What Do I Do With This?

As with any testimony or teaching, that is always the question we ask ourselves at the end, right? We say, "This is complete garbage...let's just walk away." Or we say, "Hmm, that was interesting...there are some good points that I can learn from...I'll take those." Or we say, "Wow, that was incredible insight. My life is completely changed." Wherever you are on this spectrum of reactions, still, there is always a reaction.

This sort of testimony and teaching literally changed my life as I've said before. I had never heard anything like it, so of course it would. Plus, I knew that I wanted something different than what I had already experienced and what I saw around me...in churches and in the world.

Some of you this will change or challenge. Some of you will listen and apply accordingly. At this point in our lives, what our focus is with it is just to share. We feel like God did something incredible in us using others...they shared their testimony with us and what they'd learned and in turn we want to do the same when it is appropriate and when people are receptive and actually want to hear it. Some people just aren't receptive.

But, another thing that we think of ALOT of course is our children. We didn't hear that sort of thing growing up. Would it have made a difference in the way we walked out our lives? Would we have made some of the same mistakes anyway?

Who can say? Only God knows, literally. I am sure that it would've made a difference. But, still some of the same mistakes? Maybe. I do know that we wouldn't have had any excuse as to not having ever heard it. With our children, we can pray for them and over them (fervently), we can be real with them, we can hopefully have the kind of relationship with them where they want to please us. We are their models for who God is and the relationship that they will have with God is much like the relationship they have with us in their early years. If we succeed in having the kind of relationship where they love us and want to please us (and that's their motivation for obeying and following "our will"), then it is more likely to carry over into their relationship with God. We pray that we have the kind of relationship where we are close friends (even though we are parents first) and they want to share things with us...where they come to us with questions and the issues of life that spring up, even at the age of 2. :-) Will they learn this kind of teaching (the relationship teaching) through our testimony, our example, our daily talks, etc. and still falter and fail in the area of relationships? I pray that they won't. I know many people who have been very successful in raising children who really were able to walk out this kind of teaching, remaining completely pure, never "dating," but only being joined with their husband or wife at the proper time (yes, that's right...never dating anyone until they met the person that was to be their spouse). And, guess what...they weren't weird. They were super cool.

In college I met for the first time people who had never kissed. Really drop-dead gorgeous people who could've had anyone they wanted. I was appalled. I'm dead serious. I COULD NOT believe it. So funny to think of my mindset and reaction to that now. Those were mostly girls though. After college I met some guys who had never kissed or dated. Again, surprised...but it was so cool...I was surprised in a good way...an admiration kind of way. And again...these guys were dang good-looking and absolutely cool (and might I add, even sexy, just so you get the point that they weren't dweebs)...nothing at all questionable about them (as in sexual orientation or whatever, because you know that that is some people's first question).

Anyway, so the point is that it can be done...it is done all the time, even if it's not nearly as popular as the other way of doing things. We pray that our children can follow in that way. We pray that we will do our part correctly in that...that we will teach and instruct and lovingly show (not preach it at them) this way and we pray that our relationship with them and presentation of it will be done in such a manner that they want to choose it. Even if we are able to do our part correctly, there is no guarantee. The bottom line is that we all have choices to make. Even when given all the tools and opportunities for making the right ones, sometimes we all fail and make the wrong ones no matter what. Sad, but true. I believe that dates back to...oh, like the Garden of Eden or something. :-)

Some people use the phrase that "some people have to learn from their own mistakes." I think I'd rather be wise and learn from the Bible, from others' testimonies, from God's direct voice and leading in my life. Let's not use that crutch that it's best to learn from our own mistakes. It's best to be wise. If you make them, yes...please do learn from your mistakes. But, if you don't have to make them (and you don't), then don't.

So, that's the end of this testimony and this teaching. I pray, again, that God used some of this to impact some of you, just like it did me back in the day...and still inspires and challenges me even today. It is an amazing thing to walk out. Do that...walk it out...change your mindset and habits if need be. And then, just stand back and watch God do His thing. You will be amazed.