Several times over the past few months, I've thought about the idea of getting baptized. My parents had me baptized when I was a child in the Presbyterian church, but since becoming a part of a non-denominational church, I've thought about making my own public profession of faith. Like many people do, I held off because I didn't think I was ready. I didn't want to go public with my faith because I'm not a perfect example of Christianity. But guess what? No one is.
After conversations with some people in my life, I realized that baptism isn't about being the perfect Christian. It's a public profession of faith, and it's allowing God to leverage your story to reach people. That's the main reason I want to get baptized - because God can use my story in my city to reach my peers.
My walk with Christ since I prayed the prayer to accept Jesus into my heart when I was very young hasn't been without roadblocks or detours. Straying, being inconsistent, and running from the Lord are huge components to my story. I'm going to be sharing my story with a whole lot of people, and that's nerve wracking. But then I think about those 1000 individuals who will be in the room when I tell my story. I think about the people among that group who have similar stories to tell who need to hear that someone else has struggled with the same things and found redemption in Christ. That's a huge part of why I'm getting baptized.
The greatest thing is that while I'm still a sinner, Christ already died to save me from my sins. His love has won. I'm forgiven. I'm redeemed. He has washed away my sins with His blood.
That's something to celebrate.
If you would like to celebrate with me as I go public with my faith in Jesus Christ, join me at Athens Church on Sunday, October 13 at the 10:30 service. I'm so excited to share what Jesus has done and continues to do in me.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Being genuine is underrated.
In the world in which we live, being genuine is underrated.
It's not "cool" to disclose your true feelings, your fears, and your baggage to other people. We put up walls, keep up facades, and let very few people see the deepest parts of our hearts. Our problems are labeled as "baggage," and in this world, no one wants baggage. But guess what? We all have it. The people whose problems are public? You know they have it. But the people you think are perfect? They have it, too.
Being genuine wasn't important to me until my life got to the point where I realized I couldn't carry the burden of guilt over past mistakes and failures alone.
I realized that first and foremost, I need Jesus. And secondly, I need people.
Earlier this semester at Athens Church, there was a sermon that had this main point: "Genuine confession leads to genuine change."
And how true is that??
I think we (at least I...) try to deal with our sins in any way but actually confessing them. God knows our true selves, He knows the darkest, worst parts of our hearts, and we know He does, but somehow admitting our biggest faults to Him is daunting.
To me, what's more scary than confessing to God is admitting my biggest faults and confessing my sins and sharing my true feelings with other people. I think that's because I know that God loves me unconditionally, and I can really only hope that people do. I've definitely struggled with being genuine with people and exposing my issues, my faults, my burdens, and my past, because honestly, we're all afraid of being known and being rejected. We're all afraid that we're not "good enough." But such a weight gets lifted when I talk to other people about my sins, because then I don't have to carry it alone. There's that old adage that goes, "Don't air your dirty laundry..." but if you don't talk to someone about it, you're never going to feel like you can get that laundry clean.
James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
I've found that the only way healing from the burden of guilt and shame comes is through confession - to God and to people. Then when you confess to others, they confess to you, and you begin a cycle of genuinely relating to other people... that's community, and that's what we need!
So I leave you with this: one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists... "The Feeling" by Ben Rector. I always think of this song when I'm struggling to talk to other people about things going on in my life, because it basically says that although we all have different struggles, everyone's feelings are the same, so we shouldn't be carrying them alone.
It's not "cool" to disclose your true feelings, your fears, and your baggage to other people. We put up walls, keep up facades, and let very few people see the deepest parts of our hearts. Our problems are labeled as "baggage," and in this world, no one wants baggage. But guess what? We all have it. The people whose problems are public? You know they have it. But the people you think are perfect? They have it, too.
Being genuine wasn't important to me until my life got to the point where I realized I couldn't carry the burden of guilt over past mistakes and failures alone.
I realized that first and foremost, I need Jesus. And secondly, I need people.
Earlier this semester at Athens Church, there was a sermon that had this main point: "Genuine confession leads to genuine change."
And how true is that??
I think we (at least I...) try to deal with our sins in any way but actually confessing them. God knows our true selves, He knows the darkest, worst parts of our hearts, and we know He does, but somehow admitting our biggest faults to Him is daunting.
