For my fellow followers of Christ...

For a very long time I've wanted to speak to people (specifically Christian women) about life issues in general. Not seeing myself as a teacher by any means, but someone who is right beside them going through the same things. Having said that, I've decided to start blogging again & letting you all be my audience. Yay! Try to contain your excitement - I know! Haha.

First things first! Typos and grammatical errors will happen. I'm a Business major, not English.

I have a few Christian speakers who I really love; two of them being Joyce Meyer & Brad Stine. I think I mostly relate to these people because they're blunt and tell it like it is. Now, if you haven't heard of Brad Stine, he's a Christian comedian who really pushes the envelope. I happen to LOVE it! Many of the thoughts I mention in this blog come directly from things Brad Stine has made me think about.

Caution fellow Christians: You might not like what I have to say. You don't have to agree with me, it's okay. Also keep in mind, this is my blog, full of my thoughts. Doesn't mean I know it all or think that I do. I'm only expressing my own convictions, maybe not yours.

Thinking about the church body as a whole here...

Last August I had the privilege to go to the inner city of Cleveland, Ohio and share God's love to many women, men, boys and girls of all ages and race. It's safe to say that all of these people came from terrible living conditions and sadly, awful home lives. The inner city of Cleveland is really like a whole different world from what much of the U.S. is used to. Every Saturday for over thirty years an old school bus goes around the projects and gathers up hundreds of people. Why? To spread the word of God to them. Couldn't they just go to church every Sunday and for some, Wednesday and hear a pastor speak like the rest of us? Actually, no they can't. The churches in the inner city of Cleveland have told young children to leave their churches because they were poor and unclean. As a follower of Christ, this absolutely tears me up. I know this goes on all around the world.

I spent two years at a "Christian" school when I was in Jr. High. The boys couldn't have hair long enough to touch their ears. There were many other rules too, but my point here is that Jesus Christ himself...you remember - the one who died for the UNCLEAN and the SINNERS - wouldn't even be allowed to step foot in that school. Or those inner city churches for that matter.

Christians, let's reevaluate ourselves...
I HATE judgment. Of any kind. In high school I was somewhat different because I didn't stick to one "click" of friends. My friends ranged from the richest to the poorest. From the saved and born again, to the lost and dying. In fact, they still do. I hate stereotyping, especially when it comes from other followers of Christ.

I'm honestly sick of hearing other Christians put judgment on others. To the point that I am going to spew all over my blog about it. Why? Because I feel that a lot of us are missing the point.

Brad Stine makes the brilliant point in his latest DVD that Christians often times make sin something it never was. An example that comes to mind here for me is tattoos. I know, I know...it says in the Bible that the body is the temple. My mom brought up the point that it also says in the Bible that God has all of our names written in the palm of his hand. Hmm...? I know of some awesome followers who can preach like no preacher I've ever seen behind a pulpit with tattoos. Many Christian musicians have tattoos and honestly, they make a great witnessing tool. Depending on what it is, of course! Haha.

Even still, can we really look at someone's appearance (their clothes, hair, styles of music they listen to, etc. ) and judge them based upon that? The bigger and more important question - Isn't that God's job?

Oh yeah, we already forgot about God! Who cares what we think when we look at a person! You might see a tattoo or a piercing and think SIN! God might look at that person and marvel in the work he has done in their lives. For after all, only he can see into each person's heart. Who are we to judge? We have all sinned remember and fallen short. I don't know about you all, but I know I stumble all the time. Thankfully, God never leaves me where I fall.

Let's not concern ourselves over petty things anymore. Who cares if you have a piercing, tat, wear weird clothes, listen to secular music or, dare I say it....have an occasional glass of wine with your meal! Now, I didn't say get drunk...that we can call sinful because Ephesians 5:18 says, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit..."

We as believers should always be filled with the spirit. What is for some people, isn't for others. If you as an individual have your own convictions about things, that's great. These are only my convictions and I respect different views. I'm only saying, it's time to stop judging. Disagreeing can be a beautiful thing. There are many areas of the Bible that Christians take and twist out of context. All I'm saying, if God didn't specifically say, "Don't do it" let's not either.

"Your body is your temple." For me, this is talking about my heart. I as everyone else have done a lot of harmful things to my body. I eat fast food, I go to the tanning bed, the fact that we all simply go outside of our homes and breathe in all the toxins floating in the air...well, that surely isn't getting our health anywhere. I could go on all day with that argument. Let's stick to what we know. God - who is hopefully in your heart - knows your heart. And the hearts of every living being on this glorious planet which he created.

Be careful with this. Don't twist what I'm saying. I'm not saying we should all go out and get piercings, tattoos, wear strange stuff, drink, etc. What I am saying is that what one's convictions are, are not another's convictions. Keep that in mind when you see something that maybe you disagree with or wouldn't do. Don't label something a sin unless it says it's a sin in the Bible.

I'm far from perfect & human just like the rest of you. Don't look to me, what I do, what I say...I will let you down. Look to God for the answers. "Give Me Your Eyes" by Brandon Heath is one of my favorite songs. I constantly remind myself that it's not my place to judge. It's easy to do, we all have done it and do it. Just remember that when you're judging you're playing God. Not cool. God doesn't like it either.

"...For the Lord does not see man as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:6