborn day after day, and our lives become His light in the world. The light of a simple candle, of one person, can mean the difference between the world surviving the problems of this past year or the world exploding into dust. Which consequence do we want? I want the world to survive for generations to come, whole and beautiful.
Anna Hartt
