Chokmah and Biynah

Chokmah, you are my wise sister...
As I write my Father's words in my private notebook
Which contains all my most heartfelt thoughts, dreams, and struggles.
The essence of the soul of my being.

Biynah, you are my discerning kinswoman...
I adorn my fingers with His truths
So I will never forget them,
And be lured away from my Beloved
By the flattering foreigner Zuwr.

This stranger is subtle, yet strong,
And he awaits me at every corner.
He tempts me with promises
Of peace, comfort, and good feelings
Until my Bridegroom returns from His journey.

If I should forget my Father's instructions
Then the foreigner shall succeed.
Zuwr will entice me to follow him
He will lead me as a beast to the slaughter.

So stay with me Chokmah
And lead me down the right path, Biynah.
For I do not wish to join the many,
The many who have been destroyed by Zuwr.

(This is my interpretation of Proverbs 7)

Personal Jesus

Remember that song? Actually I didn't until I came up with the title for this blog posting and then realized that I had heard that phrase before. I googled it and found the Depeche Mode and Johnny Cash versions on YouTube. The actual song may not be about Jesus specifically, but He IS a personal Jesus to anyone who wants Him to be.

Link to the song: Personal Jesus

What I was going to say about this is that Jesus is personal. He gets personal. He will not deal with me the same way He will with you. He will not ask the same things of me as He will of you either. There is a part in The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis, where Aslan tells the boy "I'm telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own." It's much the same with Jesus. He tells me something different and in a different way than He might tell you in order to get me to the next bend in the path on my Christian walk. Each person who has given their life to Christ has a different story to tell. It happens differently for everyone, even though the end result is essentially the same (eternity spent with God in heaven). It is like this because He made us and knows each one of us intimately. He understands that some people prefer old-fashioned hymns without instruments for their corporate worship times and others like something with a beat and lots of guitar. All the different types of churches are not wrong (unless they are not representing Jesus accurately and biblically), and He has given each one their own purpose and mission to fulfill.

I have been very open in my online writing about God calling me to wear a covering and using it as a place to discuss and process what I am learning about it. For me it has always been personal. Something between Him and myself. He may not ask it of everyone else or He may have different reasons or methods or times to wear it for those who have also been called to do this. All I know is that this is what He wants of me and it pleases Him that I am doing it in response to Him out of love (and not out of fear or thinking wrongly that it is what all good Christian married women should do).

He may be asking something of you right now or leading you down a new path. Don't worry if it seems strange or different than everyone else. Get personal with Jesus and reach out and touch Him and He will give you all the grace you need to follow through.

Be blessed...

The Lunar Phases of Erika

I have been wanting to write my follow-up post to the Headcovering article but I did not get my inspiration until this last weekend when the Lord allowed me to have more (but not yet complete) understanding about why He chose me to become a headcovering Christian woman.

You may have heard the analogy that Jesus is the sun and one who has accepted His gift of salvation is the moon, reflecting His light to the world. I have also heard this before and thought it was a cool analogy, but the other night He showed me that there are also phases in a believer's development, just like the moon (at least in my own life). I would like to share my own spiritual development with you as it equates to the lunar phases.

For the sake of this analogy we'll say a person does not become a "moon" unless they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. I am not sure when I became a moon. It must have been at a young age because I cannot remember ever not believing God was real or that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I went to Sunday School every week throughout my entire childhood so I understood the basics of the Christian faith and personally believed them for myself.

The first lunar phase is the new moon phase. We know the moon is there but it appears dark because it is between the earth and the sun so the earth (the world) does not see the light. I was stuck in the new moon phase for a very long time. I knew Jesus, I could see Him myself, but I was stuck in between the things of the world and my love for Christ and I was afraid to let His light shine on the world. I became bound by fear and it nearly ruined me last year as I went through a dark period of depression. I cried out to God every night to help me for months while at the same time trying herbal remedies and eating better in case it was just something like a vitamin deficiency :) , and in His perfect timing He answered with a simple request....

"Cover your head."

