Welp, there it is. Barack Obama is our new President. I am not fearful to have a Democratic President, even if we do not see eye to eye on ever issue. I was faithful in voting according to my convictions and am proud to live in a country where I can be open and free about my beliefs and views. Though I am disappointed in the election, I understand and fully believe that my identity lies within my decision to be a Christ follower, more than my decision to vote one way or another. I believe that during this time it is imperative for Christians to understand two things. One, they are watching us. By 'they' I mean our neighbors, our coworkers, other Christians, our cities, our country, the world. Those who are watching to see if our faith is real, even those who are hoping to see us fail. The fact is that during stressful times, times of uncertainty, and especially times that may create circumstances that we are less then pleased with, are the most important of times. They allow us to show that our Trust lies in God and not this country or its people. You may not be pleased with the out come, but it is our responsibility to think about our actions and our reactions to the events going on in our country. Are we going to chose Love over Hate, Hope over despair, and Truth over Reality. Grace and Love, must come with Truth. God does not preach one without the other, and shows us these attributes of himself throughout his word and in our daily lives. I am anxiously excited about the future and our opportunity to show God's Truth and Love above all else. I am proud to be a Christ follower, and rest in this over any political party or country affiliation. We must pray for our president and those in office, but even more we must pray for the Church. We must be fervent in our praying, that the Church would look within itself to allow God to truly transform our lives. Praying that Christians today would take seriously their relationship with God and that we can only be instruments of healing, when we understand the ramifications of living a life that is truly focused on God's will and purpose for our lives. I know that many Christian will let me down, or even embarrass me in the years to come, but I am only responsible for myself and my own actions and words, and pray that God is glorified in them. I pray for wisdom for myself, my family, and my friends that choose to serve God, that we would understand and follow through with being servants of the Almighty and vessels of change in the lives around us. No matter what happens in our country, I am more interested in what happens in the hearts and lives of those whom I am blessed to have a relationship with and to invest in their lives and them in mine. I will continue to do my part in prayer and further my knowledge and Love of God, and the serving of those around me in His name, and have hope that through this God will bring the change that we so long to see. My hope is never in humanity, but in God and God alone.
