I am no bible literalist. What I mean by that is I can't quote every scripture or story in the Bible. I couldn't tell you what each book fully entailed, and honestly, I can't name them all. That probably makes me sound like a horrible Christian, but I believe it makes me real. I fell in love with Jesus when I was a young girl going to church with my great grandparents. I didn't fall in love with the Bible or Church, I fell in love with how they loved each other through Christ. How my great grandparents helped anyone and everyone because it was right.
When I got older, I began resenting God and who He was. So much happened to me that I didn't disbelieve God, I believed he hated me. A girl like me in most stories doesn't get redeemed, but I did. I got tricked into going to Church by a dear friend and found a home. When I outgrew that home, I moved to another. I fell in love with Christ not because of Church or the Bible, but because of what I know we are called to do in Christ; love each other.
I fell in love with Christ on a soccer field in Mexico when a teenage girl was crying because her feet were burning on the turf. I put her on my back to go find new shoes. When we couldn't find any, so I let her wear mine and she cried. I fell in love with Christ when I would wake up every morning and see my great grandparents ready for Church and making us breakfast. Seeing their devotion made me envious and desire the same at such a young age. I fell in love with Christ when I was told it's okay to be broken, because you're enough and you're wanted. I fell in love with Christ when I went to the ER in Mexico and my family was so far away. I looked around and saw people surround me to translate for me, love me, and pray for me. I had family there in Mexico. They were my family in Christ.
As I write this, tears are falling down my face because I know that loving God is more than going to a building and saying so. It is more than reading a book and knowing every word. It is who you are and how you carry yourself. I am not perfect. I cuss like a sailor and have more baggage than a train could pull. I can be ungrateful and anger easily. I am extremely protective which can be good and bad depending on the day. However, I know that God looks at all that and reminds me that He can carry it. That when I fall, He picks me up. When I am mad, He waits and listens because He can handle it.
I am no bible literalist. I know some and am working to know more. So, here's what I know. When Jesus was up on the cross, dangling and suffering for us, He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." He said, "It is finished". He died for you and me. He loves you and so do I. So, when you read this, I want you to know 3 things:
1 That you are loved by me and most importantly by God
2. That you are enough. Who you are and what you bring to the table is enough.
3. Most importantly, you don't have to be a Bible literalist to love God. Love God, love yourself, and love others. The literacy on the Bible, we can work on that.
