Stephen De La Vega

Disney has done it again. Perfect casting and memorable songs brought to life in the newest of live-action reboots, Aladdin . I wasn’t much into the animated version, but with real people on-screen, I felt the emotion. During the magic carpet ride, the central theme of the movie hit me. It’s a tale of identity – truly discovering who you are and becoming that person. [There are no movie spoilers in this post and this is not a movie review, but I do give Aladdin a thumbs up.] Each of the main characters struggled in their unique ways to live out their truest of identities. I think it's the same for us. We sometimes feel out of place or we feel the urge to go against the flow. The person we are deep inside points us to a place that is often different enough from the norm that becoming that person is an uphill climb. But I’m writing to say be brave. Be that person. I’m not saying to be that doctor, or be that philanthropist. I’m not talking abou

Sometimes on a hike or long drive we notice changes in the landscape. Lush. Dry. Wooded. Massive. Rocky. Beautiful. Meh. (That last one is for the younger readers. 😊 ) These changes typically occur gradually, but sometimes the transitions are abrupt. We experience similar changes as we journey along the path God painted into our landscapes. From frame to frame, varied backgrounds transform the scenery and our circumstances change. Sometimes these adjustments are difficult. Sometimes they take us by surprise. This is how it was for David as a young man, and even as a king. God painted his path with ever-changing hues. In faith, David navigated the terrain, no matter how long, no matter how difficult. [This is post 2 of a 3-part series on honoring our authorities within God’s big picture. Read post 1 here.] God’s big picture makes perfect sense to God, of course, but often not to us because we view it frame by frame. We don’t always get to see a