Tonight is my big fundraiser at Ashburn Pub! I am so grateful for the people that have been so kind and generous to make tonight happen. I have been given hundreds of dollars worth of donations for raffles and my friend Ob (who I only just met in July) completely took it upon himself to make tonight happen. It’s always amazing to me when people who don’t know me that well reach out to me because they care about my mission. It is a true example of Jesus…people coming together for people.
In a world that constantly pressures us to stand divided (religion, politics, race, gender, socio-economic class, age, etc…), I love to see people from different backgrounds unite.
I have been struggling a lot lately with how many different kinds of christians there are. From outspoken people approaching strangers on the street to nuns that never leave the convent. From Christmas/Easter church goers to Church three times a week. From “tell everyone what they are doing wrong” to “tell everyone about love and acceptance”…it can get pretty confusing.
Does it seem like everyone just wants to have answers?
I will be the first to tell you that I do not have all the answers. I am a “seeker”. I believe in God because I see and feel him here on earth. I see his power when there is a giant thunder storm. I see his mercy on beautiful summer days. I feel his gentleness in the still of the morning. I feel his playfulness in the waves at the beach.
I notice that when I pray, He answers. It might not be the answer I want but he does answer. How? Through a song on the radio, a verse in the bible, a sermon at church, a friend calling to remind me I am loved.
I choose not to believe that these are coincidences. I choose to see Him…in everything.
Maybe you have doubts? Has anyone ever told you that is ok? It’s OK not to know…it is OK to have questions, doubts, and fears.
Somewhere along the line we started thinking that we have to have opinions about everything. We always have to have answers. We have to KNOW.
God only asks us to seek. To ask. To try. To give him the chance to reveal Himself to you…and to be HONEST.
If you don’t know, say you don’t know.
Not knowing is not something to be ashamed of. When you admit you don’t know, you open a door for God to walk through.
I want to be the first to say, I do not know everything. That is one thing that unites all of us. There is not one person with all the answers.
But together?
Together we make up a bigger picture. A collage of people that are all unique. All different…different passions, different strengths, different convictions. By taking a giant step back and looking at the world as a whole…I think maybe that is the closest we can get to who God really is. I think maybe it isn’t about “having the correct stance” or “having all the right answers”.
Maybe it is just about seeking, asking, living, and loving. I believe that in this life we will never be a “finished product” or a “destination” because to do so would mean that we are no longer growing.
Let’s grow together instead of apart. Let’s just be real…and let God do the rest.
