Second Thoughts ~ The American Gospel

Greetings Dear Reader,

I grow weary of all Christ-followers being cast into the same basket of deplorables.  I am not angry or offended.  I simply see the laziness of painting in broad strokes everyone thought to be in a certain group or class.  I have very intelligent friends who are painting these strokes that know better.

I realize that there are those who follow Christ or claim to who do the same thing.  I would hope those who know how to think will pause and remember that one cannot hate anyone and follow Christ.  One cannot remain angry and remain holy or righteous.  I would like to see my fellow followers pause and remember to love our enemies, allies, neighbors, and strangers as Christ commands us to do.

I recently viewed the film American Gospel: Christ Alone.  It gives one understanding that all those who follow Christ are not alike.  It points out the distinction between those who use the name of Christ for their own purposes and those who seek to live out the difficult life of a Christ-follower.  There is a difference and my hope is that honest people who do not believe will see that difference.

I am hurt by the statements that are being made about Jesus.  Things like “if Jesus returns kill him again,” would not be tolerated were we to put the name of someone else’s deity in place of Jesus.  I will not be unkind to anyone over this but for those of you who call me friend, when you attack Jesus you insult the very essence of my faith. 

It is true that the church, the body of people who follow Christ have not done as they should to exemplify his love and grace.  We are guilty of allowing our faith to be co-opted by politicians.  Not all of us, however, ignore the needs of society.  Not all of us hate, condemn, or judge. 

We have Americanized the Gospel to the point that it is hard to see the love of Christ.  When it is seen, there is no longer the natural association with Jesus that should exist.  We have spent the inheritance of our faith, failing to build on the capital we had when our nation had Christ-centered underpinnings.  We have not cared for the good that we had by ensuring that every man, woman, and child received love and justice representative of Christ.

We may not be able to fix any of this.  What we can do is choose that we are going to walk in faith by loving everyone on every side of every issue.  We are going to feed the hungry whether they agree with us or not.  We need to show respect to all humans whether or not they respect us.  If a group of people feels that we do not love them, respect them, or treat them with justice, we need to fix it no matter how we feel about it.

I will not compromise my faith but I will give up things that make me comfortable if it means showing Christ to anyone else.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to grow increasingly distinct from what passes for the American Gospel.  If it is not Christ alone that someone represents, please do not consider what they tell you as representing Christ-followers.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

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Beauty and The Beast ~ Caged

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the difficulties in denying our darker selves is that the only one who does not see it is the one denying it.  We choose not to see what others see in us.  We think that we are hiding something that we have caged. 

We have all seen this in stories or in the life stories of others.  We think that we have caged the beast in us.  We believe that we are compensating for its rage by doing other things.  We believe we can live this way.

What I must do, and have just begun to do is face the deep darkness within me.  I must allow the Father to shine his light on that darkness and dispel it.  Honesty requires that I try not to cage it, but rather that I let it die.  I must give all of who I am to the Father including that which I would deny exists. 

I spent too many years trying to belie the existence of the things that must die if I am to truly live.  Fortunately for me, the Father is not surprised by this and has forgiveness, grace, and mercy to meet it.  There is no darkness that the Father cannot light with his love.  There is no darkness in me that cannot be chased away by the Light of the World, Jesus.

As I deepen my commitment to the Father, I am forced to see the things that I have not given over to him.  It is in the yielding of that which I have denied that I find the path to peace, Dear Reader.  It is in admitting to it that I find freedom.  As I have discussed this with those close to me, most have responded with a deep, loving connection that does much to heal my heart and dispel my fear.

It is much easier to fight the things that I do outwardly that fed this caged beast.   The cage is empty and the dark corners get light.  The battle against the things that make me wish to control and subvert is easier.  Anger flees from me as I fill the dungeon in my heart with love.  It is in this light that I must keep journeying home.  You of course are welcome with me, Dear Reader.

Empty Cages – Dan Fogelberg

Waiting in the wings your courage sings before you falter...

It's just another way to say what's there but never shows.

It's just another day to lay your sins before the altar.

And where it's going to end this time around nobody knows.

Every time it seems that you have gained an understanding

Those devils at your heels reach up and try to tip the scales.

Waking from a dream you see it's all been done without you.

And every vain attempt to make it stay is destined to fail.

Fury rages through your restless days

Shades of time that's gone before

Empty cages where the prisoner plays

'Til the door swings closed behind forevermore...

Evermore...

Evermore...

Long before we come of age, we yearn to leave the garden

And wrestle with a myth the hand of fate has faintly drawn.

