The Good Life

I can remember, at a very young age, feeling God move in me. I loved lyrics to worship songs and felt the music speak to me. I felt like God’s word was alive and very real and could be applied to my life. Growing up in a Christian home and active in church, I had a fear of God. A healthy fear that included the fear of the consequences of disobedience. At age 8, I made the decision to give my life to God and was baptized in Big Creek on Shelton Laurel, my home. On that beautiful March day, with my Pastor and my Daddy by my side and my Momma looking on, what started as a fear of God grew into a personal relationship with Him. In my walk, I began to understand that giving my life to Him isn’t just focusing on all the things I have to give up or “not do”, it isn’t that God wants to punish me for my shortcomings and mistakes, but it’s actually the opposite – it’s freedom! True rest. True forgiveness and peace. In my experience, living with Christ (and for Christ) is not perfect a

There are times when life seems overwhelming (hello COVID world). The perfect storm crashes in on us. It is during these seasons that I tend to become self- reliant. Self-reliance, for me, means a greater need to control things. When I feel life spinning out of control, I reach for control in any way I can. This is why the lyrics to this song speek so deeply to me. God is the one I want in control, not me. Here is part of the chorus to 'Another in the Fire' by Hillsong United. "There is another in the fire Standing next to me There is another in the waters Holding back the seas And should I ever need reminding What power set me free There is a grave that holds no body And now that power lives in me" There are so many Biblical references within the lyrics of that song. One is the story in the book of Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar threw three guys; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire for not worshiping the golden image that the King had