New Blog

Hello everyone! This blog has not been very active since April and now that there is something else to offer I can explain. I created this blog as a part of my position as Union For Christ director at Union College. I wanted to give others insight into my own spiritual journey. I am no longer holding this position, however Ricky Melendez is now the UFC director and he has decided to continue on with a blog. So continue following at www.ufcshares.wordpress.com. He has a lot of great ideas and I know you'll be blessed by his posts. Thanks for following and I hope you were blessed as much as I was!

Ps. I will be contributing from time to time on the new blog as well!

John Chapter Twelve

Why does it seem as though rejecting Christ is easier than accepting Christ? Is it because my view is flawed? Is it because that is they way society portrays it? Is that how non Christians make it seem? Or do Christians make it seem that way?

As I was reading chapter twelve my initial reaction to the Pharisees was that it would be so much easier to just accept Jesus. Up to this point they have had so much evidence that he is the Son of God. They have seen miracle after miracle. Twice now God's voice from heaven has recognized Jesus; at his baptism and here in verse 28. But no, they'd rather look for ways to defame Jesus, to kill him, and to kill any evidence of the work he's done. This means to find a way to kill Lazarus as well. Why? Why not just accept Christ? Why not just allow yourself to believe?

Don't I do the same thing though? Don't I look for excuses not to follow Jesus and give myself completely to him? Don't I look for reasons to take my life back into my own hands? Do I not test to see if God is really there? To see if he really cares?

Why create all this extra work on myself? Why? It would be so much easier to just let go and say Jesus I trust you. I accept you and I give my life completely to you.

It seems that way would be easier. But somehow in my mind it isn't. It seems like the hardest thing I'll ever do is surrender. And maybe this is what the Pharisees thought too...I don't know. But I would rather not repeat history so even though in my mind it may seem harder in the end I know complete surrender is easier.

Jesus, I surrender my life to you; the good, the bad, and everything in between.

John Chapter Eleven

I've been struggling a little lately. I have been trying to take time to spend with Jesus everyday but it seems like it just isn't happening. This last week or so has been incredibly busy and I just feel like I'm on the go all the time; trying to squeeze in time to eat and sleep along the way. It's as though I have no time for Jesus. How can I possibly have no time for Jesus? How can I not have time for the one who has given his life for me? How can I not possibly figure out how to make that time?

This year has been an amazing growing experience for me in my relationship with Christ. I know that I have come so far and that I am so much different than when I started out at the beginning of this school year. However, there is that tendency for things to plateau. I just get comfortable and love the ways things are and stop to seek and yearn for God. But I know that I must fight against it, it is only a temptation from the devil in which I will slowly fade away from the presence of Christ. And I know that Jesus doesn't want our relationship to stay where it is, I know he want it to grow and to continue to grow.

This is why John 11:16 sticks out to me today. As I read it I was just blown away by the thought and the words of Thomas. Jesus is talking about going to Bethany which is in Judea because of Lazarus. The last time Jesus was here the people tried to stone him.  The disciples think he is crazy to go back to a place where he could potentially be killed. Yet, Thomas speaks up and says, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." Commitment.

As I reflect on the verse and on my week, I have to ask myself where is my commitment? I can't even make sacrifices in my time to spend with Jesus; let alone be willing to sacrifice my life. I want to grow, I want to be more in love with Jesus, I want him to be all I live for so that my life is of little consequence. I want to be able to join in with Thomas.

John Chapter Ten

One of my biggest spiritual fears is that I'm going to get caught up in something that isn't true. I'm scared that when I'm standing before Jesus in the judgement day that he's going to say to me "I never knew you." The thought of it depresses me and I agonize over how can I know, how can I not be fooled by wolves in sheep's clothing.

I've really been struggling with these thoughts this week. I've had so many questions and just seemed as though there weren't any answers coming my way. I felt so close to spiraling out of control and just giving up. But Jesus had something for me this week.

