In Vestigia Christi— In the Steps of Christ Prelude

In Vestigia Christi— In the Steps of Christ

PRELUDE

“While some are busy congratulating themselves, I simply marvel that I am saved at all!” Charles Spurgeon

I do marvel at that often, so I need to clear up something before y’all read this. I view myself as a REDEEMED sinner, a ragamuffin of Grace and someone who is SO unworthy!!

I don’t think I’m holy. I can’t stand holier than thou . . . At all! That attitude sickens me. I’m more of a “Me, Lord,” type of follower of Jesus.  In other words, picture Him pointing into the crowd at someone. Your initial denial He’s really pointing at you in quickly washed away in Living Water! His eyes lock onto you and He peers right into your soul. Nobody has EVER looked at you like that before. You point to yourself as if to say, “Me?”

He opens His arms to you. You run to Him, embrace Him and instantly burst into tears— STILL AMAZED He picked you! You can’t believe, as you try to tell Him sorry for the things you’ve done and places you’ve been, He chose you! He simply says, “It’s OK. You’re not there now.” As you ramble on, He says, “I’m sorry, I don’t remember.” That type of GRATITUDE only comes from knowing Jesus didn’t have to pick you . . . He WANTED to!! That’s what type of Christian I am.

SO grateful He would pick ME out of the crowd. SO thankful He didn’t just throw down the broken jar, ME, and start again, but rather has extended His Mercy, Grace, Forgiveness and Love an embarrassing amount of times.

Having said that, I used to be SO excited to go to strip clubs, was on numerous adult/naughty dating sites, to go to hotel rooms to have sex and to look at porn for hours on end and more!

Now, I’m SO excited to go to church, Study the Bible, dig into Spurgeon and A.W. Toxer, pumped to worship Jesus, love learning more about Him through deep conversations with others about their relationship/walk with Him, talk to my King and read His Word!

HALLELUJAH! My Champion LIVES!! 🙏 He’s changed my life. So, people can cast stones, until their arm is tired, and I can assure you those measly stones can’t compare to the boulders of self-condemnation I buried myself under for YEARS.

But I’m not under them any more!! Those boulders, like the one at the tomb, have been rolled away! I’m FREE! You can read my past transgressions from a book, read a certain paragraph, a certain sentence— one I’ve either taken back to the library, or burned, all you want — But it’s a waste of time! Plus, need I remind you . . . Whether you’ve been an addict or not— we ALL have BAD chapters we’d like to forget!

I know who I am now better than ever.

I’m a human who happens to love Jesus!

I know I’m UNworthy. I know I STILL struggle in certain areas of my life and there are many days the good I want to do, I don’t do, and the things I hate, and don’t want to do, I end up doing. But the desire of my heart is to please Christ, yet, I can still screw up with the best of them. I would love to say I do my level best every day to be the best version of myself, and please God, but that would be a lie!

What would be true is this— I praise Him because I know I’m NOT remotely close to who I used to be 10-15 years ago (or heck even 5 years ago or last year) and not yet who I’m going to be! I’m growing. I’m improving, yet I’m LOVED, and accepted, right where I am! That excites me!!

See, I’ve learned throughout the history of mankind, and Scripture, He has a habit of using way less than perfect people! Screw-ups, outcasts and misfits . . . I’m THANKFUL for that!! Since, I fall into those categories, that means He can use me!

The desire I have for Him pushes me to love Him more and fail Him less. I’ve begun to see how LOVED I am. I know I’m a new creation and that the old has passed away!! (2nd Corinthians 5:17) And when the ‘old’ me pops up, in the form of current struggles, I know His Grace covers it. I repent and begin anew the next morning, starting fresh with Hope I’ll get it right next time.

Being a “Christian” isn’t about being perfect and quite frankly, the world 🌎 doesn’t need another holier-than-thou, judgmental, non-compassionate and cold Christian! It’s FULL of them!

It needs more believers who aren’t scared to be real about their struggles and ones who can share their failures just as easily as their victories . . . The times they miss the mark as quickly as the time they hit the bulls eye.

For years, because I wanted my actions to always match my words, and they didn’t, I wouldn’t write. Those days are over. Accept me for the BROKEN jar I am, one who simply wants to tell of my Savior’s GOODNESS, Faithfulness and Unconditional Love! Just a jar who wants to share His messages of Hope and is quick to point to ALL the Power coming from Him and one who will always deflect the praise and reflect any glory to Him!! (2nd Cor. 4:7, Romans 11:36).

That’s all I want to be . . . a JAR— one who wants to share the BEST news of the Gospel, encourage people, share everything that makes Him AWESOME, with as many people as I can, and let people know WE are ALL in the same boat!

Nothing more, nothing less.

No matter how many times I fall, I will get back up! No matter how many battles I lose, I will fight again! I simply want to live a life that is pleasing to Maker . . . no matter how many times I fall short.

I hope “In Vestigia Christi,” with a little faith and imagination, helps you walk in the footsteps of Jesus and help you fall more in love with Him! Not to sound holy, or better than, but it’s truly a HUGE honor, and very humbling, to share My Pilgrimage, our Pilgrimage, with you!

The best . . . The GREATEST thing that has EVER, or will ever, happen to me is getting saved— knowing Jesus, walking with Jesus, being in service to Jesus and used by Jesus!

Philippians 3:8-9

8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Whether you’re a great writer, or a bad writer, or somewhere in between, it would be an impossible task to do the Holy Land justice . . . Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem . . . Israel, but I’ve poured countless hours into attempting to do just that.

To walk where He walked truly has changed my life and will stick with me the rest of my life!  It was one of those watershed moments . . . Where life will never be the same after it happens. It’s my hope,  and belief, it’ll change yours as well.

                         +Hope Abounds+ JM