Growing up in the Christian culture of the 80’s and 90’s, I thought I understood faith and the God that I loved. As a teen, I thought I had all of the answers and knew the way to live a life that served God. Being in the south, I thought that being a Christian was part of life- that there was no other way of life.

After graduating college and marrying my northern love of my life, I made the trek north to start a life that I was sure must be the same as the one I had lived up until that point. Little did I know that this move would challenge my faith and understanding of God in more ways than I could ever imagine.

I spent the next fifteen years trying to wrap my mind around a very different Christian culture, a very different understanding of God and a very different way of living out my faith. Coming from a southern community where “church” was a natural part of life for most everyone, I found it difficult to understand that this was not the case in my new home. I learned quickly that church was not a part of the majority. This challenged my understanding of what church should be for believers and forced me to analyze what I really believed about God and the role He would play in my life.

A challenge in the life of every Christian is the development of a faith that includes every part of who we are- our job, our family, our hobbies our finances. I faced this head-on during my early years in our current home and after much struggle, came to the conclusion that the faith I lived growing up was somewhat shallow compared to what I was being faced with here. God is not a God of convenience. God is not a God that lives on the peripheral of my life. God is not a God that I serve to feel good about myself or to fit in with the culture around me. God is a God that demands all of me, every aspect of my life, and a place in every decision that I make.

Many would call this intertwining a growing of a Biblical Worldview. While I felt God was a major part of my life growing, I still had not trusted Him with every aspect and truly made every part of my life His. What a peace when those two things finally found each other.

Building a Biblical worldview requires that God and His word become the guiding force behind every aspect of who I am. This sometimes means, I walk away from opportunities that might seem right, I trust God through a challenge that seems to not make sense, or stepping into a new phase of life that culturally goes against what others see as the good choice. Making decisions through the lens of God and His word is not always easy but it is always right. God has proven that to me time and again….and again…and again.

One of the greatest parts about teaching science in a Christian school is the fact that my faith can truly be a part of everything that I teach if I choose to put it there. Being challenged often by my administration to make Biblical integration and the idea of a Biblical worldview forefront in my classroom, I find myself often learning as I teach and being reminded of the place God should hold in my day to day life.

In my life science class, we are currently working through some strong faith arguments found in Lee Strobel’s book Case for a Creator-Student Edition.I love the driving force behind this book in the life story of Mr. Strobel and his arrival at faith and a trust in a God that created all.

If we never question who God is, we never truly find who God is.

Even growing up with a faith in God, I never really understood God fully. I would venture to say that there is still much more that I have to learn about God and His nature, and because of that I must never stop asking, never stop learning, and never stop extending my faith. This happens when I trust Him with every part of it.

I would encourage you today. If your faith looks identical to what it looked like ten years ago, ask God to challenge you. If your understanding of God has not changed over the past five years, dive deeper into your search for who He is and what He has for your life. If your life does not show a faith that has deepened over time, trust God with every part of it. Let Him grow you. Let Him stretch you. Let Him lead you.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. ” – 1 Peter 2:2-3

Interested in using Case for a Creator in your classroom or with your homeschooling group? Check out these question sheets to assist in your discussions.