To Christians About Christians: The Word 'Negativity'

I've thought a lot about how I should word this post and how I should reflect love with these words I'm going to share. So I'm going to attempt to do my very best. So many Christians have chosen to close their ears to these issues that surround us and say that they don't care, and that we should choose love and acceptance over addressing the unbiblical. I just don't find that completely truthful.

I am just a Christian woman trying to do what God has called me to do with this blog. Staying silent and saying we don't care has gotten us where we are today, and there is too much at stake to keep that pattern. I hope that if you are reading this you will gain some understanding from my point of view.

I have read, heard, and seen a ton of Christians throw around the word negativity associated with trying to share knowledge about what God and the Bible asks of us in this season of so much defeat. I use the word defeat because I feel that's what's happening to us. A kind of "if you can't beat them join them" type of attitude; so no one will have anything bad to say about you or criticize you in any way. I never thought in my lifetime, a Christian would think Bible verses, or hearing from the Church and our Pastors, would be considered putting negativity in their life. That's very disheartening. It's almost as if some believe the term "Christian" has magically transformed into the term "Hippie." Instead of listening to a Pastor for instruction they'd rather stand for peace, love and everyone you meet is going to Heaven for being a good person. You can argue that it's not about Christianity or religion, that it's just about happiness and equal rights and that's what America is all about. However, that's not what was intended for this country at all. And if you are a Christian, shouldn't God and The Bible be what ultimately consumes your way of thinking and decision making process?

So let me ask this one question, why don't we care more about our brothers and sisters?

Instead we are crippling their walk.

We're crippling them by staying silent, we're crippling them by saying we shouldn't care about what people choose to do with their lives, we're crippling them by saying everyone deserves happiness and equal rights. We're crippling them by telling them not to say anything in fear of being called ignorant and intolerant, and to keep their mouths shut about these issues. Any way we try to argue it, we're still crippling them. And believe me there are people paying attention to the things you say.

"At one time it was good to have biblical morality, now it's bad, you're a prude. At one time it was good to believe in the Bible and stand with the Bible, now you're a bigot. Everything is absolutely reversed. The abnormal has now become normal and what used to make people ashamed now amuses them. An absolute turning of light and darkness." -Pastor John Lindell

The truth is though... above all of what anyone chooses to see in me or to call me, what I truly am is accountable. I am the one that will be held accountable in front of a Just, Holy, Almighty, and All-knowing God for letting my brothers and sisters play with fire. You will be held accountable as well.

I do feel that we need to humble ourselves and repent before we try to help anyone overcome any kind of tampering with sin. But at any cost, help them. Help them understand where we should stand in this nation right now, instead of causing confusion. Acknowledge that you know ALL sin that God diligently took the time to explain for us in His Word is wrong so someone else won't stumble.

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." -Isaiah 5:20 NIV

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path." -Galatians 6:1

With love,
Victoria V.

A Letter To My Former Youth Ministers

I took a month off from writing to get a little break and reevaluate why I take writing so seriously. Then it dawned on me... I do this because of the people who had such a strong Godly impact on my life when I was growing up. When I was just a broken teenager without the presence of family, you became my family. You saw through the easily influenced side of me and helped mold me into a leader, the leader I thought I'd never be. In high school and middle school I always used to hear the phrase, "Be a leader not a follower," whether it be from my mom or from a mentor. And I always thought to myself, "I wish I could turn my life around and really be like that." I was never as devoted as I should've been and that's one of the things I regret the most. Only to one day realize and begin to truly appreciate the time and diligent teachings you invested to my life. I may not have fully understood then but I completely understand now how important and crucial our time was. Without your well prepared words given to you by God, I wouldn't be who I am today. I never thought in a million years God would place me and my family in a church that we have the opportunity to help build up and be leaders of.

I don't know how many "thank you's" you get from former students, but I wanted you to know that your time spent educating and in a way training me, was not wasted. Nothing that you do will ever be wasted. Your kind words and sometimes even scolding lectures will forever be with not only me, but all of the kids you've encountered. I finally understand how unyielding your job is. You have to be on constant guard of what you say and how you act because of those attentive eyes and ears following you. This country needs more men like you. I can only hope and pray that my son will also have amazing Godly mentors and ministers aside from his father. Someone he can talk to and confide in when life seems unbearable as a teenager. You not only gave me Godly wisdom, you gave me a second home to come to anytime I wanted. Your words impacted my life so much and I'm realizing that more and more every day. I will be forever grateful to you for being my brothers in Christ and also becoming the brother/father figures that lacked in my life. Thank you for pushing me to better myself as a Christian, and thank you for helping me discover those spiritual gifts I've been blessed with. To this day I pray for you and your beautiful families, for strength to always keep teaching and bringing the influence of God's Word to everyone you meet. 

You will always be in my heart, and I will always consider you my friend. Thank you for everything you've done for me.
(And I will probably always continue to ask you random questions that I can't quite figure out on my own.)

With Love,
Victoria V.