Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes: Part 2

And now, without further adieu, Part 2 of my Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes...

This one is a little harder for me to write because, after all, who likes to admit when they know they are wrong. When they know they have deep-rooted flaws that need to be changed. When there are ugly parts of oneself that need to be exposed.

Yeah. This one is hard.

I am not going to air all my dirty, personal laundry (who would want to see that anyway? Gross.). I will say that recently, I felt certain ugly parts within my self starting to swell and slowly spewing out, in little pieces here and there, and I didn't like it one bit. What it was doing to me. My view of the world. Of others around me.

I realized I needed help addressing some of the ugly. This was bigger than me. And I needed help.

So. I turned to the person who helped shine a light on my spirituality when we first started attending church in Atlanta a few years ago: Andy Stanley.

Andy Stanley is the founder and senior pastor of North Point Ministries. He is more than that, though. His way with words is the sole reason that, for the first time in my life, I ever actually looked forward to going to church. He is the sole reason that, for the first time in my life, I actually listened and understood what was being said in church. He calls his the church for un-church people. I love that. And honestly? His church is what I miss most about Atlanta (And for the record, for anyone who is interested and not an Atlanta resident, his sermons stream live, online, each Sunday, and videos of previous sermons are also available. I highly recommend listening. Highly, highly, highly.).

Anyway.

I never felt small or uninformed when I went to church and Andy was preaching. I wanted to learn more about what he was saying and how to apply it to my life. He has a way of making religion and spirituality feel real. And important. And significant. And tangible. And life-changing. And life-giving.

So.

When I was recently feeling lost, and feeling the ugly well up inside me, I knew where I needed to turn.

Let me introduce, this amazing book:

I read it. My hub is reading it now. I already have someone waiting in the wings to borrow it because, for me, it is just that good that I wanted to recommend it. I felt like I needed to share it with anyone out there who may feel lost or who may feel the ugly welling up or who  may be feeling moments doused with anger or sadness or guilt or jealousy or greed or just-not-wholeness.

This book is changing me. It is a slow change. There are things I am working on, every single day, based on what is outlined in the book. But I can feel things shifting, and I can feel the ugly slowly subsiding. And it is good. 

And I just thought you might like to know. Because I think we all are just trying to do our best. And that is all we can do. But sometimes? Sometimes we need a little help. At least I do. Yes, this book is changing me. And it is good. Slow. But good.