Growing Up Without Religion

Growing up as a kid in a household that didn’t go to church, the only training I received about Christianity were the Davey and Goliath Easter specials or when Linus would read the passage from Luke in the Charlie Brown Christmas special. Religion wasn’t a focus for us.

In Grade 3 we were given a copy of the Gideon’s New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I remember the little red book; it was like a rite of passage, because I got one like my sister did when she was in that grade. I’m pretty sure they stopped doing that not long afterwards, probably around the same time they also stopped saying the Lord’s Prayer in school.

So really, when I was growing up, the only comparison to God we had was Santa Claus. Don’t take that sacrilegiously or anything, we were kids, and that’s the closest we could think of. Here was someone who could see what you did all year, knew whether you were being good or bad even though you couldn’t see them, and if you were good rewarded you with something you wanted. I suppose that is a pretty simple comparison, easy enough for a child to understand. There would be talk on the playground of those who did and didn’t believe in Santa, and often those who did believe had to keep it quiet.

devotional, faith, encouragement, hopeJackie ScottMarch 24, 2025faith, Christmas Faith, faith journey, God's Love

Encouragement

Sometimes you just need that extra bit of encouragement. Okay, not necessarily a sword, but someone encouraging you that you've got the tools to take the next step and continue your journey, whatever that may be.

Excerpt 2 from 21 Days of Encouragement

Why wouldn’t everything be possible with God? He created the universe and everything in it. Everything from stardust to molecules, to the smallest specs of minuscule particulates to the largest planets and vast galaxies. Why would anything be impossible for him? So, why do we limit what he can do through us?

encouragement, devotional, book excerptsJackie ScottSeptember 23, 2024faith journey, daily devotionals, encouragement, spiritual encouragementComment

Excerpt 1 from 21 Days of Encouragement:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Fear and discouragement often go together. It is so much easier to be discouraged when we feel afraid. It is so much easier to be afraid when we are discouraged. It’s kind of like bacon and eggs, Laurel and Hardy, peanut butter and jam, or any other pairing here that makes sense to you.