Week 20 - Cathy Mayer -

I wanted to take a moment to share the most important thing in my life: my relationship with Jesus.

While some might call it "Christianity," I prefer the terms "believer" or "Christ follower" because of the various connotations people attach to religion. For me, it isn't a religion; it's a relationship I’ve leaned on since my teens.

I recently revisited a book by a friend from my time in Young Life called Considering Christianity, and it really highlights what this life is all about.

In the Bible, which is the source of my beliefs, Jesus makes some radical claims about life.

In John 10:10, He says He came so that we might have life "abundantly" or in its "fullness". He doesn't just point the way to a good life; He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life". To me, this means that eternal life isn't just something that happens after we die; it is a relationship with God that starts right now.

I think many of us have a false image of Jesus as a "cosmic party pooper" or someone only for the weak. But the truth is, Jesus was so dynamic and disruptive that he was actually criticized by religious leaders for having too good of a time. He spent His time bringing people from confusion and unfulfillment to a life of purpose.

We often fall into what I call "if-theoria"—the idea that "if" I had a better marriage, more money, or a different job, "then" I would be happy. But these are just temporary circumstances. We see people who have all those things but are still unfulfilled. When we build our lives on these shifting circumstances, we become insecure because they can be taken away at any time.

Ultimately, we all carry hurts that we try to protect ourselves from, which can limit our experience of life. True healing and that 100% whole, abundant life can't be found in things or "if" statements. It's found in knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ.