Everything seems to just be...so much better lately. I am happy. HAPPY!!! That's pretty exciting. Although I am definitely not going to rely on this happiness, because it could go away...but I am enjoying it.
My conversations have been phenomenal lately. (Thanks to Freddy. Check out his Conversations series and more on iTunes; type in "thegathering" and listen to the free podcasts.)
It just seems like I am having deeper and more substantial conversations and that they are actually going somewhere and they aren't just ankle deep.
Freddy, my friend Lauren, and I stayed after at church last Wednesday and we had an incredible conversation:
Most Christians have this idea that is placed in their head that you MUST say a prayer to be saved. And that you must follow all of these rules and go through this long, churchy process to be saved. Not true. Being a follower of Christ isn't simply a prayer and a baptism and you're done. While although those things are good, it's really about the journey and about GETTING IT.
The disciples didn't get it at first. Yes, the followed Christ and were with all the time and loved him, but they still didn't quite get it. I mean, Peter had known Jesus for a long time and WALKED ON FLIPPIN WATER and still denied Jesus three times before he was crucified. But eventually, he got it and Jesus used him in extraordinary ways.
It's about the journey that you take whether or not you understand what Jesus did, who is is, what you mean to him, etc.
That conversation DEFINITELY shaped my life. That's what conversations should do, shape your life. And the conversations you have with people should reflect the conversations you are having with God and vise versa. If you can't have a meaningful, deep, real, authentic conversation with a person, your conversations with God are not going to be meaningful, deep, real, or authentic.
Lately, I have been telling more people to come to church. And, I don't say "Come!! It's fun, we have games!" (Because we kinda don't have games...just ping pong and pool. ha ha.) and I don't give them the typical church answer. I just try to let them know that it is a place where you can be real with people, and feel welcomed and maybe walk out of a place feeling just a little bit more whole or valued or whatever word you wanna feel in the blank. Church shouldn't be about boring people with the same old stuff and telling them their sinners and making everyone feel horrible and tired. Church should make you feel good and excited about life and God and make you feel like you have a group of people you can always go to and be vulnerable with and they won't judge you or hate you. I can say with confidence that our church, or maybe just our youth group will make you feel that way. Because we all know what it feels like and we are all broken. And I just wanna get the pre-conceived notions and the statistics out of the way...
That's really all that my brain can process and all that my fingers can really type for now. But maybe even later tonight, I'll be back.
I want you to have a great week.
-Liz
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