I share my thoughts and the posts of others because my faith is important to me.
Social Media
Social media exists for sharing what you find important: birthdays, holiday celebrations, babies, anniversaries, vacations, family trips and reunions, favorite TV shows or movies, music, YouTube videos, news, weather, current events, science, politics, and religion, among other things.
We're all different, so we like and share and post different material. I don't ask you to agree with everything I post, and I don't expect to agree with everything you post.
I expect you to share who you are. That's why it's called social media. Hate Walmart? Love Costco? Think Elizabeth got voted off Dancing with the Stars way too early? Do you take a strong tech position on Microsoft vs. Google vs. Apple?
It's your opinion. It's part of who you are. It's something you're allowed to share on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, or whatever comes along next.
Like you, some things are very important to me. My website, my wife, and my faith top that list. Like it or not, I'm going to say some things about Macs and iPhones, whether you agree or not. If you're married, I hope you think your spouse is the best - I certainly feel that way about mine.
My Faith
At the top of my list is my faith. A decade ago my first marriage disintegrated, and I was lost. Depression. Anxiety attacks. Suicidal thoughts. (Thank God my therapist said suicide would be a horrible legacy for our four sons!) That's how painful it was. I just wanted the hurt to go away.
It took time, but it did get better. Our church worked through The Purpose Driven Life at the same time I was feeling so lost and abandoned and angry, and for the first time in my life, I began to really understand the good news: God had planned me in eternity, He knew my how screwed up I was, and He loved me anyhow. I desperately needed that lifeline. I had hit rock bottom - He became the Rock upon which I built my new life. God loved me, understood me, forgave me, and healed my wounded heart over time.
Within a year I realized that I had walked through the valley of the shadow of death and walked into the sunlight of acceptance, love, forgiveness, grace, and hope. Peace was taking up residence deep down inside me. Joy was entering my life. For the first time in my life - brought up in the church from infancy - I understood what a personal relationship with Almighty God was.
This is the most important thing in my life. God gave me a second chance at life. He gave me a new life (and, a bit later, a new wife). There are remnants of the old life and probably always will be, but they are insignificant compared to the Spirit's power to transform my life from the inside out by taking out the garbage.
Why I Share What I Do
If you think I post too much about religion and my faith, that's why. It's the most important thing to me. It is the air I breathe. It is my daily bread. It is the ground on which I stand. It is the essential truth that defines my life.
It doesn't threaten me when you post about your beliefs. I can respect you without agreeing on everything. Diversity is good. Honesty is important. I can respect you when we disagree and will try my best to do so. I hope you'll do the same, but if you'd rather not see my religious posting, send me a private message on Facebook. I'll do my best to make sure you no longer receive them.
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