The gift

I have been given a gift. It has the power to transform every single moment of my life for the better. This gift holds all the answers to every problem I'll ever have, and I have direct access to it  24/7. Even more, because of this gift I have assurance of a perfect eternity.  My gift is Jesus.  I have received Him and chosen to follow Him, trust Him, and let Him lead me.  I have chosen to live in reality... the reality that God the Father, creator of all things, is Holy and I am fallen, and Christ's death on the cross is the Way the loving Father provided for me to be made righteous.  I can't come to the Father on my own, I can only come through the righteousness that was bought for me on the cross of Christ.  

The reason I'm writing this is that this gift isn't just for me.  I want to share this gift with anyone I encounter, and especially those who I love. My great big loving God is so real, so present, so active in my life and He has changed everything for me.  The god of our culture is small, judgemental, and has been treated like a sad Sunday hobby.  That's not my God. 

If you want to know more, I would love to grab coffee or a phone conversation.  This is what I'm passionate about.  I'd be so privileged to introduce my God to you.  

Rest. Breathe. Abundant life.

Matthew 11:28-30 says
   28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”


I love that He says "learn from Me". He is our teacher in this life....He shows us how to rest and how to lighten our load. He has gone before us and prepared in advance good works for us to do. (ephesians 2:10) Thank you Lord for teaching me, I definitely haven't been able to teach myself! Thank you for the freedom that comes from saying Yes to the things You have for us, to say No to the other things, and for our counselor, the Holy Spirit that works within us to show us the way.

Acceptance

Acceptance... acceptance... I'm not good at it, it's not natural for me. I assume there's better, there's more I could be doing, there's something I'm missing. But my Father says "Be still and know that I am God"(Ps 46:10) and "if you ask for bread, would I give you a stone?" (Matt 7:9) He is good, He is aware of my circumstances, and when I'm seeking Him, He will lead me. I strive, I scurry, I google, I try try try to change where I am, but He has me here. The truth is He could miraculously heal me.... zap me with change.... but that's not usually His way....He calls me to a process of struggle, a walk of obedience, a deeper trust in Him. Zapping, snatching, quick fixes.... they are too easy, they don't produce the perseverence, character and hope that He wants for me. (Romans 5:3-4)
Where am I today? I am lots of places that aren't necessarily pleasant.... most easy to share is my struggle with chronic headaches. I've asked Him for healing, I've pursued many forms of treatment...all of them costly in both monetarily and emotionally. But I still have them. He is permitting them. If He wanted to heal me now, He would provide the way. I hope for a treatment or method to provide relief one day very soon... but I am accepting that His good for me right now is even better... instead of healing my pain today, He has it FOR me-- to learn from, to accept, to grow deeper in trust and knowledge of Him... to learn to let Him be my shepherd. I shall not want. I will accept this from His kind and good hand. For He is good in all things.