Hi! I'm Mary.
I live in the wonderful piney woods town of Huntsville, Texas with my husband Eli. We've been married for 25 years, and have served as campus pastors with a student group called Chi Alpha here at Sam Houston State University since 1992, and are just now transitioning off the local campus to a broader role with Texas Chi Alpha. Eli is an amazing person with an incredible story, and has been my best friend in the world since I was 17. We have two daughters who are both adults now - and I am sure you will hear many stories about all of my family as time passes. Katie is our eldest and is married to our wonderful son-in-law Sam Pitt, who is also a campus minister. Katie is a gifted photographer - her talent amazes me! Our youngest is Kory, who is in college, and she is the most delightful, free-spirited person I have ever known.
Just to share some of my perspective, I want you to know that I grew up in a Christian home. I was born in 1972 - right in the middle of the crazy years! - but to two godly, Christian people who were pretty much the opposite of hippies and are still happily married and serving God to this day. To me, the 70’s were idyllic, and my childhood was very safe and happy and wholesome. However, I managed to leave their home and enter college without a clue of what “being a Christian” really meant. I would have told anyone who asked that I was a Christian, and I even still went to church sometimes, but the rest of the week I was my own god and did whatever I pleased. I suffered from a terrible malady called selfishness, a sickness every person is born with, and I did not realize that being a Christian doesn’t have anything to do with being born in America or even born to Christian parents. Being a Christian means an active surrender of my own will and life to the very one Christianity is named for - Jesus Christ. Jesus isn’t just a great historical person who was a good teacher of morality and ethics - He is God, and can revolutionize your existence.
So, all of you who are new to the faith of Christianity and all of you who are seeking truth, please forgive us for such wild misrepresentations of what being a Christian means. You have probably seen some of the meanest and most horrid people on the planet call themselves Christian, or you might have been seriously hurt by someone that said they were a Christian.
The thing is, everyone is welcome - no one is excluded, and this accounts for the vastly different “examples of a Christian” that you may have seen. But, you see, there are some pretty real steps to take to actually be a true Christian, and so many people never take them. God wants everyone to come to Himself, and is so kind that He has chosen people as His method to spread the Good News, even though people blow it all the time. All of that to say, let’s look into what real Christianity is and is not. Please never give up on seeking God because of the actions of any person - He is real and He loves you. He created you on purpose, and knowing Him can change your life forever.
Just to share some of my perspective, I want you to know that I grew up in a Christian home. I was born in 1972 - right in the middle of the crazy years! - but to two godly, Christian people who were pretty much the opposite of hippies and are still happily married and serving God to this day. To me, the 70’s were idyllic, and my childhood was very safe and happy and wholesome. However, I managed to leave their home and enter college without a clue of what “being a Christian” really meant. I would have told anyone who asked that I was a Christian, and I even still went to church sometimes, but the rest of the week I was my own god and did whatever I pleased. I suffered from a terrible malady called selfishness, a sickness every person is born with, and I did not realize that being a Christian doesn’t have anything to do with being born in America or even born to Christian parents. Being a Christian means an active surrender of my own will and life to the very one Christianity is named for - Jesus Christ. Jesus isn’t just a great historical person who was a good teacher of morality and ethics - He is God, and can revolutionize your existence.
So, all of you who are new to the faith of Christianity and all of you who are seeking truth, please forgive us for such wild misrepresentations of what being a Christian means. You have probably seen some of the meanest and most horrid people on the planet call themselves Christian, or you might have been seriously hurt by someone that said they were a Christian.
The thing is, everyone is welcome - no one is excluded, and this accounts for the vastly different “examples of a Christian” that you may have seen. But, you see, there are some pretty real steps to take to actually be a true Christian, and so many people never take them. God wants everyone to come to Himself, and is so kind that He has chosen people as His method to spread the Good News, even though people blow it all the time. All of that to say, let’s look into what real Christianity is and is not. Please never give up on seeking God because of the actions of any person - He is real and He loves you. He created you on purpose, and knowing Him can change your life forever.
Why this blog exists...
