ORDER My FIRST Book BELOW!!! (Look in my blog post entitled Word of God, SPEAK! AFFIRMATIONS of TRUTH for Your Soul for the ordering link if you cannot see it in your view of this page!)
Well, here is another one that I wrote a while back...this one back around October of 2007 while we were living in New Jersey. (I was working in a large hospital as a Nurse Educator...this evening I was workin' the night shift. Yes, people have to be taught on the night shift, too!)
I was just beginning this new phase of my life in which I was beginning to truly let go of guilt and regret for past life choices and finally experiencing the Freedom and Peace that Faith ("Letting go and letting God") and Reconciliation bring. Anyway, here is the little ditty from the past...
My Evening of Enlightenment
As I sit here alone, in an empty classroom in the hospital, the lone clock in the room reads “1:15am”. Not much going on around here. The cafeteria is closed. The halls are silent. I am left here pondering my life. Where am I going? What am I doing? What is my purpose?Where will I be this time next year…and doing what? All of these things I have no real concrete answers to. Only hopes, desires, and aspirations.
It is difficult not knowing what tomorrow holds. I like to be in control, or at least think I am. I want to be able to plan out the details of my life.
What do you know!?! Just as I was sitting here, writing and pondering alone, an unexpected visitor showed up. A very kind looking gentleman, with a smile on his face, walked into my classroom to check the trashcan. He is a housekeeper here in the hospital. Of course, at 1:15am, the trashcan is quite empty! Anyway, once he did his duty, he invited himself to have a seat in one of the many empty chairs in the room and strike up a conversation with me.
Of course, one of the first things he asked is, “Where are you from?” I told him, “Louisiana.” And he proceeded to say that he could hear the accent and that he is from the South, too…North Carolina. He then continued with the usual familiar questions about Katrina and whether I was from that area, etc… Then, as we talked more about it, I began to pick up subtle hints that he is a believer. He even began to elaborate more on some of his thoughts about life and God. As he was talking, I would verbalize my agreement, which soon led to him asking me what denomination I am. We then continued into a good, long talk about our shared faith and beliefs. He talked a lot about how he is a part of a group who is bringing together people of all faiths, races, and denominations. As we were wrapping up our conversation so he could go back to work, he asked me my name and said that his name is “Donald.” Donald…one of the many ways God chooses to show Himself in human form when we least expected.
I couldn’t have made this one up if I tried! What a blessing! What a welcome reminder of an answer to some of those things I was pondering just before Donald arrived!
What is my purpose? The same as it always has been since I was created by God…to live a life that glorifies Him so that others can see Him in me, as I just did in Donald. All of those other questions don’t even matter anymore!
Ponder that!!!
(Side note: By the following June, we had much to my happiness moved to New Orleans...remember the Katrina reference!?! I could have never planned nor made that one up, either! Less than a year before moving, I was sitting there writing this and thinking there was no way we would ever be able to move closer to home anytime soon. I was wishin' and hopin' and dreamin'...and prayin'...but, man, our God is good the way He works things out so ironically and perfectly!!! Jeremiah 29:11 - Look it up!!!)
Okay, I know you're thinking I'm crazy...2 posts in one night!?! Really, I have had this one written down for a while, and just haven't had the chance to post it as a blog yet. Anyway, here you go...(you're gonna love my visual effects!)
Lessons in the Sago Palm
Well, my mother-in-law, Loretta, has had a couple of Sago Palms on her porch for several years of the time that I have known her. However, it wasn't until I had one of my own while living down in New Orleans that I was able to observe how it grows/produces new growth.
Prior to this time of new growth (which I observed in April 2009 and wrote this at that time), I have only known this plants "fronds" to be sharp, pointed, and painful to be poked by ("They'll put you're eye out." as your mama always said), though they are beautiful and long and a deep, shiny green when healthy.
However, this spring (of 2009) I noticed some short (about 12 inches tall), light tan-ish growths in a cluster in the center of the old growths.
Within only a few days, these growths grew taller/longer and turned a nice light green. Even more interesting, they opened up a little as compared to before and began to resemble their older fore-runners.