To me, what's more scary than confessing to God is admitting my biggest faults and confessing my sins and sharing my true feelings with other people. I think that's because I know that God loves me unconditionally, and I can really only hope that people do. I've definitely struggled with being genuine with people and exposing my issues, my faults, my burdens, and my past, because honestly, we're all afraid of being known and being rejected. We're all afraid that we're not "good enough." But such a weight gets lifted when I talk to other people about my sins, because then I don't have to carry it alone. There's that old adage that goes, "Don't air your dirty laundry..." but if you don't talk to someone about it, you're never going to feel like you can get that laundry clean.
James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
I've found that the only way healing from the burden of guilt and shame comes is through confession - to God and to people. Then when you confess to others, they confess to you, and you begin a cycle of genuinely relating to other people... that's community, and that's what we need!
So I leave you with this: one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists... "The Feeling" by Ben Rector. I always think of this song when I'm struggling to talk to other people about things going on in my life, because it basically says that although we all have different struggles, everyone's feelings are the same, so we shouldn't be carrying them alone.
And with that, happy Friday and happy weekend! Have a blessed day!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Intentional Joy
Today's sermon at Athens Church (taught by Jeff Henderson) was about encouragement, specifically Proverbs 11:25, which says, "A generous man will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
What it boiled down to is this: those who give encouragement will receive encouragement. This encouragement not only applies to our inner circle of relationships (family, close friends, significant others) but also to other people we encounter, whether that be people in our classes or your waiter at a restaurant or the barista at Starbucks. I began to think about how great it feels to be encouraged but how little encouragement I dole out. Then I began thinking about people who just exude infectious joy (we all know people like this, right?) and realized how encouraging and generous those people are! I have always aspired to be one of those people whose joy is infectious, but I never knew how to attain that joyful attitude. Now I think it begins with encouraging others.
The "homework assignment" from the sermon today was to keep tabs on the ratio of encouragement to criticism in your conversations and to stop making critical statements, which forces you to look for great things to say to encourage people. I started to think, "Oh, that's simple!" but quickly realized in conversation right after I got out of church that this assignment is far easier said than done. You have to be very intentional about watching what you say and making positive, encouraging statements instead of negative ones. But this week, I'm challenging myself and will be attempting to cut out negative, critical talk (and as someone who is critical of myself, that applies to negativity toward others as well as myself!), even in the midst of a crazy, stressful school week. Encouragement is so easy to give and means so much.
I realize now that I never feel joyful after conversations in which me or other people are being negative. So why engage in these negative conversations when we can bring joy and encouragement to one another instead? And beyond encouragement from conversation, there are also such easy ways to encourage people through action. Just writing a note of encouragement to a friend who's stressed out or even just because they deserve some encouragement makes an impact.
After reflecting on encouragement and the joy that will bring to my life, I think about other ways that I could work toward a more joyful attitude. I realized that for me, achieving this infectious joy is all about being intentional, just as being an encourager is.
One of the very first Bible verses I ever memorized was Proverbs 17:22, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." I think I've had this verse memorized since I could talk, but I'm just now realizing the true value of a joyful heart! So what areas of life can I be more intentional in to be more joyful?
What it boiled down to is this: those who give encouragement will receive encouragement. This encouragement not only applies to our inner circle of relationships (family, close friends, significant others) but also to other people we encounter, whether that be people in our classes or your waiter at a restaurant or the barista at Starbucks. I began to think about how great it feels to be encouraged but how little encouragement I dole out. Then I began thinking about people who just exude infectious joy (we all know people like this, right?) and realized how encouraging and generous those people are! I have always aspired to be one of those people whose joy is infectious, but I never knew how to attain that joyful attitude. Now I think it begins with encouraging others.
The "homework assignment" from the sermon today was to keep tabs on the ratio of encouragement to criticism in your conversations and to stop making critical statements, which forces you to look for great things to say to encourage people. I started to think, "Oh, that's simple!" but quickly realized in conversation right after I got out of church that this assignment is far easier said than done. You have to be very intentional about watching what you say and making positive, encouraging statements instead of negative ones. But this week, I'm challenging myself and will be attempting to cut out negative, critical talk (and as someone who is critical of myself, that applies to negativity toward others as well as myself!), even in the midst of a crazy, stressful school week. Encouragement is so easy to give and means so much.
