Saturday, August 13, 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."


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