lainamunoz

Who’s Your Daddy?

Posted on December 3, 2015 by lainamunoz

Just a little #ThinkBackThursday. Pardon any shortage on an image or formatting… we don’t have WiFi currently so I’m eating up my phone data.

I went to Office Depot today to buy little envelopes. I got through the checkout line and along with my receipt the cashier gave me a business card that was good for a free PC check up… I chuckled in my head as I saw it and almost offended I thought, “Hello… doesn’t she know who my dad is? He’s the biggest computer geek I know, why would I bring a PC into here when my dad could fix it? Doesn’t she know who I am?”

I’ve always felt this way about my dad, I’m 110% convinced if there is a computer problem my dad can fix it so I’ve never worried about anything when it comes to the computer. I’m not the most computer savvy person in the world that you will meet but simply because I am my fathers daughter I really don’t think too much about it.

Dear G-d, why can’t I think this way about You? Consistently? Yes, I know you’re big enough to solve my problems but even in the moments when there isn’t one why am I not constantly thinking, “Pft, no harm can come to be, no evil force can stop me, no nation will stand against me… don’t they know WHO MY DAD IS? He happens to be the savior of the world, the comforter of the broken, why would I let my heart become troubled knowing that He can fix any problem that comes up?”

Fact is – I’m human and struggle with doubt. I guess I don’t doubt my earthly father because I’m an earthly person and that’s what I understand… I’ve seen my dad in flesh and have seen him fix thousands of computer problems.

I feel like an idiot to admit that I’ve doubted my heavenly Father but I have; I’ve seen the work of His hands in all of creation, I’ve gazed at the stars knowing that He holds each one, I’ve seen G-d’s protective hand over my life and others and yet, because my mind is limited I have to still remind myself that He can take care of me.

G-d, please, help me to see the problems in my life as something that I don’t have to worry about because I’m YOUR daughter. Make my response to them as quickly as I would respond to a office supply store telling me that they’re offering me something that I know my earthly dad could already do. Change my doubting heart, G-d.

“But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. “ – Romans.1.18-23(ish, MSG)

G-d, I’ve been with you a while, I know you well… help my heart not doubt so that I might not trade your glory for cheap fixes…

I’m sorry G-d.

Do you know who MY Dad is?

I Don’t Believe In Fear

Posted on November 27, 2015 by lainamunoz

Story Time With Laina at it’s finest.

Some tunes to read to

I’m on top of the world today, and by that I mean I swam under the world with giant sea turtles, massive stingrays and sharks ranging from 1-3 meters long. I couldn’t have been more excited unless you told me I had a dinosaur of my own.

We showed up and got (wet) suited up and were taken to a small pool where two turtles had already come by to say hello and make sure we were fully trained with our underwater breathing gear. We got in the pool and one by one were strapped in with an oxygen tank and handed a mouthpiece to start breathing through. I was given a mask that looked less than flattering on my partially Native American cheekbones and told it was time to start breathing underwater. We were told to put our faces under the water and keep our ears where we could hear them for the next bit of instructions.

Breathe Normally.

Breathe in and out of your mouth. I know that sounds simple for some of you obnoxious mouth breathers currently walking around the earth, but for me, trusting that I wouldn’t die if I tried to breathe in through my nose accidently was terrifying. I actually was given to a second instructor to walk me through one on one and talk through everything. She assured me of the facts that I already knew; that the mask wouldn’t fall off, that the oxygen tank had more than enough for our dive, that my natural survival instincts will take over and in the aquarium tank I wouldn’t even think about how I was breathing but my body in fact, would breathe.

Take deep breaths… 1, 2, 3, in… 1, 2, 3, out…

The instructors made their way through the little manhole from the pool to the aquarium with the fish, turtles, rays and sharks and the other 3 people I was diving with went through. Right before the person in front of me swam into a 30-minute adventure – I got on my knees and tried to practice not dying underwater. I instantly wanted to give up. Then realizing everyone was already through my only option was to leave alone or fight fear.