This was something I was aware of, being in the homeschooling community, that some Christian women cover their heads and many at the same time also adopt a plain, modest style of dress to go along with it. I respected their conviction but did not think it was necessary for me to do that. I thought that if I started covering my head I would also have to start wearing the modest dresses and it just was not appealing to me, to be frank. I think there are ways to be modest and respectful of men without having to give up my own sense of style (whatever that may be...). But one day last July God made it very clear to me that I should wear some kind of covering. Any kind. It wasn't what I looked like that mattered. He just wanted me to obey by actively taking a garment of some sort and putting it on my head. So I did. I did not understand why. Why me? Why not her or her or her? For how long? All these questions and more have gone through my covered head over the last several months. But you know what? When I made that decision to obey my Lord's request my moon started to turn a little and shine just a sliver of His light.

As my little light shone I spent much time in research about the biblical basis for headcovering and seeking Him for myself and for some answers to those questions. He revealed Himself over those weeks and months of bible study and prayer and discussions with friends in ways I never thought possible. He also allowed me some time in that little sliver of light phase, so I could get over more of my fear of man and the need to be accepted. I had a hard time wearing the coverings without wondering and worrying about what people thought of me and what I would say if they asked about it (which hardly ever happened surprisingly). I was about ready to give it up, thinking that it was counterproductive if it consumed my thoughts in that way. I did not want the covering to hinder my Christian growth, which I was striving so hard for. But just as He knew I would, I did get over it and in the last week or so I stopped thinking about other people's opinions and just wore it and enjoyed it. I liked that I didn't have to do too much with my hair. I liked that I was doing something just for Him. I liked how it was bringing me closer to a friend who is also covering in obedience to His request. I had reached the first quarter phase, showing a half-moon of His light to the world.

This past weekend He showed up when I was at a monthly worship service and brought me to the next "waxing gibbous" phase. He took away the last of my fear and showed me who I am. He's given me more understanding of the things He's shown me in my personal bible studies in the past couple of months and I am excited to use His gifts and to follow His leading for the rest of my life. He still wants me to cover, and I am happy to do it if it will bring Him the glory and help someone else find their way to Him.

When will I become a full moon? I think that will be the day Jesus comes for me, when I will finally become the perfect mirror image of His light. It is going to be marvelous to see!

What phase are you in? If you know and feel comfortable sharing please post a comment (even anonymously if you want), and I will pray with and for you to reach the next level. For Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day."

Head Covering (part 1)

I've been mulling over this subject in my head for awhile, intending to make at least one post on it because I feel it is important both for myself and the Body of Christ as a whole. I was thinking through what I might say when I came across an excellent article on the subject which I will share below. This is part 1 because at a later date I intend to get into it from a more personal perspective by sharing my own experiences and thoughts about head covering so far.

So here is the article which does a wonderful job of summing up my own conclusions on why I think it is necessary for me to cover.

Head Covering
by Ellen Kavanaugh

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. .... Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." 1 Corinthians 11:3-6; 13-16

This verse seems so misunderstood by so many, so let's address various aspects of the passage which may be confusing.

We begin by noticing that the purpose of the headcovering is because of a woman's place in the natural order: G-d, man, woman:

"For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels." 1 Corinthians 11:7-10

We can also deduce from this 'headship' that it can only apply to married women, since single women are directly under G-d, without a husband between her and G-d (unless we assume every man is over a woman [like her father, brother, uncle, etc. and then as she ages, her son, nephews, etc)]. Clearly only husbands are meant here.

There are several passages indicating headcovering was a common practice among married/betrothed women:

"And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself." Genesis 24:64,65

Another verse showing the practice of wifely headcovering was an established practice is in the case of a woman before the priest when her husband suspects infidelity:

And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse." Numbers 5:18

The point being, in order to uncover, she must have been previously covered. The passage makes the assumption that any wife brought before a priest *will* be covered. From Sha'ul's (Paul) comment in 1 Corinthians 11:16 "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God" it seems clear he is referring to the custom that wives *do* cover their heads.

