Wow this is a broad subject and in my opinion not really possible to write in a single blog post (without writing a short novel). So I am mixing it up a little here...
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I am a "lifer" a Seventh Day Adventist since birth. I had just turned 15 and was attending bible conference at Indian Creek Camp when I decided to take my parents religion and make it my own by making the life changing decision to be baptized. I had been thinking about it for sometime prior to that weekend but I will always remember that Friday night alter call being the most meaningful one of my life and remains to this day. The road to how I established my own personal beliefs about God, religion, and how I choose to live my life to this day began in the 7th grade when I joined the Cross Country team. I had joined mostly to get in good shape for the basketball team. Little did I know at the time that running would become a gift from God to use in his glory and honor even now.
I am not going to lie, I nearly quit after the first race because those where the most painful, hot, nauseating 3 miles I had ever run (it was August in Central Florida after all)! I managed to finish 3rd overall in that first race with a time of like 23:00 minutes and praise the Lord after that day I had enough inner competitiveness and encouragement from my coaches to keep at it. I steadily improved throughout that season and before long I started winning races! It was always a confidence booster during my first year to line up against high school seniors and be able to compete well against them, often beating them.
Before long people in the running community started asking why I was never at Saturday races. It was during those opportunities that I was able to witness and tell them about what being a Seventh Day Adventist was all about. By telling what I believed so often, it helped me to stick by what I believed, even though to the running world "I was missing out." The opportunities to witness continued on into track season when the team would leave at sunset from Friday meets and not attend Saturday meets. I remember there being some frustrated coaches around the state when they found out I would not run races during that state meet that I had qualified for because they started after sunset on Friday night.
To this day I believe that if I didn't have those opportunities to stand up for my beliefs there would of been a much larger temptation to stray from my religion. It was because of that early influence in my christian journey that helped the talk become a habitual walk and to this day has kept me accountable for my actions.
On another note......
I believe that having a religion to follow is important. It is good for people to follow a certain set of rules and guidelines to give their lives order and reason. I believe strongly in Christianity and I hope that people can SEE that I am a christian not by just by my words but by my actions.
One thing that gets me sometimes is how the politics of religion gets placed higher on a pedestal in peoples minds then God. One thing I have also noticed since living away from the bible belt is that religious literature (Example: Ellen White writings) has the tendency to be used as a resource over the teachings in the BIBLE. I believe that Ellen White writings are an AMAZING resource that have been inspired by God to help bring people to a better understanding of who God is. BUT that's what they should be, a RESOURCE, a supplement to the straight teachings of the bible and not the sole source to bring others to Christ. By keeping my belief in God and the bible 1st followed by religion I find it positively influences the choices I make, the lifestyle I lead, how I treat others, and the things in the world I allow myself to be surrounded by, Living out an active faith in God makes a difference.
With all that said I will be the first to admit I an as far from perfect as you can get! I am a sinner! I don't always think nice thoughts and I may not always make the right choices. I am a human being. I am so thankful for the never ending supply of second chances that we as humans get. If it weren't for God sending his Son to die for the human race we would of all been long gone since we all know what the ultimate consequence for sin is...
I look forward to the day in heaven when I will be able to start with a clean slate that will never be blemished again and being able to worship together as one body in Christ. What an amazing time that will be!
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