This Journey ... this Mysterious Journey

People have wondered what is the meaning of life.

Sometimes the mystery of suffering is just ... so difficult to deal with.

I have found life to be a struggle to find meaning in a world weighted down by sin. Sin means being and trying to live apart from God, our creator. Losing sight of the creator leaves us lost. So lost ...

I know that. I've tried it. I was so lost when I disconnected from God. I was no longer able to see the beauty in things. My life became so not me.

My heart is happiest when I love my neighbor, when I see the details in the petals of the flowers, in the bark of trees, and in the sweet, furry face of an animal. It is happiest when I admire the skill of a talented person, and allow it to inspire me to better skill levels. It is happiest when I help an elderly person cross the street, or pitch in to help at work, or write a note to a friend I haven't seen in a while.

When humankind turns away from their creator, their minds and imagination darken and their thoughts and ideas become twisted because we are missing light and life. Our creator is the origin of the life and light we need. We are like plants that way ...

It's easy to look at the mess some people are trying to develop around us, and become more than discouraged. It is so easy to become bitter, or to drop into despair or fear.  But there is yet so much beauty around us to cherish. We have to fight back, as beings who were created by a loving Creator.

We have, unfortunately, been taught that to be "intellectually sophisticated" means to pull away and to remove oneself from the reality that we are amazing creatures, wonderfully made, living on an amazing planet, full of gorgeous life, animals and nature ... Not all inventions are bad, but we must recognize the artificial machinations of humanity can result in heartbreaking wrongs.

Life is a walk in living and becoming the best human being you can be. It means to stand up to bullies, to stand up to fear, and to be grateful to have an active role in the mystery of living ... I'm rooting for you.

What Is Your Fruit?

We are not our jobs;
but the results we create with our works -- professional or personal -- speaks to our character. Excellence begets excellence, and inspires excellence.

Our day job is not our identity, but our day jobs can carry a powerful weight and effect, and our actions within our jobs affects others and the outcome of their day.

So what is your fruit -- the results of your work and actions?

You might be having a great day already. How will you celebrate today, in simplicity and generosity?

Or in face of any difficulties, in spite of whatever you might be going through, will you celebrate today anyway?

Celebrate today.

Why not? That secret smile of seeing that bird fly, that chipmunk run, or watching the rain fall just so; maybe just for a moment, can be a salve. Take joy in those moments, because there is joy in their existence, just as there is joy in you existing. So let's celebrate.

What is your fruit today?

Fear Is a Bully --

-- and you have to stand up to it to overcome it.

Fear will run away with you if you let it. And you can't let it.

Fear is like that jerky kid we knew in elementary school who in the playground messes with the weaker kid because he can, and because no one else stands up to and stops him. 

We have to stand up to it and stop him.

Whether that is the literal bully or the spiritual bully, Fear goes away when you step up to it and say "NO. You DO NOT get to scare me. So BACK OFF."

Stand your ground. STAND UP against FEAR.

STAND UP against FEAR and be FREE of it.

It will try to come back, but you can't let it. Stand your ground. You have too much good to do to cower before and submit to it. You are made of better stuff. You have been created by a Powerful and Living God who Loves you. Be brave.

Those Who Have Been Forgiven Much ...

... love much.

Sometimes it's hard to find out that someone who seems to be a really strong believer and really on fire for Jesus Christ has -- gasp -- a past. A past that was ... shameful.

But that's kind of the point.

His Love changes us. Changes us to the very core of our being.

Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. One of such a reputation that when hearing His Words, she had truly changed, but most of the townspeople only knew her by reputation, they weren't her friend. They didn't know. They thought she was the same old person she was and were upset when she showed up one day to cry at and wash the feet of Jesus. She did that out of sheer gratitude in understanding that Jesus brought the Words of Life to us, and He had rescued her soul with Hope.

When you begin to understand the depth of the love Jesus Christ has for us, that even -- and because -- of our fallen state of sin He would still choose to die for us because He truly wants to love us and see us Live, this is just shocking.

And when you start to better understand this is a depth of love that no one can rationally explain, and that is the length that our Creator God would go to rescue us, then we simply have to be grateful. We MUST. That He would go to pull us out of the fire that way is more than amazing. Knowing He did this for us is LIFE CHANGING!

That's why accepting His Lordship is so important.

It is not enough to just say, "Yes, I believe Jesus died for me to save me from dying in my sins."

We have to take the next step and say "Yes, Jesus died for me so I would not die in my sins. My life is different now, and I have to now BE different from what I was. Because I'm grateful He let me live in spite of my mistakes. And I'm grateful He loves me that much."

Getting to know Jesus is Life-Changing.

Accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ -- meaning He is now in charge -- truly changes us to the core of our being to become the best version of ourselves possible.

Forgive and Continue

When I was thirteen years old, I read a book; I can't tell you what the title was, nor who wrote it. This was over thirty years ago. I don't even remember if it was fiction or non-fiction.

All I remember -- like a blazing sign -- was the term "Forgive and Continue".

The phrase made such a deep impression on me, I hand-lettered "Forgive and Continue" onto an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (maybe it was a 9 x 12?) and taped it up on my bedroom door, facing out towards the hallway. I placed it top and center, and underneath on the rest of the door hung were taped little drawings or pictures I had cut out from magazines so I could enjoy them when my door was open.

I walk a very strange path. I am too church-nerdy for most art folks, too comic-booky for most arts folks, too artsy for most comic book folks, and too arty for most church folks.I'm telling you, it's a weird path. t has taken me decades to reconcile this oddball path and make peace with it, mostly because it has been a very in-between place, and in a way it was lonely, especially when I was younger. Especially since some will consider you neither saint nor sinner "enough" for either side! Still others will consider me somewhat of a dilettante. But we are all human. And we are all loved by God.

As for me, I am a sinner, and I am saved by the Blood of my Lord Jesus Christ. I am grateful for His loving kindness and mercy towards me. I came to this realization in my late 20s, and I'm grateful for the happiness He has brought my soul. (For some people that's plum crazy talk. But I've learned to live with that, too. lol)

So for a very long while (no, seriously, it's been years!) I've been considering starting this blog. Mostly because I need to leave my main blog focused on comics and drawing ... because, that is what I do. I draw, and I tell stories. But I am also a teacher. And in spite of my very human flaws I still have this pull to write simple things regarding faith and growth and I'm fascinated with our spiritual walk with God and want to encourage others to. So I just have to give these types of posts their own place. I want you to know Life has a reason and need for us, and God searches for us to search for Him.

I hope these posts would be of some use.  :)