Be a Verb.

Christians walk in when others walk out. Or at least, that’s how it is supposed to be, right? I would rather assume that Christians should be continual, that way when others walk out, the Christian is already there and has been there the whole time. We seem to live in a society where the Christian is first to walk out, and society quickly runs in. The fear of being judged for withstanding a situation or the desire to appear unblemished as well as the need for no stress has caused Christians to run before the time calls. Life is hard. Our world in many ways has the potential to pull you down, run you over, and leave you feeling defeated. In many instances, the Bible says to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). In 1 Corinthians 12:26 is says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” Some translations allude to this being how a church functions, or at least, how they should function. According to Webster, “church” is nothing more than a building used for public Christian worship, but it is paired synonymously with a body of Christians; not only that simple verbiage, but a “whole body” of believers. Whole would mean in this context, all. Not one church, not one group of Christians, but the entire body and family of Christian believers. If this is the case, then why are Christians running away when disaster strikes or calamity falls? It is easy to make a proclamation to pray for someone, but it is another to actively seek out healing and comfort for them. Many pray as a noun, not many pray as a verb. 

Be a verb.

A Lesson in Love

To miss someone or something can be a terrible thing. Being able to miss is a human function showing an emotion which is close to love. Love is a scary thought and a scary word at times. It’s a term that means something different to each and every individual that beholds this endearment in their hearts and souls. So then what is love? According to Webster, love is a profound tenderness towards an individual (animate or inanimate). Love has many definitions which all include some sort of passion or exceptional care. Another definition found within the dictionary, of course, is that love can show some sort of sexual desire. Now, in my opinion, sex has become something so easily attained that it has made love that much more difficult to attain. Sexual love however is not what I want to focus my writing on, I want to write about the subject matter at hand in my personal life at this current moment which is the experience of a lifetime when you reach the point of almost breaking due to realizing just how much love you have in your heart for others. Up until now, being in my 26^th year, I have never left home for more than about 2 weeks at a time. Even in college, I lived nearby and had family come visit regularly or I would attempt to come home regularly. Regardless, I have never been without friends or family at any stage in life. After spending three and a half weeks out of state and sitting here contemplating the remaining two and a half weeks before I can return home, needless to say, it has been a whirlwind of emotion that I have experienced unlike any other previously encountered. I embarked on the endeavor of trying to determine whether or not I want to make a huge alteration with my life that would entail my moving over fifteen hundred miles away. I have always been one for adventure and thrilling experiences. Even as an infant, I wanted anything and everything I could get my hands on just to see what it was like and what it would do. Another portion of me that hasn’t changed since I was an infant is that I crave the love and affection of people I am close to. My mother often jokes that when I was little I wouldn’t sleep unless being held. She couldn’t even shower without me crying for someone to juts pick me up and hold me. It’s safe to say my love languages include a large deal of physical touch and quality time. I have also from a young age been very protective and in love with my family members; this including immediate, extended, and “others”. Now after being gone for a few weeks I have realized that I looked at all those years I have spent with family and friends so close by in the wrong light. Believe it or not, saying “I love you” and being a “huggy” person was not a major portion of who I was until after losing both my grandmothers within my senior year of high school and first year of college. After losing two major influences on my life (one of which was my roommate for a large portion of my childhood and youth), I began to love in a way I had never loved before. I began to make sure that every single person I came in contact with knew that at least someone in this world cared to not only know how they were doing, but also cared how their spiritual walk was holding up. This mentality allowed me to get through college in a way that I am pretty sure would be quite different than the average college student. Meeting a stranger on the bus or randomly approaching someone in the quad of Texas A&M became a normal day to day habit for me. This habit is still very much a part of who I am, but again, is still minor compared to the lesson I am learning now. Since the lessons I have learned through my grandmothers’ deaths, my grandpa’s struggle with cancer, my uncle’s struggle with intestinal health, my mother’s heart condition and now her relapse with stage 3 cancer, my aunt’s suicide, personal relationship struggles, and the multiple friends I have had pass away or physically had to witness pass away, I would say these past few years have made me look at love in a whole new light. I no longer view love as just a “profound tenderness” or a “care that surpasses all other emotion.” Love is much more than mere words can ever justifiably define and in all truth, love is an action, not a word. Love is something alive and within your entire being that is meant to explode upon each person, trial, obstacle, stranger, and day that you are blessed with. Love is undoubtedly everything written within 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and for that I am writing a book based on it, but this bit of writing is meant to be for the struggling believer or the individual that doesn’t necessarily want the “Jesus” answer to everything. Backing something with scripture is easy, justifying why we should love and get through something regardless due to Christ’s mercy and grace is also easy. I’m not saying it is easy to do it, I am just saying it is easy for the Christian to have Biblical answers. However, what does the Christian do when they are feeling so low they don’t want what they already know is the “right” answer. I know many times I have been so hurt or upset that I didn’t want to read my Bible… that’s not the right attitude to have by any means, but let’s face it, humans aren’t perfect and we fall sometimes. We can fall hard. This writing is meant to be an aid when the falling has already taken place, reading the Bible and praying for help has already been manifested, seeking council from loved ones is in full swing, and yet there still seems to be a void. When this is the case, we have to find what that void is and why it is not being filled. That search has brought me to this key board. Just as a body is made up of many bones, ligaments, and vital organs, so too is our spiritual being made up of vital people, places, pets, and ideals that are a necessity for our healthy living. When a member of our spiritual body is in pain, we too experience pain. When something that is a typical part of our spiritual body is missing, we feel the absence regardless of if we come to terms or acknowledge its deficiency. Once we can locate what the void is in our lives, we can begin to work towards getting it back. Prayer is always a positive and helpful aide, but God will help those who help themselves. Prayer needs action, just like love needs to be lived. Figuring out our voids and working towards fixing them or repairing them is not an easy path, but as far as I’m concerned, the items in life that take the most work to obtain, are those that one day can be looked back on and cherished indefinitely. It is these roads to self discovery and healing that we can be used as a testimony to others. It is times like this when we learn what matters most to us and how we can make sure to never take it for granted. 

