As Seen on TV: When Faith and The Bachelorette Collide

I haven't written a blog post since 2017 and I’m here with post about my faith in conjunction with The Bachelorette! Eeeek I know. I’ll first start by saying, I don’t believe the Bachelor is a good way to find a forever love. Going on extravagant dates, with multiple men, in a game show based setting, and on a set timeline is a really tough way to start a relationship. Culture also tends to define love as a gut feeling that can be fleeting when needs aren’t met, when love for the Christian is a forever covenant. I’ll give it to ABC though, the show sure makes for good entertainment. Secondly, I don’t know Hannah Brown. I don’t know her heart, her convictions, or her past. I’m sure that TV has stitched together clips in a way that captivates the audience. ABC probably has not captured everything in the way that HB would want, so I’m definitely not writing this to point fingers at Hannah. What I do know is that viewers of the show are not getting a full picture of what I believe to be a good representation of the gospel. For those of you reading who are unsure of the Christian faith, who have questions, or who are searching for what it is that you do believe in, I hope these words are encouraging and help clarify the truth that Christians believe in.

Let’s start with the positives. A message that I do appreciate in this season of The Bachelorette is that God loves sinners. Yes and AMEN. “My name’s Britt and I’m a sinner.” In fact, we know from Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin is a big problem. Christians believe in a perfect and holy God that can’t tolerate sin. Sin separates us from the perfect and all powerful God. The good news is that God knew sin would be a problem and He sent his son as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. The moment that we admit our sin and trust Jesus for our hope and salvation is called “justification.” We are “justified” or “made right before God” by Jesus alone. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christians believe EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord is saved (Romans 10:13). Knowing that we’re all sinners makes me appreciate another message in this season which is that we aren’t to judge others and have to have grace for others.  We believe no one is too far from Jesus’ reach and we have grace and compassion for others. We have grace, especially for those who do not know Jesus. 

Philippians 2:1-11 paints a beautiful picture of the God we love, "So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."   

The BIG part of the faith that is missing in this season is the second phase in a Christian’s faith. After being "justified” or saved, Christians spend the rest of life being “sanctified,” which means the gradual process of maturity. Yes, we’re still living in an earthly body that craves sin, but we also “have put away our old self….and strive to walk in the newness of life" (Romans 6:4). We aren’t saved to continue living in the same sin we were living in before we became Christians. We will battle the tension between our sinful desires and the new life that God has called us to until we die. In the process, we are also continually sanctified and drawing closer to Christ along the way.  This process allows us to humbly rely on God to change our hearts. This heart change makes us realize the true joy, hope, and peace that is found in Christ alone. Galatians 5:13 points out,  “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” 

For the Christian, sin should be followed with conviction, turning away from sin, and turning back to God. We do not have a license to live however we want. This means that we are to be humble and to want what God wants for us according to His Word. Hannah says “Jesus Still Loves Me,” and talks about being able to “do what she wants,” but never truly talks about feeling regret or sorrow for her sin. The Bible is full of sinners who repent and turn back to God. Psalm 51 gives us a glimpse into David’s reaction after having an affair with Bathsheba. Listen to just a few of his words “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!“Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities….” Later in the Psalm he states, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Although God doesn’t love David any less, David wants to be near to God and hates the sin that has caused separation from God and hurt to others. Let me be clear, I'm not comparing HB’s situation to David, but I think we can learn a lot from the reaction of David and others in the Bible who have given into sin. I personally have a LOT to learn from David's words too. I continually try to overlook and ignore my sin, but at the end of the day, it's confession and repentance that leads to freedom and a closer relationship with God and others. As mentioned previously, I’m writing about what is seen on TV, so we are never getting the full picture, but what we never see HB want to admit sin and turn from it. We see someone who voices the ways that she is sinning and has sinned, but that she also feels that it is ok to keep living in sin. Romans 6:1-2 speaks about this issue, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” 

The Bible is full of laws that are for our good. God is a good father who wants what is best for his children. Ultimately, obedience to God is joy in this life. The problem is when we want to live in our sin, rather than grow in our faith. Obedience isn't always fun or sexy, but it's for our good. Be comforted friends, God is not a God who is waiting to smite us here on earth. He is a LOVING God who wants to be near to us. He wants to grow us and He wants us to live in freedom from sin. 

