Why I believe

You know, being in this Multicultural Ed class... I was totally uneasy about taking it. I'm anticipating having my Christian beliefs pounded in the ground. But... I guess, it's causing me to take a deeper look at the Word. Granted, I should be studying a lot more than I am. But so often in the Christian church, we... meaning, I, truthfully, just go on what my Pastor says is Christian doctrine. However, we... meaning, I, need to be like the Berean Christian church, who studied the Word for themselves, to see if what Paul was saying was true.

I was thinking about it... tonight in class we talked about Identity Development, and Erik Erikson's crisis/victory theory. If you know that theory, there are four areas in which you can be in:

*Identity diffusion: You don't really know who you are
*Identity foreclosure: I'm this way, and I'll always be that way (her example, I was raised Catholic, so I'm Catholic)
*Moratorium: Exploratory (I was raised Catholic, but what about what's on the other side of the fence?)
*Identity Achievement: You know who you are and you're proud of it.

I was thinking about it... like, I'm finding out who Teresa is. I feel like I don't know who I truly am... and personality tests don't help because I can be one answer or the other, depending on how I feel. But that's cool... personality tests didn't make me in the womb. :) Personality tests don't know my deepest needs and desires. Astrologers haven't walked with me through my struggles in life.

And then I thought about myself as a Christian. You know what? I was like, well, why don't I explore other religions? Why don't I check out Islam? Well, I'm told that it's wrong, that Jesus is the only way. WHY? Why have I always believed in JEHOVAH? (I specify Jehovah, because these days you just can't say God--everyone has a god, and you might not be talking about the same one) Why do I know within me that it isn't worth it?

I thought about it... what makes the difference between Christianity... and Buddhism, perhaps?

Jehovah God, what can I say about Him that puts Him as God above all gods, as Lord of my own life...

Jehovah God knows me personally. Jehovah knows my needs and desires. He created me when I was in the womb. He knew exactly what I would be like, because, hey, He put those things there. Jehovah God loves me, and speaks to ME. I hear His voice through His Spirit.

Gee, when you think about Christianity as just another sets of rules to follow, it just looks like another religion.

But truly, Christianity is a relationship with the Creator of the universe, the Existing One, the One who Is, Was, and Is To Come... I mean, so many things...

So, thanks Sherri Eaton Bin Daar, for helping me look at my beliefs and why I believe them. I hope someday you come to understand this, too. That Jehovah God is not a god who is far away, but longs to dwell with His creation. Longs to dwell with you. For all eternity. Yes, we all have a god at the end of the day, but I KNOW THE God.

That Jesus Christ came to die for YOU, that He wasn't just a prophet, that He wasn't just an amazing teacher, but He is the Savior, and longs for you to come to know Him as so much more than just a guy in a book.