Between the Lion and the Unicorn

J B Priestley makes an analogy in his book, Thoughts in the Wilderness, about the nature of this life. He says that the Lion lives in and commands the world of “dreary conformity.” Except that instead of honor, the Lion gets “shrugs, jeers, sniggers and roars of laughter.” He is chained up while we mortals try to impress everyone with our knowledge. Meanwhile the Unicorn, “old but timeless, potent in its magic” represents the heavenly realm where we are empowered to be boldly imaginative as we proclaim that honor, right and “truth that is beauty are neither dead nor undefended.” I believe that when Christ comes again, he will bring with him a new ideal that was only imagined in Camelot and laughed at in Don Quixote. His realm is like a Land of Unicorns. (Priestley/Root)

This essay is going to focus on neither the Lion nor the Unicorn but the space between the two. “Now there must needs be a space bewixt the time of death and the time of the resurrection.” (Alma 40:6) This space, or Spirit World, allows for period of reflection before the redemption and resurrection. It is the nature of this space that I want to explore. Some of my sources are religious and some are secular. 

Jeffrey Olsen, in his book Knowing: Memoirs of a journey beyond the veil and choosing joy after tragic loss, speaks of his own near death experience and this is how he described what it felt like to be out of the land of the Lion, “Was it Heaven? I didn’t know, but it made my earthly existence seem like a foggy dream. What I was experiencing was far more real, far more tangible, and far more alive than anything I had ever known.” (Olsen, ch 5) This personal experience shows us one difference between mortality and the Spirit World. The spirit of man leaves the mortal body and enters a world that is peopled with others who are deceased and they are all waiting for the redemption to come. I believe they are essentially in another dimension on this Earth and that they can see mortals but they are without physical form and so mortals cannot usually see them.

In his book Lilith, George McDonald explores the redemption of a mythical princess Lilith. The main character of the book encounters Lilith in an imaginary world betwen life and death that harks back to a “Spirit World.” She is resistant to any kind of change from her devilish ways and so she remains while those who have submitted to the will of the Creator are at “rest” in the House of Death. 

The first third of the book Lilith is very confusing and necessarily so. Without confusion, the reader cannot understand that the dead in the “Spirit World” are not sure why they are there and what it means to “rest.” They are not necessarily emotional although some are wreaking havoc as usual just like Lilith. The dead enter the “Spirit World” just as they are. “And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.” (D&C 29:25) The good and the bad are all still identifying character traits of the dead.

Lucifer, the dragon, has cast a shadow on the mortal world but he is not able to influence the dead. The dead may identify more with Lucifer’s mantra than Christ’s. “Lucifer is this accuser. He spoke against us in the premortal existence, and he continues to denounce us in this life. He seeks to drag us down. He wants us to experience endless woe. He is the one who tells us we are not adequate, the one who tells us we are not good enough, the one who tells us there is no recovery from a mistake. He is the ultimate bully, the one who kicks us when we are down.

If Lucifer were teaching a child to walk and the child stumbled, he would scream at the child, punish him, and tell him to quit trying. Lucifer’s ways bring discouragement and despair--eventually and always. This father of lies is the ultimate purveyor of falsehood and cunningly works to deceive and distract us, ‘for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.’

If Christ were teaching a child to walk and the child stumbled, He would help the child get up and encourage the next steps. Christ is the helper and consoler. His ways bring joy and hope--eventually and always.” (Renlund) People tend to think along one of these lines about themselves and others as an expression of what they were taught or how they were treated.

As the book Lilith progresses, we come to understand why Lilith has not gone to her “rest.” In a conversation between Mr Vane, a mortal recently arrived, and Lilith we see her resistance. 

Lilith speaking: “I will be what I mean myself now."

Mr Vane: "If you were restored, would you not make what amends you could for the misery you have caused?"

"I would do after my nature.”

“You do not know it: your nature is good, and you do evil!"

"I will do as my Self pleases—as my Self desires."

"You will do as the Shadow, overshadowing your Self inclines you?"

"I will do what I will to do."

"You have killed your daughter, Lilith!"

"I have killed thousands. She is my own!"

