It's been nine years since the last Toy Story installment, when we tearfully watched as Andy went away to college, leaving Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) and his other toys in little Bonnie’s enthusiastic hands (Emily Hahn). The fourth Toy Story movie, in theatres June 21, picks up where Toy Story 3 left off. The film includes some returning favourites, as well as some new toys joining Bonnie’s bedroom.

This all-star cast includes Joan Cusack returning in her role as Jessie the Cowgirl, John Ratzenberger as Hamm and Michael Keaton as Ken. After being mysteriously absent in Toy Story 3, Annie Potts returns as Bo Peep.

Tony Hale voices Forky, a new toy that Bonnie creates by adding pipe cleaner arms and googly eyes to a spork. “I’m not a toy!” Forky says, but he doesn’t see himself as a spork anymore, either. “I don’t belong here!”

Why is he here? Declaring himself “trash,” he wonders why Bonnie would want to play with him anyway.

When Bonnie takes her toys on a family road trip and Forky runs away, Buzz and Woody chase after him, hoping to convince him to return to Bonnie’s room. They end up at a carnival where they encounter Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele), as well as the long-lost Bo Peep. Woody is understandably distracted by her, but he remembers that Forky needs him.

When they find Forky, Woody tells him that if he is willing to be a toy, he can make Bonnie happy.

“Bringing happiness is what gives us life,” Woody says.

Can Woody and Buzz convince Forky that Bonnie created him for a purpose and that she loves him just as he is?

Eternal Love
In the Bible’s Book of Genesis, we are told that God created the earth and every living creature on it. He put the fish in the ocean and the birds in the sky. He made the sun and the moon. He turned darkness to light. The same God who put the stars in the sky created you and me.

Knowing that can make us feel small. We may wonder what the purpose for our lives is. We may feel aimless and unimportant, but the Bible tells us that the opposite is true. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

God chose us, and we belong to Him. He created us for a unique purpose: to live in the light with Him.

That’s no small thing. God created us because He wanted companions. He enjoys spending time with us, but He also wants us to ask Him for help when we need Him.

In short, God loves us, and He created us to love Him back.

Just as Bonnie brought a spork to life with pipe cleaners and googly eyes, God gave us life. And just as Forky’s job is to bring happiness to the little girl who made him, our purpose is to bring happiness to our Creator.

Not by being super holy, but simply by spending time with Him. There’s nothing He wants more.

After all—to borrow Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase—God loves us to infinity and beyond.

And He always will ... for eternity and beyond.

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