Samm- IDENTITY

“Growing up I was always the good Christian girl. I did well in school, I was involved in church, and I was a good daughter. I thought all was well with me and Jesus; I loved Him and served Him. But, when I went to college and no longer had people holding together who I was, I found that I was carrying a lot of brokenness. 

During my college years the Lord was gracious to show me the bondage I was walking in. During those years I wrestled with issues of codependency, identity, and movements of depression. I didn’t realize how much I placed my identify and worth in other people. I was constantly striving for approval, fearing rejection, and worked so hard to belong. I did not know how to truly be myself and I was always afraid that people would leave me. I often felt isolated, lonely, depressed and worried.

 When I began surrendering my brokenness and the things that held me in bondage to Jesus, I began to find true freedom. He began to show me the riches of the identity I have in Him! I finally found a place where I belonged and did not have to strive.  

Jesus helped me to let people into my life to shoulder my burdens with me. He helped me to allow people into my heart so I no longer had to fight through life alone. In Him I found who I truly am and the worth He has given me.”

-Samm

THE FIRST STEP AWAY FROM GOD IS INGRATITUDE

The first step away from God is ingratitude.

Take a second to think back to the moment you surrendered your life fully to God. What filled that moment? What filled your mind and heart? Most people would say that when they surrendered to the Lord they were immersed in the presence of God where they fully experienced His great love, never-ending joy, immense peace, overwhelming kindness, His goodness towards them, His infallible faithfulness, His gentleness, etc. Right then, our eternities were marked with overflowing gratitude as our hearts welcomed the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and lead us forever. What an awesome time to recount when we were made new in Jesus! What a precious and wonderful day to keep at the forefront of our memory.

Recently, I have loved digging into all of the details and historical/cultural contexts behind the many celebrations we read about in the Old Testament. People often speed through reading the book of Leviticus in an attempt to get to the more ‘interesting’ things in the Bible. Lately I’ve wanted to spend time on these skimmed over topics that God sees as important enough to include in His Word. In this specific Bible study, I have been so excited to learn about the reasoning behind all of the feasts, festivities, and holidays. Did you know that the feasts listed in Leviticus 23 are all in remembrance of a specific act of God’s faithfulness to His people? This means that God commanded these celebrations to take place in the hope that His chosen people would remember who He is and remain grateful for all that He had done for them. God intended that the act of choosing to be grateful upon remembrance would lead to celebration and ultimately would keep His people close to Him.

While our feelings may fade or change, just like the people of Israel on numerous occasions, we always carry the weighted choice of the attitude we walk in. Gratefulness is close to God’s heart because it’s the attitude He has created us for. Gratitude keeps us close to Him and drawing near to Jesus. Likewise, choosing ingratitude drags us away from our Father. To stay in step with God, we must remain grateful.

The Bible doesn’t stop encouraging us to remain thankful in the Old Testament. We read through the Gospels that Jesus never chose to be ungrateful. Throughout the New Testament we are encouraged by early church leaders (like Paul) to walk closer to God as we walk in greater obedience and thankfulness. Paul encouraged the church of Colossae saying:

“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

Gratitude is a weapon against the enemy because the very attitude of gratitude keeps us close to the cross. Gratefulness keeps our memory close to the powerful love of God that overcame sin and death once and for all. Thankfulness keeps me near to Jesus because I am going forward with the perspective He intended.

I know we have all heard the phrase “count your blessings” at some point while growing up. My mom always reminded me of that when I didn’t want to finish the veggies on my plate at dinner. While this phrase might induce some eye-rolling, this instruction is actually a very powerful weapon to wield. By taking time to note all that God has done in your life and blessed you with, you’re removing any space for the enemy to direct your attention to what may be lacking. 

I challenge you to try it in any moment when you feel something missing in your life. Maybe you would like to have those sick, solid white Air Force Ones just like your friends, or maybe you are tired of long commutes and want more freedom of a car. I challenge you to ask God to help you see all that He has given to you as a blessing that He has poured into your life. I challenge you to go a step further and to praise Him for those blessings and to take time to worship Him for who He is. 

The good news is that if we are walking with Jesus, we always have something to celebrate in the truth of the Gospel, that our God came humbly to serve, teach, and ultimately to die for us in the hope that we would spend all of eternity with Him.

Attitudes are contagious! What attitude are you exposing to the people around you?

- in Him Olivia

Jordan- FAMILY

I didn’t grow up knowing the Lord in the same way that I know now. My Dad would encourage us to pray when we needed things and he taught us that there was a God who existed, but that was pretty much it. My relationship with Jesus was very transactional, not intimate. Throughout High School I was an average kid trying to figure out the direction of my life, but I felt like I was doing it alone.

I lived with my dad and brother, but I often felt like I was on my own. As I grew older, I grew bitter towards family, I became easily frustrated and I vowed to myself that I would make something of my life despite my childhood.

In one of my first church services, I remember the pastor sharing the Gospel in a way that simply resonated with me for the first time and I surrendered my life to Jesus. Jesus saved me from finding my value in success and trying to prove myself and gave me an identify that I didn’t have to earn. He gave me joy to replace the bitterness I had toward my father and he gave me a new community that I consider family to this day.

My life looks radically different than I could have ever imagined but life with God truly is an adventure. I wouldn’t be here without countless people believing in me, loving me, praying for me, feeding me and taking me in as their own. The community of God forever changed my life. 

-Jordan