Fun fact about me… I LOVE SHARKS.

For me, getting in a tank with jagged-toothed, 10.5 foot, and 350 lbs. beauties was easy. But trusting in what I was given to get there was hard. Sometimes fear comes not from what is ahead but from the equipment you have to move ahead. Sometimes I have issues trusting what I’ve been given to be enough for the journey.

You can sometimes see what is coming, we are diagnosed with cancer and told we will go through treatment, it will be hard but there are facts about what we can expect. We are dealing with the loss of a loved one and we are told to see grief coming but not to worry – there are steps that are known and trained help to get you through. We prepare for our university exams that will make or break our career choices and can see it coming by the date the teachers have set. We get a birthday gift to swim with sharks and research the breed to a make sure how tightly you can hug it before it gets irritated and tries to hug you back… with it’s teeth.

What is coming isn’t often as scary because we know it’s coming. But trusting that YOU have enough inside of you to make it becomes a risk. Are you strong enough to fight after chemo leaves you weak? Are you brave enough to plan a funeral and still let you emotions breathe and not shove them into hiding? Are we intelligent enough for exams or do we need to get a day job? Will the oxygen in the tank run out?

Are we equipped?

Do we have enough for the journey?

G-d, is Your Word REALLY enough?

I’ve recently decided that I don’t believe in fear anymore; not to say it doesn’t exist, but I’ve tried to redirect the emotions that I might have once called fear and accept them as something else. Am I really afraid? Or am I nervously excited? Can I call this something else so that one word doesn’t take a hold of what I am and how I function?

When you put your BELIEF into something you feed it. It gets bigger and bigger until it paralyses you from doing what you want or need to do.

I refuse to get there; I don’t have time to believe in something so strongly that it won’t help anyone. I don’t have time to be too afraid to move when the adventure is forward, and when the things ahead are prepared for. I can’t fall back simply because I don’t think I have enough.

I can’t fall back simply because I don’t think YOU have enough, Lord. I trust that what You’ve equipped me with is more than enough to carry me through. I KNOW there will be bumps along the way but I know that you will sustain me. My tank wont run out. You have me.

Dear Children,

Posted on November 26, 2015 by lainamunoz

#ThinkBackThursday… jumping back to New Years 2009 which would have just made me 19. I remember thinking how blessed I was to have the authority of Jesus speaking in my defense for all of the sins I had, have, and possibly will commit. What a beautiful thing that is. So, I suppose since it’s Thanksgiving in the USA I’ll take this time to say:

Thank You, G-d.

“ I write this to you so that you will not sin . But if anybody does sin (which I know you do, and will) we have one who speaks to the Father IN OUR DEFENSE — Jesus Christ, the Righteous (Right Living) One.”

G-d, I’ll never understand why on earth you love us so. You KNEW we would be a wicked and sinful man, that we would make horrible decisions on our own, that we would repent only to forget where we came from and have to get on our knees again. And yet, you let your only son come and be ~~our voice of defense~~. We don’t deserve this… In any way, shape, or form.

“HE IS the atoning sacrifice for OUR SINS(?), and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

(?) It’s not fair that YOU, YHVH, should have to take all of my sins. But I know G-d, that I wouldn’t be able to handle it. The only thing I could think to do is lighten my burden on Your Heart by living as purely as I can for you.

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, G-d’s love is truly made complete in him . This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

((G-d I want to KNOW you. Completely.

The New Year always reminds me to look back on the past year and reflect on all that has happened. It just so happens that I was reading 1 John about the PURE, AMAZING, and HOLY LOVE of G-d. The New Year is a chance to start again, to read so that I might not sin, and when I do… to come before the broken lamb of G-d and repent. Not because I want a clean slate before I go back into the world, but so that I might seek His heart and find what exactly His plan for me is. I don’t want even the smallest desire to continue a mundane life stuck here in the earthly realm of things.

