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Salt + Sparrow

Spiritual Growth

What it Means to be a Christian

May 16, 2023

When our small children were running around our home every day, my husband and I constantly played Christian music.

I think it was one of the best decisions we ever made, because even now when decades have passed, I sometimes hear them singing a line or two of those long-ago songs.

Music has a way of embedding itself deep inside of us, and I’m so grateful we had the opportunity to plant seeds of God’s Word in our children’s hearts simply by playing those cassette tapes we used to get in the mail once a month.

One of the songs they sang spelled out the word Christian. They would sing along, “I am a C…I am a C-H.…” and so on. 

That song popped into my head this morning. It brought with it a thought that I can’t quite let go of.

Being a Christian means being like Christ. After all, that’s what the word itself means.

Sounds easy, right?

Obviously, when we are born again, we shed our old selves and step into everything Jesus has provided.

“Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

But do we really ever stop and consider what it means to be like Jesus Christ?

I’m not sure I ever have.

I love reading about the goodness of God.

I love reading the Biblical accounts of the unfailing love and kindness Jesus shared with everyone.

I want to be good, loving, and kind. And, since I know I can’t possibly fully be any of those things without Him, I am so grateful I, long ago, gave my heart to Him.

But Jesus, even though He absolutely was 100% love, didn’t always have an easy life.

I read about how people rejected Him, how they lied about Him, how they plotted against Him, how they ultimately did what they had to do to make sure He died.

None of that sounds like what I want.

It breaks my heart when people reject me.

I can barely stand it if I find out someone has lied about me.

If I caught even a whiff of someone plotting against me, I think it would tear me to shreds.

And hating me so much that others would actually rejoice in my death? I can’t even fathom that.

All of that happened to Jesus, and He still was completely good, loving, and kind. From the cross, a place that I don’t think I always fully understand the horror of, He forgave.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Luke 23:34

I see no evidence of Jesus ever wallowing in self-pity. I see no evidence of Him putting Himself above others. I see no evidence of Him ever being less on one day than another.

Now, I know I will never be perfect like He is. I have no hope of that.

But I still can’t help but think about what I’m singing as my voice cries out joyfully that I am a C…I am a C-H…I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N. 

When I think about all Jesus went through during His 33 years on Earth, all He continues to go through today as scores of people over thousands of years have rejected and scorned Him, I understand a little bit more why my life doesn’t always go as I would like it to.

You see, I am a C…I am a C-H…I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N.

And that means I will have times in my life when people don’t accept me, when circumstances are not what I want them to be, when I struggle to understand.

I’m so glad I have an example.

I’m so glad I don’t have to question why.

I’m so glad I have been told in advance that troubles will come.

I’m so glad I know Jesus and have been shown how to act so I don’t have to settle for my human reactions.

Jesus is the reason I can sing that song. He is my reason for the hope that I carry in my heart.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33
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Sandy Brannan

Sandy Brannan, author of Becoming Invisible, So Much Stays Hidden, Masquerade, and Frozen in Time, teaches middle and high school English. She is a regular contributing writer for Calla Press. She also is a contributing writer for The Real Deal of Parenting and Her View From Home. Sandy’s idea of a perfect day is one spent creating memories with her grandchildren. This usually includes coloring and reading a lot of books.

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Grab your coffee and stay awhile

Welcome to Salt + Sparrow, a place where we learn about Jesus, the Bible, and find big faith in small things.

Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

#faithquotes #christianmoms #truth #blessed #relationshipwithgod #prayer #christianmomma #christianlifestyle #christianity #faithblogger #christianmother #faithinmotion #faithblog #christianliving #christians #momsoffaith #biblestudy #jesusalways #faith #bibleverse #pray
Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"This verse isn’t promising that bad things won’t happen. It simply reminds us nothing can touch us when we live in Christ Jesus. We might experience loss and hardship, but our ultimate destination is heavenly perfection. 

So today, if you are living consumed with fear, practice surrender.

Take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved and you will be ok.

God is Big Enough to hold our biggest hurts and make them beautiful." 

@mrsheidivegh 

#christianmomma #christians #christianlifestyle #faithblogger #christianmother #faithblog #faithquotes #relationshipwithgod #faithinmotion #prayer #christianliving #christianmoms #momsoffaith #truth #christianity #blessed
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Matthew 28:20 CSB

"...And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

About

Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

#faithquotes #christianmoms #truth #blessed #relationshipwithgod #prayer #christianmomma #christianlifestyle #christianity #faithblogger #christianmother #faithinmotion #faithblog #christianliving #christians #momsoffaith #biblestudy #jesusalways #faith #bibleverse #pray
Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"This verse isn’t promising that bad things won’t happen. It simply reminds us nothing can touch us when we live in Christ Jesus. We might experience loss and hardship, but our ultimate destination is heavenly perfection. 

So today, if you are living consumed with fear, practice surrender.

Take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved and you will be ok.

God is Big Enough to hold our biggest hurts and make them beautiful." 

@mrsheidivegh 

#christianmomma #christians #christianlifestyle #faithblogger #christianmother #faithblog #faithquotes #relationshipwithgod #faithinmotion #prayer #christianliving #christianmoms #momsoffaith #truth #christianity #blessed
God had already been speaking to me for some time God had already been speaking to me for some time about how my desire to control the details and direction of my life was getting in the way of my trust in Him and my submission to Him.

The fear of not being in control had stolen my contentment, joy, and peace. So many opportunities and relationships had been strangled or suffocated due to the struggle for control.

The Lord had been directing me to practice putting my full trust in Him.

While I used to spend much of my energy worrying and controlling, God began teaching me to put all of that effort into trusting Him instead.

Friends, as I look back over my life, I cannot think of one time that I regret surrendering to God and yielding control to Him. Was it difficult and painful? Indeed it was.

Did I take it back untold times, having to surrender again and again? You bet.

But this I’ve discovered: as we lean into our powerlessness and His sovereignty, we experience new levels of freedom and joy.

Once upon a time, I would have thought that losing control was the worst thing that could happen to me. Now I know that releasing it was what I needed most.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to yield this new area of control to you– I surrender myself and all of my brokenness. Guide me and remind me each day to put my full effort into trusting You.

@jamiedesilvia 

Full post on saltsparrow.com

 #pray #faith #prayer #bibleverse #biblestudy #bibleversedaily #faithinmotion #faithblogger #christianmomma #jesusalways #faithblog #faithquotes #christianmoms #christianmother #christianlife #christianlifestyle #momsoffaith #christianliving #relationshipwithgod #christians #faithbased #momswhoreadthebible
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