12 Harmful Lies I Believed Growing Up in the Church

Sunday school, church attendance, VBS, AWANA, Keepers of the Home, Backyard Bible Club, purity conferences, homeschool co-ops... all of these church-y activities were a major part of my growing up years. There are so many positive ways growing up churched influenced my character for the better. And yet, hidden and twisted with the good things were many untrue (if not downright harmful) lies the church told.

Disclaimer: I speak from my own personal experiences growing up in Evangelical "non-denominational" and Bible believing churches. I seek to follow Christ in every area of my life and have a personal relationship with Him and presently am involved in church and Christian activities so I am by no means discounting the Church as a whole. I'm always still growing; these are just things that have recently come to light and been on my heart.

And so,
Lies I Believed Growing Up in the Church: 

1. More rules means more holy. Hypocrisy is what the Church is most often criticized for. It's easy to be hypocritical when you have several dozen extra rules you've made for yourself beyond the scriptures or words of Christ. That's exactly what Jesus called the Pharisees out for -- adding to the Word of God. Jesus told us to love God, love people, and keep His commandments. The difference between a personal conviction ("I prefer not to drink alcohol") and making it a die-hard rule you expect everyone else to follow ("Alcohol is evil and sinful") is one I think much of the Church has missed.
2. There's one right way to do everything. There's a lot in this world we make far too complicated. There's also a lot we over-simplify and in doing so harm others. Certain issues, Biblically speaking, are pretty black and white. Other issues aren't as cut and dry -- how you vote, how you dress, where you go to church -- and while all choices ultimately affect our lives and the person we grow to be, there's not a single correct way to approach every single issue.
3. You just have to work harder to walk in the Spirit and bear fruit.  The Fruit of the Spirit is one of the most popular passages cited across Christianity. Love, joy, peace, etc. sounds good to everyone, right? But the lie I believed was that if you tried a little harder, you could be more loving. If you worked more at it, you could experience joy and peace. But the very point of the fruit of the spirit is that they are of THE SPIRIT, not my own attempts at being a better person. The supernatural self-sacrificial love of Christ flowing out of me is far more powerful than any feeble attempt of mine at affection. What I've learned now is that I need to seek God and His spirit to experience and display these fruit, not pridefully think I can just do a little better.
4. You shouldn't be friends with anyone who is less "holy" than you. There's a verse, "Bad company corrupts good morals," that was wildly taken out of context and misapplied that caused major confusion. While there's truth in the sentiment that you'll become like those you spend time with, this should not mean that we shun anyone with lesser morals than we have. What is that if not pride and judgment? There are certainly people whose choices aren't good influences that you maybe aren't going to become best friends with -- but that is not the same thing as refusing to have a conversation or spend any time with them. The lie I believed was that if I saw someone who wasn't making good choices in their life, I should run the other direction and not speak with them aside from a polite hello if passing in the hallway. Jesus paid the price for all sinners, so who am I to think I'm somehow better than anyone else.
5. Compassion and understanding aren't necessary around sin. Sin offends the holiness of God; that's the truth that was distorted with the sentiments that because X was a sin, all we have to do is label it and move on. She's pregnant and not married -- adultery. Labeled. Done. But did Jesus label and move on? No. Jesus had conversations and meals with sinners, healed their hearts and bodies, and showed compassion. If someone is living in habitual sin, having the compassion to realize the situation they're in is hard (Abstaining from pre-marital sex is hard. Being a teenage mother is hard.) models what Jesus did, not just judging and seeing no need to empathize with their situation. Sin is still sin; but no one benefits when we simply scream something is wrong and run away.
6. You should hold non-believers to the same standards as believers. As a young teenager, I was always shocked when someone used bad language, had sex outside of marriage, or didn't believe abortion was stopping the beating heart of an unborn child. What I realize now is that our friends who don't follow of God and have His Spirit haven't been redeemed from sin. So we cannot expect the same moral obligations from someone who isn't walking in the Spirit. 
7. Faith means you shouldn't have vision for your life. This concept of trusting God and having faith is a good and Biblical one, but the lie I believed stemmed out of the extreme context in which this was taught. I've seen so many friends my age who now have no idea what to do in their life because the mentality that was taught was just to have faith for the moment and not give thought to the future. This is so damaging when we have young adults who have no vision and direction in their life -- especially when it's justified with "faith" and "trusting God," taken wildly out of context. God calls His people to wisdom, to plan the way while the Lord directs the steps, and to seek to further His kingdom.
8. Your body is temporary and unimportant. These bodies we have are not eternal, sure, but the lie I believed was that since they're not eternal, they're not important. Pain? Ignore it. Sickness? Keep silent. But God created our bodies in HIS OWN IMAGE. They can be used to glorify and serve Him. They're important and they're important to take care of. Ignoring pain or illness is not somehow "more holy" and this teaching was so harmful in the lives of many who are dear to me who have chronic illnesses and have been taught that their bodies are not as important as their spirits so they just need more spiritual discipline.
9. Forgiveness is contingent upon your confession. Whenever we'd take communion, we'd be given sometimes up to 10 or 15 minutes to pray silently and confess any sins we'd committed that week as well as pray God would forgive any sins we didn't remember. Confessing our sins and receiving forgiveness from God is indeed good and important, but the lie I believed was that my forgiveness was contingent on my remembering any and all sins I'd committed. But friends, Jesus Christ has already paid for all our sins. He forgives whether I remember or not.
10. Depression and mental illness are just sin. Not only were depression and mental illness dismissed as "faking" but it was taught that they were simply sin clinically disguised. That lie harms our perspective of brothers and sisters struggling with these issues, and invalidates any of our own struggles as well. Scientifically and medically speaking, mental health issues are real (often biological) issues. We don't tell people with a broken arm that they are in sin. In the same way, we cannot tell someone struggling with depression they just need to "snap out of' their sin. We need compassion and willingness to help and serve those struggling. 
11. Modesty means hiding your body. The concept of dressing modestly to respect yourself, respect the body God created, and respect others around you is a good one. But the lie I believed was that I needed to be ashamed of my curves and female body lest it caused a guy to lust after it. God created the female body uniquely and HE put hips, breasts, and curves on women. Feeling shame over a body God gave is just ridiculous. Modesty is not about being ashamed of your body. It's a beautiful way to respect the body God's given you and the other people around you God has also created.
12. All physical contact with the opposite gender is sexual. The lie I believed was that since sex is supposed to be saved, all physical contact can potentially lead to sex and should be avoided. But what I didn't realize is that human contact -- hugs between friends, etc. -- is healthy. The type of touch (a friendly hug vs. a sexual/passionate kiss) was never differentiated and so all physical touch got lumped together as bad. 

