Standing Strong

It's amazing how important it is in life to stand strong in our beliefs at all times. It is so easy sometimes to just take the easy way out. Someone asks you a question and you shrug your shoulders and give a weak answer just to be done with it but then what? What has that person learned? How will they ever grow and learn? I remember my very first bible class. I was nineteen and maybe just a little skeptical. Was the Bible real? Was God real? I remember sitting in this class and not really understanding most things and finally I raised my hand and asked the question that most plagued me. Did God really create the whole world and everything in it in just six days? This was a crutial moment for me. This was the moment of either a new true faith or a turning away that would lead me away from God for many years. What do you think the Pastor of this major church told me? Well, little lady, some things in the Bible are figurative. We really don't know if God really created the Earth and everything in OUR meaning of Six days, just that in His time it was Six days. sigh If only he knew what he'd done. For not standing up for his beliefs, he cost me years of struggle, of heart break, and of a deep loneliness that couldn't be filled because I couldn't believe in something where only some of it was true. If I had to guess what was real and what was allegory or fairytale then I just couldn't believe. ugh. How many more came before and after me that were turned away as I was...

I have come to understand that it isn't just that we need to have faith in our Lord, we must be able to stand strong for those around us, so that we may lead them to God and not let them stumble. If it were not for the amazing women that have come into my life and lead me directly to God, I don't know if I would have ever found my way again. They were like beacons of light in my dark world and I'm thankful that the Lord loved me enough to give me another chance. I hope to always stand strong so that I may be a light to those around me.

Blessings,

Lisa