The Way it was Meant to Be

This summer is coming to a rapid end....

Sad. :-(

I leave to go back to IWU a week from this Saturday (September 3rd).

But I have had a lot of time to read, journal, and grow spiritually.

Most importantly, I had time to reflect on how much growth has taken place during this past year. Last year, at this time, I was struggling with sexual temptation that  turned into a vicious cycle that I couldn't break free from if it wasn't for God's help.

For several months, I was a slave to what I wanted, I didn't see that my actions were harming my relationship with God.

My sin was breaking God's heart and I was in a bad place.

I was trapped.

A year later, now, I am in an amazing place in my relationship with God. I have seen healing. Praise God!!!

Also, I am learning about God's love, sin, and how I am meant to live in harmony with God. There's a Hebrew word Karem meaning "healing", "remaking", "returning something to its intended purpose." (A Christianity Worth Believing p. 159). I have seen firsthand what being healed and remade truly means for the Christian. I have been "returned to my intended purpose" which is to love out loud.

Love is the way God chose for us.

How could we possibly go any other way?

Because when we love, we see humanity being healed, remade, and returning to what it was intentionally for.

All for His glory + Always <3

Intimacy and Involvement

I'm reading "A Christianity Worth Believing" (I mentioned this in a previous post) and the author mentions five qualities that can be seen in ALL things:

1) truth

2) nobility

3) righteousness

4) purity

5) loveliness

All of these are positive and uplifting to society.  There is a quote "...God is present in all things..." that made me think that everything has a spiritual sense to it and can be used to testify God's existence. When I approach life from this perspective, I can indirectly invite others to take in what God has already created.

This leads into 2 types of people that I "label" falsely and unconsciously:

~Inherently godly

AND

~inherently depraved.

To view people as one or the other is wrong and I am guilty of doing this. All people have God inspired goodness; sometimes I fail to see it. This was humbling: I am not better because I am a Christian.

Additionally, the author explains disconnection (what he describes as "up and out") and intimacy and involvement ("down and in"). I looked at my own life and for a long time there was disconnection. Now I'm stepping back into intimacy where I recognize God is actively involved in me. I also realize I am created for noble purposes. When I'm "disconnected" from God, I often feel empty, like there's some part of me that is missing. In contrast, intimacy with God leaves me feeling renewed from within.

All for His glory + Always <3

Five Aspects of Christianity

Lately I've been reading this book, A Christianity Worth Believing: Hope-Filled, Open-Armed, Alive-And-Well Faith for the Left Out, Left Behind, and Let Down in Us All by Doug Pagitt. He raises many different issues and I would reccommend it to both Christians and non Christians. Anyway in chapter 8, "Together Again", He mentions five "aspects" (as I'm referring to them):

1) Repair

2) Restoration

3) Renewal

4) Completion

5) Cohesion

These got me thinking about the essence of Christianity. The God I know longs to repair, restore, and renew humanity. Also, in this chapter, he (Doug Pagitt) mentions the first 3 are what the Gospel is about. And the last two are "goals" of salvation: humanity was meant to be complete and coherent in Him. Every aspect of humanity that was broken is made complete again in Jesus.

Later in the chapter he writes three characteristics about what Christianity was never supposed to be about:

1) Alienation

2) Segregation

3) Disaffection.

I found these a little unsettling. If the Gospel is about restoration and renewal, how would we ever alienate, segregate, or discontent people with religion, not just Christianity?

Reading this hit me hard. I don't want to live out faith that I may not be aware alienates, separates, or discontents the world around me.

I apologize if this post seems "preachy." That was not my intention. My opinion is if I strived to repair, restore, and renew the world around me, the perspective I have would change.

Not everyone is like me or has the same views I do. However, I do know everyone wants to be loved and this is a step in the right direction.

All for His glory + Always <3

Words

I actually pulled this from one of my journals from last year:

There is no argument that words have power, they create worlds in which we live. We are defined by our words.

Words define us and we define words, shaping our world and ideologies.

We are founded by our words and also build our lives around the foundations of words.

Words create worlds.

We can tear our world apart by our words- both spoken and written.

Can we go any place where our words don't follow us? Where they don't come back and haunt us? We can build others up

Tear them down....

We can't run from our words.

This got me thinking about the many words I speak daily.

Maybe whenever I speak or write something, I should consider the impact of my words.

I want to speak in truth, not just the "Christian" sense- but speak what is true. Life is too short to speak words that lie, hurt, cause pain- the list can go on.

More than anything, I want words I speak to bring healing, truth, beauty, Life!!

After all, my words are meant to be all for His glory,

Always <3

Blessings in Every Day

I used to take simple things for granted, for example, family, health, and education. Now I have realized that God blesses me in small ways daily. I just never paid attention.

I need to appreciate family because God has given them to me as a gift from Him. I am here to love them unconditionally. They are a constant in my life when everything around me seems to be changing.

I also have a new appreciation for my health. I am thankful I am not sick, that I woke up today. God gave me life.

Every day there are blessings to be seen and they all are meant to glorify Him.

All for His glory + Always <3