In contrast to the older, established ones, these new growths were very soft-to-the-touch and even curled up, rather than straight/sharp/pointy.
Over the next few days they opened up more and became more straight and began to even more resemble their older fore-runners - - - - -
-----However, their look being so similar was misleading, because they were still very soft-to-the-touch and were even not yet pointy nor painful at the very tips like their older cousins. Now, (as I was writing this) a few weeks into this progression, they are becoming more firm and rigid and truly blend in with their forerunners.
The lesson I saw in this...
We are often like the Sago Palm.
We start out curled up (literally, in fetal position in the womb), and we are soft, tender, and gentle.
Slowly, over time, we begin to open up though we still remain soft, tender, and gentle - for the most part.
However, after prolonged exposure to this world and its elements, we often begin to become hard, rigid (cynical), even defensive and unapproachable and/or untouchable to the point of inflicting pain if approached too closely or touched.
Something is to be said for life-lessons as well as establishing ourselves, at times. However, we need to be careful to not be like the Sago Palm and allow ourselves to develop into these hard, defensive, unapproachable people who stay that way and never change.
A friend of mine very recently asked me "What's your story?" So, I came up with what I called a "Cliff Notes" version of my life story. In case you have been curious (or not) - whether you already know me fairly well, you don't know a lot about me beyond the surface, you know very little about me, or you don't know me at all - I thought I would share with you what I shared with that friend...my life story...in a nutshell...mind you, lots of gaps that may or may not be filled in for you over time (remember, it's not about me...I'm just here as a messenger to point you to Someone much higher and more important than me)...
Well, born & raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. Parents divorced when I was 6 mos old. Mom remarried when I was 1 1/2 yrs old. Dad remarried a few years later to someone from Oklahoma & moved there. Do not have recollection of meeting my dad (again) until I was about 5 yrs old and was very confused, b/c my daddy was at work. Did not want to go to the park w/this man & his wife. Later got to be very close to them & thankful for them. Wonderful 2nd set of parents to be blessed with.
Oh, and my parents (mother & step-dad) were heavily into pot, drugs, alcohol, & pit-bull raising/fighting - all up until I was about 5 or 6. Then, they got saved as a result of a preacher and another church man from a nearby church trudging their way past the pit-bull on the chain in the front yard to come visit and tell dad (step-dad) that Jesus loves him. He never recalled having been told that before. Anyway, their/our lives changed dramatically for many years, though not w/o struggle. I pretty much grew up in church from the time they got saved on, though we changed churches alot - I believe we were in search of the perfect church and people who all believed exactly like we thought we did. It definitely made me very well rounded, along with moving around town a few times and changing schools several times. If you read my blog (as you are doing right now) you'll see in one of the posts that I have come to a point in my life where I truly regret nothing. Everything happens for a reason and makes me who I am today. Long story short, I got baptized 3 times, though the 3rd time (my junior year in high school) was the time I believe I really gave my life to the Lord. Still, a few years later I chose to deliberately go down a road of denying God and avoiding what I knew to be true and right, until finally one day - married just over 2 years, with a 15 month old frequently sick baby (no insurance, new job for both of us), stuck in New Jersey with no family (but us) nor friends in the dead of winter, brand new to the area - God had me flat on my back faced dead-on with my absolute need for Him and hopelessness without Him. I can't even put it into words, except to say that it was then that I started on a new journey on a whole new level with God - so much more real & honest & true than I ever thought possible. No pretenses, no expectations, just me and Him and a little glimmer of faith. And now, struggles and all, I am still plugging along on that journey, learning as I go - often the hard way, but not always. And, in turn, I have lost almost any fear of what others might think about me & the stands I have chosen to taken, and instead I have begun to really try my best to share the things I have learned or even the many random thought processes I have had...hoping that somehow someone can come back from that hopeless, helpless point like I did and give up the fight and just let go & let Him be their everything!
Wow! Didn't plan to say all of that, but that's just how it goes sometimes!
And there it is...in a nutshell. What's YOUR story!?! (Cliff Notes version, since Blogger comments won't accept more than 4,096 characters!) ;-)
So...how's the New Year going for you so far? I know...hasn't had much of a chance to go any real direction yet, but, hey, that's the beauty of it! Now, I can't wait to see where it's gonna take us!
