An Exhortation & Invitation

I’m not yet finished with my story, but want to take a moment to digress. I realize I’ve been giving you a raw version of my story, not finely honed or even creative in its presentation, but only a stream of thought as it comes. I?understand that you as a reader not knowing me or my personal life can interpret my ramblings any which way. I realize misunderstanding is possible, and I willingly bear that burden.

I know my story and some of the questions I raise might intimidate long-time believers. You may even wonder why some of the things I say have any bearing on spiritual maturity. You may question such a pointed address or might have the nagging thought, “Could any thing she’s saying apply to me?” I know I’m pricking someone’s conscience, and perhaps answering another’s cry for help. But I’m also creating curiosity, and without a doubt stirring indignation, and perhaps a bit of fear, because my words challenge pre-conceived ideas about the Christian life. For whatever reason you have read this far, will you consider the possibility that perhaps the Lord has something for you in this message; something that may change your life for His glory?

Not one of us is ever finished in the Lord. We are complete in Christ simply by choosing to believe in His substitutionary death for our sins, but coming into complete maturity in Christ is another matter altogether. As we mature, we are to do so according to the Spirit with Christlike character forming within our hearts. But Christlike character—selfless love—should be the hallmark of our lives—our identity—manifested through all of our growth processes as we grow in God’s wisdom for living. If there is a destination on this earth it is here: to become Christlike, completely reconciled with God to live the Christian life and grow in God’s wisdom and His ways. The rest of life and growth is a journey.

We must choose to make our consecration complete by making ourselves available to the Holy Spirit to convict our conscience of righteousness and sin—what He wants us to do right and what we are doing wrong that we are to repent of. Will you choose to enter into another level of truth-telling with yourself and with the Lord? The worse that can happen when telling the truth is that the flesh gets riled up a bit, and the soul has what I call a “flesh fest.” But the only way out of a lie is to expose it for what it is. Lies go away real fast when exposed, because they are no longer being enabled.

Believers, we are exhorted to walk in truth with one another. Won’t you practice walking in truth with the significant people in your life, seek to repent of wrongs and practice intentional right and good. May God richly bless you with His mercy and abundant grace to completely surrender to His loving hand.

(There is open discussion about MY PERSONAL STORIES on the H.E.M. Facebook group page for those who would like further explanations for questions being raised through my testimony.)