"Christians love camping"
I think it's a stereotype where most people envisage a loads of weirdo's sitting around a campfire singing kumbaya and playing the tambourine.
But I want to amend that:
Christians love Community. A majority don't actually enjoy spending days in the rain and freezing their butts of at night under canvas. (I actually do, but I've always been a weirdo!)
So why do it? Not for a love of tents, but for a love of something greater.
Life with Jesus is the ultimate freedom, we want to celebrate the fact that Jesus is always bigger and greater and in control of everything that we face. The creator of the universe loves us so much that he sent his son to die so that we can be with him for eternity. Not many places are big enough to house thousands of Christians who want to learn how we can better share the awesomeness of salvation, so we trade our beds for roll mats because learning more about how to share the hope of eternity is totally worth it!
Spending 10 days of my summer in a tent wasn't a chore or my worst nightmare. It was one big family holiday, where we chilled with our almighty father and encouraged each other and had a whole lot of stupid fun, because that's what we were made for :)
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Friday, 16 August 2013
Why not having a freaking clue is okay!
Why don't I have all the answers? Why don't I know the outcome of every single what-if statement that floats around my head? Why-It's probably a word I've written about too many times already but today I wanted an answer.
Why is it that I don't understand? Understand what? people, situations, pain, myself. The thoughts of my own head, my life, my rollercoaster of emotions, Where does that "got out of the wrong side of the bed" feeling come from? And where do I go from here?
I guess the answers I found were in the peace of knowing it's okay not to have all the answers. The world teaches that knowledge is power, but real power is in Christ not answers. Not having answers doesn't make you weak, and strength is found in trust in the Lord. I've found it's so true that the poor are blessed because they need FAITH! And the riches of faith are far greater than worldly wealth or possessions I have known greater joy trusting God when I have nothing than having a life where all my needs are met. Why? Because we don't need anything besides Jesus! and it's okay to be lost, or confused or hurt and it's okay to be happy without needing reason. Romans 12:13 says "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep" It doesn't tell you to change the way you feel but It encourages you to embrace your emotions and stand in what is. It doesn't tell you to look for the answers or to ask questions about the situation. That doesn't mean being inquisitive is bad, but it does mean that when you don't know, that's okay!
So where do you go when you just don't know? Honestly I don't know! but I know that God does and that's all that matters!
"In those times I can't seem to find God, I rest in the assurance he know where to find me"- Neva Coyle
Why is it that I don't understand? Understand what? people, situations, pain, myself. The thoughts of my own head, my life, my rollercoaster of emotions, Where does that "got out of the wrong side of the bed" feeling come from? And where do I go from here?
I guess the answers I found were in the peace of knowing it's okay not to have all the answers. The world teaches that knowledge is power, but real power is in Christ not answers. Not having answers doesn't make you weak, and strength is found in trust in the Lord. I've found it's so true that the poor are blessed because they need FAITH! And the riches of faith are far greater than worldly wealth or possessions I have known greater joy trusting God when I have nothing than having a life where all my needs are met. Why? Because we don't need anything besides Jesus! and it's okay to be lost, or confused or hurt and it's okay to be happy without needing reason. Romans 12:13 says "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep" It doesn't tell you to change the way you feel but It encourages you to embrace your emotions and stand in what is. It doesn't tell you to look for the answers or to ask questions about the situation. That doesn't mean being inquisitive is bad, but it does mean that when you don't know, that's okay!
So where do you go when you just don't know? Honestly I don't know! but I know that God does and that's all that matters!
"In those times I can't seem to find God, I rest in the assurance he know where to find me"- Neva Coyle
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