I think the biggest thing God's taught me is that HE is enough. Seeking to love Him and love people by keeping His commandments is enough. He doesn't need my rules, my excuses, or my judgments.

I wanted to share these things because I've seen how harmful and pervasive these lies are in the culture in which I grew up. I'm so thankful for God's wisdom that's infinitely perfect and am thankful for the Church that needs to be constantly seeking to walk in His ways, not in tradition or human wisdom. My goal is not to "bash" Christian culture, but rather to share what God's revealed to me about the Bible-coated lies.

I'd love to hear about your experiences and thoughts...

4 Tips for Healthy Cooking for One on a Budget

Cooking for a family of six is much different than cooking for one. Now that I truly only cook for myself, I've had to get creative and not just fall into the quick and easy cottage cheese and apple rut. So, here are some of my tips for cooking for one:

1. Stock up on staples. Since fruits and veggies are the base of most meals, I'll pick up whatever reduced produce I find (typically bananas, apples, bell peppers, or squash) and then whatever green is on sale (spinach, lettuce, or cabbage). I also always try to have eggs on hand for easy protein and always have beans or lentils in my pantry. Having frozen or canned fruit is also handy for smoothies which make easy meals. I also try to grab a container of yogurt or cottage cheese, again, for easy protein. I'm also learning to love frozen vegetables like green beans since they're easy to use as a base to stretch beans or chicken for a cheap meal that's easy to pack for work. 

