Bible Study With My Daughter

Let me start off this by saying, I absolutely LOVE the book of Acts. It is so full of truths, principles to live by, promises from God, courage and strength. I have been going to BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) since September (I think) and getting to know Acts all over again after our church preached the book last year. I am getting so much out of the study, especially with the highlights, questions and lectures, and growing so much closer to the Lord. Seeing how He has been changing my heart, where He is focusing my attention and correcting my behavior is just, well, I would say amazing but really it's just, God.   

Yes, yes the title of this is Bible Study With My Daughter :) I am getting there. 

One of the things God has placed so deeply on my heart, as you may have seen from previous posts, are children. I absolutely LOVE kids. I truly believe they are our future and that if you "train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6) but what I was noticing was that I was spending a great deal of time training up OTHER kids. Between bible study once a month and Sunday School twice a month, I felt I was always "preparing" for a lesson but I was not teaching at home. Quite a bit of MY bible study time felt rushed, was done in the evenings after Grace went to bed and she never saw me doing it. What she was seeing is that I was rushing to get it done or talking about rushing around to finish it before BSF started. That doesn't sound like I was really teaching her the right way, does it? "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1) 

My daughter, Grace, is homeschooled. By many blessings of the Lord, we are able to do this. He has provided an amazing program through the school that allows us to be able to afford the cost more easily with the availability to have her in extracurricular activities. The Lord laid on my heart to teach Grace from home long before I had the ability and my wonderful husband has always been so supportive of this idea. Without whom (also a blessing, he is) I would not be able to keep the sanity and perseverance to continue on some days. As I would prepare her school lesson for the day, bible study always got swept under the rug. There was too much to do, too many assignments and reports, too many projects and we just didn't have time to add one more. Then a few weeks ago, I cam across this verse (??randomly??) "Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are sitting at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 11:19) OUCH! Too important to miss and yet I was showing her that these ideals were SO IMPORTANT that I was SHOVING THEM AWAY! I mean, we were reinforcing Sunday school...right? Well, sometimes. What about bible study...? Ohhh, nope. Just kind of got swept under the rug...

Let's just say, I think I got the full wake up call when I got a "Daily Devotional for Homeschoolers" the next day. Matthew 18:6-7 " “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!" Was I causing my little one to stumble? YES! By showing her that God came SECOND and not FIRST. 

 WHAT A BLESSING this bible study is, done through a child's eyes! We started a "Wall of Faith" as we go through the study of Acts (yes, just like BSF, they have a "family guide" for discussion at home and we use that as our guide...sort of, with lots of twists and turns along the way) where we have different cut out shapes like hands for prayers or verses on prayer, a bible or book for verses on studying, a lamb for verses about Jesus, a lion for verses about being strong or courageous, a dove for promises (and OH MY there are a LOT of those) and probably one of my favorites, little crosses for things special we want to remember, principles-truths-ways to live. I think I am getting at least as much out of this study as I am at the women's study. There is something special to see when you are looking at scripture through unconditionally loving eyes. Its not important to see the Lord through a child's eyes, right? "And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4) 

Take the time for bible study. It is the single most important part of the day for you and your children. Not only will they be brought up in the ways of the Lord but you would be surprised at what you will learn from your children about love, correction and looking on the "glass half full" side of things. We look at Stephen in Acts 7 and say "Poor guy, he was stoned." My daughter looked at Stephen and said "He got to see GOD AND JESUS." I think I want a heart like hers...

Lord, Thank you for the blessings that you have given me in the areas of my life that I sometimes see as a burden. Help me see things for what they are and prioritize according to YOUR desire. Help give me the strength to continue when it seems my schedule is too full for YOU and to put You first not just for my, Lord, but for my daughter as well. Everything I desire to give to You, including my time and my priority. Academics come only after the real teaching is done! 

Proverbs 1

What jewels of wisdom!

