Hello To All You Bloomie Friends Out There,
First off, I have to let you know how excited I am that Jess and Angie have invited me to be part of your community. This is a gift.
I chose to write about the virtues found in Colossians 3 because putting on things like patience, joy, gentleness, love, peace, kindness and compassion is essential for Christ-like living while simultaneously can be quite challenging. The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of putting on the virtues like you put on your clothes, but for much of my life I felt more like I was wrestling them on.
Like when you’re in the fitting room and your arms are above your head and you start what appears to be a frenetic shimmy into an outfit that should have had an extra button, zipper, or should simply be a large. I don’t think this is what Paul had in mind.
Though I grew up in a Christian home and had accumulated a lot of knowledge about these Christ-like characteristics, I realized my approach to them was backwards. That I had tried to pick the virtues-lock without the primary key Paul reveals to us in Colossians: That we are chosen, made holy and dearly loved.
Without understanding these truths in the deepest places of our hearts the virtues can quickly become a maddening endeavor of dress-up. I also discovered that I had been trying to put on things like peace without taking off worry; Patience without removing selfishness; Forgiveness while trying to hold onto anger. It’s impossible to wear several competing outfits at once, but how I tried…
If there was anything I endeavored to do in The Fitting Room it was to write honestly about each one of the aforementioned virtues – tossing out my own failures and victories – while digging into the deep truths of Scripture to discover how we actually live these graces out, not just what they’re supposed to look like.
This is not a book about what you need to do more of or try harder at. Instead, it is meant to be a freeing exploration into how we can wear the virtues in a way that doesn’t stem from legalism or behavior management, but from the indwelling Christ. My greatest hope is that you will turn the last page believing how chosen, set apart and dearly loved you are by Jesus.
And that in this believing you’ll discover a new set of virtues you don’t have to fight, but simply get to wear.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your summer…I am so grateful.
Love,
Leave a Comment
Phronsie says
Thank you for being part of my (hectic) summer! I’ve already started reading the book and I’m really liking it. I’m one of those readers who underlines and/or notes in journals while I read and I’ve already started doing so. I’m really excited to be a part of this summer reading. 🙂
Lisa Marie says
I just got through a busy month of prom and graduation (yesterday) for my youngest son. I am so looking forward to getting started on the next book club selection, an awesome way to shift gears now. Loving what I have read so far!
lea says
how sillly that we often try to not only wear
too many hats but also too many clothes!
we only need to put on the ones He has
told us to and with the help of His Spirit!
Sara says
Your words are so true. Thank you for sharing xx
Dawn Camp says
I’ve actually gotten a head start—The Fitting Room is in my book bag and I’m a little way into it already. Thanks for joining us at Bloom!
Wendy Gunn @ Faith's Firm Foundation says
Your words are so true. We do try to put on peace without taking off worry, put on forgiveness while holding onto anger. And with all that extra and cumbersome “clothing” on, we’re not able to “walk” well and often get “tripped up.”
I look forward to this book and study, Kelly.
Blessings,
Wendy
bev smith says
I’ve started reading your book already. I have only read one chapter so far but i like to read slowly and go back and forth. Looking forward to the book group discussions. I too was born into a christian home but i believe there comes a point when you have to decide what you are going to wear and what you are not, who you are and who you are not!
Rachel Tatem says
Thank you for sharing… so often I forget
anne Thorpe says
this was food for thought
Erin @ Wild Whispers says
I am so excited to read and think on all this. I so often try to put on the characters… but had never considered that I had to take the old ones of first… This is going to be life changing, I think! Thank you for joining us Kelly!
Tora says
To Angie and Jess!
I ordered the book on May 22nd, and it has shipped. But Amazon’s estimated delivery is July 15th 🙁 Hopefully it’ll arrive sooner, but my one request is that with the next book, could there please be a little bit more time between the announcement and the actual book study?? I don’t know if DaySpring would’ve been quicker, but their international shipping was SUPER expensive, I just can’t spend that much on shipping.
I still look very much forward to reading the book, and watching the videos even if I have to do that after the study is finished 🙂 This is my first time participating in Bloom, and I’m super excited 🙂 🙂
Patricia/nyc says
Thank you so much for doing this book study with all of us!! I am so looking forward to it! I’ve already read Chapters 1 & 2 (twice!) and am lovin’ it!
So nice to “e-meet” you! 😉
Kristen Tonne says
When does discussion start? I have so much to discuss about Chapter 1.
My motivation: “chosen, holy, and dearly loved” | Beautiful In His Time says
[…] says it this way in a blog post about her book (I would quote directly from the book, but it got passed on when we moved to save on […]