If this post is feeling a little like the length of the last rose ceremony, hand tight reader, this is the last thought. This season of the Bachelorette contains more scripture than any other season. This should make me happy as a Christian, but it’s tough because words and phrases can be thrown out of context and water down their true meaning. Again, producers can only show a small bit of what is actually going on, so I don’t know the true intent. With that said, in one particular instance, HB starts a cocktail party by mentioning 2 Corinthians 4:18 “we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” She followed the scripture by asking the men to open up to the unseen things of their heart. I hope that their conversations go deep, but the meaning of this scripture isn’t about us and our vulnerability, it’s about not losing heart through hardship. Paul is tell the Corinthians not to focus on their hardships, but to stand firm on God’s promises and their hope in Christ. We can’t see that hope, but it's eternal. He wants them to know that their suffering is temporary compared to their eternal glory as children of God. 

All in all, God desires our hearts and our lives. It's not simply our words that show what we believe, but our lives and our actions. God doesn't care about our list of dos and dont's or our past sins as much as he cares about our desire to love Him and love others. Sin is a big problem that stands in the way of us and God, but praise God, He both justifies and sanctifies us as we strive to obey Him. I'm afraid the "As seen on TV" faith may not fully portray the God who wants to save us and grow us closer to Him.

Our Messed Up Tree and 18 Days I Wouldn't Take Back

It was three days before Thanksgiving when I put up our Christmas tree this year. It's not a big tree, but I intricately wrapped the burlap, ribbon, and chose only the cute and sentimental ornaments to hang. I was pleased with our tree and was focusing solely on making the most of the Christmas season (getting the perfect gifts, aligning the perfect schedule, etc.). We had been waiting a few months for a foster placement, so the thought had somewhat lodged in the back of my brain.

It was 1 AM when the boys showed up exhausted and teary eyed. Papers were signed and sad looks filled the room. They had gone through more in their three years of life, than I had in my 29.

Surprisingly enough, it was a 2 AM  bath that broke the ice. The boys jumped into the tub without hesitation. I gave them some toys that spit water. I smiled at their smiles and walked out of the bathroom drenched from head to toe.

Change Comes to the Horn Home

This blog could go on for pages, so we'll trim it up. Night one, I slept in the boys room as one of the boys had nightmares. Night two, I "slept" (if watching Boss Baby and what felt like 50 episodes of power rangers means sleeping) with the same boy on the couch. After two days, I was sleep deprived, emotional, and unsure. "Daddy Tom" was the BEST foster dad during this time. Even though we struggled to find time for just us, he was so good with the boys, he made sure I had some time to breath, he kept laughter flowing, and I could not have done it without him. All that said, Tom left for work on Monday and I cried to friends who called me on phone. I wasn't sure what I had done, who I was, or if we could handle the load. I was humbled. I should feel more connected to the boys. I should be happy about all of this, but I was unsure. I had missed calls from CPS and our agency asking for paperwork and reminding me of the to dos. I was unsure and overwhelmed.

Lets pause for a second. In this time, my family dropped by twice with items for the boys, my mom and sis stayed a whole afternoon, Tom's mom came and stayed overnight. She even brought dinner in a crock pot. Transporting a crock pot for the hour and a half drive, that is true love. Every day, another box of clothes/toys was dropped off on the porch. Donuts and meals started showing up from church friends and our home group. Friends from school met us at the park and let us borrow their humidifier and their kids gave the boys some toys. Friends from out of town sent books and superhero water bottles. Tom and I were overwhelmed by the generosity of the people in our lives. Many times I ask "Can I," but our church and our friends just showed up. I learned so much from them. I don't think people will ever know how much of a blessing they were to us.

