purity... no fun

I know you are looking at the title like WHAT??? you probably shouldn't say that.  I know... just hang with me.

If you like to read my blog (I don't know who you are... I just write to help me process stuff and I know my mommy reads it so it's all worth it), you know I am fighting for PURITY. It's not fun. It really isn't.  The process is messy, full of realizations of our IMpurities, and the struggles to FIGHT those and FLEE from them is... no fun. I have been praying WITH EXPECTANCY and thinking and searching for PURITY. I have been praying it over my husband and I see my God working.  He is pruning us. He is chipping away... but it hurts.  We see sin. We see what HE hates - because in essence that brings purity... becoming like Him.

Over and over again... He has been calling me to three things... and I mean He is calling them out to me LOUD and CLEAR.  I know, because HE is clear, that striving for these 3 things lead to purity and holiness and fullness in Him. Those 3 things are:

HUMILITY. TRANSPARENCY. COMMUNITY. 

Humility - OUCH! I am a prideful woman. I just am. I am an independent person and don't like to be needy. But I am needy. I am lacking. I am inadequate and that should be okay. And there's more. I think TRUE humility is so much deeper.  Christ's humility is spelled out in Philippians 2 - HE became a slave when He deserved and WAS Lord. We can't even humble ourselves, our status, our reputation, to love all people at all times no matter what it looks like. I don't need praise from people. I don't need people to know all I am doing - my goal should be to make SO MUCH OF HIM and so little of me. Not just when it's convenient... but in everything. We should be okay to need each other and to fully rely on our Savior, Provider, Healer, Beautifier, Creator, Constant.

Transparency - This has been so huge for me lately. To grow, to confess, to become humble - WE MUST LIVE TRANSPARENT LIVES! We have to invite people into our crap, our struggles, our HEARTS, our victories, our REAL LIVES to live pure.  I have to be transparent to my husband, even when it's hard. I have to let down my walls and tell my heart to people that are inviting me into their lives.  I have to be transparent. I have to love... without hindrances. I have to pray... witholding NOTHING.  Transparency... it's a call to become pure in every aspect of my life. It's not a fun process....

Community - I think this is SO important in The Church today. We so often fight our fights alone. Pray alone. Read alone. Think and process alone. The Church was started with a group of people, a body, depending and sharing with each other to no end. We are so closed-up and ashamed there is no sense of community.  Church today is going and listening to someone talk... blah blah blah... and then go home.  We have to love and love deeply.  We are called to confess our UGLY sins to each other. To show Christ to each other. To be deep-Spirited friends.  To KNOW each other. We don't.  That is my longing. I need community. I need to open-ness and honesty and and love that has no boundaries for each other.  We ALL long for that. We really do.  It's not easy... you have to... be transparent and humble yourselves and all of that fun stuff.  But when friendships are founded on Jesus Christ... the love and community there is unshakeable! It's incredible.  Our churches NEEEEEEDDDDD it! We need to cultivate a feeling of belonging. A culture of LOVE.