That Walt Disney....

I think every person around my age--22 years old--can relate to me when I say that Disney movies were the greatest entertainment growing up aside from Saturday morning cartoons. My childhood was filled with Disney; from the Disney Channel to the Disney movies to the Disney store to Disneyworld...it was all Disney. And honestly, I can confidently and proudly say that I'm still a Disney fanatic. You're never too old for Disney. Can I get an "Amen"? And that genius Walt Disney wasn't just about fun and entertainment. There were some amazing lessons in every one of his movies.

As I grow older and experience more of life, my perspectives change. My abilities and ways of learning change. Throughout the last few years of my life, I learned a valuable lesson: God can teach a person through anything and everything. And He just so happens to love teaching us through the things that we actually enjoy. Like Disney movies....

I watched The Lion King the other day. I'm sure (hoping) that everyone has seen it, so I'm not going to feel bad for talking about it.

So we find Simba as a "young adult" lion, if you will. He has been away from home for years and years after running away. He had run away to escape his past. And his crazy friend/teacher, Rafiki the baboon, finds him. He confronts him about his identity. He points out that Simba doesn't know who he is. Simba tries to refute him, but with no success. Rafiki leads Simba to an open meadow where the spirit of Simba's father, Mufasa, comes to him. This is the dialogue that follows:

Mufasa: Simba...

Simba: Father?
Mufasa: Simba, you have forgotten me.
Simba: No! How could I?
Mufasa: You have forgotten who you are, and so, you have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become.
Simba: How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be.
Mufasa: Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are. Remember...


While I was watching it, no joke, tears sprang to my eyes as my heart turned inside me. God was speaking to my heart. Say what you will, scoff if you want, but I was brought to my knees. More and more every day, I'm discovering my identity in Christ. If you've been following my blogs at all, you've read that it's been a crazy and amazing adventure He's had me on in finding the pieces to who I am. There was a time that I had no idea who I was. I had forgotten. I had gotten lost. And while I'm not lost anymore, my journey is far from over. And here we see a beautiful picture of a Father reminding his son who he is. He had forgotten who he was, and in that, had forgotten his Father. What powerful truth! If you would analyze all of the confusing times in your walk with Christ where you were unsure of yourself or your decisions or your life, I'm sure you would see, like me, that they were confusing because, underneath it all, you were mistrusting God or doubting Him. It's natural to ask God where He is during the hard and confusing times. It's natural to think that He must be far away. But that's just not true. He is always near and always with us. We just forget who He is in the midst of trials.

So who is He? He is our Father! And we are his sons and daughters! All we have to do is look inside ourselves and we'll see who we really are. He's inside of us. We're apart of Him! And in all of Simba's insecurity about returning to his rightful place, his Father was there to tell him who he was: royalty! Our Father God is always there to remind us and show us the greatness inside of us, the greatness He has planned for us. No amount of past sins or mistakes can change His plans for us! So when we ask, "God, how can I go back? How can I go here or there? I'm not who I used to be! I've gone too far off the path. I've screwed up too many times..." He's there to say, "No! You are royalty! You're more than what "they" say you are! You're more than what you've become! Remember who you are! Let that propel you into the greatness I have planned for you!" There's greatness inside of you.

Can you see now why I cried? :) God is so amazing. I encourage you, dear friend, to trust His word. Because His word tells you the truth about who you are. He'll remind you whenever you need Him to. As will I. :) I'm praying for you. Yes, you. Wherever you are. You're going to be okay in time. His time. You're going to be more than okay if you look to Him. He promises.

Thank you, Walt Disney...


The Best Is Yet To Come...