2. Batch cook. Your freezer is one of your best friends. I typically buy meat every month and then cook it in single serving portions to pull out for easy meals. (Ground beef patties, turkey sausage patties, shredded chicken, salmon burgers made from canned salmon, etc.) If I'm really on top of it, I'll make and freeze gluten free pancakes or muffins for quick breakfasts. It's an hour every month to do this but it's super easy to just pull out a serving of meat and cook whatever veggies I have on hand for a low effort meal.

3. Meal prep at the beginning of the week. This would be the time I'll cook a batch of beans or lentils to throw on salads and use for meals, or bake up some sweet potatoes or squash. I might make a batch of granola to have with fruit and yogurt, mix together a fruit crisp, or bake a batch of coconut flour scones.

4. Do everything the night before. I go to work early most days so I decide what I'm going to eat the next day and pack it in my lunch bag before I go to bed... Not because I'm on top of life, but because making food decisions at 5 in the morning when I'm not even hungry is not something I do well. :) I also get everything ready for my coffee, add more water to my perpetually cooking bone broth in the crockpot, and prep whatever I'm having for breakfast (like putting oats in my jar for overnight oatmeal or getting the fruit and spinach for my green smoothie blended or thawing a muffin).

My Go To Meals: 
Scrambled eggs with veggies
Cottage cheese and celery
Oatmeal with fruit
Smoothies
Beans and rice
Salads with lentils/beans
Quinoa with veggies
Soups
Canned salmon burgers/fish with veggies
Shredded chicken with frozen green beans
Chicken/salmon/tuna salad lettuce wraps or salad
Peanut butter with fruit or off the spoon ;)
Chia seed pudding
Zucchini "noodle" spaghetti (I have Celiac and don't eat pasta, but pasta would work just as well!)
Roasted veggies with beans

What $15 a Week for Groceries Actually Looks Like: 
$2 Dozen eggs
$3 Almond/coconut milk or yogurt/cottage cheese (takes me two weeks to go through each of these)
$2 Fruit ($1 will buy you 3-4 apples and 5 red-banded bananas is about 50c from the reduced section)
$2 Leafy green of the week (Spinach, kale, lettuce, etc.)
$3 Veggies ($1 will buy 3 bell peppers or 3 squashes from the reduced section, then either a frozen veg or squash/sweet potatoes)
$3 rotates to buy other staples like coffee, tea or sugar for my kombucha, baking supplies, peanut butter, beans/lentils/oats, cheese, coconut oil, nuts, butter, frozen fruit, quinoa, olive oil for homemade salad dressing, etc. or something exciting like salsa or cream cheese if it's a really exciting week. ;)

Then once a month I'll spend $10 on meat (usually a pound of natural beef/turkey for $4 and a whole organic chicken which I also use for my bone broth for $6).

Obviously my staples look different from most people's since I have Celiac so I don't buy bread, pasta, crackers, etc. and build most meals around vegetables/fruits. I eat a lot of the same things, but do manage to spice it up occasionally.

~
So there you go! What are your budget-friendly, healthy eating for one tips?

Quick story as told by Jen

One quick story...

One of our trainings centered around cleaning and caring for cuts and wounds. About half of our students could not read and write, so our teaching was very hands-on and repetitive. It was fun to see even the poorest and oldest members of the community participate and learn.

After our last day of trainings and construction, we gathered with village leaders for a closing ceremony. While the ceremony was going on, a man was working in a field and a huge branch fell on his foot, cutting clear through to the tendon. Someone carried him back to the village, and his wife and mother-in-law immediately put their new training into practice, cleaning and bandaging the wound perfectly! Because of the severity of the wound, he had to travel to the nearest town for stitches and X-rays. This meant the village men carried him down the hill in a hammock, taking turns at intervals. It was amazing for us to see the village in action, caring for one another. And VERY fun to see their new skills (and new first aid kits) put to use!

Never complete

Never Complete

Throughout the week here in San Onofre, we have been facilitating sessions twice a day for the community. The main topics have been wound care and burns and basic dressings. Most people have seemed very interested in a topic so applicable to daily life here with nails sticking out of all the structures and cooking over open fires.