So to anyone who is reading this Blog, I would like for you to think about what it is that you love. Where is that love this exact moment? Have you told them lately that you love them? More so than that, have you shown them lately that you love them? No matter your answer and no matter if they have hurt you, remind them.

Sincerely, 

Kristin McKenzie

Dedicated to all my little sisters, momma, pops, big bro, and the rest of the gang. Can't wait to see you all for Easter! 

Quick Updates on Work, Family, & Life

“Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

It has been an interesting start to the New Year so far! I finished touring with an anti-bullying show, am continuing to work with my local church in the children’s ministry department as well as their media team, have a commercial that is now airing for ARS Plumbing, and am independently obtaining work through my Houston Agency as well as through my New Orleans Agency.

My New Year also started with finding out my mother needed surgery in order to control a cancerous spread throughout her uterus. Praise the Lord we have now determined it was Stage 1 Grade 2 Uterine Cancer and through the surgery plus the radiation that will take place over the next few weeks, she will bounce back completely cancer free! To those of you who have kept her in your prayers, been there for my family, and offered dinners/ support… I cannot begin to thank you all enough. The love has meant so much to all of us and I am eternally grateful that my mother has people in her life that take such good care of her. 

As far as the rest of my semester goes, I leave right after my Birthday at the start of March to begin a journey to the West Coast. I have a few appointments as well as auditions set up to see where things go with the TV, Commercial, and Film Industry. I will also be visiting my Grandpa and his friend Ava in Las Vegas for a few days. I am super excited for these opportunities and am so glad I will be visiting with friends and family that I have not seen in quite some time! 

I will make sure to continue posts on my www.facebook.com/actresskristinmckenzie page so you can see pictures and status updates. I also keep Instagram up to date, in which you can find me under Kristin_mckenzie. My Blogs stay posted on my website at www.kristinmckenzie.com and post to my IMDB page at www.imdb.me/kristinmckenzie where you can see new projects and past projects I am working with. Feel free to give any of my pages a “like” or drop me a comment sometime. 

Thank you for the love and support. 

Peace!

We Are Not Alone- Welcome to 2014

We Are Not Alone by Susan Schutz 

We need to feel more to understand others

We need to love more to be loved back

We need to cry more to cleanse ourselves

We need to laugh more to enjoy ourselves

We need to see more other than our own little fantasies

We need to hear more and listen to the needs of others

We need to give more and take less

We need to share more and own less

We need to look more and realize that we are not so different from one another

We need to create a world where all can peacefully live the life they choose

I read this poem in a devotional book I am currently working on and fell in love with it. What a great way to start 2014 by reading something so powerful as to make you aware of the effect that every emotion we encounter in our lives can have on another’s life. Using our experiences to help others. Allowing our tears (though painful and uncomfortable at times) to help cleanse our souls. Laughing as much as we breathe in order to keep our hearts young and full of natural joy. Challenging ourselves to look around and realize that the world goes on whether we are hurting or not and moving on is an expected and forced component of life. Listening rather than just speaking…. That right there is a humble and chivalrous concept in itself that will bless the multitude you try it toward. Giving all that you can, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Giving is quite often a challenge to a great deal of people, I would even say it is comparable to that of the issue of sharing (siblings can relate I am sure). The blessings that pour down once we allow ourselves to give up is insurmountable and beyond one to be put into words. God sanctifies those who give, share, and bless without grumbling or complaining. It is so hard at times, but so worth it! You reap what you sow, and if you are sowing a harvest of blessing to everyone you come across, imagine what God will bestow upon you throughout this next year. 

I would love to challenge anyone that is up to it to simply take this next year to be more aware of life. Be aware of who you come in contact with and even be aware of who you don’t. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers for by so doing some have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” What a neat thought… by showing sincere kindness and joy to someone you don’t even know, you could be personally affecting the kingdom of God and those who have taken up residency with Christ. These above thoughts alone are so exciting and even more so exciting when you realize that God has equipped you with every ounce of strength, wisdom, and patience to get out there and make a difference within your homes, schools, place of business, and society. 

Each and every action you choose has a ripple effect as that of tossing a pebble into a still pond. Will the ripple effect you cause be one to change the world for its betterment? Or will it diminished the efforts of your personal ministry? It may sound harsh… but every word and action you choose has the potential to build up or tear down someone/something… Let’s dare one another to build up, take challenges, show hospitality, give, share, cry, laugh, love, learn, and look at life as the beautiful but short gift it truly is. This life is nothing more than a temporary home where we are blessed daily with the task of bringing others to the love, mercy, and joy of Christ so that one day we can reach our permanent address of Heaven, and be surrounded by all the lives we touched. 

Get out there and make 2014 one that won’t have you wishing in 2015 that you would have done more. Set your priorities, stick to them, and be a blessing. Start by smiling more often :)

God bless your 2014 & may God be the driving force behind your every motive.

With love, 

Kristin McKenzie 

(This Blog dedicated to my amazing mother who laughs and loves more than anyone I know)