"She was never yours as you are another's."

"I am not another's; I am my own, and my daughter is mine."

"Then, alas, your hour is come!”

“I care not. I am what I am; no one can take from me myself!"

"You are not the Self you imagine."

"So long as I feel myself what it pleases me to think myself, I care not. I am content to be to myself what I would be. What I choose to seem to myself makes me what I am. My own thought makes me me; my own thought of myself is me. Another shall not make me!"

"But another has made you, and can compel you to see what you have made yourself. You will not be able much longer to look to yourself anything but what he sees you! You will not much longer have satisfaction in the thought of yourself. At this moment you are aware of the coming change!”

“No one ever made me. I defy that Power to unmake me from a free woman! You are his slave, and I defy you! You may be able to torture me—I do not know, but you shall not compel me to anything against my will!"

"Such a compulsion would be without value. But there is a light that goes deeper than the will, a light that lights up the darkness behind it: that light can change your will, can make it truly yours and not another's—not the Shadow's. Into the created can pour itself the creating will, and so redeem it!"

"That light shall not enter me: I hate it!—Begone, slave!"

"I am no slave, for I love that light, and will with the deeper will which created mine. There is no slave but the creature that wills against its creator. Who is a slave but her who cries, 'I am free,' yet cannot cease to exist!"

"You speak foolishness from a cowering heart! You imagine me given over to you: I defy you! I hold myself against you! What I choose to be, you cannot change. I will not be what you think me—what you say I am!"

"I am sorry: you must suffer!"

"But be free!"

"She alone is free who would make free; she loves not freedom who would enslave: she is herself a slave. Every life, every will, every heart that came within your ken, you have sought to subdue: you are the slave of every slave you have made—such a slave that you do not know it!—See your own self!” (McDonald)

In this dialogue we see a woman who has made up her mind to be evil even though she was created to be good. She is resistant to the Creator who can see her for who she really is and redeem her back to her good self. We see, “Our reluctance to give away all our sins--thinking, instead, a down payment will do. Likewise, our reluctance to let our wills be swallowed up in His will--thinking, instead, that merely acknowledging His will is sufficient!” (Maxwell) This is not a trivial thing. The will is a force to be reckoned with and controlling it is Lucifer’s greatest wish. The Creator asks us to offer to align our will with His.

The people in the Spirit World who are not at “rest” are those who “have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—“ (Alma 40:13). The shadow of the dragon can’t influence them but they have a spirit of the devil within themselves because they have chosen it. “There is no evil that [Jesus Christ] cannot arrest. All things are in His hands. This earth is His rightful dominion. Yet He permits evil [in mortality] so that we can make choices between good and evil.” (Ezra T Benson) In the Spirit World, the dead are in the Creator’s reality. They may not, however, be happy about being in His presence and so they aren’t immediately ushered into the Land of the Unicorn.

The space between death and the resurrection is a time for the soul to decide whether or not to accept redemption. The revelations say, “Strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am--not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.” (D&C 67:10) The choice is ours. “Freedom of choice is a God-given eternal principle. The great plan of liberty is the plan of the gospel. There is no coercion about it; no force, no intimidation. A man is free to accept the gospel or reject it. He may accept it and then refuse to live it, or he may accept it and live it fully. But God will never force us to live the gospel. He will use persuasion through His servants. He will call us and He will direct us and He will persuade us and encourage us and He will bless us when we respond, but He will never force the human mind.” (Ezra T Benson)

The Creator sends messengers into the “Spirit World” to convince the souls of men to humble themselves. “And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel.” (D&C 138:31) Mr Vane, in Lilith acts as a messenger. He carries Lilith against her will to Mara, the moon, and she tries to illuminate for Lilith the truth about herself. After all her efforts, Mr Vane carries Lilith to the House of Death for further help. Despite the good intentions of others in Lilith, submission is an individual choice and true redemption is in the hands of the Creator. In the Spirit World, there may not be a Mara or a House of Death but there is a space. “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” (Romans 11:28) Lilith and others like her are “beloved enemies.” They have lived in the land of the Lion and they seek to manifest in themselves the power of God. But they have not accepted the truth nor acted in love. When they see the truth, they wish for annihilation, but annihilation is not something they have the power to do. Only the Creator knows how to disintegrate physical things. He said that the spirit of Man is intelligence and that it “was not created or made.” (D&C 93:29) “Annihilation itself is no death to evil. Only good where evil was, is evil dead. An evil thing must live with its evil until it chooses to be good. That alone is the slaying of evil.” (McDonald) The messengers speak of redemption but the evil will must choose to be good or suffer.

