Spreading our Wings

A while ago I wrote for an online Christian website as a volunteer writer.

It set my mind thinking as it has been a challenge to write for them. On this blog I can write whatever I feel, an invitation they extended to me as well, but with a caveat of a 1000 word limit. I had last had a word limit to writing over 20 years ago when writing for English Language projects at the age of 16. It's made me have to think about how to deliver a concise and yet meaningful piece of work.

Our wings as Christians need to be given room to grow. This project, a weekly column, has challenged me to expand my writing ability beyond where it has been. I am forced to devote more time and effort to editing my pieces and making sure all the pertinent details are included.

As I've been writing it struck me that this is a great exercise for my walk in general. Not everyone will take kindly to my full testimony as after almost 30 years as a Christian there is a lot to it, so I need to learn to be concise and salient to get the message across when people ask why I believe in Jesus.

I'm still working on a short version.

I believe God wants us to spread our wings and stretch out faith every day though. And not only in how we express our beliefs, but in how we live our lives. Every action needs to be a calculated act to demonstrate the Love God has for the person we're talking to or being observed by.

It's critical in fact.

We need to grow in our understanding. Growth and life are synonymous in the Christian walk as we never stop growing in our likeness to Jesus this side of the grave, and we have eternity unending to fathom the depths of His being beyond, such is His love for us. He did die so He could have our company after all.

So don't be afraid to step out in Faith about things you may be nervous about. I am terrified to speak to the people I am closest to and love dearly about Jesus, so I try to write to them - paper not email - to express things God speaks to me in my prayer time. It's easy and comfortable for me to speak in front of a group as there is an anonymity there. Mostly the group has no personal knowledge of me so I am free to relax and speak my heart. But in a one-to-one with preople I know and care about I get tongue-tied or worse I remain completely silent. Hence the letters!

We all need to have our boundaries pushed and our limits expanded. We all need to take steps of faith to achieve the dreams God gives us.

We all need to learn to fly on the wind of the Spirit of God by Spreading our Wings.