Proverbs is a wonderful book to go through "For gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young" (Proverbs 1:2-4) What I love about this verse is that, to God especially, we are ALL YOUNG, we can all have more knowledge (and frankly, many of us crave that knowledge) and use more discretion! Thank you, Lord, for wisdom!

The first thing that was pointed out to me is that knowledge and wisdom are two really different things. You can have much knowledge, continue to gain knowledge and be completely self-taught but without wisdom. Knowledge is something you work for and is gained by circumstances or books, the theoretical, practical understanding of a subject.. Wisdom is something that you gain from God, from the insight that you are given about what is true, right and just. You can be knowledgeable or "smart" and have no wisdom. You, however, cannot be wise and have no knowledge because the wisdom is given WITH knowledge. 

Proverbs 1 really makes me feel like this is (and I fully believe it should be) a parents legacy. You can tell by reading it that Solomon is trying (if not desperately) to reach his children about the most important things to him. It's for ALL people, not for just a few in the "old days," everywhere and in any time. There is nothing that I have read so far that is "anti" anything, except foolishness and sin. If you want to obtain the closest relationship to the Lord by way of prayer and meditation, fasting, forgiveness, obedience and surrender then Proverbs may be the right book to read right now! This particular chapter is one of warning. Parents be careful what you teach because your children will follow (and we all know the best way to teach is by example, Prov. 1:8-9) and to be careful of sinful seduction (anything that will pull you away from God, Prov 1:10-19.) Wisdom is readily available for all people, you don't have to be a scholar. Proverbs 1:20-21 wisdom is calling out for everyone. To those who want to find her, she is there calling. Following up with repentance and turning from sin. You cannot be wise and willingly follow sin! If you repent wisdom will "make [her] teachings known to you" (Prov 1:23b) If you turn from wisdom, choose to take another path, then wisdom will leave you unprepared. You will eventually get to see what the consequences of choosing not to be wise in your life. Can you see the contrast of a false security over the lasting peace of God?

In this day and age, we don't need to have wisdom. It is so much easier to look for the answer that suits us, find people who believe as we do and have our lives and fellowship with them. If we look at Acts 27:13, they felt they had the "go ahead" because they got a little head wind. Wisdom would have been what Paul said to them "You should not have sailed from Crete as I had said" (Acts 27:22) Wisdom is knowing the RIGHT answer not the best one for the moment!

Father, THANK YOU and PRAISE YOU for the direction and the wisdom You have given to the people in my life that I get to glean wisdom from. I pray that more would seek You, want to know You and most importantly, Lord, that they would want to have a little of Your wisdom. Thank you for Your Son always and for the death He suffered for all of us. AMEN

Exodus

It amazes me how in the story of the Exodus, after God saved the people through Moses and led them out of Egypt, the Israelites worshiped a calf they created out of gold. They had just witnessed first hand the power of the Almighty God and they still turned away from Him! People often do that today also.We see something as supernatural or a miracle, something good or bad, and we see it as a "magic" (something that is just unexplained) or as "karma" (something that someone did to "deserve") but how often are we looking at the blessing inside? That it is God at work? Some people would rather think it is aliens that can tap into your brain than to think it is an all powerful God that is in control. 

And oh my goodness! How detailed the instructions for the Ark of the covenant! If He always gave us instruction that clearly, how much easier would it be to follow and how much easier that would make things for us but then would we need to or feel the need to need Him so much? What faith would we need then? Even Moses was more afraid of denial and embarrassment because "Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”(Exodus 4:10) Moses was given CLEAR and PRECISE direction from God and He questioned the most Holy One that created everything, destroyed almost all of the world once already and then Sodom and Gomorrah. Our God is amazing! He gives us the clearest direction we have without actually sitting down for a cup of coffee with us. We have the bible! We have an entire book filled with His direction, guidance, love, compassion and plan for our lives. It is readily available to anyone who needs one. Even if you don't go to church, don't like "Christians," ect. you cannot deny what is written in the bible...it is the moral compass for the world. Do we demand so much in our daily business, forgetting that it was He who gave us our life?