Today we did a women's health teaching as Nicaragua leads in deaths from cervical cancer in all of Latin America. The lack of education about female anatomy and health in general is a bit stifling but the women here were very grateful for the teaching and the opportunity to ask questions.

I actually learned a lot at today's teaching as well, as sexual health isn't a common topic I find myself needing to research. But it made me realize that both at home and in the developing world, we are all always still learning. I am sure no one ever thinks they know everything, but a substantial health education here is a basic understanding of germ theory and wound care so in moments it feels as if your medical knowledge is more than adequate in comparison. Then on days like today when I was really enjoying learning a lot of new information, I am reminded we always need to be seeking growth. (And maybe sometimes we learn and grow more than we had bargained for! :))

No one is ever complete. We are not complete in our knowledge or skills or profession, but neither are we ever complete in our walk with Christ or our relationships with others. Called to daily pick up our cross to follow Jesus, it's clear that we must continually seeking Him and we won't reach completion during our lifetime.

Knowledge is finite but relationships and people are so much more. If something finite must be continually sought after and improved, how much more should we pour into our everlasting relationships. I'm convicted and encouraged, and thankful God uses situations of teaching others to teach me.

San onofre

San Onofre

There's something utterly amazing about entering a village. Seeing the simplicity, the community, the unique aspects of rural life during that initial glance as you begin to take in your new environment -- I hope to experience many more of these moments.

I told some friends that a week in a village is kind of like camping. Although I have never particularly enjoyed camping, I am coming to realize that it's not the lack of showers or technology or conveniences that I don't like about it. Rather, I think it's more that I don't like the all the amenities we attempt to integrate into camping. We try to make life so much more complicated than it needs to be.

How many times am I guilty of peering over the simple solution to something in exchange for stress and worry, making something far more difficult than it actually is. I'm reminded of how we do this so often in our walk with Christ. Daily, follow Him. That's it. Whatever that looks like, the bottom line is simple.

I love the quiet moments, face to face conversations, refreshing bucket baths, and open air of this rural community. (So far I am still enjoying gallo pinto and corn tortillas three times a day too!) The community has welcomed our team and despite the language barrier, their love and hospitality is so special.

The health material is basic information that most kids in the US will learn by the time they're out of middle school. But it's so needed. Simple is needed.

As we spend time with the community members teaching, interacting, practicing, and sharing, I am praying for the eternal purpose of God to be worked in and through us.

I have established a reputation amongst the team for being able to sleep whatever the circumstances. I just put in my dollar store earplugs, pull my mosquito net down, nestle into my cot, and I am out. But tonight I am just so riled up about the beauty of these moments, the beauty of these people, the beauty of the God we serve, that I am compelled to spend some time writing before sleep. So often it seems life moves so quickly we forget to reflect and give thanks.

So I am thankful for the teaching we get to do with these people to empower them to take care of one another for many years to come. I am thankful for the quiet break from routine, the relationships being built, the bucket baths that are refuge from the heat, and all the gallo pinto. :)

Settling

There's this odd sense of déjà vu and yet the same feeling of anticipation of new things coming back to Nicaragua. I took a shower this afternoon and as the cold, cold water cascaded over me, I just smiled. My favorite part of last year's trip were these quiet moments to reflect and be refreshed. A seemingly insignificant thing like cold water spoke to my heart, "You are here."

I've struggled a lot leaving behind the things from home. Stress, tasks, busyness... Somehow it's been hard to not allow those things to dominate my mind as we settle in Nicaragua. But I'm reminded to be present. Be present in the moments we have here in Nicaragua, focusing on what God has for each day and minute rather than worrying about other things.

As we spend the next two days here at the Isaiah House, it feels like we are preparing for the days of outreach to come. In ways, it doesn't seem as if we are very far from home as we are enjoying the same sorts of conveniences the developed world is accustomed to. But in ways, my mind is shifting to that be present mentality and gearing up for why we are here.

