My life has been changed forever!

Charis Shatters the Grip of Legalism 

By AWM Staff | September 24, 2012

 

2008 Charis Bible College-Atlanta graduate, Carolyn Schrock with Andrew. (Click to enlarge)As a young girl, confusion clouded Carolyn Schrock’s mind and heart. She grew up hearing about God, and she knew He was real. She was also taught that He was the Creator of the world and that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for her sins. Carolyn believed that heaven and hell were real, and she wanted to make sure she ended up in heaven one day.

But though she knew all of these truths about God and the Bible, she was being taught many false doctrines at the same time. One such doctrine was that in order to make it to heaven, she must follow certain church rules and regulations, including a specific dress code that had to be adhered to.
So, which is it? 
 Carolyn wondered. Was Jesus’ death enough for me to get into heaven, or do I have to obey all the church rules and do good works as well? 

Carolyn being prayed for at the 2011 Gospel Truth Seminar in Atlanta, GA. Carolyn’s genuine hunger to follow God and make it into heaven set her on a quest for truth. She had a difficult time accepting her church’s teaching that its members were the only ones who had discovered God’s “special ways” of doing things. She wondered how it could be that they were the only group who had any hope of making it to heaven, while the rest of the world went to hell because they didn’t know the “truth.”

The more she pondered the teachings of her church, the more she began to long for a different kind of relationship with God. She used her youthful imagination to help her escape from the rigid doctrine of her church. She wondered what it might be like not to have to obey all the dos and don’ts that constantly hung over her head, and how freeing it would be not to always wear the mandatory women’s head covering and to be free to purchase clothing instead of having to make her own dresses.

Even more importantly, she wondered what it might be like to be able to actually think for herself, making her own choices not just about clothing but about all aspects of life. So far, her parents and her church had made all her decisions for her.

She had asked her parents many times if God was really the one who gave them all the rules they had to keep. This thinking didn’t reconcile with the God of love she saw within the pages of her Bible. She wanted to know why Jesus wasn’t enough and if God really required her to follow all the “extra” rules to make Him happy. Her parents’ only response was, “The preachers know what’s best for us, dear.” But even though they gave her that answer verbally, she could sense an unrest in her parents and saw a wrenching look in their eyes. She later understood that look when she found out that they, too, were searching and crying out to God for answers and help.

Not having anyone to turn to for answers added to Carolyn’s confusion. She felt stuck in the middle of wanting to obey God but not wanting to obey all of the church’s rules. In her heart, she knew Carolyn serving at CBC-Atlanta.

 Carolyn knew that something wasn’t right. But even thinking about fleeing from the “system” indicated that she was rebellious. She continued to conform because she was afraid to disobey the rules. So, instead of getting answers, Carolyn learned to quickly dismiss such questioning and repent for her disobedient thoughts.

But the Holy Spirit wasn’t about to leave Carolyn alone. While, in her mind, she was pursuing God for answers, the Holy Spirit was pursuing her to show her the truth. The confusion and nagging questions just wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard she tried to squelch them for fear of being in disobedience.

Then one day, at age twelve, Carolyn heard a clear message of the true, uncompromising good news of Jesus: She could be saved simply by believing in Jesus Christ, period. No extra rules.
No additional work on her behalf. She could go to heaven because of Jesus alone.

Carolyn had found a new freedom in God. He gave her a brand-new identity in Jesus, and her relationship with the Lord had begun. Many questions about how to actually live out her Christian life remained throughout her walk with God. She often struggled because she didn’t have a clear understanding of God’s true nature and character.

Even though she had found freedom in the saving power of God’s grace, she often fell back into her old patterns of trying to please Him and get her prayers answered based on her performance.
She wasn’t able to fully walk in God’s grace and live her life knowing that God accepted her despite the things she did or didn’t do.

In the midst of her struggle, she learned of Charis Bible College (CBC) in Atlanta. As soon as she heard about it, she knew in her heart that she had to go. “I am so grateful for Charis,” says   Carolyn.“Coming here has been a blessing beyond words. It has given me an understanding of the nature of God, the love of God, and the grace of God like never before.”

Charis, which means “grace,” was revealed to Carolyn in a life-changing way through CBC-Atlanta. Her heart and thinking became saturated with God’s grace as the truths she learned at the school taught her how to practically walk in God’s love and freedom on a daily basis something she had never known before.

