nothing is missing.

That's it.
That's the trap.

The realization shook me alert.

I've not been home from work long.  It's the first day of my new job-- a job for which I am so so grateful.  As Daniel sits leaned forward in his recliner, fervently untangling some Statistics homework, I've settled into the quiet with my new book that came in the mail today.  The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships by Suzanne Stabile.  I'm only on page six, but here is where it happened.  Here's where it found me, the answer to my question.

What is the trap?

----------------------------------------------------

Brian Privett was leading our prayer time after the lesson yesterday at The Light.  I sat, reflecting, listening to his words.  He shared a picture, an image of different individuals caught in a bear trap.  Am I trapped in any way, LORD? I wondered.  And as I sat, eyes closed, heart searching, it was as if I could feel something wrapped around my right ankle.  Is this my bear trap?  I could sense the tug in my spirit, an understanding of an entanglement in which I hadn't previously been aware.  My foot is caught in a bear trap, and I've been stuck, walking in circles.  But what is the trap?

Is this for real, LORD?  Is this really a word for me, or am I just making it about me right now? 

Jenna, you can hear things and not be stirred.  
You can ask and not be moved.
You know how it feels when I AM speaking.

And I realized it was true.
Something has been holding me back.
And even in my movement, I've not really been getting anywhere.

But what is the trap?

I asked, but the answer didn't come.

----------------------------------------------------

You could say I've been a student of the Enneagram for over a year now, consuming literature and podcasts, learning how to use this tool that, even as a novice, has served me well.  In February 2017, after taking a couple of quizzes that weren't quite accurate, I began reading The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery and found that I am, without a doubt, a Four.  My deepest desires are to be known and understood, to be seen for who I really am.  I am complicated and unique and moody. (The moody thing makes me cringe, but we all know it can be true...)

A couple days ago I posted a picture with a quote from Ian Cron's Typology Podcast.  It was something he said at the end of Episode 40, featuring a panel of Fours.  "Nothing's missing.  Everything you need to be happy is here right now.  It's not out there in some distant future."

His words resonated with me.  

So I quietly laid them out on my letterboard. 

A reminder I knew I needed.

----------------------------------------------------

"Fours believe something is missing in their lives, and they won't be okay until they find it."  

That's what I just read on page six.

That's what I'm stuck in!!!

It's not even that I feel like something's missing, it's that I believe I won't be okay until I figure it out! 

Until I find it.  

Until I become it.  

Until they see it.  

My heart beats loud even as I type this.

It's as if every cell of my being is begging me to pay attention -- don't miss this!!  And my searching spirit just got a taste of the water and it wasn't enough to satisfy my thirst but it turned me around and reminded me what really will.  

You are enough.

Nothing is wasted.

Here, be free.

----------------------------------------------------

You know, it's funny.

My word for the year is contentment.

Perhaps HE has only just begun to show me what that means....

contentment.

Contentment.
What a word.
A confusing concept.
Such a challenge.

Present moment peace & purpose.
That's the definition I've settled on.
Can't be attached to circumstance.
Or status.
Or the illusion of security.

Must be anchored elsewhere.
Or else it will become a noose.

A life-giving, life-breathing contentment...
Peace & purpose in whatever the present may be 
is only found when anchored in HIS Presence.

Why is this so clumsy a process?
Trusting HIS provision for paths ahead.
Refusing the temptation to rush ahead,
Resting in the now.
The good, the hard, the confusing.
To count it all joy...

This is the call.
The invitation.
I accepted HIS offer.
It seems I have a lot to learn...
Grateful for my ever-faithful GUIDE. 

the kiss.

A week had passed since that first date/hangout of ours.

I'd been at the Q conference in Nashville most of the week, so we made plans to get together after Sunday night's youth event.  Well, that little rendezvous had to be rescheduled due to a pretty traumatic ER visit for one of our teens.  Dodgeball was not our friend that night.  I was not leaving that waiting room until I was sure everything was okay and there was nothing I could do to help the family, so meeting Daniel wasn't an option.  Thankfully everything was fine, and the injury was far lesser than it could have been.  (I love you, Micah!!!)