But somewhere on the way, we feel our hearts begin to harden

And see just as we learn to turn around the garden is gone.

Fury rages through your restless days

Shades of time that's gone before

Empty cages where the prisoner plays

'Til the door swings closed behind forevermore...

Evermore...

Evermore...

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

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Beauty and The Beast ~ Rose Petals

Greetings Dear Reader,

 A silent central part of the story is the rose.  Its petals are the urgency in the story as they mark the time the Beast has to find love.  I find the device beautiful.  I also see more clearly its significance as the years pass.

In the story every petal matters for they are the enchantment that measures out the time of Beast.  We all are given a measure of time to do what we can to learn better of the Father and his ways.  It is the petals, the years, when we realize that more have fallen than remain that we give the rose our attention.

It is Father’s day.  I am keenly aware that those of us who have fathers that love us, only have them for so long.  Part of taming the beast inside is remembering to love those who gave us life even when the life they gave was not what we wish it had been.  It is not enough for me to dismiss the anger.  It is not enough to forgive.  I must intentionally and actively love. 

The dark passenger that lives inside me wants me to live in anger and judge by what is past.  It wishes me to wish the past to change and somehow repair my pain and damage.  The Father instead wishes for me to forgive and love.  He desires that I love even those who were supposed to always be my allies but became my enemies.  It wishes for me to walk in peace with everyone.

 The rose petals of time remind me that I do not have as long as I think to do this.  They fall one at a time and there are more that have fallen than remain on the bud.  There are things I long for on this particular day that cannot be so.  I must use my faith in and love for the Father to live the truth that I cannot make things as I wish them. 

What I can give to the Father today is trust that he will make things as they should be.  He will heal all the wounds in me and those I have caused in others.  The Father will make all things right even if he does not do so until after my last rose petal falls.  Part of quelling the beast is to live always beyond the time I have.  Paradoxically, I must do that in each moment of life.  I must see the greater vision and apply it to my current instant every single moment.  

As we investigate this beautiful story, Dear Reader, let us remember that we are to redeem the time.  Doing so means loving those who gave us life even if in our minds they do not deserve it.  We cannot follow Christ and dismiss our fathers.  We cannot claim to be good loving people and not show love to those we are required to honor.  It is hard for some of us.  It is also necessary for peace.

 Wishing you joy in the journey,

 Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

 Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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Beauty and The Beast ~ The Beast Within

Greetings Dear Reader,

I think we have all heard the quote, “Remember that you are the villain in someone else’s story.”  Even the very best have detractors.  When we consider our own lives, if we are honest, we have harmed others, failed to love properly, and been a beast to someone.

If we only take a moment to look within, we know that we hide things that would horrify others.  We are rarely honest enough with our own souls to see it.  We spend great time and energy to hide and quell the beast within us.  One of the things we do that lies to us is that we compare our darkness to the rest of humanity instead of comparing it to the only standard: God.

I foolishly for years thought that I could hide the dark beast inside me by controlling the world around me.  Instead, I walked blindly through years not seeing how my attempt to hide the deepest layers of my sin only caused me to sin in different ways.  The hard layer of dishonesty about my darkness only produced pain for those around me.  Those who loved me would still defend, be loyal, and try to fix me.  It was not possible because none of them knew the root cause.

Until I began to face the beast within me, I had no hope of being anything good for anyone.  The damage in my youth that gave life to the raging monster was not my fault.  Failure to be honest with those that loved me about the challenge is all my doing.  Refusal to seek to be all that I told others they could be is all my fault. 

In attempting to finally deal with this, I must also accept that there may be no understanding from some.  The wounds are too deep or the Father has not brought us to the point of reconciliation yet.  It is the voice of that beast that wishes to demand restoration.  It is the voice of the Father that promises that when I need it, I will have it but not until then.

At the essence of recognizing the beast within is the understanding that I must seek to love the Father and those around me.  This starves the beast, weakens him, and allows me to live in truth.  If I spend my time doing that, I will not waste time trying to control or force things that are unhealthy.  We can only walk this path if we do so in truth, Dear Reader.  We can only find hope if we see the beast for what he is and take away his power. 

For so long I saw myself as only the beast and strove to hide him away.  I must see him for what he is and strive to give him no place or power instead.  If you are still walking with me, Dear Reader, I hope you understand.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

Beauty and The Beast ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the stories that have enchanted me since I was a boy is that of Beauty and the Beast.  The storybook I had as a lad told the tale with its original challenges and ending.  It is not the ending that Disney gives us.  Were Disney to end most fairy stories as they were written, it would not be the “happiest place on earth.”