After reading chapter ten in John, I am convinced that this is not to be my worry. I have to have complete faith in Christ and know that he will not allow me to be led astray. The story of The Good Shepherd was such an encouragement to me. Jesus says that his sheep will not follow a stranger. His sheep will only follow his voice. This is when it hit me. I have a father in heaven that loves me and wishes more than anything for me to be there with him. This is why being connected to Christ is so important. This is why I have to know him!

By having a connection with Christ and by knowing who he is, I will know his voice and not be led by a stranger or some strange doctrine. It's hard to let go and put complete and utter faith in Jesus but I have to. I have to let go and stop trying to control my own destiny.

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep."

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not a hireling and I don't have to worry about the wolves because he will not flee , he will give his life that I may be safe! So why am I worried?

John Chapter Nine

I remember a point in my life as a Christian where I felt I had all the answers. I was so sure of where I stood on everything, I wouldn't even have to think about it. That time is far passed. As I study now, and as I seek to become closer to Jesus the less and less I know. There seems to be this great vastness that I before never knew existed. I feel as though I am groping along in the dark, spiritually blind.

The last few weeks I have really been struggling with a few questions that have started popping up around me. I don't know what I think, believe, or feel. My mind is in utter confusion and in all honesty it scares me. Is the issue really that important? What if it is? Will I choose the right belief? Is there a right belief? What if I end up on the wrong side? Is there a wrong side? These are the questions that plague me.

In John 9, Jesus says something that I believe pertains to what I am struggling with; verse 41, "Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see: therefore your sin remaineth."

Before I felt like I had all the answers so why did I need Jesus? Now, I know that I really cannot see and so I turn to Jesus. I don't have the answers but I know he does. So I put my trust in him asking for guidance and for clarity and I know that he will not lead me astray.

"I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind." -John 9:39 The Message

John Chapter Eight

It is so amazing how God gives us exactly what we need when we need it! The last few days were a quite an  experience at the Campus Ministries Convention in Georgia. I felt a call and pull on my heart in such a way that I have not felt in quite some time. I thought I had my life planned out and knew what was going to happen next. I'm going to get a job as a teacher, work, live the standard life, and do what I can for God on the side. I know it sounds so... lackadaisical, but that is truly how I felt. Reaching out for Christ was not number one on my heart or in my mind. Yet, during these last few days, like a ton of bricks I felt it.

The impression was clear, reaching out for Christ and sharing him needed to be my number one priority. The other stuff; that would come in time. It is not that the career path that I have chosen is wrong, it's that my order was wrong. As I have drawn closer and connected with Christ this year, it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that I want to truly live for him, holding nothing back. No longer saying, "God you can have this part of my life, but not this little piece over here." I want him to have it all and completely transform me, with a new heart, a new spirit.

Now, I don't know where this leaves me. What I once thought I was so sure of, I am now unsure of. I want to live a life with Jesus as number one but I'm not sure where that is leading and I'm scared. John 8 had the perfect verse for me this evening, verse 12, "Then Jesus spake...I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." I know there is a ton in chapter eight and honestly some of it confuses me, but tonight God wanted me to read that verse cause he knew I needed some assurance. My heavenly Father has a plan for me and by his grace I intend to be apart of that plan.

John Chapter Seven

What is happening? There seems to be a change of pace in the life of Jesus continuing on from chapter six. John in this chapter shows the contention and controversy surrounding Jesus. The question of the hour; "Do we believe in him or not?" The religious leaders for the most part want to get rid of him. All they see is a rebel, someone who is challenging their rules, their traditions, their customs. The people on the other hand, are split, not sure what to do, who to listen to. It is becoming not so popular to follow Jesus, so decisions are having to be made.

In the midst of all of this Jesus goes to teach in the temple, and what he has to say doesn't win over the crowd, it infuriates some and inspires awe in others. Me... I am confused, enlightened, and inspired. His words in verse 24 are what stop me this week, "Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement." Judge righteous judgement...What does that mean?

