so, I know I haven't blogged in forever but I really hope ya'll will read this. for the past few weeks at riot (my church's wednesday night youth worship) we've been learning about being bold and really stepping out for God. tonight thought, it really hit me and gave me such a reality check. I'm a really outgoing person until it comes to sharing my testimony, I feel awkward and shy and scared to death. I'm scared people will think I'm crazy or weird or they'll laugh at me. but tonight my youth minister was talking about how our story is epic and important and it's our job to share it with others. he listed reasons why we don't share and they went right along with why I don't share, then he said something that blew my mind...if you look at all the reasons why I don't share it's because I'm making my story about me. REALITY CHECK BROOKLYN, it's not about you. wow. mindblown. "your story is epic if Jesus Christ is the hero of your story." I can't make it all about me because it's not.
in Ephesians 2:1-10 it says "1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 BUT because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
in verses 1-3 it talks about how we were sinners and how we were dead in our sin and then in verse $ is where the but comes in, "BUT because of HIS great love..." I, in no way, saved myself or "earned" my salvation...it was because of God's great love for me, His love for everyone. tonight is when I realized my testimony isn't about me, it's about God and how he changed my life forever.
so tonight after the message, our youth minister challenged us to take the facebook challenge. basically you make of video of you sharing your testimony and then you post it on facebook and tag your friends. it's pretty bold, once you put something on facebook anyone can see it. and honestly, i'm scared to death but I know it's not about me, it's about the almighty one who saved me. so be looking for that on facebook hopefully this weekend and please watch it, not so it can be about me, but so it can be about Jesus Christ.