Still, I love the story.  I think that even then before the darkness had purchase, I knew that there was something different about me.  Belle has always been my favorite “Disney Princess” and the why of it is sometimes elusive.  As I have come to grips with my own darkness, however, I begin to see why Belle is so dear to me.  The answer is not a simple one.

That brings us to the purpose of this series of Thoughts and Questions.  I am endeavoring to understand the things I love and learn how to be more honestly loveable.  I spent so much of my life trying to be loved instead of trying to love that I sometimes have difficulty knowing how to love others properly.  A dear friend told me recently that I make others feel genuinely listened to and heard.

I know that it is part of the light hidden in my darkness that does this.  I have always been that way.  I like to listen to others.  Still, I have always felt like the beast.  I have felt unlovable my entire life.  Only when I began to seek to love rather than to be loved did I begin to see clearly those that do love me.

As that becomes a pattern instead of an effort, it makes me wonder how I can love more deeply.  I keep coming back to this story in that effort.  I feel the sadness of the beast and that I relate so deeply to it.  It is not self-pity or anything like that.  It is my desire to love others even in the state I am.   It is my desire to allow others to see that love of Christ in a way that reflects my understanding that if Jesus loves me, he loves everyone.

In order to do that, Dear Reader, I need to walk through the story, not reading into it.  I need to take the lessons it teaches in stride with the truth I know and see where they merge.  I would treasure your company as we talk through this tale together and ponder how it relates to a tale as old as time.  If you have not read the original story, I recommend it with the warning that it will not fit your Disney image of the tale.  In any event, I value your thoughts and questions as we journey together.

Prayer of Saint Francis – Sarah McLachlan

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, the truth;

Where there is doubt, the faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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Medium         Instagram 

BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

The Hard Path ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we think of the hard path, we find it is paved with very pleasant things at times that are still very difficult to navigate.  We fail to consider that the cross we are asked to carry is built of love.  It is heavy and burdensome to love others when they do not love back.

Our obligation to love means that we have to count on the love of Christ to equip us to resist baser instincts.  It is not our place to revenge.  It is outside of our purview to reject, hate, or ignore the needs of others.  The path is hard because we have to do the other part of taking up the cross to follow Christ.  We have to deny ourselves. 

The path to loving others, being gracious and kind, is to deny ourselves.   It is often very difficult.  It is a narrow path filled with stones and twists.  There are perilous edges and dark passages.  It is sometimes hard to see the way which is why we must not look too far ahead.  It can feel lonely which is why we must not look at ourselves but at the needs of others. 

The beauty is that when we choose the hard path it yields beautiful moments.  It produces nights under the stars where we briefly perhaps only care for the love we can show others.  It delivers interactions where there is genuine grace, mercy, and forgiveness between you and another human.  That is when Christ appears.  It lets your honest words about your failures and darkness communicate hope to those who struggle as you struggle. 

I have to be genuine about my failings for no other purpose than to follow Christ in truth.  The benefit of that hard path is his ability then to use it for others.  The road is long and seems so difficult at times, Dear Reader.  When we choose to love Christ; to love the Father with all that we are, it is then that we can find a way to navigate the hard path.  Jesus said we are recognized by our love for each other as his followers. 

Whatever comes my way, if I look for the love of Christ and transmit that to others, I will find the way home.  Even that is not because I have earned it or done some great thing.  It is because the hard path, when navigated by the star of Christ’s love and faith, becomes paved with grace and mercy that fuels our journey.  You are always welcome to walk it with me, Dear Reader.

Mountain Tops – Second Chapter of Acts

The mountain tops are not as tall

The valleys seem to be getting small

Still, the river rolls deep inside me

Take the dreams that didn't grow

And visions that melted in the snow

Take away my laugh

Still, I'll climb the pathway home

With my hand in your hand

My life in your life

My spirit will rise

Until I see the rainbow

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook       Twitter        

Medium         Instagram 

BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

The Hard Path ~ Faith not Flags

Greetings Dear Reader,

If you have not seen the documentary, American Gospel, I highly recommend it.  I will write more about that later but I want to use its influence on this thinking.  You know that I am very conservative in my theology.  I am also grateful for the freedoms we still enjoy as Americans.

I must, however, be honest about my nation's shortcomings as they measure against that conservative theology.  First, I should define conservative.  I do believe that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are real, that they are God, and that this is where my first allegiance aligns.  When any person or entity goes against that theology, I must meter my response so that I treat everyone involved with love and grace.  I cannot be offended if others disagree with me or act in ways that do not line up with my theology.  Ponder that, Dear Reader.  I know that I have to every day.

