Is the Christian life not what you had expected? Is the "wonderful plan for your life" not as wonderful as you had been led to believe? Is loving people actually too difficult to do? Are you frustrated, worn out from trying, feeling used, empty, exhausted? Where is that Victory in Jesus? Do you sometimes feel like you have to fake it in order to maintain your "good Christian persona"? Here are some ideas. I think alot of us Christians stagnate somewhere on the growth curve, often plateauing off as we step out of the crib, shortly after salvation and rebirth. Stuck in the thumb sucking stage, we never quite get to the point of toddling, much less, eating meat, but stay nursing on milk, where things are easier, everything is provided. Our joy becomes contingent on external sources, as our internal source is malnurished, misinformed and unmotivated. I have found the following spritual growth steps essential, as I've been hanging out at the feet of Jesus: 1. Live Life 2. Recognize Your Sin 3. Hate the Sin 4. Recognize the Saviour 5. Love the Saviour 6. Reject the Sin 7. Accept the Love of the Saviour 8. Accept to Serve the Saviour as Lord 9. Love Yourself Despite Yourself 10. Love Someone Else, Even If... 11. Discern the Purity of Your Love 12. Discern the Impurities of Your Love 13. Recognize the Impurities as Stumbling Blocks and Lies 14. Reject the Impurities as False Promises 15. Discern and Accept Truth and True Promises 16. Surrender to the Truth 17. Release that which is False 18. Mourn the Loss of False Hope 19. Cling to that which is True 20. Live Life to the Fullest, in Freedom, Joy and Peace Steps 1-10 are the normal ones that we progress down in our Christian life. From 11 onward are the more challenging ones, that help us to purify ourselves, making us more available and useful in the Saviour's hands. They are the interior growth, which happens after the exterior changes occur. They are the deep sources of life, of joy, of fulfillment. They are meat to chew on. Stopping at step 10 usually ends up bringing feelings of disappointment, frustration, fear, inadequacy and stagnation. We try and try and try to do #10, but never seem to quite get it down right, especially with those Jesus calls "our neighbors". Steps 11-20 lead us through the mystery of being content, true life by way of the true stumbling block: Christ Crucified. We move in triumphal procession, no more "acting like mere men" (I Cor 3:3), but inwardly being renewed day by day, so that "in all our troubles, our joy knows no bounds" (II Cor 7:4). We can live worthy of the calling. We can Know Christ, and the Power of the Resurrection, becoming like Him in His Death. Surely, His Divine Power has given us Everything we need for Life and Godliness. II Peter 1:3 I'll plan on going through these last 10 steps over time, and welcome any comments, questions, corrections or additions as we go. Looking forward to growing together. | 
Ebenezer, my fine, fellow primate, was a spunky little guy. 
