Learning through missteps, God's unconditional love

I begin this writing journey with high expectations, hoping that stories of my life experiences, the lessons I have learned not without occasional emotional bumps and bruises, will encourage you to look at life with a sense of humor and a renewed appreciation for how God is molding you.

I don't pretend to be a learned theologian or a religious scholar; nor am I a psychologist or a counselor. Rather I come alongside you as one who makes far more mistakes in my spiritual walk than I make corrections. Sometimes I learn from those missteps; sometimes God has to repeat the lesson over and over and over again until I choose to do it right, and sometimes I just stubbornly or selfishly refuse to "get it."

But I love to write and I love to speak, both involving my favorite topic -- Jesus. Sharing the messages He has taught me has become a passion of mine, and I am excited to pass those "life lessons" on to you.

In some cases He has saved my physical life as I managed to survive numerous bone-headed maneuvers, and other times He has protected my spiritual life as He wooed me back when I rejected His love. I question why I have been so blessed, but what I am certain of is that God is amazingly amazing. His love for His children is unconditional, and the only thing that makes our relationship less than perfect is ME.

If I could just get out of the way and stop fighting God for His throne, my life would be far less stressful and immeasurably less selfish.

So welcome, dear reader, to this adventure involving my life story. From the people I have met to the places I have lived to the situations I have encountered, God has used them all to teach me lessons involving destructive patterns of judgmentalism, cynicism, envy, manipulation, worry, and complaining (to name a few). He works daily ... on many occasions hourly ... encouraging me to keep my size ten shoe out of my size five mouth and helping me to see others through His lens, not mine.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share these experiences with you. I pray this journey will encourage you to build your relationship with the One who loves you and desires, more than anything, that you learn to love Him in return.

Until next week ... keep looking up!