identity in Christ.

first post of the "new year!" here goes nothing.


As I have begun my second semester in seminary, I have also been doing some deeper reflection into my first semester; things I learned that I want to do differently for study purposes. I have also been taking a deeper look into most every area of my life. I am asking myself questions I've never asked before, seeking/finding answers I never knew existed (a lot of times to only be in the form of more questions), and am continuing to search and discover new ways of experiencing God daily.

Identity. In a previous post I mentioned I had lost my sense of identity. I may have been wrong. Or maybe I just needed to be reminded of who(ms) I was/am: After being reminded countless times of the fact that I am a child of God, I still couldn't remember who I was. It seems so silly to me now, I should know that. I DO know that. How could I forget, after all I have been through and after all the blessings, who(se) I was. Friends, I didn't get it the first time I was reminded of my baptism (yes, I am referring to several sermons last week as we celebrated/remember Jesus' baptism). It took the third time (something to note about me, is that I tend to be skeptical and need to be told/affirmed in something several times before I am willing to even think about accepting it) for me to get it. While there are many things in society that could so easily define me, and while some people may even define me by those things (I include myself in those "some people"), I am not truly defined by them. And while I am somewhat "defined" by what I do, what I wear and what I say (what I mean here is that these things do reflect upon who I am, but they don't indefinitely define who I am), what truly defines me is the fact that I have taken on the name Christian. That through my Baptism, I responded to the offer Christ had been offering me since my birth (and even before--Jeremiah 1:5). I began denying the definitions the world put on me and allowed Christ to begin to define and instruct me. I lost sight of that (and have many times) but what a blessing and joy it was to be reminded of that last week. Remember your Baptism and be THANKFUL. I am so thankful.

I want to remind you that this doesn't mean I have it all figured out or that I am perfect (Lord knows I am nowhere close!); in fact I'm pretty sure it means I have even less of a clue than those who do not "take up their cross and follow [Christ]" (Matthew 16:24). It does mean that I have the opportunity to follow Christ, to listen to his Word, to respond to that Word, and to live towards a holy life. I don't have every detail of my life figured out, and as much of a planner as I used to be I am learning the joys of spontaneity and flexibility. While I am not always receptive, I am constantly listening for God's voice and direction in my life.  I may not know what tomorrow will bring, or what exactly this call in my life is going to entail of, but I rest assured that as long as I follow in the footsteps of Christ that I will be just fine.

I am excited about the opportunities, as vast as they are, that lie ahead of me. I am (mostly) comfortable with the uncertainty of my future and cannot wait (literally, I am pretty impatient) to see what the next year, five years, ten years, etc look like and how I will continue to carry the name "Christian" with me daily.

Remember your Baptism and be thankful.
All my love,
Corey