Authentic Living: Faith

Where does one even begin to describe their faith journey in a simple blog post? It’s certainly no easy task, which is – once again – why it’s been so long since I last posted.

Last year began with the goal to discover what it means to live authentically. As the year progressed, I quickly realized that as I uncovered authentic living in each area of my life, the meat of the issue came back to my faith – what did I believe, and how did I act on that? I can’t say I was in the space last year to tackle much of this head on, but life circumstances necessitated that I learn to “trust without borders,” to simply believe that God had a plan and walk in that absolute faith. It’s a pretty amazing space to dwell in – and honestly, pretty petrifying at the same time – but I’m so thankful for that experience. To be brought to the end of myself and realize that I will still be sustained is a lesson that I cannot soon forget.

However, as I’ve learned authenticity in other areas of life and have seen how it intersects with my faith, I’ve come to a place this month in which I’ve recognized the need to explore what it is I truly believe. I can no longer say that my faith informs my actions if I cannot clearly articulate what my faith states. And so my journey from last year continues and informs my New Year’s goals for 2014.

My goal for the year began with a plan to dive into the gospels and explore them in depth – spend a whole lot of time with Jesus and learning what it is he really said and did. However, as I’ve been doing some “reading for fun” (a novel notion since graduate school has ended, haha), I’ve encountered a few books that have challenged my faith in some deep and powerful ways. Do I really know what the Bible says or how it calls me to live, particularly as the scriptures relate to social justice? When I learn these things, am I willing to change how I live? What if those closest to me don’t understand or don’t agree – will I still hold true to my convictions?

I’m really looking forward to seeing what this year holds and how my faith is challenged and grown. I know it’s not going to be an easy journey, but I feel more ready than ever for it, and I can’t wait to share what I learn with you!