Resume: I was still overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the goodness others, but also by the load we had said yes to. I had a few Britt trips to Starbucks to complete paperwork that was due. I teared up the whole way home and cried out to God. I needed God for strength. I needed to see things the way that He sees things. I needed His peace. I needed Him to remind me who I was in Him. I needed to know that no matter if I was put together, or a teary hot mess (which I was), His arms were wide open. I think sometimes we're more inclined to run into His arms when we're a mess. He is good, faithful, and always there for His children.

TRUTH sent from a friend

While I used to define success as being the best/doing things to perfection, I now define success as obedience to our good God. Not just when things are tough, but when things are great too. Success is saying yes and relying on Him to put one foot in front of the other. Because although those 18 days were hard, they also came with some of the richest memories. The look and hug we got each day we picked up the boys from school as they yelled "Mama Britt" or "Daddy Tom." The I love yous before bed, the growth we saw each day, the pure excitement as we looked at Christmas lights. The way the boys started to share toys with kids from home group. The many times the boys reminded us we needed to pray before meals. Hearing the boys belt out "God is Good" in the car. The way the boys felt comfortable in our home. These are memories I wouldn't trade for the world.

The tears that I cried out of uneasiness in November, turned into tears of sadness that the boys were leaving Mid-December. We had a routine, we saw the boys grow, we loved them, and we'll talk about the boys forever. Many apologized when the boys left, but I wouldn't trade those 18 days for anything. I'm thankful to have been "Mama Britt" when the boys needed a "Mama Britt." I'm thankful we had twin three year old boys for 18 days.

As I take down my tree this year, it doesn't look pretty. The burlap is ruffling, a power ranger is hidden within the branches, and the boys homemade cross from church is barely hanging on. Things weren't perfect, but it was the best December yet!

Disclaimer: The boys slept through the night after day 3 (Praise Jesus)! AND There are foster families who foster much longer than 18 days before children are reunited with their family. This was our small story. We are not the heroes. I'm thankful for the work God is doing through other families through foster care.

Standing Up vs. Walking In

The Most Adorable Little Man!

It's SUMMER! Summer for Britt means a little more time and usually some goal setting, because nothing motivates more than a checklist and a plan #TYPEAPROBS. I really enjoy writing, not that I have much wisdom to share, but because through writing I get to make sense of things and try to understand what God is teaching this ordinary girl about His extraordinary ways. So, here's to sorting through the many thoughts that go through my head each day, weeding out the thoughts about my to-do list, Insta posts, Pinterest projects, coffee visits, etc. and trying to hold on to the thoughts that may be worth sharing ;). 

My adorable nephew Kenai has been standing for months, but he just took his first steps the day before his birthday this week! The standing, although a feat in itself, was much easier to master than the walking. Even so, Kenai's walk is more of a wobbly quick stepping until he falls in the arms of his amazing parents, or his little bum hits the ground. Nevertheless, ten steps is officially a walk in my book (said Proud Auntie B). 

After reading a Facebook post on "standing up" for what you believe in, I got to thinking about how "standing up" is a one time event, but I don't know that "standing up" is used in the Bible as we use it in our posts and posters. And, If I've learned one thing in the past few years, it's that words get twisted, connotations change, and the only words that can truly be trusted are found in the Bible itself. God's Word trumps friends, the latest Christian author release, and even sermons.

So, many times when I hear the phrase"stand up for what you believe in," I get the picture of someone glaring down at another with a pointer finger in their face. In our current day and culture, the phrase "stand up" sometimes carries with it a negative connotation. The crazy thing is, I don't find "Stand Up" in the Bible, but rather "Stand Firm." Stand Firm is used many times throughout scripture and often changed to "Be Steadfast" or "Hold Fast" (Hebrews 10:23, Hebrews 3:14, 1 Cor. 16:13, 1 Cor 15: 58). Thank you Jesus for key word study Bibles!

