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Building a Bridge: The Catholic Church and the LGBTQIA+ Community
For pride month this year I read “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity” by James Martin, a Catholic priest. This book really put into words what I have believed for a while: I can be a believer and still support the LGBTQIA+ community.
I share some of the quotes from the book that really spoke to me.
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Isaiah 22: Reminder to Rely on God
This morning I read Isaiah 22 and it was definitely a chapter I needed to read today.
In the chapter it is prophesied that Jerusalem will collapse. Instead of repenting and turning to God, the Israelites make preparations for war while singing and dancing. As described in Isaiah 22:11-
You built a reservoir between the two walls
for the water of the Old Pool,
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.The Israelites were relying on their own talents and “power” to prepare for the future. And right now I feel like I am acting like the Israelites of long ago. I am worried about things to come in the future, but instead of turning to God I’m turning to my own, limited “power” and strength. I’m trying to prepare on my own.
Of course I have tried to use my own “power” to control things in the past and it never works. I have no power of my own. Any strength I have comes from God.
So when I read this chapter this morning it served as a loud reminder that I need to turn INTO God and not away from Him. I can’t do it in my own and I need Him.
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Reflecting this Easter with Isaiah 53:5
Isaiah 53:5- But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 is one of my favorite Bible verses and one I like to reflect on during the Easter season. It serves as a great reminder of my need of a savior and God’s love for me.
This verse really humbles me with a reminder that it is ME and MY SIN that nailed Jesus to the cross. I’m the reason that Jesus had to die. I’m imperfect and in need of a savior. I cannot save myself and this is hard for me to accept as someone who wants to be independent and not reliant on others. But I am always reminded how human I am and how much I need Jesus.
But Jesus WANTS to be there for me and to be my savior. So this verse also reminds me of God’s great love for me. He loves me despite my sin. He loves me so much that He sacrificed His son so that I may have eternal life with Him. His love and mercy silence me in amazement because I am so not worthy. But God views me as worthy and deserving of peace.
Going forward I need to do better at reflecting on God’s sacrifice for me and use it as a reminder to be grateful, that Jesus is there for me and that God loves me so much.
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Struggling with My Faith
To be honest, I’m struggling in my faith.
I guess I am struggling with what the Bible says and what I want to do.
I know this sounds crazy for fellow believers because what the Bible says, we need to do. But now I am questioning why? Why do I need to do what the Bible says in this particular area?
I have been following the Bible in this particular area for decades to no avail. I thought by now I would see God working in this particular area but haven’t seen anything. Should I continue? What is this all for?
Along with that I am worried that God is going to condemned me if I slip up and sin. I know this is false and that God is love and He doesn’t condemn for “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). But right now I feel as if I am being condemned before I have done anything.
And because I’m struggling and I am thinking about not following the Bible, I feel ashamed and that I can’t approach God. I can’t pray or praise Him. Shame is keeping me away from His presence.
I know this is the devil working to keep God and me apart. I am trying to fight it but I am struggling.
It’s hard sharing this but I share it so that others who maybe struggling may know they are not alone and feel encouraged to keep going and drawing closer to God.
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Song of the Week: Alive by Nonah
I was listening to my church sermon for the week and in the beginning they had a slideshow playing with music. The song that was playing, which was suppose to be just background music, started to speak to me. I instantly loved it and I needed to know the song ASAP.
And that is how I discovered and fell in love with the song Alive by Nonah.
The lyrics are powerful and really spoke to me. I have broken down the lyrics that spoke to me the most:
- You’re my constant conversation/My hello and goodbye.
- I strive to be in constant conversation with God. I want Him to be my first thought in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. I know God’s thoughts about me out number the grains of sand (Psalm 139:17-18).
- And in my darkest night/You love me back to life.
- This is exactly how God delivers us from dark times. He doesn’t yell at us or expects greatness when we are struggling. He simply loves us and lets us know that He is near. He loves us so much He gave up His son, the ultimate light that shines in the darkness (John 3:16).
- Your words are my salvation/My perfect peace of mind
- I have lost count how many times I sought God for peace and He gave it to me generously. As a person with anxiety, I feel as if I know almost every verse in the Bible about worry. I have found that only God can give true peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
- No one else knows me like You do.
- God has known you before you were even born. He thinks about me, and you, ALL the time. He created us so He knows us the best. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13).
- You’re the only one who makes me feel alive
- Earthly pursuits are meaningless and are temporary (Ecclesiastes 1). Many spend their whole lives in pursuits of honors and money, and in the end it is all for nothing. So where do we go to find purpose and to feel alive? God. He is the only one who gives us life and purpose.
This song has been on repeat for me nonstop this week. It has really spoken to me and made me really think about the importance of God in my life.
I hope this song speaks to you strongly as well.
- You’re my constant conversation/My hello and goodbye.
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What Christmas Means to Me this Year
Merry Christmas!
It is that time of year again: it’s cold outside, feel good decorations and music surround everyone and the year begins to wind down.
As Christians, this time of year offers a special meaning: the celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
As I reflect, this Christmas holds a specific reminder for me: God keeps His promises.
This past year was a huge challenge for me as I struggled with my mental health. One thing I held on to to get me through the tough times was the reminder of God’s promises: He hears me; He will deliver me and He will not abandon me.
This Christmas I am focusing on the promises the birth of Jesus fulfilled: God’s promise to His people that they will always have a king on the throne and that king will come from the line of David.
