The beginning

So I have blogged before about my life and spoke briefly about my walk with Christ.  But never so bluntly did I put myself out there and really be strong in my faith.  I am not afraid to tell people that I truly believe that God makes things happen for a reason and that I believe that He does answer prayers.  However, we live in a time that it is not the coolest to be a Christian.  The wonderful stereotype that if you say you are a Christian that you are going to view others as wrong, sinners or try to get them to believe what you believe.  How exhausting this whole thought process can be and wondering when you are going to put your foot down and say you believe in Christ.  The day I marked my Facebook page that I was a Christian was a pure day for me that I felt strong.  Okay, I felt strong at the moment and we all have times that we wonder.  I have even looked at other religions as interesting and wondered what I can learn.  I learned that they are interesting and I find it fascinating how they all follow common themes of doing good and what is right to both nature and human kind.  But I find for me...the God is my rock and He comes in three.

I am starting this blog to discuss the weekly sermons from church.  Dissecting the discussion and relating it to my life.  How is one to learn anything if they just listen and not continue to relate?  So here is my first quick entry.

I have discovered a new church and are considering calling it home.  My first service the sermon introduced a new sermon series on the book of James.  I was raised Lutheran, the Missouri synod and ELCA type.  So this church being Presbyterian is a new light for me.  I have never been to a sermon series that dissects a book chapter by chapter.  I must say.....oh James, how your bluntness touches me and puts some meaning into my life.  This past week...we heard about James, chapter 3.

This little thing we contain in our mouths.  The tongue.  I almost find when you bite your tongue it is more painful than a paper cut.  Why is that?  How many times in our lives did we wish that our words would of held strong and not slipped off your tongue to produce damage worse than a hurricane? Where we felt the rush and our filter had failed us?  I laugh when I think on today's terms of the tongue. 

When I thought about this sermon tonight and this idea that I wanted to blog, I thought about our electronic tongue.  The number of times that my electronic tongue slipped before I could retrieve.  The number of times I hit the sent button in the heat of the moment and wished that I could retrieve my words.  How many text messages did I send, not thinking about the ramifications of my words?  Words of anger, lust, zealous and hate.  I am not innocent and will never tell anyone anything other than the truth on that.  But I am trying to live a better life and control this little, flap of skin in my mouth called the tongue. 

James 3: 13-16, New Living Translation (which is great to put it into everyday terms!!!)
¹³ If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. ¹⁵ For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

13-16 sums it up best for me.  Especially, "prove it by living an honorable life".  There has been times lately that I have thought before I used my tongue, both in flesh and electronically.  Is this what God would want from me?  Does it show others that I am a Christian?  I have stopped before I ignited a spark and prayed for God to give me the words of wisdom to do what is right.  I have been amazed by what I have spoken or typed after those moments of clarity.   I have tried so hard to take the moments when jealousy has taken me down a dark path and to look at all that I am blessed with instead of being bitter about what I don't.  Jealousy is such a destructive behavior, a true weapon of the Devil's.  There is nothing uplifting or healthy that comes from jealousy.  Whether you are a Christian or not, jealousy only allows for more distruciton to break you down.

I find that some of the most destructive words are words from within.  The unspoken thoughts we carry.  These words can be about others....or ourselves.  Each time we allow ourselves to be negative we slowly turn our lights off.  We no longer shine.  Ever be around someone who's tongue is negative about everything.  What happens to you?   Do you feel drained and exhausted?  They sucked the light out of you because they can not see the light because they are wanting to see in the dark.  I sometimes get around these people and just want to hug them.  Tell them that they are loved and it will get better.  I have my negative moments too.  I truly hate myself in these moments and if I allow it to keep going.....it is very hard to get back on track and truly see what God has in store for me. 

So I have been trying very hard to choose my words wisely.  For myself and for others.  Before I feel my tongue flap upon the roof of my mouth...before I feel my fingers click on my phone screen and before I hear my negative thoughts...I will use my filter and focus on what God wants me to do.  Easier said than done...yes...I am human...but as long as I try with my whole heart I know that God will see me through.