This really heats up towards the end!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Mamma T was a wise woman
We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.
People make mistakes.
We are allowed to make mistakes.
But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Pause and ponder.
Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them. -- Mother Teresa
Sunday, February 3, 2008
A Roadside Thought
I was driving in to work the other day and saw the statement "Faith is a journey, we'll help you get started." It struck me the minute I saw it and stayed with me until I thought about just what bothered me about it.
The part "faith is a journey" I agree with and thankfully have come to understand. Faith should be something we are constantly moving forward in, constantly growing in. Somewhere along the line, the lie was born that there is a point where each one of us becomes the perfect Christian; we then achieve all that we can and are ready for heaven. Unfortunately, this is the view both outside of and within the church. Many people buy into this idea of "I have to be this and do that and achieve to be perfect." Thankfully people are waking up to the realization that there is no point of perfection when we consider our pursuit of God, except God himself. There is always going to be something more that we can learn, a new way to grow, a different way to let Him into our lives.
What bothered me about the statement is "we'll help you get started." No church can start someone on the journey towards God. It seems that the journey towards God would start before the individual ever sets foot in the door or seeks out other believers. From some early point, God would have to be evident, revealing Himself. At some point it seems like the individual would realize there is something greater than himself, some higher power. I would think that is the start of the journey towards God.
If we look at the current series Chris is teaching on of "Story" then we need to look back even further than those first stirrings of awareness. One of the main themes is that we are writing a story, that our whole life up to this point and beyond is a story. From that perspective, our whole life is a journey. So then, the journey starts when we are born.
At the same time, I think that God's body of people is important. I can never take such things for granted or brush them aside. God uses people to walk along side of us during our journey for support, for love, for so many things. He brings characters into our story to sharpen us or to change our story. So I think that the church can help on this journey. One of my greatest encouragements about venture is that there are so many people who will freely admit that they too are on this journey, figuring out this faith thing, right along with me.
My thoughts I'm taking away for myself: continue to walk along in this life, towards God and allow God to use us in His way, but remember that we are only the instruments of a Master.
love.
Faye
The part "faith is a journey" I agree with and thankfully have come to understand. Faith should be something we are constantly moving forward in, constantly growing in. Somewhere along the line, the lie was born that there is a point where each one of us becomes the perfect Christian; we then achieve all that we can and are ready for heaven. Unfortunately, this is the view both outside of and within the church. Many people buy into this idea of "I have to be this and do that and achieve to be perfect." Thankfully people are waking up to the realization that there is no point of perfection when we consider our pursuit of God, except God himself. There is always going to be something more that we can learn, a new way to grow, a different way to let Him into our lives.
What bothered me about the statement is "we'll help you get started." No church can start someone on the journey towards God. It seems that the journey towards God would start before the individual ever sets foot in the door or seeks out other believers. From some early point, God would have to be evident, revealing Himself. At some point it seems like the individual would realize there is something greater than himself, some higher power. I would think that is the start of the journey towards God.
If we look at the current series Chris is teaching on of "Story" then we need to look back even further than those first stirrings of awareness. One of the main themes is that we are writing a story, that our whole life up to this point and beyond is a story. From that perspective, our whole life is a journey. So then, the journey starts when we are born.
At the same time, I think that God's body of people is important. I can never take such things for granted or brush them aside. God uses people to walk along side of us during our journey for support, for love, for so many things. He brings characters into our story to sharpen us or to change our story. So I think that the church can help on this journey. One of my greatest encouragements about venture is that there are so many people who will freely admit that they too are on this journey, figuring out this faith thing, right along with me.
My thoughts I'm taking away for myself: continue to walk along in this life, towards God and allow God to use us in His way, but remember that we are only the instruments of a Master.
love.
Faye
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