I realize now that I never feel joyful after conversations in which me or other people are being negative. So why engage in these negative conversations when we can bring joy and encouragement to one another instead? And beyond encouragement from conversation, there are also such easy ways to encourage people through action. Just writing a note of encouragement to a friend who's stressed out or even just because they deserve some encouragement makes an impact.
After reflecting on encouragement and the joy that will bring to my life, I think about other ways that I could work toward a more joyful attitude. I realized that for me, achieving this infectious joy is all about being intentional, just as being an encourager is.
One of the very first Bible verses I ever memorized was Proverbs 17:22, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." I think I've had this verse memorized since I could talk, but I'm just now realizing the true value of a joyful heart! So what areas of life can I be more intentional in to be more joyful?
- Spending time in the Bible and reflecting on God's Word - the Maggie who is actively engaged in the Bible and the Maggie who lets quiet time and reflection fall by the wayside are so vastly different. When I've been not only reading but engaging in the Word of God, it's evident in the way I speak, the way I act, and my attitude!
- Spending intentional time with people - Everyone in college gets incredibly busy with school and work and activities, and I think sometimes we tend to use this as an excuse to avoid spending real, quality time with people. But I find that I'm most joyful when I'm setting time aside to hang out with friends over coffee or a meal and just talk about life. When you're intentionally doing life with people, happiness comes out of that. I think most of us who have ever been to a Christian wedding have probably heard the "Two are better than one..." passage of scripture from Ecclesiastes 4. We were made for community! I've realized, now that I'm not living in a dorm or sorority housing where I was constantly around people, that relationships have to be intentional, and that is definitely something I am working on.
- I'm always happiest when I'm living for God's glory. Obviously, I'm a sinner, as we all are, so I definitely know that I'm not a constant example of a model Christian. But in my RUF community group last week, we talked about looking at our decisions and paying special attention to if the way we as Christians live distracts from Jesus (we were discussing this because Justin Clement, the RUF pastor at UGA, preached a sermon over the third commandment - taking the Lord's name in vain - and "wearing God's name tag" with flippancy, which can be heard here), and I've started thinking about the conscious decisions I make that don't always reflect Jesus. It's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around, because, how can we, as inherently sinful people, live in a way that doesn't at least somewhat distract from the cross? We'll never be completely sinless, but we can try our best to reflect Christ in what we do. I know that when I try to live for the Lord, who is so much bigger and so much greater than I am and uses me in such amazing ways when I'm living for Him rather than living for my own selfish desires, I am filled with so much joy.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
End It: The Causes, The Naysayers, and The Church.
I've had this blog set up for a while, but I haven't found the inspiration to post anything... until today. I'll skip the typical, introductory, "this is me!" post and get right to the heart of what I've been thinking about today.
As most of you are probably aware, today the End It Movement launched a social media campaign for its supporters to quiet their voices on social media just as the voices of the 27 million people enslaved today, more people than have ever been enslaved in history, are silent.
I fully support the End It movement (and made a donation to the cause at Passion 2013). I also don't think anyone who has decided to silence themselves on social media today thinks that they're ending slavery by not tweeting - it's all about the awareness of the cause. But I thought that today, instead of quieting my voice on social media, I'm going to raise my voice and speak for these slaves whose voices have been silenced by modern day slavery.
I think a lot of people have a problem with the cause because it was launched by Christians (which I'll address later). However, the fact of the matter is that this isn't just a Christian cause - it's a humanitarian cause that anyone and everyone should at least be aware of. What we're fighting here is sex trafficking, forced labor, child labor, generational slavery (when people are working off their great-great-gradfathers' debts that will never, ever be paid), and general injustice.
Last night when people were posting statuses and tweets about going quiet on social media for today, it seemed like for every post supporting the cause, there was a post making fun of the cause. So I got mad. And I got frustrated. And I got upset. Because factually speaking, many of the non-profits that End It supports are actively liberating people who are enslaved, rehabilitating former victims of human trafficking, and prosecuting traffickers.
