What Does It All Mean?

Holiness. Google defines holiness as the state of being holy or a life totally devoted to God. The Greek form is ἁγιασμός pronounced hagiasmos. Strong's Concordance defines holiness as the process of being or becoming set apart. That's all well and good but what does that have to do with us? 

I grew up in a baptist church with no idea of holiness or sanctification. I thought that holiness was simply a quality of God. When I entered high school I began to attend a Nazarene church and the word sanctification started to pop up. We were called to be Holy. The bible calls us to this. 1 Peter 1:13-`16 says 

 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

My mind was blown at the possibility that I could become holy. Not only should I become holy but I should strive towards it. The big question now was how? What does it mean to "not conform to the evil desires" I had? Galatians 5:19-21 lays out exactly what these evil desires are.

"19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

In my life how was I going to be holy? How was I going to cast off these sins that so easily entangle? I couldn't do it on my own. I don't know about you but I need to know what should be in my life and not just what I need to avoid. Galatians goes on to tell us just what you should find in a life dedicated to holiness.

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law."

In my humanity I am not strong enough to do all of this. I do not have the strength to avoid all of my evil desires but God gives us the strength when we fully rely on him. We are called to be holy but we do not have to be holy on our own. 

Sin is something that confronts us all. We all struggle with parts of our life that we simply wish weren't there. Whether it is a filthy mouth or talking about someone behind there back. Whether our sin is obvious like murder or maybe just selfishly desiring what someone else has been blessed with. Each one of us struggles within ourselves. 

For a very long time I felt like Holiness was the destination that I would some day arrive at but in it's very basic definition it is a journey. This blog is about my journey towards living a life fully devoted to Christ. Paul sums up how I have come to feel nicely in Philippians 3: 12-14.

 "12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

This blog came to life after I read a book called "Life in a Fish Bowl" during my years of ministry. It was all about how as a Pastor or a Pastor's family we are constantly judged at a certain level. We have to live a life of integrity and are often called to a much higher standard.

While this is such a struggle for most people I realize this is how we should want to live our lives. My high school Soccer coach drilled into our heads that integrity was living the same way even if no one is looking. This is what I want for my life. I want to be the same person in my home as I am out on the public stage.

This grand adventure should point to a life of holiness. A life of striving to be set apart for the ministry of the gospel of Christ. Living a holy life is becoming a servant. It's going above and beyond for everyone in the way that Christ did for us. This is the way I want to live my life. I want to live a life of transparent holiness. I want people to see in me that I am striving to be like Christ in everything I do.

"Holiness" www.google.com, 2016, accessed August 15, 2016.

Bible Hub, 2014-2016, biblehub.com/greek/38.htm, accessed August 15, 2016.

1 Peter 1: 13-16; Galatians 5: 19-23; Philippians 3:12-14, 2011, biblegateway.com, accessed August 15, 2016

A Grand Adventure

Greetings and Salutations,


I've had this blog for a while and never been sure what to write. Who am I to write about holiness? Just a girl walking through life, hanging on to her Jesus. At the same time, who is anyone to write about holiness? We all struggle. We all have our skeletons in the closet we would rather not let anyone see. These 32 years of my life have taught me that no one makes great choices every time.

It is in our struggle that we come to know our Savior. It is through our failure that we cling to His Grace and Mercy. Holiness cannot be made apparent until we have walked the road of life and sought after our amazing God. Holiness exists in the messiness of life. It's like the clean living room that exists under the layers of clothes, toys and junk.

Today I finally decided to sit down and start this blog. Earlier, I found out that one of the most amazing men I know passed away. God used him to shape me into the woman I am today. He was just one of a host of influential, imperfect people that my Savior blessed me to have in my life. Rev Chuck Fowler (or Big Daddy as many of us called him) knew how to listen. He knew how to crack ridiculous pastor jokes and make us laugh until our sides hurt. He knew how to offer just the right piece of wisdom and sage advice when he didn't know what life was throwing our way. He was a man in touch with the spirit and a true example of holiness.

Hearing that his life has come to a close inspired me to share what Christ has laid on my heart. I want my children to be able to look back and see what I believed, why I believed it and the journey that took me from the beginning of my life to the end. I am hopefully no where near the end of this journey. As I always say I have a 100 year plan and nothing is going to get in the way. I plan on living a long life full of adventure, love, and this crazy relationship with my Jesus.

Death often brings sadness. Great sadness, but as a Christian woman I have a hope in a future. A future in heaven where I will be reunited with those who believe that Jesus is the Christ and give their life to his service. This hope has brought me a long way because death has been a close companion of mine from the time I was young. I can remember my first brush with death. My little brother was killed in a tragic accident at the age of 2. My heart was filled with a sorrow and an emptiness that I had never known until that point but even then I had a hope. I knew that one day I would meet my brother in a heavenly setting instead of on this earth.

Over the years, I've watched countless people pass, father, brother, grandparents, family, and friends. One thing that strikes me is how death is such a beautiful part of this life. Don't get me wrong. I've been devastated by the loss of loved ones (my father in particular) but as time has gone I've realized death is just the passing from this painful shell into eternity. I have one friend in particular who likes to tell me I better not die. But death is one thing I can be sure will happen some day. I plan on living this grand adventure with as much gusto as I can muster but when the time comes I hope to have a beautiful death. I long to be surrounded by my amazing children, holding my husband's hand as I hear the angles calling me home.

If that is not in God's plan for me I will embrace whatever fate awaits but I can't help and love this grand adventure. I hope at the end of my life I can look back at the years and see that I made a difference for the kingdom. I loved the unlovables, fed the hungry, reached out to the mourning, and truly impacted the world in the name of my Jesus. I want people to say, "Man, one thing about Mary, she really loved her Jesus."