Saturday, February 11, 2017

#WriterRevelations: The Forgiveness Project (A Valentine's Day Tale)

25 and still not able to write that I've got myself a boyfriend.

With Valentine's Day coming up, that's never fun.

If you clicked this post hoping for some advice on how to be single on Valentine's day, you'll have to check my blog archive.

I'm sure I've already wrote THAT blog.

This is a story about how I've realized how self-absorbed I've been.

I started hating my friends.

Yeah, you read that right.

My friends are great but they sure had no problem ignoring me.

I know I am a marketing graduate and I tend to have a new cause every week but

it seems like every other person in the world can gain support, get donations, or is smothered in encouraging comments on their statuses...

Then people got straight up NASTY on social media almost hourly with all the political trash
and it still hasn't gone away.

Recently, when I log in to social media, I feel as though I'm standing up and people walk by and they pile really large rocks on me until I can't make a sound. I'm still breathing, my heart is still beating but no one can tell. I'm still alive. Honestly, I now get anxiety just logging in lately.

I'm totally used to social rejection and being told I can't say certain things because it offends people.
I've been undermined, marginalized, and silenced, humiliated, embarrassed, labeled unfairly and misunderstood, and I'm a twenty-five STRAIGHT WHITE POLISH-DUTCH-IRISH-SCOTTISH New Jersodian woman. (Florida born and raised but I got Jersey in my veins).

Yet, this isn't a post about how unfairly I've been treated.

That's what I wrote a memoir for.

Once again, God got real with me.


This world needs Love more than ever.

Love in action is a perfect mix of kindness, patience, and forgiveness.

So God asked me to start not only praying for all the leaders of the U.S. government, but I also needed to start praying for any and all people I interact with on social media.
Especially those who sow discord to me or others.



So I said yes sir, and I started to. I wrote out every name of every person on my Facebook friends list (that's where most of the drama happens) and have added my Twitter blocked list to that. Pretty soon, I will be adding every follower on Twitter, Instagram, and Google to it.

I prayed this prayer over them.

Father God, in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I forgive _________. Now, they are forgiven, and I hold nothing against them Lord. They are forgiven, just like you forgave me. Thank you, God. I praise you for the gift of forgiveness. 
Father, I ask that every name mentioned is abundantly blessed, that they have your peace that passes all understanding, that they operate daily with your divine wisdom and have the mind of Christ. I pray for those mentioned that if they do not know you as their Lord and Savior, laborers will walk across their path so they may know the truth of your love and forgiveness. I pray that they are prosperous in  their careers, finances, and relationships. I pray for wholeness and health in their spirit, soul and bodies. Lord, I thank you for all you've done, in Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Now, if a name comes up on my list and I see that they posted about some issue they are facing, I pray for that as well because John 15: 13 states Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. Maybe I can't physically help them but their is definite power in prayer and the greatest part is it causes me to forget my self for as long as it takes for me to pray for all these people. 

I get myself off my mind.




Now I know not everyone who reads my blog is a Christian, and that's okay. I hope that my words and actions make you want to know Jesus more but regardless of your faith, I hope the message can be adapted and applied to your life in some way. After all, love and forgiveness are universal languages.

Yet, if you do call yourself a Christian, no matter your denomination, you should be actively practicing love and forgiveness as an act of your faith.

Believe me when I say it's not always easy but with God, all things are possible. :)


With that in mind, you should realize that Jesus forgave you of your sins so if he can forgive you of whatever you may have done in your past, you can forgive others no matter how NASTY they may be.



Look, I'm not telling you how to live your life. 
I just wanted to share what God has shared with me.
If you want to start doing a forgiveness project of your own, be prepared to feel happier, at peace, and like you are changing the world because with each prayer for another, each kind word on someone's post, each action taken in support of someone, you are. 

Until next time, I hope you have a Blessed Valentine's Day and see God's goodness every single day.

Also, if you need prayer, please let me know. 




In Christ-Like Love and Confidence,
Chelsea
~Just Keep Swimming~

















2 comments:

  1. Ah, yes. The bridges we need to burn to light our ways. It happens. It's part of life and of growing up.

    I also try to be careful when writing about faith. Not everyone believes the same thing. But we can be the only Gospel they read.

    Great quotes, Chelsea. And it's really fine if you're still single and it's Valentine's Day. Savor this moment because pretty soon, it will be different. You'll be with someone and you'll take a different road. Enjoy! And of course...

    Happy Valentine's Day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Lux! Happy Valentine's Day to you, as well. Hopefully the case will be exactly that for the both of us since I know we both have a lot of love to give.

      Yeah, it's tough sometimes but forgiveness and love are universal no matter what someone believes.

      Have you gotten your book yet by chance?

      Delete

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