I don't know why, but I immediately think of the story of when David was anointed by Samuel to be king over Israel. 1 Samuel 16:7, "...Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." So is righteous judgement just looking at the heart? But we are only human, we cannot see the heart, we do not know what is on someone else's heart. Only God knows, only he has righteous judgement. So how does Jesus expect us not to base things on the outward appearance; on what we see?

But wait, Matthew in chapter 7 talks about knowing whether people are truly of God, "real" Christians. Verse 20, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." By their fruits? What fruits?

One other place in the Bible that I think of fruits in relation to people, and how they show themselves. Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

These are the things that matter. Because when you think about it, God judged David based on these things, but David wasn't perfect. Yet David was always searching and in the end completely yielded to God. God knows where our hearts are, he knew that David's heart was ultimately his, because he saw in David the fruits of the Spirit. So Jesus tells us if judgement is made do it according to the fruits of the Spirit, not according to the initial appearance that we see. Remember in John 5 Jesus was judged for not keeping the Sabbath, but if you look at what he did, aren't all of the fruits of the Spirit evident?

I know I'm not perfect and I have so much more to learn about Jesus. I have so much growing to do but through it all it is my prayer to strive for and have the fruits of the Spirit, because I just want to be what Jesus has been to me.

John Chapter Six

Jesus keeps performing miracle after miracle which has created this mass of people that are completely obsessed with him. They follow Jesus everywhere. In the beginning of this chapter we see this huge crowd of at least five thousand that follow Jesus to Galilee. They have seen or heard about his miracles and want in on the action. And this is what amazes me, the first thing Jesus thinks of when he sees the crowd, "How can we feed them?"

Again Jesus shows his commitment to the people, he works another miracle in which the physical needs of the crowd are taken care of. What did they do to deserve this? Why is Jesus so attached, so committed? From what I've learned about Jesus so far this year it's that he truly cares and he will do whatever necessary to reach the heart, the soul, to truly give us what we really need.

Jesus pulls away though. He needs some time away from the crowd. (I imagine  it is hard to always be giving and never having a moment to regenerate yourself.) Because these people were seriously always around, because even now when Jesus left to be alone, they wondered where he went. When they saw the boat was gone, they all loaded in their boats and crossed over to Capernaum too!

And now is where it gets interesting. Jesus has showed his care, his commitment to them. But now he needs to know; will they commit to him. Are they following him just because he fed them or is it real? Are their souls really being fed? So Jesus reveals that he is sent from heaven and is the bread of life. The people then ask for another sign to verify this statement! Why? Have they not seen enough or is it that they are looking for a reason not to believe?

Many of the followers left after this, they could not accept the truth of Jesus. They could not commit themselves to him. Yet, there were a few that stayed for they realized what Jesus had was real and committed themselves to him. From this I see that Jesus is completely committed to me, he has done so much for me and in my life! The question is am I committed to him? Or will I leave when the going gets tough? Will I yield all? Or am I only on board for the good stuff?

John Chapter Five

As I read today I immediately thought of a song by Avril Lavigne, "Complicated". In my head repeating over and over again, "Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?" Weird I know, how could God be speaking to me through a song by Avril Lavigne as I'm reading John 5. I'm not quite sure how that works but it made a huge impression.

In the beginning of the chapter there is this man lying by the "magical" pool in Bethesda. He's been trying for years to be healed, but you have to be the first one in and he never makes it. Then this stranger, Jesus, comes up to him and simply asks, "Wilt thou be made whole?" This man immediately gives this huge long reason as to why he can't be made whole.

Sounds exactly like something I would do. Something can be so simple, and yet I make it so complicated. I have to have a plan. I need to know what's going to happen and what is the cause that leads to the effect I want. I lay it all out and follow the little map I have for myself and accomplish my goal. But does life really have to be this complicated? More than that, is my spiritual life, my relationship with God supposed to be that complicated?

If I were that man I would have expected Jesus to give me a plan about how I was going to walk. I would have needed some explanation about what was wrong with me and how it was going to be fixed. But, Jesus, simply tells the man, "Take up thy bed, and walk." There's no plan, no explanation, just get up and do it. Simple. And he does.