Lord, I thank you for who you are and I pray that I would remember that it is You who give me everything I do. Please help me to remember you in all that I do! 

PSALM 40

If you get a chance to read all of Psalm 40 I would recommend doing so but, for the purpose of this blog, I want to talk about what verses 11-17 are focusing on:

¹¹ Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
¹² For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
¹³ Be pleased to save me, LORD; come quickly, LORD, to help me. 

¹⁴ May all who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
¹⁵ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.¹⁶ But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!” 

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.

What a humbling way to look! May YOUR love and truth protect me. Our sins are so great in number that it is being compared to the number of hairs on our heads. How overwhelming! To know that sin will be apart of my life until He returns, exhausting! To know that He has made it possible to not have to be a slave to this sin, REDEEMING! 

Those who say 'Aha'......may I not be one of those anymore! Your sin doesn't make mine any less and where we should be comforting, loving and helping each other we say "OOOOOHHHHHH! Look at so-and-so! Can you believe that?" Why do we point out shame? Why do we not comfort the disgraced? The sin is to be exposed but we are supposed to be loving and take care of someone BRAVE and STRONG enough to be honest about their "disgraces" and rejoice and be glad in He who can fix anything!

We all have areas in our lives that Christ's love needs to fix. We are ALL poor and needy. When Christ said to the Pharisees "It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick" (Matt 9:12) think about this question: Are you acting like you know you're sick....? Or do you really know you NEED Jesus? "You are my help and my deliverer; Oh my God do not delay" 

 

God's Love

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
 ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV

I love how this verse encompasses so many aspect of God. A love so deep that we cannot even understand. After all of the "I did THAT?" After all the shame. With all the hiding, the fear and the not letting go.
God, OUR FATHER AND LORD, says to a broken and binded soul, "I am here. I have always been here. I am never leaving, I am never letting go. I will never lie to you. I will never hurt you. I will never make you feel ashamed or guilty for what you do for me, in My Name. I am love.. I am the love that you have been looking for everywhere else and cannot find. Follow me and I will heal you and you will be mine."

Out of all of the "love" I have ever had in my life, I don't think anything have made me feel completely guilt-free though my marriage is very close I still feel guilty about things sometimes.) God's love is the only one that is completely unconditional and guiltless. The only time I feel guilty about God's love is when I am refusing to let it shine into my life. I never have to worry about what He has up His sleeve, His motivations, His intentions or what I have to do to "earn" His love (or more of it for that matter.) If I love Him, truly and with all of my heart, I will want to follow Him wherever He leads me. I never have to be afraid that He will leave me or that I am not doing enough to make Him happy as long as I love Him, obey Him and submit to Him. There is a willingness in submission. You are not "forced" into submission. Submission is an act of love and total trust for a Christian. I know God loves me enough to let Him take hold of every aspect of my life and make it His without a fight.

Am I truly being an obedient Christian in every aspect of my life? I don't think I am but I know I want to be!

Lord, I want to be obedient and submit to Your power and see Your Awesome Light in my life. Show me how to obey you. Give me the strength to do what You Will not what I want to or think is the "right" way to do things. I think I want to but show me how I NEED to. Remind me of Your Love. Your AMAZING and GLORIOUS Love. The only true love in all of Your creation. Amen!

My Testimony

I grew up in Salem, OR a household that was non religious. More than that it was anti-religious. God was a “higher power” that was changed to suit what was needed if He was even there at all. I went through a very rough childhood with emotional and physical abuse, an even rougher time as a teenager with more than 5 years of serious and daily drug addiction. Trust was just not something you gave and I learned to only rely on myself for everything. I had no real idea what love was though I thought I knew.