Since Sunday night didn't work out for another hangout, Daniel and I decided to get together the next night.  Well, that didn't end up working out either.  Tornadoes.  Or at least a severe threat for them.  We tried to figure out a way that we might still manage meeting up, but ultimately it was decided that we wouldn't be idiots, and we would just try again the next evening.

Tuesday.  Finally a free night with no disaster in its way!  It was still pretty rainy, so we decided that Daniel would come to my apartment and we could hang out there.  He wanted me to fill him in on all the things I'd heard at Q Nashville.  No big deal.

Well, people, I'd recommend not choosing your home for the setting of a second date/hangout.  It. is. awkward.  You aren't close enough to actually be comfortable with each other, so simple things like where you sit all feel incredibly unnatural.  I didn't want him to get the wrong idea, so I had my notes from the conference at the dining room table.

Here's how the evening went:

He came in.
Awkward hug.
I walked to the table.
We sat down.
I shared notes.
Felt like I was rambling.
He was quiet.
I was boring.
It all felt very disconnected.
Very.... well... not good.

I was certain that any interest he'd had was completely lost that evening.

Much to my surprise (and by surprise I mean absolute shock), I still received another message telling me how much he enjoyed spending time with me and that he would love to do it again soon.

What?!?

So that weekend we found ourselves at Big Spring Park once again, walking circles around the thing. I was a little more guarded that night.  Nervous.  Hesitant.  But very intrigued.

The next week I felt my fears rushing in.

Wednesday night we had gone to a movie after church.  Bless his heart, he let me pick the movie and it was a major disappointment, yet he never spoke a negative word about it.  He never made me feel dumb, which I truly appreciate about his character.

That night, he made his intentions known to me.
He was really enjoying spending time with me, and he wanted to continue getting to know me.  He had been praying a lot about it, and he wanted to see what would happen if we pursued a relationship.  He told me that he didn't know what would come of it, but even mere friendship with me would be a blessing in his life.

I was speechless.
Absolutely dumbfounded.
For the first time, the guy had actually initiated the relationship conversation!
And I didn't know what to say!

I believe my response was something like:

Yeah, I really enjoy spending time with you too...
And I'd really like to keep getting to know you...
But... maybe let's not rush this thing... 
No titles..
No pressure..
No expectations...
Maybe we keep it on the down low...

My words turned over again and again in my mind, and my anxiety increased.

It's a vulnerable thing, to let someone into your world like that.  And to have someone see you like that.  To choose you.  To desire you.  Romantically.  And for me, it felt especially vulnerable to let someone into my world...

My world was a world with a couple thousand eyes on me.
I had an audience.
An audience of teens.
Of their parents.
Of co-workers.
Who are mostly men.
Who are church leaders.
People I know who know me.
People I know who don't know me.
People who would recognize me, but I wouldn't have a clue.
People.
Lots of people.
With all their eyes.
And all their minds drawing conclusions from what they see with their eyes.

I'm uncomfortable in front of an audience in this way.
To have this audience watch me be chosen.
Watch me be wanted.
Watch someone see me in a way I so deeply wanted to be seen...
It felt weird for this audience to see me being seen in that way.

I can make myself crazy with all my overanalyzing fears and assessments of how to balance responsibilities and personal life.  How to be what I need to be for the sake of those watching, yet not become enslaved to perceptions.  How to simply be free to walk as HE calls me, in the way that most honors HIM, dictated by this audience of ONE, not the audience of everyone.

That, and I was scared of not being enough.

Once Daniel really knew me, would I be enough?
Pretty enough?
Fun enough?
(whispering cause it makes me nervous to say it.. Sexy enough?)
Or would I be too much?
Too strong?
Too bold?
Too outspoken?
Too spiritual?

Thankfully I found myself sharing all these fears with my good friend, Kristen, the next afternoon as we were waiting to go in for a show choir performance at Huntsville High.  She listened, and then she spoke some powerful Truths to me.

