Today Suzette is talking about her faith journey, and I'm so glad she's here. I just love her, and I always enjoy visiting her blog The Frat Pack & Me. Her writing has a thread of humor, honesty, and beauty. I think she's fabulous...check out what she has to say and you'll think the same.
I am so honored to guest post for JoAnn! I am not sure how we found one another, but every post of hers is a joy! Thanks for asking, JoAnn!
I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember.
I do not have a dramatic conversion story.
But I must speak the truth. For many years I just paid lip service to my faith.
When it was convenient. When it made me feel justified to be judgey. Most Sunday mornings.
I applied the concept, moderation in all things, and that included my faith.
But the Lord has worked with me slowly.
I am a chronic worrier. I worry so much I worry about how much I worry. One day I decided to turn each worry into a prayer. I realize now that was the grace of God bringing me to that decision. I began setting aside time each day to pray. There are times when my prayer consists of complete silence. Times when it consists of a wandering mind that I keep trying to re-focus. Times where I say a memorized prayer. Times when I express gratitude. Times when I beg, gripe or complain. And times when I just tell Jesus how I feel about him. And something happened in my heart.
I began to fall completely head over heels in love with my faith in Jesus Christ. I began to feel peace and worry less. I realized there can be no moderation when it comes to our love for the Lord. I remember how afraid I was the first time I put something on my blog that was religious. I knew I would be judged by some readers, just as I had judged people I thought were “too religious.”
So, again, I turned my worry into a prayer. And God took away my fear and he instilled in me the knowledge it is only His opinion that matters. His judgement is the only judgement I should spend time considering. When that realization hit me I knew I would never worry again what others said about my “religiousness.”
The Good News finally sunk in and and for that I am Eternally grateful.
Prayer makes your heart grow bigger, until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself.
