Most people are used to the trendy Christians. Hip music. Concerts. All black. Densely highlighted Bibles. Blogs. Coffee shops. Perfect Instagram’s. Bible apps. Cool shoes. Hebrew tattoos. Don’t get me wrong all those things are nice. But what about the other stuff? The prayers, pages of notes, sermons, hours spent talking to God, desperate longing to be with Him, pain when you're in a valley season, and telling people about how your life has been changed! Those are things that really matter. When you love God despite the lost you will feel, is what really matters.

I can’t lie and say I never wanted to be the trendy Christian; all of that seems really cool at the moment. Until your world is crashing around you and you have no idea what to do. I got so compliance that the Christian label became my favorite t-shirt for everyone to see, not knowing it was more complex than that. This life was not something to play with. The Christian label isn’t something to take lightly. I had to figure out that if I take all of it away; would my love for Christ still be the same? Would my faith be able to withstand anything no matter the circumstances?

To me, my faith meant more than the label. It was about my relationship and the people I got to do life with. The Christian label was more about the real fight. The trendy Christian label was about "perfection" and fitting in. However, it is really about being a misfit, outsider, foreigner, sojourner, and a temporary resident. I am not here for myself, but I am here to serve God. That is what I had to realize; this is not for me to get affirmation. The trendy stuff can go away if it means I sacrifice the love of God for popularity. The popularity in using Christianity as a goofy label is not okay. Why do we sacrifice that much? I need my life to reflect the Cross at all cost! No matter if that meant fewer friends, being looked at weird, no perfect Instagram, and no fancy tattoos. Just me serving and growing in God. I would do it at all cost! I would give up everything. I need Christ at all times. My Christianity meant that no matter what situations I face I am content with God.

Recently, God has laid it on my heart to really live for what I believe. Live what I speak. Live what I label myself as. I am put here to reflect the Kingdom of God. I want nothing more than to see the glory of God take hold in my life. I had to realize that the trendy Christian was not the goal. I was not here to get a pat on the back for my perfect post on how God has blessed me. The goal is looking to God in the good and the bad. It is being on your knees when no one is watching. It is laying your life down for Christ like he laid down his life for us. The goal is to really be living the life that I want God to bless.