For my first post of the New Year, I want to share a response I just finished writing via email to a friend of mine who is a professed Agnostic and reads my blog faithfully. He has had two very good, but very long comments that he tried to post to a couple of different posts of mine, but...in case you didn't know...Blogger's comment fields do not accept more than 4,096 characters!!! So, cut some vowels out of your words if you try to post a comment that is inching up on being that long! (I really wish his would have fit, as they have some very interesting and probably commonly shared thoughts in them.) So, until the Blogger computer programmers decide to increase their comment field space, I will just have to share some snip-its with you that you may find of interest. I believe my friend of whom I am speaking will not mind a bit, as like I said, he attempted to share his comments publicly himself.
What I am actually going to primarily share with you right now is a portion of my response to his most recent comment. So, keep in mind that some of my statements are specifically spurred by some of his. Either way, I think you'll follow it just fine. And, please feel free to comment (in 4,096 characters or less!) anytime!Oh, and by the way, he DID take me up on the challenge...(see November post "What's with the name?")...have you!?!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (additions I just now added in Bold Italics in parentheses)
I know you said you couldn't help but think that it was specifically directed to you. Honestly, yes, a small portion of it (#3, b, ii - to be exact) was written with you in mind as well as knowing that I have many friends and family who could possibly be reading it that think very much like you. (Hence, why we get along so well!) However, the majority of it, as you can see by the layout of it, was written with various "target audiences" in mind (some specific individuals as well as some generalized groupings, if that makes sense at all). (If you felt or feel the same as him, like any of these are directed at you, I am not necessarily intending that, but if that's how it feels then there must be something to it...meaning maybe the topic being discussed that is hitting home is one you need to strongly consider.)
I must say, I am glad to hear that you took me up on the challenge. That's more what I was fishing to find out than anything. Did you read the whole book, or did your gauntlet stop you "in the beginning"? (That was a pretty good pun, if I do say so myself!)
Seriously, though, as far as answers to all of your questions and points made...I do not and will not pretend to have them. (As I have said before, I have had many of the same thoughts and questions myself over the years.) Neither will I attempt to proselytize you, as I know you likewise are not doing to me. I merely am here to share with you the Essence of who I am - Jesus in me. Though I cannot begin to battle wits with you in the intellectual realms, nor do I want to - battle with you is the farthest thing from what I would ever want (I, of course, mean that in a very complimentary and endearing way.)...I merely can share with you why I am the person that you know and are kindred spirits with. How you chose to respond to that is, well, not something I intend to try to force a certain direction, nor is it of my concern. I respect your very thoroughly contemplated and eloquently expressed views and honestly do not feel it is my responsibilty to change them.
- Yes, I do whole-heartedly believe there is a God and that He loves me (and you and all of the world - John 3:16) and that He is working out His divine plan in my life (as in everyone's) every minute of every day. (I know all of that opens up several more cans of worms, but I am just stating who I am and what I believe. I leave the cans of worms up to Him.) - My life is not defined by my death, rather by His death on the cross for me (John 3:16). - And because my life is defined by my acceptance of His gift of His death on the cross, my life is truly now and forever an eternal life. - And, because of His death, I may die a physical death (even before I have the chance to see you again, or not) but I now and forever am free from having to pay the ultimate price of spiritual death and eternal separation from God that is the price of my inherent sin-nature. - I, at one time,worked very hard to believethat there wasnothing beyond this life and no meaning to my existence, because that for me was much easier (in a sense) than living with the knowledge that I would one day face my Maker and have to give an answer as to why I did not choose to accept His costly-to-Him yet free-to-me gift. - Honestly, though,for me, convincing myself of the nothingness of life and existence was a very tiring and difficult struggle. Something always, deep down, ate at me and would not let me ultimately and deeply believe what I was trying so hard to believe. I had many of my own "gauntlets", as you so cleverly and accurately call them, that would be thrown down in my face right and left. I was just never at peace, not once, the entire time I was trying so hard to believe in a way that seemed to lend itself to the most peaceful, freeing, and consequence-less life possible. I read things, even in