She reminded me who I am.
What GOD says about who I am.
She reminded me that I am so much more than a physical appearance, but an entire being.
She pointed out the things that Daniel seems to be finding attractive about me-- the very things I was fearful might be too much.
She spoke Light into the shadows of fear that threatened to spook me into hiding.
And Peace returned to my timid heart.

After the concert, I met Daniel at the movies.
This time we saw Spiderman 2.
He held my hand.
And I left with butterflies in my stomach and peace in my heart.

That next weekend I was with my family in Cleveland for Mother's Day.
I kept these unfolding events to myself just a little longer, considering them.
Weighing them.
Seeking clarity.

And as the weekend ended, I knew I wanted to see what was going to come of this.
I wanted to know Daniel better.
I wanted to be around him more.
I wanted to see.

When I got back to Huntsville that afternoon, Daniel picked me up and we went to Ditto Landing, walking a different park before the sun started to set.  Then we drove around talking, learning more and more about each other.  We ended up at the Challenger playground, continuing our conversations on the swing-set, pausing only to explore the rest of the playground equipment and try out the monkey bars.  That is until the police came by to inform us it was too late to be hanging out there. Oops!

Daniel was so much fun!
He let me be silly, joining me in the playful moments.
He was sincere, sharing sweet stories that showed his love for his nieces and nephew.
He was kind and gentle, and I felt safe with him.
My spirit felt at rest.

We watched a little bit of Narnia at my apartment until it got late and he needed to leave.

We walked to the door.

We said our goodbyes.

And then he leaned in to kiss me.

And it was perfect.

It wasn't reckless or rushed.
It wasn't too much.
Or awkward.

It was sweet.
And gentle.
And guarded in a sacred way that made me feel so cherished.

This was really happening...

the secret date.

His prayers were with me in Hawaii.

And I knew it.

He wanted to get together and hear all about the trip.

So he said.

But I was still skeptical.

I didn't want to get my hopes up, you know?  I had no idea whether this quiet guy whom I hardly ever actually saw in person was going to follow through with his Facebook-message-words.  Sometimes it seems like people just say that-- "Let's get together soon!"  You know?  Maybe he didn't mean it.

And then I thought about how I mean it when I say it, but I also sometimes hope the other person will do their part and bring it up again and let me know that they really meant it when they said they'd want to get together...

Ugh.  I did not want to be the one to initiate.
But he had started this whole thing.
What if he was waiting on me?
And what if I said nothing and missed out on getting to hang out with this guy that had me so intrigued? (though I dare not admit it out loud!)

Four days had passed since Daniel had sent me a little birthday message that had sparked quite a long Facebook conversation that had ended with him saying he would check his schedule and we would make a plan...

My hope had started to fade when a message popped up on my screen that Thursday afternoon.
Seeing it, I jumped to attention.

It was a message from Daniel!
My face suddenly felt very warm, and I casually got up to close my office door so no one would come in and find me blushing and giddy, trying to figure out how to reply without sounding too eager or too nonchalant.  You have to find the perfect balance of the two, right?

We both had pretty busy schedules.  Between his work schedule and a softball game, my family coming to town for Easter weekend, and me leaving for Nashville that Tuesday evening, the weekend was pretty jam-packed.  Were we going to be able to make some time?  Or was this thing going to be delayed and end up never happening?  You know what they say: timing is everything...

Well wouldn't you know it, there wasn't a softball game Sunday night after all!
He messaged me to let me know he would be free that evening and the date was set!

Now let me point out the fact that this was in no way being called a "date" at the time.
We were just getting together.
Hanging out.
Talking.
Friends.
This was no big thing.
No big deal.
Nothing out of the ordinary.

We knew our "when" but not the "where," so I casually suggested we make a plan.
(This makes me laugh because, at the time, I didn't know this was the beginning of a pattern.  I'm definitely the one who prefers to have a game plan set.)

