(Photo by Selma Komisky)

Editor’s Note: March, 2022

By Sarah Komisky

Reflection has been big in our culture for the last couple of years now. We’ve recognized the need for a healthy mindset and seen the value journaling can bring to our every day to release our emotions via pen and paper. But, have we thought about applying it when it comes to our faith?

While lettering and Bible journaling have become an “it” go-to for expression, I suggest another avenue to enhance our spiritual growth. Reflection on purity.

Along this journey of life, you and I have had some experiences and relationships that have shaped us, for worse or for better. Most of them began at our church home and household home. And in that experience, we collected and adopted core beliefs. Many, we don’t even know have been adopted until we stopped and took a good look at them.

James 1:23 in the New Living Translation put it this way, “for if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.” Ouch. None of us want to be that person walking around with some stain on our shirt or lipstick on our teeth. But, I guess we can liken that to our spiritual life when we don’t take the time to look within. When we don’t take the time to pause and look at ourselves, we forget who we are and do not see what we are carrying inside us that is not good.

When it comes to purity, I’m pretty sure you have some core beliefs but maybe you never took time to explore them. To examine them and even question them. Now is the time.

We at Marked Ministry Magazine believe reflection is necessary to reconstruct healthy spiritual growth. All our team has taken a solid look back to the past and wrestled with some of our own core beliefs. We all asked ourselves, “what does the Bible say about this?” And then dug even deeper with the question, “Is this belief an extra-biblical belief that I adopted?” If so, we sought to find out where it come from and asked ourselves if it should be a part our journey today?

All our articles reflect this experience ranging from pieces of health and wellness, beauty, pop culture, and life issues. We’ve got a wide range and we hope you can relate to many of our experiences. Or at least walk away with something to challenge your own core beliefs.

In the process, we’ve brought our MM Writer March guest, Crystal Lewis along to talk reflection of her past CCM career, purity culture, her current music today, and more. You do not want to miss it!

We will also have a few other special surprises up our sleeve, but you will have to wait and see when it comes to that this month.

For now, I invite you to reflect. What core beliefs have enhanced your spiritual life and what has hindered it? All of this is between you and God. Let’s heal in knowing we can have the freedom to keep what is working to benefit our faith and have the courage to let go of adopted ideas or man-made extra-biblical ideas that have been hurting and pushing back our spiritual growth. And, to come to know what the Bible truly says on the subject.

There is value in looking back to move forward in creating a new definition of purity.

May you be blessed and find freedom and healing in your core beliefs.

Sarah