the Bible, that I attempted to use to prove what I so wanted to believe, but ultimately, for me, it was all a dead end...a dead end that lead to life, that is. - I cannot begin to explain to you in words what it feels like to have "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Phil. 4:7), but I can only hope that one day you may come to experience that for yourself. - I cannot begin to describe to you in words what it is like to know and feel "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3) who is always with me - Emmanuel. - I cannot begin to accurately explain to you in words what it is like to pray, not just seeking an answer - though those often do come, rather just to pray - to talk to the One who knows me better than anyone on this earth ever could (because He made me just the way I am, my faults and all, just like He intended for me to be) - to cry to Him, knowing He understands every struggle I face and that He, because He was once on this earth as a human (as is so well chronicled in the Book of John), understands so truly those human emotional as well as physical experiences that I have. - These are all things I cannot explain to you in words as much as I may try, because they are things you just have to experience for yourself to understand. - I realize you may not agree that there is any legitimacy to experiences such as these, at least in your own life, but all I can say is that they are very real and very legitimate in my life. - I would never want to nor try to force you to feel these things for yourself by succumbing to agreeing with me on anything or everything I have put forth. However, because of what I know in my heart to be true, I can only hope that you, my very dear friend, can and will also one day come to experience my God for all He is and even come to a point that (one can dream, can't she!?!) you will even call Him your God one day. Not because I want so bad to be right, nor that I want to say "I told you so" or anything at all like that, rather because I know the love and peace and freedom that comes with knowing and accepting Him and the gift He offers us all.
- Again, I must remind you that, as much as it may sometimes seem otherwise, I truly am not trying to proselytize you, rather I am merely sharing my heart and the Essence of who I am with you, for all it is worth.
And with that, I will wish you all a very Happy New Year! Please share your heart with me as I have with you.
Life...it just keeps happening...it's kinda funny that way! Oh, well, I suppose the fact that life does go on is definitely something to be thankful for, especially during unexpected difficult times. Can I get a witness!?!
Ok, so, since it's been a while since I blogged and all, I bet you thought you were off the hook! Wrong!
So, tell me...how's that challenge/homework going for ya? (You know, the one I dared you with back on the November 11th post...go check it out if you are just now reading my blog for the first time...but you others have no excuse...you know the challenge I'm talking about!) No, seriously, I do want to know how you're doing with it. In case you're wondering...I'm still plugging along at it. Soooo much I'm learning, too!
Well, there are only a few options of answers for"How's the challenge/homework coming?"
1. "I've started, but I haven't gotten all the way through yet." - Well, I must say, very good! Seriously, I know you may be beating yourself up over it a little (or a lot), but I promise, sometimes you just have to do things at your own pace. And, believe it or not, that is exactly the pace at which you should be doing it. The main thing is...just don'tquit! Don't give up! Keep reading and considering all that is there and you will be sooo glad you did! - Are you hung up on something? Do you have questions that have surfaced? Ask. I may not know the answer, but I can sure try to help you find out.
- By the way, for any of you at whatever stage in this, one thing I have learned very well lately is to not wait until you (or I) have all of the answers and get it all figured out (we never will...no one can). Take Him as you know Him right now, the way He has revealed Himself to you up to this point in your life, especially through the book of John as you are working your way through this challenge. He will progressively answer more of your questions and show you more of Himself in your life as you are honest about what you do know (little or much) and act on the knowledge you do have.
2. "I've already finished." - Awesome!!! Now, did you really consider it as you were reading it? If so, what kind of thoughts did you have? What different things did you learn (or are you still learning, rather)?Please share.
- Do you remember the part about Him feeding the extremely large crowd of people? Did you catch a couple of the lessons in that?
Like for instance, sometimes in order to realize that God is at work we have to realize how humanly impossible the situation is.
Also, when we are dealing with something that is so impossible, are you one who takes whatever you have (strength, hope, energy, belief, money, etc. - even as little as it may be) and brings it to Him knowing He can take it and multiply it like He did the food that day and do something you could have never dreamed possible!?!