His response made me smile:

"Haha.  Yeah that would be a good idea.  What do you like to do?  We could get coffee like everyone else does, or we could do something different and have fun...  The weather should be perfect to do something outside.  We could go downtown and walk around the park or something like that.  What do you think?"

How fun is he?!
Sunday evening.
7pm.
Big Spring Park.
We had a plan.

The weekend came, my family arrived in town, and we had a great time together, as usual.  I don't remember exactly what we did, but I do remember sitting around in Karissa & Kyle's apartment that Easter afternoon getting all the more anxious as time passed and the family showed no signs of preparing for departure.  What was I going to do if they stayed later into the evening?!  I'd assumed they would head out around 3 or 4.  How was I going to slip out without having to answer a ton of questions?!  (Because no, I didn't happen to mention any of this to any of them at the time...)

Hey...  So what time are you guys leaving today?  Not trying to rush you, I just have plans this evening and am going to have to slip out in a little while..

"What do you have going on tonight?"

Oh no.
They asked.

Uh...... nothing.....

Which of course prompted them to press further, assuming (accurately) that this awkwardness meant there was a boy involved.
How was I going to get out of this?!

Well, I straight up lied.

In the midst of all the brainstorming of what I might be up to and all of my flustered denials, Karissa asked if I was hanging out with some people from my Sunday school class.  It was an easy out, and I took it.

Yep.  You got me.  That's what I'm doing... haha... I'm just being weird.. ha.
(insert nervous laughter and a quick subject change...)

I know.
Lying isn't good.
And I apologized later and filled them all in.
But in that moment, I needed this to be my thing.
It felt big.
It felt significant.
And I did not want to admit that out loud and set myself up to look foolish on top of all the disappointment that would come.

Because as much as failing hurts, it hurts so much more when people watch the fall.

And I don't know if you realize this, but as a single female youth minister at a really large church, there are a lot of people watching.

And that. is. terrifying.

So I kept it all to myself.

I drove towards the park, spastically speaking all my fears out loud to the LORD.
And then HE sweetly reminded me:

Jenna, it isn't about success or failure.
It isn't about whether or not there's a medal at the end of this race, or a ring.
(HIS parallels to the marathon weren't lost on me.)
It is about stepping up to the door I lead you to and being brave enough to encounter what's on the other side, whatever that may be.

Yes.

GOD had already taught me not to fear.
HE had freed me from that, and I'd just gotten back from a most incredible adventure where HE so clearly revealed what HE could do in me if I would simply trust HIM and take each step forward.

I remember turning the corner and seeing Daniel sitting on a bench outside the art museum.  I remember when he saw me.  He stood up, walked toward me, and greeted me with a hug.

I remember being so caught off guard by the tall, handsome, quiet, shy-seeming man hugging me.  And as we walked around the park talking, he continued to surprise me.

His spiritual insight.
His chattiness.
The way he'd playfully touch my arm.
Like old friends, but with an electricity to it that startled me every time.
(Isn't that how you can tell if someone likes you?!?!)
The way he heard me.
It was more than listening.
He heard me.
And when I talk about me and GOD and our adventures, I don't always feel heard.

We walked circles around that park and soon realized we'd been walking and talking for a couple of hours.

It was getting late, so Daniel walked me to my car.
He was parked further away, so I offered to drive him to his truck.
We said goodbye, and I drove off.

Before I even got home, he had messaged me.
We were going to hang out again.

Something was happening.

It was just going to take me a little while longer to fully figure it out...

speaking of Daniel.

As I tell our story, I am all the more aware that my eyes can only see most so dimly...

Maybe sometimes the fog is a covering to seal something off, keeping it safe so it can come into full bloom...

I remember sitting in the passenger seat of Robin's suburban outside of the church.  I told her how I had wrestled and prayed and pondered over whether I should consider moving.  I told her how I was confident that I needed to stay... To have faith enough that even here...

She listened, nodded, and then asked me:

"Jenna, is there anyone in Huntsville that you are interested in or that you could even somewhat picture yourself dating?"

Out of nowhere I heard myself speaking:

I've always thought Daniel Bell is real cute.

