Love vs. Fear

Love...faith...fear...hope. How do they all balance out in life and in relationships? Yeah, I'm not going to try to answer all that in a single blog, because I'm not sure if I truly know the answer. I think a lot of us spend our whole lives trying to figure that out. I think many of them go hand-in-hand such as faith, hope and love. But what about fear? How does that play into it all? I've been thinking a lot about these concepts over the last few weeks. Can you ever have too much love? Too much fear? Too much hope? Or do you need them all to work together as a sort of checks and balances system? I believe we are called to love others as Christ did - unconditionally and whole-heartedly. Obviously we can strive to love them as much as possible, but only God can provide for them the Truest form of love. So does that make our love one 'with conditions'? I don't believe so. I just believe we are called to love all of God's children for who they are because they are exactly that - God's children. Now how are we expected to love whole-heartedly when the trials of life often leave us half-hearted or completely broken-hearted? I know it brings up the question of faith and trust a lot. It is natural for us to fear hurt and to fear broken-heartedness, but where do we draw the line? How does one step out in faith and in love if they did that before and it completely failed or blew up in their face? When are we suppose to draw back and protect ourselves and our hearts? I don't know. I've always been the one to just keep trying, keep pressing, keep loving. Can pure love exist without fear? Or are some fears God's way of warning us away from things that are not of Him? Yeah, as you can see, the more I blog, the more questions I ask and the less answers I find. But honestly, life is about questioning, it's about seeking, and it's about striving everyday for God's Will. So I'll leave you with all those questions to ask yourself as I too will continue to ponder them. Let me know if you find the answers ;)

Let go and Let Christ!

There is Victory in Jesus!

Here are a few great passages I read tonight from The Secret of Christian Living.

"Victory is in letting go! Let go! Do not be afraid. You will not fall into eternity. You will fall upon the Rock of Ages. Let go your hand and you will overcome. Victory comes from Christ, not from you. Let go and let Christ, and it is done. For the life of victory is given to one who lets go completely."

"For victory is not proven by long waiting. Victory is believing that regardless the circumstances, the Lord lives in me and for me. Victory comes by one letting go and simply believing. If we fail to overcome, it is either due to our failure in letting go or due to our lack of believing. Otherwise there will be victory."

"To sum up, then, the secret of victory lies in (1) seeing our own impossibility, (2) letting go our hands, (3) seeing the Lord's ability, and (4) having living faith daily, believing that henceforth the Lord is going to live for us."

All of these passages reminded me of an age-old hymn titled none other than "Victory in Jesus".

New beginnings.....and.....new beginnings

I was going to type "beginnings and endings" as my title, but I'm trying this whole positive thinking mentality, and I came up with the more appropriate title as you see it. This summer has been filled with so many new beginnings. New challenges, new invigorated faith, new music, new job, etc. Two big NEW things from this week are my new church I am going to which I love! I thought this church search process was going to be painful and hard and slow. But I have enjoyed the experience of visiting every church and seeing all the new dynamics they bring to the table of how people go about worshipping our One Lord. I have so much respect for the different forms of worship, different denominations, liturgy, etc. After my first couple church visits, I thought I wasn't going to find something that fit me and where I am in my faith right now. But I think I have found the one and this church makes me feel so ON FIRE for God! I love and respect everything that my old church did for me in raising me up in the Word and under wonderful leaders and mentors, but going there became more of a chore to me than something I longed to do every Sunday. I now wish everyday was Sunday so I could attend my new church everyday! Another new beginning....well, at first I thought this was an ending. My best friend is moving across the country.....to NEVADA! Yeah, that's right - NEVADA! lol. I was getting really sad as the summer progressed because I knew this day was getting closer, but when I seriously sit back and think about it - distance doesn't make a difference when it comes to two friends whose friendship is grounded in the love of Christ. And that is what I have with my best friend, so instead of thinking about this as an ending, I intend on thinking of it as a new beginning - a new stage where we get to show each other how we can still love each other in a Christian way even with thousands of miles between us. It's just a new challenge and a new stage of life and I welcome it. It makes me think of the bridge to one of my favorite songs right now by MercyMe called "Homesick."

"In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again"

What is life?

Another excerpt from The Secret of Christian Living by Watchman Nee.