Connecting with Christ is supposed to be that simple. And yet it isn't because we've made it so complicated. You have to do this and that in order to walk with Christ. What I see is something totally different. When Jesus asks us, will we be made whole, why not just say "YES" instead of coming up with all the reasons why we can't. Second, when we do say yes, there is no process. There isn't this long list of things to be done, you just jump in and you're whole. Look at the man, he didn't have to learn to walk all over again. He just got up and walked. 

From this I get: I've got to stop questioning, wondering, and creating plans. I have to know that I am with Christ. He said if you search you will find and so I must hold on to that and know that he's not going to forsake me. Even when it feels like he's not there and not around, he made a promise I know he will keep it.

John Chapter Four

Jesus is so radical! Sometimes I wonder, would I have followed Jesus back then, would he have been too radical for me? I mean he broke the status quo! He didn't follow the rules and traditions of society. He was different and that didn't matter. What I see here in John is that Jesus never wished to cause a scene, evidenced by the fact that in verses 1-3 Jesus leaves Judea not to stir up trouble regarding baptisms between him and John the Baptist. However, when it came to a person, it did not matter what others thought or what society deemed appropriate.

As I was reading I stopped for a while at verses 23 and 24:

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."


What does that mean? What does it mean to worship in spirit? I feel like this is key to following and connecting with God. Yet, I don't know what it means, so I wonder what it is that I'm missing out on? I search for other verses, basically do a cross-reference from verse 23 and this is what I find:

"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Romans 7:6

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Corinthians 3:6

I see a distinction being made, the spirit of the law and the letter of the law. Jesus said to worship in spirit and in truth. I cannot do one with out the other, but what is the spirit of the law?

"...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:29-31

This is it; loving God with everything we've got and caring and loving others. This is the spirit of the law. Everything that God has ever shown us, or asked of us stems from love to him and others. If we follow the letter of the law out of duty and not out of love to God and to others what good is it? It kills and doesn't create life. The law teaches us how to love, it is a start to creating something in our hearts that becomes natural, that doesn't need laws to tell it how to love.

Jesus exemplified it right here in John 4. He showed his disciples and everyone else that any law that does not reach out to fellow humans is void. Here, Jesus talks to a Samaritan; unheard of! Society said Jews don't talk to Samaritans but Jesus doesn't care, love says reach out and talk to her, the Samaritan woman. Second, Jesus talks to a woman alone! Scandalous! Women were not to talk to men without another man present being their husband or father. In this culture Jesus could have faced dire consequences for this action. I mean look how the disciples reacted; they "marvelled that he talked with the woman." But they didn't want to say anything about, basically looked the other way. Jesus, didn't care, he cared about her heart. So what if he got a "bad name" for it.

So, what I come away with is it's about living and how I live. Am I living through the spirit of the law or the letter of the law? Am I inspiring life through my life or am I killing (2 Cor. 3:6)? I love the way The Message interprets verses 23-24:

"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."

John Chapter Three

I absolutely love John 3. It is one of my favorite chapters because I feel as though Nicodemus is someone that relate well to. All this talk is going around about Jesus and people are choosing sides. The people are flocking to Jesus and soaking up what he has to offer. The religious leaders, of which Nicodemus is a part, are weary and are not very accepting of Jesus. Nicodemus, therefore, is scared to approach Jesus when everyone can seem him, but he is curious and must know. He decides to go at night, when no one is around. I can relate. I am often scared of what others think of me and am sometimes afraid to step out and do what I am convicted to do. This chapter gives me hope though because Jesus doesn't send Nicodemus away. He doesn't tell him, "Why don't you make a stand and approach me before people and not be scared?" Rather Jesus meets Nicodemus and converses with him. Jesus is still straight forward with him but he lets Nicodemus approach in the way he needs to.

I hear some testimonies and wonder why I haven't had some dramatic experience or change. Is my experience not as real, deep, or meaningful? No, I just think I'm more like Nicodemus instead of Paul. Like Nicodemus I've taken a slow approach, coming cautiously instead of jumping all in at once. It's nice to know that Jesus accepts both, he just wants me to come.