Hold Fast: keep, maintain. When "Hold Fast" is used in the Bible it's typically a call for us as Christians, not for others. For us to hold fast to God's word, to hold fast in one's mind/heart.

We twist the phrase stand firm, to stand up implying that we are to do a radical act for the Lord, when ultimately, He calls us to walk with Him in obedience while He does a radical work in the lives of others through us. This doesn't mean we don't act, but we act humbly with confidence in Christ as He would have us act. We aim to act, walk, and live out of humility, meekness, service, and love for the Kingdom.

Walk: to live, follow, go, be occupied with. "Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." (1 John 2:6).

"Standing up" implies that we act on a one time event, where "walking in" or "standing firm," implies that we are walking in step with God daily. It's a lot harder to continually and internally be firm and in step with the Lord, than it is to "stand up" and sit back down. I don't do a great job in this, in fact, many times my walking in Christ is about as confident as Kenai's first steps, but my prayer is that my lifestyle in Christ and my relationship with others will be more of a walking in, rather than a series of one time events. I don't want to live a life of quick fixes and time out cheers for Christ, but rather a lifestyle of being matured by Christ and acting accordingly. I don't want to shout "STAND UP" at the world who doesn't know Jesus and then sit back down in frustration, but rather to walk with Jesus and see others come to Him as they join the journey following the Bible as a map to the Kingdom. 

When Kenai wobbles, his momma and daddy and there to catch him, just as I know that our good God is walking each step with us. Even when we're asked to walk paths that are tricky, He is there to hold us up. He even asks us to walk beside others who are wobbling too, which is another post for another day :). 

Planing to be Flexible with Plans

My husband and I have a colored coded Google calendar that makes my planning heart happy. I love opening up my phone and seeing the purple and orange events fill our days with fun. And if I'm being honest, I also love rewriting those plans in a hard copy planner for the simple joy and satisfaction of crossing items off the agenda. My name is Brittany Horn, and I am a planner, a doer. As Tom and I transition into the teachery bliss that is summer, I realize that out of excitement of the season I have already planned most of our free days. Plans to go to the pool, eat good food, make good food, clean up the house, fix and build things for the house, learn new things, meet new friends, be with old friends...they're all good things. In my planning frenzy, however, I have been convicted of two things:

1. My frustration when a wrinkle is thrown in my plans.  
2. My inability to soak up each moment and be tuned in to God during each event on the checklist.

I was completely aware of God's perfect plan and the beauty of that plan as my sister had a BEAUTIFUL baby boy just two days ago. I'm emotional and I haven't even held that little cutie yet! She went in for her normal doctor appointment and her water broke right then and there. We all made bets on when the baby would enter this world, but it is moments like these when you realize that God's perfect plans trump any plans that we make. We simply can't plan when a baby will take it's first breath or the emotions that will take us over in that moment, just like we can't plan what God will do with our days.

"The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:1).

Our God is good, he is perfect, and this verse only reiterates that He is Soveriegn. His plans can not be altered. *As a disclaimer: planning is still important and good. If I didn't plan anything, I may end up watching netflix or "instagramming" my life away, but how much more purposeful would that calendar look if I considered, if I submitted to the will of God and planned to be flexible in his guiding.

As always, Christ himself is our prime example. Jesus lived his life on earth in subject to God's will and his perfect plan. "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me "(John 6:38). And Christ didn't just say that he was on earth to do God's will, he died on the cross to be raised from the dead! "My father if it is possible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).

I'm not even the tiniest bit as in tuned with God's will as Jesus (In fact, it weren't for Jesus, I would be nothing but dead in my sin), but He died for us so that we could know Him more. We can pray Psalm 143:8 as we plan, "let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

My prayer is that this summer will be a time of growing closer to God and making that the number one plan. Rather than hurry from one event to the next, I pray that I see God in each event. Finally, I need to be able to chunk my plans when they fail to meet God's plan for my day. Summer is a time for fun, but also a special built in time to grow closer to God and get my mind off of myself.  He is at work whether we plan on noticing Him or not.

