For those of you who are new to my blog, welcome! I have decided to use this space to spend time writing about what God is doing in my life, how I am serving God, and write reviews of books. I haven't been reading a lot lately, so I don't have any new reviews to write. Hopefully I start reading more soon. I do have some leadership books that I am about to start, but I am not sure if I will include these in my reviews.
Now, for those of you who have stuck around with this blog for a while, thank you for being a loyal reader. It means a lot to me! I have decided to delete a bunch of my older posts because they simply weren't reflecting where I want to take the blog.
I also wanted to take this post to take some time to explain how I decided to lay out this blog. I feel that God is calling me to reach out to the people that "normal" church goers don't want to reach. This means those who are found in the "smoking sections" of life. I don't mean I feel called to reach those who are smokers, but it means that I want to find a way to reach those who are often forgotten by society. I might get a lot of flak for listening to the music I listen to and watching the films I chose to watch and that is okay with me. I know that there are people out there who enjoy these things just like I do. If God can use my interests to reach a single person, then it is worth it in my mind.
I've been given a sense of empathy because of the experiences I've had in life, which is awesome because it means I can understand where people are coming from in many different ways. When coupled with the SEND training I am receiving, it makes for a very interesting way of looking at the world. Today we had a teaching from Kent Hunter about culture. I think understanding culture is an important part of being a missionary. The culture in which you're operating needs to be understood to be effective. I also think that it is important to remember not to live in a way that you are participating in the sin you find in that group of people.
I know that I have decided to choose an interesting background image for my blog. I think the barbed wire represents in a modern way, the thorns used to make a crown for Christ. It also reminds me of the prisons we all find ourselves in. I think it is important to remember that we are all imprisoned in some fashion in our lives. This truth really hit home when we went as a group to Ohio to learn about prison ministry through SEND. Even though some people are behind bars for their actions, I am no better, because I live in prisons I've made myself through my actions. This is a good reminder for any Christian that we are called to help redeem the lives of people to help them find freedom from sin.
I know that is impossible in a few ways, as we live in a world where no one is perfect. In fact, I John reminds us that anyone who says they are without sin is a liar. On top of that, the truth is not in them. However, we are saved when we repent of our sins. Repent literally means to turn away from something. We are called to turn away from our sins as Christians and turn to Christ instead. Christ is the ultimate place to be freed from our self made prisons.
This blog is a place I am dedicating to writing about how God is moving in my life. This can be in any way that God decides to move, whether that is through SEND or if God gives me a clearer vision on what He wants in my life. I know God is calling me to be a pastor and it will be interesting to see how God takes me on that path as I know that there are only two avenues for me in the Lutheran church.
I also feel that God is calling me to bring life back into the Lutheran denomination, even though this is a huge task. I know that if it's God's will, God will foot the bill. I know it isn't the exactly same application, but it has truth. If it's God's will, God will make it happen.
I am excited to see where God calls me and even though I'm feeling kind of beaten down by what is going on in my life right now, I am reassured knowing that it's in these times that God grows me the most.
