Happy Anniversary

Today is my 15th anniversary as a Christian.

It seems like a lifetime ago that I was a sophomore in college and first made the intellectual decision that Christianity made sense because it's the only faith system in which grace played a redemptive part.

In the years since, I've experienced times of great contentment and satisfaction. I remember one December night walking around my new neighborhood in Ames, IA. I didn't know a single person and yet, because I was certain that I was in the center of God's will. I felt completely at peace. In the other hand, I've experienced seasons of great confusion and frustration as I questioned God's silence.

In retrospect, I am grateful for the diversity of depth in my relationship with God over the years because it has allowed me to learn that healthy relationships (both human and divine) ebb and flow. When my relationship with God was most intimate, I didn't sense a need to invest in human relationships. When my friendships were most fulfilling, at times, my relationship with God was a bit neglected. I think that as I get older, I'm learning to embrace the balance, as each type of relationship spurs both my need and appreciation for the other. More recently, I've come to see my relationship with my boyfriend as a spiritual discipline. As we delight in discovering how our histories have led us to our present, I'm filled with praise for God's planning. At the same time, as two 30-somethings with more than a decade of independence each, the process of creating a sense of "we" offers us both plenty of opportunity to put our spiritual maturity to test!

Today's daily Scripture from Zondervan was a fitting one:

As it is written: 'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — these things God has prepared for those who love him.'--1 Corinthians 2:9 (TNIV)

I can't wait to see what God brings in the next 15 years!