Connections

Everything is connected, it seems.

I have about 5 or so blogs that I keep up with regularly, and many others that I check occasionally. But I think it's funny that it seems like everything I read eventually comes back around. For example, the other day I clicked on a link and progressively traveled through about 5 more websites and ended up at another blog I follow. I read the Rebelution blog occasionally, and through them I found the misselainious project. Today I got a book in the mail that I ordered and I have been reading it. (Uncompromising by Hannah Farver-I might review it along with the other book I got in an upcoming post!) I think someone told me about it somewhere.When I read it I realized the Rebelution blog co-author actually wrote the forward, and I was like WOAH cool! And then later in the book I came across the name Christa Taylor. I knew that name, I just didn't know how, so I googled it and came across her website. I wasn't until I read that she was a photographer that I realized she is Miss Elaini's friend and photographer! Maybe it's just the side of the blogosphere I keep up with, but where I'm at its all one big circle.*

Here's the point:
We are all connected. Maybe not in the same way as the blogs, but we are at least connected in one way: we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) We're all sinners. So why do we treat each other as if we have nothing at all in common? We judge because people do not have the same sense of style or interests as us. ** We push people away because we think no one understands or actually wants to help. And the reality is that Jesus died for all our sins and our sin isn't any lesser than someone else's. (James 2:9-11) You're not better than anyone else and I'm not either. We're called to love each other regardless. Embrace the connection and love others the way God loves us.

~Haley

p.s. I would like to thank everyone who has been talking about the project and getting the word out, there are only about 3 weeks until I start running! And thank you for the prayer as well. Keep it up! (:

*{Sidenote of the day! I don't know why, but lately everything is an analogy. I can't seem to help it, but every situation now has a deeper, underlying meaning, even if its not that meaningful. I actually had no idea where I was going with this post until about halfway through that example, but I knew I would figure something out! And the other day (just kidding, more like six months ago) I was walking my dog and it struck me how walking the dog is like us walking with God. We see something shiny and go sniffing at it, and God has to tug us back onto the path.}

**{Another sidenote! There is a difference in judgement and helping others discern between right and wrong. We are called to help the fellow believer and make them aware when they have fallen into sin-the thing is, we ourselves can't be above them helping us. The problem arises when we tell everyone else what they're doing wrong but we don't like it when they bring our sins to our attention. I'll admit, I'm guilty of it too. All the time. Also, judging people based on the looks, or clothes, or preferences, etc. IS wrong. But trying to help someone overcome sin, IF you are doing it in a loving way, is not. My Bible taught me this last night :)}

Photo credit: ME!