Write what you know

Two years ago I made the best decision of my life and gave my life to Christ. In those two years I've been transformed by His Word. As I've grown in my spirituality, my desire to have an intimate relationship with Jesus has also grown.

When I first became a regular church attender, I'd be frustrated when our pastor would make reference to a particular story or character in the Bible and I didn't know what he was talking about. Honestly, there wasn't much I knew from the Bible other than the story of the birth of Jesus. And my memory didn't include many details beyond what I knew from various Christmas stories.

I knew Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were referred to as The Gospels. But friends, otherwise I was clueless.

I chuckle to think of the day I first took those scary steps into the home of my small group leaders holding on to my newly purchased Bible. They were studying the Book of Philippians. My head was spinning and I began to wish I could magically disappear. I couldn't help but to think, what am I doing here?

Here I am two years later...an active participant of our small group and I serve in multiple capacities at our church, including leading our new Military Support Ministry.

I don't share these things to give myself a pat on the back, but to share how God has transformed me. He is in the business of performing transformations! I've heard testimonies from many others which speak to how He transforms. God surely does transform. No doubt!

Recently, I felt God convicting me on praying. I mean really praying. If you asked me if I have conversations with God I would respond with a resounding YES! I can't imagine getting through my day without talking to Him. He is with me everywhere I go. Oh how grateful I am for His presence.

But do I pray to God?

As I said, God transforms. And sometimes He uses others to help move us along in our walk. Once again, He used my dear friend Michele. "It's time for big prayers, Beth." Her words reached down into my soul. There is a reason Paul tells us to pray without ceasing...it's because praying works.

Every part of me wants to share how God has changed this heart of mine. But my faith is still new and there is much I still don't know. Instead of leading down the path of frustration over what I don't know, I now find joy when I open my Bible and He teaches me something new. There is beauty in knowing there is so much more to come.

I've placed myself in the social media world of other Christian writers, and at times I'm intimidated by their knowledge. They write what they know and so eloquently glorify God.

What do I know?

I know God loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He will never love you less than He does today, and He will never love you more than He does right now.

I know God will transform (2 Corinthians 3:18). When we open our heart to His love for us, He will transform.

I know God is always teaching us something new (Isaiah 43:19). Every day I wake to His Word and say big prayers, there is something new He is teaching me. He will do the same for you too.

While there is much I don't know, I'm grateful for where I am today in my walk with God. When our pastor delivers his sermons there are now many stories and characters of the Bible that I do know. Instead of wishing I could disappear when with my small group, I pray the time together doesn't so quickly come to an end. And praying is quickly becoming less and less uncomfortable the more I pray.

But I will still be very careful to only write about what I know. The last thing I want to be guilty of is not sharing His Word correctly with you. So day-by-day I will allow God to reveal new truths to me. I will be obedient to His direction of when to share with you here with the hopes of being able to eloquently glorify Him with my words.

Has God revealed something new to you today? I'd love for you to share.