There is really so much that I could say about this chapter. So much of it was completely relevant to my week and helped me to make it through the week. In verse 2, Nicodemus tells Jesus that these miracles couldn't be happening unless it was from God. This week there were some really heavy times for me and I had to keep remembering that God was leading and that he was there. There were times that I would question is this really God, or is it just me and my own musings? Then I would read this verse and it seemed as though God was pointing out to me that it is only of him. He let all these wonderful things happen previously so that I could think about that and remember those things to help me get through the heavier times and know that he was still leading.

Then verse 16; the most renown verse of the Bible, touched me in a whole new way. Usually I read this verse and I think; oh yes, God loves me and I go on about life. This week reading it was different. As I was praying about things for others and myself, he said to me with this verse, "Tash, I love you and I love them so much that I already made the ultimate sacrifice for you and for them. There is nothing I will not do to help and I will take care of you and the people you are praying for." Crazy, but it was so true. If he was already willing to give his son for me, I know that he is still working in my behalf and taking care of me. He stops at nothing for our well being to keep us near to him, if we just let him.

Alright one more, I want to finish on verse 30. John the Baptist is speaking here:

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

As I'm seeking to connect to Christ and grow ever closer to him, I realize that it is he that must take over my heart and that my selfish wants and desires must decrease so that I may be completely consumed by Christ. 

John Chapter Two

In John chapter 2 Jesus has just collected a following and called men to come follow him to be his disciples. The chapter starts off with the first miracle that Jesus ever performed, helping his mother at the wedding feast. But then a few verses later Jesus is throwing tables over in the temple. I see someone who is compassionate, caring, and wanting to help and do what he can. Yet, I also see someone who cannot stand to see the salvation of others ruined by the actions of other people. It makes him angry! And yes, there is so much to be gleaned from the first miracle and from the incident of commerce taking place in the temple, but this is not what draws my attention as I read today.

Instead I am drawn to the last two verses of the chapter:

But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.


What does this mean? I read many different translations of the same verses, and all I could get was that Jesus was not trusting himself to man because he knew that men were fickle. Think about it, people were flocking to Jesus, verse 23 says "many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did." You see Jesus could see that they weren't following out of true conviction but because they saw miracles. Who wouldn't follow a guys running around performing miracles? Jesus knew that he could not count on this following and that this was not a true reformation and searching of the heart for most. It was for a few, but not the majority. In, other words what I hear from these verses is that Jesus could not get his hopes up, he knew what lay ahead even though it didn't seem as though that were the case at this point in time. What that must have felt like.

I couldn't stop there though, I wanted more understanding of this so I cross referenced looking for similar verses and found so much hope and promise. First stop 1 Samuel 16:7,

"...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

1 Chronicles 28:9; (my personal favorite discovery in this search)

"And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."

I inserted my name in this one, and it was so powerful. I just have to have a good heart and be willing and there I will find God. It is so true. This year I wasn't sure where I was with God, but I was so fed up with everything that I knew. I didn't have peace and knew that what I thought was a spiritual life was not working and couldn't possibly be what God wanted for me. So I laid my heart open to God and told him I wanted to start over, with him showing me the way. I have never experienced God is such a way as I have this year.

So yes, God knows our hearts. Jesus knows our thoughts and he knows man. No, he couldn't commit himself to the mass and trust that they were going to carry him through and accept him; but he does commit to those whose hearts are true.

John Chapter One

When I first sat down to read this first chapter of John I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to take from it. I didn't see anything, yet there is so much. So I prayed and asked to God to show me what he wanted me to take from this first chapter of John. Then I read again, and again. It took me a while but once it started it just seemed like so much was popping out that I was a bit overwhelmed. What was I thinking trying to read through a book of the Bible? There is so much that can be covered and discussed! So as I read the book of John and as I blog about it I will probably end up just highlighting some key things that stood out to me. It would be great to hear what anyone else gets as they read so please comment and leave your thoughts as well!