Throughout the Old Testament, God kept reminding the people of these promises. In the end it took thousands of years to be fulfilled, but when you read the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 you see that God kept His promise. And as believers, we know that Jesus is the Son of God and reigns for all eternity. Another promise kept.
Though it may feel like we are forgotten, God NEVER fails and His timing is always perfect.
As this year winds to an end and a new year begins, I am going to focus more on the promise that God ALWAYS keeps His promises.
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A Heart Filled with Thanks
The other day, in the United States, was Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that many use as a time for reflection on what they are most thankful for.
Right now I am most thankful for my health. Last year was a tough year for me, especially my mental health. I have worked hard on both my mental and physical health this past year and I am proud of the work I have done and the progress of I have made so far. God is good- He held me through the dark times until I could see the light.
I’m currently reading Psalms and a recurring theme I have seen is praising God and reflecting on all the good He has done in your life. I want to make this a daily habit. I want to finish this year, and start the next year, with a heart filled with thanks.
I hope you join me in being more reflective of God’s goodness and showing more gratitude.
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Wrestling with the Book of Job
A couple of weeks ago I finished the Book of Job on my journey to reading the Bible in a year.
I was excited to read Job since I struggle with my mental and physical health and this past year has really been a challenge for me. I was anticipating that the book of Job would really speak to me. I guess I was trying to find some comfort in Job about my suffering.
To be honest, I was disappointed. I really struggled with the book. I thought its message would be clear to me but I found myself struggling and confused.
One of the main topics of the book is why does God allow good people to suffer. Spoiler alert: you never get an answer. I believe many, including myself, expect that after reading the book we will get the answer and everything will make sense. Unfortunately that is not the case. Readers do not get a clear answer in the end and I think that is why I struggled with the book. It didn’t have a clear answer or an ending that wrapped everything up nicely.
The real message of the book is about faith. When we don’t understand something we need to relay on our faith. Rarely do we get clear answers in life. Even more rare is that we fully understand the plans of the Lord. The Lord works in ways that we, as humans, will never fully understand. We have to relay on our faith to trust in God that His plan is good, will prevail and in the end it will all work out.
I admit that this is a struggle for me. As a person who struggles with anxiety and perfectionism, I want clear answers and want to be in control. But that is not how life works. I need to put my trust in God because He has never failed me yet.
The book of Job does not leave believers with nothing to meditate on. From the Bible I was reading, here are some principles from Job:
- Some suffering is caused by Satan. In Job, God allowed the suffering but Satan actually caused the pain
- God is all powerful and good.
- Suffering doesn’t always come as a result of sin. Job’s friends tried to convinced Job that he was suffering because of sin, which the reader knows was not the case. Even Jesus spoke out against the notion that suffering implies sin ( see Luke 13:15; John 9:1-7).
- God will reward and punish fairly in a final judgment after death. Many, including Job’s friends, believe that God’s fairness, His approval or disapproval of people, has to be shown in this life. Other parts of the Bible teach that God will reward and punish fairly after death. Though it may seem that the wicked are flourishing now, in the end that will not be the case.
- God does not condemn doubt and despair. God did not condemn Job because of his doubt or despair. God can handle when you cry out and question Him.
- No one has all the facts about suffering. Humans view situations from a very limited and narrow focus. Only God has the full picture.
- God is never totally silent. Although He may seem silent, you can always find some evidence of Him being near. Remember the past works of God in your life. Focus on the daily works of God in nature (Job 37). God also appealed to nature as giving evidence of His wisdom and power. As an modern author once expressed: “don’t forget in the darkness what you have learned in the light”.
- Well-intentioned advice can sometimes do more harm than good. Job’s friends let their pride get in the way of being compassionate. In the end they gave Job false information.
- God asks for faith. God refocused the central issue from the cause of Job’s suffering to his response. God never gave an explanation of suffering. The real issue at stake was Job’s faith- whether he could continue to trust God even when everything went wrong.
- Suffering can be used for a higher good. In Job’s case, God used a time of great pain to win an important, even cosmic, victory over Satan. Job is often cited as an Old Testament picture of Jesus Christ, who lived a perfectly innocent life but endured great pain and death. The terrible event of Christ’s death was also transformed into a great victory.
This book challenged me to give up control and have faith. God sees the whole picture and we need to trust in Him that He is working from the greater good. Of course this is easier said than done.
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The Blog Starts Today!
I have been thinking about starting this blog for a while now.
I have been a Christian basically my whole life. I officially accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviors in 7th grade. I was in a private Christian School all the way through high school.
After high school my relationship with God went off the tracks and continues to do so. I took for granted my automatic, established Christian community. I have learned the hard way that you can’t live in faith alone, you need a community. I have done little to establish my Christian faith community after high school. I have had the interest and want to do it but have never take action.
Until now. Now I am doing more to establish a new community of like believers and to grow my faith more personally.
Hence, starting this blog. One of the gifts God has given me is writing. I express myself the best through writing. I have thought for a while about how can I use my gift to glorify God and to help me build my relationship with God? A blog. Writing it out.
So that is what I am doing. I am starting this blog to help me grow my relationship with God and sharing so it may help others.
Right now I am doing a program to read the Bible in a year, along with finally joining a small group through my Church and doing daily devotionals myself. Most of my content will be from these experiences as well as things in my life.
I hope you join me on this faith journey!
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CE's Faith Journey 