When I came to church with Matt (my now husband) that first Sunday, November 29^th 2009, I didn’t really expect anything special. I had been to church off and on for the previous 3 or 4 years but mostly it was for my daughter. I always believed in God, that He was there but I just wasn’t one He was there for, I guess but I wanted her to know Him and to make up her own choice about Him. I don’t know how much of the pastor's message I actually heard, I was zoning in and out (sorry Randy) but then something truly by His Glory happened. I heard “He loves you.” I don’t even know if that’s what he said that day but that’s all I heard. I cried. Something in me changed that day, Jesus changed me, and gratefully, He still is changing me. I walked away from here that day truly new, cleansed b y th eblood of Jesus and different.  I didn’t understand why or how He could love ME after everything I had done but somehow I knew He did.

The next few months were very hard. Learning that I could trust the Lord for things that I previously had to do myself and to break down the walls that I built up through so many years of pain, self loathing and worthlessness hurt. I spent a lot of time crying and uncovering things that I had buried but it was pealing back the layers around my heart. I was raw all the time. When I got through the trust issues and began relying on God, He convicted me about my behavior and the way I was acting and the way I addressed my life. It dug up a lot of shame about things I did but mostly it allowed me to SAY I was ashamed. To admit that I was putting on a mask to cover the way I really felt. I remember a conversation I had with my mom in March last year when I told her I was ashamed of being a divorcee. I was embarrassed. I will never forget her response. She said “I don’t like what going to church has done to you. You were never embarrassed before so why now? They are brainwashing you. You’re different and I don’t like it” Coming from a self-professed pagan, I don’t think I had ever been more proud that God had chosen me. I am glad that God has changed me. I’m glad He is continuing to change me and that I want to change more. I know true, unconditional love and now that I know what it is, can feel it with all of my soul, I can love others. I understand now why my Aunt (who is a Christian) has never given up praying for our family and talking about God with us. When you KNOW the truth you want to tell everyone and show everyone with the changes in your life. When I expose my past, it amazes me that people don’t say “Oh yea I kind of guessed that” anymore. They are shocked because of how God changed me.

When I gave up trying to do everything on my own, trusted God to lead me, started relying on prayer and opened my life to Him and to growth in Him, my everything changed. My worth is in Him alone and nothing could take away my faith in Him. I want to love people the way Christ did, hold nothing back from Him and always being open to move the way He wants me to. Blind faith doesn’t mean not making plans, it means making Him the center of the plan and building up from there. If things don’t go my way, I know they are going His. The more I let go of self-reliance, control, self-sustainment and give God the control, the more I let go of and make Him the center of my life, the more I receive in my heart.

Following the promtping of the Holy Spirit, I started volunteering in the nursery at my church. What a blessing that has been! I am now the Nursery Coordinator (which really is a fancy title for saying that I plan the schedule and make sure snacks are stocked) and teach Sunday School for the K-2nd Grade class twice a month. Children have been placed so firmly into my heart that I know it is part of my responibility to show them the love Christ has for them by way of loving instruction. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Because of the miracles He has done in my life, He has opened my eyes to see the constant working in and changing of my life and the lives of those around me. Our God is truly an AWESOME God.

TO my LORD:

I can trust You in all that I do for You.

I can be scared but I don’t have to let that stop what you want me to do

 I can know that if I have faith and follow You Nothing can stop me

I can feel unworthy but that won’t stop me from who You want me to be.

You are more than I can fathom and dare to understand

You are the Creator, the builder of water, air and land

You are the binder and the rebuilder of my heart

You are the one who can heal and tear me apart

Thank you Lord that I have been cleaned

Thank you Lord that things weren’t what they seemed

Thank you Lord for everything you have given

Thank you Lord for Jesus whom me is alive in

What a Joy!

What a joy to live a life that God created, that He knows every part of and that He leads!

