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Refreshed, renewed - so thankful

I'm Catholic. I'm Christian. I love Jesus. Strange that I would feel the need to say that I am both Catholic and Christian. Catholics know that this is redundant but it seems that is not true of all other non-Catholic Christians. This isn't news to me. I shared recently with a very special friend that I have experienced an odd thing in the years since I went through RCIA and chose to become Catholic. I have witnessed people looking down their noses at others because they are not Catholic and some looking down their noses because others are. I have also witnessed Catholics looking down on other Catholics because they weren't the kind of Catholics they thought they should be. I'm told that this is common in every church, regardles of the denomination. How sad.

Last year I attended a Christian Women's Convention. I was uplifted and encouraged and I came away with a new perspective. Knowing and loving Christ is not about the religion - it's about the relationship. It's about surrendering to God every day, day after day after day. I was brought to my knees because of life circumstances a couple years ago and God used those circumstances and my helplessness to open my heart and my mind. I attended the same conference this past weekend and it was wonderful. There were women from nearly every denomination. Approximately 16,000 women from nearly every denomination. You know what they have in common? They want to know Jesus and they want to come together with others who want to know and love Jesus. They came to worship and grow and strengthen the faith they have. Have you ever been with 15,999 other women who are passionate about their relationship with God? Have you ever listened to 15,999 women surrounding you singing along with an incredible worship team and lifting their arms high in praise? I have. Did you know that the gesture commonly associated with charismatic churches lifting their arms high in the air in praise is the universal sign for surrender? Wow.

When the time comes for me to meet God face to face I don't think He's going to care what the sign on the outside of the building says about the church I attended. I think He'll care about whether or not I took the time to seek Him, know Him and obey him - in love, humility and compassion.

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