In recent weeks at IBC, we’ve been discussing the importance of wrestling with our own personal past—our life story—to better understand our present and God’s intentions for our future. This is a vitally important part of our ongoing spiritual growth and development. God has made us who we are through the formative experiences and relationships of our lives: though our heritage, our heroes, our high points, and our hard times.
Read MoreI like writing. Really, I like words in general. I keep a book of crossword puzzles next to my bed, I start every morning with Wordle, and I’m the Boggle champion in our family. Words are kind of my jam. So when I first stepped into my role on the Communications team here at IBC, one of the things that excited me most was the prospect of writing more. What I didn’t expect was how much joy I’d find in helping others shape and share their own words.
Everybody knows that there are different types of “love”. Clearly, loving Target (which I do) and loving your newborn child are two very different things! I mean, I would assume… my husband and I don’t have children. But we do have a dog, and spending time with her definitely evokes different emotions than spending time perusing the Target dollar section!
In recent weeks at IBC, we’ve been discussing the importance of wrestling with our own personal past—our life story—to better understand our present and God’s intentions for our future. This is a vitally important part of our ongoing spiritual growth and development. God has made us who we are through the formative experiences and relationships of our lives: though our heritage, our heroes, our high points, and our hard times.
When I first came to Christ, I was at my lowest point in life (or so I thought at the time). I was homeless, I badly needed a bath, and I had survived a convoluted suicide attempt. I found myself at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles after having made a trek across the country, starting from New York City in mid-December of 1979.
"You’re worth it!" I’ve heard these words before! Have you? What is 'it'?
“You’re just trying to cheer me up and magically make me happy! I don’t feel like I’m worth anything. If you were as down and depressed as I am, you wouldn’t feel worth it either!”
Do you remember when you decided to follow Jesus? For some of us, that was 70 years ago. For others, it might have been just a few months ago. For me, it was Spring Break of 1987.