Them bones, them bones, them DRY bones...emm..i think NOT!

Well well well....its been a crazy few months, and i don't think it's about to get any less crazy! But here goes.

I am finished Uni, and as of next wednesday, I will be a full-on Graduate of Cardiff University. I have never in my life been more chuffed. I feel ready to take on new challenges, and although it scares me completely...it's also the most exciting thing i've ever done in my very sheltered life.
This next year is me trying to take myself out of my comfort zone...to push the boundaries of my faith, and hopefully to put what i believe into some sort of action.
I've always wondered about Christianity. Is it enough to just believe in something? Well i've come to the conclusion that no, its not enough. I was reading something the other day that really prompted my thinking. It said that simply believeing that something is real isn't the end...its our conviction, and passion that makes it useful and worthwhile.
So is my Christian life fulfilling that? Well...No.
So what am I gonna do about it?
It brings me again to the passage in Joshua, where God is telling him to be courageous. He reminds Joshua that whatever happens he will be with him, and won't ever leave him or forget him.

So...sorted. Yes? No? hmmm ok.

Something has been going round and round in my head for a good wee while now...and its started to really irritate me. A couple of months ago, someone said without thinking that they felt we were part of a dying, almost dead Church. Now, anyone who knows me will know that it hurt me like a physical pain to hear those words. The person went on to explain that they felt the Salvation Army was the 'dry bones' that are talked of in Ezekiel. To be totally honest I couldn't disagree more. Yes, thats how any church could end up, but there is no reason it has to be that way!
We are a living, breathing expression of God's love, and we need to remember that!
One thing that has really struck me over the past year, is that we try to put things in boxes, and keep them neat and tidy. We try to keep our faith and God in a neat little box, but in all honesty...God isn't like that. He doesn't fir into a box...in fact, he's so massive...he's bigger than anything we can even imagine. We need to keep going, keep looking for more, and searching for more in God's word. It's not over. We are not reformed people, rather we are constantly reforming, or we should be anyway. Times change...but God doesn't. As Captain James has been saying for the past few weeks we. as Christians should learn and develop as the world goes on around us. Contrary to how it can sometimes feel, Christianity is a living, breathing relationship that needs nourishment. There has to be a distinct difference between 'reformed' and 'reforming'. Revisiting and reworking what has gone before is not a negative thing. Often we're scared to change things in our Church in fear that it won't be in keeping with 'tradition'. But we shouldn't be scared of these changes....because in some ways they are purely cosmetic. Music, technology, and all that stuff...its all important..in its way. But what about our actual theology. Our core beliefs about God. Its important to look at how we define and live out our faith.
I don't know about you, but i really love the idea of a revival. But in all honesty we shouldn't need to be revived. We are alive...definitely not dry bones.
Let's stop trying to force Christianity into a box, and let it expand the way it needs to.