Jessi's Faith Journey

Before I started going to my home church, I truly believed that my relationship with Jesus was personal. It was no one else's business. It was between me and God. I cringe when I think about what my old myspace description of my faith was. "I don't have a religion, I have a relationship with Jesus." Sounds great doesn't it? Wasn't true at all. I thought it was. I even wore a cross around my neck. And as long as I could tell people that my relationship with God was my own, I didn't have to be accountable for how fake it was. Fast forward to around 2015 when I started going to church again. The pastor sure seemed focused on relationships. Always pushing small groups and open homes. I approached it like jumping into a freezing pool. One tiny bit at a time. That was until I served for the first time at VBS. Then I realized something, I loved these people! Then I wanted to just cannonball right into everything. I have a small group now. I also consider my fami...

Giving sure seems easy at Christmas time. Everyone is out at the stores, looking for that perfect gift. People are much more charitable, and aware, that some people are going without. This is the one time a year where it seems like everyone rallies together to make sure that every child gets something, and no person goes hungry. Let's skip ahead to tax time. We all know it is right around the corner. People are making plans on where that money is going to go. What they're going to buy for themselves. I'm guilty of this. I have plans for a Virginia Beach vacation, some more essential oils, pay off some bills. These are all things that are centered around me. Sometimes I wonder what my life would look like if I lived in truth. The truth is, all that I have, all that's around me, is God's. None of this belongs to me. Why do I so selfishly white-knuckle-hold things that I can't even keep? Jim Elliot said "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain wh...