Reflections...

I don't know how often I will be posting throughout the month of July, due to the fact that I just arrived in California for three weeks of my graduate classes at The Master's College in Santa Clarita. I will be in school from 8am-5pm Monday through Friday, so needless to say my time for pondering my writing ideas will most likely be rather slim. But I wanted to share one brief thought as I settle in to my time here in CA. I know that the story of Rachel Barkey has made its way quickly around the Web. If you are not familiar with her, you can learn more by visiting this site:

http://deathisnotdying.com/

What you also may not have heard, is that on the morning of July 2nd, Rachel passed away after her long battle with terminal cancer. Even last night as I attended a small Bible study at which the discussion was focused on death, I was reminded of the brevity of this life. Rachel, in a testimony she gave before over 600 women, said that she is a mother, a wife, a friend, a daughter...but that none of these things identify her. She said that she is identified by her relationship with Christ. How I long to cling to this truth much more. In a world where those of us who are single are frequently asked, "why aren't you married yet?" "oh, I have the perfect guy for you" or "you cannot possibly understand my life because you aren't married...you don't have kids"; I want to embrace all that Christ is for me and in me, not worrying about what others are thinking about my status. My title, my position in this life has no bearing on eternity. It is not my identity. Christ is!

Philippians 3 states:
7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.