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That's the way it is...

That's the way it is.

I hate that statement.  It's such a depressing approach to life.  There's no room for improvement, no hope, and no grace.

Since receiving my call to ministry and having had exposure to theological discussions, I suppose I am always aiming for the bigger picture.  At the end of the day, what's the most important aspect of life....

I can say without a doubt that this little phrase is not my bigger picture.  I am looking towards God's grace, hope, peace.  I want to play a part in bringing about God's Kingdom here and now.  I want to participate in grace, hope, and peace.

I can't do that if I accept the mundane, disgraceful, and greediness of life as my reality and truth.

As I'm traveling through and out of adolescence and naivety, I have realized just how disappointing this world is......

Insurance plans....how much money do I have to spend in order for you to cover me, and even then is it enough?
Finding a church home....does this church fit me?
Finding a new home....why do houses cost so much money, especially with the influence of their neighborhood?
Donating money to the church....what's my reward? how can I control you?
Moving to America......how much money do I need to pay the immigration lawyer?  Will I find an employer willing to take a risk on me and pay more?  Will I find friends who will love me?  Will I be constantly asked about my immigration status?  Will people always mistake my ethnicity/heritage for a different country?  Will I always wear a label that I didn't sign up for?
Diversity in the church...........we can't accept you because you don't look like us
 
The list goes on.  If I were to mention everything that I've experienced or seen, I'll just get mad.

Most of my wanderings come down to one question, why?

Why is it that almost every issue I stumble across comes down to money?
Why is your bottom line to just accept it because that's the way life is?
Why do we accept that?  Doesn't that sound like an excuse for those who are establishing boundary lines that they probably don't even have to follow themselves?
What's the point?

I am not here to serve the corporate world.  I am not here to buy into the American dream.  I am not here to accept what you tell me as truth.

I am here to serve God and others.  I am here to love, to preach, to teach, to grow, to learn, to worship, to be who God wants me to be.

I am not buying into this phrase.

That may be the way things are now, but I'm working towards something so much more than this world could ever offer.


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