As I was getting upset by the influx of negative tweets about a cause that I believe in (and have believed in since Passion 2012, over a year ago, when I first learned about how big of an issue human trafficking is right now), about ready to post my own argumentative tweets firing back at those who were, basically, mocking the cause, I came across this passage of scripture:
This certainly isn't all the causes that End It supports, but this gives a general idea of the GOOD that these organizations are doing.
International Justice Mission (link to their website): The International Justice Mission seeks four outcomes on behalf of the people they serve - victim relief (immediate relief for victims suffering abuse/slavery), perpetrator accountability (prosecuting human traffickers), survivor aftercare (helping survivors of trafficking rebuild their lives), and structural transformation (to help deter traffickers from committing crimes). You can read more about their causes on their website.
The A21 Campaign (link to their website): Their four main goals are prevention, protection (giving refuge to those rescued from slavery), prosecution, and partnerships (partnering with law enforcement and communities to ensure that the needs of rescued victims are met).
Free the Slaves (link to their website): This organization works on the frontlines of liberating slaves and giving them refuge once they have been freed. They also do research on how to create a world that doesn't depend on slavery. Read more on their website!
These organizations and SO MANY MORE are actively fighting this cause, and that's where the money that End It Movement raises goes.
So now that you've made it this far into this lengthy blog post, here's what I have to say to the naysayers. Many of you (not all, but many) seem to have a problem with the cause rooted in A) the church and B) the failure of Kony 2012, or so it seems. I won't get into the issues with the Kony campaign because we all know them. And now that you've seen a little bit about what the organizations End It supports, you know that they don't have the same issues that Invisible Children does.
So since that Kony stuff is out of the way (and seems like a pretty fallacious argument to begin with), I want to talk about what seems like the root of people's issue with the End It Movement, that being the church, Passion, and hypocritical Christians.
When you get to the heart of Christianity, you learn that being a Christian isn't about being a "good person." It's about recognizing that you are an inherently sinful person and realizing that the grace of God and the death of His son Jesus Christ are the only way to be free from sin. Being free from sin doesn't mean you don't have sin - it means that you don't have to live in guilt and shame over your sin and brokenness, because Christ has saved us from that. Once you recognize that you've been saved by grace, your life does start to look different because you're living for something larger than yourself, but still, hypocrisy can be part of our sinful nature.
As far as the church goes, I know that Christians can be judgmental. Again, that's part of sinful nature. And I am so, so sorry that anyone has had to experience the judgment of Christians because the Bible very clearly says that we are not to judge (Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:37, and many more places in the Bible). That judgement turns people away from the church, and I hate that, because we serve a God of grace and love and acceptance. Just look at who Jesus spent time with - thieves, prostitutes, etc. Christians should be loving and accepting everyone just as Christ Himself did, and I am so sorry that there are many Christians who do not love like Jesus.
I guess what I'm trying to say after all of this about Christians and the church is that if you're not a Christian, and you have some issues with Christians, please don't allow that to cloud your ideas about the End It Movement. They really do support causes that are doing amazing things. I encourage you to take some time to research the causes in depth before you mock them or argue against them.
Finally, I just wanted to address the argument that this cause is first world people dealing with third world problems. That argument is completely blown out of the water by the fact that we are people with resources to contribute to causes that are actively working to end modern-day slavery. I don't think that argument has any merit whatsoever because so much can be done with what we have, because, compared to the rest of the world, we have so much.
So I think that pretty much covers everything I wanted to say. Have a wonderful Wednesday, and look for more blog posts (maybe not this lengthy) from me in the future.
As most of you are probably aware, today the End It Movement launched a social media campaign for its supporters to quiet their voices on social media just as the voices of the 27 million people enslaved today, more people than have ever been enslaved in history, are silent.
I fully support the End It movement (and made a donation to the cause at Passion 2013). I also don't think anyone who has decided to silence themselves on social media today thinks that they're ending slavery by not tweeting - it's all about the awareness of the cause. But I thought that today, instead of quieting my voice on social media, I'm going to raise my voice and speak for these slaves whose voices have been silenced by modern day slavery.
With friends at Passion 2013 after we made donations to End It!
I think a lot of people have a problem with the cause because it was launched by Christians (which I'll address later). However, the fact of the matter is that this isn't just a Christian cause - it's a humanitarian cause that anyone and everyone should at least be aware of. What we're fighting here is sex trafficking, forced labor, child labor, generational slavery (when people are working off their great-great-gradfathers' debts that will never, ever be paid), and general injustice.
