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My Journey Part 7 of Many

3 October 2026

Yesterday, I spent time looking at Romans 5:8 and Philippians 3:8, completely blown away by the fact that Jesus died for me while I was still a sinner. Broken and all.  I realized that everything else in this world—especially my grades and the need to look perfect—is completely temporary compared to knowing Him.

But if I’m being completely honest with myself today, it is one thing to know that truth, and it’s another thing to actually live like it’s true.

It is so easy to slide right back into my old ways of thinking. The second a stressful assignment pops up, or the moment I remember a mistake I made in my past, that heavy weight of anxiety creeps right back in. I start trying to earn my way into God’s good graces again. I start acting like my worth is tied to my performance. 

However, we do not need to earn our way into God’s grace again. He showed that through Jesus’ death on the cross. 

It is finished. John 19:30

Nothing can change the fact that God loves us so, so, so much. We do not need to come to God perfectly, 

We can go to him however broken, fallen and sinful we are. 

God delights when we turn to him. 

He longs for us to pray and talk to Him.

This reminds me of the parable of the Prodigal Son. 

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’” Luke 15:21

Then later… 

“ ‘ My son’” the father said, ‘you are always with me and everything I have is yours’” Luke 15:31

In this passage, the son feels like he is not worthy of being the father’s child because of his past actions. However, his father forgives him and reminds him that he will always be his son. 

In our relationship with God, we fall short every day but God invites us to turn back to him. 

We are still children of God. He will never stop loving us.

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My Journey Part 6 of Many: 2 October 2026

Today, I want to take a step back and really think about who Jesus is. Throughout the Bible, He is referred to as the Good Shepherd, the Son of Man, the Son of God, descended from David, our Lord, and our friend. 

Additionally, Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. He emptied himself, humbled himself, was obedient to death, even death on a cross. I made this point in part 1 but I want to hammer it home. 

What greater love than this is there? 

The passage I want to discuss today is Romans 5. I want to really look at Romans 5:7-8. 

“Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” 

Romans 5:7-8

Because we are sinners, we deserve punishment. However, God sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus Christ died for us. This shows God’s immense love for us. 

I have fallen short and strayed from God’s path so much and so far. I have deep remorse for the actions I have done in the past and truly want to be a better daughter, friend, and child of God. 

Acknowledging God’s immense love for me gives me a deep sense of peace and hope. 

It makes me want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and share God’s love to those around me. 

There are countless ways to show God’s love. Holding the door for someone, listening to someone, picking something up that someone dropped are just a few examples of how we can show God’s love to those around us. 

Another passage that is really speaking to me today is Philippians 3:8. 

“More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” Philippians 3:8

Man, this is so good. Everything in this life will eventually fade away. Nothing is eternal except Jesus. 

This also gives me so much hope. It reminds me to not place so much value on my grades and other things of this world. It reminds me to place all my hope and trust in Jesus, the one who died for my sins.

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My Journey: Part 5 of Many 1 October 2026

       

Today, I want to do a word study on ‘life’. I was reading Luke 9:23-27 and was particularly drawn to verse 24. 

“ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24). 

I was drawn to this verse in particular and was even more intrigued by the word ‘life’. When we think of life, some things may come to mind, such as the trees, animals, humans,etc. Some may even take a philosophical approach and define it not merely by biological processes, but by the nature of existence, consciousness, and meaning. 

In this particular context though, life can be described as the ‘breath of life’, that in which there is life, or the soul. 

The breath of life is the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing. 

That in which there is life can mean a living being or living soul. 

I want to sit with the definition of soul more. 

The soul could first describe the set of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions we have. 

It could also be described this way:  The human soul insofar as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life. 

The last definition is the soul is an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death. 

All these definitions are really intriguing and I want to explore these more as I continue on this journey. 

So the question I want to leave you with today is what does it look like to lose your life for Christ? 

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 My Journey-Part 4 of Many

30 September 2026

Today’s entry may take a more devotional form. The question that I want an initial answer is: What does it mean to “take up your cross and follow me”? (Matthew 16:24). 

I was doing an independent study in 1 Thessalonians yesterday and I came across the word imitator. For context, the verse was: 

“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6 

Some historical background 🙂 

1 Thessalonians was a letter that Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, a city of Greece. In this letter, Paul compliments the people of Thessalonica on their faith and gives directions for how followers of Jesus should live-with faith,love, and hope. This reminds me of the fruits of the Spirit, which may become a later entry. Stay tuned!!! 