Now, what kind of covering is deemed appropriate? Is a woman's hair sufficient? No. This is because Sha'ul used different Greek words for the natural hair covering and the headship covering. Let's look at the Greek words in the passage:

Sha'ul said that men should not cover/katakalupto (Strong's 2619) their heads. And in verse 11 Sha'ul contrasts that with: "Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered/akatakaluptos/?" (Strong's 177) Note that 'uncovered'/akatakaluptos is the opposite of 'to cover'/katakalupto. Katakaluptos basically means to UNcover or UNveil. So far, we have a 'men uncover, women cover' command. Now for where the confusion comes in: When Sha'ul refers to a woman's natural hair covering, he uses an altogether different word: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering/peribolaion." (Strong's 4018). Peribolaion means something thrown around (loose items like a veil, a mantle, a vesture). Hair is more like a glorious decoration given to woman. Now if Sha'ul had meant the naturally occuring hair covering and the headship-type covering to be one and the same, he would have used the same word for each. Instead, a woman's natural hair covering (peribolaion) is being contrasted to this other covering (katakalupto) that women wear. In fact, the katakalupto actually *covers* the peribolaion.

Sha'ul has begun this passage showing the contrasts between men and women in this passage: men are uncovered, women are covered. Then Sha'ul supports his case for headcovering by pointing out that even in nature a women is given a covering -- by her long hair. But Sha'ul never makes the leap that hair itself *is* a suitable headcover alone. If such a natural covering sufficed, then Sha'ul is wasting his time teaching this since the women already had a natural hair covering. Sha'ul deliberately used different words for the two coverings so we would understand they were complementary to each other but not identical. So there is *no* choice offered in this passage that one may choose to either shave one's head and cover it, or to leave one's hair long and remain uncovered. The natural order is to either wear a covering over the hair or to fully exploit the shame of being uncovered by also shaving off one's hair too. Better: if you resist submitting to the customary female headcovering, you may as well reject your natural hair as well.

Now among those who agree a married woman should wear some sort of covering, there is always the one who argues this headcovering is due to modesty. That somehow hair is too much of a sexual turn on to men and therefore must be covered to keep a man's libido under control. While long hair can be attractive, I'd argue the command has little to do with attractiveness, but instead only represents a husband's headship over his wife. Let me demonstrate why:

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Yochanan/John 12:3

If hair is so sexy that it must be kept covered, then the above verse reads tackily -- as if Mary was trying to arouse Yeshua. Clearly hair did not have any such deep sexual connotations attached to it. Furthermore (assuming hair's sexiness was the reason for the covering) the command to cover is given only to married women (again, notice single Mary wore no such covering). Yet wouldn't many single teenage girls be the ones more likely to entice with their appearance? In fact wouldn't they be the ones most needing this modest head covering? While certainly a woman's hair is attractive and a delight for her husband, I cannot agree that the command to cover a woman's head is strictly because of its attractiveness. The headcovering Sha'ul refers to is less about looks and modesty, and more about showing a woman's 1) marital status and 2) her submission to her husband's headship over her and finally, 3) as evidence for the angels to witness this submissive act (possibly also as a positive example for fallen angels to see -- those who had rejected G-d's headship and refused to submit to Him).

I'd like to address the issue of *when* to cover one's head. There are many who feel headcoverings only need to be worn during congregational services (i.e. 'praying and prophesying'). Sha'ul says we are to 'Pray without ceasing' (1 Thessalonians 5:17) -- so apparently, there is no time when a woman should not be praying, therefore, no time when a woman should be uncovered.

In conclusion, nothing in 1 Corinthians indicates hair (or lack of hair) replaces a proper headcovering on married women. It is this writer's own personal opinion that most any headcovering will be adequate; from a headband, to a scarf, to a hat, to a full veil. The exception to *most any covering* would be a wig, since a wig defeats the whole purpose of the command by giving the illusion of being uncovered. Other than a wig, most any covering will adequately fulfill this command, since katakalupto simply means 'to cover' and doesn't specify a particular accessory. For myself, I prefer a modest look, and so I don't choose headcoverings that would draw much attention to myself. To be overly modest and covered up in the society I live in could either lead to false modesty or give others the impression I want to be noticed for extreme piety. The purpose of the covering isn't to attract stares at the supermarket but to show submission to G-d's natural order.

Link to original article~ http://www.lightofmashiach.org/women/headcovering.html

Religion or Relationship?