The Creator will come in the morning of the resurrection and call us to arise. “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light.” (Eph 5:13-14) The Creator will infuse us with His light and all that was damaged or broken will be renewed and receive a measure of the Glory of God such as we are willing to accept. The timing and the environment in which we wait are His. The messengers come from Him. We hold the choice to submit in our hands.

Sources

The Bible

The Doctrine and Covenants

The Book of Mormon

Benson, Ezra T. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson. Intellectual Reserve, Inc. 2014.

Maxwell, Neal A. “Encircled in the Arms of His Love.” Ensign, Oct 2002.

McDonald, George. Lilith, A Romance. Chatto and Windus, 1895.

Olsen, Jeffery. Knowing: Memoirs of a journey beyond the veil and choosing joy after tragic loss. One Now Holdings, 2018.

Priestley, J B. Thoughts in the Wilderness. Heinemann, 1957.

Renlund, Dale G. “Choose You This Day.” Ensign, Oct 2018.

Root, E Merrill. America’s Steadfast Dream. Western Islands, 1971.

Divine Mentoring

“I remember once a seven- or eight-year-old son of ours jumping on his bed hard enough that I thought it might break. I felt a flash of frustration, and I moved quickly to set my house in order. I grabbed my son by his little shoulders and lifted him up to where our eyes met.

“The Spirit put words into my mind. It seemed a quiet voice, but it pierced to my heart: “You are holding a great person.” I gently set him back on the bed and apologized.

“Now he has become the great man the Holy Ghost let me see 40 years ago. I am eternally grateful that the Lord rescued me from my unkind feelings by sending the Holy Ghost to let me see a child of God as He saw him.” (Source: Eyring, “My Peace I Leave with You.”)

In this story, the Holy Ghost mentored a father in the very moment when he was about to discipline his child, showing him the great worth of the child in God’s eyes. The Holy Ghost is the vehicle by which God offers us divine mentoring in our life.

The Author of Salvation

Jesus Christ introduced the sacrament of bread and wine/water at the Last Supper in preparation for his great atoning gift to the world.

In the sacrament he gave two great symbolic elements, bread and water, to help the people understand his gift. The bread was likely unleavened because the Last Supper was a Passover meal. Because unleavened bread does not have yeast, it has less moisture and is less prone to decay. The bread represented the purity of Christ’s body and the incorruptibility of his gift.

The Israelites ate manna in the wilderness with Moses. The manna was a gift from God at a time when other food was not available. This taught them to depend physically on God before introducing the idea of relying spiritually on God. When Christ came he expanded the metaphor of manna when he said, “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:58) Christ was the bread from heaven. He was the epitome of the symbol from the Old Testament.

The sacrament at the Last Supper used wine but water has been used interchangeably for this symbol. Christ declared, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14) The water is a symbol of the blood which Christ was about to give in his atoning gift to the world.

Christ was the lamb of God. His death was a fulfillment of a symbolic ritual of animal sacrifice in the Old Testament where a lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the people. (see 1 Pet 1:18-19) “In Leviticus the sacrificial offerings for sin fall into two categories, those designed to atone for unintentional transgressions and those that atoned for willful sins.” (Stephen Ricks, Source) Under the law of Moses unintentional sins were paid for by the transgressor himself. Willful sins cannot be redeemed by the transgressor and require an intercessor. Intercession by Christ on our behalf is necessary because no unclean thing can dwell with God and all of us are unclean due to our intentional sinning. 

