Grace Wins Everytime....

The sermon the other day at church was about love. A fitting topic for this time of the year, but one I often didn't fully understand, or a least didn't realize I didn't understand. As the scripture states,  without love and describes all the things we can do, but without love we are nothing. 1 Corinthians 13.

When I give, help, or give my body to be burned as the scriptures say, without love, I gain nothing. How can I do these things without love was always my question for which I justified myself and thought well I'm good there, no worries.

What struck me plainer than day, just recently is the definition of what love is. Love is patient, kind, not self-seeking, boastful or proud. Keeps no record of wrongs, protects, hopes, perseveres.

Maybe like me you are saying yeah, I know that, but what are you getting at. Well for me it was looking inward and making sure my heart was pure of judgement, was not being prideful and persevering when injustice lands in my lap.

You see my strength of being stubborn and hard headed has seen me through some really tough situations, but when looking inward I recognize it is also my weakness. Am I persevering? Am I being prideful? Am I being self-seeking? It says love always hopes, always perseveres, always trusts, and keeps no record of wrongs.

Hmmm.....but for the grace of God, where would we be? Grace- unmerited love, and favor. Grace wins every time! Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HHPcRibA_A

God Is On The Move!

If you are like me, you look at bad things and question why? Not far behind that though I have learned through experience that God's hand is in it, using whatever it is for his good and those who love him, despite how it looks to me.

Our ways are not his ways. When we trust him as our Savior and Guide, his promises are real and greater than we can imagine! What looks like tragedy is only from our view, which is limited in scope.



We are finite, but understanding that God is infinite and omnipresent allows us to trust him, even when things around us do not make sense.

When you are tempted to stress and feel anxious about anything, remember this song and look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith! In time, whether in this life or the next, you will see "All things work to good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose". Romans 8:28

Song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqsafpTaNIw

All I Can Do, Is Say Thank You!

I cannot help but be grateful for the many blessings God has bestowed upon me and my family. His continued protection of family and friends here and around the world. His many answered prayers for those on my prayer list and many unspoken ones. I am humbled and awed by his love, as I can only try to come close to understanding his love for us, like a parent loves their child. I look at God's creation and see that all of his animals are created in a family of love and dependence, modeling his love for us.

As a parent, we can also best understand the instruction he gives us for giving thanks. Think of your own children and how we teach them to say thank you and to pray before eating. We do this because it teaches them to have a grateful heart that is appreciative for what they have and what is done for them. No parent wants a demanding, self centered child that is ungrateful. Yet that is exactly how we behave at times with God and those closest to us.

The scriptures encourage us to be thankful and "With thanksgiving let your request be known to God." We all have much to be thankful for. The young and old I enjoy being around the most are those that are appreciative for all things, little and big. Their spirit is contagious and uplifting.

Reflection.....How am I showing my gratitude today?

Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1OE53ZMApQ