Many of you have read about how I came to Christ. If not, follow this link.
There’s much, much more to the story, of course. But I had only 1,800 words to work with. 
Each believer has come to Christ in his own way. No two roads are alike. Whether 50 years or 50 days ago, we can see, retrospectively, how Christ saved us and under what circumstances we went looking for him or tried to run from him. For some people, becoming “saved” was a dramatic, emotional event. For others, it was methodically studying the evidence for Christ’s claims — including his resurrection — and weighing arguments for and against, which convinced them that he indeed was who he said he was. Believing the claims and recognizing their need for a Savior, they took the leap of faith.
For me, it was a gradual process, a deepening need to confess and to see myself for what I really was. It was painful and joyous at the same time.
Testimonies fascinate me, and today I’d like to read yours.
Christ followers, what is your when-and-how-I-became-saved story?
This blog is undergoing a transformation. I love blogging and writing, but I’ve grown increasingly dissatisfied with this blog’s format. I’m running into the same issues I dealt with about a year ago: disenchantment with politics, finding time to do more off-blog and faith-focused writing while keeping up with client work.
My blogging has slacked off the past few months because I feel directionless. My intent in starting this blog was to share my views, and that goal has been accomplished. Plenty of people know exactly how I feel about race preferences, race hustlers, illegal aliens, child killing-supporters, and people who call “good” that which is perverse.
My focus in life is gradually shifting away from maintaining a daily political blog and everything that goes with being a “top” blogger: recognition from other political bloggers, invitations to political events, blog conferences, lots of links, high traffic, etc. It’s startling to think my desire for those things is receding when I’ve spent the past three years pursuing them. Who in her right mind, one may ask, would give that up?
Maybe turning 40 (in May) has something to do with it. Certain birthdays seem to signal big changes for me. As I approached 30, I was determined to stop drinking before my birthday. When I turned 35, I knew I had to get serious about writing. Now that 40 is approaching, it’s time for another change.
I doubt I’ll ever give up blogging, but perhaps it’s time to give up La Shawn Barber’s Corner as it currently exists. I’ve been thinking of closing shop and reopening under a new banner, so to speak, a blog that is less focused on politics and more on faith, writing, and things that make me happy instead of what makes me angry (although this blog would remain accessible as archives). While I could just as easily do that on this blog, LBC has too much baggage attached to it. Starting a whole new blog would feel like a proper “new beginning.”
I believe God gave me this burning desire to communicate through the written word because that’s how he wants me to boldly proclaim his word and reach the lost. As long as I’m able, I’ll blog. But I feel that it’s time to “mature” into something different, something better and more purposeful. I’m reminded of this passage in Revelation 2:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
In the course of my blogging pursuits, I’ve slacked off in a lot of areas of my life. I’m blessed beyond anything I deserve, yet I’ve put my prayer life, Bible study, and the very pursuit of God on a shelf, where they sit collecting dust.
Before I make any rash decisions, I need to contemplate these things in prayer.
Addendum: In case anyone misunderstands the post title, I’ll clarify. The “first love” I refer to is Christ and my relationship with him, not this blog.
*** Scroll down for updates ***
Isn’t this…unconstitutional?
I mean, separating prisoners by race? Doesn’t that violate a clause about treating people equally without regard to race, or some such?
In cotton-comes-to-Harlem fashion, the California-style black-hispanic race war isn’t confined to California. It’s occurring wherever there are significant enough numbers of blacks and hispanics fighting over scraps, which, incidentally, neither group even owns.
The Washington Post found out about an internal memo at the Prince George’s County Detention Center calling for segregation of blacks and hispanics during recreation. (Play nicely, boys!) There’s also an “unofficial” policy of assigning prisoners to cells based on race.