When I first read this verse, I did not initially know what imitator means. I looked it up on the Blue Letter Bible website and an imitator is a follower. Not only is an imitator a follower but also a person who copies the actions, behaviors or speech of another.  Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we should become shaped by His actions and behaviors. I also learned that imitator is often accompanied by the verb ginomai, which means “to be/become”. I also wanted to understand the Bible more as a whole and so I went to a website called open Bible info where they provide other verses that relate to the one you are currently studying. I’ll attach the link down below if you’re interested. 

So, what does this have to do with taking up my cross? If being an imitator of Christ means becoming more like Him, then taking up my cross cannot simply mean calling myself a Christian. It means allowing my life to be shaped by Jesus—even when following Him is difficult, uncomfortable, or requires sacrifice. 

Taking up our cross means that we should be willing to place ourselves in new and potentially uncomfortable situations for the sake of advancing God’s kingdom. This may seem easier said than done. I definitely feel this way. It can be hard to surrender everything and follow him. 

Some questions to think about for self-examination: 

  1. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your closest friends? 
  2. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family? 
  3. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your reputation? 
  4. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job? 
  5. Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life? 

In short: Are you willing to take up your cross? If faced with a choice-Jesus or the comforts of this life-which will you choose?

Taking up our cross means denying ourselves and being in the world and not of it. 

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My Journey-Part 3 of Many: 29 September 2026

           

Day 3!! Let’s get it!!! Today, I want to build off of parts 1 and 2. I mention how it is important to not let your setbacks and challenges define who you are and let it shape your identity. I think in today’s day and age, it is easy to find your identity in grades, on Instagram, a sport we do, or something else. In high school, I cared too much about my grades. If I got a low grade on an assignment or an exam, I would feel that deeply. I based my whole identity off of my grades and that led me to stay up late, working hard on assignments and feeling stressed if I did not do so well on something. 

However, as I am sitting here writing this, I am reminded that my identity is in Christ, nothing else. I encourage you all to think about what sphere of your life, other than faith (faith is important),  is taking up the most space. I challenge you to set a timer. I want you to work on that area until the timer goes off and then not worry about it the rest of the day. If you feel like you spend too much time on Instagram (me included), I want you to set a screen limit on the app. I feel like my relationship with God is not what it should be when I doomscroll and spend too much time on my phone in general. One of the thoughts I have been wrestling with over the past few weeks is how to give my first and last fruits to God. I have been working on not opening Instagram first thing when I wake up. Instead, I am trying to read my Bible immediately when I get up. I am currently spending around 5 minutes in my Bible. I want to make this a daily habit and begin to spend more time in His word before I get ready for my day. 

I want to share another verse with you today. 

“So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27

We are created in His image. He knows our heart, how we feel at any given moment. He wants us to acknowledge this. Even though He knows our heart, he still wants us to tell Him how we feel and are doing. He is not just our Lord, He is our heavenly Father. Think about the relationship between a parent and their child. The parent may know how their child feels but they may not fully know how he/she is feeling unless he/she tells them. This applies to our relationship with God too. He has an immense love for us and wants us to tell Him anything and everything. Even in the small moments, looking at a tree, in the car stopped at a light, walking to class, whatever it may be, we can take those small moments and thank God for them. He is the one who created the mountains, the sky, the wind, the land, the heaven, and the earth. 

What is an identity? When we think of an identity we may think that it is part of us that gives us purpose and meaning. As a society, we define identity as the “collective aspect of the set of characteristics  by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known”. Therefore, our identity in Christ should be recognizable both to ourselves and others. Finding our identity in Christ requires first acknowledging that we are created in God’s image. Being created in His image gives us a unique identity that cannot be found anywhere else. It means waking up and thanking God for everything that He has done in our lives and will continue to do. In my life, I want to get better about doing this. I have a habit of waking up and then immediately going to Instagram. I seek to be better. I want to recognize God’s presence when I wake up, and thank him for being with me through everything. His blessings are new every morning and I want to acknowledge that. Additionally, I have not recently felt fulfilled when I open Instagram first thing in the morning. Today, in contrast, I opened my Bible first. Opening my Bible first has set the tone for my entire day. I have felt incredibly productive and that is because I started my day off with God. I encourage you to acknowledge something that is hindering your productivity. Acknowledging is the first step toward change.

