Hello, my name is Tawny and I have been at River Valley for 2 years and on staff as one of the pastoral counselors since January. As I have been meeting with people and talking to them about their relationships with God, I have started to ask them to write a description of how they see God. It has been very eye opening for me. I already knew that when I used to picture God as a frowning old man, doling out love tests to everyone, I did not have a good relationship with Him. But to realize how many beautiful Christians also picture Him as unappealing and not very approachable, is grieving me deeply. Not because anyone is doing anything wrong but because the enemy is keeping God's precious people from enjoying His presence and that is one of the greatest things we can experience in this life.

Picture walking out into the sunshine on a summer morning with a cup of coffee in your hand. There is a man sitting on your porch. He smiles at you and asks if he can join you. You do not feel afraid or invaded, you feel delighted and intrigued. You realize it is the Lord. He is the most beautiful soul you have ever seen and you can't wait to have a conversation with him and get to know him better.

That is how we should feel about our interactions with God. If we picture someone who would never visit us, or smile at us, or delight and thrill us with who He is, we have been deceived.

So please, take a quiet moment in the near future to sit quietly and ask yourself how you picture God. What does He look like, what is His countenance toward you? How do you feel when you think about being alone with Him? If you do not picture Him as the most beautiful, wonderful, amazing, delightful, joyful, happy, strong, powerful, wise and good person you know, you are missing out!

I am praying for God's glory to fall upon us at River Valley, more and more, as we seek to know the One True God better and better.

-Tawny Moore