While I do believe that our spiritual views should influence how we vote and what political candidates we support, I think we’re foolish if we think any party (unless it’s explicitly based on the Bible…then maybe) is going to have the same beliefs and priorities that we do.

I know I’m not the only one who has recognized this, and I’m glad that more and more people in my generation are picking up on this.  I can’t wait until we can say together, “We are followers of Christ, not of the Republican Party.  We are not them.”

I don’t intend to bash the GOP (they’re not better or worse than the Democrats), but there is a reason why politics get a bad name.  And by saying that to be a Christian is to be a Republican, we’re dragging Christ’s name through the mud, too.

While I’d love us to get beyond the 2-party system, I’m not a fool.  It’s almost as old as our country.  We love to fall into an “us” vs. “them” mindset.  But that doesn’t mean that I have to identify with either party.  Instead, I want to evaluate each candidate individually.  I’ll never fill in the “vote straight Democrat” or “vote straight Republican” bubbles…even if all of my candidates I’m choosing to vote for are of the same party.

So why I think that we’re on the right path by separating ourselves from the Republican Party, I know that there must be something else that my generation of Christians is missing.  Each generation in the past had a flaw so obvious to other generations but that they were blind to.

What is ours?  Could it be our greediness in holding on to our great wealth?  Could it be our reliance on programs?  Could it be the idea that we can be followers of Christ apart from being a part of His body?

Whatever our blind spot is, the thought that we have one (and that I, individually, do too) humbles me.  May we always be teachable.

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But ask me again tomorrow, because it’s definitely a day-by-day thing.  Other than that, there’s nothing else in my life that I really want to change.

Hey, maybe I’m content.  That’s a good thing, right?  Definitely.

“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” – 1 Timothy 6:6, NASU

But am I really content?  Or would I better describe myself as “apathetic?”  Where’s the line?

Instead of being content in God alone, I’ve become apathetic with little thought of God.

Of course, God is very much present in my life, and I do continue to intentionally spend time with him through the Bible and prayer.  But I’m putting Him in a box…how much do I think of him outside of those scheduled moments that I give to him?

Just something I’m pondering this week.  Praying that God will renew my fire to know and follow Him.

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I needed to get back to the basics.  All the seminary training and reading won’t do me any good if I’m not whole-heartedly seeking God through His Word and prayer.  And all of that is meaningless if I’m not working out my faith.

Spending last week with the kids at camp I learned the same thing: it’s all about the basics.  Not only do I need to teach them the how of the faith, but I need to model it.

This is why I’ve been working on re-establishing good habits: reading 6 chapters of the Bible everyday (3 of each testament), praying not only for those around me but for the world, and memorizing  and meditating God’s Word.  These are building blocks…but they are necessary.

I’m far from perfect even in these small things (in fact, part of my reason for writing this is to be held to it), but they’re necessary.  Not that doing the right things will earn favor with God, but it is how I will know God.

“When you or I open the Bible, we are beholding the very words of God — words that have supernatural power to redeem, renew, refresh, and restore our lives to what he created them to be. That is why I believe it is more important for you and me to read Leviticus than it is for us to read the best Christian book ever published, because Leviticus has a quality and produces an effect that no book in the Christian marketplace can compete with.” – Radical by David Platt, p. 192

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For kicks, I entered the zip code I grew up in.

For whatever reason, the results surprised me.

Compared to the rest of the US, this zip code has:

• a high number of high school and college graduates
• a high median income (though Kansas has a fairly low standard of living)
• a higher than average number of married couples
• 2/3 of adults working in white collar jobs
• only 4% of its residents below the poverty line (national average is around 15%)

I was born into privilege.

Not only am I a part of the 4.5% of the world population who lives in the US, I’m among the 6% of that population that has a Master’s Degree.  While I myself don’t quite make enough to reach the US median household income in the US, it’s just me, so obviously my costs are much lower than most.

I was born (and raised) into privilege.

I thank God for the blessings He’s given me and my parents who gave me so much, but that’s not what I want to talk about.

I’m a numbers person, so when you show me my blessings numerically, it really sinks in.  I’ve always known that I was overwhelmingly blessed, but when everyone around me is too, it’s easy to forget.

These thoughts were already on my mind, when I started reading Radical.

Here are a few things that David Platt said that stood out to me:

“We are an affluent people living in an impoverished world.  If we make only $10,000 a year, we are wealthier than 84% of the world, and if we make $50,000 a year, we are wealthier than 99% of the world.” – p. 194

“But the reality is, if you and I have running water, shelter over our heads, clothes to wear, food to eat, and some means of transportation (even if it’s public transportation), then we are in the top 15% of the world’s people for wealth.” – p. 115

“The reality is that most everything in our lives in the American culture would be classified as a luxury, not a necessity. The computer I am writing this book on, the spoon and fork I will eat my dinner with later this evening, and the bed and pillow I will sleep on tonight (in additon to many other things in my life) are all luxuries.” – p. 127

All this merely starts to illustrate how blessed we are in America.  Yet we, the Church, wrap ourselves up in our own cares, ignoring the extensive needs of those all around us (even if we have to close our eyes to them).  If you’re like me, these facts might make you pause for moment, but then you shut them out because they make life too uncomfortable.

