Smile :)

Howdy, and happy Sunday. ❤️

It's Breanna here, and I'll be taking over the blog for the month of February. I truly love this space where I get to share all the beauty that the Lord speaks to me throughout the week.

I am currently writing this right before my second biochemistry quiz, which is a bit anxiety-inducing for me. However, I've studied the best that I can, and now I can either sit and worry about how I will do, or I can meditate on good things and find a way to glorify God in the waiting. Right now, I am actively choosing the latter.

Today, I want to talk about something so simple, but very profound- smiling. 

Smiling is an outward expression of what you are feeling on the inside… unless you are fake smiling, of course. However, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between a fake smile and a real smile. When someone smiles for real, it’s truly a magical thing if you think about it. A genuine smile reflects a soul-deep kind of joy. Fake smiles, though, are just that- fake. You can also think of them as surface-level or forced. 

I’d argue that God wants us to smile for real. Sure, there is value in “faking it til you make it”, but what if you didn’t have to fake it? What if you were actually happy? 

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I have a vivid memory from my childhood related to smiling. My family was trying out different churches at the time. I remember visiting one church specifically where there was only one lady I knew because my mom cut her hair. I don't remember much about the experience, but I do remember that the church service included a portion where the kids went up to the front and listened to a devotional that was made just for them. 

I remember Bailee and I going up to the front and listening to the lady we knew tell us how much God loves us. I don’t recall everything she said, but I do remember this quote stood out to me: “When you smile, God smiles.”

I had never really thought it like that before. It was a different perspective on God than I was used to, and 10 years later, I am still reflecting on it. 

The lady in this story is no longer with us. She’s with Jesus now, probably smiling so big. I remember she always had pink nails. I didn’t plan to write this blog today, but perhaps God did because ironically, I have pink nails right now. 

Today, my mom also happens to be watching my baby cousin. She’s been sending us the cutest videos of her smiling, and when she smiles, I can’t help but smile. She is just a baby and quite literally cannot “do” anything for me, but simply her presence brings joy to my heart. Her innocence is such a light compared to the craziness of college.

I imagine this is how God sees us. Although he might sometimes appreciate it when we fake smile in an effort to be polite or in an attempt to lift our mood, I think he desires us to be truly joyful- so much so that we can't help but smile. 

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while." -1 Peter 1:6

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful." - Proverbs 15:13

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As you know, it is now February, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Personally, I'm excited because I love any excuse to wear pink and do girly things. In honor of the holiday, I wanted to share something I saw on Tiktok a while ago- a liturgy for when you have a crush. Trust me, I know it sounds cringy, but love and marriage was God's idea. Thus, our desire for companionship is beautiful and is a really sweet reflection of how God sees us. Although I heard this liturgy on Tikrok, it's actually from Liturgies for Hope by Audrey Elldge and Elizabeth Moore. It reads,

"Keep me grounded even as my mind drifts, oh Maker.

I do not want to get carried away with my own assumptions, falling in love with an idea, instead of a soul. When my thoughts turn possessive, melt them into prayers for this person whom you love. May I hold up my swirling thoughts like fireflies in a jar- enjoying their light but examining them with distance, intrigued but not consumed. Even if nothing blossoms between us beyond friendship, I praise you for this stirring of my heart and this reminder that I was designed to adore. If this is just a dim reflection of the affection you have for me, oh Tender Pursuer, and simply evidence that I was made to love and be loved, then I thank you for this gift.

Amen." (emphasis mine)

I hope the next time you find yourself longing for something or someone, you'll take a second to ponder how the longing in your heart is a reflection of how God longs for you. Keep this in mind as Valentines day approaches!

Thank you for reading. I hope your day is full of real smiles, and God does too ;)

Love, Breanna Reese Chavez