Referring to the practice as “jailhouse law,” a supervisor at the prison said, “It’s nothing written, but you try to keep the calm.” (The article states that blacks and hispanics in the PG prison “found themselves in conflict over relatively minor issues.” That’s PC euphemism for “fighting over stupid sh**.” )
If you recall, the government once mandated separation of black and white prisoners. That, as well as separating black and white children in government schools, was declared unconstitutional. Should prison safety override the Constitution and ignore decades of blood, sweat, and tears spilled to dismantle government-mandated racial segregation? If black and hispanic prisoners are at each others throats and segregating them during recreation time eases some of the tension, what’s the harm?
Update (3/28): A commenter drops a link about a Roman Catholic enclave in development.
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Have you ever wanted to retreat from the world? Just go someplace where there are no stupid or mean people, where everyone is selfless and thoughtful?
I daydream about living in a gated community town of nice, thoughtful, kind, and smart Bible-believing Christians. We have our own grocery and office supply stores. Christians run and work in the utility companies and gas stations and the DMV. School administrators and teachers are all Christians. The movie theaters, owned and operated by Christians, show Christian-friendly movies. The few people in town who own televisions watch Christian-friendly shows and documentaries that don’t distort the history of Christianity or feature so-called Christian scholars hostile to Christian doctrine and the Bible.
And no unbeliever would be able to enter through the gate.
You see what I’m getting at? I know Christians have their faults. We’re still sinners, after all. But I think about how much better life would be if everyone I met, everyone I heard, everyone I worked with, every writer I read…was a Christian.
When I shared this gated-community-of-Christians fantasy with my sister, she said something like, “You’re not talking about a gated community, Shawn. You’re talking about heaven.”
Indeed! That’s what I want…
Addendum: Loyal readers! I’m not “back” two hours, and people already are intentionally misreading a post. Gee whiz. I know such a place doesn’t exist on earth, and it’s not meant to exist on earth. The Bible teaches that my place as a believer is in the world, allowing God to work through me to reach the lost. I’m simply sharing a fantasy, for crying out loud. I have this longing for heaven, and every cell in my body cries out, “Come, Lord Jesus!” And he said he would.
Then again, I suppose I invite contrary-just-for-the-sake-of-being-contrary comments whenever I open a post, so there you go. I guess that means…I’m back! 
Read about Laura Brown…
…and donate if you can.
I’m taking a brief LBC (and politics) break, but I’ll return soon. You might find me over here next week.
While I’m away, visit these and other sites on the blogroll:
- Pyromaniacs
- Alpha and Omega Ministries (esp. James White’s posts and webcasts on the so-called Jesus tomb. Also see this developing article.)
- Solo Femininity
- Randy Thomas
- Discriminations
- The Thomas Chronicles
- Independent Conservative
- Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
- Intelligent Design The Future
- Evolution News & Views
- Uncommon Descent
So much for a black-brown coalition.
A black principal at some majority-hispanic school in Chicago was voted out by a majority-hispanic school board in favor of an hispanic principal. A supporter of the black principal was heard shouting “Speak English!” to a woman speaking Spanish, and there was chair-kicking going on. Some allege the whole thing is racial. No! Really?
This is what happens under a system of racial spoils. Blacks have been propped up as THE preferred minority group for decades, ostensibly because of slavery and government-mandated segregation.
Today’s racial spoils system is based not on slavery and Jim Crow, but on whichever group, black or hispanics, has the “power” at any given time to push its agenda. You’ll notice that Asians and other racial/ethnic minorities aren’t wasting their time fighting over scraps. Or “turf.” Why? (Also see Black and Hispanic “Hate” in LA County)
Filed under: Lunacy, Race Preferences
I’ve heard of these people.
Never heard of these people.
According to Wikipedia (I’m citing Wikipedia), these six men are the “official” Republican presidential candidates for 2008.
Since no infanticide-supporting, “pro-choice,” open borders-advocating, pro-homosexual “marriage” person will get my vote, that excludes all Democratic frontrunners.
This fool impregnated six women. That’s six babies who’ll have no residential father and a slothful criminal for a biological father. And taxpayers will support them. Sad, yes, and it happens every day.
