November 26th 2011: Kamaha'okeakua Lomani Kamahoi Gaunavinaka, turned 9 years old :)
You are the answered prayer I prayed when I was just a little younger then you are now. You're only nine and you're practically at my shoulder height. It freaks me out how fast time is going and how all too soon you'll be towering over your sister and I!
I love watching you learn new things everyday. You love talking about all the wonderful, and occasionally gross, things you learn and even though we complain about how your mouth never seems to stop running, the profound and enlightening things you put together in your head are brilliant.
You have an artistic eye just like your dad and strong desire for logic and truth in Christ like your mum and I pray you'll continue to grow with those inspirations in your heart, but never forget who you are as an individual. There's only one little boy like you in the whole world. And yes, no matter how big you get, you'll always be my little monkey.
For those of you who haven't heard of TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms) I highly suggest you check out their website at http://www.twloha.com/ . They are a powerful ministry with a heart to send a message of hope to people living in and through all sorts of struggles in life. Ever since I heard about them by seeing lots people wearing hoodies and t-shirts with "TWLOHA" written on them, I got curious about it and googled it, I ended up watching all their video testimonies of how it all got started and the different campaigns and conferences they hold and I was so touched.
Even as a teenager, I know first hand the detrimental feeling of hopelessness and the sense of loneliness that often accompanies it. As a young person its heartbreaking and overwhelming to have so many friends in my age group experience turmoil and depression in their lives, and not really know what say or do. The saddest part is how after a while of being exposed to the depression they go through, and having them confess to things like cutting,binge drinking, drugs or promiscuity, I couldn't ever help feeling so helpless. Here are these people, my friends, each with these amazing qualities choosing lifestyles that I know will ruin them, but the fact they are my friends means I know first hand the heaviness prompting that need for those lifestyles as an outlet. I know the choice to live a self-destructive lifestyle is not Gods desire for us, His children, but in reality I wonder, how can I tell them to not go down that road when I've never personally gone through the brokenness of having a family member abuse me or looked in the mirror and hated every little thing looking back at me.
I get caught in this dilemma,a push and pull of knowing what is right and Gods calling upon our lives and if that realistically translates in the real world and in their lives.
What I believe God has shown me as time goes on in my life, is that His Words are truly applicable at every point and every situation in my life. A very broad statement, I know, but that's because I believe God is a very broad being. Whose wisdom and knowledge surpasses everything ever said or taught.
So broad that He can even hold the ability to cover things and heal them.
Hope is so easy to sing about and talk about and tell people to have, but when you put yourself in a position of empathy, I believe its there you and your ideals of hope and what it truly is are truly tested.
Hope is not just a nice feeling or a pleasant word of encouragement. Hope is power. Hope is faith that despite what life looks like now, despite the emptiness of despair and brokenness. Hope is a place once called forsaken now a place where God can dwell(Isaiah 6:24).
