Doubt...

First of all...I am not writing this blog because I am walking through a painful season right now.
In fact, my heart is joyful and my hope is new! I am excited about life and the future!


I am writing this blog...because like so many people out there...I find myself questioning God at times...and I think it is important  that I am open and honest about my doubts! Faith isn't all peaches and cream! (trust me...it is hard at times to believe in something and stick to your convictions when the world pushes you)


When I say questioning...I don't mean just the kind when we are walking through pain (you know the kind where you are on the floor crying out...asking if He is even there listening to you...yikes! Those seasons are hard...)


I am talking about questions like...
 Are the stories in the Bible really true...
How could the Bible be translated this many times over the years and people not change it up a little...
If God is loving then why would only some go to heaven...
How on earth could there be a Creator...
If Christianity is true then that means a lot of other religions are wrong...so what does that mean for other people?
Why would God create cake and then not allow us to eat as much as we want and stay skinny!?!?! :)


You know...the kinds of questions that a lot of times keep people from seeking out a relationship with God.
I mean...I can't imagine not coming from a background in faith and then as an adult trying to understand all the Christian beliefs!
I was raised in a home where my dad was a Muslim and my mom was a Christian.
As hard as that was sometimes...I am so glad that my dad forced me to challenge my faith. I am also glad that my mom pushed me to deepen my faith.


This caused me to think deep about my faith...
This caused me to question what I believe...
This created doubt...which in turn created curiosity...


The doubt and curiosity took me to a point in life where I knew that I was going to either have to really seek out the answers...or I was going to live a life saying that I believed in God...but really not having any idea what that meant and not having a  relationship with who I claimed was my Creator.


I didn't know how to search for answers.
I didn't think that as I searched for God that I would actually get an answer...
Because...there is not a single person out there that has an answer to prove God!


The amazing that happened during that search...and what God wants to do in each of us is show Himself to us through His Word.
That sounds like a fluffy answer right. Like a church answer I know...blah, blah, blah...right?


All I can tell you is that if you are really wanting to understand God...
If you are searching for peace...
If you have an empty void inside of you that nothing seems to fill...
 Seeking Him out is the only way you are going to find those things!


I can promise you that you will not get all the answers to your questions.
I can promise you that you will still doubt things at times...
But I can also promise you that if you are really seeking Him out...if you are really trying to go deeper and understand God...and have an open heart...He will reveal Himself to you and give you the faith needed to fight your doubt!


Listen...even people who claim not to believe in anything...are choosing to have faith that there is nothing there! Choosing to believe that we came from nothing. I have so much respect for that though because I can't imagine not having the hope in God when my life falls apart! That takes faith too!


But for me...
Believing in God means peace in the middle of a storm...
Believing in God means I have hope no matter what happens..
It means that I have a purpose and it gives me passion to share Him with others! (Note: I said share Him with others...not judge others! I can't stand judgmental, self-righteous people)


Trust me...there will be times in life when you will need to cry out to God...if you haven't walked through a season like that yet...you will!
You will lose someone...
You will lose your job...
Someone will get sick...
Life is full of crazy things!


Don't wait for a painful experience to come your way to cry out to God.
Call out to Him now :)


 Seek the answers to your questions, doubts and fears...and He will reveal exactly what you need and the faith required to trust Him!




His love is peace.
His ways bring life.
His path leads to hope!


Oh how He loves you and me!

Moving Forward

  " Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10


Over the last year I have gone through some amazing highs and what felt like earth shattering lows in my life :)


During some of the really low seasons I have been blessed beyond measure by some pretty amazing friends and family that have carried me!


I have also been blessed by other friends who reached out to me...even though they were going through an even darker season than I was experiencing...and offered their care, support and encouragement! I have learned so much and gained so much perspective from people who are in the midst of suffering and still live their lives with joy, perspective and hope! (it makes me cry thinking about some of these amazing people)


I have truly seen what God means when He says we are to be His hands and feet and to care for others.


As time has gone on...and God has healed my heart...He has gently shown me that He does in fact use all things for His good. (of course we can't see that right away when the cloud of destruction makes our view foggy)


Each time God brings us through a trial...each time we overcome something that we think is sure to break us...we are able to look back at that trial...take a deep sigh...and praise God that He helped us make it through.
Does that mean we are thankful for the painful situation?
HECK NO!
But...if we choose to look at it with God's perspective...and cling to hope...then we can take that deep breath and praise God for getting us through and choose to grow from any pain we have walked through.


I know this amazing man and he was telling me the other day that has walked through some unbelievable things in his life. As we talked face to face and he shared his experiences with me...his eyes still held hope! He spoke with joy in the midst of pain...he laughed at times about making the best out of hard times...and he offered up a words of encouragement to me...even though his circumstances were far more than I could ever imagine walking through!
As he spoke he shared the pain...but also how the hope of a better day was sure to come! I have never met a man, or person for that matter, with such hope and optimism!


I realized through talking to him that this is where God can use our painful situations for His good.
Each trial you walk through...you can rest assured someone you know has or is walking through something similar and needs encouragement.
Your journey, although painful at times, can be the very thing that provides another human being with just enough hope to make it another day!


I am not happy about the painful circumstances I have walked through...but now that I have finally moved forward, closed the door and made the decision to accept God's will for my life...I can see hope for the first time!


My friend told me that you can be sad for a season...but don't live there!
Make the choice to seek out hope, perspective and ways to encourage others!


I am so blessed to have some amazing friends and family...and I am excited to move forward with hope and see what God has in store!