02
Feb '19
Simple and Complex
02
Feb '19
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away
childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will
see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know
everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12
childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will
see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know
everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12
A pastor challenged me the other day saying, “We all know that we sin because we are sinners.” There
is great truth to that, and I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. However, it felt like for lack of
better term ‘generic.’ The statement seemed hollow because it was too simplistic. We are sinners, and
thus, we sin. But our issue with sin is much more complex than that. I worried I was over-complicating
the situation, but that was not the case. When we first came to know God, it was a very simple generic
understanding of these simple truths: 1) There is a God, 2) we are not Him, and 3) He loves us
unconditionally. Today, I write 500 or so words on one facet of each of those truths He has taught me,
and He connects with me through many different interactions. The homeless man on the street, the
woman holding her baby, a couple praying together, and even a phone call from my mom remind me
that God is everywhere. So, which is it? Is our connection with God simple needing repetition, or is it
complex in meaning and value as many of our relationships are?
Our relationship with God is both simplistic and beautifully complex. The simplicity of it is as the pastor
pointed out to me is God must be our provider. We are like children; dependent on Him for everything
and trusting that He knows what is right and just. This concept is easy to grasp. However, God is also
beautifully complex. I emphasize the word ‘beautifully’ because as we learn more of Him and grow in
our faith, we build on our understanding of Him, and since God is good, what the relationship produces
is the same. It is what moves us to tears as we gain greater knowledge of His will, and it opens our eyes
toward finding His purpose for us. It is incredibly complex because while we are inextricably linked to
Him and each other, no two pathways are the same. That is His intention, and as one of my churches
preaches, a mosaic of people cannot be obtained by everyone looking and thinking the same. It is only
through challenging and sharing that we gain greater understanding of His kingdom. It is why we can
look at verses like today and see both the child and adult in us. The child harkens to Jesus’ teaching of
one must be like a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 18:3, 19:14). Yet we must be
foundationally solid to better recognize the inner-workings of our spiritual growth that makes us stronger
disciples for Christ (see Hebrews 5:12-14).
God is our everything. He is the foundation of our faith and light at the end of the tunnel. He can help
us get through the most difficult of times and keep us on the righteous path when we don’t. Paul’s
point in today’s verse is not to say we have all the answers. Instead, it is to challenge us to seek them. It
is to not settle for where we our in our relationship. It is to continue to push, struggle, and fight for it is
only then that true growth is achieved. Don’t over-complicate the journey. Trust that Christ is there to
guide you through it. How can God’s simple truths reassure you today? Where can you embrace the
beauty of your complex relationship with God? My prayer is that we grow spiritually by understanding
our simple and complex relationship with God. Amen.
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26
Jan '19
Closer to God
26
Jan '19
I started writing so that I could try to keep my focus where it should be, on God. It was right after my aunt Audrey had passed away. We used to do a family Bible study tied together through Facebook, and she loved that. We kept it going for a while and I learned so much from everyone that was involved in it. It’s so important to keep that connection with God growing. There’s never “not” something new to learn in my walk with God. He teaches me how to live my life for Him. He teaches me how to live in the present. Matthew 6:34 says, Read more…
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26
Jan '19
Silver Lining in Hardships
26
Jan '19
Have you ever felt such sadness when going through a struggle in your life, only to have it turn around and be one of the best things that could have ever happened?
If you’re currently going through a hardship or a struggle, I get it – it’s really hard to see the “other side”. During this time, some people get bitter and some people get better. You do one or the other – there’s nearly no gray areas here. For me, the greatest thing about a life struggle is seeing God’s hand at work. Usually it’s after the soreness of the hardship has worn off – it’s then, when you quiet your soul, that you start seeing things more clearly.
When I was going through my most recent life struggle (quite some time ago) it was extremely hard to understand why, but God has shown so many amazing blessings from that struggle. You see, God had His plan. Maybe, just maybe (well, in my case I believe), God brought this struggle into my life to introduce me to a whole other world of amazing people that I’d have never known Read more…
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26
Jan '19
As I Have Done to You
26
Jan '19
After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13:12-15
Happy New Year to you and your families! I wanted to give you some insight on my resolution for the New Year. In thinking about my past year and goals that I have set, I plan to spend a Read more…
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19
Jan '19
“Vegas Rules”
19
Jan '19
“Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right.”
“You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.” 1 Samuel 12:4-5
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19
Jan '19
My Story
19
Jan '19
We are all here for a reason. There’s a story inside our lives. There are special, unique circumstances that make us who we are. Things we experience throughout our lives determine the paths we take. All of us make mistakes, nobody is immune to that. We can choose to learn from our mistakes and move forward, or we can choose not to. When we choose to move forward, God opens doors that we have kicked closed. Sometimes God leads us on a journey to teach us to depend on Him. When we are so stubborn and determined because we think we know Read more…
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19
Jan '19
Fraud
19
Jan '19
If I’m being completely transparent (and I totally am), I find it peculiar that I find myself in situations where I need to go back and read my own blogs for encouragement. What is that? WHY is that? If that doesn’t make a person feel like a “fraud”, I don’t know what does. I think this is why we have to keep reaching out to God, because if we find ourselves slipping a bit, we’ll end up in a place wondering how we got there, and in my case, wondering how strong I could’ve been to write the words that I had written “previously” (by going back and reading Read more…
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19
Jan '19
Battles in the Kitchen
19
Jan '19
Written by: Mandi Greene
My kitchen feels like a tornado ripped through it. The new flooring that my husband installed just last year has been torn up, the refrigerator is in the the dining room, and the dining room chairs are laying sideways across the hallway to stand in as a baby gate. It began when I noticed water seeping up between the planks in our flooring. It turned out that the water Read more…
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12
Jan '19
Don’t Block the Blessings
12
Jan '19
We are all familiar with social media. We have friends, followers, or have established online groups where others with similar interests join and collaborate. It’s usually a fun time with these other people on the other side of the screen. They throw likes our way, they comment with compliments or similar points of view and they even give great ideas on various subjects… until they don’t. It’s then that you open up your social media account and see something you don’t like. “Did they really just say that?”, we ask ourselves. We can either be Read more…
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12
Jan '19
Meditation and Application
12
Jan '19
I will keep on obeying your instructions
forever and ever.
I will walk in freedom,
for I have devoted myself to Your commandments.
I will speak to kings about Your laws,
and I will not be ashamed.
How I delight in Your commands!
How I love them!
I honor and love Your commands.
I meditate on Your decrees. Psalm 119:44-48
forever and ever.
I will walk in freedom,
for I have devoted myself to Your commandments.
I will speak to kings about Your laws,
and I will not be ashamed.
How I delight in Your commands!
How I love them!
I honor and love Your commands.
I meditate on Your decrees. Psalm 119:44-48
What am I going to do in 2019? There were many milestones that I reached last year. One was making it
to twenty years at Thomson Reuters. Not too shabby for a person who had not stayed anywhere longer Read more…
to twenty years at Thomson Reuters. Not too shabby for a person who had not stayed anywhere longer Read more…
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