I’ve recently entered a season with God where He’s calling me higher. There was once a time when I could easily default to excuses or brush off conviction; that time has since passed. No longer can I stay comfortable with choosing comfort. God is requiring real effort and commitment. He’s calling me to make deliberate decisions of surrender. He’s challenging me to face myself and the strongholds I’ve let rule my life. He’s bringing forth a new thing. A better thing. A true thing. A holy thing. 

“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” – Leviticus 20:26 NASB

A few months ago, one of my dearest friends (hey twin!) and I started talking about holiness. It felt like the topic was everywhere. From sermons preached at church to YouTube videos from our favorite Bible teachers, the term kept coming up. At the same time, I started reading through the Old Testament and saw holiness discussed in what felt like every chapter of the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. The shedding of idols. The obedience to laws for food, sacrifice, and offerings. Circumcision. Observing special days and festivals. God wanted the Israelites to be set apart from the surrounding nations. He wanted them to match His standard. He wanted them protected from the world and its deceit. He wanted them to represent Him. He wanted holiness.

If you know anything about the Israelites’ story in the Old Testament (and if you don’t, here’s a crash course!), you know they were hardheaded. Stiffnecked, as God called them (Exodus 32:9). Though some stayed the course and remained devout and committed to God, the vast majority followed their flesh and allowed it to lead them right back into the mess that God delivered them from. Though the Israelites had great moments of faith, obedience, and reverence for God, they often struggled in their day-to-day behaviors. Despite seeing the power and magnificence of God in their lives, from the parting of the Red Sea to winning wars against nations larger and stronger than them, God often got pushed aside. He got replaced, in their hearts, with the world. With other gods/physical idols. With success. With power. With money. With sex. With pride. Those idols (whether physical or not) were exactly what God warned them against. He told them to flee from and even kill those who enticed them towards idolatry. He knew the world would turn the Israelites upside down, causing them to be distracted and deceived by things that were ultimately unprofitable for their lives. He wanted them to live free and be blessed in the land He would give them. He wanted them to be holy (Deuteronomy 13). And it is the same today. With us. With me. It’s time that I grab hold of the goodness and true freedom God has for me. To see the growth, power, and confidence in Christ that He promised me. I can’t afford to be bogged down with things that are less than God’s best. I hope you feel the same.

So, this blog is the start of what I hope to be a short series on holiness. My desire for this series is to let honesty and vulnerability lead. I hope to be as transparent as possible about this lifestyle of holiness and the ways in which I’m succeeding and struggling at it. I want to be (and encourage you to be) authentic. This series isn’t about us being on our best behavior or impressing God with our purity. It’s about trusting God to be our Lord and believing that He has the best for us. It’s about God leading us in the continual discovery of self and authentically living out who He has made us to be. This series is about the assurance that we can do all things, even the hard things, through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

Until next time, be ye holy…authentically. ❤️