God can't be just another color on the calendar. He is and alwasy will be the one who holds our plans and our days in His hands. So this summer is a time to plan to be flexible with the plans.

How Much More...

 

The Amazing T-Rex Anny Card

It was a few days before Tom and I's anniversary and I was picking up some buntinis for a friend at school. I had never been to "Nothing Bunt Cakes" to make a purchase and I quickly found out that people love their Nothing Bunt Cakes and they are an extra hot commodity near Christmas time. The line swirled out the door and the ladies behind the counter looked frantic. After about three samples (which seemed to be the only thing that was keeping people from erupting), I got to the front of the line and was told I had about a forty-five minute wait for the buntinis. There was a card store next door and I still hadn't gotten Tom a card for our anny, so I walked over to kill time. I love reading greeting cards. There is nothing like giving a card that is just perfect for the occasion. The bunt cake wait was worth it, because it led me to the T-Rex card!

Love and promise are had to quantify. For this reason, the idea of spreading our arms to show how much we love someone is silly. Put one of the biggest animals with the tiniest arms in this pose and it's just comical! There is no way to quantify how much God loves us either, but my eyes were opened to four "How Much More" passages this week that reminded me that God fashioned this life to give us a glimpse of his love and promise. Not only that, but he makes a sure promise that the glimpse that we get while we're here on earth is only a taste of what is to come. I hope that each of these "How Much More" passages is a reminder of God's goodness, love, and promise.

How Much More...Will the Blood of Christ:
"For if the blood of bulls and goats and ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of flesh, HOW MUCH MORE will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." -Hebrews 9:14

• If the animal sacrifices made within the old covenant (Exodus 29 is one example) purified and freed sin, we can know that Christ's sacrifice (which he gave willingly) is more than enough to free the sin of all who accept him.

How Much More...Will the Ministry of Righteousness:
"Now if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (God), which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious." 

-2 Corinthians 3:7-8 

• The ministry of death = the law which reveals sin and leads to death since we are sinners. If this law was glorious and reflected God's nature (Exodus 34:29-35), how much more with the new covenant, the ministry of righteousness, forgive sinners. The law had fading glory and was not the final plight for sinners. 

How Much More...Will the Heavenly Father Give

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" -Matthew 7:11

• I know not everyone gets this experience, but I have an amazing dad and if I'm being honest, he has spoiled me. Now that I'm older I see that he not only provided for my immediate needs, but we went up and beyond to bring me joy, comfort in times of need, teaching when I was confused, etc. If my dad, a sinner like the rest of us, could give good gifts, how much more will Christ (our creator) give us good gifts (James 1:17).

How Much More...Will God Provide

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not MUCH MORE clothe you, O you of little faith? -Matthew 6:30

• This verse reminds me of spring in Texas when the blue bonnets and Indian paint brushes cover the ground. God clothes even this earth which is fading beautifully! The analogy here is that if God takes care of the grass, which withers and is thrown out, how much more will he take care of us, his adopted children (Romans 8:15-16).

These are just four of many places that we find God's love and promise for us in His Word. There is no question that God loves his adopted children! There is also no question that He has a plan and that we can fully trust it. Not only that, we don't trust blindly, we get to read about God's promised plan in his Word, which is better than any greeting card :). 

Oh and if you're wondering...the buntini's were worth the wait!

Barbie Jeeps and Happy Prayers May Not be the Answer

I recently celebrated year four with my amazing husband Tom, which I feel deserves a "we're officially a happy married couple, not simply newly-weds" badge. Besides the point, anniversaries always make me a little sentimental, so I decided to revisit some old journals. I pulled out a box and picked up a journal from 2007. It didn't take long to realize that most of my prayers were, "help this date to go well," "help guyX to see me as who I am," "lead to me the man that I'm supposed to marry," etc. etc. Not quite as bad as praying for a new barbie jeep, but was dating and marriage my only focus in 2007? It may seem sweet, but it's really quite shallow. Where was the "forgive me of my sins, as I forgive others," the "lead me not into temptation," or the "your Kingdom come, Your will be done" (Matt 6:9-13)? I was so focused on using prayer as a God make my life happy for me right now, that I forgot to pray that God be in my life right now.

