My Purpose

I come here to discuss my relationship with God. I hope that, by coming here, I can share some of what I experience through my relationship, but more than that, I hope to LEARN and SHARE and GROW with others that also love God.

By talking to people who don't share my faith, my beliefs are challenged. I am ok with that. My faith cannot grow unless it is challenged. Every challenge gives me a reason to turn back to God and ask Him when I don't know the answer to a "Well, then why....?" question. Sometimes I have even seen verses in a new light. Sometimes I have finally felt inspired to open a book that I have had trouble reading in the past because I felt no 'connection' to it before...and suddenly my eyes were opened to the rich meaning within the texts.

I don't believe I can convert anyone. No where in the Bible have I read that it tells ME to convert anyone. It tells me to be prepared with an answer, it tells me to show my love and to cast seeds. The soil is prepared by the person receiving it and by God, but the vine doesn't grow unless GOD grows it. If I start bragging about all the vines I grew and feeling pretty puffed up about how many 'souls' I won for Christ, I am not recognizing that I haven't done a darn thing. God did it all. I would deserve to have my pride pricked for that sort of attitude.

When I talk about my relationship with God, I am just trying to share a joy I have...the same way I would talk about a new friend, or a book, or a television show, or amusement park, or a new restaurant I found that I love. Yes, I might sound a little obsessed at times, but it is because I love Him so much that he fills ALL the parts of my life. He is a part of all the best things in my life. He is a part of my family, my past, my present, my future, my hopes, my dreams, my sorrows. I have a friend that I want to share with you because I believe that my friend can ease your hurts. If a friend saw you hurting and recommended a doctor, would you be offended?

On the other side, if I kept shoving that doctor down your throat when you have already said, "No thanks." Am I doing a disservice to the doctor as well?

When I talk about my relationship with God, maybe I am trying to convert you...but I am certainly not thinking about YOU...I am thinking about me and how happy I am. I am thinking that perhaps you seem sad or sour and I want to share my joy with you. I want you to be happy with me, not sad and bitter by yourself. I will bend over backwards trying not to offend you, but I won't change what I believe or change why I believe it. I won't demand that YOU believe it, I might be sad that you don't believe it, but I am content that there is a reason you aren't ready yet.

You might think that I am a heathen, living in fantasy land, a 'milk' Christian, confused, in denial, or a religious nut. I am disappointed that you think that. However, when you tell me and I get offended, I can take joy in knowing you have pricked my pride and let some of the air out of me. Obviously if I am offended on my own behalf, my pride is in myself, and it should be pricked. If I am offended on another's behalf, the pride is in that person/entity and I have to decide if it is an opportunity for me to defend that which I love. If I have an opportunity to defend that which I love, then I can take joy in the opportunity as well.

But remember, although I am sharing what I believe, it isn't necessarily because I am conciously saying, "I want to convert you." I figure that it is God's job to convert you...I simply want to be friends and share what makes me happy. I am sorry that if my wanting to make you happy offends you and I do try to do it in such a way that I don't deliberately offend you. But I will not change who I am because you don't like me as I am. I will not change what I believe simply because you don't agree. I certainly will not stop loving Jesus and talking about him because the mention of his very name offends you.