Better Things

​​"Dying for something is easy because it's associated with glory. Living for something, is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe." - Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller

Living in a world that is constantly battling negativity - What do you believe?

The weight of disaster and injustice has paralyzed so many of us. Fear has become a roadblock to being fully alive. We are so convinced that there has never been such a time as this.

But the truth is, human history reveals that our species has a tendency to repeat itself over and again and the horrors of today are no more frightening than yesterdays. Yet our generation confuses us as being most important, and buys into the belief that the times we are living in must be hardest and must be the worst because these times are ours.

What do you believe?

It's interesting that in those ancient times of poverty, war, disaster, and enslavement, the most incredulous pieces of work were created. So much art has emerged from tragedy, and even still so many of us stay stagnant and remain crippled with our gifts because we believe our times are the most unsurpassable.

The reality is we will survive this time, and many years from now we will deal with other forms of injustice and disaster because that is planet earth and that is the nature of humanity - and the people of that time will be holding onto whatever acts of beauty, whatever evidences of love, that we leave for them now, in the same way we hold onto Hemingway, Da Vinci, and Mozzart.

So wake up, and move.

And if tragedy doesn't move you - then allow beauty. Go outdoors, experience the master works for yourself. See how enormous trees can get, let alone the mountains. See the way icy water moves through creeks and valleys, past rocks that are much wiser than us. See creatures and wildlife on different parts of the earth that your mind isn’t capable of imagining, using automobiles and airplanes to transport you, and then reflect on what you believe to be true about life.

If we live for what we believe, what if we start believing in better things?

What if we start believing in goodness, creation, and hope?

We were created to create, and too many pieces of evidence reveal that humans create spectacular things. We know disaster will march on - so let's allow blessings to prevail. Let's sing, paint, draw, make videos, write words and speak words that reflect the positivity and overwhelming magnificence that this world has to offer.

Let's create hope for the present and for the future, for our neighbors and for our children, that no matter what is happening around you, there is still a glorious life left to be lived. Let's leave our markings as promises that it's okay to believe in better things.

We want so badly to love and be loved, we miss the fact that it's happening around us, every day.

We are all artists who are designed to use the tool of love to create masterpieces during our time on this planet. I believe in a God who created us in his image - with all of the artistry, compassion, and burning desire to continue creating acts of love and of goodness.

This world is more marvelous than it is tragic, and I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we started believing in better things?