Christian Atheist

With the weather colder outside, it tends to make me read more.  Winter is usually my "reading time", summer is usually meant to be spent outdoors.  I try and read, it's just there are so many other things that we are doing, I typically don't find the time to do it.  I love to read.  But, not as much as Taylor.   I think she can read through a book in about two hours.  I told her that maybe she should be a book editor.  That got nixed right away. :)

I've been reading a book by Craig Groeschel.  It's pretty thought provoking.  It had me at chapter one.  I used to only read fiction books, but the older I've gotten, the more I've branched into areas.  Lately I've done a lot of reading on adoption because our agency requires us to log hours of adoption training.  I guess living it daily isn't enough of training. :)

So, the book is called The Christian Atheist.  Once I started reading it, I saw a lot of me in what he was talking about.

Chapter one starts talking about how he never went to church.  That certainly wasn't me growing up.  Our family went every Sunday (twice) and we also attended Wednesday night activities.  That should prove I was a Christian, right?  I used to think just because I knew who God was, that was enough.  I honestly can't tell you when I started to think differently.  It certainly was after we had Taylor.  Our first year of marriage we went to church because that is what "good" people do.  I've learned so much since then.  I've found a relationship with Jesus.  Groeschel talks about how "just because we do good, doesn't mean we know the One who is good."

I used to think being a Christian was almost like checking things off a check list.

Do I go to church every Sunday?  check

Do I treat people with respect?  check (most of the time)

Do I give money to charity?  check

Do I help others?  check

But, it's not about a check list.  It's so much more.  How often am I too busy to pray?  How often do I take the opportunity to just sit and be with the One who created me.  

Being a christian isn't all about legalism, it's also about love.  There are so many times that I feel myself getting sucked back into my old way of thinking.  The last part of chapter one really hit home.  I will post it here for you to read:

"A vibrant and intimate relationship with God will empower you to heal from the hurts from your past, forgive what seems unforgivable, and change what seems unchangeable about yourself.  Walking with God will break the power of materialism in your life and lead you to a radically generous life.  Instead of living for yourself and for the moment, you'll live for Christ and for eternity.  Your heart will begin to break for the reasons and causes that break God's heart.  You'll serve him faithfully as part of his bride, the church.  Instead of living in torment from worry and fear, you'll learn to experience peace, grace, and trust.  As you get to know him, you'll live boldly for him, excitedly sharing your faith with others, less and less concerned about what others think.  Knowing him will make you ache to tell others about him.  Get to know God.  When you do, you will never be the same."

That is who I want to be.