First, I need to finish what happened at the end of the walk I discussed months ago in Teapot's Long Walk and A Teapot in the Dark. I'd love to say that I'm all healed, but it wouldn't be true. This world has become darker with mass shootings, hate crimes, and general malaise and selfishness among its inhabitants. And many of God's people have ignored the deep needs of those around them, and substituted "I'll pray for you" in place of love and service.
I came to my van that day in August 2011 with a broken heart, a betrayed trust, and little, if any, faith in God. I had always been the good girl, people-pleaser I was expected to be as taught throughout my life in church, school and home. But when I began to stand up against unequal treatment, and wrong-doing that I knew existed, I was harassed, and even worse----ignored. That was not supposed to happen in a Christian environment to one of God's children who worked so hard to do right. So, as you see in those posts mentioned above, the foundation of who I was, and all the facets of my life crumbled leaving a dark, Godless void.
The good news is that my faith returned.I didn't completely dismiss God as some understandably do. I can only credit the grace of God for that. It was not of my own doing, because I was ready to ditch everything I had believed. Though, thinking about it, I actually did. But the Holy Spirit within me helped me build a new foundation of brick formed of grace and bonded with love for others. My perspective of others began to change from the "us versus them" viewpoint of non-Christians to just "us;" made in His image and deeply loved by God.
I came to my van that day in August 2011 with a broken heart, a betrayed trust, and little, if any, faith in God. I had always been the good girl, people-pleaser I was expected to be as taught throughout my life in church, school and home. But when I began to stand up against unequal treatment, and wrong-doing that I knew existed, I was harassed, and even worse----ignored. That was not supposed to happen in a Christian environment to one of God's children who worked so hard to do right. So, as you see in those posts mentioned above, the foundation of who I was, and all the facets of my life crumbled leaving a dark, Godless void.
The good news is that my faith returned.I didn't completely dismiss God as some understandably do. I can only credit the grace of God for that. It was not of my own doing, because I was ready to ditch everything I had believed. Though, thinking about it, I actually did. But the Holy Spirit within me helped me build a new foundation of brick formed of grace and bonded with love for others. My perspective of others began to change from the "us versus them" viewpoint of non-Christians to just "us;" made in His image and deeply loved by God.
My new foundation is a work in progress as am I. I still wind up chucking a brick or two into the abyss of non-belief and depression. But what remains is stable enough to keep me grounded. Each brick formed of grace is not based on what I learned from man, but from my personal relationship with God.
My beliefs, my thoughts, my sins, God's love.
My next post will be all about that shrieking teapot, and what it is calling me to do.
Serve God! Love Others!
Teapotjan
