Tuesday, September 23, 2008

My Father

When you stop and realize just how often and how powerfully God has had a hand on your life, it's astounding. It's humbling. And it makes you realize just how grateful you are to have Jesus in your life.

This morning on my drive to work I was blessed with the gift of clearly seeing the hand that he's had on my daughter and me through a rather difficult season in our lives. From simple event to event it became so obvious to me that he was not only guiding us but making our path straight. And when I realized just how perfectly he's been orchestrating each turn of event to not only protect us but to insure our growth and prosperity I was reduced to tears. Grateful happy tears.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you for being with us every single breath that we take. Thank you for the way you have moved mountains in my life, and thank you for the way you always keep us safe, really safe. Thank you for your undying grace and love.

You're so BIG, your love is so GREAT. You created the entire universe and hold it together, but you STILL have time to watch over someone as insignificant as me. That's nothing short of utterly astounding.

I know I'm not worthy of it. I know I don't deserve it. But I am and ever will be grateful for it. There are no words to express how immense and wonderful you are, and I want to live my life as a testimony to the glory that is you.

Thank you for letting me be aware of your hand on my life because I realize that there are so many times I don't see it. So many times you make my path straight and I am unaware. I never EVER want to take you for granted. Keep my eyes seeing, keep my ears open. Keep my heart faithful, for while I struggle to stay close to you, without your help I won't make it.

I tried life that way. I NEVER want to go back. I love you Lord. And I always will. Thank you for this morning and every second of my life. It's yours.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Email from the Past

When I first became a Christian I sent myself an email scheduled to arrive 1 year down the road. I wrote about how I was feeling, told myself about about my typical day which brought into focus exactly what my reality was back then. And I encouraged myself not to give up, because God had never give up on me. When I received that email I celebrated just how far I'd come on my walk with the Lord in that short period of time.

I sent myself another on that day scheduled to arrive 1 year later, and I just received that email yesterday.

It's amazing to receive email from your former self. It's encouraging to see how far you've come. And it's great to know that God was with you then, and he's with you now.

I surprisingly found that I was proud of past myself. Proud of how I've been working so hard to draw closer to our Creator. And so happy that every single day he draws me even closer.

Before I knew Christ I honestly hated myself. God has changed me so much, and these emails and words of encouragement from my past self have become precious to me.

Give it a try. It's rather amazing: http://www.futureme.org/