It's hard to believe that we are approaching the 10th anniversary of my initial move to the USA. A move that has taken me from England to America, Africa and Mexico! Brought me to a wonderful husband, two beautiful children and some amazing friends.
Oh how my life has changed. To many people it might seem that the main differences are in how I spend my time. It used to be about going to work, and in free time hanging with friends. Often though I was alone, in my home longing for something more, something to fullfil me.
Now, I spend my days with my children, hoping to give them the best start in life. When we aren't enjoying free time as a family we are most often found serving at our church in some capacity or another.
I think that this is what many people would seed as the biggest change in my life over the past 10 years - what I DO differently. However, I would beg to differ. You see what I DO is merely a reflection of who I AM.
While most people understand being a Christian as going to church, reading the bible, praying and being "good", that actually misses the fundamental truth about what happens when you become a Christian as I did in 2003.
Initially, I took a leap of faith by very simply deciding that I believed what the Bible says.
That Jesus is the Son of God. That He paid the penalty facing every person for falling short of God's perfect standard (because of Adam and Eve!) - the penalty of death. Yet because Jesus was sinless and perfect, death had no power over Him and in 3 days he was resurrected into new life and ascended, alive, into heaven to return in the future and take those who believe to a new Earth.
(And though we all know that some day our body will die, many of us refuse to consider where our spirit will spend eternity!!)
Making this decision changed more than what I do with my time. It changed who I am.
You see, being "born again", as the Bible phrases this decision to die to oneself and live for God's glory, changes who you are inside. More than just swearing less (yeah, still in my weak moments - don't judge me!), more than caring about others, more than saying the right thing.
This week I had a revelation about just how powerful the spirit of God is, when you put your life in God's hands. If you don't yet understand why you need Jesus in your life, perhaps this will help.
For more than two years now I have been writing about hope. My daughter's middle name is hope. Yet only now do I have the words to explain what hope, in Jesus Christ, means practically.
Hope is when your circumstances in life are bleak. When things are going wrong and you do not know why. When you do not know what to do. When you feel like you must panic, get control, run or cry. But you don't. Because you can't.
Hope is when things are going wrong, but you are so filled with peace and joy that no tears come, your legs don't shake and your feet stand firm. When total uncertainty becomes limitless possibilities.
And you know that the ONLY reason you are able to go on is because you know that God is in control and has your back, and your future.
If you have any doubts that I know this for sure, you need to go back and read the blog over again from the start!
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32
This is the ultimate demonstration of how much God loves us - parents, imagine allowing your child to die so that someone else doesn't have to. The sooner we realize that God loves us this much and does not want us to suffer eternity in hell, the sooner we can believe that we do not need to be good or perfect to receive this incredible gift of salvation. And hope.
After all, perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). Be loved. Be fearless.
Oh how my life has changed. To many people it might seem that the main differences are in how I spend my time. It used to be about going to work, and in free time hanging with friends. Often though I was alone, in my home longing for something more, something to fullfil me.
Now, I spend my days with my children, hoping to give them the best start in life. When we aren't enjoying free time as a family we are most often found serving at our church in some capacity or another.
I think that this is what many people would seed as the biggest change in my life over the past 10 years - what I DO differently. However, I would beg to differ. You see what I DO is merely a reflection of who I AM.
While most people understand being a Christian as going to church, reading the bible, praying and being "good", that actually misses the fundamental truth about what happens when you become a Christian as I did in 2003.
Initially, I took a leap of faith by very simply deciding that I believed what the Bible says.
That Jesus is the Son of God. That He paid the penalty facing every person for falling short of God's perfect standard (because of Adam and Eve!) - the penalty of death. Yet because Jesus was sinless and perfect, death had no power over Him and in 3 days he was resurrected into new life and ascended, alive, into heaven to return in the future and take those who believe to a new Earth.
(And though we all know that some day our body will die, many of us refuse to consider where our spirit will spend eternity!!)
Making this decision changed more than what I do with my time. It changed who I am.
You see, being "born again", as the Bible phrases this decision to die to oneself and live for God's glory, changes who you are inside. More than just swearing less (yeah, still in my weak moments - don't judge me!), more than caring about others, more than saying the right thing.
This week I had a revelation about just how powerful the spirit of God is, when you put your life in God's hands. If you don't yet understand why you need Jesus in your life, perhaps this will help.
For more than two years now I have been writing about hope. My daughter's middle name is hope. Yet only now do I have the words to explain what hope, in Jesus Christ, means practically.
Hope is when your circumstances in life are bleak. When things are going wrong and you do not know why. When you do not know what to do. When you feel like you must panic, get control, run or cry. But you don't. Because you can't.
Hope is when things are going wrong, but you are so filled with peace and joy that no tears come, your legs don't shake and your feet stand firm. When total uncertainty becomes limitless possibilities.
And you know that the ONLY reason you are able to go on is because you know that God is in control and has your back, and your future.
If you have any doubts that I know this for sure, you need to go back and read the blog over again from the start!
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32
This is the ultimate demonstration of how much God loves us - parents, imagine allowing your child to die so that someone else doesn't have to. The sooner we realize that God loves us this much and does not want us to suffer eternity in hell, the sooner we can believe that we do not need to be good or perfect to receive this incredible gift of salvation. And hope.
After all, perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). Be loved. Be fearless.
No comments:
Post a Comment