If you have a tally board for all your conversions, you've gone too far.

Funny thing. I was thinking about how mom was going to give her that book. And how she had the morals to throw it away when she found out what it was actually about. It's funny that it crossed that fine line of what a Christian should be reading and being. I'm not saying you can't listen to non-christian music, or read non-christian books, because that would not be true. There is just a line there. For example, I told my sister that I went to see Closer. It is a very sexually-themed movie, not one I would recommend. My sister said that she went to a movie that a co-worker suggested and was mortified and embarrassed to be sitting in that theatre. And Closer would definitely be beyond that comfort zone, considering it stretched the limits of mine. She thanked me that I told her it would be crossing that line.

Recently, I noticed a between the lines statement someone had made. They were trying to get away from the Christian bubble they had created. Their Christian friends, everything they do has to do with church, and nothing they do has any impact on the outside world. And that woke me up a little.

It's that whole confusing in the world, not of the world, statement. Where do we draw that line?

I think a lot of what we do shows who we actually are. Our actions, our words, even what books we give to others, says a lot about our character. I don't think everything we do should be the "Christian" thing. I know I shy away from Christians who are over-powering. Maybe that is why I stayed away from Christianity so long. I was so afraid of being a surface Christian.

I think that when people are comfortable with who you are, they start to ask those personal questions, and that is the time to talk. A lot of times we turn people off to the best thing of our lives because we want so badly to share it. Hold on! Stop! They aren't at that point in their lives yet. Patience is a huge part of preaching the gospel to others, especially one on one.

Maybe I've got it all wrong, but I hate the idea that people are uncomfortable with Christ because you bring it up in the first two seconds of conversation. If they are uncomfortable, they might listen, but they won't actually hear what you are saying.

The word never returns void. God will give you the right time to talk. It took me years to talk my friend about God. And she still isn't ready yet, but God is inching that much closer to her heart. God doesn't always happen over night. Then again what do I know.

I do know this. We all go through phases in our lives. And sometimes we think we need something so badly, when we couldn't be farther from the truth. Sometimes we don't listen to something that has been said, because we just don't understand what we don't know. For example, you don't understand how precious your time is until you have kids. You don't understand that sleeping is no longer a choice, it's an option. And until you get to this point you can fight with me that you totally agree and understand this, but you don't. Trust me, I fought too before I had kids. And you won't hear what I have to say about it, because you are just not in that phase of your life yet.

I know I have a lot to learn. And although I think I've been through a lot of phases, deep down I know I have many more to go through, that I won't understand until I'm going through or have been through it. It's a lot like that when you are accepting God in your life. One day, you are just ready. And no amount of pushing or shoving will help you get there. It'll just happen.

And that's what I know.