Tag: Wicca

Post-Halloween Lack of Awareness: Spiritual Warfare

Once upon a time, I was a practicing Wiccan.  I acted like a rebellious teenager and turned my back on God.  I participated in pagan religious activities for seven years.  There was a time that I was in Wiccan leadership positions, I was an advocate for military chaplains, and I was even involved in Congressional Legislation regarding Wicca being acknowledged as a religion. 

After leaving Wicca and re-aligning myself with a Christian walk, I have been very deliberate about pagan influences in my life.  I’ve stopped associating with those who were in my life during my pagan days.  I am careful about what my family is exposed to.  I avoid sections of bookstores.  I try not to notice full moons or solstices.  I don’t want to slip back into a pagan walk, so I guard myself very carefully in this regard. 

Each year, in the weeks leading up to Halloween, I pray extra hard and pay closer attention to the occult/pagan/satanic/societal influences that are happening around me.  Over the last few years, I’ve noticed apologetic Christians shining light more on the testimonies of former witches and Satan worshippers.  The time of year lends itself to others…and me being more aware. 

But in the weeks after Halloween, I often found myself letting my guard down.  It’s as though I’m relieved to be passed Halloween and able to focus on the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth. 

So here I am. A week after Halloween. Relieved.  Guard down.  Then I was confronted with a scenario where my pagan past was thrown in my face while I was at work.  Something I influenced while practicing Wicca, coming back to a military item that is being considered for display in the museum where I am employed. 

I was relieved and yet, I should not have let my guard down.  We, as Christians, absolutely must be constantly aware of the spiritual warfare that is always going on around us.  Scripture tells us that the enemy is on the prowl….he is always looking to create chaos and destruction in our lives.   1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”    

In regard to spiritual warfare, is your guard up for you and your family?

Or are you like me and it’s up sometimes, but also falls down occasionally?

In the coming days, I will be concentrating on specifically praying about our post-Halloween awareness of pagan practices in America.  Will you join me?

~Emily

Best, Worst, & Weirdest

When my son was in pre-school, he struggled with telling us anything from his day when we asked him at the dinner table.  As a result, I started asking him what was his best, his worst, and his weirdest part of the day.  It started as an exercise to get him to pay attention and recall events throughout the hours he was at school.  To this day, I still ask him these three questions each afternoon when I pick him up at the Middle School.

Most days he has thoughtful insights, but other days he shrugs with an “I don’t have one.”  

One of his most memorable best days included winning the spelling bee in 4th grade.

One of his most memorable worst days included the PE teacher called him a liar in 3rd grade.

One of his most memorable weirdest days included the janitor turning out the lights while he was still using the restroom. 

A few weeks ago, he turned the questions towards me. I gave him answers applicable to my workday.  However, it got me thinking over the next couple of days about what my best, worst and weirdest memories are involving sharing the Gospel.

Hands down, the best memories are when those around me accept the gift of salvation and become my brother or sister in Christ.  My favorite of those memories is when my own child accepted Christ.

My worst memories involve when those around me have rejected the gift of salvation. Some have been subtle rejections, while others have been rude in their overt denial of Christ.  While it hurt my feelings, I can only imagine how it must have grieved the Holy Spirit.  

My strangest interactions have come from the pagan community, specifically those within wicca. After having come out of a wiccan circle, I struggled to counter the argument that some were calling themselves Christian witches.  I was ill-equipped to share the Gospel with those who had changed truth to fit their own lifestyle and that has made for some of the weirdest moments in sharing the Good News. 

Regardless of my experience with sharing the Gospel have been the best, the worst, or the weirdest…. they’ve all been done with a spirit of trying to share the gift of salvation.  Scripture tells us plainly that we are save through faith…and that we cannot do it ourselves. 

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)

What part of your day…or what part of your sharing about Jesus Christ…has been your best, your worst, and your weirdest?

~Emily

Passion For Us

Over the Easter weekend, my family watched the movie “The Passion of The Christ,” directed by Mel Gibson. It’s an incredible account that puts vision to what Christ did for us as we celebrate Easter under quarantine.

Right before it started, my child asked me if I remembered the 1st time I saw the movie.  I told him I saw it in the theater when it first was released.  I remember everyone around me crying.  In fact, I distinctly remember hearing sobbing.  There was soberness in the audience that is rarely if ever, felt in an American movie theater.

I wasn’t one of the masses who were crying.

Why?

At the time of the movie’s release in 2004, I was fully immersed in a pagan lifestyle by participating in Wicca as a High Priestess.  I was being stoic and detached from the visions of the movie.  More than that, I was being stoic and detached from the knowledge that spoke to my heart through the movie.

The kicker about why I wasn’t crying?  I was in shock. I was in shock that God would love me so much that He sent His Son to be tortured and killed for me.  And what was I doing with that gift?

I was throwing it back in His face by practicing false religion.

The passion God has for us is amazing.  It is always enough for each of us.  While we acknowledge that God’s gift is enough, we also need to be aware that the enemy is constantly trying to divert us from our walk with the Father.  In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour.”

In my life, it wasn’t enough that I was raised in a family knowing God. It wasn’t enough that I gave my life to Christ as a teenager.  It wasn’t enough that I knew scripture. I was still deceived and turned my back on God.

The good news is that our Father is a forgiving one.  A year after watching “The Passion of The Christ” in the theater, I denounced that false religion and returned to my walk with Christ.

Each time I’ve watched that movie since I’ve joined the masses who were crying.  I’ve cried for the utter destruction of a man who willingly died for me. I’ve cried for my own sins against God.  I’ve cried for those under the bondage of false religions. And I’ve cried for those who don’t know Christ as their personal savior.

On this Monday after Easter, this is my prayer:

Father God,

We are so thankful for your passion for each of us and that you were willing to provide the ultimate sacrifice of your Son on our behalf. I pray that those who have hardened hearts toward you will find their hearts softened.  That those with scales on their ears will be able to hear the truth of the Gospel.  That those who are worshiping idols and false gods will discover You, as the truth.  That those who are vulnerable will be barred from falling prey to deception. If someone doesn’t know You, please put someone in their path that will speak truth into their life. Father, I pray a hedge of protection over any and all who are drawing away from you…let them see your love in a way that is fresh and new.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sweet sisters of the Iron Porch, remember that the Father has a passion for you.

~Emily

1 Peter 5;8