You Are More

Back in high school I had a friend who would ask the simple question "Who are you?" It seemed simple, right? I'm Kattarin Kirk. But then he would press further, "No that's your name, but who are you?"

Sometimes we get stuck in this mode of feeling one dimensional. Maybe you feel like you're the manager and you are at work but your life doesn't stop there. Maybe you're in school and you're a student, true, but you're still more then that. None of us have just one category we fit in. We are lots of roles to lots of different people.

I am a believer in Christ, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a friend, a youth director, a volunteer assistant secretary, a church member, a writer, a blogger, an employee, maybe my favorite role is I am an aunt and godmother. I also hope that I'm a encouragement, a good listener and a wise adviser when need be. I'm not just one of any of these things. I'm all of these roles and more.

You are not just an employee, just a boss, just a daughter or son, just a stay-at-home mom or a working dad. You are more then that. God has created with a purpose and for a purpose. For you stay at home parents out there that purpose right now might be taking care of those kids and showering them with love while you have them home. For those working parents, work hard to provide for your family but focus on your family when you get home.

For those taking care of elderly parents, remember that you're not just their caretaker. You're their daughter or son and they love you and need you in a way they haven't before but you're also their caretaker and have to make decisions that are best for them. For those who are frustrated with their job or ministry, remember that this isn't the only part of your life and don't let it consume you.

To all of you remember that you are more then one dimensional and don't let any one part of your life take over the rest. At the end of the day you are still a loved child of the Most High King and that is the most important role that any of us have. So go out and do His work, however that may look for you today.

Amnesia

A few weeks ago will listening to a podcast when I heard a quote that definitely hit me in the heart. From Christine Cane of Hillsong Church. She said "The blood of Christ doesn't give you amnesia."

Sometimes I think that we want to start our story at the point we became a believer. Or if you grew up in the church like I did we want to start our story at the point when we started really following Christ with our whole hearts. If someone asks us to share our testimony a lot of us get defensive, or maybe we try to just gloss over the difficult, heartbreaking, shame inducing things that lurk in our past. Ever felt that way?

Last weekend while on a women's retreat with my church I was asked to share my testimony. When someone first asked me if I'd be willing to share I hesitantly agreed. It wasn't sharing my story that bothered me, I've done that lots of times, it was sharing my story with women who have known me for years. Women who knew me when I was a teenager living in rebellion of God but playing the role of perfect Christian girl every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at church. (Yeah I was there a lot.)

I was never an outright party kid or at risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent but I did have my issues and I was afraid how these women would react when they found out. I really want to gloss over the bad stuff and just talk about how much I love working with the youth group now and how I'm growing in my walk with Christ. Then I heard that quote.

"The blood of Christ doesn't give you amnesia."

I've made mistakes. Lots of them. I've done things I'm ashamed of, I've done things I regret, I've done things that I teach every teenager who will listen not to do. I can't change any of it and I have to live with that knowledge and the memory of those decisions. The blood of Christ forgives me of those sins, it doesn't take away the memory, the pain or the consequences of them. 

After I gave my testimony I was surprised but oh so grateful when many of the women thanked me for sharing. They cried with me, embraced me but most importantly they rejoiced with me. Because the one thing that I've learned through sharing my story is that even though I don't get to have amnesia from those actions I do get to see how God has redeemed my past.

God takes ashes and transforms it into beauty. He took my rebellion, taught me lessons and then put me in the position to go teach and encourage teenagers about what I've learned. And because I've been there I can relate to many of them in a way that others can't.

After I shared my story I told someone that even though some of the things I went through because of my poor decisions were hard to deal with I was glad I had because now I could sit down next to a teen going through something similar and say "I get it. I've been there." and they'll believe me because I'm telling the truth. I really have been there and God's brought me through to the other side. Sometimes hearing that is all you need to find hope for yourself and see that God hasn't given up on you.

So no, the blood of Christ doesn't give you amnesia because it goes a step further and redeems your past to bring beauty from ashes.

Live in Harmony

Philippians 4:1-3 NIV
"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life."

In a day and age where the words 'divided' and 'separated' get thrown around so much and we're so busy talking about how different we are it seemed like it might be a good idea to post about unity.

