Giving Up To Gain

For the past several years, I stopped attending church services altogether in favor of ditching religion and religiosity for a deeper, more authentic, hands-on, dirt-under-my-nails, faith-without-borders spiritual quest of healing and enlightenment. I chose to shrug off what had come to feel like confinement and faking it, and just figure out how to connect with and love people in a way that felt a lot more natural and right for me. It has been the best decision I have ever made, and it has allowed me to take all of the good lessons that I learned and apply them (love, kindness, honesty, generosity, justice and forgiveness), while letting go of the elements that simply do not sit well with my soul (patriarchy, judgement, shame-culture and hypocrisy). What it has led me to is an understanding and experience of [God] in ways I could never have reached while staying in the same endless weekly loop that I had become entrenched in.

Please don’t read this as “church is bad” or “I’m better than you” because I truly don’t mean to suggest either of those things. I can say with complete certainty that the church saved my life, and gave me hope when I had none. I have met some of the most amazing people all over the world, and learned more about what it means to love and sacrifice than I ever thought possible. I have seen the best and the worst in people, to be honest, because let’s face it: churches aren’t made up of saints and angels, they are made up of broken, imperfect, (mostly) well-meaning people.

Which brings me to my topic for today- LENT: {Basically} For many Christians around the globe, today marks the beginning of the Lenten season, or the 40 day period leading up to the observance of Easter Sunday. Traditionally, it is a time of fasting, or giving up something tangible/material in order to focus the mind and body on more spiritual pursuits, ultimately celebrating the resurrection of Christ at the end of the fasting period. It can be a powerful tool for deepening one’s faith, drawing deeper into a like-minded community, or both.  However, what I have always found whenever I practice Lent is that I can tap into an incredibly deep reserve of energy, inner strength, and mental clarity, like discovering the universe is inside myself yet so much bigger than just me.  Which, some might suggest, is actually what connecting with God/Spirit/Source looks like. ::mind blown::

So what might be some things worth giving up in order to gain something better? How about giving up:

• Hatefulness
• Bigotry
• Ignorance
• Judgement
• Bitterness
• Negativity
• Complaining
• Grudges
• Rudeness
• Hurtfulness

…and seek to fill up instead on:

• Love
• Acceptance
• Understanding
• Compassion
• Joyfulness
• Positivity
• Gratitude
• Forgiveness
• Kindness
• Healing

My primary purpose on this earth is to share the lessons I am learning along the way, and be a guiding light to others. I want to LOVE myself more deeply, I want to love the people in my life more authentically, and I want to spread love to the world around me daily. It’s why I started The Blessings Butterfly, and I hope that you will continue to learn with me and share and be encouraged.  Thank you. <3