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My Journey Part 1 of Many: 27 September 2026

My name is Siobhan Green and I am currently a student at the University of Colorado Boulder.  Here is a bit of my story.  When I was really young, my parents were told by my doctors that I would not be able to talk. I faced a lot of challenges during my education, including a lot of speech therapy inside and outside of the school. Reading and writing also did not come easy to me and I received a lot of support from my teachers for many years. I went to a K-12 charter school in Golden, Colorado for ten years. During that time, I learned how to use my voice. In my upper school years, which was 7th-12th grade, I gave speeches about various aspects in the curriculum, culminating in the senior thesis. I wrote my thesis on Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. I argued that compassionate love can become a lifeline to the broken. Love is one of the most influential emotions and acts one can feel and show to another person. I connected this text to my own life. Below is an excerpt of my thesis: 

When I reflected on why I chose this topic for my thesis, I realized that I relate to Sydney Carton. Not because I am like him in every way but instead that I went through a period of imprisonment by my own mind. I was trapped by cycles of self-doubt. For several years, I returned to this cycle many times. It was not until this year that I finally had the strength to stop this cycle. I needed people around me who could lift me up,  relate to my struggles, and could believe in me when I did not believe in myself. Over the past several months, I have felt a fire rekindling within me and I feel better equipped to help others with similar challenges.  I encourage you to be like Lucie, a beacon of hope to those around her in the worst of times. We all go through difficult times where we may feel trapped by our own mind or circumstances, like Carton. We may also have wounds that need healing, like Dr. Manette. However, we have a choice. We can choose to change. We can recall others to life. We can remind them of their worth. Sometimes, we can even be recalled to life ourselves. 

I hope that someone can find inspiration in my story, that they know they are not defined by their limitations, setbacks, or challenges. I encourage others to find their community, whether that be spiritual, athletic, or something else. A community can help one stay accountable to their actions and be motivated to set smart goals. For me, I am finding a very meaningful community with other Christians. The people I have met have a fire for Jesus that I have not really seen anywhere else. It is really inspiring and is definitely helping me in my walk with God. 

I just want to leave you with a Bible verse that means a lot to me. 

“We love because he first loved us” 1 John 4:19

God loves us so much that He sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. What greater love than this can there be?  I hope that this week you can show someone love, whether that be holding the door open for someone, picking something up that someone dropped, or just listening to someone’s story. You never know what someone is going through so you should always be kind. 

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My Journey- Part 2 of Many 28 September 2026

Welcome back to my blog!! Here is part 2 of my story. I mentioned this in part 1 but I want to talk a bit more about what I went through in high school. I went through a time where I would question my worth and purpose. Let’s just say I had really low self-esteem. I was trapped in this mindset for a few years. I tried everything from journaling to talking with friends to seeking out support at school but nothing really helped me get out of that dark place. On August 1st, 2025, however, everything changed. I almost made an irrevocable decision but I am so grateful that God stopped me from making that choice. I finally got the help I needed and I have had no mental health struggles for a year now. Praise God!!! Community and therapy really helped me focus on and stay grounded in true statements. At first, I met with my therapist every week at the start of my senior year but as time passed I gradually met with her less and less. I mention this because we all have thoughts that are intrusive; ones that tell us lies, makes us seem worthless but we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. I encourage you to take negative thoughts captive. I want you to remind yourself that you are so loved by God. 

I am going to share two verses with you today: 

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” Psalm 139:14

David knows that he is wonderfully made and that gives him hope and reason to praise the Lord. We are created in the image of God and he made us intentionally. We all have different gifts and talents and God calls us to use them to advance His Kingdom. Today, I want you to spend some intentional time thinking about what gifts you have been given and how you can use them to help someone else. 

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” Romans 5:3-5

Our trials have purpose. Even if it does not seem like it in the moment, God always has a purpose behind our pain and suffering. He wants us to run to Him when we are doing well and when we are going through hard times. He wants a relationship with us. Our trials help strengthen our character. We become more resilient and hopeful. I still encourage you to run to the Father in all circumstances, whether you are on cloud nine or in the doldrums. There is always a reason to praise God.