Here's an awesome quote for you from my study of John I am going through (called BSF, in case you want to know more about it). It's related to a lesson to be learned from the boy who gave his small lunch to be used that day, not knowing if he would even get to eat any of his own lunch, but just thinking that he might could be of some help...
"You must risk in faith before you know by experience."(Will you take that risk!?!)
3."I haven't started at all..." (followed by one of the following:) a. "...but I do plan to, just haven't done it yet."
Again, I'm very glad you plan to (of course, it doesn't matter whether I'm glad or not...you don't have to please me...you don't owe anything to me...this is all for YOU...for YOUR benefit, not mine.). Do start as soon as you get a chance, and I will say the same to you as I did above in #1..go back up there and read that again.
b. "...and I don't plan to at all." (To which I will then ask "Why Not?" and your response will quite possibly be very close to one of the following:) i. "I already know what it says, because I've read all or most of John as well as the rest of the Bible so many times over the years...not to mention all of the sermons I've heard on it (or even preached on it). So, really, what's the point? I already know all there is to know."
Really? You do? I do understand what you are saying, as I have thought and told myself the very same thing several times, for several years of time as a matter of fact.
Is it really that you think that there is no way you could see/read/learn anything new by reading John again...or could there be more to it?
Let's think about this. Time to really get honest. I dare you!
Could it be that you have been rationalizing your life and way of thinking for so long that you don't even realize that - even though you say you are happy with your life and the way you are living it and are furthermore not doing anything wrong - could it be that you are actually refusing to "come to the light lest your deeds be exposed" and you have to face and admit the fact that you have been wrong after all? (quoting from BSF and John 3:18-21, not to mention my own experience)
I know it's terribly difficult and even humiliating to consider that you might have to hear "I told you so.", even if it is your own self saying it! (And, honestly, you are probably the only one who will say that to you...soooo many people in your life will be so overjoyed and refreshed to see the change in you and the obvious joy in your life that they won't even think twice to welcome you home with loving, forgiving, caring arms.)
No one can judge you, because no one on this earth is above sinking to the lowest depths imaginable...and each of us truly knows that about ourselves.
ii. "I don't believe in God, so there is no point in reading the Bible. It's no more real than the mythological writings."
Do you believe everything else that you read? Fiction? Mythology? Folklore?
If you read other things KNOWING they are not true nor real, then what will it hurt to read this one book of the Bible, John? Besides, it's nowhere near the length/size of many highly read literary works (the likes of which you may enjoy reading as well).
Why not just take this intellectual challenge and read it once through?
I'm not asking you to believe it. As a matter of fact, you can even leave out the prayer part of the challenge if that's just way too "out there" for you. No big deal. Give it a shot.
Again, as I said when I first issued the challenge...I dare you! I'll even up the ante now...I DOUBLE DOG dare you! :o) To quote a pretty great movie, "What are you...yellow?" (McFly...Hello...is anybody home!?!) Ok, just had to throw some humor in there somewhere, whether you caught it or not. :o)
Well, there's my re-cap of catching up on the ole assignment. I'll leave you on this Christmas Eve with one more wonderful, thought provoking quote from BSF that is really a pretty cool concept to me...especially at this gift-giving time of year that all began back withTHE Gift that was so lovingly and undeservingly given to us.
"One who receives God's Gift of Jesus Christ and eternal life GIVES TO GOD to gift of one's love, thankfulness, and life."WOW! What a concept! WE actually give TO HIM when we RECEIVE the Gift He offers US! If only I could convince all of these people at Christmas that I really AM giving to THEM by receiving FROM them!!! What!?! You don't think that'll fly!?! Me either! But, I'm thankful it really DOES fly with Him!!! :o)
Merry Christmas to ALL!!!!! :o) God DOES love YOU! Stop fighting it, and receive it!!!
First, just to let you know, I finally got to fix my blog settings to where anyone should be able to post comments...whether you have a Google/Gmail account or not (use "anonymous"). Sorry it wasn't set right before, but I look forward to hearing from you all now!
Now...I actually wrote this post a few days ago but have just gotten around to typing it up and posting it...
As you look back over your life, do you recall any "What was I thinking!?!" moments and/or stages of your life?
Yep...same here! Tons of 'em!!!
