Michelle's Shell

* I wrote this article for the haystack.tv blog and am just reposting it here!  You also read the post at  http://www.thehaystack.tv/confusion-perfection-and-christianitys-s-word/ “But sometimes I just don’t know how much I’m supposed to do and how much God’s just going to do!” I was genuinely complaining to a friend because I was genuinely frustrated. I mean yeah, I understood the whole salvation by grace thing – in concept at least – but I also knew that after this accepting Jesus’ “justification” thing came this other thing: Sanctification. Oh that “s” word… I’d heard it described as the work of a lifetime – the process where after the “come as you are” saved but grace event, we are to change, to struggle, to fight sin, to eventually become “perfect?” “Look Shell, they say we’re saved by grace, but you know that’s not all. After that you’re supposed to dress a certain way, give up certain things, become a vegetarian….  So whatever. I guess I’m going to hel...

Well, the year has ended and so must this “choices” blog series!   But as we end one chapter and begin another, I ask: What do you want this next year to look like?   New year’s “resolutions” abound: “I will lose weight this year.”   “I will exercise five days each week.”   “I will spend more time in daily devotions.”   And short-lived as these “resolutions” may be (most lasting 30 days, if that…), we at least WANT to do better! But deeper than these goals, I believe we have hopes and dreams for our year that, while we may not verbalize or share them, are there in our minds and strongly on our hearts: “I hope I meet the person I’m going to marry this year.”   “I really want to make something of myself this year and prove that I can do it.“   “I wish that this year God would show me what I’m supposed to do with my life and how to do something meaningful.”   “I just want to finally be happy and fulfilled this year.” And while...