Last night when people were posting statuses and tweets about going quiet on social media for today, it seemed like for every post supporting the cause, there was a post making fun of the cause. So I got mad. And I got frustrated. And I got upset. Because factually speaking, many of the non-profits that End It supports are actively liberating people who are enslaved, rehabilitating former victims of human trafficking, and prosecuting traffickers.
As I was getting upset by the influx of negative tweets about a cause that I believe in (and have believed in since Passion 2012, over a year ago, when I first learned about how big of an issue human trafficking is right now), about ready to post my own argumentative tweets firing back at those who were, basically, mocking the cause, I came across this passage of scripture:
Instead of arguing (or posting passive aggressive tweets), I think it's much more productive to try to educate (or as the scripture passage above says, "gently instruct") on the causes that the End It Movement supports!
23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:23-26, NIV)
This certainly isn't all the causes that End It supports, but this gives a general idea of the GOOD that these organizations are doing.
International Justice Mission (link to their website): The International Justice Mission seeks four outcomes on behalf of the people they serve - victim relief (immediate relief for victims suffering abuse/slavery), perpetrator accountability (prosecuting human traffickers), survivor aftercare (helping survivors of trafficking rebuild their lives), and structural transformation (to help deter traffickers from committing crimes). You can read more about their causes on their website.
The A21 Campaign (link to their website): Their four main goals are prevention, protection (giving refuge to those rescued from slavery), prosecution, and partnerships (partnering with law enforcement and communities to ensure that the needs of rescued victims are met).
Free the Slaves (link to their website): This organization works on the frontlines of liberating slaves and giving them refuge once they have been freed. They also do research on how to create a world that doesn't depend on slavery. Read more on their website!
These organizations and SO MANY MORE are actively fighting this cause, and that's where the money that End It Movement raises goes.
So now that you've made it this far into this lengthy blog post, here's what I have to say to the naysayers. Many of you (not all, but many) seem to have a problem with the cause rooted in A) the church and B) the failure of Kony 2012, or so it seems. I won't get into the issues with the Kony campaign because we all know them. And now that you've seen a little bit about what the organizations End It supports, you know that they don't have the same issues that Invisible Children does.
So since that Kony stuff is out of the way (and seems like a pretty fallacious argument to begin with), I want to talk about what seems like the root of people's issue with the End It Movement, that being the church, Passion, and hypocritical Christians.
When you get to the heart of Christianity, you learn that being a Christian isn't about being a "good person." It's about recognizing that you are an inherently sinful person and realizing that the grace of God and the death of His son Jesus Christ are the only way to be free from sin. Being free from sin doesn't mean you don't have sin - it means that you don't have to live in guilt and shame over your sin and brokenness, because Christ has saved us from that. Once you recognize that you've been saved by grace, your life does start to look different because you're living for something larger than yourself, but still, hypocrisy can be part of our sinful nature.
As far as the church goes, I know that Christians can be judgmental. Again, that's part of sinful nature. And I am so, so sorry that anyone has had to experience the judgment of Christians because the Bible very clearly says that we are not to judge (Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:37, and many more places in the Bible). That judgement turns people away from the church, and I hate that, because we serve a God of grace and love and acceptance. Just look at who Jesus spent time with - thieves, prostitutes, etc. Christians should be loving and accepting everyone just as Christ Himself did, and I am so sorry that there are many Christians who do not love like Jesus.
I guess what I'm trying to say after all of this about Christians and the church is that if you're not a Christian, and you have some issues with Christians, please don't allow that to cloud your ideas about the End It Movement. They really do support causes that are doing amazing things. I encourage you to take some time to research the causes in depth before you mock them or argue against them.
Finally, I just wanted to address the argument that this cause is first world people dealing with third world problems. That argument is completely blown out of the water by the fact that we are people with resources to contribute to causes that are actively working to end modern-day slavery. I don't think that argument has any merit whatsoever because so much can be done with what we have, because, compared to the rest of the world, we have so much.
So I think that pretty much covers everything I wanted to say. Have a wonderful Wednesday, and look for more blog posts (maybe not this lengthy) from me in the future.
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