I must follow in faith before I wave any flag.  Remember that I work through these thoughts in my blog so that I am perfecting my faith.  It is posted here for your benefit and my accountability.  So, the question is begged of how I respond as a Christ-follower in a nation that has left behind following Christ and instead remade God in their own image.  I do not say this in judgment or anger.  I observe.

When my nation clamors to put children in cages and kill the unborn, I do not see it loving the Father and all other humans.  When we treat any class of citizen as undeserving of love and respect, we are wrong.  No matter who the enemy of your alignment is, you are required to love him or her to follow Christ.  Our failure to do this is what lies at the heart of the strife in our nation. 

I must put Christ first in every aspect of my life.  This means that I cannot agree with things that go against his command to love the Father and love all humans.  I cannot decide that someone’s wrong-doing puts them outside of that command.  I must love everyone.  This also means that when my nation does not do this, I must choose faith over flag. 

It does not mean that I rebel, revolt, or riot.  It means that I work to love everyone, agree with the issues that support that, and keep anger and outrage from the conversation.  It is a hard path because you walk against the majority on either side.  Still, no matter how I feel about the issues, I have to love everyone involved.

I was discussing this with my closest friend the other day and he reminded me of a song from 1972 by Larry Norman.  Give it a listen, Dear Reader.  See if it does not ring true in the light of following Christ and the issues we face today.  As always, I treasure your thoughts and questions.

Great American Novel – Larry Norman

I was born and raised an orphan in a land that once was free
In a land that poured its love out on the moon;
And I grew up in the shadows of your silos filled with grain,
But you never helped to fill my empty spoon.

And when I was ten you murdered law with courtroom politics,
And you learned to make a lie sound just like truth;
But I know you better now and I don't fall for all your tricks,
And you've lost the one advantage of my youth.

You kill a black man at midnight just for talking to your daughter,
Then you make his wife your mistress and you leave her without water;
And the sheet you wear upon your face is the sheet your children sleep on,
At every meal you say a prayer; you don't believe but still, you keep on.

And your money says in God we trust,
But it's against the law to pray in school;
You say we beat the Russians to the moon,
And I say you starved your children to do it.

You are far across the ocean but the war that’s not your own,
And while you're winning theirs, you're gonna lose the one at home;
Do you really think the only way to bring about the peace
Is to sacrifice your children and kill all your enemies?

The politicians all make speeches while the newsmen all take note,
And they exaggerate the issues as they shove them down our throats;
Is it really up to them whether this country sinks or floats?
Well, I wonder who would lead us if none of us would vote.

Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped from whispering through the fence,
You know every move I make, or is that just coincidence?
Well, you try to make my way of life a little less like jail,
If I promise to make tapes and slides and send them through the mail.

And your money says in God we trust,
But it's against the law to pray in school;
You say we beat the Russians to the moon,
And I say you starved your children to do it.

You say all men are equal, all men are brothers,
Then why are the rich more equal than others?
Don't ask me for the answer, I've only got one:
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook       Twitter        

Medium         Instagram 

BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

The Hard Path ~ The Quality of Mercy

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we ponder the hard path, we do not often consider mercy.  It may be that we do not think of being merciful at all.  Mercy is one of those things that we brush off or with which we refuse to engage.  In truth, it is something we should ponder daily.

I think of mercy as a three-legged stool.  The first leg is that of the mercy that I need daily from the Father.  I fail daily to love him as I should and, in his mercy, he still allows me to live, mostly be in comfort, and provides for my needs.  We do not consider enough the role that mercy plays in this. 

If we pay attention to Jesus on the matter, we are to be merciful as well.  This is the second leg of our stool.  Mercy is the other side of the coin of grace.  It is one of the hardest parts of the hard path.  It means that through love and grace we do not give someone what they deserve when we have been wronged.  We lay out mercy instead.  We forgive and do not demand restitution.  We cancel the debt and refuse to hold onto offense.  This second leg is one over which we all stumble.

The third leg is difficult as well.  We need mercy from others.  We fail and rarely understand the impact of our failures.   We do not understand why fences cannot be mended.  The fact is that every relationship can be healed if both parties are committed to love, grace, and mercy.  Offenses and their wounds cannot live in this environment.  We must humbly accept that we need the mercy of others and that we cannot demand it or control it.  We must live a life that will show others love and grace and hope that they will be merciful.

