Encouraged, Edified, and Enlightened

I want to share my heart with you on this page. My hope is that you will be encouraged, edified, and enlightened as you read these updates. (Yeah, the three point message is a little cliched, but it makes it easier for me to explain and remember.) In Ephesians 4, the last half of the chapter is the encouragement I'm talking about - putting off the old self and putting on the new. Some may say it's to become better than you were before, which is true. But more specifically, it's an encouragement to be Christ-like. For those who were with me for any length of time, you should know becoming Christ-like is not a call to be religious. It's a whole different focus - to develop a trusting friendship, a growing relationship with Jesus. Yes, I will encourage you in other ways, like if you need support in some way, I'll find a way to encourage you. But the encouragement will be in the realm of changing the attitude of your heart and mind, which will inevitably bring helpful change to other areas of your life. I'll continue with the other two ideas soon.

Message

God has been prompting me ever so gently over the past few months of continuing to serve you all through updates like these. I'm finally following through with it. We may not be able to get together because of one reason or another, but we can still communicate through FB. I've invited former members of youth group as well as those who were only guests but who I'm friends with, to be part of this group. Everyone needs guidance, whether you're in high school or in college or out in the real world. I know I needed the most help and guidance while I was in college even more than when I was in high school. So this is an opportunity for you to keep learning from God's word if you're not doing so already and to have someone who is a little ahead on life's road as a signpost to point you to the Architect Himself. Life is crazy enough, it's always good to seek guidance from the One who made the blueprint. And it's easy to jump ship because of who may be here or that there's an emphasis on Jesus, but I hope you've gotten past some of those old hurts (and if not there's always private messaging) and that you're open to seek the truth. I know we can all get along while we're here. Hope to hear from you!