I have a very big G-d, Oh! And He’s ALWAYS by my side

1 John 2.1-6 (NIV)
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

You’re Doing It Wrong

Posted on November 20, 2015 by lainamunoz

My Puerto Rican J-Lo (Jen Nieves) and I are Pastoral-Creatives. It’s that mix of people who care too much about people to leave them alone but still like to play with finger paints. Or if you want, you can join me in viewing our personalities as hippies. Love music. Love art. Love people.

Always.

At one point or another we (at the very least I) tried to run away from this very odd inner draw to help the A.D.D. Christians still love G-d. But it is who we are and there is no escape.

But G-d couldn’t just leave me alone with the desire to write music, sing and preach and teach… He also allowed my life to become introverted (I need to recharge without people) NOT shy (I’m too full of myself and my insecurities to carry on a conversation)((pride)).

Thanks G.

Oilvia [my sweet as drummer friend (I’m totally name dropping today)] and I were talking yesterday about the conclusion of our first year at Hillsong College. We were discussing what was difficult for us the first year that we still haven’t ‘dealt’ with… What are we still working on?

For me: which I’m assuming you want to know because you are still reading – this was community. I explained my thoughts on how I walked through my first year and how at the end of it, if I’m being as overly honest as I always tend to be, I feel like not that many people know me. Now – the KNOWING ME isn’t the important part, the GIVING MYSELF, my time, my energy, my investments, my open heart, my very unique part of the body of Christ is important. It IS important because I am also shy. I dealt this last year with being so concerned with myself and insecure that I didn’t give all I felt I could have.

Now, I’ve recently written about this so I don’t want to get too much into what I already wrote about… But I will reiterate the importance of being in community. We are better together and we were never meant to do this alone. If I could just encourage, challenge, tell you to, force you to READ the Bible… that would be awesome, but for the sad fact that the majority of you struggle to get a daily time to sit and process with G-d I’ll chop some up here for you.

“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching”

Hebrews 10:SomewhereBetween24-25 (MSG)

Guys and Gals, I have NO idea how to encourage someone that I’m not around. Nor do I know how to encourage if I’m only concerned for how bold I feel that day or how crazy I think my hair is partying that day.

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

Galatians 6:1-3 (NLT)

Ewww… Pride isn’t pretty on ANYONE, especially shy-pride.

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT)

//Changed and changing still//

Thank G-d I’m not the same that I was and thank G-d that I will not remain the same that I am.

I’m verbally and electronically committed to community – I’m committed to lunches and coffee dates. I’m committed to my housemates and practicum team. I’m committed to showing up, being there and giving me. And if the Lord is willing all of that will be useful.

G-d, as always, you have my permission to make me look more like you and less like myself. You have my permission to make me look more AT you and less AT myself. You have my time, my energy, my investments, my open heart, and my very unique part of Your kingdom. Here’s to all the people time I need next year.

*Random PSA I found online – if you feed the toilet paper to the back of the roll and not the front you’re an ignorant, inconsiderate person and you need to grow up.

Sucky Sound Systems, Surprising Stories, and Skepticism

Posted on November 18, 2015 by lainamunoz

G-d is actually beautiful.

I was thinking this morning about how doing #ThinkBackThursday is getting more challenging the longer I do it. It’s weird – I’ve used the majority of my old posts from Facebook (be my friend! If you mention my blog you get a 3% discount on being my friend!) and I was running out of material. I was about to start creeping through my 10 year old journal but, no one REALLY wants to read who I was crushing on at 14.

Lo and behold, I found a post from October 2010 that I don’t recall ever stumbling over in this last year. And wouldn’t you know it… it’s in perfect timing with what I NEEDED to hear this week.

I write for me. I publish for accountability. I pray that somehow in the middle it might be the encouragement, challenge, blessing or honesty you need. I truly could never say ‘thank you’ enough if you pray for, support me or have been apart of reading my stories. Please enjoy this #ThinkBackThursday

Thursday we had a worship night at church and all was going well until Jesse and I here a loud pop in the monitors in front of us. Jesse was roughly 4 feet away from me so I casually and in the full attitude of worship lean over and ask if he can hear Kevin anymore or the piano.

