Theologically conservative with a liberal heart.

I heard a speaker today who described his church with these words "we're theolocially conservative with the heart of a liberal"... and immediately I thought "that describes the path I've been on! And, that's what I want to be!". I know generally the terms "conservative" and "liberal" can be devisive... but in terms of the church and christianity they are generally understood. The speaker talked about how conservatives sometimes error on the side of not being accepting of sinners for fear of showing agreement with the sin. Liberals on the other hand error on the side of combining acceptance and agreement in that to avoid being seen as judgemental they agree with all they accept. He talked about finding a tricky balance of accepting even though we may disagree. My journey from NWC to Philadelphia to Messiah has brought some unexpected twists and turns in my understanding of God and his heart for all people and his call on my life. I've been challenged in my thinking. I've found myself to be quite conservative yet wanting to be open and to be loving and accepting even if I disagree. There's so much more to this... but my small brain can only process so much at a time... I'm wanting to grapple more with what it means to be accepting without agreeing... and more.

Tonight I've been reflecting on all that has shaped me... and how I'm thankful I am for each of these people and experiences... for my beautiful, godly parents. For BPEFC, youth pastors and Grindstone Lake Bible Camp. For Bill Gothard and bible quizzing. For Park Center High School and for my studnet days at NWC. For the YMCA fo the Rockies and the mountains themselves. For Dave O and Paul Bradley. For my brother and sister and my grandparents too. For the faith of my friends in Tijuana. For my time as an RD and the RAs who challenged my thinking. For P&W nights with friends in the late 90s. For running and the way God speaks to me when I'm alone. For countless friends and my cousins too. For prayer, Calvinism, Petra, "A Thief in the Night", and youth group retreats. For the city of Brotherly Love and Liberti. For the diverse beliefs I've enountered at Messiah and the way my deep rooted views have been challenged. For my farmer friends in college and missions minded friends and family. For my singleness and the way it's forced me to find complete fullfilment and dependence on my Savior. For people who make me laugh and for friends who recommend books for me to read. For Truth with a capital T. For all the Edgemere days (the good and the difficult), for loving and losing and for my broken heart. For Storyhill and "Rich Christians in the Age of Hunger" and "Don't Waste Your Life". For Psalm 139. For my aunt Cindy's death when I was 10, the passing of my grandparents, and my Aunt Judy's illness and death this year. For Jon Lute's life and Jackie's journey through grief. For friends' weddings and the joy of seeing them marry godly men. For Paul & Julia marrying 11 years after they first met. For a healthy body, ability to walk, run, see, and hear. For the ability to read and learn each day. For so many highs and lows. For the adventures and the mundane. For all that has shaped my beliefs. For my conservative theology and for the liberal heart that only comes by the grace of God.