I used to think freedom meant being spontaneous, but now I know it’s being exactly who the Lord made you to be.
I used to think fighting for someone meant encouraging them to rise above. Now I know that fighting looks a lot like loving them where they are at.
I used to think respect was defined by what was appropriate, but now I know it’s defined by how each individual feels loved.
I used to think being bold meant being vocal, but now I know that boldness is found in the silence too.
I used to think time would create relationships, but now I know that intentionality does.
I used to think joy was a gift I only received in comfortable seasons of life. But now I know that joy is not circumstantial.
I used to think love meant doing things for each other, but now I know that love means seeking to understand, because you can’t serve someone well that you simply don’t know.
I used to think peace was found in the silence, but now I know it’s found everywhere when Jesus is around.
I used to think poverty meant having nothing, but now I know it means not having Jesus.
I used to think adventure meant doing crazy things in crazy places, but now I know you can go on an adventure every day if you choose to go with Jesus.
I used to think vulnerability meant sharing the hard things, but now I know it means sharing the feelings you have about the hard things.
I used to think Jesus gave us this earth to see his beauty alone, but now I know that he gave us this earth as a giant canvas to fill it with our own beauty that glorifies him too.
I used to think letting go meant letting things just happen when they happen, but now I know that letting go means trusting that Jesus’ plans are greater than my own.
I used to think joy always went before me, but now I know that joy is always where Jesus is, and Jesus is always with me.
I used to think patience was a trick the Lord wanted to play on us just to wait in silence, but now I know that the silence gives Him the space to speak.
I used to think contentment came with happiness, but now I know contentment comes when you learn how to rest in the Lords goodness in every moment.
I used to think generosity meant giving away you’re things, but now I know it means giving away your heart.
I used to think being a realist and a dreamer were two opposite things and that you could only be one or the other, but now I know that Jesus stands in the middle, revealing himself as the perfect balance.
I used to think staying present meant not looking too far into the future or thinking too much about the past, but now I know it simply means being grateful for the little moments of everyday life the Lord gives us while we still have them, because once we’re grateful for the little moments we’ll never want to miss them.
I used to think accepting my acceptance was a one time thing, but now I know that saying ‘yes’ to Jesus and his grace has to be an intentional choice every single day.
I used to think the color purple wasn’t for me, that I wasn’t actually valuable, that Jesus didn’t actually call me worthy, but now I know that Jesus is all things valuable and worthy and beautiful, and Jesus dwells within me.
I used to think discipline was an angry way to control people, but now I know that holy discipline displays love far greater than I can understand.
I used to think that intellect and emotion couldn’t blend, but now I know that blue and red make purple.
I used to think I needed to prove myself to show that I was worthy of love, but now I know that Jesus calls me worthy and all I need to do is sit and accept his acceptance.
I used to think the Lord was silent a lot, but now I know that I just can’t hear Him when I’m not listening through the spirit because he can’t see me when I’m not in the spirit.
I used to think that the spirit and the flesh were enemies, but now I know that the spirit has to love the flesh so that all the things that dwell in the darkness can be brought into the light.
I used to think I had to be knowledgeable and interesting to gain affection and attention from others, but now I know that true relationships are built on the solid foundation of our vulnerable reality.
I used to think I was defined by what I know and who I say I am, but now I know that I’m defined but what the Lord says and who he says I am.
I used to think I had to feel guilty every time I betrayed Christ through sin, but now I know he jumps up and runs to me every time I even glance in his direction to return.
I used to think I had to make Jesus proud to call me His daughter, but now I know He already was the moment I was born.
I used to think I had to critically analyze my relationship with The Lord so that it could be better, but now I know that the moment I begin to do that, I lose the beauty of the reality that Jesus is constantly pursuing me despite how well I think I’m ‘doing’ with Jesus.
I used to think hard times were the times where Jesus wanted to test me and see what I was made of, but now I know that in the hardest times He just wants to show me how much more he loves me by picking me up and carrying me through.
I used to think that my weaknesses were always going to be my weaknesses, but now I know that when I’m living in the spirit, my weakest parts of who I am become my greatest strength.
I used to think Jesus accepted me despite my sin, but now I know Jesus accepts me because of my sin.
I used to think I had to hate the darkness within me so that It would disappear, but now I know I have to love it into the light.
I used to think I could never see Jesus’ big picture, but now I know that Jesus is the big picture.
I used to think I knew what love looked like, but then Jesus called me purple and everything changed.
I used to think I had to be the perfect example to lead in front, but now I know that biblical leading is from behind and below, so that I can push people forward and up.
I used to think passion was association with energy and noise, but now I know I can be passionate about something with gentleness and in silence.
I used to think that the will of God would be found as we sought Him and his plan for our future, but now I know that we are the will of God.
I used to think I always wanted to be “there” but now I know that most of my life happens in between, and the beauty of Jesus is found in the small details of in between.
I used to think the more I understood Christ and his character, the more I would want to worship him. But now I know that if I understood all of who Christ was there would be no reason to worship him, because why would I worship a God I could fully understand?
I used to think God disappointed me, but now I know I was only disappointed by God because I made myself god.
I used to think Jesus was simple, but now I know his love is aggressively dynamic in nature, and the gospel is beautifully simple.
I used to be afraid of burning out, but now I know that burnout only happens when I live for my glory.
I used to be afraid to call God, Father, but now I know he raised me in the spirit and he deserves all the credit for who I am today.
I used to be afraid of conflict, but now I know that conflict is an avenue of intimacy with the father and with others.
I used to think my relationship with Jesus was my own, but now I know that it cannot and will not be separated from those around me.
I used to be afraid of baring my sin to others, but now I know that I cannot hide in the darkness because I belong to the light.
•••
There are endless lessons I could list, but I’ll stop it here for the sake of length. If you’ve read this far, thank you. If you’ve followed my journey all year, thank you. If this is the first and only blog you will ever read, thank you. You all have joined me on a journey from death to life and I could not be more grateful for your encouragement and support and prayers. To continue to follow along with my journey, visit and subscribe to my new blog to see what’s next and how you can support:
taylorcamplin.adventurescga.org
