Emily

Marszalek

Contributing Writer

Emily Marszalek enjoys the simple pleasures in life with her fiancé Nick and two Goldendoodles, Charlie and Lucy, in the stunning Pacific Northwest. In addition to appearing in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Listen to Your Dreams and Insight, her writing is set to appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Blessings of Christmas, Power for Living, Daily Inspired Life, and Christian Devotions.

More from Emily Marszalek

Does God Know Your Needs?

Decisions, decisions. Life is full of them. From simple decisions between take-out and leftovers to weighty decisions surrounding careers, relationships and living situations, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

Through some of life’s most difficult decisions, although I prayed for God’s direction, it seemed as if He didn’t hear my cries. At times I questioned whether He knew the stresses I endured and the choices I faced. How long must I wait for His answer? I wondered. Does He know what I need? Does He even care?

When I struggle and question if God knows my needs, He reminds me of the lesson He taught me one warm summer evening.

Falling into the backyard hammock for a well-deserved break following a vigorous workout, the nighttime breeze refreshed my body as the stars began to burst forth with vivid beauty. God painted a masterpiece besieged with gorgeous balls of blue, red, and white light.

As I lay before the glittering world of God’s creation, I marveled at the infinite universe. He reminded me of the prophet Isaiah’s words:

"Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?" (Isaiah 40:26-27 Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars?He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name.Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) NLT).

While pondering this scripture I considered asking God to show me a shooting star. I hesitated, however, afraid He wouldn’t respond and therefore leave me disappointed. Because my doubt left no expectation, I never even asked. After all, I thought, He doesn’t really hear me when I talk to him. Certainly, more important issues top His “to do” list, not my childish desire for a shooting star, I reasoned.

Gazing at the heavens in wonder, a blazing light caught my eye. As a glittering star flashed across the sky it seemed as if God whispered, “I know what you need, I know what you’re thinking, and I know what you want - even before you ask for it.”

I grinned ear to ear as a rush of exhilaration washed over me. God had answered my prayer even though I hadn’t verbalized the request.

While facing a maze of decisions, you might wonder if God knows what you’re going through. Feeling alone, you may wonder whether He even cares. Despite our questions, He does know, and does care - far beyond human understanding.

God knows each star’s name, and knows every detail of each challenge we encounter. He knows our deepest feelings, frustrations, and needs. He designed a perfect, personalized plan for our lives. Our job is to trust Him as we walk out that plan.

As worries about the future try to cloak our hearts, we can remind ourselves that the details of our future are not our burden to bear. When thought provoking questions arise about which job to take, how to make ends meet, or how to address a particular challenge, our anguish must flee. God holds the answers to these questions in the palm of His hand and knows our future’s direction. If we walk with Him, He’ll be our personal guide, leading us step by step. Not only does He know what we need; He delights in supplying those needs as we trust in Him (Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

If you’re stressed over difficult decisions, take time to gaze at the stars. As you stare into the glimmering lights remember that God does care. As you wait for His plan to unfold in your life, don’t forget to express the desires of your heart to God. Maybe He’ll throw you a shooting star - even if you forget to ask!

My Not-So-Sweet Fragrance

Enjoying a peaceful cruise on the way home from work one evening, a car fast approached in my rearview mirror. Beginning to ride my bumper, I debated whether I had time to move into the right lane to allow him to pass before I needed to make my left hand turn off the highway. Turn approaching within a quarter mile, I stayed put. After all, I was going seven miles over the speed limit. And I was about to turn. What could he be mad about?

Continuing to ride my bumper, the driver swerved into the right lane, flashed his middle finger as he passed, then proceeded to cut me off and tap his brakes. “How dare he?” I thought.

Instead of heeding my mom’s advice to let unpleasant encounters slide off me like water on a duck’s back, my blood boiled. I hit the gas.

Making the same left hand turn, we spent the next five miles aggressively trying to pass each other, bumper riding, brake checking and sharing an assortment of coarse language. On the curvy country road, it’s a miracle we didn’t cause an accident.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of rage even after I arrived home. “He started it!” I thought as I attempted to justify my actions.

Walking around my now parked car to head inside, a glimmer caught my eye. Staring back at me was my gold Christian fish decal that I proudly portrayed on my lower left bumper. My heart sunk.

The Apostle Paul states,

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) NIV)

How often I miss the mark. Not only is my fragrance at times less than delightful and “not so sweet," sometimes it is downright awful. As Christ’s ambassadors, everything we do and say is a representation of Him, and our actions, whether good or bad, will be associated with Him. What a sobering thought.

I suspect nothing pains God’s heart more than to see His followers representing Him poorly to a world yearning for the unconditional love and redemption available only through Him. In talking with those who have rejected Christ or turned from their faith, many times the reason is, “because Christians are…” Judgmental. Selfish. Hateful. Uncaring. The list goes on. What they have observed in some followers of Christ left a bad taste in their mouths.

While accepting Christ does not automatically make us perfect and without fault, when we daily remind ourselves that we are called to be representatives of Christ and commit our actions, words and attitudes to Him, our mindset shifts. Instead of showing impatience with the elderly woman taking forever in the grocery checkout line, we show compassion. Instead of participating in gossip in the workplace, we speak words of encouragement. Instead of engaging in road rage as I humbly admit I did, we show love and repay evil with good.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) NIV)

While I often fail, I thank God that His mercies are new every day and trust the Holy Spirit’s good work in me.

As my mom told me every day before I departed for school, “Don’t forget who you ARE, WHAT you’re about and WHO you represent.” We have the privilege of spreading the fragrance of Christ. Let us strive to be a sweet-smelling fragrance that will draw people to our Lord and Savior.