I've often heard the saying that goes "Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship." When I first heard that years ago I agreed wholeheartedly because I was having doubts about the denomination I was a part of and just denominations in general. I felt there was too much attention given to the traditions of a particular church and not enough genuine adoration and service to God Himself. But now I'm not so sure about that saying. Something about it does not sit well with me.

What is religion anyway? Religion according to my dictionary is belief in and worship of God or gods; a specific system of belief, worship, etc. often involving a code of ethics. Someone who is religious is devout, pious; of or concerned with religion; conscientiously exact; scrupulous. Is that not what Christianity is all about? Would you agree that it is a belief in God which includes a specific system of belief and worship as outlined by Him in His Word? And that a Christian should be devout (earnest, sincere) in how they approach their Lord and Savior?

It is true that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but it should not end there. We are running a race (Hebrews 12:1) and striving for the prize at the end (Philippians 3:14) which is to hear Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21) How can we get to that point of reward if we stand still at the starting line and never even begin to make any progress toward the finish line?

He gives us such clear instruction in His Word on how to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and be fruitful (John 15:4-5). He shows us how to relate to other believers (Romans 12:4-21) and how to celebrate His good gifts with the feasts (Leviticus 23) . He tells us how to behave in our marriages (Ephesians 5:21-33) and as parents (Ephesians 6:4, many Proverbs), etc. etc.... It's all in there! It should be the goal of every believer to spend time with Him daily in His Word and in prayer and worship (relationship). Then it should be a priority for all in the Body to walk in obedience to the things He is telling them in a devout and conscientiously exact (religious) manner. When this is done the fruit will grow and the blessings will come. The Bride of Christ will become more and more beautiful and ready for her Bridegroom.

So is Christianity a religion or a relationship? I would argue that it is both. In order to have a fulfilling relationship with God one must be religious in their pursuance of Him. To have a meaningful religion one must know Him well as a friend in order to understand why we are to break the bread and drink the wine for example. Now I encourage you to go pursue Him and find the richness of the religion of Christianity as you get to know Him better.

My Testimony (thus far)....

I was the first-born daughter of four children in a church-going family. We belonged to a Finnish Lutheran church in Minnesota. I was baptized as an infant by the same pastor who baptized my mother and who also married my parents. We went to church and Sunday school every Sunday and I sang with the Jr. Choir as an elementary aged youth. I remember always loving to learn about God and Jesus and all the people in the Old Testament. Life was fairly stable, even with my parents own personal struggles with finances, alcoholism, depression, and the marriage problems that come along with all of that. We were surrounded with family from both sides who were always there to love us and help us when we needed it.

Then when I was just finishing 6th grade my family moved from the out-lying suburbs of the Twin Cities to the overwhelmingly rural Ontonagon County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That first summer we lived with my dad's dad who turned 79 that summer. My dad's brother lived just down the road and ran a dairy farm so was busy cutting hay. He would store some of it in my grandfather's barn. One day my little sister and I were on our bikes near the end of the driveway as our cousin was driving in on the tractor. As I was on one side my sister was on the other being run over by the hay conditioner trailer. Miraculously, her only injuries were a badly broken ankle, which required a skin graft, and some bumps and bruises. She was 8 years old at the time. As we were in a very remote area, my mom and sister drove 20 miles to the nearest medical center and then rode in an ambulance to a hospital in northern Wisconsin. She was in the hospital for about a week and I went to visit her every day with my dad (over an hour drive one way). I think I must have blamed myself for what happened even though it was truly an accident. I wanted to do all I could to make it better. So that traumatic experience set the tone for the next couple of years. My parents continued to struggle. I'm sure the added stress of the medical bills didn't help. I was trying my best to fit in with the junior high girls at school which never really happened. I don't have many fond memories of those 2 years but there were those rare jewels. The people at the little church we went to will always be special to me. Picking raspberries in the boonies (for free!) and taking a real sauna at least once a week are things I still miss.

We eventually moved further north to a more populated area where my parents still live today. I was entering 9th grade and was still desperate to be accepted by the girls in school. My freshman year I lost a friendship with a girl from my first church in Minnesota in a very traumatic break. I still have no idea what caused it. That experience affected me and my ability to connect with people for a long time (maybe even still but I am fight it tooth and nail).

