Yikes, I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into bringing up this topic, but it's something I've been thinking about recently and I think I just have to write it out.
*This is an article about my own experiences. I am in no way trying to disrespect anyone or anyone's beliefs, I simply would like to give you my perspective, and how religion has helped grow my relationship in my unique situation. Thanks xo:)
Religion. A scary word to some, and a comforting one to others. I myself have not gone to church my whole life. Growing up, I knew I was a Christian only because most of the people around me said they were Christian. Then when I hit about 14 years old, I really started to explore my curiosity in religion and Christianity. After a few months of following my friends to services and small group meetings with my peers, I learned that church may not be the best place to explore my faith, and my belief in what they were talking about. I kind of gave up on religion, saying that I believed in God, but I didn't go to church. I think I rejected the idea of going to church simply because I didn't understand anything being said or done there. It made me feel uncomfortable, and I wasn't used to it.
It wasn't until I met Zach years later that I started to think about religion again and what it meant to me. I had a bible, I read a lot of it, but I could only take the things written in it at face value; the words just written on the page. When I started dating Zach he made me re-evaluate what I believed love was. He opened my eyes to what a relationship should be, and how it should work. I can say he did the same thing for me in the area of religion. Zach has had a similar experience with religion as I have, but unlike me he is very open about his beliefs and how he feels about God and everything surrounding.
I think one of the main reasons mine and Zach's relationship is so strong is because when we first started dating and doing long distance, we took advantage of our one on one time and had a lot of deep heart to heart talks about anything and everything. One of those talks was about our faith. I felt comfortable enough to open up about my experience in the past. I remember him telling me to read my bible again, and try to think about him, our relationship, and what is happening in life when I do; it will help to try and "translate" the text in a sense, so it is more relatable to me and my life. And that is simply where I started, and when I started to read and discover the advice that the bible can give me, Zach and I began to share our favorite verses with each other and talk about what they mean to us. That helped me so me with my uncomfortableness surrounding the subject.
One thing leads to another, Zach and I have prayed together, read out bibles side by side, and even talked about finding a church to attend on Sundays. One thing led to another, and I've found some peace within myself knowing I have faith and God in my life, and that it can bond me closer with the love of my life. Now, I can open up my bible feeling any kind of emotion and find a verse that makes me feel at ease. It really is a beautiful thing.
If religion or even just beliefs are a touchy subject in your relationship and you want that aspect in your life, my best advice is to be open about it, a lot of times people who don't know a lot about religion are just confused about it, or not sure how to talk about it. When you haven't grown up in a church it can be an uncomfortable subject, but your job is to give never-ending love and understanding in your relationship. Being open and understanding of your sig. other is always the best route to take. Take it slow, and accept your person for who they are.
Thank you so much for reading, xo
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