Prayer is an act of the Christian life that gets a lot of exposure. People are invited to pray before meals, they are promised prayers when someone is sick, they read about prayer on social media. Very rarely, however, are these public prayers centered on forgiveness, peace, patience, or even what we need most, salvation. Most public prayers are for physical healing or providing physical needs, which is not bad in itself. If fact, God asks us to pray for these things and he answers, so that His name is glorified (Luke 18:7, 1 John 5:14-15, Psalm 145:18-19). The struggle is that if prayers for physical needs are all that we're exposed to, God is only glorified when physical needs are met in a world that is broken. I would even venture to say that God answers prayers with supernatural peace, joy that exceeds all circumstances, and even a lesson in sanctification more than a physical healing. However, in our limited understanding we forget to thank God for these answered prayers.

In turn, we tend to equate sickness or pain as God's inability to answer prayers, but did you know that God promises that life on earth will be uncomfortable and hard at times? "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). God put a thorn in Paul's side and Paul writes in 2 Cor. 12:8, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me." Later we see Paul write, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." We also see Jesus himself understand life's pain as he prays "Father, if you are willing take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." God wants to mature us, grow us, and finish the good work that he began in us (Phil 1:6), which may not look as pretty as we want it to. It may not include a hot pink grill, power wheels, and comfy seats.

God's ultimate promise is to make all things new and restore the earth, to save people from their sin, to bring light into the darkness. We can count 100% on God's promises and in the meantime, we are to pray. In Rev. 5, it is written that the prayers of the saints are incense to God. I pray that my prayers look beyond the temporary. I also hope that when others see me and my family pray, they will know that prayer is more than a kind gesture or hope for happiness, but confidence in God who is at work daily. We probably won't spend our life jammin in a dream barbie jeep, but we'll look back and realize that our journey with Christ was just what we needed!

The "Too Much" Information Age

"The world is at our fingertips." This is a phrase we often hear and I can agree. The access that we have today is incredible. I can't tell you the amount of times "Google" (now personified) answers my questions.  In fact, here at the coffee shop, I voice searched "What's really in my Pumpkin Spice Latte" because who doesn't want to know the mystery of the goodness in this cup. I prefer to go with the site that discusses how Starbucks uses "real pumpkin" as opposed to the next search that discusses all of the extra ingredients in the sauce and syrup included in the latte. Two searches,  two answers, and one consumer left to decide on a correct answer before attending to the next task at hand.

While I may be a little upset about my conflicting pumpkin spice search, I'm not nearly as saddened as I am to see people run to Google for answers about their beliefs in Jesus. Being a consumer in the information age means that anyone can post anything. Anyone can prove anything. Authors can pick, paste, highlight, delete, and put a bow on anything that they want. I'm about to sound dated, but do remember the days when being a published author was a privilege? I lit up when the local newspaper wanted to publish my middle school poem! Today, anyone can be a publisher. This is great when we're talking about recipes or decorating our house, but our salvation? Not so much.

I've never been more thankful for the Word of God which is unchanging. I've never valued my friends who are rooted in the Word more than I do now. I've never realized how vital it is to attend a church who practices sound teaching. When tough questions have come up, it has not been Google to provide me clarity, but God's word. No coffee cup verse or inspirational Christian tweet has provided me clarity, but God's word. My recent interactions have proved that online voices can't sum up the Word of God in less than 140 characters. They have also proven that online authors can write pages upon pages of information and say nothing. God promises that his Word is a "lamp to our feet and a light to our path" (Psalm 119:105). According to Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words or he will rebuke you..." And not because He's an angry God, but because he is Holy and His Word is truth and life.

I still don't understand what's in my coffee, but who cares, it's just coffee :).