“No”

wonderful.

You see, when we cannot hear Kevin that’s a bad thing. While I have attempted to train myself to just know what key we’re in and sing it in tune the whole way- there is still comfort in being able to hear the piano and KNOW you’re in the same key.

I couldn’t get the attention of our wonderful sound man Steve (thanks for the photo Steven B.) without making a scene so I felt pretty stuck, and then suddenly, the monitor popped back on.

This actually was wonderful.

Unfortunately, our sound system didn’t like leaving people feeling happy and fuzzy so again, the sound went out. I wasn’t sure what to do, there wasn’t much I could do, so instead I just prayed. If I remember correctly it was something like, “G-d, this might be a silly request but… I don’t want to create a distraction with not being able to hear correctly so if at all possible could You somehow make the monitor start working? I mean, I’ll still love You and do my best either way… it’d just be nice”

I felt in that moment like He was legitimately asking me if I’d be surprised if He did, He reminded me of the scripture in James 1.6-7 about coming to G-d with our requests, “Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way…” I felt like He was asking me if I was going to truly believe that He could; if I was going to believe that He would answer something so – in my mind – trivial. In an honest answer back to G-d I said, “I’m not sure.” I couldn’t tell Him that I w o u l d n ’ t be surprised but I remember thinking, “G-d, I don’t honestly know if I will be surprised, I just know that You can”.

((Before I completed my thought the monitor came back on. I smiled.

I don’t know what it was in my heart that shifted to where I just decided to believe. I still don’t understand why I can’t live there constantly. Where I ask G-d without doubt and know that He’ll answer if it’s His will. I’m ok admitting that in my almost 20-year-old mind I still struggle with trying to figure out why it seems G-d answers some prayers right away and on some He waits. All I know is to trust that His word and promise to me are true. And that I must be patient in not understanding because HE knows whats up.

I’m not perfect. I don’t have everything figured out. I’m learning. I’m accepting when I can’t do things alone. I’m committed to the only thing that has never let me down.

I’m His and that’s all I need.

This Week The Trend…

Posted on November 13, 2015 by lainamunoz

Purely for your listening enjoyment whilst reading: Good Tunes

Probably Some Better Tunes

I have never heard this song before

~~What’s on my mind Facebook?~~

~~What’s going on Twitter?~~

~~It’s time to blog WordPress?~~

~~#100daycreativechallenge needs an Instagram picture?~~

If I’m being 100% honest there is more on my mind now that assessments are done and I’m out of the thick of college. I’m thinking about provision, I’m meditating on promises that I firmly believe G-d spoke to me. I’m already heartbroken for the ‘goodbyes’ I’ll have to say before making my way to a very joyous reunion with my family members. I’m thinking about already having to do another “see you later” with them after a very short 5 weeks fly by. I’m thinking about all the dreams I have and wondering if I’ve somehow changed enough to qualify achieving them even though I know full well that it is ABSOLUTELY by G-d’s grace that I’m even here. However, I’m still thinking about all the things I want and wondering how on earth they will all come to pass.

None of G-d’s promises make sense to me in the middle of waiting on them to happen. Maybe they make sense to you, in which case I’m so happy for you. But I’m in the waiting… and lately it’s just enough time to terrify me.

I’m not the only one though, I’ve realized that trusting is hard for more people than just me. We collectively miss what it means to operate in the peace of G-d and end up thinking about the tomorrow’s that may never come. I’m thinking about my story in coming here as I had the opportunity to tell it again today. I was brought to tears recounting the confirmation I received that I was supposed to come here. I remember telling G-d that if it was His will for me to be here it was going to have to be His bill in keeping me. I remember thinking my prayers to G-d on finding a perfect job when I felt it was time to get one. I remember an overwhelming peace that He heard all those prayers and that He sees what is best and gives it to me.

The only thing about memories is that they are only good for a moment and then you need more.