I don’t want to live comfortably at the expense of others (and that’s what it is…I don’t “deserve” a better life and haven’t earned it…I didn’t choose to be born here, to my parents).

I’m still thinking through what the implications of all of this.  I don’t have everything (anything) figured out.

While I don’t have much “stuff” by American standards, I’m sure if I added up the costs of everything I owned, I’d be shocked.  I do have more than I need.

I’m sorely tempted to give some of my income away and turn around and spend the rest on my own excesses.  I can placate myself by saying that I give more than most.   But would I except that excuse from my own child?  ”Mommy, I know I didn’t clean up my room like you asked, but I spent 2 minutes more on it than any of my friends.”

That’s not what God has called me to.

Photo by 96dpi

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Though I can talk the talk of a good Christian, my feet too often stray.

I don’t like how I just said that: it’s not that my feet stray off the good path, I do.

But that’s hard to admit, isn’t it?

See?  I just turned it around to you, pulling you into my guilt.

But I am the hypocrite.

Need to take care of the log in my eye before the speck in yours.

I love the Lord…why do my actions not reflect that more?

It doesn’t help when I hear the praises of those around me for my goodness.

They don’t see the selfish desires that fill my thoughts.

They don’t see me when I’m alone.

Because I don’t let them.

So, what’s the Cross got to do with it, Ronnica?

Everything.

Stop living for your own pleasures. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. – Ephesians 4:1

Stop walking in your own strength. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. – 1 Corinthians 1:25

Stop acting like you’re #1 in your life. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3

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While I do believe that the Bible allows for divorce in certain cases (a subject for another post), there is something incredibly wrong with our society when divorce is not only common, but often encouraged when either party as warrant to feel wronged or unhappy.

As an unintentionally single woman*, I can’t really speak to how to make a marriage last.  When I get married, I know it won’t be as easy as it seems on this side of the altar (not that I think it’ll be easy).

Lord willing, I’ll have a loving church family to walk beside me and show me how to be a loving, faithful wife.  I know I’ll need it.

But what can someone in my place do now to help keep myself from a failed marriage? Here are some ideas I’ve gathered from more people and books than I could possibly list:

1.  Know that love is a choice. While it’s also a feeling, deciding to marry someone is choosing to love them even if/when the feeling leaves.

2.  Don’t expect him to be perfect.

3.  If you get together while he’s married to someone else, how can you accept his commitment to love you forever?

4.  Know him before he’s pursuing you so that you’ll have a better idea of his true character (not just his wooing-character).

5.  Focus first on seeking repentance and forgiveness for your own sin before pointing out his (Matthew 7:3-5).

6.  Learn to be submissive to the authorities in your life now (parents (if applicable), pastors, bosses, and God).

7.  Develop a servant’s heart, eyes, and hands; desiring, looking for, and acting on opportunities to serve others.

I know this list is far from complete…what do you think I should add?  I’m especially looking from help from those of you who are or have been married!

*Phrase comes from Connally Gilliam’s book Revelations of a Single Woman

Photo by Donna62

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“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.  Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” – 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Praise God, He is Risen!

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Still Remembering Jesus’s Death and Resurrection

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ETA: Check out this fitting post on the Cross and Christianity in our present culture.

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I, on the other hand, am a very cut-and-dried person. (Okay, I always thought it was “cut-and-dry” but a quick search of the internet seems to indicate it’s “dried.” Anyone know?)

Not that I don’t have and make my own messes…that’s another blog post altogether. (And doing a search of my blog seems to indicate that that is not something I talk about much.  Not surprising…who wants to talk about their sin?)

(And if I don’t keep interrupting myself with parenthetical thoughts, you might be able to follow what I’m trying to say.)

What I mean by saying I’m a cut-and-dried person is that I like to see the world in black and white.  Something’s right, or it’s not.

While I DO believe that most things are right or wrong in theory, in the field, things are muddier.

Just like all those physics problems that I’d do back in my college days.  They never were true to life, because they didn’t factor in things like wind resistance.  Game time decisions are hard to make, even after you’ve practiced play after play. (Ha! I used a physics metaphor and a sports metaphor back to back…and I’m a girl!)

I sometimes get myself in trouble when I rigidly apply my in-theory principles to the real world.  I am not in want of opinions.  Just ask, and I’ll tell you.  But I’m forgetting that real-life situations are always messier.  This isn’t physics class–we must account for things like emotions and motives, both of which are known to be messy.

So, while there may be one clear answer or solution, it might not be the first one that pops to my little head.  I’m still learning that there’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom…the second of which I still sorely lack.

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