When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I get lost!"
"That is why I chose this way."

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
my flaws are too visible
but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.

By Carol Wimmer

I know that many people have a negative view of Christianity, believing that we have this "holier-than-thou" attitude, but that's not the way it's meant to be. When the Pharisees accused him of associating too closely with 'sinners', Jesus answered, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13)

"For God so loved the world, He gave his one and only son that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) I'm sure you've heard that verse before... but have you really thought about what it means? Those nails that crucified Jesus upon the cross... those nails were meant for us... you and me. Instead, Jesus willingly took our place and sacrificed his life that we might live.

You know what? I don't know if anyone's ever told you, but Christianity isn't about doing good works or how we spend our Sunday mornings... it's not even about where we go when we die. Christianity is first and foremost about the relationship that we have with God, a relationship that has remained broken from the beginning, as humanity has rejected God time and time again over the centuries. But the grace of God is such that He sent His own Son to die upon the cross for us as a sign of reconciliation between Him and man - what is more, He was risen as a sign that we, too, may have new life in Christ.

Maybe you're looking at your life and thinking to yourself, "I'm not good enough to be a Christian. I'm not worthy cause I've done so many wrong things in my life." I've got some great news for you. Cause you see, not only did Jesus die, but God raised him up again. "Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4)

Being a Christian isn't about living a perfect life. It's about living a forgiven life. It's not about rules; it's about freedom. It's not about religion; it's about relationships. It's not about works; it's about faith. It's not about judgement; it's about mercy. It's not about death; it's about life.