Evangelize To Me: This I Believe

National Public Radio started a project that challenged people to do just that. Each person wrote a short essay entitled: "This I Believe."

A friend of mine told me about the books containing collections of these personal reflections. I read several of them, and they were both revealing and inspiring.

The authors of these short articles are both famous (Newt Gingrich, Leonard Bernstein, Carl Sandburg) and unknown. These snippets are not meant to describe a whole life. Instead, they aim to define just one idea the author has come to accept as true.

It got me thinking about what I believe. It was a good exercise. I had to try to put into words some truths I had never taken the time to name.

I’d like to share with you some of the ideas I had. Some of them I knew. Some were a fun surprise!

I believe that ‘no’ sometimes means ‘not now’ or ‘not the way you think.’

I believe that doing something is better than saying something.

I believe that turning down an opportunity might be the best thing I'll ever do.

I believe that although I have been married to the same man for 32 years, I will never stop learning new things about him.

I believe that waking up in the morning is a little gift; a movement of trust by God that I’ll do what he needs me to do today.

You know how you're supposed to learn one thing every day? I might not. I’m a slow learner, and I often have to repeat the classes.

I believe that if ‘Jesus loves the little children’, then I know I’m safe. I usually can’t open the jar of pickles either.

I believe that God has a plan for me and it’s not as mysterious as I make it out to be.

I believe that I have the capacity to hurt you, and you have the capacity to hurt me. I’ll still want to get to know you.

I believe in the value of silence.

These are only a few of the things that I believe. Oh my gosh, there are so more...but these are what rose to the top. It's a great exercise because it got me thinking, and it got me thanking God.

How about you? Go ahead! Take a few minutes and consider what you believe. I think you're going to find that there are so many things. For the most part, they're not earth shaking, but they are yours. And that makes them beautiful.

So I have to ask...what do you believe?

Linking today with: Unite!, Soli Deo Gloria, Encourage 24/7