I'm taking a different path

I started this blog mainly for an outlet. My plan was to write about children and family stuff; being a mom. But lately the only time I have a desire to write is when it has to do with the Christian life. So going forward, the tone of this blog will change. My goal is to reach out and encourage others, using an environment centered around faith.

Believe me, I am just as shocked! I do not consider myself a leader and most certainly not a know it all. It is just something that has been impressed upon my heart. With that said, let me introduce my new objective for this blog.

I want to expose the Christian life. Hoping to give unbelievers a different perspective of what it is, and what it means to follow Christ. Also, to foster and help revive the hearts of those who are already followers, but need to be uplifted; rejuvenated.

I have learned many things in my short life, most were learned from mistakes I have made. So I will only speak from experience. Honest and true. One element that I love about the journey of my being, is that we never should cease the acquisition of knowledge. Only a fool believes that are too old, or have lived through too much to acquire any more. The need for knowledge will never dissipate.

So in conclusion, I hope this will reach and encourage you. Giving you someone, and some material to relate to. The agenda here is to inspire and to be inspired.  

By: Melissa Reyes

What I do and do not understand

I guess you could call this a rant. This has really been bugging me for the longest time and I just want to say what I do not understand and what I do understand.

I do not understand, when I go onto Facebook and I see these picture ‘quotes’ where every other word is a curse word. Statuses giving account to viscous or unseemly behavior, then the same people who post such things, their next update proclaims how much they praise and love God.

This is what I do understand. Actions such as these, contribute to the opinion that the church is full of hypocrites. Declaring to be a follower and believer of the Lord, but do not accept the responsibility of inserting Christian principles in day to day living. Making faith to seem as if it is a joke and something that doesn’t have to be taken seriously.This is a direct insult to Christ and everything He stands for. This is disrespectful to the church and a stumbling block for those who want and deserve to know our true God.

A study administered by Lifeway of unchurched Americans in 2008, revealed that even those turned off by the church, 78 percent were willing to listen to someone who wanted to talk about their Christian beliefs. 89 percent of adults, from 18-29 years of age, were also willing. On the same note, 72 percent thought that the church was ‘full of hypocrites’ and 79 percent believed

that Christianity was more about organized religion than loving God and loving people. What an advantage and disadvantage this is for evangelical Christianity.

What I need you to understand, is that I am not standing on my ‘soap box’ so to speak, with a self righteous attitude. I am far from perfect. I need His guidance everyday to stay on the straight and narrow. Somedays, I do not do as well as I should and I fall short of His glory everyday. The difference, is that I want to bear fruit. I want the Lord to change me from the inside and take control of my life, because when it is left only in my hands, it has been proven to be out of control.

I know that when Christians are mocked and persecuted for His name, we should rejoice. The opinions of this sort, are more than fine by me. But when people have this opinion because of the conduct of a Christian, that is not fine. We are called to set an example and to lead others to Him. I want other people that I come in contact with, to know the joy and the kind of peace you receive through serving him. I want them to know, that this is not something you say or just show up for. Confessing to be a Christian, is a way of life.

This is my defense, to someone who believes we are all a bunch of hypocrites. Before making this statement, please grasp what a Christian can look like. It doesn’t mean that we do no wrong doing, ever. We make mistakes, get angry sometimes, and can be in a bad mood. We are human, fallible. But if you need us, we are there. I am willing to accept and love you. Come as you are, your transgressions and all. It just makes for a more powerful testimony, as was my case. Remember to not hold me to the standard that I am to be Jesus Christ, instead of trying to be Christ like. Even on my best days, I will never come close.