Today, Sheldon at the Isaiah House shared with us a brief overview of why they do what they do and why we are here to help them. I was struck by the fact that all these areas of injustice or lack -- hunger, poverty, disease, and more -- that we are not the answer. There are so many physical needs that people have. Jesus healed people. Jesus fed people. But Jesus healed souls and changed lives also.

Jesus is the answer. Medicine, food, and education are all so important. But in and of themselves, they won't last. Unless we seek to glorify Christ in our work, and unless we act from His compassion and will, what we are doing is ultimately temporal. I am praying that as we seek to do ministry like Jesus -- meeting physical needs and spiritual needs both -- that His kingdom will be furthered and lives will truly change.

READY

The long work hours, the crazy late night packing sessions, the prayers and hugs, the errands and food prep, the team meetings -- it's ALL DONE.

The last few days have been long and insane, and I'm thankful for these few hours of rest and quiet and calm.

Tomorrow morning, the adventure begins!

Life is Beautiful

Constant in my life is that I'm always thinking, pondering, questioning, processing. Whether it's just a quiet moment by myself reflecting on life, critically thinking about a task I'm setting out to conquer, or simply observing a situation, I find myself thinking often.

Recently, I've been devoting some of my thoughts to life -- purpose, time, reasons. Often, words seem as if they fall short in putting meaning to the motivation for why we walk through life and do what we do each day. Although I firmly believe that your actions speak what your priorities are in life, I do find it helpful to articulate these things on occasion.

Life is beautiful. Sometimes moments more so than others, but we are loved by a faithful God who has so much more in mind than we can ever imagine.

Life is beautiful because we have new life in Christ.

Life is beautiful because God is gracious to work through our mistakes to further His purpose. 

Life is beautiful because there's joy in the little things. 

Life is beautiful because we get to experience relationships with friends and family. 

Life is beautiful because God cares for us and we get to care for others. 

Life is beautiful because we can always learn something new. 

Life is beautiful because this world shouts the glory of its Creator. 

Life is beautiful because hugs speak what words can't.

Life is beautiful because there is greater purpose in pain. 

Life is beautiful because laughter refreshes. 

Life is beautiful because change happens and yet the important things remain.

Life is beautiful because there's reward in diligence. 

Life is beautiful because we are never forgotten.

Life is beautiful because there's virtue in a genuine heart.

Life is beautiful because my walk with God is not dependent on how good of a person I can be.

Life is beautiful because of what we can learn in unexpected places. 

Life is beautiful.

Nicaragua: Three Weeks Away

 

Three weeks ago, it seemed like the time would never arrive. Today, it seems there isn't enough time to accomplish all the necessary tasks before leaving. A few weeks ago, I was talking with a friend about all the major items to complete before I could engage my mind in "mission mode":

1. Have wisdom tooth removal surgery
2. Move
3. Visit my family in Pittsburgh

Two of three have been complete, and I'm currently enjoying the time in Pittsburgh seeing family members.

I'm learning that there is always a lot to accomplish in life--tasks, plans, work. But becoming overwhelmed is not the solution. I'm encouraged by this article and its admonition to fix our eyes on Christ, and not the momentary struggles or worries.


This life we live is both exciting and surprising at times. Especially during this season of my life, with many components in work, school, missions, friends, and family, some days feel overwhelming. Life changes--with both the good and the unexpected. But Jesus is constant, and for that reason may we always fix our eyes upon His faithfulness.

Simplicity

In moments, life can seem like a tangled and complicated arrangement of situations, challenges, and exhaustion. We're reminded as we seek to walk in the Spirit of God that His insurmountable power and will is bigger than the overwhelming feelings we often encounter. As we seek to reconcile the faithfulness of God with the challenges of life, it seems as if we entangle ourselves in arduous attempts at understanding this life we are living.
But if there's one thing God has been gradually revealing to me in recent times, it's that His will and His plans are far less complicated than my finite mind tries to make them. This morning, I came across a quote, printed on a page of my prayer journal:

"Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy desire -- that thou mayest be stripped of all selfishness, and with entire simplicity follow Jesus only." -Thomas á Kempis

There's the clarity, the simplicity, of what our lives are about. Following Jesus. It's such a basic and obvious explanation that most of us know and could say, but do we actually comprehend that our daily callings are just to surrender our selfish hearts to Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him alone.

