Where is the Garden of Eden?
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I must admit that I am a super fan of the Grinch. I believe the Grinch is not only fun and fascinating, but it can also be a powerful message about the love of Christ. Just hang with me for a moment and let me explain.
For the Grinch, no one really understood why he hated Christmas. After all, who could possibly hate the beauty, magic, and wonder of Christmas? It turns out, the Grinch hated it. It was the throw in his side and he was always out to destroy the joy of such a celebratory season.
The more I think about the Grinch, and the story of the Grinch, I see the gorgeous truth of the love and redemption of Christ. The Grinch hated Christmas because he could not accept love He could not receive and experience love, As a result, he hated Christmas because the season was rooted in love.
It wasn’t until he experienced love, allowed love into his life, and then saw how love can transform a heart and life that his heart expanded even up to three times as large as it was and he started to experience the joy of love. He stopped hating Christmas because he started experiencing love.
We are the carriers of the love of Jesus. We are the voice of Jesus. We are the hands and feet of Christ to others and we should be the ones willing to bring the love of Christ to the Grinches in our life. Rather than pushing those away that may not always seem like the individuals for which we would choose to share our time, it is those individuals that we may be the carrier of the love which is designed to change their heart.
What if we could be the love a Grinch is needing this season? What if Jesus is expecting us and desiring for us to bring a season of forgiveness and compassion to one that needs to see it?
The Grinch had his heart expand abundantly and much more than he ever imagined simply because he experienced that which we all long to have in our life. He experienced love.
The beauty of the love of Christ is that He brings redemption to anyone and everyone that wants to have a different life. He offers forgiveness, peace, mercy, and compassion to all those that seek Him. He offers eternal life for all those that have seen this life has nothing to offer them that satisfies .
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
