Hello and welcome to my blog as I make my way through the diakonia process.
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? " (Psalm 42:2)
I was introduced to diakonia by a good friend, Ray Bebee. I had came to a point in my life where I wanted to become more spiritual and have a better understanding of God and my faith.
"Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hid from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? " (Isaiah 40:27)
"let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7)
See, I didn't always embrace my faith as I do today. The events that happened in my past had me thinking "if there is a God, why is He allowing all these bad things to happen to me?" Then back in early spring of 2005, I was diagnosed with cancer. I shouldn't be here according to the doctors - they had given me only a few months to live, but three years later I am still here. I am still battling my disease, but I firmly believe that God has a purpose for me yet here on Earth.
"God's plan for us embraces more than merely the events or circumstances that happen to us. It also embraces that which He wants us to be and to do." (Max Lucado)
The first major step I took was to be confirmed. I went through the process of "Luther's Small Catechism" and had the confirmation service on the shores of the Mississippi River among many of my friends. It was a very moving and joyous time in my new Christian life. One of those friends was Ray Bebee who had been telling me about diakonia for over a year now. Diakonia sounded like the perfect way to make my next move in helping me understand the Bible, God, and the Faith I now fully embrace.
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man--though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation." (Romans 5:3-11)