As I read John my goal is to understand and to become closer to Christ. I want to learn more of him and know more of him. So as I read I ask; what am I learning about Jesus? One of the first things that really struck me is verse eleven, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." What a feeling that must have been? To come to a people that have received so much from God and be completely and utterly rejected! Yet this isn't what really hit me, the thought that gets me is would I have rejected Christ? So I start to wonder why did his own reject him? What were they missing? I want to know because I consider myself one of his, but I don't want to make the same mistake. I don't want to miss out on Jesus.

In verse 12 there is a promise though, "But as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God..." This is what happens when we don't reject him! This is so powerful in the way that it confirms what I read in Steps to Christ, about how it is not of myself that I can become the child of God. He gives me that power, because of myself I can do nothing. I love this promise of being incorporated into the family of God by letting Jesus into my heart; by receiving him.

Towards then end of the chapter I see a glimpse of the Christian experience. There are two men that follow Jesus, but from a distance. They don't get too close, they're curious and want to know who he is. Then Jesus turns to them and asks "What do you seek?"  The two men answer that they want to see where he dwells, and then Jesus says "Come and see." They then abide with Christ, there is this time of bonding, getting to know Jesus. Then they go off to find others to bring to Jesus. I feel like even though Jesus isn't here in the flesh with us anymore that the experience is quite the same, at least for me. I know that for awhile I followed at a distance. I wasn't quite sure how far I wanted to go, or how close I wanted to be. Then boom, I hit this period in my life where the questions kept coming at me; what do you want. what are you looking for? It was then I that I felt the need to get closer to Christ, to go all in and really get to know who he is. And when I experience Christ, when I see and feel him in my life, I can't help but to want to tell others, and have them experience the same joy! The parallel is crazy!

I know these were some disjointed thoughts on fragments from the first chapter of John, but this is what spoke to me as I read this week. Overall though, from this first chapter I see an introduction of Jesus as God who came to walk with and redeem man.

Rejoicing in the Lord

Here we are in a new year, beginning a new semester and even with a fresh start I feel as though I am already behind. Yet, God always has perfect timing. I really wanted to have finished Steps to Christ last semester, but instead we are finishing up the last chapter the first week of a new semester. I do not believe there could have been a more perfect time to read this chapter.

As we begin a new year and everyone is making resolutions on how to make this year better than the last, I found in this chapter a resolution I want to make for myself. On the first page, "In every one of His children, Jesus sends a letter to the world." The author continues on to describe how some people will never see Jesus and understand his love from nature or from reading the pages of the Bible. They only see him revealed in the life of someone else. Isn't that crazy? Just think we could be what makes the difference in someone's life, we could be the reason that someone decides to follow Jesus; just by our lives! Taking a minute to think about just how HUGE that is, I became overwhelmed with wanting to be that person; wanting Jesus to be so in my life that and living in such a way that others desire to know Jesus because they have met me!!! So yes, you may have figured it out by now, one of my new year's resolutions is to be that person. This year I want to completely surrender myself to Christ so that when others see me they don't see me, they see Jesus' love and care.

That was only one of the concepts that completely enthralled me from this chapter. As I have spent this semester really searching and trying to truly connect with Christ I have been so incredibly blessed. I have experienced things with God that I never have before. I've noticed his care and working in my life in a way that I haven't before. This last chapter makes it clear that things are not always going to be incredible, there will be times when it seems as though life cannot get any worse. Connecting to Christ doesn't guarantee a life of easiness where everything is great and wonderful. There is will be hard times and discouragement. But she says when these times come remember the good things you have experienced, remember how Christ has revealed himself to you. It is by remembering these things that we can hold on to our faith and stay connected to Christ even when we feel as though we are slipping away. Don't remember the failures, instead remember the success and know that God is still there.

So now, as we begin the new semester I challenge you to step out and make it a great one. You are a letter to someone, what are you saying? What are they reading in your letter? And remember we all have failure and discouragement but we all have success too!

And now that we have finished reading Steps to Christ, you may wonder what is next. But have no fear, the blog will continue on with reading the gospel of John!