Let me try again.

I want to correct something from last night's post, it has been kind of on my mind and heart all day.

Religion, it is not faking something, but let's be honest, is it a natural thing that makes us feel God's love, or let's us FEEl His grace and happiness? In my experience no. For me, religion is the act of going to a certain "religion" church, and following a set of prayers, doing a certain amount of things, following certain rules, in order to maintain righteousness, or whatever you want to call it. To me, that's not right.

Let me try to say this clearer. I find a joy in God that I can't find in anything else, I've had experiences where His love picks me up off my feet and saves me from disaster, and where His forgiveness can take my most terrible mistakes and wash them away. That is God to me, and I love it, really love it. I am in no way trying to convert anybody, to be honest, I don't see the point of it. I just hate to see, teens, who are constantly striving to hold onto something real, be turned off of the one real thing in this world, because of a set of rules and actions that HAVE to be maintained or else "You are going to Hell."

Anyway, I feel like maybe that came out a little more clearly tonight, let me know, I love answering questions!

Now, HI! How are you?

I feel much better to get that off my chest. Let's talk.

When I first started blogging, I think this was one of my first topics, but I want to revisit it for tonight, it seems to fit.

Matthew 11:28-30 ---

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

This is Jesus speaking, by the way, and I think when i first wrote about this the blog entry was titled "The ultimate invite." I think you can figure out why, just read it. Basically, in an even simpler form, Jesus is saying, "Come on, let's be friends, I have so much I want to talk about with you, you are awesome, and I promise to be the best friend You have ever had."

Think: Notice all the different ways Jesus is saying, "hang out with me." He says it quite a few ways, which way do you find it most inviting? What would it feel like to walk with Jesus and work with Him? It's okay to be honest; "freely and lightly" may not describe what you think it would really be like. You may think it would be forced and difficult. If so, what would you desire it to be like? Have you feared that a walk with Jesus might require heavy or ill-fitting things? Why?

Live: Walk with Jesus, either in your mind or on an actual walk. As you do, turn these words from Jesus over in your mind: rest, unforced, keep company with me, freely, lightly.

I guess that's it. The difference, between Christianity and Religion... One thing is a real beneficial friendship, the other is rules, and tradition, that people, especially teenagers do not find appealing.

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So, I got this quote book for Easter, I am going to leave you with a couple.

"Success consists of getting up just more times than you fall." - Oliver Goldsmith.

"Don't wait for your ship to come; swim out to it." - Anonymous

BONNE SOIR!

-Colton