Oh, how I used to be afraid of looking to the past for what it was. Afraid that someone, ANYONE, would find out my secrets, the secrets of a live once (but no longer) lived. Of the family skeletons in the closet. Of people telling me that I am not good enough to know God. How amazing is He that through everything, EVEN I can be set FREE!  (John 8:32-36; Romans 6:6-7 & 18 and so many more)

I was told a week ago, when I prayed over and over about sharing my past with a friend who really needed some encouragement, that she couldn't believe that I had been through the things I had told her about. That I had done some of the things I had done. All by the power of Christ, I have been changed. I don't have a desire to be my old self (Eph 4:20-24) but to follow my Lord. That she can't believe that I have been through those things is an awesome show of God's mighty power. What strength He has given me to be able to share those skeletons for the benefit of someone else. Through me, He has given her strength to become a mother, clean up her life, want more and, hopefully, pull herself to the gifts He has saved for us.

What negativity I have had about my life. "Oh, Woe is me! Look at everything I have been through....what a victim" Boo hoo hoo. But Now I look at my life. Look at all the blessings! I am ALIVE! I have met the One Who Created. I have been mistreated (to make me strong and have tough skin) been put down (to be lifted up) hurt (to learn how to help others) and lead to God (to talk about, teach-eventually-and maybe by His Grace lead someone to Him.)

I want to live a life motivated by love for Him and that makes others so jealous of my gift of freedom that they turn to God and be saved!

Lord, thank you for changing my life. I want to always want you more!~ AMEN

Hinderances

In my womens group at church we are going through Beth Moore's Breaking Free study. What an eye opening group. I would really recommend going through it if you get the chance but please, don't do it alone. You will get so much more out of it if you at least have a sounding board to bounce things off of. Feel free to email if you'd like...I don't mind :)

Going through the second week (and this is not a question out of that week) I starting asking what things are keeping me from having a closer relationship with God? What is keeping me captive? The definition of captivity in the study is A Christian being held by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life that God has planned. So I asked myself this: What is hindering me from having the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life that God has planned for me? Here is what I came up with and I will add to the list (as I grow I'm sure things will go away and new things come up) as needed.

My feeling of worthlessness. I KNOW God does love me but sometimes I can't understand HOW He can love me after all of the things I have done and all of the sin I have committed. Like the woman who see herself as a big spot on a white dress. It's doubt from mistreatment and manipulation early in life, from societies idea of Karma (when is the bad going to catch up to me and make me pay for the mistakes I have made in the past-which is not only NOT biblical but completely takes the need for Jesus out of society) and the idea of God punishing the wicked. I KNOW I have Jesus as my Savior, I believe He died to carry the burden of my sin and stand in front of me as my defender against God, the Father's wrath and disgust of my sin but the doubt of my salvation sometimes creeps in because I am SO UNWORTHY of Him.

Societial thinking. The scale theory of I'm not that bad-I have done (or am doing) more good than bad-God loves everyone so I'm sure He'll forgive me if I'm trying to do the right thing. God is a warm and fuzzy, not someone to fear. God is mighty and jealous according to scripture. He doesn't like to fight for our affection. I'm doing my best isn't good enough. He knew our best wouldn't be good enough that's why He sent His son. Jesus is our only good enough.

My way. I want to do everything in Gods plan but I want to do it my way because Your way is harder, more time consuming (don't You know I'm busy?) and requires more effort on a consistent basis. So, God, this is my plan can you just bless my plan? It's a good plan full of helping people, doing good deeds, spreading your word and teaching people about You and Your Son. Can't You just bless my plan? But it's not about MY plan. If it's my plan who gets the glory if it suceeds? I do. Not God. Who deserves all the Glory for All Things? Not me. God. Praying and asking for guidance are the best ways to ask for His plan for me but I have to listen and put my plan away. It's all about His plan. However big or small my part is, I need to be grateful of the part He allows me to play in His plan.

It all comes down to me. I am the hinderance in my relationship with God. When I start thinking I'm more (OR LESS) important than I am, the issues start happening. Any flaws there are, because He is perfect, have to be on my end. I will keep praying for closeness with Him and for Him to reveal any obstacles that I have placed in the way of Him and I Love you dearly.
God is my life and He is in mine. If you don't like it, ask yourself why and be honest when you answer.

