Disneyland Encounters

A few weeks ago, my kids and I had the chance to go to Disneyland with some family! Our days were filled with lots of walking, lots of people, lots of laughter, with more people and more walking.

In a moment of pure selfishness to find a seat to rest my feet, I suggested we go and watch a short live production of The Lion King. Thankfully everyone agreed! As we watched, we sat captivated by the beautiful songs and actors ability to bring to life the story of Mufasa, Simba and his friends along his way….all in 30 minutes! Well Done, Disneyland!

As most of us know the story, (spoiler alert for those who have not watched it) the moment when Mufasa is trampled and Simba runs to him, hoping he will get up, only to have him die, our hearts break with the reality of this young lion who will now journey forward with no father present in his life.

For myself in the midst of a crowd watching, I had tears rolling down my face. The harshness of life felt very close and heavy. As the story played on, there is a moment when a friend, Nala, finds Simba, asking him to come back to his homeland to face his wicked uncle. But Simba wants to continue to run from his pain and past.

After this conversation with Nala, he has a dream and is met by his father. In the dream, his father encourages and speaks truth to him and ends with saying “Simba, Remember who you are!” And as this powerful and profound words were spoken over the crowd and atmosphere, in the middle of Disneyland, I felt the presence of Jesus so tangibly! The performance wraps up as the words of Mufasa meets Simba’s heart and he remembers who he is, who his father is, and takes his rightful place as King and walks back into what he was created for.

As the audience cheered, I sat back and in a moment, the Lord was speaking and meeting me. There are days when life feels hard and complex with obligations, responsibilities, and kids, while also engaging areas in my life that are experiencing pain and or discouragement. I can tend to succumb to the weight and worries of life. But through a Disney performance, I was reminded that I have a Heavenly Father who is always near and reminding me WHO I am and WHAT I was created for because of who HE is. Yes, life will have moments of heartache and pain, but He has come to bring beauty, life and continually reminds us of WHO we belong to and what we were created for!

As I wrap up, I’ve included a short clip that I recorded while watching. As you watch it, take a moment and hear the Father say the simple yet deep words of “(Your name), Remember who you are!” Let him speak words of identity and truth over your heart. Let him minister and call forth any places that have settled into the mundane of life. You were made for more because of His love and pursuit in your life!

And if you haven’t watched Lion King recently, make it your next movie choice and let Holy Spirit minister to you!