Looking back over the posts I've done for the last 2 years, I can see its been a bit of a manifesto, or maybe because that word is tinged with too much negativety, a sort of thesis. Martin Luther did his, and since he didn't have the internet, he pegged his to the door of a building so that all could see and read. This, is my way of pegging it to the door.

What the good news God has given us is.

What it isn't.

And how I, as an American happily transplanted to Spain, have learned in the 22 years (as of 2 days ago) what it looks like to live and work out my own faith in fear and trembling in a world of which I was not raised, but now call my home.

These questions are never going away, as life changes and we adapt, we still ask the same questions, and are reminded of these answers and of these, I am not ashamed of them.

The good news is

God wants to give us abundant life, and freedom, and life that is full of Love, Patience, Peace, Kindness and Joy. In contrast to the bad news, the evil, the hate, the war, means and anger and bound by rules and rulers of this world.

The Good news is, its free. We just have to ask and believe. Even with the tiniest little bit of faith, we just have to ask. Unlike in this world where everything we do is a struggle and without hope.

The Good news is, and unlike so many that wish to sell you otherwise, eternal and available to everyone, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Jesus's death ripped open the curtain that stopped everyone but a few choice few to enter into this good news. Believe in it, and you get it. Unlike those who wish to bind everyone up with religious rules and regulations and the what I call the you must. You must go to church, tithe, pray, and be a general good person in appearance. Nope, we don't have to do those musts. Its free, eternal and ready for you now.

If anyone else tells you the contrary to these three statements above, they are lying to you, trying to steal time energy space money resources from you, and worse, trying to control you so they feel better about their pathetic little selves, and really, they haven't ever figured out that the above is what the Good news is.

God loved us so much, he made sure to make provision for you and me and EVERYONE ELSE, to be part of this amazing, abundant life in which we have access to Him anywhere anytime anyplace, by sending Jesus to live so that we could to and die, so we don't have to die without hope.

Thats it. I'm not here to convince you or me or anyone else. I'm only here to tell you, that this love, this life, this freedom, when lived without shame or guilt, is pretty freaking awesome.

What takes away the awesome? What the good news is not.

The rules of you must do and what you must not do. I'm not talking morality, I'm talking about the bonds and handcuffs of religion.

Because if you follow the most important rules. Love God, love your neighbor just as you love your self, those will lead and guide. You won't kill or steal, because you too want to live and have all that's been given you. You will be faithful to your partner, because you want them to be faithful to you. You won't lie, because you want to be told the truth too. And you won't be greedy, because you will want everyone to share their fun stuff too. And instead, you'll love and give and listen and learn and grow. Now. Here. In this life. And, you'll see how the Spirit connects us and gives us life and draws us closer to each other and to God.

What's the downside?

You'll wanna take care of your neighbor, and the government might arrest you because your neighbor is brown.

You'll talk about who God is, and someone will want to shut you up, or tell you you are wrong,  or merely decide that being with you is the worst thing that they can do for themselves, or worst case scenario, some places in this world you might have to fear for your own life.

You'll get taken advantage of, because people see you mean for good and not for harm.

You'll have religious leaders really upset at you, because you don't conform to their rules, and live life in glorious freedom, and they'll be jealous and try to reign you in, and like Jesus experienced, you might even have to worry about your life.

But giving your life for those you love, may not look like a cross or a firing squad or gas chambers.

It may just be that while you live a life of love, freedom, abundance and so much more, you might have lament over the evil in this world. And find yourself in a puddle of tears more often than not. Wishing others might see what you see. The Hope you have, the Love you walk in, The Courage given to walk ahead and not freeze up.

And in the lament, those who wish to control you might see you for weak. But never, ever forget, that the we are called to, is to give our lives so others might live and that just might mean a lot of tears and lament, yet living in the hope and joy and love of Now and the Yet to Come. Because the death gave us freedom, and the resurrection gave us hope and we live in both.

After I wrote this the other night, I pondered these words again and realized, for this particular moment in time, my writing on this subject in this particular manner, is finished. Believing it, walking in it, experiencing it on a daily basis, I will continue to do so until the day I die, but for now, the writing will take a different turn, and I needed these last two years or so of this wandering blog to figure it out.

Now, we move forward. There has been deep introspection in the past, and constant analysis of the present and lots of hand wringing, more than needed, about the future. The current sociopolitical state of this world as well as my own personal finances, have not contributed to the mental health and well being of myself and my household as of late, but today, we close a chapter of this type of writing, and today we move forward.

To the 4 readers of this blog, take a deep sigh of relief with me. Know with me, that you are free, and forgiven and loved and all that is wanted for you is to walk in the freedom, love and forgiveness. Only belief, however tiny you posses, is needed. Don't lose the faith, because you may be shoring up someone elses small faith just by what you have. It's a gift, one that needs to be cultivated like my plant Selma in my living room in Granada.  A little bit of light, love, kind words and some water go a long way.