I went through high school--played flute in band and had friends here and there. I even had a couple of boyfriends although I was really shy and could hardly get myself to talk to any of them. Our family continued to go to church regularly and I was confirmed in the same Finnish Lutheran denomination. I took my confirmation vows very seriously even though I always felt that there should be more to it. Like something was missing from my relationship with God but I didn't know how to find it.

I graduated from high school in 1995 and went to Central Michigan University that fall. I started out wanting to major in Special Ed. but kept changing my mind. I finally settled on a Child Development major because all I knew I wanted to be was a mother to my future children. I had no interest in a career and only went to college at all because that's what I was supposed to do and I didn't have anyone in mind to marry! I was involved with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, but more in my sophomore through senior years. Freshman year I was more into dorm life and meeting people.

Just following my 2nd year of college I went to Chapter Camp with IV and really began to feel my relationship with God deepen to that "something more" I was looking for. When that week was over I went home to work for the summer and met my future husband through working together with the youth group at that same Finnish church. He was a fairly new Christian and his excitement about God really impacted me and drove me to seek Him more as well. I finished my last 2 years of college and we were married July 24, 1999.

Before we were married the Finnish church had a church split occur with their then senior pastor leaving and subsequently setting up a new (more charismatic) church. My parents and my fiance (and therefore, me) went with him and Anthony (my fiance) led the worship team. That new church is now over a decade old and still going strong. My parents are still there growing and serving the Lord.

A few months into our marriage my husband and I and a two other families left that new church mostly due to a miscommunication and spiritual attack. We had our own home church services and Anthony and I were baptized by immersion by a friend that fall. Shortly after that we started going to a VERY small and VERY charismatic fellowship which was quite cut off from the rest of the body, but we did learn some valuable lessons there. From that church I learned how to hear from God more personally and how to pick apart the Word and use worship as a weapon. We left that fellowship after a couple of years and eventually went back to mom and dad's church and reconciled with the pastor.

During all this time some other major events occurred. Our son was born, I had 2 miscarriages, and 9/11 happened. We were starting to consider leaving the area altogether. I was home with our son and my husband was only making $9/hour. We weren't sure where to go. We first thought maybe Charlotte, NC because there is a church there (Morningstar Fellowship) that we really love. But after attending their Harvest Fest conference in 2001 we realized that God did not want us to move there. Anthony ended up answering an ad in the Sunday paper for the brand-new security screeners at Detroit metro airport and got the job within a couple of weeks. So in late summer/early fall of 2002 we moved downstate.

At that time I was pregnant with our 2nd child. We tried a couple of churches and then settled in at a Messianic Jewish synagogue that we had heard of from a friend in the U.P. We were learning so much there and loved it and would still be going there if it were closer and if Anthony's work schedule was more conducive. I found our current church that is closer and mostly went alone at first because my husband worked on weekends. It is a good church with loving people and strong worship. We are steadily getting more involved (me more than him because he still has a demanding schedule).

We've been here for 5 years and in that time we had our 3rd child and also had our own struggles in our marriage. We are working on our relationship and growing closer all the time. Last year, however, was the most difficult for me personally. I was in a period of depression and I believe God allowed it as either a testing or a breaking of my own pride and flesh.

This past summer as I was just coming out of the depression and starting to feel like myself God led me to begin covering my hair through the witness of a good friend. At first I didn't understand why but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could not disobey. I started by wearing long scarves tied on as a wide headband. I have since bought some more scarves and headbands and I am more comfortable covering more of my hair/head. It has been over 2 months of covering every day (but one) and as I've studied it more I am even more convinced that I should be covering, and I know why! (More on that in future posts.)

Now that God has my total submission He is not delaying in communicating His will for me. He has been giving me such clear instructions and one of them has been to go where He sends me and speak His words. I must take it day by day and never be afraid because I know that He will always deliver me from those that fight against me. I am so humbled by the Lord and only desire to give Him the glory!

harp in my heart info...

If you can't see the video box, just click on the title of the entry and it will show up.

