Black in classic

Find your best way to communicate with the Lord. Going to church every Sunday isn’t for everyone. That isn’t the only way to communicate with him. I used to think less of myself because I never went to church, period. I don’t even have a church to go to. I have my own reasons for not going, but it still made me feel less connected. I had this strange belief that going to church every Sunday meant I believed more and “did more”. But, I’ve come to realize that, that is far from the truth. Your relationship with your spirituality and religion is just that, your own. I don’t identify with any specific religion and I believe in a plethora of things. However, what I am firm in believing is that God is real. His way of doing is real. I don’t bash anyone for having a different faith because this world is too big to simply think we all will pray to the same person. But, I digress.

After noting that I had a strong relationship with God, I knew that I wanted to strengthen that relationship on a personal level. The way that work for me was writing. I like to write out my emotions and feelings. (Hence, Classic Tany!) I started to write in a journal heavily in 2015. It all started when I heard the quote: you have to pick one. Pray or worry, you can’t do both. That’s when I realized needed to be pray way more than I did.  I was just starting my senior year of college and decided to write my prayers down. I wanted to write down everything I ever felt, freely. I would start with Dear God, and just pour out what I kept bottled in. I wrote down how I really felt that day, how I wanted my year to go, and things I wanted to pray for. It was helpful, but then life got in the way and I stopped. I stopped for an entire year. Funny enough, that same year I stopped communicating with Him was the same year I became VERY depressed.

So now, in 2017… I’ve been writing in a journal. My voice is different though. God took me through that year to show that I needed to fully rely on him and our consistent communication. I don’t write everyday, but I write. I write to let him know that I’m thankful, I write to let him know when I’m sad, and I write to always keep him in my heart. So, believe me when I say going to church isn’t the only way to have God in your life. It isn’t the end all to be all when being spiritual and faithful. It’s the communication and being consistent. He listens when you talk to him. I’m not here to push religion and spirituality down anyone’s throat. I just want to talk to someone who was lost like me and thought, the only way to find God was in the church.