{ In This New Place }

Love, the Ultimate Freedom…

“You shouldn’t have to change for anyone.” This, and many other variations of this ‘motto’ has always bugged me because when you love someone or something, you do anything for that person or thing. Well, I have been recently consumed with a new book and the author wrote a chapter about the very root of this ‘motto’ and the issues along with it.

Now, I’m going to suggest that everyone reads this book—The Reason for God by Timothy Keller. But I know from personal experience that if someone suggests a book to me, my automatic response is “Yea! I’ll have to check that out. It sounds like a good book!” — and that’s the last time I think about it…

So I am just going to spoil a chapter for you for two reasons. One being that I have found myself reading and re-reading this chapter over and over. And two, I know not many of you will actually read it (which you really should—esp. if you aren’t a Christian). Keller aimed this book towards non-Christians, nailing just about every hard question that keeps those far from Christianity. I encourage you to read this if you are the slightest bit courious or if you are seeking answers to those hard questions.

Anyways, back to my first topic. “You shouldn’t have to change for anyone.” The root of this problem is that if you feel this way, then you are limiting yourself and making it impossible to really, truly love someone and you are robbing yourself of intimate, fulfilling love. Tim Keller writes this “To experience the joy and freedom of love, you must give up your personal autonomy.” So…freedom is really alot more complex than it sounds, right? He goes on saying “Freedom, then is not the absence of limitations and constraints but it is finding the right ones, those that fit our nature and liberate us.” And Christian or not I think we can agree that as humans, it is our nature to love. “Human beings are most free and alive in relationships of love. We only become ourselves in love, and yet healthy love relationships involve mutual, unselfish service, a mutual loss of independence.” Keller writes.

I hate to just copy this section of the chapter, but he just says it best. Keller continues on… “For a love relationship to be healthy there must be a mutual loss of independence. It can’t be just one way. Both sides must say to the other, “I will adjust to you. I will change for you. I’ll serve you even though it means a sacrifice for me.” So now if you understand Keller’s point, and you apply this to having a relationship to God, then you are probably wondering how God can adjust and change for us, right? Well, Tim Keller puts it beautifully; “In the most profound way, God has said to usm in Christ, “I will adjust to you. I will change for you. I’ll serve you though it means a sacrifice for me.” “

So, in this season of love, I hope this gives you all a good challenge to love more selflessly. Happy Valentines day to all!

A little over a year ago, I thought I was making a decision to believe in God. Turns out I had no control, let alone did I have the ability to just decide to make God real…

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So here’s something more about myself. I’ll have you know my self-esteem isn’t the highest and in fact I’m very self-critical. Having said that I don’t really think I’m that great at anything and I turn to things that I know I can do right and cling to them but it’s for sure nothing worth boast about. The only thing I can confidently boast about is God. So for those of you who know me, I just want to apologize for anything I’ve done or will do that has or will contradict my walk with Jesus. I can’t begin to tell you how real he is-but if you’re ever curious to know of his realness I suggest you pick up a bible. I’ve gone 22 years without God in my life but now I can truly say this: the day I go without him will be the day I find myself completely hopeless and lost. There’s something incredibly powerful about having an intimate relationship with the one who created you. God loves you more than you could ever know. And it’s when we start to understand and accept his love that we are able to truly understand the meaning of life. All glory be to God.