Fear of God

We have been having a discussion on our small group blog about fear of God. Is it a terrified fear? A "dad can punish me" fear? The standard answer is a reverant fear. What is that? What does it look like?

As a believer, we need to have a healthy concept of who God is, what He stands for and what He means for us. Fearing Him is, I believe, a reverantial trust AND knowing that He is the controller of all things. My friend posted this:

Norman Geisler is a well respected theologian and prolific writer on Biblical issues.  In his book "When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook of Bible Difficulties" he addresses the question: "If love casts out all fear, why are we told to fear God?"
Here is his answer:
1 John 4:18—If love casts out all fear, why are we told to fear God?

Problem: John affirms here that “perfect love casts out all fear.” Yet we are told that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7) and that we should “serve the Lord with fear” (Ps. 2:11). Indeed, Paul said, “knowing … the terror [fear] of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).

Solution: Fear is being used in different senses. Fear in the good sense is a reverential trust in God. In the bad sense it is a sense of recoiling torment in the face of God. While proper fear brings a healthy respect for God, unwholesome fear engenders an unhealthy sense that He is out to get us. Perfect love casts out this kind of “torment.” When one properly understands that “God is love” (1 John 4:16), he can no longer fear Him in this unhealthy sense. For “he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Nonetheless, at no time does proper love for God ever show disrespect for Him. Rather, it is perfectly compatible with a reverential awe for Him, which is what the Bible means by “fearing God” in the good sense (cf. 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Peter 2:17).

I think that most commonly I tend to think of Him as My Father. A dad. He always has my best intentions and always wants the best to happen. As a defiant (fallen and sinful) child, I need constant reminders of who He is, especially if I am choosing to do it my way instead of using the stones He has laid before me. For me, the reverential fear is a respect and, truly, fearful terror. I know that sounds repetative but I am terrified of God. Because of my sinful nature, what would happen to me if I were face to face with the One Who Created me? Even the best are His worst without Jesus.

Gratefully, I have Jesus standing before me.  Like the big brother who stood up for you so you wouldn't get in trouble, He is vouching for me. I can be afraid and be joyous in that fear. I know God's mighty power and because I know His power I know and understand how much I really need Jesus to stand in front for me to stay God's wrath. I can be full of love knowing that He sent His son to die for me so that I may stand with Him one day and not have to be afraid anymore. My fear is out of respect and knowledge of who He is.

Still need to learn more...
I love God....
God bless :)

New To This

I am completely new to blogging. I have been wanting to start one for quit a while now (my sister-in-law has one) to really voice what I am learning about walking in complete faith in Jesus. Some of this will be about my daily devotional time, meditation, how I am reaching out and who is reaching out to me. I want feedback. Criticism is welcomed. I am not afraid of being called crazy or radical or any other "negative" Christian name. I only have to answer to one :) 

The reason I picked today to start: I cried in my car today. I thought about what Christ has done for me, for my life, for my heart. To explain to someone what has happened to my heart in the last year is nothing short of a miracle. Love. I can give you a million words to describe that feeling but unless you have experienced it, you won't understand. Someone said "To a believer, no explanation is necessary. To someone who doesn't believe, none will be enough." This has not been more true in my life than lately.

For me right now, no one can persuade me into believing that Jesus didn't die for me or that God hasn't loved me forever. He loves me. I know these things. They are ingrained in me. 

I titled this blog, He is my vine because He is. Without Him, nothing I do is fulfilling. I can do no real good in the world. I am only who I am because of my Lord.

God, thank you for loving me, for changing the way I think, for opening my eyes to You and Your undying and unconditional love. I know I have sinned against you, Lord, have done things I would rather forget. Without Your son Jesus I would be forever condemned and I am so grateful that You gave Him to save my life. Everything I do and am is for You. In your mighty name, Amen.