Nick Miller is Not Your Dream Guy

I've been watching New Girl recently and I have to say that I LOVE the stupid show. The one liners, the banter, the situations they all get into- its my kind of humor apparently because every episode nearly has me in tears from laughing. If you're not familiar with the show, I'll give you a quick recap: Jess, Zooey Deschannel, finds her boyfriend cheating and so sets out to look for a new place to live. She stumbles across a Craig's List ad for a few guys looking for a fourth roommate, assuming they were all gay. The guys are all very much hetero, and while they debate over whether or not to let a woman live with them, they ultimately decide in her favor. The rest of the show is about everyone's quirks and how they all come together to make one big crazy family- sorry, that was cheesy. About halfway through Season 1, the audience begins to root for Jess and one of the guys to get together. Enter: Nick Miller- or, Jake Johnson. He's handsome, he's funny, and he has this "protective" thing for Jess that is just SO cute. You basically can't help but want these two together, mostly because they are at odds most of the time, but you know they would be great together because of that. There, New Girl in a nut shell.

So what's not to love about Nick Miller, you ask? I mean, he seems totally great! Well, I will tell you. First of all, we have to remember that this is secular TV, so the shows are more often than not based around sex- innuendos, the act itself, everything- including this one. Nick, Jess, and the rest of the characters hook up regularly- or they try. 

So strike one, Nick sleeps around and he's a flirt. In the real world, you DON'T want that guy. He's going to flirt with other girls, even if you're "together" and he's probably not truly invested in the relationship. Not only is that kind of icky, but it's a fairly good sign that he doesn't have any respect for God or the Truth.** This guy is only looking for one thing. Yeah, you know what it is.

Strike two, Nick Miller is a drunk. And so are the other guys. In the show, it's funny. They get into hilarious situations and everyone is always laughing and having a good time. But let's think about real life for a second: a man who gets drunk often is not a man you want to be around. He's likely to be more violent and he's not always going to be the "happy go lucky" kind of drunk. On top of that, it's another sign that he has no respect for God or even you.

Strike three, Nick Miller is a hopeless romantic. Wait...that's a downside? Well, yes. In the show, Nick is kind of like a teddy bear. He's openly emotional, especially when he drinks, and he falls for the girls he hooks up with very quickly. He's even had a long-lasting thing for Jess, which is kind of endearing. But now let's think- a guy who is overly attached and falls for every girl he dates? That's not really that attractive. That's just annoying. And don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a man showing emotion. After all, Jesus himself wept, but it is also important to be in control of your emotions. Letting those run rampant in your life are not productive.

So there ya have it. Nick Miller may seem like a dreamy, sweet, romantic kind of guy. And maybe he IS perfect for Jess, but we have to remember its a fictional show, and we shouldn't actively chase after that kind of guy. As women we are called to follow God, first and foremost, and if a guy should come into our lives, he should be a strong believer, a promising and active spiritual leader, and someone who will be loyal. Remember: Nick Miller is NOT your dream guy, Jesus is.

**Side note: I'm not saying that if you find a man who loves God, but he's not a virgin, you should dump him. God works in all ways. Just one example is Bathsheba and how God changed her heart and used her for His people. If you believe a guy is truly after God's heart, that is what matters.

Discipleship and Giving Back

God has been teaching me so much lately, I honestly feel like I am in a season of lots of growth and I am loving it. Going to Grace for youth group in high school was great, and I was able to learn a lot of foundational things for my faith. I was also blessed with many opportunities to serve and give back to the community. Since starting school up in Ames, I've been able to get connected with Cornerstone Church and The Salt Company and I absolutely love it up there. Every single sermon, Sunday morning or Thursday evening, seem to hit me and make me reevaluate where I am in life and things that I could change or work on. I have never connected so well to the worship, and I can't get enough of it. This past school year was a huge season of growth for me as well, and I love being able to look back and see all that God has done through and with me.
Looking at the past few weeks and just the few messages that I've been able to hear at Ethos- the college ministry at Grace- I've become consumed with the idea of discipleship and how to give back. I may not connect as well with Grace anymore as I did in the past, but the church is still my family and Cornerstone is too. I owe it to the family of God to give back what I have been taught. I have been feeling a little on the outside of things too recently, and a friend encouraged me to find a way to plug back in. He suggested that since I've been receiving so much information, I should find a way to pour that back into someone else. At first I was thinking that that wasn't the answer to my problems- I was feeling left out in my own social groups. Sometime around there, I heard a challenge from a friend, and it was that if we are followers of Christ and growing in Him, it is our biblical call to pour into others. We are called to be mentors and disciple-makers, as well as spread the good news of the Gospel. I think this fall I'm going to apply for Salt leadership, which will give me the opportunity to lead a group of girls in Bible study. I think I might also apply to be a Cyclone Aide, which is a student ambassador to current and incoming freshman. I really feel the call to leadership, and ever since I stopped being drum major I have felt something missing. I'm scared though, scared that I am not prepared enough or a good enough example for those around me.
God has been teaching me patience and trust in this time though, two things I've struggled with for a while. I've always been spontaneous with my decisions, an "act now, think later" kind of person which is definitely not what I'm called to be. James 1:19 says "...let every person be quick to hear and slow to speak..." This can be applied to conversations with others, and even waiting on God. I am learning to be be quick to listen for his voice and direction, and slow to make up my mind on big decisions.
I am ready to do God's work, and I hope that that doesn't sound vain. I should have always been ready, everyone who is a follower of Christ should always be ready to do His work and to say to God "Hey, I'm ready now!" is along the lines of telling God, the creator of the universe, what to do. That's not what I'm trying to say. I've had a hard heart; I have been trying to do everything my way, and by God's grace and work in me I am becoming malleable. I am finally ready to give Him my WHOLE heart, like I should have from the beginning.