Many of Carolyn’s questions about her relationship with God have been answered through the teachings and relationships she has developed at Charis. Through her time there, she has finally learned how to rest in the finished work of Jesus and step off the performance treadmill.
“Living in legalism and living in the freedom of a personal relationship with God that focuses on the heart are opposing ways of believing,” explains Carolyn. “Legalism doesn’t allow you to live out of your heart. But hearing truth being taught from the Word has set me free to live out of my heart.

“Thank you to everyone at CBC-Atlanta for helping to set me free.
 My life has been changed forever!”

Get Perfect Sleep?

 Perfect Sleep

How you feel during your waking hours hinges on how well you sleep at night.
 Similarly, the cure for sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine.
Your sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and day–to–day lifestyle choices can make
an enormous difference to the quality of your nightly rest. The following sleep tips
 will help you optimize your nightly rest so you can be productive, mentally sharp,
 emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long.

The secret to getting good sleep every night

Good sleep strategies are essential to deep, restorative sleep you can count on, night after night.
 By learning to avoid common enemies of sleep and trying out a variety of healthy
 sleep-promoting techniques, you can discover your personal prescription to a good night’s rest.
The key is to experiment. What works for some might not work as well for others.
It’s important to find the sleep strategies that work best for you.
The first step to improving the quality of your rest is finding out how much sleep you need.
How much sleep is enough? While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person,
 most healthy adults need at least 8 hours of sleep each night to function at their best.

How to sleep better tip 1: Keep a regular sleep schedule

Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep–wake cycle—your circadian rhythm—
is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular sleep
 schedule, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, you will feel much more
refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times.
This holds true even if you alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or two.
Consistency is important.

How to sleep better tip 2: Naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
 Melatonin production is controlled by light exposure. Your brain should secrete more
 in the evening, when it’s dark, to make you sleepy, and less during the day when it’s
 light and you want to stay awake and alert. However, many aspects of modern life can
disrupt your body’s natural production of melatonin and with it your sleep-wake cycle.
Spending long days in an office away from natural light, for example, can impact your
daytime wakefulness and make your brain sleepy. Then bright lights at night—
especially from hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen—
can suppress your body’s production of melatonin and make it harder to sleep.
However, there are ways for you to naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle,
 boost your body’s production of melatonin, and keep your brain on a healthy schedule.

How to sleep better tip 3: Create a relaxing bedtime routine

If you make a consistent effort to relax and unwind before bed, you will sleep easier
 and more deeply. A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that
 it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses.

How to sleep better tip 4: Eat right and get regular exercise

Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep.
 It’s particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading
 up to your bedtime.

How to sleep better tip 5: Get anxiety and stress in check

Do you find yourself unable to sleep or waking up night after night? Residual stress,
worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. When you wake up
or can’t get to sleep, take note of what seems to be the recurring theme.
That will help you figure out what you need to do to get your stress and anger under control
 during the day:
If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, especially about things outside your control,
you need to learn how to manage your thoughts.
For example, you can learn to evaluate your worries to see if they’re truly realistic and
 learn to replace irrational fears with more productive thoughts. Even counting sheep is
more productive than worrying at bedtime.
If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake,
you need help with stress management.
By learning how to manage your time effectively, handle stress in a productive way,
 and maintain a calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to sleep better at night.

How to sleep better tip 6: Ways to get back to sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night. In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember it.
 But if you’re waking up during the night and having trouble falling back asleep,
 the following tips may help.

• Stay out of your head.
• Make relaxation your goal, not sleep.
• Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity.
• Postpone worrying and brainstorming.

How to sleep better tip 7: Know when to see a sleep doctor

If you’ve tried the tips above, but are still struggling with sleep problems,
 you may have a sleep disorder that requires professional treatment.
 Consider scheduling a visit with a sleep doctor if, despite your best efforts at self–help,
 you are still troubled by any of the following symptoms:

• Persistent daytime sleepiness or fatigue
• Loud snoring accompanied by pauses in breathing
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Un-refreshing sleep
• Frequent morning headaches
• Crawling sensations in your legs or arms at night
• Inability to move while falling asleep or waking up
• Physically acting out dreams during sleep
• Falling asleep at inappropriate times

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