It began...

    The final release of forgiveness came at the intersection of Q street and 120th.  I sat in my car wondering.  Just wondering why I am the way that I am.  Not like I don't know that I'm created in God's image, but more just tired.  I was tired of holding up a craptacular amount of junk that I refused to let go of.  It has been making me angry for longer than I care to admit, and the funny thing is that if I were to be completely transparent with all two of you who are probably going to read this, I had convinced myself that I actually forgave the parties involved. 

     Six years ago I was involved in a church split in Phoenix.  The details aren't important, and for the first time in a long time, I actually mean that.  Seriously, this is the first time I'm able to mention it without feeling like I have to tell someone the whole story.  Needless to say, it was painful.  Some things were threatened (by myself and others) that were utterly ridiculous now looking back, but even more damaging was the lack of forgiveness.

      I had myself convinced that I had forgiven them.  After all, that's what you're supposed to do as a Christian, right?  Turn the other cheek and all that.  It's easier said than done for sure.  To make a long story even longer, I cheapened the idea of forgiveness by pretending this long.  At the corner of Q street and 120th, I finally, really forgave.  I'm not even sure I really knew what that meant, but I'm going to find out.

   That's the purpose of this blog.  I'm going to journey through my Bible (and iPod, which contains my NASB) looking at God's forgiveness.  I invite you to join me.  You may have noticed that there's a verse in the title.  It's 1 John 2:12-13 just in case you can't see it.  I'm going to back up to verse 11 because John really hits the right chord for what I want this blog to be about:

11  But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12  I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven (aphiemi: to send away, leave alone, permit)  you for His name's sake.

13 I am writing to  you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.  I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.

1 John 2:11-13

 
     Bottom line, I want to learn to be more in the Light.  I'm tired of darkness.  If you're joining me from the church I lead at, this is your disclaimer:  I'm going to be honest here.  It may not be fun to read sometimes.  It may cover things you don't necessarily like or want to hear about from and concerning your youth pastor, but I think this is necessary.  If even one person in or completely outside my existence outside of the interwebz is changed by what God has to say about forgiveness, then it's completely worth it.

Let's get started...wait, I need to call my wife to make sure she knows about all this.  Dang, looks like I'm going to have to ask for forgiveness.  Well, I guess that's a good way to start.