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit - I am so glad that you did, The heart behind this site is really the culmination of 27 years (so far) in ministry, and comes from Psalm 145. Please read the entire psalm when you get a chance, but the piece that I was most struck by as I thought about this endeavor are verses 3-8:
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works--
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
I truly love to read. I think I would read all day if I could - I was that kid that read under the covers with a flashlight past my bedtime, and even as an adult I have been known to trip or bump into a wall reading and walking down the hallway at the same time. I love books so much! The way they feel, the way they smell, and the wonders they can hold are all so meaningful to me. WIth that said, I have been surprised how much I find myself reading online sources in the last few years. Many of you who are much younger than I am (no secret - I’m 46) are laughing to yourself about that, as you are online much of the day and always have been. The fact is that lots of us grew up with very different habits than you - reading morning newspapers made of actual paper, watching news once a day on one of the three channels that you might be able to tune into, reading books and magazines, and so much time to just do and be without the constant noise of the internet. When I was your age, the internet was very new. I didn’t even have my first cell phone until I was the ripe old age of 29 and it was far from smart. My generation and the ones before us are not nearly as plugged in as you are.
We might not be quite as savvy in that way, but we have lived a long time and seen so much. More than that, we have quite a different perspective on life that we can share with you. The culture and atmosphere of my age was different than the one of today, making the lessons learned a little different. I hope to add a little to the discussion of right now from my experience and perspective.
With all of that in mind, this idea in the scripture that our faith in God is to be celebrated and handed on from one generation to the next suddenly means so much to me. My children are grown, and my husband and I have now lived through some things - big, small, tragic, joyous - so many things. In all of it, we have seen the faithfulness of God, and know He is trustworthy. As a Christian - a follower of Jesus Christ - I hope to help you have a better understanding of who God is, what He is like, and how to walk with Him all the days of your life. I hope to help you broaden your understanding of what Christianity is (and is not), and how to share your faith with others. I want to encourage you to have a wide breadth in what you read and think and listen to, and how to discern the intent and puposes of the voices you hear every day.
The human story is so long and complex - it is about so much more than right here and right now. In an age where all of us are bombarded day and night by information on our phones and devices, we need to be so careful that what we are taking in is helpful and not harmful, truthful and not deceptive.
You have a lot of things to choose from as you decide what to read each day. I hope that we can spend some time together here, and that I can share a few things with you that I have learned along the way. At the very least, know that I am not the only one - there are many of us just ahead of you that are cheering you on and want to help you succeed in any way we can. It is your turn now to impact the world, and we believe that with God you can do great things!
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works--
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
I truly love to read. I think I would read all day if I could - I was that kid that read under the covers with a flashlight past my bedtime, and even as an adult I have been known to trip or bump into a wall reading and walking down the hallway at the same time. I love books so much! The way they feel, the way they smell, and the wonders they can hold are all so meaningful to me. WIth that said, I have been surprised how much I find myself reading online sources in the last few years. Many of you who are much younger than I am (no secret - I’m 46) are laughing to yourself about that, as you are online much of the day and always have been. The fact is that lots of us grew up with very different habits than you - reading morning newspapers made of actual paper, watching news once a day on one of the three channels that you might be able to tune into, reading books and magazines, and so much time to just do and be without the constant noise of the internet. When I was your age, the internet was very new. I didn’t even have my first cell phone until I was the ripe old age of 29 and it was far from smart. My generation and the ones before us are not nearly as plugged in as you are.
We might not be quite as savvy in that way, but we have lived a long time and seen so much. More than that, we have quite a different perspective on life that we can share with you. The culture and atmosphere of my age was different than the one of today, making the lessons learned a little different. I hope to add a little to the discussion of right now from my experience and perspective.
With all of that in mind, this idea in the scripture that our faith in God is to be celebrated and handed on from one generation to the next suddenly means so much to me. My children are grown, and my husband and I have now lived through some things - big, small, tragic, joyous - so many things. In all of it, we have seen the faithfulness of God, and know He is trustworthy. As a Christian - a follower of Jesus Christ - I hope to help you have a better understanding of who God is, what He is like, and how to walk with Him all the days of your life. I hope to help you broaden your understanding of what Christianity is (and is not), and how to share your faith with others. I want to encourage you to have a wide breadth in what you read and think and listen to, and how to discern the intent and puposes of the voices you hear every day.
The human story is so long and complex - it is about so much more than right here and right now. In an age where all of us are bombarded day and night by information on our phones and devices, we need to be so careful that what we are taking in is helpful and not harmful, truthful and not deceptive.
You have a lot of things to choose from as you decide what to read each day. I hope that we can spend some time together here, and that I can share a few things with you that I have learned along the way. At the very least, know that I am not the only one - there are many of us just ahead of you that are cheering you on and want to help you succeed in any way we can. It is your turn now to impact the world, and we believe that with God you can do great things!