The quality of mercy is that unless we deal in love and grace always, it is a very hard path to walk.  Our pride and hurt want us to withhold mercy and feel that we deserve it always.  The hardness is that by definition, mercy is underserved.  I must realize that I do not deserve it if I have any hope of living properly in love and grace.  I must accept that all humans are in the same situation.  None of us deserves mercy yet all of us need to give it liberally. 

The offenses we collect along the way are what make the path so hard.  The failure to forgive fully is a stony obstacle.  The lack of love and grace causes us to carry anger and offense into the next day.  We are required to leave our anger in the past.  We are obligated to forgive.  Even when it is hard as diamond, we are to walk the path of mercy, Dear Reader.  I must do so with all my heart if I have any hope to love others as Jesus loves us. If I am making others beg for mercy, I am doing it wrong.  If I withhold it, I cannot claim to love others.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook       Twitter        

Medium         Instagram 

BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

The Hard Path ~ Debts Owed

Greetings Dear Reader,

When I hurt someone, I incur a debt.  When someone hurts me, they too owe a debt.  It may be one of owing a simple apology or it may be that restitution is in order as a sign of understanding what has transpired.

When offenses are repeated, they have a cumulative impact on our hearts and minds.  It becomes apparent to us that the person causing the pain is not going to change.  Then there is the challenge of Christ’s instruction that we are to always forgive.  This becomes a hard path.  It becomes a path that is hard to walk.

No matter how heinous the offense, we are required to forgive.  I have written about and work at this often.  I must not fail to forgive.  That path when the offense is constant is very hard but I must walk it if I am to follow Christ faithfully.  I have failed at this before and likely will again.  That, however, is the beauty of forgiveness.   The moment I realize that I am thinking, feeling, or acting in an unforgiving way, I can choose the hard path.

It is the hard path that leads home in this instance.  When we pray for forgiveness in the model that Jesus taught, it is conditional.  It is measured in accordance with our willingness to forgive.  Then again, it is not.  We are forgiven by the Father far more than we are able to forgive.  He chose the hard path to extend forgiveness to us.  The path to forgiveness was the Son walking to the crucifixion.  It was watching his own creation reject him, curse him, and kill him.

When Christ asks me to follow him on the hard path of forgiveness, he knows what he is asking of us.  If he forgives me; cancels my debt, how can I not forgive the debts owed me.  When I choose the hard path of forgiveness, I choose the path of love.  When I do, I am assured that my burden on the path will be lighter. 

It does not make sense to our minds to forgive and yet it is the hard path that leads to something better at the end.  Eventually, forgiveness will win out.  I do not want to be one who failed to be a part of that.  I want to always choose the path of forgiveness when it is hard or easy, Dear Reader.  I want to find a way for us to walk it together in love and grace.  It is where we can find our joy together.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

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BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

The Hard Path ~ Being Real

Greetings Dear Reader,

In a society where we are supposed to be in the know, virtue signal, and face judgment for being politically incorrect, it is hard to be genuine.  The pastor at the church I currently attend observed that I am who I am and people can take it or leave it.  Given my struggles with being this way, I heard it as a compliment.  Shedding our pretenses is a hard path.

We build our external face so that others see us the way that we think will make us acceptable.  When we begin to deal genuinely with who we are in our hearts, we will not necessarily please those around us.  When we stand for only what will bring us closer to Christ, we will make others uncomfortable.  It is difficult for others to believe that we are going to be different.  Even when they do, they are unsure how to respond to it.

Being genuine is a hard path not only because of the risk but also due to the vigilance required.   We must capture every thought and filter it through love and grace.  We must not allow offense and anger to have lease.  It is standing constant sentry over our thoughts that allow us to be our genuine selves.  We must be honest internally if we are to live genuinely with others.

This also means that we let go of expectations hold for others and obligations others owe to us.  It means that we walk through each day allowing things to unfold as they will and responding with genuine love.   We root out the things that are dark and unloving.  We think well of every situation from the perspective of loving the Father with all that we are.  In this we find the freedom to be who we are created to be by loving as he loves. 

The hard path is to be real.  I must, however, walk it so that I can love the way that is good and right.  I must allow the difficulty to push me forward, onward.  It is hard but will yield what is right and good eventually.  It is through faith and grace that I find the power to walk the hard road of being genuine, Dear Reader.   We will not always find it pleasant to be so but we will become better at it if we keep walking the hard path.  That is the point of the journey, to walk the hard road in love so that when the transition comes, we are more ready to make it.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook       Twitter        

Medium         Instagram 

BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/