A firm foundation

The firm foundation of our lives is God. To really be able to live our lives bearing this constantly in mind and guiding us, our faith needs a firm foundation as well.
I grew up in Christian surroundings, salvation army sunday school, kid’s group at church and then confirmation class and confirmation. I never really doubted during those years that God existed (although I couldn’t really fit Jesus in the whole thing). I really started to believe in Jesus and my relationship with him in 1993. And my faith has been growing since then.
But recently I started to question how firm the foundation of my faith was. The problem was not doubts in Jesus or anything like that, but doubts concerning what actually are the things the Christian belief consists of, protestant in this case. What forms faith “besides” believing in God and Jesus and what he did for us (to name a few things the questions do not concern)?
When I was in confirmation class we learned the creed and the catechism. But at that time I did not pay attention like I wish I had :). I love to recite the creed and unfortunately at the church I attend now that does not happen very often. So it’s not that I do not know “the basics”, but I wonder about their meaning. I want to grasp them, have a better understanding, gain a firmer foundation.I feel like this: I know part of the foundation and then I know lots of “other stuff”. I know we can only know in part, but it does leave me wondering. I read and thought and heard sermons about fruits of the spirit, gifts of the spirit, healing, purity, holiness, prophesy, intimate friendship with God, relationships, dating, money, ... Now it feels like a jumble in my head and I feel this needs sorting. These things are important too, but what I momentarily want is a firmer foundation. Clearer understanding. So I’ll start reading dogmatics. I’ll start with Karl Barth’s Dogmatics in Outline (Dogmatik in Grundzügen). (I might follow it up with Bonhoeffers Ethics, but we’ll see. Not too much at once :)). I’m exited to start!