While observing the Mosaic law of sacrifice, as we understand now from Christ’s own teachings, was not fully effective in perfecting the people.  It was part of the author’s plan to show his people where to look for their salvation. Jesus Christ, the author of salvation, uses imagery, symbolism and poetic words to explain his great gift. The gift of salvation has much deeper levels of meaning which are understood after we participate in and ponder the physical representations of bread and water, lambs and sacrifice, the cross and the garden.

In the garden and on the cross, Jesus Christ experienced personally and individually every pain and sorrow from every sin committed and all it’s repercussion for each and every person who has lived on earth before and after his life on earth. Peter thought Jesus should flee the evil men who wanted to kill him. Jesus knew that the pain was necessary. He said to his Father, “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” (Matt 26:42) He showed perfect submission to the will of God in the way that we all must submit both to God’s laws and to his punishments. During this time of intercession, the pain caused Jesus Christ to sweat drops of blood from every pore. (Luke 22:44) The blood sanctified us his people.

If we are sanctified by his blood, why must we appeal to him via repentance to have mercy on us? Jesus Christ became the one to hold the key of salvation because he broke the confining bands of death and sin. Only through him can we be saved. This means that he sets the terms and conditions of the salvation that he offers. 

Because Christ is the author of the terms and conditions, we have no right to demand his grace. As we submit to his authority and guidance, we begin to understand what our role is in turning away from sin and what his role is in finishing our faith. The first condition of salvation is baptism by an authorized servant of God. John the apostle taught, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) Being born of water is baptism. Being born of the Spirit is a process of sanctification that must occur during this mortal life through the obedience and direction of God’s emissary, the Holy Spirit. The remaining terms and conditions are spelled out in scripture and in the divine tutelage that the Spirit gives. 

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Day 11: It isn't a Sin to be Weak

This is Day 11 in a challenging new series of posts. Each post will focus on a way to increase spirituality, focus or efficiency in dealing with life. Each post will provide a speech or essay to read, a 5 question quiz and a personal challenge statement or goal. The hope is that through self-directed learning and some coaching from me, you will grow in refreshing new ways.

This life is a test. None of us is perfect at any time during the test but we can overcome many things and increase our capacity to feel joy. Our weaknesses can lead us to fall into sin, but "God can use human weakness to teach, strengthen, and bless us." Understanding our capacity and our potential can help us to have realistic expectations for this life. Working towards our potential, we will need to call upon the grace of God to augment our efforts. This essay discusses the difference between grace and repentance and how to use both on our journey. 

1. Read the Essay:

Essay

2. Take the Quiz

Quiz

3. Personal Challenge Statement: I will respond to the reality of my weaknesses with humility and faith. I choose to replace fear and shame with humility and faith.

4. Goal: Make a plan to develop humility and faith.

5. Dig Deeper: "Faith is More Than Belief"
"Grace Needed in the Kitchen"
"In Confidence is Your Strength"

Day 10: A Mighty Change

This is Day 10 in a challenging new series of posts. Each post will focus on a way to increase spirituality, focus or efficiency in dealing with life. Each post will provide a speech or essay to read, a 5 question quiz and a personal challenge statement or goal. The hope is that through self-directed learning and some coaching from me, you will grow in refreshing new ways.

I have many choices. I also have troubles that oppose my state of peace and joy. As I walk in step with Christ he lightens the load I must carry, removes my desire for evil and changes my weakness into strong characteristics. This is how my faith in him grows. I see the change inside my heart. To learn more...

1. Read the Speech:

Speech

2. Take the Quiz

Quiz

3. Personal Challenge Statement: I am turning away from evil by faith in Jesus Christ

4. Goal: Choose three ways to take tiny steps towards a closer relationship with the Lord.

5. Dig Deeper:
"Do You See Small Enough?"
"You Can Have What You Want or You Can Have Something Better"
"True and Perfect Worship"

Day 9: Jesus the Perfect Mentor

This is Day 9 in a challenging new series of posts. Each post will focus on a way to increase spirituality, focus or efficiency in dealing with life. Each post will provide a speech or essay to read, a 5 question quiz and a personal challenge statement or goal. The hope is that through self-directed learning and some coaching from me, you will grow in refreshing new ways.

