I  have probably never mentioned to anyone why i left something that was a very big part of my life. To most people, i merely outgrew it, or i found greener pastures. Which are partially true, i have to admit. But the biggest reason is, as i read my bible and learnt of what God requires of His people's lives, it just didn't fit in. I had to leave. People think i'm crazy, i'm so silly for doing these kinda things... especially now that i'm *ooooh* married. But I thank God every day for my new found priorities, as i grow more and more in Christ, walking in his footsteps. The gospel of Mark is one of the books that showed me God's salvation plan in His Son's walk to the cross. It persuades me that whoever does not follow the way of the cross is doomed to the rich young ruler's fate. He walked away from salvation, because he hung on to his own securities, everything he had, the very things that would take him away from salvation. He thought he could save himself, on his own, by doing his own thing. Doing your own thing, ain't getting you to heaven, peeps.

So unless you be doing God's thing, which is always ALWAYS a Cross-shaped life, you ain't doin nuthin, however great or glorious you think your stuff is.

To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."

For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
~excerpts from the Gospel of Mark (ESV)

Coming?