David Crowder Band - Come Thou Fount

snippet

Just a thought, but in response to atheists who assert that God is unnecessary, how does saying he is unnecessary disprove his existence? I may dislike someone and think that they are unnecessary but that doesn't mean he or she doesn't exist. Likewise, even though I am an adult and no longer rely on my parents does not mean my parents simply wink out of existence because they are no longer necessary to my survival. So theologically, we may say that as humans we have come to a point that we no longer need God, however, does that really negate his existence. Of course, I'm probably completely misunderstanding the logic that atheists are using in their statement. Just saying though....

"If I become content by having my desire satisfied, that is only self-love, but when I am contented with the hand of God and am willing to be at his disposal, that comes from my love to God." Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

new name

I've probably broken some sacred code of bloggers, but I've changed the name of my blog from "Learning to Breathe" to "This Pilgrim's Progress." I used the new name as a title a few posts back, and it's been stuck in my head since. First, it's a really witty pun of John Bunyan's classic "The Pilgrim's Progress". Second, I feel like it better expresses what I want to accomplish with this blog: a chronicle of the "average" Christian's walk. A relationship with God is an ever-changing thing, just like any other relationship. There are good days and bad, days when you feel impossibly close and days when you realized you haven't talked for weeks. So I hope I can be honest with myself and be genuine in what I write here. I'm not the best writer, and I'm certainly not the "best" Christian, but I hope just by being honest with who I am, maybe people will be able to see beyond me and get a glimpse at the God I worship.

Song Of Hope- Robbie Seay Band

this pilgrim's progress

2011. A new year. Well, five days into that new year. Obviously, I didn't make any resolutions for overcoming procrastination or being more consistent with my blogging. To be honest, I didn't want to make any resolutions this year despite my sparkling success at the only resolution I made last year: to read 100 books in one year. I read 102 - booyah!

Still, with the new year, I couldn't help but make a mental list of all the things I wanted to change and/or improve. Lose some weight. Eat healthier. Exercise more. Read more in my Bible. Pray more often and with my husband. Attend Bible study/church regularly. Talk to my mom and mother-in-law more frequently. Visit my grandparents more often.

In the midst of my mind buzzing with all the things I could do better, all the ways that I just didn't feel quite adequate, God told me one simple thing: rest. He reminded me that I strive too hard to accomplish what I simply cannot do on my own. And when I'm too busy running after my own accomplishments, not only do I not glorify Him, I end up ignoring Him all together.

So this year I've set simple, more Christ-centric goals. 1) To read through the four Gospels and really study them. 2) To read one spiritually-enriching book a month, whether it's a Christian classic or a modern Christian living book. Through these resolutions I hope to keep bringing my focus back to God and His glory. So this year I'll be praying Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I can't wait to see where God leads me from here.

Shelly Moore Band - "Jesus I Come"