The Choice Is Yours

I have a private journal that I usually do not share with anyone. This entry keeps coming back to my mind. It was entered after a rather intense emotional prayer with God where I was wondering why joy is so much harder to cultivate than negativity. Here is the unchanged journal entry: Joy is contagious and negativity is viral. To our fleshly nature, negativity properly reflects the innate fallenness and brokenness of life without God. Joy, however, requires a redefining of nature. It demands a choice to rely on the redemptive work of Christ on calvary. True joy only exists during the acknowledgment of God's adoption of you into His family. Joy is realizing God chooses to see your value through the lens of Christ's sacrifice as whole, redeemed, pure, unblemished, and beautiful. As a child of God, a coheir with Christ, a temple in which God himself dwells, we are whole.  Joy forevermore as I am yours.  I am going to be defined as His child. You can as well if you ...

Choose love over hate. I have been very disturbed by the political climate in America. I feel that the moderate views are being sidelined. If I don't identify pro or against a certain policy, I am deemed as being a coward, ignorant or hateful. Those forcing anyone to a choice politically and demand a support to a particular party or political idea are ostracizing others. People forcing others into political boxes seem to be choosing a fearful response versus a thoughtful one, or if the person cares more about affiliation versus the implication of policy and its ramifications, those individuals seem to argue in a hateful manner. If people are more important than policies, then treat all people with respect when giving your opinion. I am proud of my faith, but not all of the members of it. I can maintain my faith in determining my convictions about the role of government in providing equal tax benefits, freedoms, and safety and security. I can maintain a different set of ...