And then, startled by what I was saying, I rambled on, I mean, I don't know him at all but he seems really nice and I really like his beard but I doubt he is interested in me and I don't even know him.

Well Robin got really excited by this!  You see, she is very close friends with Daniel's sister-in-law, Lindsey, so of course she wanted to see if she could tell Lindsey what I had said.

I told her I didn't mind if she told Lindsey.  I figured they would giggle about it and maybe Lindsey would say something to Daniel and then it would be awkward because I was certain he wasn't interested in me, but I never really interacted with him anyways, so what would that even matter, right?

Go for it.

Well imagine my shock when, days later, Robin pulled me aside to tell me how Lindsey had responded.  Apparently I was a topic that had come up between Daniel and Lindsey before... Apparently Daniel thought that I was beautiful but way out of his league. What?!?

I'm not gonna lie, I felt the stirrings of crazy in me a little in that moment, especially when I thought about how we had been Facebook messaging back and forth a little bit.  The interactions were mostly about my blog and stuff, but he seemed to have been the one to initiate the little conversations, so maybe he was interested?  Maybe?  Honestly, I had gotten myself a little excited about it all.  Then Robin told me that she didn't know this for sure, but he might possibly be dating someone.  Immediately all the crazy came to a halt and the rambling began once more:

Ah, well, it doesn't really matter.  I mean, I don't even know him. I don't know if I'd really want to date him.  We probably have absolutely nothing in common and it would never work anyways.. No worries!

(Oh that resilient defense mechanism of mine...)

A very short-lived illusion of potential.

Or so I thought.
(GOD is pretty sneaky sometimes.)
And life continued on as usual.

Now when I say as usual, it makes life sound a little uneventful and mundane or something.  Quite the contrary!  I was actually in the middle of my crazy little adventure preparing for the North Shore Marathon in Hawaii.  (I wrote about my marathon experience here.)

I was all kinds of free.
All kinds of thriving.
And all kinds of distracted with all the awesome things going on!
I had no need for a guy.
Life was incredible just as it was!

In March, I wrote a blog about my preparations and prayers for the insane undertaking that was quickly approaching.  This particular blog post seemed to spark Daniel's attention because the Facebook messages got a little more frequent and a little more personal.  We started talking about how GOD was working in our lives.  He asked a lot of questions about my upcoming trip, and he told me he would be praying about it all for me.

Now remember, that crazy-girl-mind in me had been squelched pretty quickly a few weeks prior to this, so Jenna Lupo was not getting her hopes up.  I would quickly dismiss any of my curious questioning of his intentions and assumed he was being friendly for friendship's sake.

I think I could tell something was building.
But I was terrified to acknowledge it.

Then came Sunday.
I will never forget the Sunday we passed in the hallway.

I know.  That sounds awfully dramatic for such an insignificant event.  Passing in the hall?!
But it was anything but insignificant.

To everyone else, it was a normal crowded hallway after Sunday school classes.
I don't remember who he was walking with.
I don't remember who I was talking to.

I remember the bright hallway from a sunny Sunday morning.
I remember seeing him approaching from the other direction.
I remember making eye contact.
I remember smiling at him and quietly saying hey.
I remember the way we both seemed to check out of whatever conversations we were having as we walked past... heads still turned toward each other, eyes locked until turning the corner...
Everyone else had disappeared.
It was the most movie-like moment of my entire life.

I think he wanted to talk to me more....

And then I snapped back to reality.

Jenna, that is absolutely ridiculous.  
Don't be a dumb girl.

(Fears and disappointments can make us really mean to ourselves, huh?)

Funny thing:  Daniel totally remembers the Sunday we passed in the hallway too.

knowing myself. and trusting.

To those just joining the conversation, I've been sharing the story of how my fiancé, Daniel, and I found ourselves where we are now: about 64 days away from getting married!

Check out my story of meeting Daniel and then truly seeing him.

As I think about how all of this unfolded, it makes me laugh to see how much I was noticing Daniel, yet I was completely unaware that there might be something there.  Perhaps the LORD was helping to protect me from myself a little.

