HIStory
Each of our lives is a living letter. telling a story (2 Corinthians 3:1-3). We might not want this to be true, but people are "reading us" all the time in a way that influences their perspective of the world around them.
Consciously or unconsciously, each story impacts someone's belief system regarding life, and our perceptions of life, are really mindsets regarding God, Himself. Does He exist? If so, does He care? Is He good or evil? Is He powerful or impotent? Is He worthy of devotion and worship, or of any consideration at all?
Everyone has a "form of religion" whether it's directed toward God or not. Even atheism and agnosticism are mindsets and declarations of "faith." It's in the makeup of human beings to devote ourselves to something, even if that worship is directed toward self, or other things in God's creation. We have free will to choose the "object of our faith," which is ultimately the source of our devotion and worship. Whatever we worship, and the depth of devotion we apply to it, determine the story we tell.
God will continue to be Who He is, regardless of the story we tell. Our translations are not a reflection of His true nature. They are statements declaring the accuracy of our perception and understanding and the depth of our relationship with Him. Our perceptions of life become our personal versions of reality, the "gospel according to us!"
If your answer is "YES" click here to begin the journey of telling your story.
P.S. Have you formed a negative perspective of God because of an experience with church? Here are our thoughts: We love God's version of church, but believe that in many instances its representatives have told God's story inaccurately. Navigating through the hypocricies of life, being willing to also see them in yourself, and growing stronger through all this is the recipe for telling a more accurate story. Please don't blame others. We are each responsible for our own relationship wtih God and others.