Bold Enough to Grow

I just read an incredible news article about a woman named Alex. She had an enormous following on social media thanks to her expertise in tarot readings and occult practices. I watched her video, which she shared with all her followers, announcing that she was closing her account and stepping away from the practices that had brought her so much fame.

Her message was filled with genuine thoughtfulness, heartfelt love and empathy for her followers. You could truly feel her deep consideration for how her personal growth impacted them, and she wanted them to know just how much they meant to her. She explained that she had been wrestling with her beliefs and gradually realized that the relationship Jesus offered her was real, complete, and couldn't coexist with her former practices.

I couldn't help but imagine the whirlwind of emotions she must have experienced while making that decision. Relief, for sure, in living authentically to who she is now. But also grief, maybe fear of disappointing people, or letting go of a source of validation and income.

I bet Alex will choose to be bold once more, because that's the woman God created her to be. She will no doubt share with the world again, but through her own boldness to grow, will inspire others to do the same. To question the ways of the world, and to seek truth in God's Word, not through tarot cards.

This made me reflect on my own relationship with Jesus and my courage to grow. It takes immense faith to carve out a new path from what you've always known, especially when you fear ridicule, rejection, or being labeled as overzealous.

But we have just one life to pour everything into something that will have an eternal impact. Otherwise, what's the point?

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon points out that everything in life is meaningless unless it serves an eternal purpose. For Christians, this means we have the chance to build God's Kingdom through our lives and interactions.

What's the point of marriage and sex, for instance, if it's just for fleeting pleasure and then, after our brief time on earth, it's gone? The pleasure and self-gratification disappear. The chance to love your spouse sacrificially is gone. The arguments are gone.

But what if you boldly reframe the purpose of your marriage and grow in wisdom to see it as a way to glorify God and be sanctified in your inner being, rather than just seeking happiness and fulfillment?

What if sex is meant to be a glimpse of the profound intimacy we will experience with Jesus himself? Not sexual intimacy, of course, but the sacred level of being known and knowing that is perfected by God Himself?

He promises us that this is what awaits us if we accept what He offers us: eternal life by following Him.

I want that kind of marriage. I want that kind of intimacy.

This doesn't mean we have to forgo pleasure (God created pleasure to be good within covenant marriage!). It doesn't mean every time we have sex, it has to be a full worship experience. But it does mean we can cherish it as something special and not take it for granted.

It means we can view our marriage through the lens of eternity when we face challenges.

And it means we can deepen our intimacy with our spouse because we both commit to boldly growing together, no matter the cost, no matter how uncomfortable it gets.

If you want this for your marriage too, reach out. I'm here to help:

kristi@abidinglovecoach.com

Love,

Kristi