The Lie

Last week, a Priest helped me to identify the source, or spring, which feeds all my sins. He did not know where this source came from except that it was some lie that I had believed when I was younger and has convinced me that I am that type of person, whatever that type is.

Last night, I realized what the lie was and is. It has been alive in me for more than a decade, if not nearly two decades. I am finally set free from this lie! I have named it and told it the truth, the Truth of the Word of God. I am FREE!!! :)

What is the source of your sin? Has someone important in your life decided that you were a certain way when you were young and you believed it? Not knowing that there could be more beyond what you have been told, you (like me) continue living your life after that point believing and living as if what you were told is absolute, unchangeable 'truth'. Maybe you've even told you're friends "Well this is the way I am so you better accept me as I am or you aren't my friend". Did you ever think that just maybe, it isn't true?

I know, you're whole world is caving in around you right now. I know what you're thinking... Here is a 27 year old girl telling me that after nearly two decades of struggle, she is finally figuring out who she really is for the first time. Wonder what I have to look forward to in my life... What am I supposed to do about it?

Well Christian, let me ask you this: How much do you really desire to know yourself? Not at all? A little? A lot? Completely? If you are at all uncertain whether you really want to know, you must pray. Ask God if He wants to reveal to you anything you don't know about yourself or something that you believe is you but really is something else. Don't give up. He will answer in His time. If you don't believe, pray for faith. It's worked for me during two completely different times in my life (including right now).

If you are certain you really want to know, you must pray. Ask God to make you into the man or woman that you were created to be. I warn you, He will answer you're prayer. And sometimes, it is painful. You will want to run. But I urge you, keep going Christian. After the pain, there is great healing and joy waiting for you. If you keep going, it will be a victory at the end, not emptiness. You will be given the strength to endure. You will be given the grace to conquer whatever comes into your path. But remember, pray always.

When your walk in life gets tough, remember one of the greatest saints we know. St. John Vianney was a less-than ordinary man. He was not very bright, but God still called him to the priesthood. He battled Satan his whole life. His was Thwarted over and over again. Yet, he prayed to God, most humbly, knowing his shortcomings and surrendering his life always for the souls of his children (the people of his parish). At the end of his life, the devil was conquered and thus God saved him and many others whose lives were transformed by St. Vianney's devotion to God and His people.

Brothers and sisters, I hope that I can be a source of encouragement for in this walk of life. I know the struggle, I know what it feels like to be knocked down and give up. Don't do it! Get back up! Let the Lord reach down and pick you up and dust you off. Accept the strength and grace He wants to give you, freely.

Then, and only then, my brothers and sisters, can you be set free. Join me in the most incredible freedom, the only freedom we can ever truly gain; through our Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again, for YOU.

So Much Evil in the World

So often I hear people ask the question, "How can there be a God?" or "How could He care about us since there are so many bad things in this world?"

With the way the world is going, I'm not surprised in the least that people ask these questions, but oh... how my heart breaks when I hear those words! I'm sure many of you have had that very question asked of you or maybe, you are the one asking the question. Where do you go for answers? It seems that every where one turns, someone has their "own" solution: "What is good for you may not be good for me. What you believe is good for you is your truth."

There's a song I hear on the radio quite frequently called, "Give Me Your Eyes" by Brandon Heath. It is an incredible song in which the Heath cries out to our Maker to reveal to him the brokenness of the world and a call to reach out with His love for all of mankind. This kind of love takes great sacrifice because it requires us to step out of our comfort zone and be selfless. Now, before I get too far ahead of myself, we must search out the heart of the problem. How did we get here? Why does it seem as if we are surrounded by 'bad things'? Why do bad things happen to good people? "...but in the beginning, it was not so." It was not until the fall of man (not to be confused with the male gender, rather humanity) that 'bad' things began to happen.

Now, many people would argue that, because we Christians believe in God, that we would not be subjected to the same evil, pain and suffering the rest of the world must face for their 'unbelief', if this God is really real. That is a subjective view of God, which many people have because, as humans, we have the tendency to limit God. One thing that people often misunderstand when it comes to knowing God, they think He must be some sort of dictator or authoritarian parent. Our God is actually quite the opposite. He is authoritative - I use this word loosely, as God cannot be bound by one title or concept, this is simply a metaphor. He is a loving God; who knows that if He made our choices for us, we would be slaves. Therefore, the Father set us free by giving us free will. Free will is God's way of allowing us to follow the call, His perfect will for our lives. When we choose that life, no amount of pain, suffering, or evil will be allowed to destroy us if we persevere. This does not mean that we receive "immunity" from it.

Evil, pain, and suffering. These three seeming "bad" circumstances are what cause us to grow and become strengthened in Christ. God allows these to happen so that we will turn our lives to Him more and more each day. He wants a relationship with us and He wants to bless us. God does not desire us to suffer, but wants us to realize that He can bring us the joy, healing, and life through that pain. There is evil in the world; should we not see that its existence is a sure sign that there is good too?

God will one day save us from all this pain and suffering and spare us from evil when we get to Heaven. Until then, we must know what evil is and experience pain so that we may be strengthened and know the sufferings of others and have compassion. Through suffering, God wants us to choose to put our trust and faith in Him instead of relying on ourselves. The only cure for all these "bad" things is Christ Jesus.