When I was Sixteen

You know how every once in a while something will really hit you hard even though you've known it for ages? That happened to me on my birthday, which was the day before yesterday.

I was writing a song about how we are constantly changing and how God is always the same and it sort of smacked me across the face. =)

My sixteenth year was absolutely incredible. I grew closer to God than I've ever been before, I got to know dozens of wonderful people, I flew across the country, I competed at Nationals, broke my nose, was in my second wedding (well, not my second wedding, but...you know), attended a phenomenal debate camp, started writing poetry and songs, started learning how to read music and play the piano, I found out about modern day slavery, I spoke to my city council, I got an awesome job. This has been a terrific year!

My birthday morning I was feeling sort of melancholy. my sixteenth year, the most wonderful year ever, is over.

Then, as I was writing that song, it really hit me. God was the same during my sixteenth year as He was when I was two or nine or fourteen. God was the same then as He will be this next year and He'll still be the same when I'm twenty one and forty seven and ninety, if I live that long.

God didn’t get better this last year. He didn't love me more or show more interest in my life when I was sixteen. God was the same and He is the same and He always will be the same. He is the same now as He was when He, "was hovering over the face of the waters," (Genesis 1:2) He is the same now as He was when Mary, "gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn," (Luke 2:7) and He is certainly the same now as He was when I forgot my whole speech and He gave it back to me, one line at a time.

I may not feel Him the way that I did at the Emerald City Qualifier, or at Nationals or at Debate camp, or in front of the City Council, but He is right here holding me every step of the way, and He always will be.

"Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting You are God."

~Psalm 90:2

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever!"

~1 Chronicles 16:34

"Jesus Christ is the same

yesterday and today and forever."

~Hebrews 13:8

Over and out,

~Emily