Where’s the “B”?

I’d like to take a quick break from our regularly scheduled program to create a touchstone for us all.  And the easiest way for me to do that is to ask and answer a question.  The question is: what is the point of this blog and why are we writing it?

We wanted this blog to introduce or illuminate or celebrate (or all three!) the God worth knowing and loving.  Ultimately, He’s the point.  We’re writing out of our daily lives and relationships with God, and we do it to make Him known as we know Him.  This blog is our testimony.

Generally, a testimony is the story of how we get from Point A (unsaved old man) to Point C (born-again new creation).  The sharing of that primary salvation testimony is nearly as common as shaking hands, and that’s great!  It’s a joy to tell people “I once was lost but now I’m found.”  But that’s only the initial testimony.

For the past week, John and I have both been on Colossians 3:10 in the Amplified:

And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self],
which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded
into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge
after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.

As long as I draw breath, I am “ever in the process of being renewed and remolded.”  And that means that I have many testimonies of moving from Point A to Point C.  But I don’t think my testimony is true and complete and alive without including the “B”.  Point B is the heart transaction that moved me from Point A to Point C.  Point B is my heart exposed and vulnerable, my Gethsemane.  I cherish the increasingly rare testimonies that are complete – that include Point B – because they shine a light on this narrow path.  They encourage me when the way is steep and rocky, and I’m scared and feeling very alone in my struggles.

I have received many emails and comments from lovely and precious people who are further down the path than I am.  Many have shared their own poignant and complete testimonies of the Cross, and these have been absolute Life to me.  They’ve often supplied me with the courage to expose my own “B” as I move through the process of A to C.  It is my fervent hope that each of the posts on this blog shine that same light of encouragement to others.

The reward that is Christ Himself is why we all write this blog, and to omit the “B” is to lessen the wonder of Who He is.  This process of being renewed means that I can and do take off the splendid clothes He gave me, and wrap myself up in the befouled and wretched rags of old.  The LOVE that comes and calls me back and cleans me and heals my wounds and clothes me again in His best robe – well, that’s Love beyond anything I’ve ever known.  That’s Love worth dying for, let alone writing about.  And that’s why the “B” matters so much.

I’m so grateful to all of you who read this blog, for the love and kindness and encouragement you give so generously.  Thank you!