Roaming Tennessee Girl

B.C.

I have just started to lead a new bible study with my Sunday school class. We are slowing working our way through 1 & 2 Peter with the help of a study guide with plenty of room to answer the questions. I try to start the lesson on Thursday night to give myself plenty of time to delve into the scripture and learn as much as possible in a week. However this week, I got stumped within the first paragraph of the study. "Identify some of the issues that drove you to consider Jesus seriously."

Yikes...I stopped. I underlined. I thought. Then I promptly closed the book, turned off the lights and pulled the covers over my head! It is Tuesday, and I still don't have the answer to that question. So I skipped it and continued on with the bible study while at work today. (it is the biggest perk of my job...can study and read whatever I want and get paid for it:) God proceeded to stomp all over my toes and by stomp I mean STOMP!! Issues such as how do i live a pure and holy life? how do i love my brothers and sisters in Christ? why is my salvation important? do i ever take it for granted? how has my salvation changed my life? What motivates me to live a righteous life? Compare life now to life before Christ...

I am not going to share the answers to most of those questions. Honestly I hated most of those questions especially right now! However the biggest challenge is trying to decide how my life is different because of my salvation? I can honestly say I don't remember much of anything B.C. in my life. We started church going when I was 6. We were there every time the doors were open or we just thought they might be open! I remember riding my bike around the church when I was kid. We would ride over there to make sure the church was still standing:) I had my first almost salvation experience at nine and the real one at 11...two baptisms and lots of Sunday school lessons...Started teaching classes at the age of 17 and haven't looked back...

Birth to six...the standard I am sure...temper tantrums, lying, deserved paddlings and maybe groundings
Six to 11...the standard I guess...temper tantrums, lying, disobedience, stole a piece of candy from the store (mom made me take it back), smoked a cigarette, well deserved paddlings and definite groundings
11 to almost 30...the list is endless....lying, temper tantrums, disobedience, smoking(only for 3 months), gluttony, gossip, spite, pride, anger. lust, etc, etc, etc. we don't have time for true honesty with this list!

I don't remember much of life before I became a child of God and life afterwards hasn't been pretty. I don't know what drove me to chose Jesus, but I am so glad He welcomed me with open arms. I am also grateful that He continues to welcome me when I do the opposite of what He tells me to do. The scary part right now is that we are only in chapter 1 of 1 Peter!

posted by deanna @ 10:26 AM