Wednesday, April 29, 2020

They May Be One

that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:21

I've been seeing a lot of memes today on Facebook on Protestantism vs Catholicism (and some would attack Orthodoxy as well).  I get it’s out of humor, but I hate it when Christians attack or make fun of other Christians.  This is NOT Christ-like!  With all the stuff going on in the world we should be uniting together, not being more divided!  Before Jesus was betrayed and was praying in the Garden, he prayed for the Church.  That they would be one just as he and the Father are one.  Y’all, we have done a REALLY terrible job at that.  We should honestly be ashamed of ourselves for failing in this department.  We were all one church once, then we were divided by the schism in 1054.  This became the split between the East (Orthodox) and the West (Roman Catholics).  Then the Reformation happened in the Roman Catholic Church in 1517 by Martin Luther.  This is when Protestantism was born.  In the Protestant Church there are so many different denominations that it’s honestly ridiculous.  There is so much division in the Church even over the most stupid stuff!  On top of that, we tend to shoot our own people worse than those who don’t claim to follow Christ!  How pathetic are we!  I have seen this personally on all sides. Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants.  Many claiming to be holier than the other; claiming they know God better than the other or are better Christians than the other.  This. Is. Bull crap.  Stop attacking each other!  Stop it!  People on the outside look in and think, “I’m glad I’m not one of them when they attack their own people!”  You want to show the world you’re in Christ?  Love one another.  Respect one another.  You don’t have to agree with each other.  But this making fun of each other does not help the cause, it hurts it. 


May they be one, as we are one.

Let’s unite together, be kind to one another.  No more mocking each other.  No more attacking each other.  I’m not saying universalism either.  Let’s be one body in Christ.


P.S:  I get I'm not your typical Orthodox Christian.  I'm still learning, but even so, I believe there are true followers of Christ who are Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant, just as there are those who claim to follow Christ in all three branches but really don't.  It is not my place to judge where someone's heart is when I have enough wickedness in my own heart.  We can disagree on different doctrines, but please, stop attacking and mocking each other!



Saturday, April 4, 2020

To My Dear Friend

Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

- 1Samuel 18:1


You point me to the Light when I’m surrounded by darkness
When I’m drowning in depression, you reach out your hand and pull me up
When I’m afraid you give me boldness
If Christ is the hero, you’re backup

You teach me what it’s like to be selfless
You teach me what it’s like to be self-sacrificial
You’re there when I feel helpless
You show me what it’s like to have true friendship, not something superficial

How can I express to you how much your friendship means to me?
How can I thank you enough for the kindness you have shown me?
I don’t understand why you care for me so much, I’m no one special
I tend to cause so much pain for people, can you still really see me as someone special?

Whenever I’ve allowed myself to be vulnerable with someone, I’ve always regretted it
How could I not?  My trust and love has often been betrayed and spat on
When I’ve opened my heart to you, I have been afraid, I’ll admit
So afraid that everything I’ve thought of you was wrong and you’ll turn out to be a con

But I do not regret sharing my heart with you, even when I have been hurt
To me, you’re worth any pain I may go through, the joy you give me outweighs the pain
There is a special place for you in my heart
Amidst the chaos, you help bring clarity in my brain

You bring me healing when I have open wounds, you bring calmness to me in my anxiety
When I shake my fists to the heavens you calm the rage in my heart
You help me seek out sobriety
I pray our friendship never parts

When I am weak and can’t fight anymore, your prayers give me strength to keep going
When the demons attack me, your prayers protect me
You help me continue growing
You give me so much, can’t you see?

There’s so much I could say
Everything I’m grateful to you for, every affection I have for you 
You’re a diamond that shines brightly, a star glimmering bright rays
You’re a true friend, through and through

May God bless our bond, may God bless our friendship
You’ve been such a blessing to me, may we always be friends in this life and the next

I couldn’t ask for a better friend
Thank you for being one of my greatest gifts in this life