He's faithful. He's gracious. He is a good God. He knows the short-sightedness of our human hearts, our tendency to become overwhelmed, and our fleeting minds that become entangled with the daily cares of life. So He fills His Word with the simple commandment and admonition to follow Him.

 "Abide in me, and I in you." John 15:4

I love big words, thick books, and learning new things. So often I'm tempted to over-anaylze God's Word and become confused and overwhelmed with how to live to please Him. But He's made it so simple: wake up every morning with a willing and surrendered heart, asking how to bring Him praise that day. If there's one thing God has brought back to my mind over and over, it's the simple words from the 10,000 Reasons "Bless the Lord, O My Soul" song:

 

Jesus, refresh my heart with the simplicity of following you every day. 

Recipe: Flavored Stevia Latte

My family gifted me with a basic espresso machine a few months ago, and I've been enjoying tasty espresso drinks nearly every day (sometimes twice a day!) as well as experimenting with my favorite recipes.

I really love using honey as a sweetener, both in plain drip coffee and espresso drinks, but have been trying to incorporate more stevia (and thus, less sugar) into my diet. Well, I tried sweetening my coffee with stevia and it was less than tasty. Stevia has gotten a bad rap for having a bitter aftertaste, and let me tell ya, coffee brings out the worst of it.

However, I persevered, and made a couple of adjustments. First, I changed brands of stevia to the Trim Healthy Mama stevia. It's less bitter and the best tasting stevia I've ever had. I've even managed to convince a few stevia-haters that it's alright. Second, I used less. The more stevia you use, the more bitter aftertaste you get. A little goes a long way, so using less helps get that sweet taste without the bitter aftertaste. Third, I tried a "sweet blend" recipe with the Trim Healthy Mama brand stevia and erithrytol (a natural, GMO-free sugar substitute). This hit the spot! I don't even taste the stevia aftertaste with the sweet blend I made and can use it both plain coffee and espresso drinks.

Here's the recipe I now make often! 

Flavored Sugarless Latte: 
2 shots espresso (or 6 oz. very strong brewed coffee)
1/4 tsp flavored extract of choice (I usually use vanilla but have done almond and caramel as well)
1/2-3/4 tsp stevia/erithrytol sweet blend, depending on how sweet you like it (Recipe here)
1/3 c milk of choice (coconut is my favorite)

Steam milk with extract and sweet blend. (If you don't have a milk steamer, warm it on the stove and then pour into a mason jar and shake vigorously.) Pour espresso into warm milk. Enjoy!

Reversing Ministry

In the conservative, Christian circles of which I tend to be apart of, there's this concept of living a life of ministry. It's a good concept, a Biblical one: to serve Christ with your life and to live according to His calling for you.

We take this concept and run with it, and passionately express to the world how we're called to serve, called to be persecuted, called to live uncomfortable lives. And then we condemn everyone who doesn't have this "heart" and who aren't excited about what we've deemed is true, proper Christian service.

We get excited about serving "the least of these" and going on mission trips to third world countries to sleep on hard church floors and wipe the noses of children in rags who are without proper medical care. We get excited about being sleep-deprived stay-at-home moms nursing babies, homeschooling children, and refereeing toddler squabbles. We get excited about taking care of kids during a Bible Study, making food for the family at church who just welcomed a new baby, or shoveling the snow for our elderly neighbor.

In our valiant effort to further Christ's gospel through service, everyday life, and lowly callings, through our human sinful natures, we lost sight of the why. We've become caught up in pride and judging our brothers and sisters in Christ. We've "reversed" ministry to mean that anything that feels exciting or glamorous must not be real ministry, and anything hard or menial must be the true ministry God wants from us. But while we criticize the Church for not having their perspective on ministry right, we've missed the point.

Does God want us to serve others in practical ways, embrace lowly callings, and serve Him in whatever we are doing? YES. But when we start serving the serving and not serving the God who orchestrates it all, something's gone wrong.