Life has a purpose. That purpose determines the scope of our individual lives and the fate of nations. Making choices and learning the consequences is part of our experience here. Accepting Christ is one of the choices we have. This speech is about a few aspects of Jesus Christ's life and how he mentors us in our life individually. If you've never heard Neal A Maxwell, now deceased, he was a pleasure to listen to and his ideas were very profound. 

1. Read the Speech:

Speech

2. Take the Quiz

Quiz

3. Personal Challenge Statement: I am grateful for Jesus Christ's mentorship.

4. Goal: Even though I may not see the marvelous pattern and divine design in my life, I will have faith in the Lord's timetable.

5. Dig Deeper:
"When God Seems Distant"
"Who's Got the Reins?"
"One Fold, One Shepherd"

Hens and Chicks

In Matthew 23, Jesus says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

In this scripture Jesus compares himself to a hen gathering her chicks under her wings. He expresses a great desire to gather the people of Jerusalem under his protective wings. His neutral observation of their choice to kill the prophets is interesting. Their choice doesn’t have to be our choice. 

A short time after his death on the cross Jesus appears to the people in the Americas who have been taught by prophets that he will come to earth and atone for their sins. They don’t get to see him during his time in Jerusalem but after his death, he goes to these people, his “other sheep.” (John 10:16) Of note, he says the same thing about gathering them like chicks. 

“And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.” (3 Nephi 10:5)

The instinctive protection of a mother bird is illustrated in this story. After the 1988 wildfire that destroyed most of Yellowstone National Park, volunteers were sent in on foot to look for any animals that survived. A volunteer saw the charred remains of a mother bird on the ground with her wings outstretched. He nudged her carcass with his boot and discovered three baby chicks underneath who had survived. She died so that they would live.

Christ died so that we would live. He sacrificed his body to protect us. His outstretched arms beckon us to come. If we put our faith in his invitation to “Come unto me” (Matt 11:28) his strength will protect our marriages, our children and our sanity.  Faith in him is testing out his advice on our problems, humbly accepting his timing, aligning our wills with his Father’s will and doing our best to go the second mile.

Do You See Small Enough?

I been thinking about the repentance process and my last post talked about some of the BIG changes that repentance can bring about in a person’s spiritual progression.  I gained additional insight today as I was listening to a horse trainer explain how basic maneuvers are repeated with the horse until the amount of pressure to the reins can be reduced to just a few ounces of pressure and yet the horse responds. Horses learn very quickly but often the trainer fails to get the results he wants.  This is not because the lessons are difficult for the horse or difficult for the trainer.  This is not because the horse is somehow unable to achieve that level of mastery.  The reason that the trainer fails to achieve the desired results is that the trainer stops repeating the lessons.  The trainer stops because he or she doesn’t see the smallest changes.  Every repetition of the exercise produces smaller and smaller results.  This is logical. The horse becomes better at the exercise and responds quicker. The trainer sees big improvement at first but does the trainer continue to see the subtle changes in behavior, attitude and stance?

Amyloplasts

In the repentance process, the biggest changes occur first.  As the spiritual progression continues, the changes are smaller. Each repetition brings a quicker response, a more submissive reaction and a humbler stance. God being infinite can see infinitely small changes.  He is the Creator and his designs reach all the way down to the atomic level. In God’s training methods, we can expect to see repetition.  We might even wonder why he is repeating a lesson that we feel we have already mastered.  What is the purpose in this uniquely challenging Earth experience? 

As we repent, we show submission and humility.  We can choose to accept the changes or we can choose to distance ourselves from God and avoid his correction.  C.S. Lewis’s great quote gives insight into the purpose to God’s training and our acceptance of his correction.  He said, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”  (Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity.) The process of repentance does change us in large structural ways but it also changes us in the details of our souls. Do you see small enough?

