The document discusses beliefs about God and Christianity. It describes the Trinity as three persons in one God who is omnipotent and omniscient. It expresses relating more to Jesus than the Holy Spirit or God the Father. It also discusses beliefs about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, suffering, prayer, humanity, and life's purpose.

2. The TRINITY is a person (3-in-1; omnipotent –
omniscient)
I RELATE BETTER TO ‘JESUS’ than to the ‘HOLY
SPIRIT’ or ‘FATHER GOD’
JESUS EXISTED & STILL EXISTS -- he knew me
before I even was
The HOLY SPIRIT indwells us
JESUS LOVES ME, irrespective of how ‘sinful’ I
behave
HE OFTEN USES PAIN / SUFFERING to get my
attention

3.  I’M NOT SO SURE GOD IS INTERESTED IN MY DAILY LIFE
 HE REALLY DOESN’T CARE ABOUT MY HAPPINESS… PER SE
 HE CARES MORE ABOUT MY SANCTIFICATION – LEADING TO A
NET INCREASE IN THE SHALOM (PEACE, JOY, FORGIVENESS) IN
THIS WORLD
 I’M NOT SURE IF THERE’S A ‘HEAVEN’ AS I’VE HEARD IT
EXPLAINED BY MOST
 FOR ME, JESUS ‘COMMUNICATES’ BEST THROUGH
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER -- CP is a progressive movement toward
greater interpersonal involvement with God in Jesus.
 “I once prayed for God to bless my life in all that I am doing, now I
pray ‘Lord put me in the places that you are blessing, this is the sacred
place in which I will experience and know Gods shalom and love and
my souls place of real and sustainable nourishment’.” (P Young, The
Shack)

4. • THE ENTIRE WORLD SEEMS TO BE GOING TO
•
•
•
•
‘HELL IN A HAND BASKET’ -- just as the Book of
Revelations says it will
THE WORLD IS A CRUEL, FEARFUL PLACE,
mostly…
LIFE ISN’T FAIR (i.e. LIFE IS HARD)
HUMANITY LIVES A ‘STORIED’ LIFE
PEOPLE’S STORIES INTRIGUE ME

5. • I’M NOT THAT SIGNIFICANT (I’m just 1 in 6.5B souls on this planet)
• LIFE ISN’T ABOUT ME, IT’S ABOUT CHRIST’S WORK
IN/THROUGH ME
• WE ALL DIE – BUT LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH
• THE WORLD CAN BE A MYSTERIOUS PLACE
• IN THE END, IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER HOW MANY BREATHS
I TOOK, BUT HOW MANY MOMENTS THAT TOOK MY BREATH
AWAY
• THIS WORLD WILL END (SOMEDAY) AND THEN WILL BE
RENEWED (i.e. THE NEW JERUSALEM)
• IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO US THAT MATTERS MOST -- IT’S
WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS TO US, THAT MATTERS
MOST

6. • NO ONE IN MY CLOSE FAMILY KNOWS THE
‘REAL ME’
• JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE FAMILY, DOESN’T
MEAN YOU CAN ALWAYS BE TRUSTED
• WE OFTEN HURT THE ONES WE LOVE THE
MOST, i.e. FAMILY/FRIENDS
• I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY WIFE’S CORE
BELIEFS & VALUES ARE…

7. •
I NEVER LEARNT HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS, SO I ‘SECONDED’ THEM…
•
EVERYTIME I’VE TRIED TO LOVE OTHERS IN MY FAMILY, I’VE ALWAYS
FAILED AT MY ATTEMPTS…
•
I WISH I UNDERSTOOD HOW TO LOVE MORE AND WHAT TRUE
FRIENDSHIP REALLY LOOKS LIKE
•
LOVING BEGINS WITH A SMILE, GROWS WITH A KISS, ENDS WITH A
TEAR. WHEN I WAS BORN, I WAS CRYING AND EVERYONE AROUND ME
WAS SMILING. I WISH I COULD LIVE MY LIFE SO THAT WHEN I FINALLY
DIE, I’M THE ONE SMILING AND EVERYONE ELSE AROUND ME IS CRYING.
•
I believe PAUL ‘s words in 1COR13 Verses 1-3:
1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not LOVE, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not LOVE, it profit me nothing.

8. I'VE LEARNED THAT I DON’T REALLY KNOW
WHO I AM ANYMORE (MAYBE I NEVER DID)
I’VE LEARNED THAT SOMETHING THAT I
MIGHT DO IN AN INSTANT, CAN GIVE ME
HEARTACHE FOR LIFE.
I'VE LEARNED THAT IT TAKES YEARS TO BUILD
UP TRUST, AND JUST SECONDS TO DESTROY IT.
SOMEHOW I’VE COME TO BELIEVE LOVE IS A
CHOICE
TRUST IS GIVEN AWAY; NOT EARNED
FEAR IS OFTEN MY DRIVER

9.  I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I’M ANGRY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO
BE ANGRY, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO BE ABUSIVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE ARGUE, DOESN'T MEAN
THEY DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I DO, NO MATTER HOW
I FELT WHEN I DID IT.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE I EXPECT TO KICK ME
WHEN I’M DOWN, WILL BE THE ONES WHO HELP ME UP INSTEAD.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T LOVE ME THE
WAY I WANT THEM TOO, DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T LOVE ME WITH
ALL THEY HAVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT IT ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO BE FORGIVEN BY
OTHERS, BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEARN TO FORGIVE MYSELF FIRST.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE LOVE ME. ALL I CAN DO IS
BE SOMEONE WHO CAN BE LOVED, AND THE REST IS UP TO THEM.

10.  I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I’M ANGRY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO
BE ANGRY, BUT THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO BE ABUSIVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE ARGUE, DOESN'T MEAN
THEY DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I DO, NO MATTER HOW
I FELT WHEN I DID IT.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE I EXPECT TO KICK ME
WHEN I’M DOWN, WILL BE THE ONES WHO HELP ME UP INSTEAD.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T LOVE ME THE
WAY I WANT THEM TOO, DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T LOVE ME WITH
ALL THEY HAVE.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT IT ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH TO BE FORGIVEN BY
OTHERS, BUT SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEARN TO FORGIVE MYSELF FIRST.
 I'VE LEARNED THAT I CAN'T MAKE SOMEONE LOVE ME. ALL I CAN DO IS
BE SOMEONE WHO CAN BE LOVED, AND THE REST IS UP TO THEM.