Two of my friends put me up to this, so here I go.

This post is about warnings people should have about the Bible. Some of my warnings are serious and well-intentioned, while others are meant to cause a little chuckle/giggle, at the very least.

Enjoy!

Bible Warnings

Warning: Jesus likes playing hide and seek, even after he died (#Resurrection #Easterday #findthatsheep #findthatcoin).

Warning: Reading the book of Numbers might give you a headache.

Warning: There are some erotic materials in here (I'm looking at you, Song of Songs).

Warning: Don't read this if you don't want your life to change.

Warning: Bringing this to class might cause someone to ask you about your faith.

Warning: R-rated for violence, especially for all those baby massacres.

Warning: Paul is a well-intentioned chatterbox. (Like that wise best friend who always knows when to call your dummy moves out on you or give you that holy wisdom you so desire.)

Warning: Sometimes, the footnotes don't make sense and you have to do some historical background reading on your own.

Warning: Don't read John 6 if you don't want to re-evaluate the Catholic Church.

Warning: Don't be like Jonah. Big fishes are out there still, and they are #hungry.

Warning: Don't read every book in here literally (another Revelation shoutout).

Warning: Jesus proclaims that faith and works are needed, not just faith alone.

Warning: God doesn't want you to be nice, He wants you to follow Him. (God would've had Jesus start petitions instead of flipping over tables if He wanted His followers to be accommodating/nice all the time.)

Now here are some facts.

Fact: God loves you, whether you're sinning hardcore or becoming a saint.

Fact: God wants to be more than just a cartoon image in your dusty childhood Bible picture book at home.

Fact: When you read the Bible or hear it out loud in a faithful community, your life will change. You might not see it right away, but it will, and you will have more joy (not the same as happiness - it's better).

Fact: Something's holding you back from believing this, and I encourage you to address it, cuz your lack of faith is not a good look for you.

Now here is a reflection

As I was writing this list, I started realizing how many stories I know in the Bible. I also reflected on all of the stories in my life. I recalled how God has calmed my heart when I thought it would burst from anxiety. I remembered when God started and ended relationships and left me with a million life lessons because of it.

I remembered that I'm also a part of the story, and the book of Salvation History is not done - I'm a part of it, too, and I am a KEY PLAYER BABY... if I would only embrace my role more as a disciple of Christ!

Basically, I wish to live life in such a way that the warning label "Watch out, this girl's doing Christ's good work!" would be applicable to me. I wish I was on fire for Christ. I wish I was all His and never afraid of it.

Even though I'm not there yet, God has placed that desire on my heart and He will fulfill the good work He has started with me. I just have to participate.

And I hope you decide to participate, too, because being a part of God's story is the most exciting, dramatic, difficult, fulfilling, heart-wrenching (for all the right reasons), joyful, and straight up interesting thing to do while on earth.

See you next time I release a blog post!

Brooke,