Now, if you had the chance to go back and do some or all of those differently in light of what you know now...would you? (Think hard before you respond to that!)
I would have honestly said yes to that question if you had asked me at many points prior to now...
However, I have come to a point in my life in which I can honestly say that, with all of those "What was I thinking!?!" moments included, I have NO REGRETS...and furthermore I would not go back and change a thing.
How can I say that, you ask? Well, true, if I knew then what I know now I would have most likely done things differently in some or all of those moments. BUT, now that I am where I am and I am who I am (not that I am anyone amazing or have everything all figured out, by any means!), I would not change a thing in how I got to this point. Each and every moment - good and bad - has shaped me into who I am today.
Have there been times of intense hurt / pain / heartache / struggle / loss / tragedy / mistake? Absolutely!
Would I want to re-live any of those times ever again? Absolutely NOT!
BUT...
I, today, would not go back and rearrange any of the circumstances / situations / choices in those times or any - even if I could.
Reminds me of a very familiar (and loved by me) movie at this time of year...Oh, come on, you know...
"It's a Wonderful Life!"
Was George Bailey's "Wonderful Life" the one he went back and made all of the changes to...
or the one he already had all along - deep in debt, creeky old house, sick kids and all?
Do you ever feel like that? I'm sure you do. Seriously...I haven't blogged in so long because soooo much in life is happening, as it has a tendency to do. And, now that I have a minute to sit down and try to collect my thoughts, they're kind of everywhere!
One thing I do know is that on the subject of Trust and Faith, one of those many unexpected things popped up that has once again caused me to (as someone I just read so eloquently put it) put some more shoe leather to the road. Honestly, with all of the various expected and unexpected things going on, I don't know how I could respond at all to them if not for having the strength of the One who cares about me enough to be my strength and hope and to even surround me with others who care about me, support me, and encourage me.
Strength...what a concept! You know, I used to ask Him to give me strength in different times of my life...that was until I went through some times in which I had to ask Him to not just GIVE me strength, but to BE my strength. I'll let you digest that one for a while. If you've been through those times like that, you may know what I'm talking about. Times when just asking Him to give you hope seems almost pointless, because He (especially in those times) has to literally BE your hope. The times when you literally have nothing left. Those times.
In light of those thoughts, I searched the word "strength" (on BibleGateway.com) and found some thoughts that speak to what I am describing...here are a few of them just in case you were curious. (Notice how they say not only that He GIVES me strength...but He IS my strength.)
"The LORD ismystrength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Exodus 15:2)
"[ For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: ] I love you, O LORD, mystrength." (Psalm 18:1)
"The LORD ismy strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." (Psalm 28:7)
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1Corinthians 1:25)
And also Hope...
"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." (Psalm 39:7)
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (Psalm 62:5)
"You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." (Psalm 119:114)
"I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word." (Psalm 119:147)
" Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever." (Psalm 146:5-6)
"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31)
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." (Lamentations 3:21-22)
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. " (Romans 12:12)
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:11-13)
"This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)
"Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." (Hebrews 6:17-19)
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:23-24)
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrew 11:1)
"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 3:14-16)
Whew!!!! I HOPE (pun intended) you stuck with me through all of that! What can I say, I can't help but get carried away with the HOPE that I have in Him! Can you blame me!?!
Okay, okay, for my skeptical friends out there...you know who you are...if you hung with me through all of that, I'm proud of you, for one! And also, I'm sure you have lots to digest and lots of thoughts about all of the above. Let me just pose this thought/question to you...
If you're the one who is right about all of this (or even the thought that God doesn't exist because you can't prove it to your mind, so all of the above is moot)...if you are right, then what will I lose by believing all of this here and now?
AND...furthermore...if I am (and His word is) right, just think of what is at stake...on both the "good" and "bad" end of it all.
Soooo...consider...ponder...digest...take a step of faith and give Him a chance. It's win-win either way if you do!
(Oh, and for all who are reading this...skeptics included...I highly recommend going back to each of those passages I listed above and finding them in the Bible and reading the scriptures and/or entire chapter around each one. Soooo much good stuff in there! Remember...an easy way to do that is on BibleGateway.com )
