Hannah’s Faith

Tonight I asked Hannah if she would sit and write with me. Not because I had writers block or wasn’t inspired. No. It was because of her own spiritual journey that is unfolding right under our roof that has inspired me.

Hannah gets anxiety. Some nights to the point of giving herself insomnia. Pair that with your normal teenage issues and WHEW, some days this house needs some holy water and sage. Truth be told though, each time she struggles her faith grows just a little bit more and experiencing it along side of her is a beautiful thing.

She has just come out of a bout of anxiety and “teenage-ness”. The biggest battle she has had recently is whether to try to fit in or stand out. The choice is hard enough as an adult, let alone in the mind of a growing child. Especially a child that has a growing faith like she does. While she prays daily, seeks for truth in the word and loves God, she still has daily battles before her. Learning to be set apart attending public school in the age of social media and instant gratification is nowhere near easy. Add to that the yearning to be accepted by her peers and she just gets anxious.

As I sit here across from her and ask her input, she is still very much a teenage girl, with some witty remarks and laughter. Let me set the stage of realness here:

Me: Hannah, how do you feel knowing that God made you for this time and this purpose?

Hannah: Mom, its hard to answer you when Katie is sitting here picking her nose and eating Cheetos.

Me:…..

Hannah: Ok, ok… I know we all have a purpose. And that God made us for this specific thing. I still get anxiety, but I also have peace if that makes sense.

Me: It does. When you have anxiety or are in your teenage-ness, what turns you to God?

Hannah: Just realizing that life is a lot easier with God rather than trying to do it by myself. What I do doesn’t work and I usually get in trouble.

Me: I agree with you completely. Why do you sometimes turn away from that?

Hannah: Because sometimes I can be selfish. And I want to be accepted and fit in.

WOW. It doesn’t get any more real. And how often can we relate? If a 16-year-old girl can comprehend that life with God brings peace and is usually easier than life without God, what are we doing?? I mean seriously. We are supposed to have faith like a child right? Faith without question that brings a peace that surpasses all understanding. At the same time, we want to be accepted by our peers. Do we sometimes compromise our faith for acceptance? Or do we feel singled out when we live set apart?

We often are blinded by world values and social media noise and our own ego of being right. Especially in times such as now. Yet we forget who we are called to be. The son or daughter of the Most High, bearing a child-like faith, and living set apart. We are currently egotistical and divided. Leave it to a child to bring it back to the fundamentals of Christianity.

That is where we should be living, set apart with faith like a child. Today, that is what I am doing. Starting now.

I am in awe of this human that God blessed me with. I feel that way about all of my girls. Faith like Katie, wisdom like Hannah, and strength like Audra. It is a beautiful thing.

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Luke 18:17

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9