What do I mean by that?

Well.... I'm going to be really honest.  I have never been super good at this whole "dating" thing.  (I know, for those of you who really know me, this is not a shocking statement.)

I've always been the girl who had crushes on boys who didn't like me, but that was okay because I really didn't expect them to be interested, and I would pride myself in my resilience as I recovered from the feelings of rejection.  Turns out, that was just a well-masked defense mechanism and maybe I was actually scared of being seen and desired.  If a guy expressed interest in me and it wasn't my idea first, I'd run.  Fast.

I was scared, but I also really wanted to find this kind of love.  If a worthy-seeming candidate would come on the scene, I'd position myself nearby, engage in conversation, and somewhat manipulate circumstances so that this thing could happen!  A couple of times it kinda worked.  But ultimately I came to see that I wasn't really trusting GOD with this, and I was truly scared out of my mind.

That's what I mean by GOD protecting me from myself.  Daniel wasn't on the forefront of my mind.  I didn't have some crazy crush that made me awkward in his presence or obsessively scheming in his absence.  I was free to be myself.

And free was absolutely what HE intended me to be.

If you remember, free was my word for 2014.

I was free from my fear of failure and free to thrive in the now. I was on the verge of something incredible.  The LORD was stirring and I could sense that HE was on the move.  HE had uprooted the deep weeds of insecurity that had been choking my heart.  HE had shown me a better view into HIS intentions when forming and creating me.  HE had given me a broader vision of how I could fulfill HIS dreams for me and use the gifts HE had given me.  I was in the midst of the most exciting time of my life.  I, in no way, needed a guy for my deep desires in the LORD to be realized in my life.
HE was already so much more than enough for me.

I guess that was the perfect place for me to be.

I imagine that was HIS intent...

So when my friend Robin and I were talking one afternoon and she asked me if I'd ever considered moving somewhere else so I could find that man that would be my husband, I was a little caught off guard.  She told me she didn't want me to move, but she so deeply wanted me to get to experience the joys of marriage and there just didn't seem to be anyone around who was right for me.  (I love her so much for loving me that much.)

And it was true.  I was having no luck finding someone who would be a good fit for me.

For a lot of people, such a bold move to a new city, open to encountering whatever and whomever the LORD had for them would be an incredible act of faith.

For me, it felt like it would be disobedience.

You see, in the fall of 2013, GOD had a word for me about settling.  You may remember this blog post I'd written that November.

HE had sweetly whispered to my heart:  Jenna, settle isn't always a bad word.

And as I had surrendered my restless spirit to HIM, HE showed me that HE was ready to put me in the ground.  I could trust HIM and root myself in this place HE had me.

I kinda pictured myself as a little potted plant.  I started in a comfortable little pot in Cleveland, Tennessee with my family and my small town and my small church and my safe world.  Then GOD had transplanted me, putting me in a larger pot.  That larger pot was Montgomery, Alabama.  A bigger city, a new state, a long drive alone, and the world of college.  But it wasn't too big of a jump.  My university was small and the Christian community kept me feeling safe and secure.  Montgomery soon became home, but then GOD transplanted me again.  This time the pot felt a lot bigger.  Huntsville.  With all its engineers and rocket scientists and big, fancy houses.  This was not my world.  And I was working in a church that, when driving by, could be confused for a college campus.  A couple thousand members, a couple hundred teenagers... My world at Mayfair was overwhelming at first, but in time, it had become home.

I guess a part of me always felt like I should be ready to give it up at any moment.  I didn't know how long HE would want me at Mayfair, so I wanted to be positioned so I could transition easily if HE asked.

Turns out, maybe that was a lack of trust too...

LORD, do you really want me to root myself more deeply here?
To let go of the thought that one day you might want to move me?

Jenna, settle isn't always a bad word...
In the ground, your roots can go deeper and your branches can spread wider and bear more fruit.  Something within you has held you back from this full surrender.  Let go of the security of a pot around you.  Let ME put you in the ground.
No promises, I still may uproot you at some point.
But you can trust ME.

