The Missionary Journey: The Upside of Down

This song by Chris August is exactly how I would say my life is right now. I came across the song when I was thinking about songs to listen to. I thought of "The Upside of Down." I didn't know it but I wanted to see what it was about. So I listened to it and it gave me a look at the upside in the down. In the place I'm in there is a lot of the downside when I'm looking for the upside. But when I think all my troubles are a million miles away it starts to be about me. When I think I'm safe in God and I say "I won't go back to the downside," I fall back again. I'm trying to realize there can be joy in the pain. I want to be closer to God. In the midst of the sadness, I get close to God for help. God gave Chris August this song for people who feel like I do. They can realize that there is an upside to the down. There is sun after a rain. There is joy in the pain.

I wish it was easy to find happiness and joy; it may be easy to some but not to me. I struggle to keep my joy and happiness. In the bad it's hard to find happiness but now I realize I have to look HARD to find it. It's that song "The Upside of Down" that gave me hope when I struggle with people who respond to the downside and don't look for the upside.

"I lost and I found

The upside of down"

I see the effect songs have on me; I want to do the same. I want to be a singer and write songs that can lift a person in times of trouble. I love writing and I love music. We all have an open door to either the upside or the downside.

The upside, to me, leads me in the direction I want to be. I just need to find, more often, the upside of down instead of the downside.

The down side, to me, leads me to say words and do things I'll regret. I lost the upside in the down for a while and because of this song I'm going to try HARDER to find the upside in the down.

"That's the upside of down,

The upside of down,

It's all switched around,

I lost and I found the upside of down.

When I feel invincible,

A million miles from miserable,

It's always about me."

The beginning of this song is my favorite part. It’s how I feel in times like this.

"The downside of being up,

is my inside is empty of,

the one thing my heart truly needs.

When I feel invincible,

A thousand miles from miserable,

It’s always about me.”

Another part of this is that I want to love God, but sometime, I think I might doubt Him at times. That's the downside of me.

The upside of me is I can bring a good word to someone who needs it. I can help A friend, my first friend in a while that is a boy, know he can be himself by me. I can help, Another one of my friends a girl I met at a food drive, be who she is and not try to fit in. The upside of the down is I can give a warm heart to the dormant heart.

"I want to be the one to love you like I should

Like you would

Through the bad and the good."

Picture this; the downside of a man is he says "my life sucks." But he's not looking at the upside. The upside of down for him is he has food to eat and money enough to take care of himself. I only saw the downside of this man because he expressed it. The downside is easier to look at than the upside. You see, He stood for hours on a curb by a high way flashing that sign. He didn't look at his life as a gift to live and breathe.

The upside of down, for you, is in your pain you can find joy if you look hard enough. If you feel unwanted the upside is you are wanted by God. If you’re sad the upside to that is that you can find something to make you laugh or smile somehow.

"That's the upside of down,

The upside of down,

It all switched around,

I lost and I found,

The upside of down,"

I want to make a difference in life through song and in my writing. I love to help people come to know Christ. Music can be the upside of down if you listen. The words bring a good message and can even change a life. I want to do that but first I must look at the upside more often than not.

"So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

- Romans 8:12-15

(Thanks)

I would like to thank Chris August for this song. If it wasn't for this song I wouldn't be looking for the upside of down. Thank you :)

And I thank all who read this. There can never be a more upside of down to this than for you to read it and get something great out of it. I hope someday I can do the same through music.

Thanks especially to the God who made all this possible. Who always looks at the upside and finds joy in the pain. Who gave me this gift of writing and a love for music. Thank you Jesus!