Transforming for the Better

This last week has been filled with illness, kids hogging the computer and just plain exhaustion. Thank you to everyone for the positive words that give me hope and encouragement. Maybe the Lord knows what He's doing after all!

As I am making my transformation from selfish, lazy, hypocritical whiner to dedicated Christian, I appreciated a passage from Ephesians. Here's the prayer and scripture:

Dear Lord,

As I throw off my bad habits and former way of life, I pray that Your Holy Spirit assists me with the spiritual renewal of my thoughts and attitudes. I see the transformation You have started in me and I understand the pain in my life has brought me to this better place today. While my situation has not improved, I have improved. I thank You for that change and even the pain that has brought it about. I know I must display my new nature as You transform me into Your likeness. Help me be righteous, holy and true. I wish to become the person You know I can be.

Through Jesus Christ I offer this prayer. Amen.

Based on Ephesians 4:22-24...

Throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness -- righteous, holy and true.

The Heathen I Was!

Can I just say I wasn't always this blathering Bible thumper?

I was a "regular" person who just believed in God, but thought it was someone else's job to spread the Word. And I didn't need to read the Bible or go to church. That's for those maniacs who don't have lives to live.

My transformation started 3 years ago when I got a new job. It was encouraged by a very stressful financial situation which, to this day, gives me heart palpitations when I let it. Through daily meditations, a new church and a Bible study class by Beth Moore that knocked my socks off, I've landed here.

But before here, I was like everyone else. It's funny how things I used to tolerate and not think twice about (crude jokes, nasty pictures) now hold absolutely no interest for me. I prefer not to hear the joke, be part of the conversation or see the pictures. I simply turn them off. However, I don't judge others who don't feel the same. Judging others is a distraction I'm turning away from.

So I don't care what your blog is about. I appreciate that everyone can be depressed and need some support. Life is way too hard to do it on my own. I need others and I hope that I can also support other people. Here's to getting through life leaning on each other... and God.