G-d, I trust have enough but I need more.

I guess I found out that I’m a little stressed and a lot in need of Him…

http://www.gofundme.com/storytimewithlaina

((If you feel in your heart to give I’d appreciate it; If you can pray that will mean even more.

Fun-Size Forgetfulness

Posted on November 12, 2015 by lainamunoz

As of late, I feel like my friends as a whole are in need of more strength than they have. I feel like I’m in that boat as well, I need more faith, I need more courage, I need more compassion, I need more grace and in general I need more of Christ in my life.

I find myself in the mornings waking up and instinctively realizing how badly I need him and almost even to the first second of consciousness calling out for Him to help me. With this, though I tend to forget what I said because I’m not fully awake. But thank G-d that He remembers and hears me and follows through with the requests we need more than the ones we ask for.

Please enjoy this short blog from 2012!

17.09.2012

Sometimes I forget that I can ask G-d for stuff like strength; I don’t forget when I need it – but I forget to ask BEFORE I need it. This morning I thought to ask G-d for strength for my day and it’s the first time in a while that I did before junk took it’s place in my day. What I am so grateful for is that He answers my prayers, in His time and wisdom and as He sees fit.

“Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.” – Psalms 6.8-9

Back up off Satan, G-d hears me. He accepts my cries for help and He is close to me. Giving His child refuge and strength. He restores me even while He is defending me cause He is all-powerful.

LORD, this morning I ask You for strength. I ask You for favor and blessing. G-d, I beg You for a new heart and a right mind that meditates on Your Word and promises. And here and now, before trials come I ask You to help in only a way You can. Mostly, G-d, help me stand out of the way.

You Aren’t Original – And It’s Ok

Posted on November 6, 2015 by lainamunoz

We are all just walking projections of everything we have ever learned, all the hurts we’ve ever experienced, whatever innocence we were born with that was protected and the built in human moral that at least half of you will believe in. There is in fact NOTHING original under the sun. Though you’d love to think that you were the first to create, write, paint, build, engineer, you actually developed those ideas off of things that you already knew. It’s like a load of those little Lego pieces all over the ground. They serve one purpose in linking together, but the combinations of the pieces snapped together that you ‘come up’ with have actually been done before.

But you are still beautiful.

**You are beautiful and the way you create is unique and wonderful.**

Though you are repeating news there is a new way to say the information that you have, there is another way to tell your story. People need to hear what you have to say with the tint of your perspective. The way you compile your information and regurgitate it in a personal way is what will speak to others. I think something I have figured out (or at least pretend to have figured out) is that, it’s not about what you’re saying; it’s about if you’re speaking to people.

G-d put this thought on my heart a while back and if you keep up with my Facebook author page you would have seen me say:

This was that project… To challenge you all to firstly –

Get over yourself.

But once you have that out of the way and realize where you get the resources you’re using to create –

TO CREATE

Your life and knowledge bears repeating, don’t forget that.

I asked my good friend Dalton Smith to help me out with a logo for this project, for you to share and use and challenge people in your world to share and use.

((See what I did there?))

You people inspire me!

I have a few confessions:

Jaclyn Hill is a make up artist on Youtube and I follow her religiously. But only wear make up a handful of times a year
I follow more blogs than I have time to read
1. http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/
2. http://maddiefantillo.wix.com/life-to-the-full
3. and many many more
Songwriting is the best stream in the world and I could watch people play their songs ALL day
1. But all the chords are the same

Why do I watch YouTube videos? Why do I read? Because your story might be borrowed concepts but people with humble beginnings who love what they do is what it’s all about.

Publish – Produce – Share

How beautifully convenient was it that last nights #Teamnight was all about creating and showing your work? Let me tell you. This has been on my heart for a while, do what you love to do and share! Get it out. Post your blogs, Instagram your paintings, dance and teach others your moves, use the skills you learned to teach someone else how to apply a winged eye-liner. I’m obsessed with people who love their art and share their art.

