New Adventures

  Clouds over San Tan Valley, AZ. 11/8/2020

Today I am starting something new with this blog. Blogging isn't new, and it's not even new for me. I used to blog years ago when my oldest (now 13) was little. I also started a blog when I was trying to get fit, and another for healthy meals, but this is my first blog of this sort. My heart is heavy for this world. Social media feels like a breeding ground for bitterness, hostility, misunderstandings, hatred, jealousy, and every other sin you could think of. For all of its good, it has a whole lot of bad. For me it has consumed so much of my time and my happiness. Yes, I love knowing what people are up to, how I can pray for them, etc., but for the most part, I don't feel edified after spending hours scrolling through it. I feel empty and often depressed. And then I realized, I don't have to be here. The election and hoopla surrounding it pushed me over the edge. Perhaps you echo my sentiment. Leaving it behind isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you enjoy it, I won't judge you 😉. I speak merely from personal convictions. I also am not saying that I'm swearing it off forever. 

What does all this have to do with a blog? I love to share verses. I love to encourage if I can. Often that was through Instagram and Facebook. This blog will hopefully be an outlet to encourage you with verses, thoughts, and sharing ways that God is growing me. The internet was a wonderful invention, so I will use it as thoughtfully as I can. Today I want to encourage you to not be consumed by this world. Maybe you are angry, hurt, confused. Maybe you are sick of humanity. If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, can I just remind you that Christ died for this fallen world. There would you go too were it not for the grace of God. Our hope ultimately is not in this failing system designed by men. Our hope is in Christ and His promises. This world that disgusts you is your mission field. This world is woefully lost. But you, believer, are not. You know the Savior. This is not a time to lose hope. This is a time to pray for your neighbor, your friend, your enemy. We know the end of the story, and it is far better than this middle section.

If you, friend, do not know Christ, He is the Creator of the universe. He exists from eternity past to eternity future. He is God, the Son, and eternally exists together with God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit: three persons, one God. Difficult to fully grasp, but true nonetheless. He is a holy God, without sin. We are a sinful people. God is not the author of sin. Sin was introduced to the world through our parents, Adam and Eve, by Satan. Our sin is ours alone. But God. He offers us Grace and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life, sinless in every way possible (in thought and deed). He is our substitute. He lived a perfect life and bore the wrath of God on the cross some 2,000 years ago. He defeated death by rising from the dead. Death has no hold on him. Creation points to a Creator. The Bible tells us about this Creator. We can't rely on our intuition, our good deeds, our own wisdom. We know God only through His Word. We believe and are saved by faith. Our faith may be weak and failing, but God is not. If you find yourself longing for more, knowing this world has nothing lasting, seek Him. Start in the book of John if you have a Bible. If you don't, I would love to send you one. Knowing Christ is the most wonderful thing in all the world. Being known, and not just known, but personally loved by Christ is the most incredible reality, like a dream too wonderful for words. 

Friends, there is so much beauty to be found in our Lord and Savior. Turn off the news. Mute your phone. Open your Bible and pray that God would give you the lasting joy found only in Him ❤. This is not escapism. This is reality, a wonderful reality that the trials of life and the ugliness of sin cannot take away.

Colossians 1:15-20 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."