Come On In
We are the Imago Dei:
Intricate, complex, and multi-layered human beings who are uniquely, fearfully, and wonderfully made in God's image by His perfect hands. None of us are mistakes no matter how we were conceived. And we all have purpose: to glorify God by knowing Him and making Him known.
Our unique experiences and emotions have affected and shaped our beliefs, thoughts, and every facet of our lives from the moment we were born into this fallen world. Pain, suffering, and abuse. Trauma, laughter, and love. Hope, joy, and anger. All of these and more comprise the human condition: the human experience from birth to death. They are inevitable. So how do we navigate through life with them? By trying to adhere to the back-breaking and unattainable man-made rules (legalism) of American Churchianity? Or running to the poisonous freedom façade of “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law” that the world offers (hedonism)? Both are merely different shades of bondage and rebellion; both show us that neither truly know God and His Word.
Jesus is our only hope. While He does not promise complete freedom from earthly trials, He promises to be with us in them. “Your life will not be pain-free, but it will be Christ-full.” (Pastor Darryl Williamson, Living Faith Bible Fellowship, Tampa, FL.) He alone is the only one who offers complete spiritual freedom from the bondage of our souls to sin. He is the only one who offers eternal life with Him after this one. He is the only one who offers forgiveness for our sins against God the Father who is holy, righteous, and perfect.
I don’t have all the answers and I never will. But I have thoughts, questions, suggestions, and wisdom. We can at least start there. If we are seeking to live holistically healthy Christ-centered lives, we need spiritual AND practical tools to do so. We need to be equipped and encouraged with God’s Word to have hard, uncomfortable, and in-depth conversations about everything: Christ, life, the world, and the Church. We need to know how and when to use common grace tools and methods to not only aid in our growth as Christians, but to help others do the same.
We will never have all the answers or complete healing this side of Heaven. And though our hope is not in either of these, we do have a Savior who promises to be with, guide, and comfort us every step of the way. So join me as I seek to compassionately and truthfully dig deeper with God's Word to unwrap the layers of the human experience with the beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ: the Son of God the Father; Lion and Lamb; Alpha and Omega; The Great I AM; Savior of all who call upon His name for salvation!
So grab a mug, pour some tea, and come have a seat with me.