I think that at times it's too easy to skip over Scriptures like this that talk about specific people. It doesn't seem to apply to us, after all we never knew Euodia or Syntyche or even what their issue with each other was. But we all know someone, another believer, that we've had an issue with. We all know two believers who once worked together but now there's always tension between them. Far too many of us have seen churches torn apart because of believers refusing to set aside difference and work together. And what's the outcome? People are hurt, many will go to new churches, others won't go to any church but will cling to their faith and still others will abandon their faith completely. And there's the outsiders, the non-believers, who see this all happen and think "well if that's how Christians treat each other then why would I want to be one?" and that's what I believe Paul was trying to keep from happening in his letter to the church in Phillipi.

So let's break this down. Paul writes to this church, he expresses his love and pride in them. He calls them 'my joy and my crown' and encourages them to 'stand firm in the Lord'. He obviously wants what's best for them but then he immediately addresses a problem that's reached his ears. Somehow, someway these two women who both worked alongside Paul in his ministry, are now fighting with each other. They're bringing division into the church. Maybe it started out as just a bit of a spat between friends but left unresolved that discontentment always starts to affect the others around us. Paul begs the women to be reconciled and then he goes a step further.

He asks others to help them to 'be of one mind'. See as believers we're not only called to unity, we're also called to help others on this journey of discipleship that leads us to becoming more and more like Christ. So when we see two believers who are fighting or have a division between them we should do what we can, with much prayer and an abundance of love, to speak the truth into their lives and help them to be reconciled.

Sometimes this will mean helping a couple repair their marriage or helping a family learn to communicate better, maybe it's helping two friends repair the friendship after a fight or just two congregation members learn to serve on a committee together. Not everybody is going to be best friends and we're certainly not all going to agree on everything but throughout Scripture we're called to love one another. Isn't it more important to focus on the Lord we worship, to set aside our differences, not abandoning our beliefs, but focusing on being able to work together then it is to spend our time fighting?

Isn't about time that the church starts showing the world what Christ meant when He said to love our neighbor? And where better to start with the one who sits in the pew across from us? Or even the pew across town from us?

Jesus and Spaceships

Today I started out my morning and it was pretty normal. I was running a bit late but still made it to Bible study on time. I had a great study and then decided to run some errands. I walked out of a store and couldn't remember where on earth I parked. I paused on the sidewalk and looked around, trying to locate my car so I didn't have to just wander up and down the aisles looking for it. From behind me I heard a woman call out to me.

When I turned she asked for a ride to another store, the one that I was actually going to next. Normally I don't give rides to people I don't know but for some reason I felt like the Lord was leading me to say yes, so I did. When we got in the car, she immediately noticed that I had a Christian station playing on the radio. She was so excited and asked me if I was a believer, when I confirmed that I was she was thrilled and told me she was also a sister in Christ. As we drove she asked me to tell her my testimony.

As we got to the store she asked if I'd be able to take her home afterwards. Since it wasn't far away I agreed. She finished at the store and went out ahead of me, when I finished I walked out to find her talking to another woman. She introduced us and explained that this woman was also a Christian. She was so excited that there were three of us and commented how wonderful it was. The new woman, we'll call her Grace, said that was what heaven would be like, spending time worshiping the Lord with other believers for all eternity.

Then the conversation took a turn for the weird. Val, the woman I gave the ride to started talking about how Jesus was coming back soon on a space ship. She said that her husband told her that the prophecies describe a space ship, or more accurately, a space station, that has four quadrants. It's called Zion and it's supposed to enter the world between a couple of stars where a black hole recently appeared, supposedly.

As she talked I mentally rolled my eyes and looked over at Grace to see her reaction. Grace didn't even notice I looked at her because she was giving 100% of her attention to Val. When she was finished Grace smiled and sweetly but firmly said, "Well I don't believe a word of that."

Val was shocked and said, "But it says He's going to be seen everywhere, how do you explain that if it's not a space ship."

The conversation continued for a few minutes as Grace explained that in the Psalms it talks about how God holds the universe in his hand. Val was confused and she didn't agree by the time we walked away but through the whole thing I found that Grace's response inspired and challenged me.

See when I was uncomfortable I just kind of rolled my eyes but didn't respond. Grace on the other hand wasn't going to stand for it. She was incredibly patient, she never laughed or talked down about what she obviously thought was a very out there idea. She was kind and she gave her full attention to Val without ever shying away.

It made me think about how I react when I come across someone who has different beliefs then I do or doesn't hold to the same social niceties I'm used to. Next time I hope that instead of rolling my eyes when someone's ideas seem strange or silly to me I'll listen and treat them with kindness but still stand up for my beliefs like Grace did with Val.