Friends Don't Let Friends Walk in Darkness

I have a shirt that says "Friends Don't Let Friends Walk in Darkness" and on the back it has the following verse:

1John 1:5-7 The Message

God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.

6-7 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.

The questions that arise to me are:  What is this Darkness?  What is this light?

I think this verse is speaking of accountability. 

To me, darkness is sin, deception, dishonesty and death.  Unfortunately it is easy for even Christians to walk in this darkness.

The light is accountability, honesty and vigilance to be near God and His people. It brings life.  

For me, living "in the light" means I talk about everything that's going on with me - the good and the bad.  I let others judge and encourage me.  I choose a friend - not always the same one - who I trust, someone who loves me and I know who seeks God and will tell me the truth. 

I feel so refreshed and inspired when a friend helps free me from my demons. 

We all have them! It's important to remember there is nothing new under the sun.

This walking in the light also includes sharing the good as well, sharing our dreams and goals and joys.  How fortunate is the one who has friends who will not simply smile and nod and allow them to go down the wrong path but will help guide them along the best paths.

- Rachel Fagan

Gain From Pain

You know those memories where you felt bad?  When someone said something to you or it's something they've said multiple times to you.  An instance I think of is when I was struggling with something and my mom would say,

"I don't know how to help you."

I would feel so helpless and a bit let-down, almost like she was giving up on me.  It wasn't a pleasant place to be.  Thinking of it now, to me it was pretty impressive that she could admit that, even though hearing it was not fun.  Some parents try to just throw out some solution or tell you to get over it when really they just don't know what to do.

I wouldn't want someone else to have to feel that pain, that moment of helplessness, stuck in the goo of the problem with no solution.

I am tempted in a situation where a friend wants an answer to try to fix it or to say, "I can't talk to you about this anymore" - the former wouldn't help and the latter would certainly be giving up on her which is exactly what I do not want her to feel.

When my mom said "I don't know how to help you", maybe she wasn't giving up on me.  Maybe she was just telling the truth.  Maybe that gooey, tough place of turmoil is actually good.  Maybe I am in the good place I'm in now because I had to go through those bad feelings, those times of helplessness and NOT having all the answers all the time!!

Oh, that we would learn to do hard things and trust that the result will be golden.  If we could go through pain and have others say "I don't know how to help you" and then look back and realize things turned out ok how much more fearless would we be?


- Rachel Fagan

I Love My Little Closet

Singing is always how I express my happiness and praise to God.

I Love My Little Closet

- Rachel Fagan