Godliness is Manliness

I, like all Christians around the world, know that God is abundant in grace. However, until recently, I couldn’t begin to tell you anything about grace. In modern Christianity, grace has become a buzzword that has lost it’s meaning due to overuse (and misuse). So what is it? Why does God show it to us? Why does it matter? Grace can be simply defined as “the unmerited favor of God.” However, there is much, much deeper meaning that you have to feel before you can understand grace. God’s grace is revealed to us by His word and the death and subsequent resurrection of His son Jesus Christ. Similarly,  agape is one of many Greek words for love, but it represents the deepest form of love. You feel it deep within your heart and soul. God’s agape love and grace are two parts of his divine character. In fact, His deep, reckless love for us is the reason he shows us grace. “Grace is cool and all, but why is it important?” Several of you are probably asking this question. Let me expla...

Before I begin to spill my thoughts, experiences and wisdom (hopefully), I think it is important for me to introduce myself. I, like the previous eight generations of my family, was born and raised in the beautiful mountains of eastern Kentucky (specifically a township called Zelda; Google it if you don’t believe it is a real place). I was fortunate enough to be born into a family with a strong connection to the church. My grandmother’s family had built the church I attended in my youth and I had what many would consider a “normal” childhood. My parents imparted to me the knowledge of God, His son Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and His love, grace and mercy.However, my knowledge stayed in my brain and never traveled to my heart. When I transitioned to college,I allowed my heart to grow cold and tried to separate myself from God and His people. Because of God’s reckless love, He sought me, one of His lost sheep, and brought me back to the flock. This flock for me came in the form of Re...