To Be Still and Know

I have had a topic for a blog post on my heart and mind for a couple months now but I haven't been able to bring myself to write about it for several reasons, all of which can be summed up with the word fear.  Fear of not doing the topic justice, fear of what others may think, fear of literally nobody reading it or caring, and fear of putting myself out there in a very raw manner. (I have not had good experiences with being vulnerable and open with people.)  But wherever I turn I come face to face with this topic, on the news, in articles, blogs, personal relationships, tv shows, et cetera.  And I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me every time I run across another story involving this subject to sit down and start writing. Even if it can touch one person, then I have fulfilled my purpose in writing this.  So without further ado let's just begin, shall we?   Suicide.  That is the topic I have been feeling compelled to write about for months now.  I heard this morning that suicide

"Work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life...Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many."   Hebrews 12:14a &15b For the past few years, a new fad has popped up within the church community, a fad that I believe was started without ill intention and by well-meaning believers, yet a fad that really needs to end.  This is the "I Love My Church" slogan that some churches have begun selling on shirts and other merchandise as perhaps a means of advertisement.  From the first time I saw this on a T-shirt, it made me very uncomfortable but I could not pinpoint exactly why until recently.  My pastor was preaching one Sunday and during the sermon, this very topic came up.  What he said hit the nail on the head; this slogan, this way of thinking, is causing division within the body of Christ.  All of us who are born again believers are apart of THE church, which is the church of Jesus Christ.  It

     As my six year old was going through my purse the other day, trying to find some gum, he said "Mommy why is your purse so messy?"  I replied "I do clean it out, but it's been awhile and it never stays clean.  It's my catch all when I'm out and about, it is where I throw any and everything."  He never did find any gum and went about his way doing other things.  I however started thinking about how my messy purse was a good metaphor for how our minds can get messy.         As Christians we hear about the need to develop a daily habit of praying and spending time in God's Word.  We have heard lots of good reasons why this is important but until the messy purse situation came up I hadn't seen it so practically.  See we go through our days running here and there, listening to lots of words being said to us, around us, about us.  We have a lot of things we have to remember.  We listen to peoples problems and life experiences.  We answer too many