This story is recent. It encompasses a long period of time (around 10 years) but the story part within the last 2. When I was thirteen, I found a wonderful place. A place I trusted, a place I discovered God. In the 8th grade my family and I moved to a new church in which we would attend for the next 8 years. I learned so much in that time. I grew as an individual, I grew spiritually, I made friends, I met my wonderfully hott husband. I will forever be thankful for that. Throughout the years, people came and we rejoiced. At first we were happy because people were coming and we were genuinely happy for their souls then when more people started coming it suddenly shifted to us rejoicing about numbers I never noticed when I lost the true meaning behind my purpose in life. As this started happening people began to leave. Personally, I could not believe why people left. I felt like I was mean and I felt like I was rude, and I talked about those people all because I was blinded from the truth. I lost perspective and I admit I said things I regret and I thought things that I should have never thought about REALLY wonderful people. At the time, I made excuses and sat back in horror as people left. Surroundings play a major part in how we respond to situations. During that time I attached myself to people that were blinded just as I was. As they began telling me things, mostly lies (not that they knew they were lies but the point is they were untruths) I chose to believe them. I believed the lies because it was easier. It is often easier to believe the things that are being said around us, especially from people that we are friends with because then we do not have to work at hearing the truth from the One who knows it best: God. Then things changed. God spoke to us and told us it was time to leave. All of a sudden I began to realize my mistakes. Things began to reveal themselves. The TRUTH revealed itself. It took a year to get over this whole ordeal. I began to see that during that time, things were taken from me because of my chosen blindness. I realized that there are SO many people out in our world that is hurting and I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. God does not dwell in one city or one place, He is everywhere. How silly for me to think that He can only be in one place. At first I was angry at the people that lied to me. But then I realized that it wasn't their fault, I chose to believe the lies and it wasn't their fault I ran my mouth off. Plus, they are believing the same lies I was believing. After leaving I saw the same people I felt like I criticized for leaving and realized that they were walking in happiness and the true joy of God. I then asked God for forgiveness. forgiveness for my attitude and my blindness and laziness not to seek the truth out on my own. Forgiveness for feeling bitter and angry at the people still there. Now I can pray for them.
Out of all of this I mostly learned the importance of not believing a single story. The truth lies somewhere in the between. We all make mistakes as humans. We believe things we shouldn't sometimes. I am definitely NOT perfect. I am however, trying my best to not judge or become angry, especially when I do not know all the facts. The truth is we never know what goes on behind closed doors or in others minds. We cannot jump to conclusions. As women we like to know things. We like stories. We just can't believe all the stories we hear. The best thing we can do is listen to God and find out the truth from Him. I still slip up from time to time, and God is there ready to wrap His arms around me and forgive me and I know that with His help I will do better next time. Also, we have to forgive those that mess up. The same forgiveness we love to feel from God and others is the same forgiveness we should be giving to those around us. It is just not worth the frustration and emotion. We can be using that same emotion to figure out answers to sex trafficking and the hungry children of today's world. Let us as women not lose perspective. Let us see the truth and be quick to forgive. We must forgive ourselves and everyone around us. Let's not live in the past. Let it go, all we have is NOW.
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This is a video of an African Novelist named Chimamanda Adichie. It is called "The Danger of the Single Story." A professor of mine at Fresno State showed it in my Modern World Literature class the semester I graduated. It literally changed my life. It really shows in other words the point of my story. We must not base our lives off assumptions and things we hear from others. The video is 19 minutes long, I promise it will rock your world.
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