I’m challenging you to share, rip off my logo and get the people in your world to become obsessed with creating. Let’s bring our stories (that sometimes have the same message) but douse it in our language.

You aren’t original and it’s ok –

I think we create such a difficult life when we try to be the only ones who’ve thought up the next big thing.

Be creative, be you, give credit and steal.

Short Thoughts For Your Thursday

Posted on November 5, 2015 by lainamunoz

Finally I Surrender, for your listening enjoyment whilst reading this #ThinkBackThursday

11 April 2012

“Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but man.” Psalms 9.19-20

I have often in my life told You that “I surrender” to Your will, Your plan, Your guidance – and I genuinely meant it. But I feel like in order to surrender something I have to have something to give, but I have nothing. G-d, I am just a woman. My greatest ability is to birth people. I am man, I am human and therefore sinful. I’ve always loved etymology so to really understand – we see // Sin – ful or FULL, we are FULL of sin; not just that I HAVE sinned but my being, my race is FULL of sin. “O, LORD; let the nations know they are but man.” Remind me Lord, that I have nothing of worth to surrender so that I understand the gift of the cross. So what is the exchange?

(as we are now, man)

– Sin for death; my death to be full of despair and weeping and eternal suffering.

But, with G-d, with HIS merciful (FULL of mercy) judgment

– Sin for death; His death, His pure death on a cross to sacrifice because He had something to offer. And now, I claim His sacrifice as my own.

Why? Because, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in Love. He will not always accuse, not will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west. So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103.8-12

All I want is You to have Your way

You are the Potter and I am the clay

All I need is You to have Your way

You are Creator and I’m what You’ve made..

Finally I surrender…

– Misty Edwards

CathaBaptiCostal Church

Posted on October 30, 2015 by lainamunoz

What is the church to me? I was asked this question recently in school and while I believe there are many answers for this question here are a few thoughts that I came up with:

If the church truly is the Bride of Christ, shouldn’t we be the assembly of those preparing for the return of Christ? A bride spends all of her engagement in preparation for being forever one with her groom and we as well should be the ones who are getting ready for eternity. Our roles might look a little different even as we are all the bride, one might have the role played most by a pastor in preaching and educating the congregation on how to prepare, and others might just be in a role of being in the congregation and gathering more people to be included in the preparation. Either way we do all have a role to play and we have a mission to those who still don’t know about Christ to tell them our good news.

In another class this week we discussed the differences IN the church, and specifically Denominations. If I’m being totally honest they don’t make every bit of sense to me either but I think that I’m starting to get a hang of why there might be a zillion on the planet (there is really only about 33,000 denominations according to this random website I found on the Googles). A student in the class piped up and went on about the fact that ‘denomination’ comes from the root word ‘denominator’ or something like that, which clearly wasn’t a thought I agreed with because I hate math. But also, ‘denominations’ aren’t from the root ‘denominator’, but rather comes from the Latin word denominatio(n-), or from the verb denominare (denominate). Here I found our position as a denomination to be an action, it is to give name to or to be assigned a specific financial unit. To be “denominated” would mean that you are assigned a specific unit. Which would be assumed that being apart of a denomination means you’re really just one specific assignment the same as everyone else. You are apart to be spent for the Kingdom. You are to be used to grow the kingdom by giving yourself.

Things I’ve never understood about arguing which denomination is the “right” denomination:

How do you know that you are right?
1. What if you are wrong?
Why do you have to be mean about saying you’re right?
1. Don’t be mean
2. No one will want to be your friend
Have you ever thought that maybe the different denominations aren’t actually anything that separates people but actually includes more people?
1. Wouldn’t giving the people an option of faith with convictions they can follow bring them closer into a relationship with Christ?
2. Isn’t it all about your heart and Christ?
If you think I’m wrong, help a sista out.
1. I don’t have all these answers but rather I really have a lot of questions and thoughts.
2. I’m also a little bit of a hippie and think if people just love Jesus and love one another it doesn’t matter too much if you’re non-denominational, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist or Catholic, or a cowboy.