What will it take to restore you?

How long must I be patient with you?

How long will you continue to hurt me?

It’s the same thing over and over again.

When can I stop giving myself to you in return for pain & brokenness?

How Long?

Is there an answer?

How Long?

~ars

Have you ever felt like you are chasing an unattainable goal?

What do you do with those feelings?

Are we too often discontent to see the beauty by which we are surrounded?
Are we too often discontent to see how joy-filled our lives could be?

Do we need to simplify?
Would this cure some discontent and pain in our lives?

“The clear implication is that most young people come to Christ because of people they know very well, usually in the context of ‘everyday’ interaction.”

“Nearly one half of young outsiders (42%) said they are skeptical & distrustful of faith and religion.”

“Our research indicates that we have let discipleship languish in far too many young lives. Our enthusiasm is not matched by our passion for and patience with discipleship and faith formation.”

“There is nothing more powerful than the Christian life lived out in obedience; there is nothing worse than a flat, self-righteous form of faith that parades around in Christian clothes.”

“We are learning that one of the primary reasons that ministry to teenagers fails to produce a lasting faith is because they are not being taught to think. This gets to the core of the get-saved perception: young people experience a one-size-fits-all message that fails to connect with their unique sensibilities, personality, or intellectual capabilities. Young people desperately need to be taught to process the rich complexities of life, to probe and test and stretch their faith from the perspective of a Christ follower.”

Doesn’t it make sense that when we can see what we want we are less resistant to change? Doesn’t it make sense that when we don’t have to have trust, hope, or believe that something is possible and when it is handed to us, we will not worry or have need for faith. When we see it, we believe it, then of course, we achieve it.

~ars

This is a really hard one for me to swallow if you know what I mean. It can be difficult for me to change my thinking sometimes. It hurts to remove the “blinders” and see what the truth really is. For me, it means sometimes realizing that people or situations aren’t meeting standards and I need to separate from them to find new cheese. It could mean that you need to rethink you current situations or relationships and possibly move on to new places.

~ars

This seriously depends on perspective. “Safer” is a word that only the person searching for cheese can define. For if it were safer for my physical, mental, or spiritual health I would be more likely to move and change than if it were safer for my financial health or security. If “safer” applies to everyone’s individual physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, then sure the lesson is true and one we should learn from.

~ars

This goes right along with the last lesson. Knowing that you’re letting go of the old cheese will bring your new cheese sooner will encourage yourself to move quicker, but remember that you must weigh the pros and cons of changing your direction. Although your steps of change should be energizing and possibly freeing, they should be thought-out & planned as to not make a mistake.

~ars