America has no more stars, now we call them idols.

I’m writing this as I watch this year’s American Idol finale. I was a huge fan of the show when I was younger, but I haven’t watched it for the last few seasons. This year, one of the contestants comes from my area, so it’s been a BIG deal around here. Each night on the news, American Idol takes center stage with performance recaps and updates about local events corresponding with the show. Some churches hosted “idol parties” each week, which were broadcasted live on the news after American Idol. The idea of a church hosting an “idol party” seems a bit ironic, no? Each night, the live broadcast would show a room full of people screaming at the top of their lungs as if their lives depended on it, cheering on this contestant from their hometown. I couldn’t help but wonder if these people got this excited for worship on Sunday morning. Now, I’m all for people supporting a local, talented, deserving individual. But what happens when that excitement overshadows the excitement we have for our God? When does the word “idol” become something more than the name of a TV show?

There isn’t an easy answer to that question. And honestly, this has nothing to do with American Idol and everything to do with the things that fight for our loyalties every single day. These are questions we are meant to wrestle with, and the answers are meant to shape who we are becoming in Christ. God commands us to have no other gods before God [Exodus 20.3], but “before” can also be translated as “besides.” It seems like the command to have no gods “before” God could essentially mean that as long as God is FIRST in our lives, whatever is second and third and fourth doesn’t really matter. But if we understand this word as “besides,” the message changes quite a bit, doesn’t it? What does it mean to have no gods besides God? I think this sums it up well: “The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” [Deuteronomy 6.4] We can be sure of two things: First, we ALL have things in our lives that fight for our allegiances. Second, in the moments when we get it right and love God with our WHOLE heart, there won’t be room for anything else!

Pray peace. Make peace. Live peace.

Katie :)

goodbye 2009. hello 2010!

365 days ago, I had 2009 all planned out. I would finish my senior year, graduate from high school, my family would move to our next church, and I would begin my freshman year of college. Pretty simple. While most of those things did happen, almost none of them happened as planned. Plans? Who follows those, anyway?

Here’s how it really went: I finished my senior year and graduated. We moved a couple weeks later, but not to a new church. And I did start my freshman year of college, but we all know that didn’t go as planned. There seemed to be a couple major themes of 2009…"I never imagined I would be doing [insert what I was doing]” and “But I swore I would never [insert what I was doing].” 2009 took me completely by surprise.

I spent my last months at the place I call home with the only people who have known me forever. I said goodbye to everything I had ever known. I answered God’s call on my life one beautiful summer night. I spent two months living awkwardly between what was and what would be. I found a second home 1,532 miles from my first one. I fell in love with some beautiful children whose smiling faces reflect God’s redemptive love rather than the struggles they have endured. I moved on to the future I had carefully chosen and learned that we never truly know what we want or need until we have it or don’t. I realized who I can live without and who I would never want to, and I made those relationships a priority. I treasured time spent with mentors whose love and wisdom I could never deserve. I experienced the tangible hope of a Church in the making. I learned that there are no mistakes with God, only valuable lessons waiting to be learned.

2009 didn’t go as planned. Perhaps that’s because my human plans didn’t leave room for God-sized beauty and creativity and love. As I look back on 2009, I thank God for each of you and the God-sized role that you played in my life this past year. And as I look ahead to 2010, I pray that you will join hands with me and walk by my side on this unpredictable, beautiful journey toward the heart of God.