We judge our fellow believers who think missions is all about the glamorous ministry opportunities or the pastors who think successful church is about attendance numbers. How immature they are to not be "sanctified enough" to see that true ministry has to be menial and difficult. We scornfully declare that REAL ministry is about the little things, the jobs nobody sees, the uncomfortable and menial tasks that no one really wants to do. We idolize ministry. And in idolizing the very ministry God has set forth to be a good thing, we prioritize our "role" in God's kingdom as higher than our very relationship with Him.

God does not "call you" to missions or motherhood or mopping the floors in the church's bathroom just so you can feel good at the end of the day that you're "doing hard things" for God. God calls you to pursue JESUS. God calls you to seek first His kingdom, to draw nearer to Him, and to take up your cross daily to follow Him. THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

Does He give opportunities for service in our everyday lives, does He value the lowly tasks necessary for His kingdom work? Of course. A seemingly menial task does not make something less important in God's eyes, but neither does it magnify its importance either. I'm a fan of stay-at-home moms, missionaries, and people who are using their workplaces as mission fields. Are humble callings high callings in the Kingdom of God? Yes. But when we get caught up in the pride and self-righteousness of how good we must be to desire such lowly and challenging callings, we dishonor Christ.

We serve a God who loves us in a crazy huge way. HE DOES NOT NEED US. He does not need the humans he created to accomplish His eternal purposes. But He's gracious. He allows us to grow in Him to become sanctified in Jesus and to serve Him with our lives and advance His kingdom. We have this beautiful gift He's given us -- the privilege to be His children and serve Him with our lives. That's a treasure we must hold with a sacred and solemn heart. We must put aside our own agenda, as holy as it may seem in our eyes, to wake up every morning and say, "Lord God, what a privilege to serve you another day! How can I be used to praise Your name and further your Kingdom today?"

I love what Leslie Ludy has to say in this excerpt from her article, "Letters from the Mission Field":
"First, realize your destination: Jesus Christ. See Heb. 12:2. Your destination is not so much a geographical location; it is a Person. Whether you are a missionary, student, employee, or stay-at-home mom, your destination is the same. HE is your pursuit. HE is the direction you are headed—and you can go there now. Do not cast your eyes about, glancing overseas, wondering if it will be this or that city or country or people group. Keep your eyes firmly fixed on Him. Where He goes, you go. This simplifies things. You do not have to obsess over where you are headed or where God is calling you. God is calling you to pursue Jesus.

"Second, realize your occupation: Obedience. See Deut. 10:12-13. As long as you are obeying His command for you, you cannot possibly do anything more for the Kingdom of God. We often dislike what He has commanded us to do, so we invent something far more interesting and then expect Him to approve of it, without recognizing the presumption and pride of thinking that our plan is better than that of the Sovereign God. Your job is to follow, not lead, the Good Shepherd. Get very still before Him and learn to recognize His voice. Determine to only walk in obedience. If He has not given you light for the next step, do not take one on your own wisdom. Wait for Him to tell you. He is always trustworthy and faithful to lead, even when His guidance comes at the last minute.

"Third, recognize who missionaries are: Regular people just like you. When Cornelius fell down before Peter to worship him, Peter “took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.” (Acts 10:26). Unhealthy idolizing of a missionary is not good for you or the missionary. Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:10). John Hyde, the man of prayer in India? Regular guy. Anyone could have what he had. God’s promises and blessings are open to all His children. George Mueller, the man of faith who made his request to God alone for supporting the orphan work? Ordinary man. You could have the same from God if you set yourself to trust Him the way Mr. Mueller did."


If you skimmed over that section and get nothing else from this little blog post of mine, take this quote from Ludy: "You do not have to obsess over where you are headed or where God is calling you. God is calling you to pursue Jesus."

We need Jesus. He does not need us, but we so desperately need Him. This song sums this up so well.
"I need you, God, but I want to need you more... I'm desperate for a desperate heart."


Lord Jesus, give us the grace, desperation, and humility to pursue and need YOU.