Hey friends, welcome back to my blog! It has been so long since I last posted but for good reason. I have been extremely busy with school. And by busy I mean, when I get home I am so tired that I do not feel like typing out all of my amazing blog post ideas! LOL
Anywhooooo.....
Today is a very special day in my heart. It is not quite my
birthday…not in a traditional sense at least, but as I sit here and write this I
can’t help but feel like it is indeed my birthday! Okay, I’m done beating
around the bush!
On this very day, seven years ago, I got baptized!
So exciting; I know!!
I like to think of this day as my birthday (this is totally
new! I haven’t done this for the past seven years) because it was the day I
became a new creation in Christ!! And thank God for it because I am far from
perfect!
Today I really thought about a lot of things. I thought
about my life the past seven years and it was kind of scary I can’t lie but it
was a beautiful time of reflection. I took a moment this morning to quickly
have a conversation with God and thank him for this day, for this moment seven years
ago, for the future, and for everything in-between. I listened to a few bible
stories on my You Version Bible App
and then went about my day. I don’t know if it was because I had a busy morning
but I was waiting to get some sort of holy sign. My morning was smooth…it was
enjoyable but I think I put a lot of pressure on the day.
It wasn’t until my drive home that I felt the spark. I was
listening to K-Love and a little segment
from Levi Lusko came on. He was talking about how he has heard of some pastors
who look down on New Year’s resolutions and they wondered why people would want
to change their lives if God has made them the way they are. Well Lusko’s point
was like hold up, why not accept change? Aren’t God’s mercies new every day? Isn’t
every day like a new year as a Christ follower? *cue the Oprah ah ha moment* I
was like yes! That is 100% beautiful. Not only am I accepting of those new
mercies daily but I am thankful that they happen because of my choice to completely
surrender my life to the will of God.
The past seven years of my life have not been the easiest. I
haven’t had this smooth ride because I was baptized but I have seen the effects
of radical faith. I have seen the God’s favor in situations that I never thought
would be resolved. God has taken me to new amazing places and got me out of
some low ones. There will never be enough words to express my gratitude.
If you have stuck with me this far I want to share one more
Oprah moment with you. Going off of those lows I mentioned…as I was scrolling
through my Facebook newsfeed, I accidently pressed one of Steven Furtick’s messages’
about scars. We all have scars so let’s be honest about them for a moment. Steven
Furtick was talking about how we allow ourselves to feel this unbelievable
amount of shame when it comes to where we have been. We wear jackets and turtle
necks, so to speak, just to cover up those scars. But then he says guess what? Did
you ever think those scars…the things that have caused you so much pain in your
life might be something that produces so much power in your life! I got to thinking
about how God can use all of your hurt as a means to helping others, or
starting a program, or just sharing your testimony with a friend. The things we
are ashamed of do not have to have to be a stronghold on our lives. Those chains
have been broken.
So I am trying to come up with a way to end this blog and a
few things are on my mind. Don’t be afraid of what has happened in your life. Because
God’s mercies ARE new every day we are able to have that ‘fresh start’. We do
not have to live a life of embarrassment or shame. We can treat each day or
semester or month as a new year. We can make tweaks and changes in life. We can
strive to be a better person, follow God in a whole different way, volunteer,
get involved in church, we have those amazing opportunities because not every
day is promised and each day God wakes us up is a day to chase after our dreams
and love out brothers and sisters in Christ with like unconditional love.
I feel like I have ranted for a while but it was truly on my
heart. A few verses I want to share with whoever is reading this right now are
1. The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies
never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations
3:22-23 NLT
2. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a
new person. The old life is Gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
Thank you reading!
xx,
C