And I did trust HIM.  

I trusted HIM so much.  

And I had been praying for more and more and more trust.

Trust without borders.

So I decided I could trust GOD in this too.

GOD, I have no idea how YOU are going to do this.  I can't see any possibilities on the horizon, and I have no clue where I will meet a man that will be a good match for me....

But I trust YOU.

I trust that YOU will do what YOU say YOU will do.

Even here.

I can trust YOU even here.

For some, faith might look like a big move.

For me, faith was to be still.

And trust.

So I did.

And I sure am glad I did because I wouldn't have wanted to miss what was coming next!!!

seeing Daniel.

I guess I paid a lot more attention to Daniel than I ever realized.  Laura Bell's family photo albums were always so captivating to me, and I found myself liking every picture of Allison with her Uncle Daniel.. and then sometimes decidedly NOT "liking" a picture because that would be weird... I don't even know him... What am I even doing?! (At that point, closing out that window of my laptop and refocusing on the original task at hand.  What was I supposed to be working on again?!)  Oh Jenna...

I would see him with his family, and it was so obvious that his nieces and nephew adored him.  Sure seemed like they had good reason-- he looked like so much fun! (Wait a minute, I thought he was super quiet and shy?)

So for months I would get these little glimpses of Daniel.  Passing glances and snapshot images that seemed to capture so much.  And again and again, I'd let the thoughts pass and be tucked away in the back of my mind.

In the fall of 2013, I was randomly asked to be the campus coach for First Priority, a student-led Christian club at Grissom High School.  Each Wednesday morning I would find myself in the halls of the high school, hanging out with some students in the art room.  Once a month, the students would bring in a guest speaker for "Overcome" week, and often they would ask me for suggestions.  Allison was a part of the group, and one day her Uncle Daniel came to mind.  I didn't know a lot about him, but I knew he had a powerful redemption story and I wondered if Allison thought he might be a good speaker.  She thought it would be perfect, so we lined up a week for him to come share his story with the club.

(This picture is from an event for His Way that Daniel spoke at in the spring of 2013. I wasn't there. I stole it from Facebook.) 

The morning he came and spoke at First Priority was the first time I really got to see Daniel.  I had gone to coffee with Allison before he came to speak, and she told me a lot of the details of his story that I didn't know, but hearing him share what GOD had done in his life was incredible.  

He talked about who he was in high school-- at Grissom, the very place these students were.  An all-star football and basketball player: on his way to big things, and feeling good about it.  It was his identity.

And then one day he lost it all.

An injury took him out of the game and everything that, in his eyes, defined him, was gone.

He talked about the spiral of events that unfolded in his life from that point.  He talked about the darkness.  The people he found himself surrounded by.  The giving up.  The giving in.  And the pain that just wouldn't go away.  With humility, sadness, and strength, he told those teens about the dark road he traveled for nearly a decade before he found himself at His Way.  

He was a broken man at rock bottom.

And then he talked about encountering JESUS.  

He had grown up going to church, but this wasn't the same.  The way these men talked about GOD was different.  It didn't feel out of reach and unattainable for someone as broken as him.  He was shown the truth: it was for him.  All of it.  His brokenness didn't in some way disqualify him from JESUS, making him not good enough and never able to be good enough.  He didn't have to be perfect.  He just needed to have JESUS.

I watched Daniel tell those students this bold and powerful Truth.  He had finally found the solution to all that had unraveled in his life.  He had finally found relief from the pain and the strength to stand up and be the man he truly wanted to be.  He had finally found the answer to his life's desperate search.

And he found it all in JESUS.

All that we are-- the lacking and the good-- can be secure in who HE is.

That Truth changed Daniel's life.  It was obvious to me, and it was obvious to those students.  

It was a beautiful thing to watch GOD work in Daniel and in those teens that morning.  

And that morning, as I sat in a random art room at Grissom High School, I was seeing Daniel.

But I was also seeing JESUS.