A New Creation

     So, yesterday I made the decision to get baptized...Again. When I was about 10 years old I got baptized, the first time. I remember the day, it was a sunny, summer afternoon at a church picnic and the closest body of water was a gravel pit that had been filled with water at a nearby housing development. I remember being too shy to give a testimony like the adults who were getting baptized and simply nodding my head when the preacher asked me if I believed that Jesus was LORD. And that was that.
    But as I've grown and begun to learn more about baptism and what an important step it is in one's choice to follow Jesus, I began to wonder if I should do it again, this time from a place of deeper understanding of what it was I was doing. And let me tell you I turned it into a inner struggle and I let fear dictate. But finally, yesterday morning, I made the decision and so friends and family gathered at the church to share this moment with me.
     I know that baptism has become a rather polarizing topic in the church today. I know that I have personally struggled with it and it's importance. But I've come to the conclusion, that honestly, it's a silly argument. Jesus asks His followers to do it, so of course it's important.
     This year, I had decided that my theme was going to be "Growing in Grace." I wanted to learn more deeply about living each and every day in that beautiful grace that, The One who calls us by name, offers. I think this decision I've made is part of that learning. So there you have it...
   

Colossians 2:12

"Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through your faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

Acts 22:16

"And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name."

1 Peter 3:21

"And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also, not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Grow in Grace

      For the past couple of years, I have chosen a verse. Something that fits with what my goals for the year are, something that I am striving to grow in or learn(2017). This year, I have chosen,

2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

     One of my goals for this year is to truly learn to live forward in grace. All to often, I find myself stuck. What I mean by this is that I look back to decisions I've made, mistakes, sins etc. and obsess over them. I Play the "What if" game, thinking about what I should have done instead, beating myself up over it. And this isn't good. In our discussions on this, my husband has often told me that I need to live forward in grace. Meaning, strive to be my best, to do what's right, to change what needs to be changed, but to leave the past. To allow the grace of The One who loves us enough to die to be enough, and to live forward.
     And so, the other day, as I was reading my Bible, 2 Peter 3:18 popped out at my, specifically the words, "Grow in grace." That is exactly what I want to do this year. To keep growing towards Jesus, to have a deeper understanding of grace, to rest in the arms of The One who gives me life.

    As for the daily adventures of life...

I think he's a monkey at heart. 

Keeping the house warm. 

This weekend was Mr. Ephraim's birthday. He got a sword...Fun times. 

Burieln thought this whole sword business was interesting as well. 

A valiant knight and his mighty steed. 

The birthday boy shared his party with Uncle Luke who's birthday is coming up.

These are some pretty awesome cousins. 

My sister Lydia was also in town this weekend. 

It's always nice when you find someone willing to share chocolate with you. 

Delicious!

 We've decided to hop on board the Kefir bandwagon around here. It' been fun and tasty. 

Well folks it's Monday and a whole new week awaits. Find something wonderful in it!

"God answers the mess of life with one word, 'Grace,'"~Max Lucado 

John 1:16

"For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace."

Beach Week

      It's Beach Week at school and the weather cooperated by giving us a balmy high of 24 degrees. The kids showed up in shorts, sandals, giant floppy hats and colorful leis. Aloha! For our group picture I thought it would be fun to run outside in our Hawaiian glory and snap a picture in the falling snow. We managed to forget to put the pin in the door and locked ourselves out, thus having to run around the building to the front door, cue laughter and squealing.  
    This all reminded me of a snowy winter day when I was a kid. We were cooped up and I'm sure fighting cabin fever. So, my mom let us have a beach day. We laid out beach towels, put on shorts and t-shirts, slathered on lotion(sunscreen) and imagined warmer days. I also remember, when we were living in Kenya,  having a pool party in the bathtub with my siblings and probably a neighbor kid or two. Moments in time. Memories. Stories.
     On a different note, I've been thinking lately about comparisons and how they are not good. All to often, I find that I compare myself, my life, and my story with people around me, and this can lead to stress, anxiety, and doubt. You see, I started to realize that I was comparing my faith, my walk with God, my decisions and so forth against other people. But the tricky thing was that I would compare it against what I thought the other person's faith, walk, and choices were and what I thought their thoughts on the subject must be. So really, I was comparing myself against what I thought others must be thinking/feeling/believing, not necessarily against what they actually were(if that makes any sense). Do this and you will quickly find yourself in a sticky, brain mess that doesn't seem to have an exit.
     Now the Bible has a thing or two to say about not judging others, but I think it might be just as important to not compare with others. Either it will make us feel hopelessly inadequate, give us a big head, or just plain confuse us. Instead, we should forget whether or not we match up with the those around us and rather strive to compare our lives, faith, walk, and decisions agains the Word of God.
     Happy Beach Week!

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus

The Envelope

     One Christmas, many years ago(I think somewhere around 8-10 years ago), my Dad gave myself and each of my siblings one of these envelopes.

    They were addressed to each of us and said, "From your Heavenly Father."
This is what was inside.

5 note cards, each with a different promise from God's word.

Abundant Life: John 10:10 "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give you life in all its fullness."

Example to Live By: "John 13:14-15 "And since I , the LORD and Teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash eachother's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you."

Kingdom of Heaven: Luke 12:32 "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom."

Salvation: Ephesians 2:8-9 "God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

His Love: Romans 8:33-35a " Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.  Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? 

    I pulled it out of my Bible this morning and read the cards again. So thanks Dad for this gift, a reminder that not only does my Heavenly Father love me, but you do too!

Truth

     Good morning. How are you on this fine Friday? I've been learning lately, that God's word is the absolute truth. Now I have always known this, but it is becoming more real to me. One thing that I am working on re-learning right now, is that I don't have too--in fact I shouldn't-- believe every thought that pops into my head. All to often, a thought or idea pops into my head and I accept it as gospel truth. Now I'm not saying that God can't or won't speak to you this way. But I have gotten to the point that I believe it even if it is fear or even if it doesn't line up with God's word. And that is not right. In fact, the Word has something to say about it.

1 John 4:1
" Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

And

2 Corinthians 11:3-4
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully."

      My love has been helping me to realize that this is not ok and I am trying to work on it. Though, like they say, "old habits are hard to break." So lately, I've been trying to read the Bible, all of the Bible. I so often find myself reading the same books and passages over and over. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I was not reading other sections because of it. As I start to read more and more, God's words and truths jump out to me and my mind is like, "Oh God does have something to say about such and such."

     So, God's word is the absolute and ultimate truth. So, when I find myself stressed, afraid, and worried and feeling trapped by the stress, fear, and worry I need to remember what  John 8:31-32 says

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

      God's word will set me free from the trap my mind has set, if I allow it too work in me. Another thing the Word tells me to do is resist the devil. I will get there in a minute. But first, 1 John 4:16 says, 

" We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

      So, according to the Word of Truth, God is love. It then says, in 1 John 4:18 

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

      So, God is love and there is no fear in love. Therefore, fear is absolutely not God. And if it is not of God than it must be of the enemy. And so I come back to what I mentioned about resisting the devil.  

James 4:7-8
" Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

    Thus, if fear is absolutely not of God, then it must be of the devil. And if we are to resist the devil, we have to resist fear.  
     So today, find rest in the Word of God. Allow it to set your mind free from whatever has it in tangles. Resist when your mind throws things your way that don't line up with the Word. And finally, rest. 

Psalms 46:10
"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

 "The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is." ~Winston Churchill