What do we call home?

Blogging is not something I ever even thought about doing. But in wanting to post on some very dear friends blogs, I realized I had to be a blogger to make that happen.

I wasn't going to post anything on my blog originally, just get it set up so I could post on others; and I may never post again. But I feel God calling me to write some of my own thoughts down today...

I have begun to realize over the past several months that I have always put to much emphasis on my "church home". I think I was expecting my church home to be the place I went to get "filled up", the place that would always be comfortable, the place where I knew things would be right. I now know, that having a church home, does not mean my home. I know that God doesn't call us to be comfortable and I think I began to rely to much on the "comfort" of home. God calls us to be set apart from the world in everything we do and to glorify Him in everything we do. I have realized that being set apart sometimes means being set apart from those we have been closest to in our walk with Christ.

I have never been more reminded of Frank Peretti's book, "This Present Darkness", than I have lately. I feel like I have actually seen Satan's demons grabbing men and women with their talons and twisting and contorting them to the point they are not recognizable as ones in Christ. I do not want to be unrecognizable to Christ or to anyone who knows I am a child of God.

Through some deep spiritual struggles, I have realized that the only home I need, and the only home I want, is the home I have with Christ. The struggles of late have been great. But I believe what Romans 8 says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." Because through my struggles I have been studying more and allowing God to fill me more, than I ever have before. My relationship with Christ is deeper than it's ever been. I long to be in the word daily.

I want to be set apart from the harsh realities of this world. Even when those realities are among those closest to us. I want people around me to see Christ living in and through me. I want to see everyone through the eyes of Jesus. I want to be able to look in the mirror and know that I am doing what God has called me to do. I refuse to lower my standards to the standards of man. I choose to be set apart from the world.

I pray daily for God to reveal His word to me. (Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81) I pray that God will not send to me a strong delusion, but that he will keep me grounded in Him. I do not want to see the darkness masquerading as The Light. I only want to see God's True Light.

I am so thankful for the people God has put in my life over the last 15 years. Two mentors who are now in Decatur who helped to show me what it means to have a relationship with Christ and to stand up for what's Godly. A young man from Arlington full of more Godly wisdom than most people twice his age who has taught my son, and in the process also taught me, a lot about the spirit of Christ. We have grown to love him and his wife as our own family. And I am thankful for my family and the continued spiritual growth I see in each one us. Most of all, I am thankful for Christ and his continued love for us. For the way He works through all of our mistakes and makes us look somewhat presentable.

God can do amazing things in us when we allow Him to work in our lives. I refuse to let Satan steal, kill or destroy the spirit of Christ in anyone in my family. We will come through the darkness that Satan has tried to cover us with. And through the scratches and holes Satan has left us with, we will shine the light of Christ brighter than ever. We will not be overcome with the darkness. We will be victorious in the light.