"What is life? Life is something in you which, when it is removed, you can no longer exist. Christ is my life. Removing Him from me, I cannot live any longer. Paul had not said, "I will be like Christ, I will depend on Christ, I will imitate Christ by His power, I will take Christ as my model." No, but Paul did say "Christ is...our life" (Col 3:4) and "to me to live is Christ" (Phil 1:21a). Paul acknowledged that his life was Christ. He lived because Christ lived in him. Take away Christ and he will live no more."

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

Just got done watching the 3 hour movie Gandhi. Wow! Even though I was a Religious Studies major at UVa, I never did any extensive research on Mahatma Gandhi. And I'm not saying that watching a movie counts as legitimate research, but it did give me an introduction to a profound religious leader that had a huge impact on the world through his message of love, truth, equality, and non-violence. Though I do believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ holds the ultimate Truth, I do not deny that other people in this world have brought messages of truth as well. I have been contemplating the many words of truth that Gandhi said, and I challenge you to do the same.

Popular Quotes from Gandhi:

"Be the change you want to see in the world"

"Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, Conquer him with love."

"My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet."

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

"Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart."

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always."

"In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth."

Waiting in Expectation

Romans 8:18-25
" ¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

True Faith

So, one really good aspect of being graduated from college is I now have plenty of time to read books that I want to read for my own spiritual nourishment, instead of being loaded down with tons of reading from textbooks for homework. I usually discover all the books I'm reading through recommendations from other people...at least that has been the trend so far for the five books I have read this summer. The book that I'm half way through right now is called The Secret of Christian Living by Watchman Nee. I don't really favor his choppy writing style, but his messages are filled with some heavy doctrine and truths. One illuminating short passage I just read through this week was on the topic of defining true faith. Nee states:

"Faith is not believing God will do it, instead, it is believing that He has done it -- not believing that God will heal, but believing that He has healed. Faith is believing that God has done all things in Christ. Today, I believe that in Christ God has done all; I accept what He has done as accomplished fact. This is true faith."

To me, this is an alternate perspective that I often don't have in my faith walk. I usually pray for things to come to pass-for healing, for sins to be washed away, for reconciliation, for forgiveness. I don't think it is wrong to pray for those things. However, Nee reiterates over and over again in his book that it is important to realize that all of those things have already been accomplished through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. I know that one of my weaknesses is having a pessimistic outlook on life, so I struggle daily with changing my attitude to think more positively. I believe this passage on faith is also a change in attitude and mindset, but it also goes deeper as it penetrates into our spirit. Our faith and spirit should tell us that through Jesus Christ, all of these prayers have been fulfilled and answered. The challenge for us as Christians is to fully embrace and acknowledge what has been given to us by grace so that we can continue to live our lives in the newness of being in Christ.

Even though its gonna take me a little more time, the sun's gonna find me...

Wow, I just recently discovered two Christian music artists that have been changing my life this summer. The first one is Jimmy Needham, who is known for his popular song Forgiven and Loved and one of my favorites The Great Love Story. The second artist is Brandon Heath who is known for some of his songs Wait and See, Give Me Your Eyes, and I'm Not Who I Was. Below I will be posting another song of his called "Sunrise." To me, it speaks to me the message of hope that if you find yourself going through a rough patch of life, it's ok if everything doesn't work out as planned. If healing and solutions and answers don't come in a timely manner, just remember that God's time is not our time. If you think there is no way out, just be patient and trust in the Lord, because He will never abandon you or let you fall.

"Sunrise" by Brandon Heath



Here are the lyrics to the chorus:
All you need is a sunrise
Just a moment of dawn
If you're lost in the twilight
Close your eyes and move on
When you're tired in the waiting
Even though it's gonna take you
A little more time
Just a little more time the sun's gonna find you

"I'm Not Who I Was"

"I'm Not Who I Was" by Brandon Heath

Jesus Won and Filled the Divide

We were separated from God's glory, but Jesus came and filled the divide. His Love fills in the gap. What people see on the outside is definitely not what's on the inside. I still feel so much pain, so much hurt, betrayal, and abandonment. But God's Love is so fulfilling. He sent his son to bridge the gap, to restore all, and give us hope for the future. I feel His love now, it's the only thing that sustains me in these dark nights when I feel helpless and destroyed. Listen to this song by Jimmy Needham. It's so beautiful. It's the song in my heart right now.

"The Great Love Story" by Jimmy Needham

The God of All Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

" ³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ⁵For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ⁶If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."