Hohenschwangau Castle, Bavaria

The best way to benefit from repentance is to choose to make corrections rather than having correction forced upon you by the circumstances.  Any person can choose to become more spiritual by designing a course of action that includes regular study, meditation and prayer.  Any person can choose to become more charitable by engaging in a service project that takes 20+ hours to complete. The choice to engage in faith-building activities is a choice to repent because changing from a habit of less engagement to one of more engagement entails progress.  Personal growth will happen and within a short time the new self will be significantly improved. As a mentor of youth, I often give them a set of exercises to do that will result in these kinds of changes.  Being young and easily influenced, they do the exercises without knowing why or how it will change them.  As adults, we are less likely to be mentored in this way, however we can learn from and adapt the programs designed for youth to our own purposes.  Begin today on a self-directed exploration of your faith and commitment to our Heavenly Father. I promise you it will be worth the effort.

Programs for Youth

Faith In God

Personal Progress

Duty to God

Awana

Focus on the Family's Spiritual Development Program

This video is about why parents take a leadership role in mentoring kids spirituality

Image credits: All photos are in the public domain and available on Pixabay

The Emotional Appeal

I am going to recount a story that I heard on a podcast "The Poetry of Propaganda" by This American Life.

The Columbian government has long been fighting a war with rebels  by the name of FARC who hide in the jungle.  After years of trying to use force to overpower them, the government tried a totally different tactic.  They hired an advertising agency to come up with a campaign to convince rebels to defect.  One year, the agency tried putting Christmas lights on a tree near a major road into the jungle just at the time of year when many rebels miss home and family.  Another year, they floated lit balls down the river which contained messages from home.  A third example of their ingenuity was the campaign that included finding a childhood photo of a rebel and putting it up in the jungle with the words from their mother, "you will always be my baby."  Of course the only person who recognized the photo was the one rebel for whom it was intended but the campaign was very successful.

In each case, the intent was to pull at the heart strings of a real person not "the enemy."  That real person had feelings, wishes and desires which were identified.  Many times, it was home and family that drew the person away from the FARC and back into society.  The government provided a protection program to help the rebels reintegrate without being harmed in retribution.

Just think about what it takes to persuade a person.  The government could have tried rewarding the rebels who defected with cash.  The government could have tried appealing to their patriotism.  Their could have been sermons broadcast over the radio talking about hell, fire and damnation for all rebels. They could have tried to kill all the rebels with ammunition and guns.  But what worked best, was an emotional appeal and a promise of no rejection from their mothers.

All of us are in a rebel encampment so to speak on Earth.  Our Father is hoping to convince us to defect and come back to Him.  The pressure to stay with the group and the fear of rejection are strong reasons not to listen to Him.  He reminds us that we are his children.  He loves us and he will forgive us of all that we have done wrong.

Defecting is painful and difficult.  We have to give up our crutches -- the anger that protects us, the addictions that numb us, the fear that cripples us -- and just let ourselves go into God's arms.  Defecting might mean that we take the scorn of our friends, the possibility of being disowned, the soberness that comes when parties are declined, as we embrace the tranquility of prayer.  Our church family may never fully compensate for the natural family ties that were broken.

As a child of a religious convert, I saw the effects of a massive religious realignment on the family ties.  They were strained.  They healed slowly.  In some cases they never healed.  What price will you pay?  What level of commitment is required to fully transition into a godly kind of life?

I can say for sure that opposition will fly in your face like a tornado unleashed as you try to change.  That kind of opposition indicates that the stakes are high.  The battle for souls is real and while God uses warmth to invites us, the devil uses fury and power to dissuade us.

My reasons for living a Christ-like life in a world of glitter and glam are simple.  I feel better when I'm focusing on my relationship with God.  I act better when I'm thinking about eternal truth than when I'm focusing on myself.  I have weathered fierce storms in life and I attribute my strength to the rock of Christ on which my life is built.  I have experienced anger and depression, fear and abandonment but these things were temporary.  What lasts and endures in my life is the testimony deep in my heart that Christ lives.  His gospel is the absolute truth.  This life is preparatory phase that tests our convictions.  It is not the only reality and death is not the end.  I know that after I leave this mortal world, I will be resurrected and judged. God will know me and I will know him. Family and faith matter; money and fame don't.  I believe that this life's test is only possible because Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf so that we could be redeemed.  Whatever I am asked to give, it is less that what He gave.  I am working on being willing to give all that I have and am for Christ.

Image credit: Silvia Andrea Moreno / Flickr