Harp in My Heart by Kevin Prosch

There’s a harp in my heart

And only you can play it

There’s a song in my broken soul

And only you can sing it

You’re so unpredictable God

Just like the rhythm, the rhythm of weeping

And my life is still so upside down

But you keep on coming, coming around

You keep on loving, but I still let you down

There’s a harp in my heart

And only you can play it

There’s a song in my broken soul (broken soul)

And only you can sing it

I hear those curfew bells are ringing

But I just can’t stop my singing

I’ve got to tell just one more person

Hey! Never give up

Keep on dreaming

Quieter than rain

He knows all your pain

There’s a cry I have had

That I could love my brother

Not to look at their race

Their religion or their color

You love those Presbyterians God

You love the gays and the lesbians

You love the Buddhist and the prostitute

You’re not like us

Cause we always change

You see through our sin and

You love us anyway, anyway, anyway!

Yes I wish you would put the words in my mouth God

To tell the world what you’re really like

Not some dead god who lived in some building

But a Father of kindness, a Son of forgiveness, a Spirit who helps me

That’s who you are, that’s who you are, that’s who you are!

A Peculiar People

1 Peter 2:9 says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..." KJV

The word peculiar is translated from the Greek word peripoiesis which means acquisition (the act or the thing); by extension preservation: obtain, peculiar, purchased, possession, saving.

In Webster's Dictionary the definition of peculiar is: 1. of only one person, thing, etc; exclusive 2. particular; special 3. odd; strange

According to this verse, Christians are called peculiar. We are called to be holy or set apart because we belong to One Who is Holy. Each person who has accepted the gift of salvation that was bought with the blood of Christ is now His possession by their own admission.

Lately, I have come to realize that I am extra peculiar (i.e. odd, strange). I have always been drawn to things that are out of the norm. Just being a Christian makes me strange to most people of the world because of my faith in Jesus and my beliefs that abortion is wrong, and that marriage is only intended for 1 man and 1 woman. I also firmly believe in a literal 6 day creation and do not believe that God used evolution to create the world as we know it.

Yet even compared to others in the Church I feel different.

1. My husband and I home school our children because we feel that God has commanded us to personally educate our children. It is true that homeschooling is getting to be a more popular choice for education among Christians but it is still the minority.

2. I recently responded to the command to cover my head according to the scripture in 1 Corinthians 11. We belong to a large, modern church and I only know of one other woman who covers. As I have been studying this issue more in depth I'm coming to realize how important it is to God that Christian woman learn about why He wants them to cover their hair.

3. My husband and I for a long time have been interested in the Jewish roots of Christianity and we have committed to observing the Biblical Feasts and the Sabbath in this coming year. We learned recently that the Feasts in the Jewish calendar were intended by God to be used as a catechism in teaching children fundamental truths about His character and His kingdom (in ways that every learning style out there can benefit from, no less!). I don't think He only meant this for Jewish people, but also longs for His grafted-in children to learn about Him in this way.

There are not many in the Church as a whole that are doing these things that I am discovering are foundational for a Christian who is a part of the Holy Nation, but I do believe that in time they will. God is restoring those things that have fallen away in the many years since the early Church was founded.

I just have to wonder why am I so peculiar? Does God have me here for a reason? He must because He is all-knowing and He has a plan. He is leading me down a path in life, and in my faith, that is not normal. I have always known that I am not normal, but I have fought it all my life, trying to fit in with the others (kids, Christians, etc.) and not make waves. But He wants to make waves! And He wants me to be a part of it! Again, I ask why?

The enemy knows this on some level and has sought to keep me bound in a shell of shyness, timidity, and fear. But I will not allow it any longer. The enemy cannot stop me from living for the One Who Bought Me. He has no power over me because he has been defeated! And now that he has no more power over me the message is going to get out and more people will discover the joys of "showing forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light".

Which leads to the purpose of this blog.... God has been showing me so many new things lately that I just cannot keep to myself. I am having such strong "Duh!" moments that I want to save other Christians from walking through life in bondage to something that most likely has a simple solution. I plan to post on topics that are not often discussed and may even be difficult to hear (or read) because it is never easy to give up things of the flesh that we love so dearly. :) It is my prayer that everything posted on this blog be received with love and a clear understanding. Thank you for joining me on my quest for more of Him!