Learning what it means to be Christian

Since starting this blog, I have been wanting to go more in-depth when it comes to God and Christianity. However, I think it is something that I have been avoiding because I was worried about how people would perceive me. Well, I decided that I am going to let go of this fear, and just do what I want, and talk about the journey of being a believer of God and Christ.

I never really understood what it meant to be Christian. In fact I am still learning. Growing up I have been exposed to so many misconceptions about Christianity, and as I go through life, I see that others have been affected in the same way. I mean, my mom always took me to church, until I hit the age of my rebellion, and the funny thing is, she didn't understand what it meant to be Christian either.

I always did my own thing. But, I was never to much of a rebel in society's eyes. I went to school, got good grades, and did a couple of sports. Someone once described me as a "good girl"and "perfect"-they had no idea of who I really was. My life sucked, and I never got along with my mother once I hit my late middle school years. It was just me, my mom, and my sis, and I paid God absolutely no attention (not any real attention).

This started to change when I was in high school. My best friend, who I met while on the track team, invited me to go to a bible study that a group of students had one morning a week at the school. I decided to go one day, and then kept going, but still, I didn't know what it meant to be Christian. I had stopped going to church, a place that didn't teach me anything about living for God. I went to bible study in high school-that's where I gained some companionship, but still, I didn't understand. There was no one there to teach me more than just practices and rituals, and sugar coated bible stories.

Some time went by, and I got baptized when I was 16, and I think it was because a seed was planted into me by my best friend. I'm glad I got baptized then, even though I was afraid, and didn't want to walk to the front of a church with everyone's eyes on me. And even then, I didn't fully understand.

Everything changed my freshmen year of college. I had been looking for a bible study in college because it was what I did in high school. I was on Facebook one day, and saw that there was a bible study that Friday right across from the dorm I lived in. After that, I don't think I was ever the same. Finally, my eyes and my heart were opening, and I couldn't stop crying. So, this was God the Almighty. A huge being that was leading me this whole time, so that I could become His. God was more then a building I rarely went to, He was more than my routine prayers about food, and the prayers asking that He doesn't kill me in the middle of the night. He is so much more.

I actually started to read the bible on my own that Spring, and I was learning things that I never even heard before. Why in the world had I never been told this stuff before? I tried reading the bible in the past, but at that time I only found it boring. Now, it was completely real. I no longer just depended on what others had told me about God and Christianity, I searched and learned about it for myself. So, God isn't far away and out of reach? Christ was always here? What? He wants me? What do you mean I was chosen? Why?

John 1:1-5 says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

We were born in the world, and this world is full of darkness, hate, and horror. We have been in it our whole lives, but there is a way to escape it, and that is through Christ. However, so many people either don't know, don't accept, or have been lied to so much that they run away from the light that saves us.
John 1:10 says: "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him."
People do not recognize Christ even though he is always reaching out to us, and sometimes they never find him.

So, I guess the whole point of this post is to get people to seek. To not depend on what people, society, and what the media tells you about God and Christ. Find out the truth for yourself. Pray. Actually speak to God. Tell him about your day, your questions, anything. Ask him to help you learn. Do it with all seriousness, even if you feel a little silly. He answers us in various ways, and he wants to hear from you.
Matthew 7:7 says: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
I know God can hear me, and I know that this scripture is true because so many of my prayers have been answered.

Learning what it means to be Christian is a process, but I'm happy with my choice, and want to continue to grow.

Represents light, and those are totally not my fingers.

Sincerely,

Lisa

p.s. (I do think it is important to go to church, you just have to find the right one. I'll go into the reasons later)

My Healthy Food Journey and the Nutribullet Rx-College Edition

For the past, lets say two to three months, I have been trying to improve my diet. It has been something that I have been wanting to do for about a year, but didn't get serious about until recently. I live right across from my college campus, so it was just easy to eat something there. Well, let's just say my college does not have the healthiest choices when it comes to food, but don't get me wrong, they definitely try.

Eating healthy while in college can be very difficult, especially when you are on a tight budget. Honestly, when it came to food, all I really thought about was "what is going to keep me full for the rest of the day?" Health was not particularly on my mind. But after learning a bit more on it, and its connection to diet, I wanted to do better.

So, what got me serious?
I was always tired. I didn't know why I was so exhausted, but after talking to an acquaintance, she said that it was probably my diet. She asked me what I had eaten that day and I simply told her: two mini cupcakes, a mini muffin, some mac and cheese, and some chips (I think they were Cheetos). She then asked me if I took vitamins, and I said no because I didn't think that I needed them. That was when I decided that it probably was my diet, and that it was time to eat better.

But, there was a problem. I didn't know how to start. Over the summer I had gone to Pinky Promise Conference, a women's conference in Atlanta, and while there I purchased a book called A Perfect Recipe by Heather Lindsey. It's a 30 day devotional that has great tips and recipes when it comes to food and life. I decided to look into it and found a grocery list of fruit, vegetables, nuts, spices, grain, and a few other categories. I created my own grocery list using it as a reference, and went to a grocery store known for local, fresh, and organic food.

Since I was on a budget, I chose to get organic frozen fruit and vegetables (with the exception of a couple of sweet potatoes), stuck to my list (unless the store didn't have what I was looking for), and kept up with prices. I actually spent less than I normally would, and I was so surprised. I was even more surprised after my first healthy meal because I immediately felt energized. I thought it was a trick, or some sort of placebo effect, but I truly felt a lot better.

 For a while now, I have been avoiding pork and beef. I'll eat it if I have to, but if I have a choice I never do. I found out that I like turkey and chicken a lot better. For example. I love turkey bacon, more than I like pork bacon, and now I don't really like barbecue ribs or pork chops. I can't say that I avoided these meats for any particular reason, it just happened, and now that it has been so long, they just don't taste as good to me any more.

I am so happy with this choice, and now I have even found new food favorites. Like cashews. I never used to eat nuts, but they are really good to me now, and remind me potatoe chips. It's a good alternative. I still eat "junk" food every now and then, but a lot less. I actually don't eat it to replace a meal (I used to eat a bag of chips for dinner if I didn't have anything else).

Something else that I am sort of excited about is the Nutribullet Rx (a blender). My mom got it for me after she heard I was trying to eat more healthy foods. I really didn't want her to get it for me after seeing the price, but she insisted, and I think it hurts peoples pride when you don't accept their gifts. She called it a early birthday present, so I gave in even though I was skeptical. I used it for the first time last week, and I was amazed. I used it to make my own version of tomato bisque, and so far I'm speechless-in a good way. One of the good things about this blender is that it can make soup. I mean it actually comes out hot by the end of the soupblast cycle. You just put the ingredients in, and seven minutes later, soup! Now, I just have to see how well it does with smoothies and what-not. Milkshakes!

Eating healthy will now be apart of my lifestyle. I like it.

Lisa