Today I decided to go to church with my sister. She lives
about 45 minutes away so on the drive up I played one of my favorite gospel
albums, Tye Tribbett’s Stand Out. After I got to her place, we headed over to
church and I still had his album playing. As we were driving, we started
talking about Tye Tribbett and his cheating scandal from a few years back. I
know some people took his music out of rotation as soon as it came to light,
but I didn’t understand why? Nobody is perfect. I can’t judge other people for
mistakes they’re making because I’m making mistakes as well.
From there we started talking about how other Christian artists
like Kirk Franklin have been vocal about the struggles they’ve gone through as
believers. To me that is so refreshing. I don’t want to listen to artists or
pastors who make it appear like their lives are perfect. I want to hear about
the good and the bad. Knowing that a song or sermon is based off of lived
experiences gives it greater value and meaning. I jokingly said that you need
to have gone through some things to be my pastor, but that’s a pretty accurate
statement. Struggle is where you find strength, where you learn lessons, and
where your relationship with God is truly formed. The greater the struggle is,
the greater the testimony is and the more lives that can potentially be brought
to Christ. Besides, how can you sincerely counsel me on overcoming trials if
you haven’t faced them yourself?
As I was saying all of this, it really put things into perspective.
I’m at this juncture in my life where I have a better sense of what I’m
supposed to do but unsure of the path to follow to get there. As I try to take
steps forward, I feel like I keep running into brick walls. This was a reminder
for me that the struggle is a part of the journey. Because of my encounters
with these brick walls, once I’m able to conquer them, I’ll be more resilient,
less doubtful, and better able to help other people do the same. My present struggles will
become my future strength. I hope for all of you reading this that you come to (or
have come to) that same realization.
Here's a quick look at what I wore to church
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| Sweater & Necklace: Forever 21, Skirt: Target, Shoes: Baker's, Clutch: BCBG |
P.S. The pumpkin pie bagel and New York style cheesecake
cream cheese from Panera are incredibly good! They’re both seasonal items so make sure to check them out before they're gone for another year! You've got to indulge every once in a while, right?
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| The extra cream cheese is my sister's, I promise! |
Happy Monday in advance!
:-)
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